Smaller Homes are Good for the Earth

The concept is called The Jewel Box Home. Small homes that incorporate smart stylish features are a trend that I hope will build some momentum. People have been getting into a lot of financial trouble in recent years by borrowing huge sums in order to build or buy a house that exceeds their needs as much as it exceeds their budget.

TheJewelBoxHome.com isn't selling houses. It is celebrating the joy of living large in a small home. When I looked through the site, I got the impression that it was very heavy on style and light on substance. As I read for context though, I began to see that I was not the target audience. The people who need to check out this website are women that recognize the insanity of keeping up with the Joneses but still feel the pull. It is primarily about finding satisfaction in a small home through creative means of all sorts. Decorating and entertaining in ways that compliment the proportions of your home take a certain knack when your home is smaller than your neighbor's homes. Genevieve M. Ferraro has spent 15 years in an 1800 square foot house and she has become an expert in the art of small home living. She offers the benefit of her experience on this website.

I wish Al Gore had made a point of moving into a small home to avoid the criticism about how much energy his large home consumes. He has a 10,000-square-foot, 20-room, eight-bathroom home in Nashville. He is running a business out of his home. I do that myself and I recognize that there are space requirements.

Shakira in Bangladesh

Shakira is one of the famous faces representing the UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND. This video talks about her trip to Bangladesh and the efforts going on there to help the victims of the worst natural disaster to hit that country in a decade. Unicef resources are put to work helping the most unfortunate children on the planet in places like the Sudan and the Gaza strip. Some of the most tragic situations in the World do not have entirely natural causes. War has a way of stepping in to make hardships just that much worse.

Please consider making a donation to UNICEF.

Song Tagged With Last Christmas

Today I have heard Wham!, Ashley Tisdale and some brass band all playing a version of this song. I don't know whether it is growing on me or infecting me. I don't have any sound on this PC so I don't know what this video below is all about. It looks interesting. I will accept the risk that the audio might feature something annoying.

Babel: A Good Movie That I Didn't Like

I am way late in weighing in on the movie Babel with Brad Pitt. I just saw it yesterday and I found it disconcerting and unsatisfying. I had been meaning to see it ever since I first heard about it. The premise and the synopsis lead me to suspect that I would love this movie. I didn't, and I am not entirely sure why. I discussed it with a coworker today and he says he loved it. I think the director exercised too much restraint. Certain characters were fascinating and certain events were gripping, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was wasting my time while I watched the movie.

News About DVD

I am working at a PC with no sound again. That gives me an idea about what I want for Christmas. This news item about the Shakira DVD might give you an idea about what you want for Christmas.

I gave a thumbs down to a commenter on YouTube. That's not something that I normally bother with, but aside from the swearing and the hating, he was also wrong about Shakira selling out by dying her hair blonde. If he got out into the World a bit he would see that all kinds of women dye their hair blonde and that it is just a fashion. She sings in English to appeal to a wider audience.

Shakira Collaborates Well

Shakira works well with others. She has repaid Wyclef Jean for his help with Hips with a duet on his new album. Her work with Beyonce is all over the clubs and TV. Her contributions to a movie soundtrack will probably get lots of play as well. She is a smart woman. These side projects are the best way to remain in the public eye when you do not have a new album and you are not touring. I wonder if she might actually be getting married soon? That is the ultimate collaboration.

Hotel Reservations

You can save money on Hotel Reservations as well as motels, resorts, vacations rentals and more with HotelReservations.com.

They have competitive rates are with great discounts on world wide destinations. I am flying to Pisa tomorrow, so I did a search for hotels in that city, just in case there is a rail strike or something. I was surprised to find a place called the Hotel California in this historic Italian city. It seems like a pretty good value.

I like the search options on HotelReservations.com. you can have your results listed in order of value, price or quality.

Shakira Concert Footage Upsets Afghan Clerics

"Her clothes were very tight. "Religious people say it is the West trying to impose their values but I had no problem with it."

Sharif, 41

When the Taliban were in power, there was an outright ban on television. After the western military forces brought about regime change, the national media began to flourish. More recently though, there has been a conservative backlash that is starting to be reflected in government policies. As is to be expected, the government begins its censorship under the auspices of appeasing religious zealots, but then extends the effort to quashing criticism of themselves. The silliest part of it is that the conservative media referred to them showing a naked US pop star. Shakira was not naked and is not American.

Source: the Telegraph

Paintball is Awesome

If you have ever participated in a game involving paintball guns I don't have to tell you how exciting it can be. I know a guy who operates a Christmas tree farm and he had the great idea to create an area for outdoor paintball games as another way to generate income. Actually, I think he just wanted to have the paintball lot for fun, but it is very popular with enthusiasts and also for people organizing company events.

I was looking at his website and I see that he supplies Tippmann guns to his guests. These guns are available through Ultimate Paintball. They have great package deals for people that are ready to get their own gear. Newer improved models have some advantages over older guns like the ones you will typically rent. The biggest advance is a feeding system that will feed faster when you are shooting faster. The other major brand are spyder paintball guns. You will find lots of 'discussions' online as to which is the better gun. These debates are best settled outside. From what I can see, Tippmann has an edge as far as being low maintenance. Spyders can apparently fire more rapidly, but are a bit more finicky when it comes to maintenance. I suspect that paintball is a bit like golf in that some guys look for equipment that will give them an edge while others concentrate more on technique.

We Live in a Time of Cholera

The period movie with the Shakira music might have people thinking that cholera is a thing of the past. People in Iraq, Vietnam and the Congo are all dealing with the risk of cholera right now. It is a water borne disease that is almost unheard of in countries with a functional infrastructure.

Cholera is not very romantic. Here is a paragraph about the disease from the WHO:

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. Vomiting also occurs in most patients.

Shakira Does not Appear in 'Love in the Time of Cholera'

I read somewhere that Shakira refused a role that was offered to her because the director wanted her to appear nude. This is disappointing. Judging from the reviews of the movie, it is also a disappointment. I think it is another case where many people have certain expectations after having read the book on which the movie is based.

As you can tell from the trailer, Shakira did contribute original music to the project.

Music from Elsewhere

I am going to have a weekend theme where I find music that I haven't heard before by choosing the music category on YouTube and then clicking most recent. That's about as close to random as you can get. I like this music. I think it is from Turkey. It is interesting to see somebody who looks like a CEO or something on stage performing some kick ass music.

Don't Cry For Me, Lebanon

Shakira is proud of her Lebanese heritage, but her Grandmother was one of the scores of Lebanese who got out while the getting was good. The country has been a center of conflict for decades and it now is at the brink of chaos yet again as opposing sides are failing to reach a consensus over who will be the President.

I know and admire a few people of Lebanese heritage. Lebanese people have been settling in Canada for over a hundred years, but the influx was very intense during the 15 years of intense civil war that began in 1972. It is a shame that there is not more stability and prosperity in Lebanon. It is a beautiful land filled with beautiful people.

Terapeak, a Tool to Help Ebay Sellers Make More Money

There are lots of strategies for purchasing effectively on eBay. Some of them have cool names, like sniping. Sellers have mostly been less strategic. If you sell stuff on eBay, you can now benefit from the eBay Research by Terapeak. Terapeak has free tools that you can use to maximize your revenue from eBay sales. One of the most important things they can help with is making keyword rich titles for your auctions. You can make the most of those 55 characters. I just went back and made the title of this post bigger and better after thinking about keyword placement.

Live Performance by Shakira

When Whenever, Wherever was a new release Shakira was enjoying her first taste on International Superstardom. Hse really does seem to be enjoying herself immensely in this clip from the Tonight Show. I might be mistaken, but it seems to me that she has gotten away from using so many instruments for her stage performances. I think I may have seen a synthesizer filling in for the pan flute during some live shows. I had never even noticed that there is a mandolin until today. I know how to play the mandolin. If you are a guitarist, I would recommend the mandolin as a second intrument for those times that you want to play with a fresh sound.

Avoiding Getting Black and Blue this Black Friday

I personally think that the people who will rush out to buy stuff on Black Friday are crazy and stupid. Is there really any item that is worth hurting or being hurt in order to get it on sale? Smart people will shop online for 2007 thanksgiving specials. Black-Friday.net has an opt in list that gives you the opportunity to have the special price lists emailed to you before most people get a chance to see them. You can then shop in the comfort of your own home and not have to deal with all the stupid jerks that go to the stores on Black Friday. If you think I am exaggerating about people's behavior, just go to YouTube and do a search for Black Friday. It is not pretty.

Do remember the story about Axl Rose and Tommy Hilfiger getting in a fight at some bar? Picture yourself waiting for a Tommy outlet to open the morning after Thanksgiving and getting collateral damage to your face when a Tommy look-alike and an Axl look-alike get into a scuffle about who was first in line. I mean I would love to get a crew neck sweater for under $20, but I love my perfect teeth even more.

Who is the Best Living Female Vocalist ?

I love Shakira. She has a very endearing vocal style, but I would not try to tell anyone that she is the most technically gifted vocalist in Pop Music. Who do you think has the best set of pipes? Christina Aguilera? Regine Velasquez? Sarah Brightman? Annie Wilson?

This is, to a large extent a matter of taste. Obviously people who lack range or power or sing off key don't qualify. Many women with exquisite voices do not become superstars because they don't have the right look or they don't want to play the sexuality card. One of my favorite voices belongs to Mary Jane Lamond.

Find the Right Cartridge at CartridgeFinder.com

I have a history of getting hand-me-down technology. I am cheap and I keep my eyes open for stuff that people might want want to give me. On more than one occasion I have been the recipient of a printer that came to me without a cartridge. I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but when the cartridge isn't there is makes it harder to find a replacement.

The Cartridge Finder is the place to go when you want to be able to punch in the information that you have and get an answer about which cartridge to buy. I tried it out and it is very easy to navigate.

My New Microphone

I just bought a new microphone. I tried it out and it has one huge advantage over the one that I had been using. There is no noise. I feel very self conscious about my singing voice, so I like to amplify it and add reverb and stuff afterwards. When your recording is noisy, you end up amplifying and reverberating all that noise too.

I am hoping that this omni-directional mic will work well for recording voice and guiar at the same time.

It is a bit weird that it makes me happy. It only cost about $3.

Blackpool For Fun

As far as Amusement Parks go, it's hard to beat Blackpool's Pleasure Beach. There are over 125 rides and attractions. I like that fact that entrance to the park is free. You have the option of getting a wristband or paying for individual ride tickets. There is a special on this months with an all day wristband going at the bargain price of twenty pounds.

I remember seeing a very special episode of Little Britain that took place live at Blackpool. The place looks like a lot of fun. The Pepsi Max Big One is a remarkable roller coaster. It has its own Wikipedia entry. When it was opened in 1994 it was the tallest and the fastest in the World. The height record has since been broken by a coaster in Japan. I suspect that riding a really big roller coaster is a thrill that may become extinct on the future, so you would do well to get out and experience it soon. I have been on some very small roller coasters. I recommend that you avoid breakfast buffets on the day that you partake of a roller coaster.

World Music Wednesday

These guys are awesome. Checkout the noisy kids and the traffic noise that blend seamlessly with this quiet and intricate arrangement. I think these guys are from Cape Town, South Africa. It looks like it is pretty chilly outside in the winter there.

I love this music.

Dell Desktops Offer Value and Quality

I have purchased Dell desktops in the past and I have found the service to be satisfactory. The computers have been very dependable and they were well suited to my needs. Given the pricing and the marketing strategies used by Dell, it's not surprising that many people buy their first computer from Dell. The advice that I would offer to those people is for to research the applications and programs that to are planning to use with a new computer and make sure you get a computer that is a better than what you have calculated to be the bare minimum. Some of the pc deals on Dell.co.uk are for computers that are well equipped for what most people want to do TODAY. If you are a gamer, or if you are planning to use the computer for web development or other kinds of work, the entry level computer could be obsolete in less than a year. Get the best computer that you can easily afford and you will save money in the long run. I am typing this post on a Dell that I bought three years ago.

This was the official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship. Nelly Furtado is of Portuguese ancestry and lives in Canada. Comparing and contrasting her life and career with that of Shakira is an interesting exercise. In my opinion, they both achieved success based on their beauty and their stage presence and then each of them developed further as an artist and a person after the fact. Shakira has been choosing to put her career ahead of her personal life so far. Nelly had a child with her partner in 2003. Her relationship ended with the father of their child, but they share parenting responsibilities and remain friends. Nelly grew up in a multi-cultural country and speaks English as a first language. She is fluent in the mother tongue of her parents as well. Shakira learned English as a young adult and her early songwriting and recordings in English are sometimes criticized because of her lack of mastery of this difficult language. Both of these women grew up comfortably middle-class. Shakira has devoted a great deal of herself to helping the poor. Nelly has supported various causes, but it does not seem to be a priority.

Camelback Truss Systems Rock

There are many different kinds of 'shows' that require a versatile truss system as the backbone of their visual display. Camelback has products for everything from instore demonstrations to rock concerts. The common requirements of most events are quick and easy setup and reliable engineering. I once saw a woman on stage at an outdoor concert when a speaker tower fell down in strong winds. She was a solo performer on a big stage and if she had decided to sit on the left instead of the right, she may have been hurt. Ideally, these speaker would have been securely in place with a truss system. It was the first year for that festival. I think they have learned a lot since then.

Shakira as Pepsi Spokesperson

Shakira has done her share of advertising for Pepsi. I don't know if she was ever a lifesize cardboard cutout in the isle of a truckstop. If she was, I want to know where I can get my hands on one of them. I have a Britney cutout and an Xtina cutout. Once I get my Beyonce and Shakira cutouts, I can make that stop-motion tag-team wrestling movie that I have been planning.

Check Out Recruit'n

If you are looking for some unique human resource, or if you are looking for a job, Recruit'n is an online networking site that you need to check out. I joined for the purposes of this review, but I was immediately impressed by the platform and I went about promoting and pursuing my interests in a number of different ways.

Bloggers will be very comfortable in the editing sections of this site. The profile creation process is pretty basic, but you can build a fairly flashy resume. It appears that you have full use of HTML in the resume creation box. This means that you can place images and live links on your resume. The resume appears on your profile page. I created a thread on the forum as well. The text editor on the forum has lots of features.

When I was browsing the forum I did see some WAH scams being promoted. It is hard for moderators on an employment related forum to police that kind of thing. I am just mentioning it as a word of caution. Overall, I would say that this reactively new site has a lot of potential. If you are busily posting your resume all over the Internet, be sure to include Recuit'n as one of your regular stops.

The Best Musical Instrument

Do you have a favorite musical instrument? I used to have a small collection of several different instruments. When I sold almost everything I had before moving far far away, I had to decide what instrument to keep. I decided upon the acoustic guitar. I miss my mandolin and my wind instruments. They are not as versatile as the guitar. They are not a ubiquitous as the guitar.

Can Oil Wealth Help the Poor?

Fortunes are made and lost in relation to the supply and demand for oil. Lives are lost as well. I was curious as to whether there was an oil industry in Colombia, a country with by some estimates the second worst humanitarian crisis on the Planet. It is not a significant factor. The country accounts for about 4% of the regional demand and only about 2% of the supply.

A country that gets a lot of international attention in relation to oil is Venezuela. The windfall from huge oil production there has been nationalized and the wealth is used in some inventive ways by the country's leader. Hugo Chavez got lots of free publicity when he sold subsidized home heating oil to poor people in the United States.

Given the sporadic and sometimes dramatic rises in value, oil investments might seem like a way to cash in on the fact that we live in interesting times. Politics that lead to nationalization result in huge losses for investors. You need to know whose oil you are investing in.

Shakira Believes in the American Dream

Shakira makes a fantastic speech while sitting on stage with Bill Clinton and Bono.

Please take the time to listen to this entire speech. The concepts of interdependency and activism are very well explained and this speech will hopefully inspire many people to dream and to act.

This speech was made some time before Shakira announced her multi million dollar donation to worthy causes. She is a woman of action.

Garage Cabinets

Some people spent a lifetime accumulating stuff. Quite often people end up filling their garage with stuff and parking their car on the street. This can result in excessive UV damage to your car and it puts it at greater risk for vandalism and theft. A good selection of garage cabinets can help you get organized and make enough space for your car. You will be glad that you organized your garage when winter comes. Right now I had landscaping equipment, automotive tools and summer recreational stuff like boards and snorkel gear sitting around on the floor in boxes. Cabinets get you stuff up off the floor where they are safe from flood damage.

Her Lips Don't Lie

As far as singing goes, much of this performance is a bit breathless and the volume control is not the best. This what it sounds like when you sing and dance at the same time. Try it sometime. The front row presence of Bill Clinton may have made her nervous as well.

This is why pop stars opt for lip syncing. I actually prefer the real thing. If I want perfection, I can give the album a listen. A nice bonus in this performance is an extended drum riff, which it well timed to give Shakira a chance to catch her breath,

Halloween Quizzes

Do you like quizzes? Quibblo is a quiz oriented social website. The quickest way to decide if it is the place for you is to hit the RANDOM QUIZ tab a few times. There are some pretty lame ones, but after about six clicks I found one that was interesting enough that I hit the profile link of its creator. The profile pages include a list of the quizzes that the member has recently taken and also the ones that they have created. Since the only night when door to door extortion is socially acceptable is fast approaching, why not go check out the Halloween quizzes? The results are frightening (not really).

America Needs a Shakira

Shakira has been actively working to help the poor children in her native Colombia long before she became a huge international pop star. It would be nice to see an American star make a show of trying to help the poor children of America. With the President vetoing bills that were meant to provide health care for 10 million poor American children, something has to happen. The pop star who gets the most media attention is Britney Spears. Here is a quote from Britney from 2003:

"I think we should just trust our President in every decision he makes."

I guess those kids are on their own :(

Jewelry from JrDunn

The fine designer jewelry available from JrDunn includes pieces from some famous designers and also some famous people who design jewelry because they can. Russell Simmons is best known as the founder of Def Jam Records. He is also a blogger for the Huffington Post. He also designed this bold cross pendant. It comes with a stainless steel chain. These days wearing religious icons is a bold statement regardless of the design.

Shakira DVD Release

If you were not one of the 2.5 million people who saw Shakira in concert during her most recent tour, you did not miss out entirely. A DVD featuring 17 songs performed live is set to hit stores on November 13. It will feature some great guests such as Wyclef Jean. There are some great bonus features including a travelogue of the 397 day World tour. I look forward to seeing the short documentary about her foundation, Pies Descalzos.

Find out more about the Shakira DVD.

CreditCardSearchEngine.com

Come the Holiday season, many of us rely on Credit Cards to help us with those festive and joyous expenses. No, I am not ESL, I am being sarcastic.

CreditCardSearchEngine.com had a landing page that has a lot of links to lenders. The top of the page has links to cards divided into twelve categories, mostly based on the type of rewards. These days they are all charging the same brutal rates and the best thing you can do is get a card with incentives that will be of some real benefit to you. The student cards have some special features and some reduced costs that make them attractive to first time card users who are still in school.

Cards that give you cash back on gas and car maintenance expenses seem like a good thing to have on a road trip.

For many people who have already run into trouble with debt management, it's not a matter of deciding which card they want as much as which one they can get.

Armenian Genocide

While I was looking for recent Shakira videos, I witnessed a bizarre trend. There are YouTubers who are using popular tags like Shakira to get views of their political statement denying the Armenian Genocide. I decided to see what there was on YouTube in relation to this issue and it appears that both sides of this issue are trying to get their points across.

I think it is a situation where the 'truths' that both groups of people want to believe have been reinforced for generations and are not questioned within those cultures. Promoting those conflicting 'truths' to the outside world has been a war of words for the most part. I would like to see actual truth win out in the end, but I don't think that is what this is all about. It is about hatred and grudges. The countries that were the major players on the World Stage back in 1915 have just as much to answer for.

More On Coupons

I think people probably use Coupons more during the Christmas shopping season that at other times of the year. There is no putting off all those obligatory gifts and putting off the payment by using credit cards is a vicious cycle. Reducing spending is the best strategy, and coupons from NCNatural.com can be a valuable part of that strategy.

The site features enough vendors that you can comparison shop right there for some items. For instance you could compare printer supplies at 123InkJets and Dell. I would go offsite to look at consumer reviews of competing items and then come back and compare the Dell coupon codes to the 123Inkjet coupon codes. A big plus to this particular coupn website is that it is updated daily.

Shakira Beyonce Video Footage with Replacement Music

This is interesting. I generally try not to include copyrighted material on this blog. This seems like fair use and it is also an interesting use. The music is Turkish and it may be called Yalan Dünya. That may be the artist's name or the particular style of music.

Anyway, it is an interesting juxtaposition and it is also a condensed version of the sexiest parts of that video.

When People Name their Pets after You... You have Arrived

This is a slideshow about a horse named Xakira. The X is pronounced like sh in many other languages. This is filmed in France. It looks very hot and dry there.

I think that having a horse named after you is an honor, unless it is because of some perceived similarity in facial appearance. It does not appear that this horse can shake it like Shakira, but like I said, it is very hot there.

Coupon Chief > Santa Claus

Coupon Chief has coupon codes from a huge number of great stores that you may shop at even without the attraction of extra savings. When you are budgeting for Christmas and you have a big family, you have to save money wherever and whenever possible.

For my darling wife, I could make great use of the Fragrance.net deals. They have brand name scents at very reasonable prices.

For my son, I think he would be pleased with a gift from Best Buy. One of the Best Buy coupons is for a set of Sony headphones. That is one of the gifts that I had in mind for this year.

I think I'll just go with some basic clothes from the Gap for my daughters. They have very particular tastes, but they can always use more basic items like tee shirts and jeans. Here is a video showing examples of some Gap coupons.

Radiohead Album Review

I bought the Radiohead album. I was motivated to make this purchase by teh fact that I could pay whatever price I wanted to. I have not enjoyed their more recent releases, so I paid a relatively modest sum for this one. I am happy with the album based on my somewhat discounted purchase.

If you like dance music, you might find a couple of tracks quite enticing. If you like quiet, plaintive rock there are a couple of great tracks for you as well. Some of the album is very intellectually demanding, while much of it is easy listening. I think it requires repeated listening before I make up my mind.

I say buy it to support the sales model, but don't pay full price unless you are a current fan of the band and its current direction.

What is up with Shakira's Wedding?

There were lots of unconfirmed rumors about a September wedding for Shakira.

Did it happen without any media hoopla?

I don't know.

Maybe she took the opportunity to live her private life while the news cycle was busy chewing on her $40 million dollar charity donation.

I suspect that she did not get married yet. I also suspect that her plans involve maximizing her career up until a certain point and then just setting it aside for some years of family life. This strategy has worked well for a number of singers in recent years. Contributing a track to an occasional movie soundtrack is a smart way to stay in the public consciousness when you are not making album or touring for a few years.

Don't Let The BedBugs Win

Did you know that you can kill bedbugs with a steam cleaner?

These awful little creatures are becoming a major problem in places like NYC. In case you are wondering, they don't ask what your net income is before taking up residence. They are a plague on apartment dwellers of every class.

BedbugsGuide.com is a resource for people who are doing battle with these pests. They feed on blood. If you have had them, you already know that.

Distancing Yourself From Britney Spears

Believe or not, it has only been a couple of years since the media were making comparisons between Shakira and Britney Spears.

Shakira didn't like it very much. I made a post about it at the time. Shakira chose to take not exactly the high road with her response, but she didn't get too personal either. She criticized Britney's taste in men. Britney probably has to agree at this point. Shakira's engagement has lasted a lot longer than Britney's marriage.

I am actually quite skeptical about the accuracy of the quote in my original source, Ireland On-Line. Whether she said what she was reported to have said or not, I think she probably never gets mistaken for Britney Spears now.

Check Out HotelReservations.com

HotelReservations.com is a website that is a portal to information and booking for Hotels, Flights, Cars, Vacation Rentals and Vacation Packages. The search functions for Hotel Reservations are about as precise as you can get.

I am going to offer a little tip before I continue with my review. You can take this with as many grains of salt as you want. When I am going to stay at a city that has on e particular hotel that is renowned for its beauty and service, I don't stay there. I do a search for hotels and check out the prices on hotels that have a nice view of the renowned hotel. That way, you can wake up and look out your window at a really nice hotel. If you were staying there, you would have a view of the cheaper hotel.

Always look for customer reviews online. If more than one person complains about anything that is a deal breaker for you, like mildew or noise or the pool being closed for renovation, you should look for another hotel. You have to keep in mind that there may always be bad reviews planted by competitors.

Individual hotel descriptions are very detailed on HotelReservations.com. I just spent a good half hour browsing through them and day dreaming. I could spend days doing this because the site has 70,000 properties listed from grand hotels to B&Bs.

Here is another bit of advice for you...do not base your opinion of a hotel's rooms base solely on a photograph. Professional photographers can do wonders with lighting and I wouldn't doubt that there are the occasional digital touch ups as well. Most of the listings on HotelReservations.com go into great detail as to the amenities of these places. If something that is important for your enjoyment isn't in a listing, you should assume that the particular hotel does not have it. Using a site like HotelReservations.com with it's huge database should make it easy to enjoy yourself and avoid bad hotel experiences.

Make It Like Shakira

Earlier today, I was shopping for a new microphone. I was trying to record some original music at home and there was just way to much noise on the track.

I saw a few potential replacements in local shops and I went back home to read online reviews. I got sidetracked a moment ago and ended up looking at the results for some awards night for recording technicians. The folks that recorded La Tortura won a trophy. The masters were recorded at Sony in NYC. The link in this sentence shows the posh studio. I am so jealous. Oh, wait...it's closed down. Sony Music Studios was closed for complicated business reasons back in August.

A Bit About The Intelligent Community Initiative

When I heard about The Intelligent Community Initiative Website, I looked at its basic aims and goals and then just let the idea percolate in mind for awhile.

The mention of "bootstrapping" aid reminded me of what I read in a Johnny Cash biography. When Cash was a young child, his father made the family participants in a big social experiment. They moved to Dyess, Arkansas. Dyess was a planned town. It was part of the New Deal. This is about as socialist as America gets. The initiative probably changed the lives of hundreds of families for the better, but it was not without its critics.

The Intelligent Community Initiative isn't some government project working on a grand scale. It has the simple goal of making everyday life better for people living in small communities of 150,000 or fewer people. The way it plans to do that takes a LOT of explaining.

$40 Million From Shakira's Charity

I apologize to Shakira for criticizing her choices in charity spending. She made a huge announcement yesterday to the tune of $40 million. This will go to help in the recovery efforts in the aftermath of an earthquake in Peru and a hurricane in Nicaragua.

Another $5 million is going towards health care and education for children in four different countries. keep an eye out for video clips from the climate change summit that Shakira attended.

Source: BBC

Loungewear from Erin Braxton

Having clothing that is comfortable enough to wear around the house and looks good enough to wear outside of the home on errands is one of life's little victories.

I looked at page after page of womens loungewear and sleepwear on ErinBraxton.com and I was impressed with the style. These clothes look really comfortable and convenient. The dresses remind me of what we have been seeing celebrities wear when the are out and about shopping and drinking coffee.

I am quite pleased about the selection of colors that are in style right now. Black is just the same old black and all the earthy colors are easy on the eyes. The eStore is a very convenient place to shop and I appreciate the fact that is clothing is crafted in the United States.

Shakira's DR Home

Shakira is demonstrably concerned with the poor children in Colombia. She grew up in a coastal city in Colombia.

She now owns a luxury home in the Dominican Republic. I am curious as to whether she is a social activist in that country as well or if she does what most rich people do there, which is to enjoy the sun and sea and to avoid rocking the boat.

The divide between the rich and the poor is staggering in the Dominican Republic, whose national motto might as be be "Well, at least we're not Haiti."

An Ethical Credit Card

Many responsible people these days are making an effort to spend their money on products that are produced with a minimum of social and/or environmental harm. they buy organic produce from local farmers. They buy fair trade coffee and tea. They long to be able to buy an electric car.

One of the things they may overlook as consumers is their credit cards. I remember having my world view shaken a bit as a kid the first time I heard that on of the Banks that I knew and trusted was using an inventive strategy to do business with Apartheid era South Africa.

Co-operativeBank.co.uk has a transparent ethics policy that should appeal to customers who want to be as responsible as possible. One aspect of the policy involves not investing in anyone that is in the business of extraction or production of fossil fuels. They also have programs that allow your credit use to directly benefit a charity of your choice.

A Music Website Recommendation

I just returned to a website that I hadn't visited in years. Acousticwood.net has a lot of links to some great quirky music. If you have RealPlayer, you can watch any of a collection of old 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' shows. These are intimate performances and interviews with important musicians like Beck, Ben Harper, Steve Earle and more.

If you are a musician and you are playing somewhere on Halloween, I suggest you watch the Beck performance and then go rehearse a version of 'We Live Again.'

I love songs that are spooky and beautiful. I think it would be great if Shakira got a bit darker with her writing. I think some of her Spanish songs are edgier than her English work.

Toe Rings Are Cool

When considering what metal to have penetrating your skin as body jewelry gold is the best choice. I don't have any piercings and I looked around FreshTrends.com to see if there are any fresh trends that don't involve holes.

That is when I discovered toe rings. I think they are a great idea. I once spent about 8 months straight wearing nothing but sandals. If your toes are showing, they might as well have some bling. A plain gold band for your toe, hand crafted in America, is only $45. I want one.

House of Shakira

No, this is not some automated reblog, I just look for news and gossip about Shakira and more often than not find none. That girl is way too well adjusted and decent to devote a blog to. Oh well, I still love her.

Since there is nothing to talk about with her until she has her big wedding, I thought I would just mention the Swedish band House of Shakira. A British fan suggested the name and it was originally the name of a clothing boutique that got busted as a common bawdy house.

The band is kinda lame, in my opinion. I got a kick out of the commenter on YouTube that thought this was Shakira...and was ok with it.

Shakira to Appear With Bill Clinton

Bono, Alicia Keys, Shakira, and Chris Rock will sit at a table with former President Bill Clinton and talk about social change.

This is being produced by MTV. Shakira and Alicia are also slated to perform during the broadcast. This event is being planned to coincide with the Clinton Global Initiative's annual conference.

This will be presented as a live webcast on September 29th. Check my source, MTV, for more details.

Dell Notebooks

I have two Dell notebooks in my house. When we made the decision to move thousand of miles away, we sold almost everything and used these two Dells as our only computers for about a year before going ahead and buying a desktop. I guess that is when we knew we were really home.

A notebook computer these days has all the power and memory that most people would need for work or entertainment. I have no problem recommending Dell because they have dependable pc portables.

I also love the fact that Dells are familiar to people all over the World as good, solid computing tools. I should inform American Dell fans that the whole 'Dude' thing doesn't translate that well to continental Europe.

The Company You Keep...

When Shakira was letting off some steam on the LA club scene this summer, I was worried that she would fall in with the wrong crowd. In the end, I think her main companion for these outings was Penelope Cruz. The clubbing involved the normal range of activities and the wearing of pants.

It seems like a lot of celebrities end up together at drinking establishments. I was irked to hear that Avril Lavigne was in the company of Britney Spears on the evening after her Britney's child custody hearing. To me it always appears that socializing with someone is in effect condoning the lifestyle choices of that person. Britney is quickly running out of people who will do that. Avril comes off looking like a user of people. This is junior high crap. I also still think it is possible that they were only in the same place by coincidence, I don't know the full story.

A Really Nice Steel Box

If you were to ask me what I was going to do with all that junk in my trunk...I now have an answer for you. I would store it in a high quality rugged stainless steel tool box from CarGuyGarage.com. These things last forever and come in all different sizes.

I have a lot of oddly shaped junk that I want to keep in one place. Right now it has all been dumped into a big cardboard box from my computer monitor. This Stainless Steel Swing Door Garage Roller Cabinet looks better and is much more secure and convenient.

Yucatan Scenery

I developed an interest in Mayan culture when I was a Fair Trade coffee roaster. One of my favorite coffees comes from the Asociacion Chajulense Val Vaq Quyol in Guatemala.

Colombian coffee is good, too. For some reason, it was always hard to obtain a good supply of organic coffee from Colombia. I hope that the Colombian government is looking ahead to a future where more consumers will demand organic coffee.

Dining Room Furniture

The Dining Room Furniture in my parents house had two purposes. On special occasions the Dining Furniture was festooned with fine china and silver tureens and fancy place mats. During the other 362 day of the year, we would pile assorted mail and half-finished science projects on the table. We mostly ate in the kitchen.

Formal Dining Room Furniture from Furniturefromhome.com includes a set that looks a lot like my mother's furniture. The casual dining furniture is more like the stuff they used to fill the cafe that I used to work for. I like simple metal chairs that are light but sturdy. They have some of those on this site.

History Lesson

It is very difficult to get a satisfying picture of American history. History is written by the victors and most of the Peoples that occupied America when the Europeans invaded hundreds of years ago are defeated people. Many of them have lost their language and culture as well as their lands. When the successfully adaptive members of a defeated people begin a salvage operation on their history they are fighting a battle with time. They are also tempted to sanitize their own history to make it a comfort to those who want to clinge to it.

Learn to Bachata Like Crazy

The bachata is a dance that is becoming very popular in salsa clubs. BachataCrazy.com has a series of three DVD's that can teach anyone to do this dance that is a great social activity and also great exercise.

As you can see on this intro, the instructors, Alison and Jesus are engaging and professional. I really like the choice of music that I am hearing on this video as well.

Shakira is Attending UCLA Part-Time

The University of California, Los Angeles offered a history course on the subject of ancient civilizations this summer. Shakira began attending this course after finishing her World tour and missed the last few classes. I wonder if she found herself being followed by the paparazzi and chose to avoid turning the school into a media circus?

I was not surprised to hear that she is interested in higher learning. I was not surprise to hear her instructor complimenting her on her intelligence. I was surprised to hear that he did not recognize her. I suppose that her hair is one of her most recognizable features and it is easy to change or cover up.

Family Planning: Looking After Their Financial Future

Morris, Hall & Kinghorn, an Arizona law firm, offers free consultations with a view to getting people started on an estate plan that will help them avoid the inconvenient and costly process of probate.

MHK belongs to an association that is concerned with issues reacted to the ever increasing population of elderly people. The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc. was started in 1987. Providing retirement planning is one of things that these lawyers are really good at. Dan R. Morris co-wrote a book called A Will is Not Enough in Arizona.

Many people, including myself have put of estate planning with the age old excuse 'It doesn't really matter yet since I don't have much to leave anyone.'

But we owe it to our families to have a legal plan that will prevent the expensive headache that can result if we leave this earth without having first drawn up a legal document. In the US, and in Arizona in particular, protecting your family's future goes beyond just having a basic will. Revocable living trusts are a step that Morris, Hall & Kinghorn recommends and assists with. Federal law regading living trusts changed on January 13, 2004. If your estate planning hasn't been reviewed since that time, you may not be prepared in a way that is best for the future of your family.

I Like Big Butts...

I have said it before and I will undoubtedly say it again.

It frustrates me that people who are dangerously skinny get treated like sex symbols in the media. I hope, for the sake of an innocent baby, that Nicole Ritchie is being supervised by a competent dietitian.

We need to celebrate and adore a normal range of body shapes and caution the outliers on both sides of that normal range. Here is a blog related to Plus Size Modeling. The behind the scenes posts about the fashion industry are quite interesting.

NINTENDO SIXTY FOOOOOOUUUUUUURRRR!!!!

My kids are still in possession of an N64 system. I have pretty much told them that they are not getting anymore gaming platforms for the rest of their childhood. Sometimes they get tired of the gamecube and the PS2. That's when they dust off their nintendo 64 games. Zelda: Ocarina of Time was one of the classics and its magic still works. If your cartridge won't work, maybe you should check out JJGames.com.

JJGames.com is a cool online resource for used games, consoles and controllers.

I may have to buy a used gamecube. I fried my kids' console by plugging it into the wrong voltage

Shakira Works Well With Others

Shakira Works Well With Others. Now she has an award to prove it. Beyonce and Shakira shared the honor of best collaboration at the MTV VMA's.

The presenters were Kanye West and 50 Cent. They aren't working with each other. They are having a music peeing contest. I think they are trying to replicate the kind of buzz that the cola wars used to get. People who pick sides tend to consume more when there is the perception of intense competition. Remember kids, if you download an illegal copy of an album, that doesn't count as a sale for your favorite.

Black Friday Shopping Without the Bruises

This looks crazy. I have never participated in this kind of foolishness. Why does anybody? Well, the stores offer major savings in order to drive people to this kind of behavior on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It's not called Black Friday because of the carnage, it's called Black Friday because it is ideally the day when the profit begins in the retail industry.

Everybody is sitting in front of the TV on Turkey Day with all those opiates in their brain from the turkey overload and the thanksgiving ads brainwash them into thinking that it is absolutely imperative that they get out there and buy. The flyers that come with your newspaper immediately before Black Friday are generally the first source that people have for the actual sale information. Don't be one of the masses. Go check out Black-Friday.net to find out how to take advantage of the savings offered by retailers from the comfort of your own home. The site allows you to opt in to an email list for the specific retailers that you are interested in. They will then send you the detailed sale information before anyone else gets it. They also provide direct links for you to go and purchase your items on line to avoid the rush and the crush of actually going out on Black Friday.

So think about getting your BestBuy deals the stress free, pain free way with Black-Friday.net.

Click on the picture to see part one of an old interview with popular Dutch host Jensen. His interview is in English, which I believe is a second language for both people.

There is an excellent video montage in the middle of this video that feature some childhood photos of Shakira. She is so cute.

Get Help With Luna Skills

Are you looking for a Lunia Forum?

MyLunia.net provides a community for fans of the MMO Global Lunia: Record of Lunia War from Action Arcade.

You may not have heard of this game before because Global Lunia has only just started their open beta service on July 31, 2007. MyLunia.net features screenshots, videos, guides, & more. It is a fansite for Lunia and is in no way affiliated with the actual creators of Lunia . Managing skills for Lunia Eir is discussed on threads such as this.

Val's Art Diary

I am quite artistic AND I am a dog. I was destined to come across Val's Art Diary on YouTube. My lover has definitively stated that she hates Val. I still check out her video every week. I say that I have to see if I won the painting that she is giving away. Val awards a free painting to one lucky subscriber each week. She throws a dart.

I'm embedding a very small video...

Get Free Shipping on the Perfect Dress

Regardless of whether you are into wearing dresses, there are going to be events in every young woman's life that require a dress. Why not be well prepared with the perfect dress from ElegantMart.

They provide free shipping on their lines of Evening Gowns and sexy party dresses. They have eleven pages of dresses that run the gambit from the iconic little black dress to the idyllic poofy pink princess number, with plenty of tasteful stops along the way.

Trying Out the Blogger Video Upload

I am trying for the first time to upload a video to Blogger. I didn't know until just now that this was even possible. It seems to upload quite quickly and the process is very simple. I picked a random video from my collection.

Ok, so I was mistaken about the whole fast uploading thing. It seems to be taking forever. I'm going to check to see whether the video was in a suitable format...

Yep, it was a .wmv, Blogger is supposed to be ok with them.

So, I retried and went out for pizza and now the video is up. Yay.

A New Hypnosis Guide

I have always wanted to learn hypnosis. When I was in high school, our art teacher lead the class through a drawn out procedure that brought most of us into an altered state of consciousness and the process fascinated me. When we reviewed the experience afterwards it seemed that I was in the group that is more open to being hypnotized.

There is a new guide for sale over the Internet at http://www.hypnosiscoach.com/

I don't think you can be hypnotized over the Internet, so you should be able to safely go to the site and see for yourself what it is all about. I think that melding together self hypnosis techniques and personal development strategies is a pretty sound way to make some positive changes in your life. This particular training package has a pretty reasonable price tag as well, it's creator appears to have a business plan that involves low cost and high volume. I would be worried that every human being on Earth except me might buy this program and improve themselves, thereby making me the least improved person on the planet

Fidel Castro is Dead

An Iconic leader of the Caribbean country of Cuba has died. I would like to add my voice to those that are pleading with exiles in Miami and elsewhere to avoid having celebrations turn into catastrophes.

I would also like to express my hope that the United States with make changes in relation to trade and aid preemptively in the hopes that political reforms are inevitable now that the dominant stick in the mud is destined for the earth.

Quiz Rocket has Fun Personality Quizzes.

Ok, so I didn't actually take a gay test. I am just going to rely on anecdotal information. The terms of service preclude me from telling any of these anecdotes.

Quiz Rocket is a website that offers dozens of fun personality and trivia quizzes. You can embed your results on your blog or MySpace page. If you really don't want to know whether you are gay or not, you can take this online bible quiz instead.

I used to participate in sword drills at Bible Camp.

The quizzes at Quiz Rocket are professionally written. This makes them remarkably less irritating than the bulk of online quizzes that are out there.

New Look

I changed the look of this blog. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but the fact is that everybody does. If anyone dislikes this new look so much that it fills them with rage, please leave a comment and I will change it back to the boring default colors that I have had for months.

I took the header photograph myself. My kids said that nobody can tell that the boat is full of tourists instead of pirates. I think the pirates are dressed a bit to colorfully to be convincing.

Teen Rehab at ECHO Malibu

Every parent who thinks that drug abuse and other life threatening behaviors simply can't happen with their child needs to watch Thirteen. My two girls were only eleven when I saw that movie and I was pretty darn frightened. It was a good reminder to stay vigilant. The first defense against adverse outcomes with your teenage kids is for you to always be aware of what they are doing and with whom. GPS seems like a reasonable thing to me in this day and age.

Despite a parents best efforts, kids do get in trouble with drugs. A Teen Rehab facility like Echo Malibu has a program specifically designed for teens. The worst train wreck of a teen that I ever had to deal with was my girlfriend's ex best friend. I was a residence assistant at a college. She was an alcoholic and she was acting out sexually. She was also very withdrawn and depressed when she wasn't drunk and acting out. She ended up going to a publicly funded residential detox program. She later told my girlfriend that it mostly consisted of playing cards with creepy old men. I think it at least had some negative reinforcement, and it gave her the chance to get over the physical addiction. I hope she has figured out how to live a happy life by now. An effective program like the one at Echo Malibu can give your kid the life skills to be happy while they still are a teen.

Shakira and Hurricanes

With the season's first hurricanes already raining on many figurative parades, I am starting to wonder about Shakira's September wedding plans in the Caribbean. She has had bad luck with Hurricanes before.

The 2005 MTV Latin Awards Show was canceled due to Hurricane Wilma. It was to take place in a coastal city in Mexico. Shakira was given five trophies as part of a taped 1/2 hour special later that year.

My thoughts are with all those living in the path of existing and future hurricanes. Be Safe!

Buy Furniture From Home

The quality and convenience of the FurnitureFromHome.com website helps this eStore stand out from the crowd. It makes a lot of sense to buy furniture. You can plan a whole room and shop for the elements of your new look while you are comfortably sitting in that room. This eStore has some really great search functions. Straight off the landing page you get to decide whether you want to search by Room, by Style or by Color.

Searching by room makes a lot of sense to me. If you want to search for entertainment centers, you start at the TV room.

The best furniture idea that I have seen in a long time is the Expandable TV Media Corner Console. It doesn't look gimmicky at all, it is an attractive wooden piece of furniture. It is built in such a way that it can be adjusted in width to fit your TV. I once had our large television malfunction and it was off being serviced for months. The small second hand TV looked pretty ridiculous in the big corner console. This adjustable unit looks right whatever size television you happen to have. The lower shelving is sized correctly for DVD players and TiVo's.

FurnitureFromHome also has high quality comfortable sectionals to relax on while you watch your television.

A great feature of the furniture sales on this site is that when you go to a specific item page, there is a sidebar featuring links to other items you might like. I don't know how it works, but the items that show up in that field tend to compliment the item I am viewing. I am looking at a couch that I really like and off to the side, there is a thumbnail and a link to a throw rug that I also like. That's helpful.

Hair Like Shakira...

I did a quick search and found a yahoo answers apge answering a girls question about getting a Shakira hairstyle. Most answers were quite involved and use several products. I like the girl that said 'just don't brush your hair.'

My son swears by that method. His is actually more of a Napoleon Dynamite 'do.

Hurricane Season in the Caribbean

Storms are in the news in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Residents of many islands in the Caribbean are watching the progress on Tropical Storm Dean. Shakira grew up in a coastal area of Colombia and has property in the Dominican Republic. Hurricane Odette caused millions of dollars in damage to crops and homes in the DR in 2003.

Shakira is planning a wedding in this area this fall. Let's hope no hurricanes disrupt her plans.

Awesome Number Plates

AcrylicPlates.co.uk has two categories of products. They make high quality road legal Number Plates. These are made to the governement mandated specifications. The options with standard plates include a choice of badge. Show your national pride with a flag representing either Scotland, Wales or England. A Union Jack and a standard Euro ring of stars round out the options. You can also have your choice of two fonts and four border colors.

Show plates are only limited by your imagination. You can't hit the road with them on your car.

Personalised number plates needn't be boring.

New Commercial Featuring Shakira

A Jon Lovitz character in my favorite Adam Sandler movie was looking out from behind a curtain and said:

He's losing his MIND...And I'm reaping the benefits.

Shakira must feel that way sometimes when all the A-list singers and actresses seem to be too busy self-destructing to do any shilling for multinational corporations. She just finished making some very pretty ads for Panasonic.

Check them out on YouTube, advertisements don't get removed the way music videos do.

Review of Elliot Yamin

I am listening to a single by elliot yamin while I write this review. I have to say his music is pretty easy on the ears. This particular track hits a middle ground between the sweeping ballads of old school boy band stuff and the more syncopated R&B stylings of people like Nelly.

Here is the video for the song I was just describing:



Elliot work well with others. No less a star than Chris Daughtry was performing duets with Elliot during the tour that followed their appearances on American Idol. Elliot Yamin placed third on the 5th season of American Idol. That season was quite remarkable in that someone who was not very marketable won top honors and hasn't really done that much since. Chris Daughtry has actually had a more successful career than Taylor Hicks and Chris finished in fourth place that year.

Elliot Yamin's album has a glowing review on Amazon and the reviewer expects that his voice will win over the core R&B audience. The problem that many American Idol contestants have had in the past is that they make an album that plays to their strengths in a niche genre of music and the audience for that niche rejects them because they are from a television show. A man who actually won American Idol, Ruben Studdard, has never been as successful as the winners who pursued pop careers. I think the same will be true for the country flavored Carrie Underwood in the long term. And Taylor Hicks just isn't very good.

One of the highlights of Elliot's post Idol career was singing the American National anthem at the start of an NBA final game. Elliot Yamin is nearly deaf in one ear and he has diabetes.

IdolMe.com has information on many of your favorite artists including many who got their start on the American Idol television program. The site has a forum. It requires that you register before you can view it.

Some of the artists that get an in depth description on this site include Kellie Pickler, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, Mika, Corinne Bailey Rae, Gym Class Heroes, James Blunt, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Lil Wayne, My Chemical Romance and Panic! At The Disco.

Shakira Breast Rumors: Caused By Digital Effects?

The rumors of Shakira's breast implantation surgery is not widespread. This makes me doubt their accuracy. When I was doing a search to try an find out more about it, I came upon an article about Kiera Knightley and her admission that most of her scenes in the popular Pirate movie involve a digital augmentation of her breasts.

It seems quite possible to me that this same thing happens to Shakira, but in a more subtle way. Maybe the originator of the rumor got confused while watching the Beautiful Liar video. A concerted effort was made in that production to make Beyonce and Shakira barely distinguishable in some shots.

Starcraft 2 is Awesome

Ok, I admit it, I only know about starcraft because my kids have it on their PC. CreepColony.com is a fansite for Starcraft and people there are excited about Starcraft 2.

Here is what I gathered from a quick review of Creep Colony, it is popular and growing. In fact they are looking for a staff member to help contribute content. They have videos of actual gameplay. These can be a godsend for noobs and whatever you say for the opposite of noobs alike. Go check it out.

Are Shakira's Breasts Still Humble?

I haven't been paying attention, but there are a couple of items on the Internet putting forth the notion that Shakira has has breast augmentation surgery.

She did spend some time in LA, which must be the boob job capital of the World. She did profess to have very small breasts to start with.

I haven't seen any pictures that make me think that she has had plastic surgery. I will keep an eye out.

Car Angel

Shakira's huge fund raising effort for her charity involved one very special car. A SEAT that she customized to her own tastes.

Car Angel is a charitable ministry that enables people to make Car Donations that will benefit a charity of their choosing. I really like the concept. My parents wanted to give a house away years ago and they ran into so much red tape that they changed their minds. Car Angel can immediately give you a tax receipt for a car, truck or boat. Beyond the good feeling that you get from knowing that your asset is benefiting those in need, you also get a tax benefit. You also get to avoid all the expenses and hassles of selling a used car.

We recently moved from one country to another and we had a used van to sell. It was such a headache. There were guys who said they loved the van and the asking price. They would beg us to hold on to it for them until they got the money together. We would never see them again. There were the 'tire kickers' who would take up hours of our time letting us know about every flaw and then offering a ridiculously low amount.

In the end, we had to leave the country without selling it. My wife had an old family friend with a small dealership and she held it on consignment. After we left, she went out of business. We were beginning do feel some distrust. Eventually she sold the van and we got a little bit of money. In retrospect, giving it away would have been a better choice.

With Car Angel your car can be used to lend help to prisoners, single mothers, orphans, homeless, teens and more.

Love in the Time of Cholera

Shakira is set to contribute to the soundtrack for a movie that is in production. The movie is based on a book. I have read parts of the English translation. It is a very good book. The idea that suffering for love is noble is very prominent in the book. I think this theme works well will the range of emotions that Shakira conveys in her singing. The book, EL AMOR EN LOS TIEMPOS DE COLERA (LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA) was written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who is a friend of Shakira and who mostly resides in Mexico City.

I am worried that the movie will not live up to the standards of the book, which chronicles a 50 year love triangle between three very richly developed characters.

Furniture for your Home or Office

I heard an anecdote about a guy who has no Furniture a few days ago, with the exception of the necessary Bedroom Furniture. We joked a bit about the possible strategy behind that. It's kind of like in the song Norwegian Wood. You know, the whole thing about being told to sit anywhere and then seeing that there isn't any chairs.

I have all the typical dining room
Furniture Home Office furniture and living room furniture.

Furniturefromhome.com has excellent quality furniture. I am especially impressed by their advanced search function that allows you to search by room, by color or by style. I used to have a thing about dull green furniture for the living room. I have yellow plaid stuff now. I really don't care what it looks like as long as it is comfortable.

If you are in the market for a Bar Stool, you might want to check out a contemporary bar stool from FurnitureFromHome.com. I really like the Swivel Tilt Tall Dinette Kitchen Stool. I don't think I would recommend getting drunk while siting in a tall stool will a tilt feature, it might bring new meaning to the word tipsy. You are definitely spoiled for choice at this website. I like the plain solid backless stools as well. I don't have a stool, and I used to always prefer to play guitar while sitting on a stool. I think my voice projects better when I am sitting on a stool.

I was once at a rowdy teenage house party. The house was heated with a wood stove and some body accidentally broke one of the wooden dining room chairs. Someone decided that the best course of action was to burn the evidence. If memory serves me correctly, it made so much heat that somebody thought it was a good idea to burn another one. I want to point out that I was not involved. I guess it sort of made sense to burn the second chair, it would have raised suspicion for there to be an odd number of chairs.

Another News Item with a Shakira

Pop singer Shakira doesn't do that much in th way of newsworthy behaviour. Other websites are trying to recycle the prenup negotiations ten times over. It is really quite boring.

I have resorted to talking about other people with the name Shakira who have interesting stories. A Shakira in Florida made the news because her nasty, ugly mom was trying to solicit donations for her funeral. Police arrested Jean Fontalvo as she arrived to pick up a $500 check from a doctor's office. The staff there had called the police after running a background check on the lady. Shakira was alive and well and waiting for her mom in the car.

Belisi Fashion Sense

Here is a little tale about fashion. I think it ties in well with the fashion sense of Belisi. He really strives to create a balanced blend of European flair and American styling.

I have moved to Europe from North America. One thing that was darn sure to stock up on before the move was casual clothes. About a year after we moved, my son was getting an award at school, so we were obligated to attend a ceremony. We didn't know what was expected as far as a dress code for these things, and my wife decided that I had to go find some dressier pants. To make a long story short, I only wore these pants once. They are cut and styled in a way to which I am not accustomed. I am dreading the day that I need to buy new swimming trunks.

Belisi tends to choose colors and patterns for his accessories that I really like. Take a look at these Belisi Fashions Photos and see if you agree. Buying accessories is actually a less of a gamble than pants. A few millimeters difference in tie width isn't going to make me feel like I am not myself. I don't, however, want to approach Ryan Seacrest territory.

Shakira Gives Birth in Prison

No, not that Shakira. A woman name Shakira Staten had her baby in her cell after staff ignored her pleas to go to a hospital. There was a delay of four hours between her first request and the assistance that she received post partum.

Officials are not admitting any fault in this unfortunate event and have said that an explanation for the events that transpired are comtained within the confidential medical records. I suspect that it's a boy who cried wolf kinda thing.

I come across interesting stories when I do a Google News search for Shakira. Most of them do not involve Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll.

A Lesson about Relationships

This is a very dramatic video. It seems to be centered around a lesson regarding Christian family values. I mostly just like the happy accordion music.

If part of the advice in the song is not to fight in front of your children, I am 100% in agreement.

A Really Good Neighborhood

If you are trying your best to avoid being exposed to offensive material on the internet, do not press next blog on the top of this window. Blogspot has a lot of bad stuff.

HostFire is a web host that exists in order to offer churches and Christian organization a server that they can have faith in. It is a server with no pornography, spammers, criminal activities,or hate groups. They offer three different plans with the biggest one consisting of 10GB of storage and 100GB of file tranfer for $12.75 per month. Non profits get a 10% discount.

They 'Play Hips Don't Lie' at Summer Camp

I was doing my usual Shakira related queries and I came across a well written piece about a summer camp that is run by a church. The journalist sought to emphasize the fact that religion was not being shoved down the throats of the kids. The focus was on love and fun.

One example of the typical activities involved blasting 'Hips Don't Lie' on the loud speakers as part of a game.

Here is a neat quote from one of the camp councilors:

"In our relationships with each other, I feel like that's where God is most fully present and I am most alive."

Fire Ants

If you are attacked by a fire ant colony, shaking it like Shakira is not the most effective strategy.

TheControlFire Ants.com website advises using professionally formulated baits to combat these damaging and dangerous pests.

Here is a neat and scary fact that I picked from the site. The sure fire way to determine whether an ant population are fire ants is to jab a stick into their mound and leave it there. Fire ants will frantically race up and down the stick trying to attack what they perceive to be an invader. Do not hold on to the stick. I have been bitten by several different species of ants while picking berries. I have heard that fire ants have the worst bite. Ant bites are nasty.

Boy Shakira Gone from AGT ???

When 'Boy Shakira' burst onto the talent show scene, everyone was hoping for a repeat of the Sanjaya phenomenon. I think even the people who jump on the hater bandwagons secretly enjoy the opportunity.

I don't think the Shakira impersonator is going to stay in the public eye for long. I wish him the best. He seems like a sweet person.

There is no question in my mind. Luigi is NOT the most talented person in America. But that isn't what the TV show is really all about.

One last thing, is there any way to vote Jerry Springer off of the show?

Save with Online Coupons

I can remember my mother getting me to cut coupons out of the weekly flyers back when I was little. We lived on a farm with a wood burning stove in the kitchen. Most of the newsprint went into the fire soon after it arrived, but my mother liked to save the coupons just in case she ever got around to using them.

I remember my mother getting me to sort through coupons and toss the expired ones in a pile of things that she wanted to burn. I don't have any clear memories of her using coupons. Maybe the candy bars were distracting me.

Online coupons like the ones available at eCouponcodes.com can't be used to start a kitchen fire. Aside from that they are much more convenient than the ones we used to cut out. These codes a very easy to use when you are shopping online.

The site is updated daily with all the latest deals from a whole lot of great merchants. The store that jumped out at me on the merchant list was OLD NAVY. They have clothes for the whole family and coincidentally, everybody in my family wears clothes. Mostly because it is socially unacceptable and illegal to run around naked.

The Biggest Butt in Showbusiness is fake

John Travolta has a big role in the new movie version of the musical Hairspray. He wears a prosthetic suit that gives him the voluptuous curves of a 300lb woman. His character, Edna, sings and dances a lot. I'm guessing that John lost a pound or two during filming.

Click here to view a CBS interview of Travolta where he talks at length about what it was like to be a woman.

LaRadioLive.com is Awesome

Hey, check this out...

LaRadioLive.com, Freestyle's #1 iRadio Station is aimed at people who still get down to the Latin Freestyle sound that was huge in the mid to late 1980's and 1990's.

I am a devoted listener of internet radio these days.

There is a schedule for the station on their MySpace page. Personally, I would just as soon tune in when there isn't a scheduled presenter, because that is when they stream non stop freestyle. I'm going to finish up this little shout out post and then move over to the computer that has the high wattage speakers. Later peeps.

Is Shakira Still Engaged?

Is it possible that somebody has a fear of commitment? It seems like immediately after rumors of an impending wedding started, Shakira started stepping out and partying.

Maybe it's all a matter of perception and media spin. Maybe the partying is actually just a matter of social obligation. I haven't heard anything further on the rumors that Penelope Cruz is to be in the wedding party. There is still going to be a wedding, right? I don't know anything. Why did I ever decide to write a celebrity blog about such a private person?

Fitness Dating

If you are single and you want to meet buff guys, you might be interested in a new kind of niche online personals. It's called fitness dating, and it is taking off in a big way. What I really like about it is that it opens up the options for that first meeting. Traditionally, online dating leads to a first meeting at a coffee shop or a restaurant. If you clicked with somebody on Fitnessdates.com you could invite them to play racquetball or go wall climbing.

You would also have less worries about your date turning out to be a listless slug of a human being. I have heard that some very inactive people use the Internet. I could show you pictures.

If you are single and looking in 2007, I don't have to explain the basics of how a personals site works. FitnessDates.com is part of the current crop of sites that have FREE SIGNUP. What I can tell you is that I spent some time checking it out and there are attractive and interesting people using the site. I already used the term buff guys, there are some nice girls there too. A feature that I really like is the ability of non-members to look at full profiles. I think that will encourage more people to join.

Oh, Boy...Shakira Must Love This

America's Got Talent. Despite this fact, the show that uses that sentence as a name has chosen an odd assortment of competitors. Female impersonation is a talent, but I think this boys real talent is manipulating ratings hungry producers of lame knock off television shows. You go girl, uh, I mean Boy.

I will watch to see if there is any comment or even interaction from Shakira.

A Latina Dating Site

I just had a look at a new latina dating site. There are a pile of interesting people on the site already. LatinaRomance.com is a latina personals that is fast, easy and free to join.

I looked at a sampling of profiles and saw men and women from 18-62. I was able to view full profiles without joining. The profile that I looked at, which was a beautiful woman by some strange coincidence had loads of information. There are about 40 or so blanks to fill in.

I approve whole heartedly of niche personals whether they are about ethnicity, interests, body type, age, whatever. It saves a lot of time to be in a site where everybody approves of one of the main attributes by which you define yourself.