Who is She Wearing?

The title of this blog is a phrase you usually only hear on the telecast of an awards show. people don't actually wear other people, in general. Having a dress that you designed and put your name on on the back of a big celebrity that in on a big, red carpet is a dream that many designers have.

Being on that carpet is a dream that many women have as well. for some it isn't even about the acting or the singing, it's all about the clothes and the flashes.

Belisi Blog: How to Look Like an Oscar Starlet offers you tips on how to achieve that look even if you can't sing a note or act your way out of a wet paper bag (wet paper bags are OUT by the way, I think J Lo was the last star to wear one back in the 90's).

My Last Post About Perla

Comparisons to Shakira are what they are. Perla is a talent in her own right. Here she is doing a cover of a White Stripes song. That's pretty unshakiralike.

Sorry, I wrote the above paragraph before the video loaded. Um, I didn't really enjoy the singing, but a big part of that was the poor audio of the camera phone. She has some sex appeal and lots of confidence. And she has a domain with her name on it.

Consolidated

My personal experience with loan consolidation consists of me thinking to myself that I should consider it as a way to save money and get ahead of my debts faster. But I have never actually had the follow through to get any kind of Loan Consolidation. What I do instead is a complicated juggling act where I try to place my income where it will be most effective as it comes in. I have relatively small debts in several different places. I have credit cards that I make every effort to keep paid in full to avoid purchase interest. It is complicated. Maybe I would be better off with a consolidated debt.

If you are just starting your turn in the rat race, you might want to find out about the Student Loan Consolidation Program that SecureLoanConsolidation.com has. Besides being an application portal, this site also has informative articles and news items related to consumer debt and other topics.

What Happened to Perla Meneses?

I had a couple of posts a while back about American Idol hopeful Perla Meneses. She was being compared to Shakira. There was a very superficial similarity and the girl who was described as long on personality and short on talent was sent packing quite early in the process. If she succeeds despite being judged harshly by the three personalities that are short on various desirable characteristics, she will not be the first. Good luck in life Perla.

Belisi: The Beginning

I'm going to start my post about Belisi - How it Started by getting right to the most important thing. Belisi has really good products, look at this tie.

I thought it was important to show what he's got before I get into how he got there. His story interested me quite a bit because his starting point and where he has arrived are very divergent. My life has been much the same way. I think it is crucial that we all keep ourselves open to inspiration and change.

Peter Belisi began his adult life as a bartender. If he had been on the West Coast, he may have been one of those bartenders who do not concede that that is what they are (do a survey, 99.999% of them are actors). On the Best Coast, Peter was mixing cocktails for the well-healed populace of Palm Beach. He had a young family and he was looking for opportunity. Step one was to dress the part, he invested in a collection of fashionable ties. Step two became apparent when his clientele started praising his style. He started selling ties.

Now Belisi is a line of accessories for men and women. His online presence reflects his ambition and his style. Old World Italian Style is combined with the tastes and attitude of Palm Beach to make the Belisi style. I like it.

The Sincerest Form Of Flattery ???

This makes me want to speak Spanish. I can't find an English word that can accurately describe it, but if there is a Spanish word that fits, it will definately have a couple of muy's in front of it.

I think people have been boosting this woman's confidence without knowing where it would eventually take her. I wish her good luck in all her future endeavors. Wow.

talent

Some Free Software

When I saw the words Norton Antivirus for free I was immediately intrigued. So I went to FreeAntiVirusInfo.com with a bit of trepidation, once I see the word VIRUS I'm usually not in the mood to download anything. I pity all those lonely girls named Melissa that wanted to get to know me back in the day, hope they had better luck IRL.

So anyway, I went to the sight and it turns out they are promoting the free version of Norton Antivirus that is delivered by Google. I trust Google at least to the point where I don't expect any malice from them. I guess I also expect stuff coming from them to work the way it should. They deleted this blog once and I had to write dozens of adamant e-mails before a real person looked at the content and put it back. Thank you Google for being vigilant. I really trust Norton to be the best available protection. Don't go online without adequate protection.

Shakira Asked to Sing National Anthem

The America Cup is an international football tournament that is being held in Venezuela this year. It is reported that organizers have asked Shakira to perform her country's national anthem before their opening match. Shakira has not publicly responded to the invitation.

Here are the words of the Colombiam National Anthem:

CHORUS:
¡Oh gloria inmarcesible!
¡Oh júbilo inmortal!
¡En surcos de dolores
El bien germina ya.

1. Cesó la horrible noche
La libertad sublime
Derrama las auroras
De su invencible luz.
La humanidad entera,
Que entre cadenas gime,
Comprende las palabras
Del que murió en la cruz.

2. Independencia"grita
El mundo americano:
Se baña en sangre de héroes
La tierra de Colón.
Pero este gran principio: "el rey no es soberano"
Resuena, Y los que sufren
Bendicen su pasión.



ENGLISH TRANSLATION

CHORUS:
Oh unfading glory!
Oh immortal joy!
In furrows of pain
Good is already germinating.

1. The fearful night came to an end,
Liberty sublime
Is spreading the dawns
Of its invincible light.
The whole of humanity,
Which is groaning under chains,
Understands the words
Of the One who died on the Cross.

2. "Independence" cries
The American world;
In heroes' blood is bathing
The Land of Columbus.
But this great principle:
"The King is not sovereign",
Resounds, and those who suffer
Praise the passion in it.

A New Health Related Website

The first thing that I want to say in this post is that I think the internet has been of great benefit as far as making health related information readily available. I can remember numerous times where it was a great resource when trying to find out about a particular health problem. Healthadel.com is a relatively new site, but it has some valuable content about all kinds of things from Acid Reflux disease symptoms to a torn rotator cuff. I always look at multiple sources for my health information, this looks like another source to consider.

Shakira the Instrumentalist

If your only experience of Shakira is watching her most popular music videos and her awards show performances, you might not realize that she is a confident musician.

She plays guitar, harmonica and drums. I don't play drums very well myself, but I had this thing at the music room at a school where I used to volunteer. I would play an electric guitar and a harmonica while seated at the drum kit. I always tap my feet when I am playing anyway, so I thought it might be cool to just use the base drum and hi-hat pedals while I played the other two instruments.

Shakira most likely divides her concert set up in such a way that she can go back and forth between standing in one spot playing guitar and leaving the music to others while she dances and sings. I am going to try and source her live concert video for myself soon, it is highly recommended.

I Heart My Credit Cards

Credit cards are an indispensable tool for my life. I need to be able to flex a little financial muscle every now and then. That's a good metaphor, because I am usually a little sore the next month when I work out with my credit card.

Maybe I should look seriously into getting one of these 0% credit cards I should see what the terms would be for a 0% balance transfers while I'm at it.

CreditCards-GB.co.uk is a great site to visit if you want to compare credit cards from many of the major providers. Some of the online offers from these lenders have better terms than you could find elsewhere. I think the side by side competition helps the consumer.

Who Influenced Shakira?

Because Shakira is Latin and because Latin is the name of a genre of music, some people are intellectually lazy and kind of lump her into that category. In reality, she is very much an international pop star, or maybe a rock star. She is a bit hard to peg. Her biggest hits have been dance numbers, but there have been tracks on her albums with a folksy, singer songwriter feel. I am going to search for a paragraph somewhere were she list her influences. Interviewers are always asking singers to do that. Singers must get very tired of that.

Sweet Sweet Music to Chill to

I drive a 20 year old car and there is nothing wrong with the radio. There is, however something wrong with the antenna. It is one of those ones that is stuck to the windshield and half of it has come unglued.

I can't listen to tunes on the radio when I am driving. Thank goodness for internet radio. At least I can listen to whatever I want at home. I am not one of those people who get totally stuck on one genre of music. I will go on little binges. Last summer I ended up with my player on a Californian hard rock station. I don't follow the trends with that type of music, and it was all fresh to me. I loved it for about two days and them I was bored.

There are sounds that I will always come back to. R and B is one of those. Tempted by Squeeze is part of my life. It is the sound, not the lyrics, I swear it. Wally is a man who loves some great old music and he likes to play the good stuff weekday afternoons (3-6 EST). He takes requests by e-mail.

Willy also has a name game going on. You pay 99c to submit a colorful nickname for one of the famous people on the list and you can win a prize. The gears are grinding in my head trying to think of one for Rush Limbaugh...if only he had some kind of human frailty to highlight with a nickname.

Finally, the Beyonce Skakira Duet is Out

I have been waiting for this. Now it is here. I like it. Life is good....wait this is a misleading title, this is not the Beautiful Liar video. At least it is beautiful.

When Spying is the Right thing to do...

I have no problem talking about the subject of spy software. I have teenage children and we manage to work the possibility that they could conceivably have some on their PC's. If we did have spy software, which we might, we would be able to find out where the kids have been going online and who they may have been interacting with.

I could even see a scenario where the spyware would come in handy for monitoring the activities of employees. You know how in XP the start window has a column of icons for the programs that you open most often? I was sharing my computer with someone who was working for us and I was a bit perturbed to see minesweeper show up on that spot. I got over it. But it just goes to show that employees can easily get into a habit of doing their own thing on your time. I prefer to go with the trust thing at the moment, that might be partly because I am observing the people that I trust most of the time.

Does Shakira Make A Lot Of Money On Tour?

Various acts are famous for consistantly breaking records with the money that they gross with a concert tour. It is a shame that many of them do this by having insanely high ticket prices.

Where is Shakira on the list of big 2006 concert tours?

The Rolling Stones/$150.6 million

Tim McGraw/Faith Hill/$132 million

Rascal Flatts/$110.5 million

Madonna/$96.8 million

Barbra Streisand/$95.8 million

Celine Dion/$85.2 million

Bon Jovi/$77.5 million

Nickelback/$74.1 million

Dave Matthews Band/$60.4 million

She's not on the list. I will be sure to check again at the end of 2007.

Steiner Binoculars: Get in there

My best chance to see Shakira this year may be at Wembly Stadium. I haven't even checked about ticket sales. I am probably going to be in the nosebleed section.
If I am lucky enough to get to go, I am going to look into getting some steiner binoculars so I can see what is going on. Steiner have some great models, including the World's smallest full featured marine binoculars. I think that lenses that provide high contrast are probably the best for concert viewing. I only go to a concert once every couple of years but I am always looking at distant birds and ships.

EagleOptics.com is a great place to get binoculars online. Besides their great low prices, they also provide Outstanding Customer Service. They have an Excellent Selection of all the best name brands of optics. You can get Free Financing on orders over $200.

Shakira Wins

I mentioned a week or so ago that there are some haters on the internet that like to post about how bad Shakira's hair looks. I have no way of knowing who they were comparing her to.

I know for certain that with last weeks events related to celebrity hair, Shakira has risen in the rankings by one place. In the past, Britney Spears has been a trend setter. 60% of pole dancers have been dressing like Hit Me Baby era Britney for the last 10 years. Maybe the bald girl look will totally catch on.

The iPhone Fascinates Me

I am not a geeky type of person. But when faced with a page full of new Cingular phones and asked to choose a favorite, I could not stop myself from choosing the iPhone. It's just so new.

I think novelty appeals to me in a vary visceral way. I am going to move past that and try to examine the iPhone in a more detached technical way now.

Cingular is now the new AT&T, and they have both the 4GB and the 8GB iPhone from Apple.

What is an iPhone? An iphone is a revolutionary mobile phone. It also functions as a widescreen iPod with touch controls. On top of those great uses it is also a cutting edge Internet communications device with, web browsing, email, and maps. iPhone features an completely new UI based on a large multi-touch display and radically new software. Apple says that it completely redefines what you can do on a mobile phone.

I think that it was marketing genius as much as necessity that accounts for the appearance of the iPhone. It doesn't look like a phone. I hope that there will be some app's that allow you to customize the look of the screen icons. Apple is very much a closed shop as far as software with this product.

What are other people saying? People who got to use an iPhone ahead of its release think that they are very special. They also REALLY like the phone. From what I can find, it is just amazing how well it works. The quality of the graphics are noteworthy, you can supposedly read the small print on a web page.

I can only imagine what it would be like to have one of these babies and live somewhere with lots of wifi. We truly do live in interesting times, and it's not just because of all the scary stuff.

Horray for Open Borders

I was just looking at Shakira's tour schedule. She it crossing a lot of borders lately. From what I can see she will be waving at the Bundesgrenzschutz 7 or 8 times. Some lucky Bundesgrenzschutz is going to start thinking of this as a relationship.

I have already marveled at the amount of transatlantic flying Shakira has been doing recently. I suspect that she is going to take a long vacation this summer

Belisi is Beautiful

Belisi is beautiful. And I'm not saying that just to suck up to the fashion folks at Belisi. I'm saying it to highlight the old adage that everything is beautiful in it's own way. The fashion photos that I have seen on Belisi's blogs and online store show a certain kind of sophisticated beauty. The accessories that Belisi features in his store are also beautiful.

But a rock is also beautiful. A lemon is beautiful. A rat is beautiful (I know not everyone will agree with that). I was once walking home from the beach and I heard a bustle in a nearby pomegranate tree. My daughters are avid bird watchers so I always do my best to identify whatever I happen to see so I can report back to them about it. As I leaned over the rock wall surrounding the farmers field and focused on the source of the noise, I saw that it was in fact a rat in the tree. It was eating the inside of a pomegranate fruit and leaving the empty rind on the tree. Like almost all humans, I am reflexively repulsed by rats, but in this instance the revulsion passed quite quickly and I began appreciating the scene in the same way that I do most other moments spent observing nature.

Belisi asks, "What's Beautiful to You?" The thing that is the most beautiful to me is the laughter of children.

Belisi draws from two sources for his styles, The Old World exquisite charm of Italy and the sharp chic cache of Palm Beach.

More Carnival Knowledge

I believe carnival and carnal come from the same old word. I'm just sayin'

There is some hip movement at about the one minute mark of this video.

Shakira at Brazilian Carnival

This article in the Guardian lists Shakira as being among the foriegn performers that are sullying the Brazilian flavour of the biggest Carnival event in the world.

This is news to me, I did a search last month trying to find out where she would be for Mardi Gras, and it appeared that she would be resting between European dates of her world tour. Now that I do a search with Salvador and Shakira, there are all kinds of hits. I haven't found a report of her actually being on a float, just reports that she was booked to do so.

Reality Takes Smaller Bites and Chews Well

At first, I thought that reality tv and PayPerPost were not a good fit. Eventually I realized that I had fallen into the trap of expecting certain conventions, even in reality tv. RockStartUp turns some of the new reality tv conventions upsidedown. Once a convention is upsidedown, they proceed to rub it's belly and say nonny, nonny, nonny. That is how you calm a tv convention into submission. Am I making sense? No, of course not.

My favorite episode is Can't Hardly Weight.
The staff were/are having a weight loss challenge of sorts. What I liked the most about the show was all the different sized coworkers stepping up to the scales and shouting out the real numbers. Take a close look at the video, Kirstie, and consider revising your revisionist weights and measures.



Best of luck to all the losers.

Limited Edition T-Shirt

Go back a few posts to find out about the limited edition shirt that Shakira designed for Hard Rock's Signature series. I didn't notice the limited edition part of the announcement. I am going to have to decide about getting one soon. It would make a great gift. I was just talking about making my own tie-dyed shirt in the kitchen a moment ago the artichokes had boiled over on the stove and I noticed as I was cleaning it up that the water was very, very green. You can make dyes from a lot of different everyday stuff. I was talking about putting my own pictures of random stuff on my blog posts yesterday. I took a bunch of pictures today but the batteries are dead so I can't transfer them.

osCommerce Templates that Work

OsCommerce is open source software that is used to create functional online stores. It seems like just about everybody is using it these days. You might wonder then why every single online store does not look or work exactly the same. This question highlights one of the things that is great about osCommerce. It is a very bare bones kind of program that allows for lots of customization in both its functionality and its appearance.

osCommerce Café is the main online source of osCommerce Templates. They have so many templates built now that they break them down into all the following categories:

Animals & Pets
Art & Photography
Books
Computers
Electronics
Fashion
Flowers
Food & Drink
Games
Gifts
Jewelry
Hobbies
Interior & Furniture
Kids & Toys
Music
Outdoors
Seasonal
Software
Sports

This might seem almost excessive, but when you think about it every category has some very unique attributes. To make an analogy, just think about the bricks and mortar versions of all these stores types of stores. An Electronics Store for instance would want to put the latest big sellers in a highly visible location and keep the extension chords on a back shelf while a jewelry store might want an impressive display of as many items as possible. Also, when a store sells items that have their appearance as a major selling point the appearance of the store itself is very important. Just look at some online art stores at random and then look at some auto parts stores.

So I guess I will use this last paragraph to give you my reviews of a few templates. I am going to try to be randomish about what I choose. The Art Jewelry Store is template number 72. It is very attractive. There are graphic elements with organic curves and most of the text and functions are in the bottom 1/4 of the page. I like it. I was thinking about jewelry making recently. Second random template...number 35 ,Clothes'n'More . It is very professional looking. There are no fancy graphic elements to distract from the product images. I think one great thing about a simple looking template is that a company that already has a graphic logo of some sort doesn't have competing elements on the page.

With over 70 templates. OsCommerceCafe.com is the first place you should look. You can get a 3 month membership for $89, compare this to competitors that charge $150 for one design.

The Day the Music Died...

Wow, I can really use hyperbole when I want to. Actually all that happened was that I was really feeling confident about my guitar playing and singing and I was going to record something, but it turned out that both of the cheap microphones that I have are broken.

Anybody who has some guitar skills should try Love Generation if they haven't before. It's C#////////////Fm//////F#//////...over and over again for the whole song.

A Site For Everybody, Sort Of

I like sites like itsmymarket.com it is local in scope, but broad in appeal. And it is just so useful. There are classifieds, community events, competitions, and even personal blogs.

There is a certain new website look and feel to it, but it is already being fully exploited by the people who have discovered it. For instance, I saw that there are about 215 automobiles in the classifieds. Whether you are looking for a tutor or a flan recipe, this is a great place to begin your search. You will no doubt get side-tracked, but that is part of the fun.

Curry night with entertainment?...I can't make it but I feel somewhat entertained as it is, thank you.

Press Release about Hard Rock Shirt

Here is a link to the press release about the Hard Rock T-Shirt.

I need to figure out what the deal is with press releases. If I knew that I was allowed to republish the picture from it, I would. Copyright is increasingly becoming an issue on the internet. I am considering going out and taking a bunch of random photographs of shiny things so I can have some kind of photo in every blog post without worrying about whether I am infringing on anybody.

The shirt looks really good. I hadn't really noticed that snug t-shirts have become the style as opposed to baggy tees.

Affordable Prada Sunglasses

You can get these chic Prada Sunglasses at BestBuyEyeglasses. If you use this discount code, you can even get an extra 5% off of their already discounted prices: ETP5P

The important stuff to know, like the return policy and the prices are all at BestBuyEyeglasses.com. This site has the widest selection and the best prices anywhere. Prada was founded in Milan. I mentioned earlier in this blog that everything about Milan is crazy expensive. I mostly stand by that, but I guess you can get Prada sunglasses at a decent price. I don't know if you could if you were in Milan.

Shakira Designed Shirt on Sale Now

Proceeds from the sale of a t-shirt designed by Shakira will go towards the Fundacion Pies Descalzos. The shirt is the 23rd in a long running series of artist designed shirts sold by Hard Rock.

I think I might buy one of these, I have to run it by the potential wearer first. I think that Shakira's foundation is a worthy cause, but I have already put a lot of money into Kiva.

Cell Phone Deals for Sprint Customers

Good news for cell phone users...existing Sprint customers who are renewing their contracts can get a free phone when they upgrade through Wirefly. Not only that, but you can also get great free extras like a bonus headset.

Sprint cell phones include this awesome RAZR.


Here is a paraphrase of what an avid electronics reviewer had to say about this phone. He is not associated with my site or Wirefly.

Its thin and light and loaded with features. It does its primary job better than the XDA II. He did wish that synching had worked better on his PC just so he could have tested that more. It was hard to find much to fault with this phone. The battery life was good. Reception was great. The user interface was great in most areas. The LCD screen on both the inside and outside is a fantastic feature. Knowing that he can take this phone anywhere in the world is great.

Wirefly is a leading online source for cell phones and wireless service plans. They offer more carriers, plans and phones than all the other online cell phone stores. They offer resources to help you pick out the best phones and the best wireless plans—. Their cell phones are backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Wirefly is one of the most popular electronics shopping sites on the Internet. Their e-commerce platform is used by other online cell phone retailers including Radio Shack, Motorola.com, and AOL Mobile. Wirefly.com is certified by Trust-e, Scan Alert and VeriSign.

In 2005 Wirefly.com was presented with Keynote System’s Web Performance Award for Best in Overall Customer Experience. I tend to put a lot of stock in what it says on someones BizRate. I have seen sites offering other services that included some mixed user reviews on the feedback. Customer feedback is overwhelmingly positive for Wirefly.

Reasonable Shakira Facsimiles?

You probably can't afford to pay the real Shakira to deliver a singing telegram to someone. There are people who are willing to do their best impersonation of Shakira, and they may be within your budget. I think most of them have day jobs.

This Philadelphia lady has hips that will lie. I'm not sure how convincing they are. This California based woman will drive all night (250 miles from several major cities) and also does Celine Dion and Cher.

I am willing to impersonate Shakira anywhere, anytime for $50,000 plus travel and accomodation. I am a middle-aged man with a limited singing range and a bad knee.

Enjoy Some Music

I like the idea of this site called Unsigned.com. It is specifically designed as a promotional platform for independent musicians and it encompasses a large variety of genres from Ska Artists to Christian Artists to Death Metal. I think an artist has a better chance of reaching new fans through this site than with MySpace because you simply can't see the forest for the trees there. Plus, MySpace has become primarily a social site, the band promoting thing is quite secondary.

Instead of rambling on dryly about how good the site is, I am just going to take a moment to see if I can find a band that I personally like. Third time is a charm for me ALJADAQUI is a fun sounding Latin band. Something I have to rave about is how well the music is streaming on the site, why can't other sites work this good?



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Safe in a Crowd

I was trapped in a dense crowd of people at Carnival last night. I was not overly concerned and was actually having a fairly good time. My companion was a bit overwhelmed and stressed out.

I have been thinking about the real dangers posed by crowding after experiencing it, and I found this article about how to take steps to be increase your safety.

I think the most crucial thing to think about is avoiding being swept into a crowd in the first place. Obviously, crowds happen because there is a particular place that everyone wants to be, like in front of the stage.

Get Away To It All

Deciding to go to the city for some excitement isn't the kind thing that requires a lot of careful thought. However,finding a hotel room for a city break can be an involved process,especially if you are headed to some popular concert or sports match.

The very last show on Shakira's european tour will take place at Wembley Stadium on 18th March. Wouldn't it be great to include that event in a city break in London with your mates? I'm going to use the search tools at HotelShopUK.com to see what rooms would work well for this event.

I did a search, the best price near the Stadium now is £ 120. It is short notice.

I don't really have tickets for the show anyway. How about a break in Leeds instead, that would be a hoot. Only £49.98 for a night. Maybe you could combine a break with the Film Festival.

A Song that Affected Shakira as a Child

I just finished reading an old Rolling Stone article about Shakira. In it she described being obsessed with this Depeche Mode song when she was twelve. In particular, she was physically affected by the guitar solo. I am once again at a computer with no sound. I might edit this post later with my impressions of the song.

The video was filmed on top of the WTC. I am physically affected by seeing old footage of those two towers.



Shakira

Belisi Rocks!!!

Seriously, Belisi Rocks. He also has been known to Lounge on occasion. He is a man of contrasts. The latest thing that fashion guy Peter Belisi is putting his name to is an eclectic online radio station. Belisi Radio will feature classics and cutting edge tunes from a variety of genres. Here are a few of Peter's own words:

"Belisi Music is my attempt to take the same qualities I look for in fashion – sophisticated, classic, beautiful – and take it to music"

Belisi is a luxury online retailer of great silk ties, women’s handbags and scarves. The Belisi brand combines Italian beauty and sophistication with the bombastic cache of Palm Beach.

I have known about Belisi for some time and I have to say that I have not seen a single item on his website that does not meet my definition of stylish. I think there is some risk of my wife buying a handbag from Belisi. I am so lucky that I am not married to a collector of such things. She had a friend tell her that women should have something in the range of ten handbags. My wife stands by her opinion that that is excessive. I love her, and I think she should get one more handbag. Something that will look at home in Europe.

A Great Tool For Singer/Songwriters

I have been using a free version of AUDACITY for quite a while now. When I was a kid, back in the days before the internet, I always fantasized about having a four track recorder so I could put two different guitar parts and some vocals together. I did the best I could with a bunch of old portable stereos and all kinds of connecting lines.

Audacity is a downloadable virtual recording studio of sorts. It has a lot of great features and the learning curve is not very steep at all. Even if you are not a singer or songwriter, you could have a lot of fun making remixes from your MP3s.

Here is a silly recording I made of a couple tracks of me playing guitar and also my kid laughing and being silly.

Audio:Boring
by innocuous1

PayPerPost Shows You The Money

I have been blogging every single day since I found out how I could make money blogging with PayPerPost. They have offered some really big money to bloggers recently. There is an opportunity for high profile bloggers to make $1,000 for one blog post. All they would have to do is post on an approved blog that meets all the requirements for the opportunity and talk about the reality show that is being produced about the PayPerPost people. The cool thing is they don't even say you have to be positive. Your honest opinion can get you some big money.

A disclosure statement is required from all bloggers. See the link for mine up in the left corner, it's big, you can't miss it.

The folks at PPP only take a 35% commission from advertisers. They are a good value for anyone looking to create some buzz. I like reviewing unique ideas or unique people. I really want to increase traffic to this blog so I can get more of the music related opportunities, but I am fine with talking about fashion, travel, politics. I can put in my two cents about just about anything and get a few dollars in return. I have enjoyed researching emerging artists, writers and singers for my posts. I would be happy to review a laundry service, too. Just show me that money.

Will Shakira Perform in Israel?

The Jerusalem Post is talking about a possible Shakira concert in Israel. They report that Shakira's representatives are talking about a stop there in August. I have to wonder if this is something that will happen.

International artists may choose to avoid performing in Israel for fear of losing fans and revenue that they may have in Arab nations. For most acts this isn't a political statement, it's just choosing to cater to a large market as opposed to a smaller one.

Israel
Shakira

E-cards Make People Laugh

Did you forget about Valentines Day? Were there dire consequences for your absent mindedness? Here is a plan that can help you out. Today is the day after Valentines Day. If you were to get a yearly subscription for $13.99 at this e-card site, you can use their convenient scheduling system.

It is great for birthdays, too. You could make a point of sitting down for a evening and planning out a whole years worth of cards. If you want to try it out. they have a 30 day free trial version as well. Just take a look at these
free funny eCards. If they don't at least make you smile um, well they should.

I am going to Learn to Play some Shakira Songs

I haven't mentioned on this blog before that I am a musician. I have decided after seeing the slow acoustic start to Hips that Wyclef and Shakira did on the Grammy show that I am going to try to learn some of her songs on guitar. Even though I am not very good at speaking Spanish, I find it easier to sing. One song with some Spanish lines that I have been singing for years is Lawless Avenues.

Otra guerra sin razon
Otra guerra sin fin, sin honor
(another war without reason,
Another war without end, without honor)

I use Audacity to record songs. If I make a recording that I am happy with, I will post it on here.

Verizon RAZRs for Free

The mobile phone market is competitive and changes rapidly. The battle for your business is fought on two fronts. The first one is the battle to provide the best service coverage and Verizon has been a Super Power on that front. The second front involves providing customers with phones that have the style and features that they want. This battle has gone back and forth quite a bit. Besides the features and technology, trendiness plays a role. RAZR's have recently become the must have phone. Now Verizon cell phones include a selection of great RAZR's like this one:



And right now you can get one free with a Verizon plan.

I just read that these phones have a tough shell made of aircraft grade aluminum. That reminds me of a cool mobile phone story. I was living on the East Coast back in the late 90's when there was a big event with huge wooden sailing ships from around the world. There was a galleon from some Latin country at the dock and one night there was a party going on with a live band and dancing. I wasn't invited, I think the criterion for coming aboard was some algorithm involving gender age and hemline. Anyway the deck was higher than the dock so the jealous tourist were facing the feet of the revelers.
I got to see some girl drop her phone and she and her dance partner were obliviously dancing on it for about 1/2 a minute before he noticed and picked it up. I don't know if the phone survived or not. I found the whole thing quite entertaining.

'Who' did Shakira Wear to the Grammy's?

Carolina Herrera, that's who Shakira wore for the red carpet at the big awards night on Sunday. CarolinaHerrera.com is a pretty stylish site. I don't know who designed that gold top that Shakira wore during her performance. Whoever you are, know that I love you. I really mean that.

shakira

Drug Addicts Lie

Drug addicts lie. I don't mean to single them out, lying is human nature. But an addiction can elevate this behavior to that of an art form.

An effective drug rehabilitation program has to account for and correct for the lying that goes on in an effort to feign recovery. I think most comfy voluntary programs have such a low success rate because people can fake success long enough to get away from the recovery process and they haven't changed who they are in any significant way.

Stone Hawk is a place with an amazing success rate. If you want a simple explanation of the regimen, you basically have intensive, effective detoxification coupled with learning some of the life skills that addicts have typically not yet learned.

I knew a young woman who had grown up under the tough love and derision of an ex-alcoholic ex-boxer born again blow hard. When she left home for a co-ed campus, she was at a loss. I was a Residence Assistant and I also tried to be her friend but she was on a downward spiral of drugs, alcohol and sex. When she couldn't get anyone to use with her or supply her in our building anymore, she moved to another house. A week later I had to accompany an RA from that residence to the hospital where the girl was on suicide watch. Many people tried to reason with her during the few months that it took her to reach bottom, but there was just no stopping her. Getting kicked out of school was, thankfully, the start of a change for her. Her family, who had kept their distance for whatever reasons they had, stepped in and got her to go to Stone Hawk. As is often the case with addicts, she tends to avoid the places and the people she knew then. But I heard through the grapevine that she was working in the family business and in a positive relationship. I was going to get into some of the lies she told while she was using, but I kind of changed my mind. It's like I want to respect her being able to move on. I hope that if an addict ever reads this post that they see themselves in the story and can look past the end towards a whole life beyond addiction.

Shakira Did Not Win a Grammy

Shakira caused a stir with her Grammy performance, but the votes had been cast long before then and she was to go home empty handed. Actually, I don't know if she has time to go home. Her current world tour is still ongoing.

Were there any big Grammy surprises? Well, the Dixie Chicks won way too many statues. I like them, but it seems like they got a lot of votes that weren't about the music.

A Reminder to a Boxer

A Baltimore City Police detective and his wife were struck by an oncoming car while on a motorcycle. Brother of former heavyweight boxing champion Hassim Rahman, Karim Rahman, had recently stolen the car after robbing a convenience store. Police were in pursuit at the time of the occurrence. Karim is currently serving a twenty year sentence in a Maryland prison. Karim Rahman did not contest the lawsuit that was filed against him by Ingerman & Horwitz, LLPon behalf of the Honaker Family. Rahman had no insurance at the time of the car accident and the Honaker's attorneys say that it is unlikely that any of the judgment will be collectable.

Boxer Hasim Rahman stated at his brother's sentencing that he intends to "donate a percentage of the rest of my career for family to offset some of the financial burden to the family." To date, Hassim Rahman has not contacted the Honakers or their attorneys regarding this promise.

The source of this information is a press release authored by Alan Horwitz. I think using the internet to widely disseminate this information is a forward thinking move by this lawyer. The press release is presently the fifth item on the google search page for the boxers name. Unfortunately, his first name has several common spellings. I would like to see this story at the top of the page.

Will Shakira Music Videos Disappear From YouTube ?

There are several different uploads of this video on YouTube. The copyright may belong to Sony. I am a bit of a fence sitter with the issue of protecting copyright. I don't actively participate in piracy, I haven't bought any DVD's on the street. But I don't have television at my house and if there is good programming up on YouTube, I will watch it. This includes every Shakira video I can find.

My Personal Vacation Rental Experience

My experience with vacation rentals was a very positive one. I have to say that I enjoy renting a well supplied vacation rental much more that either a hotel stay or even a B&B.

We had some amazing features and extras in the place where we stayed. There were pleasant surprises like a cache of beach toys waiting for us at the end of the boardwalk, and a remote control for the gas fireplace. The place also had a sort of take-a-book/leave-a-book library, I read Dorian Grey while we were there.

I did some browsing on the VLBO site and one place that interested me was Heather's House in Victoria, Canada. It's a new house in an old town. If you have no idea what Victoria is like I can just say briefly that it has one of the mildest climates in Canada and the town has a very British history and feel to it. It is known for it's gardens. The wider area of coastal British Colombia is impressively beautiful.

Shakira does not Disappoint at Grammy's

I didn't even have to search for video footage of Shakira at the Grammy's, the woman who works beside me has become a fan through osmosis and she was watching the performance earlier today. It is really great how Shakira and Wyclef keep it subdued long enough that you almost start to believe they are going to keep the number low key...AS IF.

The dancing that Shakira pulls off is incredible. And she manages a to get the lyrics sung quite nicely as well, although it really is a bit of a compromise to do that much moving and sing. She was a bit breathless at times. I prefer that to lip synching anyday.

About All My Children

This post is not about all MY children. For the most part they are very boring and if I published the interesting stories they might kill me in my sleep (not really, they are little angels).

This post is about ALL MY CHILDREN the long running soap opera. I think it has had some of the most memorable characters in soap opera history. Soap.com has all kinds of information and discussion realted to the show including the ever popular, but sometimes avoided All My Children Spoilers.

I love putting these things on the Internet whenever I get the chance, I like to imagine that aliens pick them up on satellite and think they are really important. I'm talking about the ominous:

Spoiler Alert

Kendall and Zach head to Las Vegas to check on his father's grave. They are stunned to discover that the coffin is filled with rocks and a letter...

Oh my goodness, I sort of wish I hadn't looked at that, it sort of spoils the surprise. Luckily, Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew are professional actors, they will be able to act surprised.

Will Shakira Win a Grammy ?

I am reading a long piece about how Grammy Voting Works. Even though the voters of the Academy are not quite as obtuse and conservative as they used to be, you can still expect a few instances of very popular, very good musicians walking away empty handed on Sunday.

The article says that there is still a built in bias towards Major Label Artists. This will work in Shakira's favor. Her nationality will probably be a slight disadvantage.
If you are intensely interested in any genre of music tha is not in the American Mainstream, you can't expect to see your favorite artist on the live TV broadcast. However XM Satellite Radio is broadcasting all the awards that are not being televised.

Shakira only has one nomination: Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals Pop for Hips Don't Lie Featuring Wyclef Jean

I want to apologize for any of the times that I may have mixed up Wyclef's first and last names, I am always thinking about Shakira's hips when I type his name.

Say it Safely with Flowers

I will probably have a few more posts this week with suggestions for what to buy for Valentine's Day. I will say right now that the safest thing you can possibly do is have flowers delivered. So before you get it in your head to do something more original, like preparing sushi for her for the first time or getting her a ferret...stop thinking, it is dangerous. Go to this online flower delivery site and get something traditional and romantic. If you want to put a personal touch, do some research on the meaning of different flowers and get her an arrangement that you can explain to her at length later.

Shakira Must Love Airports These Days

Shakira is in the midst of a tour of Europe. Where is she right now? California, of course. She is preparing for her performance at the Grammy's with Jean Wyclef that will take place on Sunday. After that it is back to Europe again for upcoming concert dates in France, Germany and Italy. I hate long flights. I am always too cheap to buy the headphones and then I can't sleep so I watch the movies. I still am very confused about what was actually happening on Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants but I'd rather continue to go through life confused than rent the DVD. Here is a Paparazzi video of Shakira leaving a restaurant.

Bling For Men

The site featuring this Men's Jewelry has some very nice stuff. I think a man should choose one metal and stick to that one metal for all his jewelry needs. I have settled on white gold. Stainless steel is another great choice. Actually a man might do well to consider coordinating his jewelry collection with his automobile. Some of the bracelets are a combination of steel and rubber.

Here is a short annecdote about men's jewelry, I was taking a course with people about 10-15 years younger than me this past summer. This one guy commented on my ring...he thought it was a LOTR replica. I had to disappoint him by telling him that it was my wedding ring. To me it IS the ONE, but just to me.

Shakira Concerts During Carnival Week

A few European cities will host Shakira during Carnival season. I have not been able to find out if Shakira will participate in a carnival in any way. Regardless, the exhuberance of Carnival will probably everflow into the stadiums where Shakira will be performing.

Test Driving A Hotel Reservation Site

As an exercise in wishful thinking, I am going to use this real Hotel Reservations site to find hotel rooms for to stay in while I follow Shakira around for the rest of her current tour.

Night #1:
Date: 16/02/07
Venue: Bercy - Paris, France

Using HotelReservations.com I found a choice of 26 Hotels. I can sort them by Value, quality, price or just alphabetically. I'm going to go for the cheapest this time, LE BLANC-MESNIL for $47.90. By the way, you can choose which currency you want to use when you are searching.

Night #2:
Date: 18/02/07
Venue: Olympiahalle Munich - Munich, Germany

This time I am going to go for the best value. Shakira wasn't impressed with my cheap hotel room in Paris. K & K HOTEL AM HARRAS for $68.61. Many of these deals are only available online, you could expect to pay more as a walk in.

Night #3:
Date: 21/02/07
Venue: Hallenstadion Zurich - Zurich, Switzerland

Time to stay in the best hotel. I made a withdrawal from my imaginary Swiss bank account while I was on my imaginary road trip. The Zurich Marriott Hotel is pretty posh, maybe Shakira is going to be in the same hotel as me. Even with quality like this you can still stay for only $185.86. I'm going to have to economize by not going to the second show here.

Night #4:
Date: 27/02/07
Venue: Datch Forum - Milan, Italy

The Hotel Leonardo Da Vince is the cheapest nights stay that I could get in this town with HotelReservations.com it costs $90.88. Milan is the most expensive place to stay that I have seen so far. You know, it might be a good idea to use the site to compare how expensive cities are. If you are coming to Europe just to enjoy the old buildings and the culture and stuff, you might as well go to a place that is old and affordable. Shakira only seems to be going to places where people spend lots of money.

Shakira Memorabilia at Hard Rock

Shakira donated several custom-made stage costumes to the Hard Rock
Cafe Margarita, on Isla Margarita, Venezuela, including a pair of plaid pants that she wore on her last world tour.

The Hard Rock Cafe made a generous contribution to her charity, "Fundacion Pies Descalzos” to show their appreciation. I could not find a picture of Shakira in plaid pants. Maybe she didn't like them.

Toronto is a Great Place to Visit

When our kids were still young enough to actually be impressed by something, we decided to take a week long vacation that involved driving our car all the way to Toronto and staying in a short let apartment. We did e few really smart things during that vacation.

The first thing was that as soon as I got to the hotel parking lot I parked the family car and it stayed put until the day that we left Toronto. We wanted our kids to get a real taste of big city public transit. This might sound weird to people from New York or Chicago, but the TTC is actually not that scary or unpleasant. You could rent a car in Toronto, I wasn't keen on city driving.

The second stroke of genius was that we had pre-ordered groceries for the week online from a Toronto company that specializes in online scheduled grocery orders. All the food and water that we would need for a week of sightseeing arrived a few hours after we did, two elevators full of regular food. The children did not eat at a restaurant even once. The two of us had one special dinner at a fine restaurant in Toronto while a friend escorted the kids to a movie.

Toronto has a long list of must see stuff, we missed a couple of things. The CN Tower is impressive. The museums are amazing. The zoo is huge and a full day of fun for a family. The kids loved the big black squirrels that live in the many parks in Toronto.

I recommend taking a family vacation in Toronto. If you were to tie your vacation to a concert or event it would be even better. The Skydome is a very modern event location.

Do You See A Video ?

Unless you are looking at this post shortly after it was published, chances are that YouTube will have taken down the offending video in compliance with the wishes of media behemoth VIACOOM. The clip is taken from MTV, one of the many many cable stations owned by Viacom.

I think that some musicians and comedians see YouTube as a great promotional tool, but the big important guys in suits do not agree. If you like MTV clips or Jon Stewart or Cartman, you should load your desktop up with YouTube tonight, because the party is over. I think music videos will continue to find their way onto the website despite recent decisions.

Free Online Dating

In the much the same way that the December holiday season makes those of us who are away from our families feel it more acutely, Valentines Day makes a lonely heart feel just that much more lonely. If you are lonely, I have some good news for you...Free Dating has returned to the internet. I remember a few dating sites that were actually free back in the 90's but since then, they have been very rare.

I am a bit of a veteran of online dating. I am not single, so I have only done a sort of functionality check on Just Say Hi. It is a genuinely free online dating site. If you are interested, I would suggest you just go for it. Have fun and please for the sake of yourself and others, please be honest about who you are and what you want from a partner.

Shakira's Hair Not an Issue

The definitive poll on celebrity hair makes no mention of Shakira. Eva Longoria has the best hair and Courtney Love has the worst. I started researching what other people thought of her hair because I saw some insulting remarks about her hair on YouTube comments. It is sometimes hard to tell whether people are expressing their honest opinion or just trying to be hateful.

Some Skin Care Products

SkinAct.com is an online resource for skin care products. SERIOUS skin care products. I can imagine that Shakira and every other pop star that is over 30 years old are investing a lot of time and money into fighting against the ravages of time. A healthy diet, lots of fresh air, NOT SMOKING, adequate sleep, avoiding excess UV radiation...these are all things we can do to have healthy, young looking skin longer, but it isn't enough.

SkinAct.com has a full line of products from SkinCeuticals to help you prevent, protect, and correct. They have great treatment strategies for acne as well.

Eminence Organic Skin Care products are elegant and luxurious as well as effective. I like their logo.

Guinot has some intriguing products in its line as well. I should mention that I had sticker shock when I arrived at the front page. SkinAct.com chose to put the best of the best on the front page and the prices are pause for thought. Every line of treatments has dozens of products which are generally less that 1/3 the price of the stuff on the front page. For example MD Formulations has a great exfoliating cleanser for $30.00. Don't be frightened by the big ticket items on the front page, check out the special offers.

Shakira is 1/4 Italian ?

When I discovered this while researching my last post, I was surprised that I hadn't taken note of it before. The focus is always on her Spanish culture and heritage, with the anecdote about her learning belly dancing from her Lebanese grandmother coming in second. I will search and see if I can find any instances of Shakira talking about her Italian heritage.

Just to stir the melting pot a bit more, here is a singer who is popular in Italy, but is a native of Java.

Italy is Beautiful

Shakira is 1/4 Italian. Shakira will perform in Milan, Italy on February 27, 2007

I love so much about Italy. The food, the wine, the culture, the beautiful people, the architecture, the history...it is simply a fantastic country. It is a country of contrasts as well. You saw the mountainous skiing areas during the last Olympic games. You really should focus your Google Earth, if you have it, on the volcanoes of the island of Sicily. You can see the steam coming from the vent of Etna. And the Mediterranean coast is just something you have to experience to fully appreciate.

Having property in Italy would bring you close to all of these things. Is a villa in Tuscany asking to much out of life? Start with asking and then try and make it happen.

Shakira and Jean Wyclef will do that thing they do at The Grammy's

CBS and the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences made the announcement today. Shakira will perform at the big awards night. I think we know what song she will be singing. The only surprise will be the costuming and possibly the number of backup dancers. I think I have already seen this number performed as well as I could possibly hope for at previous awards shows.

The Art of Purvis Young

Up until today, I had never heard of Purvis Young. He is one of those real artists that the Art World likes to use the label Outsider Art to describe. I think they do that because the volume and quality and POWER of his work and the work of others like him shine a light on a lot of the pretense that exists in what I will call Insider Art.



Purvis Young has been witness to the tragic decline of a community. He still lives in Overtown, Florida despite his celebrated work. He wears dark glasses in public in part to hide the tears that he often sheds when he observes the human condition that surrounds his everyday life. He has always painted on whatever surfaces were made available to him, scrap wood, metal platters, anything. I love the color choices that he makes. And I like the faces that he draws. There seems to be a recurring character in many of his pieces, I don't know if it representative of his own self or a sort of everyman. He also has interesting pieces that feature groups of people. There is really no individuals in the groups, they are like a singular entity, sometimes dancing, sometimes marching in anger. In one painting it appears to be a group of young men turning their backs on the observer in a very overt gesture of dismissal. I don't want to make it sound bleak, there is a dreamlike grace and beauty to most of the work.


I would like to briefly mention the Hospitality Photography of Daniel Aubry. It is very professional, he has a widely recognized knack for revealing the essence of a space.

This is ...Interesting

The above picture is an advertisement for a Shakira concert that was held in Egypt. It is the work of designer Amr el sharkawy. Good work, sir. If you were to rummage through the archive of this blog you would see that I am the worst graphic designer in the history of civilization.

Take a Look at Egypt

Shakira has visited Egypt during previous World tours. I can only assume that the history and the beauty of that country had as much to do with her schedule as the ticket sales.

I'm linking to a great photo blog about Cairo Egypt, there are lots of great shots of the Pyramids and other ancient stuff. What really interests me the most when I travel are the people. This is a great photograph of a horseman and various family members and shelters. Click on the picture to see it in full size on the site.

If This Ever Loads...

I think SonyBMG has the Beyonce Shakira duet streaming online. I'm am writing this while I wait for the page to load (Darn kids are cloggin' up the tubes again). Sorry, false alarm. Beyonce has two tracks on this playlist at the moment. It might be a good place to check back.

Home Office Desks

I have personally bought 6-7 home office desks in the past few years. I will probably buy a few more eventually. One thing I would recommend to anyone is to avoid styles that are designed very specifically for one style of PC because monitor technology changes and PCU designs change. You may also change your mind about what peripherals you do or do not need.

I love the style of the the above desk. It is simple and elegant and I think it would be quite versatile, too. GreatPricedFurniture.com has stuff that is either side of this in the fancy department. I picked this one to feature because, for me, it is just right.

Check out these big Hi-Res Photos...

I am linking to this huge Shakira image for a few reasons.

I think this fundraiser is pure marketing genius. I mean look, Shakira is getting in all the automotive blogs.

Shakira looks good when she goes casual. It's interesting that the lighting on this stage has been adjusted to make the car look its best rather than the people.

The sum of money on the giant check that Shakira and some auto exec. are holding is not huge. The contest runs til May, so expect to see enough to build a school or two in Colombia by then.

Notice that Shakira is wearing a Beatles shirt.

A Few Words about Car and Home Insurance

Many of us have the level of insurance coverage for our cars determined by our finance company. Most often they will require that you obtain comprehensive car insurance before you get to drive away with your car.

If you are entering to win the Shakira designed Leon Pies Descalzos, you might want to compare car insurance so you can be on the road with your prize that much sooner.

Lenders often dictate what level of home insurance you need to have as well. I think that even if you are renting there are some possible losses that you should be insured against. I have heard a lot of horror stories about people who get their basement apartment flooded as the result of someone else's negligence and are still stuck with the expense entalied by all the damage to their possessions. Theft insurance is something worth looking into as well. I spent some time living in a bad neighborhood a few years back and I lived in fear of being burgled. We had a home business operating there. I'm curious as to whether you can be insured against lost earnings if the computers containing a portion of your business information are stolen? Probably not.

A Blast From Shakira's Past

I was snooping through Archive.org and I though readers here might enjoy a look at the old graphics for the official Shakira website. This is from the Laundry Service days. I prefer the new look for her site. The looping animation from the Wherever, Whatever video gets a bit annoying after a while. Nearly all the tabs go to 404 pages, that is typical of the archiving.

My Latino Friends

I worked in the specialty coffee industry for a couple of years and I met some really cool people from the Latino communities of the USA, and also from some of the World's coffee producing nations.

I met a lot of young, smart people who were making their careers in either the technical side of making great coffee, or the marketing of coffee. I made a friend, and had an anecdote for life, when I was a volunteer for this big international coffee tasting event. I was one of many people who were exactingly making hundreds of cups of coffee for the tasters. It was a job that was mostly busy, but involved some standing around waiting for things to boil as well. My table partner was a stylishly dressed 20 something Puerto Rican. I was to soon find out that he was a comedian. When he found out that I was Canadian he told me that he had heard this news story about how the low-carb diet craze had caused a huge drop in Maple Syrup sales and that as a result there were Maple trees blowing up all over Canada. The funny part of the joke was that he had a captive audience and he was very persistent that is must be true. I asked him why they didn't have dairy cows blowing up in Wisconsin during the low-fat craze and he thought that maybe they had been and that there was some kind of cover up.

But this post isn't just to talk about my Latino friends, i want to talk about how Latino-Friends.com is an all-in-one Latino Community website. It's like a MySpace but it is specifically for the Latino Community. I like the layout of the site. It is very new. They are looking for bloggers to help fill up their blog section. Go check it out.

My Forum is Being Ignored

I started a forum on this site weeks ago, and it hasn't really taken off. If you want to talk about anything related to Shakira, you should post something on my FORUM.

¿Habla Español? I would be happy to have people post in Spanish, or any language.

shakiraforum

Enjoy Brazil Starting at $1

Don't get too excited, that's the reserve bid for an auction that is being held online for a vacation package at Othon Hotels in beautiful Brazil. Brazil is one of the places on my mind right now as Carnival season approaches.

SkyAuction.com is an established travel auction marketplace. You can choose between "Bid On" or "Buy Now" on discount packages to Othon Hotels in Brazil, and many other South America destinations. Save money on hotel resort nights, vacation rentals, cruises, and more. SkyAuction.com have provided over half a million travelers with a means to get more from their money than they ever dreamed.

Happy 30th Birthday Shakira!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

My gift to visitors today is this art. Click on it to visit the site of the Colombian artist Fernado Botero. The still life depicts a typical birthday table in Colombia.

Call Cheaply With Pingo

I just love to live in an time period when long distance communications are so affordable. I was recently talking to a woman at a party who is in her early sixties. She was telling me this story about how when her future husband emigrated to America she had to stay behind in Europe. Way back then, there was only one phone in every village and it cost the equivalent of about $5.00 per minute to talk to someone overseas. Now, companies like Pingo can give you four hours of international calling time as an incentive to sign up. Check out these Poland calling card rates, awesome or what?

The calling card rates are literally pennies per minute. I have relatives scattered all around the World and I spent some time running the numbers with the this rate checking page. It appears that you could expect to save a lot of money with this prepaid card system.

In addition to the great rates, you will receive up to 4 hours of free International calls for signing up, linking to Pingo.com, or going to this International calling card service and emailing link@freeautobot.com to receive a free phone card.

Pingo’s affiliate program pays $15 for each new customer you refer.
This is a sponsored post.

Pingo
long distance

Shakira's Hair

I have given myself the thankless task of readin the comments sections of various webpages and it appears that criticizing Shakira's hair is a favorite pastime for haters. I am considering going to a stylist friend of mine for a professional opinion. I think what the teenage girls don't understand is that to another segment of the population, messed up hair is kinda hot. Please feel free to leave comments. Don't bother trying to say anything insulting about what you think Might be wrong with MY hair, becasue I don't have any. Man, I hate haters.

$50 Cash Back from T-Mobile

This is a sponsored post.

I cut right to the chase with that title. I guess things have moved beyond just getting a free phone in the competitive world of mobile phone service. You can now get a free T-Mobile RAZR and receive cash back when you get a plan that is $34.99 per month or more.

I have been going the pay as you go route ever since I moved a little over a year ago. I'm starting to think about getting a plan now that I have settled in. And I am frankly a bit freaked out when I see all the features that are available on phones these days.

The RAZR has a slim profile. The RAZR V3 is a quad-band phone for use around the World that also includes Bluetooth, a 4x zoom VGA camera, and a giant 2.2” color screen. You can use this phone to record video clips and send them to your friends. You can also chat via the built-in AOL Instant Messenger.

Oh, if this is getting you interested you need to decide soon because this T-Mobile rebate deal is only valid until March 31, 2007.

Shakira is the Seventh Most Desired Woman

Shakira is ranked #7 on a list of 99 Top Women. I wonder if her being in a relationship cost her a few places. Ranking above her are, in order, Beyonce, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Adriana Lima, Jessica Biel and Alessandra Ambrosio.

More than 8.5 million votes were cast in this poll over a six week period.

The most interesting change from last year's top 10 is a drop from #3 to #9 for Angelina Jolie.

MUY MUY CALIENTE

This is a sponsored post.

I don't want to turn this into one of those ridiculous, sex-obsessed sites. But let's face it, it is one of the joys of life, right up there with eating and breathing. If you are in a relationship, or just dating , this post might intrigue you.

Rob Breszny has just come out with a book entitled "How To Have Great Laughing Sex" that might be of interest to you. I was at a dinner party last year and there was a brief discussion in which I found out that one of the women there needs to be made to laugh in order to get her in the mood for sex...and that her husband only knows one joke. It was a noisy party, I might have missed some parts of that discussion.

Shakira Turns 30 Tomorrow

I am going to just throw up a few links to people talking about turning thirty for your consideration.

This one, A survivor's guide to turning 30 is a bit flippant and contains the word shagging more than once.

This one bores me, but maybe you will like it.

This one is for the guys, it's kinda funny.

This one focuses on career goals, comparing generations and stuff like that. It is insightful but not entertaining.

Financial stuff to do before you turn 30...ahhhhh I'm 37 and I haven't done any of these...AHHHHH!!!

shakira