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