Our way of life is being taken away by crooks in office

Its amazing just how shallow our margin of safety is in this world. Everything we know and trust can disappear in seconds. For example we depend upon our jobs to buy all of the things we need; our food, our transportation, our homes, our clothes and comforts. It can all be gone in a heartbeat. It sometimes doesn’t seem fair, but we Americans have been pretty lucky. The things we have taken for granted all of our lives are only things to be dreamed of in some of the other parts of the world. We have always thought that we here in America are special or smarter because we have more. The truth of the matter is, our country hasn’t been settled nearly as long and the ravages of the human race hasn’t had time to take as much of a toll on our resources. We are using them up at an alarming rate and it will catch up with us, but maybe not. It seems that our crooked lawmakers are going to do us in first.

Hopefully someday we will get rid of the political crooks and ambulance chasing lawyers that drive up the price of everything, and take advantage of we the working people. Hopefully someday we can get our country back to normal. It’s doubtful, but I can at least hope.  I can’t understand how anyone can put a price on their honesty, to the point that they are willing to annihilate their own country and countrymen in return for material things that will be gone in a few years anyway. If caught they will be despised by generations to come, even their own families. Hey crooked politicians, is getting rich really worth selling out your country? Life is short, but disgrace lasts forever.

Stock trading online can help you make your retirement money grow

Our economy is moving along slowly. It still moves, but it moves at a slower pace than before. It gets harder and harder for most of us to stretch our money far enough. Interest rates are down, and for those who have money saved, its hardly worth anything to keep it in the bank. A much wiser choice is online trading.

Investing your money wisely can still give you good returns, but you need to find a reputable  online broker so you can do your trading safely and well. Let me recommend Firstrade. They offer stock trading online, along with 25 years of experience to back it up. There is only a $6.95 commission rate per trade and you will get a 3 second trade execution guarantee.

Firstrade has a set of powerful tools to make your online trading easier and more profitable, and they offer international accessibility and no hidden fees. Make your money grow so you will have a better retirement someday. Check out Firstrade online and see what they can do for you!

A place that can handle all of your home cleaning needs

My wife and I have been discussing that its time to clean our carpets. We have the choice of trying to do it ourselves, or calling in professionals. After researching it on the internet we discovered that we can get natural carpet cleaner Austin from The Steam Team of Texas. They have the expertise and equipment to get our carpet looking new again.

Getting the job done right, and safely, is important. The Steam Team of Texas offers  safe carpet cleaning Austin so you know the job is done in the safest manner possible. They also offer carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, leather cleaning, dust free hardwood floor refinishing, air duct and oriental rug cleaning, even pet odor treatments, smoke and fire restoration, and construction services. Their services don't stop there, they offer much more.

If you are looking for  rug cleaning service Austin, or any of the other services listed above, I suggest that you check out their website. Get the job done right, the first time. The Steam Team of Texas puts primary importance in customer satisfaction, and will do whatever it takes to make sure you are pleased. Check them out!

The ghosts of Christmas past

Some of my fondest memories of Christmas are from my childhood. We were like most kids; we looked forward to the holiday season with so much anticipation that we could hardly wait for the big day to come. The excitement would build and build as packages were added around our tree. When the treasured moment arrived, we would literally rip the paper from our packages to see what was inside.

THE TREE

The tree, yes the tree. It was always a cedar that we cut on our own property and we would look over many before deciding on that ‘just right’ tree. We didn’t have much to do with so we used the same lights and ornaments every year. Even the icicles were carefully removed from the tree after Christmas was over and used again the following year. They got pretty wrinkled and broken, but to us our tree was always beautiful. One memory I have that is not so good; one day we went to cut our tree. I was small and more in the way than anything. While I was watching someone, I forget who, chop down the tree, the hatchet blade came flying off and barely missed my head. I have lost my head over many things in my life, but that time it was nearly literal.

THE BICYCLE!

I got my first bicycle for Christmas when I was only 7. It was a huge 26 inch bike and I was small for my age. I couldn’t reach the pedals when they were all the way down, so I would push down on one pedal as far as I could, then hook my toes around the one coming up and pull. Of course the centrifugal motion kept them turning as long as I pushed hard. I had a lot of crashes until I learned to ride, and it was a long way to the ground for a small boy on a bike that big. I would go around and around in small circles in the yard, and then run to the house and boast about how many I made before I crashed and burned. I kept that old bike during all of my childhood. It was the only one I ever owned, except for a couple of junker’s that I used for parts or just for coasting off hills. I took that big old bike and added another set of forks to the front to make a chopper. I added a huge high ‘sissy bar’ and a red, white, and blue banana seat. I took colored tape and went around the frame, put on some ram horn handlebars. I added a headlight and taillight, and I had the coolest bike in the country. As far as I know it was the only one fixed up that way. Everyone else had the small 20 inch bikes. I rode my chopper a couple of miles to my sisters grocery store and I remember that when I got going too fast, the long front end would start vibrating like crazy.

MEMORIES

Christmas was exciting in many ways to us. Not only for the gifts, but for the parties at school, and at church. The Christmas plays we would either watch or participate in. The camaraderie with people that we might not even be friends with for the rest of the year. I remember a party at church when I was 15 or 16. Santa Claus came walking into the church house doing the “ho ho ho” thing, and one of the other boys who was my age said. “Hey, that’s Dad”. He sounded almost disappointed, even though we had long known that Santa wasn’t real.

I recall getting gifts that made my heart sing with excitement, and I remember years when we didn’t have enough, and all I would get was clothes for school. Even that was exciting, because they still had to be unwrapped. A wrapped gift could contain anything so we approached all with the same zeal.

I recall being very small and buying my father a small gift, then getting confused about what I had gotten for him. I was arguing with my sister about it, and forgot Dad was listening, and said loudly, “MOM, I DID TOO GET DAD A PAIR OF GLOVES DIDN’T I! Of course Dad heard me and the surprise was ruined, except that I had actually bought him a pair of socks and forgotten it.

I recall some special people who always took the time and money to make sure that we had gifts for Christmas. Our next door neighbors and one of their daughters who lived in New York made memories for us that I will never forget. I was an avid reader and the old lady next door bought me many books over the years. I still have those books and will cherish them forever. The lady in New York always sent us some really neat gifts that were both entertaining, and chosen to make us use our minds as well.

I recall one year when Christmas was approaching. I was about 17 and had a job earning a few dollars. Mom got concerned about me not buying gifts for Christmas and informed me that I was selfish. All the while I was secretly busy building her and Dad a magazine rack in shop class. She was surprised, and seemed happy with it when I proudly presented it on Christmas morning. I felt rightfully absolved from the guilt of being selfish.

I recall celebrating Christmas with many people who are no longer with us, including one of the boys from church that I mentioned above. He was killed in a wreck a few years ago. My father is no longer here, but his gifts to us will never be forgotten. The material gifts he gave us are mostly gone now, but the gift of his life and cheerful, giving personality will live on. Others we cared about are gone, but still here in our hearts. We don’t know when Christ’s birthday really was, but we know what he did for us. A lot of our Christmas practices actually come from old pagan practices, and I hope God will forgive us for that. I can’t help loving this holiday.

I am now building new memories with my wife, and hopefully we will have a family of our own soon to share them with, and create more. I try mightily to celebrate this special day for the right reasons, love, giving, caring, togetherness, and beauty. I love the lights, the decorated trees and homes. I love the brightly wrapped gifts and ribbons. I love the holiday cheer, but most of all I love my family and the memories, the ghosts of Christmas past. 

We just finished opening our gifts

What a great Christmas Eve my wife and I have had! We opened our gifts a couple of hours ago, and we both got exactly what we wanted. I love sharing Christmas with my wife. It is our second time to be together on the special day. Last year I tried to buy her gifts without consulting her and she ended up with a lot of things she really didn’t want or need. This year I asked her what she wanted and shopped accordingly. Then I surprised her with a few gifts that she had mentioned at another time. She also consulted me before buying for me this year and I got everything I wanted and needed. I was surprised at the gifts she chose that I didn’t tell her about; they were great choices. I thank God for my wife and for another year to celebrate with her.

Tomorrow we probably won’t celebrate Christmas very much. Our family celebration will be Sunday. I hope all of you enjoy your family time together and have a very Merry Christmas!

I’m dreaming of a White Christmas

We have a chance for a white Christmas! According to the forecast, there is a chance of freezing rain, sleet, and snow tonight and tomorrow, with a slight chance of snow on Christmas day! I kind of dread the cold weather that comes with it, and I don’t want the roads to be slick for our Christmas travel, but a white Christmas would be kind of nice.

I went to town today, under the guise of depositing my paycheck, and bought my wife more gifts. She is very curious now and has been shaking them. Of course I can’t tell what they are here because she might read it. Heheheee Hopefully she will like what I got  her. She was standing behind me while I wrote this, hoping for a clue. I am much to smart for that of course!

In case I don’t get time to post before Christmas, may all of you have a safe, happy holiday, and may all of your good dreams comes true. Don’t forget what the day is really in celebration of.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

Get your wedding documented by the very best in the business!

It is your big day, your wedding is near, and of course you want everything to go well. You want the best of everything, and you want to keep the memories of this priceless day forever.  You want the best  Maryland Wedding Photographer  you can get. I can help you out on that. You need  Roman Grinev Photography. They are head and shoulders above the rest.

When it comes to  Maryland Wedding Photographers , not all are created equal. Roman Grinev Photography has been voted as the "best of wedding photographers by a famous magazine. They have also been given the 2010 Bride's Choice Award by Wedding Wire. They have been given top reviews by customers and magazines alike.

Don't take the risk of having an unqualified photographer to record the most memorable day of your life. You only get one chance so get the most reputable Maryland Wedding Photography available, with more than 12 years of professional experience. Their goal is to record your wedding unobtrusively and artfully. You can take your choice of which photographer to use, after reviewing the portfolios. Check out Roman Grinev Photography today, and then relax, knowing that soon you will have priceless memories, that will last forever!

What Christmas is all about

People have many ideas about Christmas. Of course we all know that it is supposed to be a celebration of Jesus birth, but is that all? Where did the tree, ornaments, and bright lights come from? Although we take them for granted now, they aren’t mentioned in the Bible.

Believe it or not, it is thought that Christmas trees originated in Germany in the 1600’s. If trees were hard to come by they sometimes built pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles. Later the German settlers in Pennsylvania put up Christmas trees. The first one on record was in the 1830’s.

Even in much of the 19th century, Americans did not put up or even accept Christmas trees as part of the holiday. In fact when one was erected in front of a church in 1851 the locals were shocked and outraged at the “pagan” aspect and asked the good reverend to remove it immediately.

In spite of all that, Christmas trees started catching on, and by the early 20th century they were fairly common, and Americans were decorating them with handmade ornaments. The German-Americans used mostly fruit, nuts, and cookies on their trees; then came colored popcorn. When electricity became common, Christmas lights came into vogue, and remain so to this day.

The Practice of Giving Gifts

We all know the story of the 3 wise men, and how they came to Jesus, supposedly lying in a manger. They gave him gifts and then departed. What most people don’t know is that the three wise men were probably not holy men, as we like to celebrate them as being. They were obviously astrologers; they followed a star. Astrology or the use of any form of divining is highly frowned upon in the Bible. If you read the Bible carefully you will notice that after leaving Jesus, the wise men went to visit King Herod. Shortly thereafter King Herod decreed that all male children of 2 years old or less must die. Hmmmm I wonder where he got the information about a baby that might threaten his kingliness? Probably from the three not so wise men. Also when you read carefully you will see that Jesus was not a newborn baby when the wise men visited, and his family were living in a house at the time instead of a stable. Thus the reason that King Herod decided to kill young boys up to 2 years old instead of newborns only. It seems that the more we research our practices at Christmas, the more we see that the majority of it is simply made up, and often comes from old pagan practices instead of from the Bible. Here is another one for you to consider. Our practice of giving gifts; where did it come from? Oh I know, the wise men gave gifts to the baby Jesus. Notice that they didn’t give gifts to anyone else, nor did the others exchange gifts. In our modern Christmas, Jesus is the only one that does NOT receive any gifts. Incidentally it was the practice in Biblical times for visitors to bring gifts for any notable person.

I love Christmas. I can’t help it. I love the bright lights, the decorated trees, the gift giving, the coming together of families and friends. What I don’t love is where some of the practices come from, and how we have commercialized a day that is supposed to be special from a religious standpoint. To me Christmas is not really the birthday of Jesus, because we don’t know his birthday. I do however, accept the holiday as a celebration of his birth, but I also enjoy the feelings of love and closeness I share with my family.  May your holiday be joyful. Merry Christmas!

Sometimes a good pre-owned car is the best way to go

If you are looking for used cars in Tampa and can't figure out where to go for the best deal, I have the answer for you. "Oh wait", you say; "I have no credit". Not to worry. At Park Auto Mall there is 100% credit approval. Want to know how long it takes to be approved? Grab onto something because you are not going to believe this. It takes 30 seconds!

Don't worry about not having a big enough selection of used cars and trucks to choose from; Park Auto Mall has the biggest selection of pre-owned vehicles in Pinella County! You can shop until you drop, and leave with the car of your dreams.

So now your next question will probably be, "but do they service what they sell"? The answer is a resounding "yes". They offer several services to keep your purchase in good operating condition.  You can get an extended warranty with your vehicle, or you can take advantage of the service advantage plan, or the service coupons they offer.

If you are looking for a car, truck, or SUV near Tampa, Florida, check out Park Auto Mall. They have just what you are looking for, at a price you can afford! While you are on their site take a look at their video blog and learn more.

Hard work doesn’t always produce

Work has been very discouraging lately. It seems that the harder we try, the more things go wrong. Finally yesterday we got a new big saw blade that cuts fast, and things started picking up. Today we were having a productive day, and then 30 minutes before quitting time we broke a small piece of metal on the machinery. We stayed late and repaired it. Luckily it wasn’t anything major, and it only lost us 30 minutes of work time. Christmas is nearly here and since most of the guys get paid according to how much we accomplish, we have been trying hard to make some extra money so they can give a better Christmas to their families. Hopefully things will go better for the rest of this week. One thing I am happy about is that we are supposed to get off work for a couple of extra days at Christmas! I can’t wait. I am burned out and worn out. I need a break!

Need to repair your credit? Read this!

In the past it was much easier to safeguard our credit than it is now. Jobs were plentiful, and all we had to do was work, collect our pay, make our purchases with some common sense, and live the American dream. Now things are different. We have all heard stories of how so many people are now losing their homes because they have lost their job due to our slow economy. It's not fair but it is happening anyway. Most of these unfortunate people are honest and fully intend to pay their bills, but they just don't have a way to do it. It's a heartbreaker, and the final outcome is that in addition to losing their home, they also lose their good credit standing. Now they have little chance to live normally, so what can they do to better their situation?

They need some credit repair  to get them back in the mainstream of life, as it is nearly impossible to live a productive life without good credit. It sounds simple enough, but of course not all credit repair services are equal, so how do you know which is best?

I am happy to tell you that there is a website called Consumer Credit Repair Counseling that will provide you with top notch service, and has experience dating all the way back to 1991. The Better Business Bureau gives them an excellent rating, along with great reviews. In the last year alone CCRC has gotten rid of more than 1 million negative credit report items. They can do it for you also. If you need to repair your credit, you simply can't do better than CCRC. Check them out!

Working outside in the cold sucks

Its cold! Old man winter has finally reared his ugly head. We are using a lot of fuel to heat our home, but hopefully it will warm up some in a couple of days. Some of my work is outside and this cold weather makes it miserable and difficult. Today it seemed that we worked too hard, but got little accomplished. Tonight and tomorrow’s temperatures are supposed to be similar to today so I guess I have another slow aggravating day to look forward too.

On the good side, our boss mentioned today that he may give us a couple of extra days off for Christmas, and perhaps a couple more for New Years. I am hoping for that. I am suffering from burn out at work. I need to get away for awhile!

Save big on health supplies

Medical care is so expensive! My wife and I try to take care of our own health problems, as much as is safely possible. We have a machine to check our blood pressure, and we try to self diagnose and treat our minor illnesses. My mother is diabetic and has a glucose meter for checking her glucose level. It seems that a lot of us need the technical tools at home to guard our health.

It is important to take care of ourselves, and sometimes investing a few dollars in something, such as an  pulse oximeter will give us the means to avoid expensive doctor visits.

So where is a good place to get medical equipment and supplies? I recommend that you check out the link above and visit Concord Health Supply. Their prices are the lowest around, and you will get free UPS ground shipping on all orders. You can chat with a live representative to figure out what is right for you. Take a look and get ready to save some money.

Our Christmas shopping is finished!

My wife and I have spent the day doing our Christmas shopping. We shopped til we dropped! That is more than just an expression; we were literally ready to drop when we got done.

Although there were a lot of shoppers in the stores, it seemed to me that there were a lot less than last year. The sluggish economy is showing, even at Christmas. I feel sorry for the people who don’t have enough extra money to buy a gift for their loved ones, but next year it may be our turn. I hope not. It is a scary time for us all.

My wife likes to shop, like most women do, but she would much rather go to thrift stores than to shop for new products. She is hooked on it, and even today she used some of her Christmas shopping money to go to a thrift store. She did get some good buys on clothes.

We had a good time and got back home safe and sound. Then it took us a long time to get our gifts wrapped, but now they are under the tree, the lights are on, and we are relaxing and watching a movie we bought today. Hope your day was as good!

I need to get my own domain for my blogs

I sometimes have trouble figuring out where to host my web site. I have several blogs and I would like to have a domain of my own to boost my page rank. I want to have the best service, at the lowest price. Of course we all want that, no matter what kind of service we are looking for. We don't want much, we want it all.

It is common knowledge that having a private domain is great for our page rank. That means that finding the right website hosting service is a must. There are so many to choose from, but inexpensive is a must for me. I use my blogs to supplement my income so I certainly don't want to spend my profits on website hosting. On the other hand, I do want the most I can get for my money. As the old saying goes, "we have to spend money to make money".

Blogging is not only a way to supplement my income, its also a way to express myself. As I mentioned once before, I have always wanted to be a writer. I could just never figure out what kind of book I wished to write. The idea of writing so many words about just one subject appalled me. I enjoy much more writing short articles about things that interest, amuse, or irritate me.

Giving travel certificates to your customers will boost sales for your business

There is a car lot not far from here that has a special deal for customers; buy a car and get a cruise. It is that simple. What a wonderful way to attract customers. Nearly everyone has a vacation from work, but some people cannot afford to buy a new car and take a vacation in the same year. I am sure that the free cruise deal brings a lot of customers. We all love to travel, and we love to travel free even more.

It is always important for businesses to use incentives, such as travel certificates to bring in new customers, and to keep existing customers coming back. In today's slow economy it might make the difference in a company's success. There are many travel certificates to choose from, such as hotel stays, roundtrip airfare, theme parks, cruises, even exotic resorts. They cost much less than you would expect to pay.

If you are ready to bring in some extra business and increase your company's revenues; I suggest that you check out Odenza. They have knowledgeable representatives that will take care of your travel certificate needs.  Just one phone call is all you need to be on your way to more sales, and happier customers!

A gold exploration mining company that works for us all

Probably the most trusted commodity we have in our world is gold. It is the basis for our money, it is used to make jewelry, and it is used for other things such as electronics. We take gold for granted, but have you ever wondered where it comes from?

Edgewater Exploration Ltd. is a Canadian based gold exploration mining company that operates Lundin Mining, and Red Back Mining in West Africa, Ghana. After mining the gold, it then goes through various distributors. This gold eventually is used for some of the purposes named above. You will probably own some of it someday.

Incidentally Ghana is second in gold production in Africa, with a 2009 total of 2,900,000 ounces. That is 181,250 pounds of gold! There is a lot more gold where that came from.

If you are interested in learning more about the mining or distribution process of gold, I suggest that you check out the web site link. It is a very interesting process.

A great place to shop for baby clothes, and more!

My wife and I want to have a baby soon and we have been wondering where is the best place to find baby clothes? I think I have found the answer online. There is a website called teacollection.com that has baby clothes at up to 30% off regular price. They have modern clothes for both boys and girls and free shipping for orders over $150.00. To make it simple and easy, all other orders are $8 shipping.

If you are looking for both comfort and fashion for your kids, like we are, I suggest that you give teacollection.com a try. They have more to choose from than just baby clothes. You will also find clothes for women, and they are an excellent place to shop for your Christmas gifts also. There are some items on sale right now, and if you hurry you can receive your order in time for the holidays. Go to their site and check them out right now!

Something good is going to happen to you, or not

I get sick of the so called televangelists that beg for money from the poor masses, and then fly home to their mansions in their private jets. They have mislead millions of people into believing that the only way to heaven, is to buy it from them through donations.  I think that surely these jerks must not even believe in God, or they wouldn’t have the nerve to act so irresponsibly. I remember when I was a kid how Oral Roberts and his son would sing “Something good is going to happen to you”. Of course the gist of the song was that something good would only happen to you if you sent money to them. The song was the theme song that they played every week while the audience was being begged and threatened for money. Since those days most of those televangelists have gotten in trouble with the law, for things ranging from dealing with prostitutes, to embezzling money. I personally had a relative (by marriage) that took money from local churches to finance his “missionary” work to remote places such as Belgium, and England. The poor uneducated people this guy was ripping off never even stopped to consider that there is no need for missionaries in those countries. They were civilized long before this country was. What it amounted too was an all expense paid 8 year vacation for a worthless jerk that isn’t worth the air he breathes. This same guy was accused of molesting his own kids, both the son and daughter. The last I heard of him he was still pastor of a church and still living off church money.

My readers, let me tell you that serving God is great. Helping the poor and hungry is great. Just be sure that you do the helping yourself. Don’t let some rip off artist convince you that they have a direct pipeline to God, and that you should use them for a middle man to reach God. It is not necessary. Trust me on this, YOU can talk to God just fine without their help. On the other hand, if you want to contact Satan you might use the so called preachers and televangelists, because their ways are much more like Satan than God.

Peace, tranquility, and golf; Along with all the comforts of home

I am already sick of cold weather, and of work. Nothing has been going right lately. How I would love to take a trip to a warm climate and take some time to relax and have some fun. I checked out some resorts in Myrtle Beach online and found exactly what I need to cheer me up.

My wife and I would love to stay in a nice Myrtle Beach hotel  that will cater to our every need. We want to be very near the beach, and I would like to play a few rounds of golf; in between naps in the sunshine of course. We want to be near some good shopping and entertainments, and of course we want a hotel that will treat us like family, with all the amenities and hospitality to make our vacation a memorable experience.

We found a website at http://avistaresort.com that meets all of our expectations, and more. We will have access to both indoor and outdoor pools, a lazy river, hot tubs, restaurants, shopping, as well as some of the best golf courses in the world. This resort is just two blocks from Main Street, so we will be near the center of activity when we decide to leave the tranquility of our peaceful condo. I think that it is time for me to talk to my boss and tell him I want some time off. Good times, here we come!

The most perfect gift would have to be chocolate

This year has gone by so fast! It is hard to believe that its nearly Christmas again already. This will be the second year that I get to spend the holidays with my wonderful wife. She is from the Philippines and is still learning our culture here. I am still trying to decide what to get her this year. Of course there is one gift that is always perfect. Nothing says "I love you" like  chocolate. Chocolate is probably the perfect gift and is my favorite because;

1: Everyone loves chocolate
2: It is affordable
3: If you play your cards right they will usually share with you

It doesn't get much better than that and as you can see I have a somewhat secret motive in giving chocolate as a gift. Its really a win win situation for me. Hopefully my wife won't read this article and get wise to my tricks. If she does I may just have to change my tactics and give her some other yummy treat for awhile.