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SECOND RATE SNACKS _ Have you ever wanted to test out some of those knock-off brands to see if they're just as good as your favorite name brands? This blog does just that! It's your chance to see one bloggers opinion of highly-hyped name brand products vs. no-name products. Could save you money! Could save your taste buds! Check out the blog here. |
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ROONEY AND MOON'S HOT TOPICS: -The Internet is in the running for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The Italian edition of Wired magazine nominated the Internet and should receive the highly regarded prize for helping to advance "dialogue, debate and consensus." -Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is the world's richest person, knocking Microsoft founder Bill Gates into second spot, as the wealth of the world's billionaires grew by 50 percent over the last year. It is only the second time since 1995 that Gates has lost the crown, said Forbes magazine, estimating Slim's net worth at $53.5 billion, compared to Gates' $53 billion fortune. Investor Warren Buffett came in at No. 3 with $47 billion. -Mason Jammer is in kindergarten at Jefferson Elementary School in Ionia, Michigan. School officials warned him numerous times that he couldn't play "guns" during recess, but he did it again, using his fingers to mimic the shape of a gun. School administrators claimed other students were "uncomfortable" with that, so they suspended him. As you can imagine, Mason's a bit confused by the whole thing. -It sounds fishy but a New York City pet shop owner says it's true. Buttkiss, the black pacu he owns, is 43 and weighs 20 pounds. A pacu is a breed that's related to the piranha. Steve Gruebel owns Cameo Pet Shop in Queens, New York. He got Buttkiss in 1967. He sold him a year later when Buttkiss was two inches long. But in 1970, Buttkiss was returned when he outgrew the buyer's tank. Buttkiss lives in only a four-foot-long, 75-gallon tank. Gruebel said he's afraid to move him because he may not survive the changing environment. Buttkiss is beginning to show his age. He has arthritic gills and glaucoma in his right eye. 5 THINGS TO STOP CLEANING 2. Shower curtain liner. Liners are so cheap that laundering them to remove mildew is a waste of time. Just replace your liner every six months. 3. Pillow. After washing and drying a pillow, it’ s never quite the same. Instead, throw it out and buy a new one every six months. 4. Making the bed. Microscopic dust mites -- a leading cause of allergies -- thrive on moisture in your mattress and bedcovers. Leaving the bed unmade allows moisture to escape. If you really can’t stand an unmade bed, then use a comforter instead of a top sheet and bedspread. Just shake out the comforter, and you’re done. 5. Waxing the car. Newer cars have tough finishes that don’t need wax for protection. WE TAKE OUR INTERNET TO BED ... Why do people feel compelled to jump on the web whenever and wherever they are? Perhaps it’s because we can. In the 15 years since Yahoo was founded, the Internet has become central to our personal lives. Today, 96% of those surveyed use the web at home compared to less than a third back in 1995. ... Today's Internet users have an average of 3 or more personal email accounts and more than 50 contacts. 86% use search engines to find out information that touches every aspect of their lives. ... 67% of those interviewed said they "couldn't live without email" and 50% said the same goes for instant messaging and social networking. 46% said the web is extremely important for online banking and investing. ... And the poll also found out that people would be willing to make some pretty big sacrifices if they had to choose between going online and other parts of their lives. More than a third told pollsters they would even give up sex! They were also willing to forgo their MP3 players (81%), video games (78%), alcohol (75%) and chocolate (70%). SURPRISING EFFECTS OF THE CHILE EARTHQUAKE 1. Our days on planet Earth will be shorter 2. Volcanoes may become rather common 3. Chilean wine just got more rare 4. Printer paper may get pricier 5. Virginians may sense a certain dryness THERE IS NO CONFLICT -Stay calm -- It's not always easy to stay calm when you're having a disagreement with someone, but if you can remain calm. . . the other person should calm down a lot faster. -Let them do the talking -- Just chill out and let them spill out whatever it is they have to say. They'll get tired of talking eventually. Sometimes all they're looking for is someone to listen to them. -Consider what they're saying -- Even if what they're saying is completely ridiculous, put yourself in their shoes. Never say, "You're wrong". -Let them know you hear them -- Tell them that you understand what they're saying to you. It's possible that all they want is to be validated. -Don't let them verbally abuse you -- If the conversation comes to this... put an immediate STOP to it. Tell them they're getting into a shady area... and you'll talk to them when they calm down. -Take responsibility if you're wrong -- If you know you're wrong... let them know that you made some mistakes... and you'll do whatever it takes to fix it. -Visualize them in a good setting -- This might seem a little weird, but if you deal with them on a daily basis... start visualizing them in a nicer setting... like playing at the park with their kids. It'll be easier to handle them. COWBOY ETHICS IN WYOMING They are: 1. Live courageously LARGEST TWISTER BOARD _ Between 350 and 400 students from the University College Dublin took part in a game of Twister, which was played on a mat covering a ground area of 4,700 square feet -- setting the new world record for the Largest Twister Board. USING A CELLPHONE WITHOUT SPEAKING _ One of the problems with cellphones is that they force personal conversations out into the world. Arguing with your spouse? Speaking your PIN and Social Security number to a customer service rep? Having an intimate chat on a cross-country bus trip? Cellphones make all those private details available to anyone who's listening. But a German institute (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) has invented a soundless phone that lets you hold a conversation in complete silence. The system works using sensors that attach to the face. The sensors measure the movement of facial muscles related to speech, and converts the movements into sound on the other end of the line. Potentially, by recalibrating the sensors to correct for injuries or defects, this technology could allow the speech-impaired to speak again. TODAY IS MOTHER IN LAW DAY
TIGERTEXT _ Tiger Woods, if you're hearing this, remember that you've been through what mothers call a "valuable learning experience" and you're probably a "better man for it" and so on. Having said that, an iPhone app that launched on February 25 could totally have saved your hide. Called, coincidentally enough, TigerText, it allows users to set a time limit for a sent text to hang around after it has been read. When that life span has been exceeded, the message will disappear, say the developers, from the recipient's phone, the sender's phone and any servers. The message cannot be forwarded anywhere, stored anywhere or sold to any tabloid for an undisclosed sum. RAT OUT A TAX CHEAT: GET A REWARD _ If you knew coworkers, former bosses or exes who cheated on their taxes, would you turn them in? The Internal Revenue Service can make it worth your while. As tax season nears, we all want to get as much money back from the IRS as possible. And while taking advantage of this year's new tax breaks will put some extra money in your pocket, snitching on a tax cheat could make you rich. In a recent poll from the IRS Oversight Board, 13% of those surveyed think cheating is acceptable, up from 9% in 2008. As the recession puts the squeeze on household finances, the lure of fudging on a tax return is even greater. "In a down economy, the temptation to cheat on taxes is much stronger because people are in more desperate situations more often," said Bill Raabe, a tax expert at Ohio State University's business school. Small–time crooks: The IRS's informant program has been around for more than 140 years. If you suspect a person is committing tax fraud and report it, you could receive up to 15% of the amount that has been underpaid, with a maximum award of $10 million. Informants are required to complete a claim, which is available on the IRS Web site, and mail it to the agency or call the IRS tip line at 1–800–829–0433. While you must reveal your identity to the IRS, your name will not be made public. Because there is no minimum requirement for the amount in question, anyone can file a report in hopes of making an extra buck off of a cheating boyfriend or obnoxious neighbor. WHAT TO BUY IN MARCH -Winter coats & sporting goods: The season to sell people warm coats, gloves, scarves, and other gear is right near the end, and to make room for the spring stock, stores are selling it all off at a discount. The same goes for snowboards, ski gear, and other winter activity accessories. -Luggage: It's an odd season, halfway between the periods when most cold-weather residents do most of their warm-weather traveling. Luggage makers are getting ready to roll out new wares, and stores are looking to drop the stock they've got. -Frozen food: Yeah, it's one of those goofy "months" that seem like they don't need a month. But during National Frozen Food Month, your own nearby grocers might be offering discounts and coupons on stuff that can hold for a long time. -Boats: According to MSN Money/Bankrate.com, March is the tail end of the winter boat show season, so there's a good chance you'll catch a dealer looking to both make a splash with a reasonable price, and see both last year's and this year's models. ... What to buy throughout winter (January, February, March) -Gas grills & air conditioners: They're a bit cheaper now because it's obviously an off-season time to buy them. The selection might be a bit limited, but, really, there won't be major, life-changing events in the fields of freon-based cooling or flame-based cooking between now and late May. -Homes: It's actually a mixed bag for those looking to buy a home right now. If you and the seller can sign a "binding sales contract" before April 30, the $8,000 federal housing tax credit can land in your lap. And those looking to sell their homes in winter can be both those with serious intent to move (read: "motivated sellers") and, under the right circumstances, negotiated with for a lower, off-peak price. Then again, the selection and appearance of homes this time of year isn't usually ideal, so you'll have to be willing to dig around and look past the superficial to find a true bargain. THE MOST ANNOYING SONGS...EVER PARENTAL WARNING: TROUBLE ON THE INTERNET USELESS TRIVIA TRIVIA: His last meal was four scoops of ice cream and six chocolate chip cookies. (Elvis Presley's) |
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