Desert Blogger

More Info Available on Debt Reduction

2008-09-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Hello there! As most of you know, I advocate help and information to the public, especiallly when it comes to debts, debt reduction and foreclosure. In these hard economic times, it is difficult for people just to get by, much less get ahead.
I have been in touch with a guy who also has a web site with a good amount of additional information about debt reduction. If you want to gather more information about this important topic, visit David's web site here about Debt Reduction. It's a free link, so help yourself!

Patriotism Is Still 'Cool'

2008-06-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

For a bit of a change of pace, I thought I would add a few personal comments to the blog site. I can do that, you know, since I own the site!!....;-)
This week will bring us another 4th of July. While some of us will view this as just another chance at a 3-day weekend, some of us will be celebrating the day for what it is: a chance to celebrate our freedoms that have been paid for with the blood of others. There will BBQ's galore, flags on display and plenty of fireworks....some legal and some not-so-legal! If we are to maintain our freedoms, however, we must keep reminding ourselves just how we got here in the first place.
If you think about it, there has rarely been a time that we have not been at war. Right at this moment, we are engaged in war in Iraq. My generation had Viet Nam. My father was in World War II, and my grandfather's generation had World War I. In between, there were 'conflicts' such as Korea. Brave soldiers, men and women, have fought and died to ensure our freedoms, and we owe them.....big time.
Make no mistake about it, though. We do not fight to 'keep the peace'. That is impossible....you cannot fight and keep peace at the same time. We fight to continue our way of life, enjoy our freedoms, and keep tyrants from taking away those rights and freedoms. Sometimes we fight for ourselves, sometimes we fight for the rights of others, yet ultimately we fight for freedom.
Are we war mongers? Some might say yes, but I say No! History has proven that we must fight in order to remain free. If our freedoms and way of life were ever taken away, those who oppose wars would be the first to wonder why we are not fighting to get those freedoms back. Yet, to be politically correct, whenever there is a conflict or war in our generation, the majority oppose the actions. Where would we be today if we had not fought to rid the world of Hitler and the Nazis, or if we had turned the other cheek to the Japanese when they attacked Pearl Harbor? Likely, those of us east of the Mississippi would now be speaking German, and those in the west would be speaking Japanese.
Freedom is not free....it comes at a cost. The 4th of July is not vacation time. It is time to enjoy our hard earned freedoms and our way of life. Independence Day. I, for one, will do as others do and fire up the BBQ this weekend. In one hand I will have a fork or spatula. In the other, I will have an ice cold beer which I will use to toast the men and women of the armed forces who, throughout history, have lived and died for my freedom. After I toast them, I will put down my beer and give a snappy hand salute to those brave souls....just to say 'Thank You'!

Stopping a Foreclosure

2008-06-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

The economic picture does not look like it is going to ease any time soon. As such, foreclosures will continue to be problematic for some homeowners. Following is the exerpt from another article about foreclosures and solutions. If we can be of public service enough to prevent even one family from losing their home to foreclosure, then the effort will have been worth it!

Can You Really Stop Foreclosure?

by Sean Roberts

When you found your dream home, you were so excited. It was exactly what you were looking for. You were told you didn't need a down payment, you would have payments you could easily afford and were told to just sign here and the house is yours. Many people fell for scams like these. These were called sub-prime mortgages. The reason they were a bargain is because they were designed for people with not-so-great credit.

These sub-prime loans were established for people who otherwise would never have been able to afford a home under normal circumstances. What these people, and possibly you, were not told is that the interest rate would jump at a later date. That means that the payments may have become too much and you now need to work to stop the foreclosure. These are bad business practices and far too many people fell for them as they chased the American dream. If you're stuck in a situation like this, you may be facing foreclosure and it's time to consider ways to stop it....................

Read the rest of this article, and many more on the subject, at our website Foreclosure.
Be sure to also check out our main URL for other topics: FreeInfoDepot.com

More About Foreclosures

2008-06-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

In the interest of saving space and time, beginning with this article, we are going to post excerts rather than the full article. If you are interested in reading the full article, we invite you to visit our site for the full version of the articles, plus 40+ other articles, tips and sources of info:

Two Simple Solutions to Avoid Foreclosure on Your Home.

by Sean Roberts

Due to default on your payments, if your lender, bank or
mortgage company is looking to take your home through
foreclosure, you should be looking for solutions to prevent
this from happening. Here in this article, we are going to
look at two simple things you can do to stop the proceedings
and save your home from foreclosure.

You Can Live With These Two Simple Solutions

Several ways exist that you can use to stop foreclosure on
your home from your bank, but the simple, first step to your
foreclosure solution is to contact your bank or lender and
talk to them. It is generally agreed that it is not in the
lender's best interests to foreclose on your home. Since it
is likely that they will be stuck with the property for a
while and come out of the process losing money, they are
more apt to help you find a solution to your foreclosure
problem. By doing so, you can keep your home and the lender
can keep receiving payments without losing money on their
investment.

To read more: go here to read the rest of this article and other articles on Foreclosure.
Also check out our other sites for other subjects we cover:
main URL: FreeInfoDepot.com
Debt Reduction
Personal Security

Foreclosure Help, Prevent Foreclosure

2008-06-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Another in the series on foreclosure written exclusively for our site by Sean Roberts:

How to Save the Pain of Losing Your Home and Prevent
Foreclosure

by Sean Roberts

The mere thought of losing your home to foreclosure can
cause you a lot of anxiety. So you can just imagine how
painful it is if you actually lose your home. Fortunately,
there are plenty of ways to prevent foreclosure even in this
time of economic woes. Forget about all the things that you
read in the paper or have seen on TV about the inevitability
of foreclosure. If you really want to prevent foreclosure
and save your home, you have to think positively and
actively find ways to prevent foreclose instead of just
wallowing in despair.

Contact Your Creditors

One good way to prevent foreclosure is by explaining your
financial situation to your creditors as best you can, leave
nothing out, and ask them for their help. If you have
received a collection letter or phone call from your
creditors, do not simply run and hide. If you try to hide,
these lenders have ways to find you and then foreclose on
your home. It makes no sense to try to hide from them.
Instead of hiding from the situation, face the facts and
explain your situation to the creditors. If they ask for
your current financial records, do not hesitate. Give them
copies of what you have that helps you relate your
circumstances. The more cooperative you are, the more
willing they will be to help you and give you a chance to
stay in your home.

Ask For Special Forbearance

Consider asking for a special forbearance to prevent
foreclosure when you talk to your lender or creditor. A
forbearance is a special agreement to postpone any pending
action. Some special forbearances will allow you time to
arrange for a payment plan that is compatible with your
budget. Usually when you ask the bank or financial
institution for special forbearance, they will ask you to
prepare an income and expense statement showing what you can
afford to pay for your home mortgage. A representative of
the bank or other lender will review your statement and then
ask which expense items you can eliminate in order to free
up additional capital to pay your debts. The representative
may ask you for a plan on how you may be able to increase
your income in the near future.

Try Asking for a Modification to Your Mortgage

Aside from asking for special forbearance to prevent
foreclosure, you may also prevent foreclosure by asking for
mortgage modification or refinancing. Refinancing your loan
can help you get better terms and conditions of payments. In
most cases, when you refinance your loans, your creditors
will extend the term of payment and reduce the monthly
amortization of your loans.

Find more articles, tips and info from Sean Roberts at our site Foreclosure.
You can also check out our main URL for other topics we cover (FreeInfoDepot.com), plus our other active sites on Debt Reduction and Personal Security.

First of a Series: Prevent Foreclosure

2008-06-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Here is our first installment of the new site series we did about Foreclosure, how to prevent it and how to find the best deals if you are looking to buy a foreclosure property:

Prevent Foreclosure. The Necessary Steps
by Sean Roberts

Going through the process of buying your new home, you did
just as a lot of other people did: You signed without
reading all the fine print. Really, who wants to take the
time to read all that fine print? Not many of us. First, you
need a magnifying glass or microscope just to see it.
Second, unless you have a law degree, you are not going to
decipher it anyway! You are not alone; Most people sign that
bottom line without fully understanding what they are
signing. Maybe just like you, these people now find that
after their initial period, their rates have shot up, their
payments have skyrocketed accordingly, and they can no
longer afford to make their house payment. They are looking
into the face of foreclosure.

If you are facing foreclosure, which means the bank is
coming to repossess your home, there are some things you can
do. In most of the cases, foreclosure happened because of
shady lending business practices. You should have been told
what you were signing. But that's all in the past. You must
work on securing your future.

Contact Your Bank or Mortgage Company

One of the first things you should do if you're facing
foreclosure is contact your lender. If your lender is a
bank, contact the bank and ask them if there's any type of
arrangement you can work out. You must realize that banks
don't like to conduct foreclosures. They would rather have
you stay in the house and make payments so they will do all
they can to make things work.

When a bank goes through a foreclosure, they risk that the
house will not sell quickly and will remain empty for a long
time. Then, when they do sell the house, they usually get
far less for it than if you had stayed and continued paying
on it. Don't be afraid to ask them for help if you have
fallen on hard times. Remember, you are not alone, and it is
likely they will work with you.

Contact An Attorney

If you've been the victim of lending fraud or shady business
practices, you may have a case that you can take to court.
Contact a lawyer and see if one will help you. Lawyers can
be very expensive and most would think, "If I can't pay for
my house, how am I going to pay for a lawyer?" While this
may be true, some lawyers will work on contingency on your
case, which means they won't charge you unless there's a
settlement or a judgment in your favor. It's worth a try so
that you don't have to go through a foreclosure.

Don't Run Away From Foreclosure

When facing foreclosure proceedings, the best advice anyone
can give you is not to run away or skip out on your
obligation. You not only are in danger of ruining your
credit rating for a long time, lenders will be less likely
to trust you in the future. Besides that, you will have no
place to go and will be out on the streets. Do everything
necessary to avoid a foreclosure. Make the effort to call
the bank, lender or mortgage company, or call an attorney if
you think you have a case involving fraud or deception.
Don't let your pride get in your way. Ask for help from your
church or local charity that helps people in financial
difficulty. You are not alone in facing tough times, so do
what you can to ensure that you do not lose your home to
foreclosure. Part of the 'American Dream' is owning a home.
Just be sure you do not needlessly let that dream slip away.

Be sure to check out the Foreclosure web site to see more articles by Sean Roberts, tips, links and resources on the subject. You can go there by clicking here: FreeInfoDepot.com/Foreclosure
You can also check out our main URL for other subjects we have researched by clicking here: FreeInfoDepot.com

Foreclosure Site Launched!

2008-06-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

We have just put up our new site that deals with the problems people face with Foreclosure. The economy that has continued to spiral downward, coupled with unscrupulous broker/lenders, has lead many families and individuals to deal with the agony of a home foreclosure. Just look at the newspapers or television reports and you will see what we mean.
We took the time to research the subject of foreclosures and the info is now on our site. Since not all foreclosures are one-sided affairs, and there are some foreclosures out there that are legitimate because some people just don't want to pay, we looked at the subject from both sides. If you truly are finding difficulty in paying your monthly mortgage, you will find info on how to stop a foreclosure, how to avoid foreclosure and how to prevent foreclosure from happening. On the other side, if you are an investor and want to find bargains in the real estate market, we cover that subject as well.
Since we just uploaded our new site today, we will begin posting articles from the site here in a day or two after the new site has been indexed by Google, Yahoo and MSN. In the meantime, check out the new site at www.freeinfodepot.com/foreclosure.
As always, if you are interested to see what other subjects we now cover or will cover in the near future, feel free to visit our main URL at www.freeinfodepot.com.
Thanks!!

New Site Launch Announced

2008-05-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

Now that we have two of our new sites up and running (Debt Reduction and Personal Security), we are underway on our next project, Foreclosure. We all have heard about the credit crunch, sub-prime mortgage mess, etc., so we thought that it would be a good time to gather good information, articles and tips for those that unfortunately find themselves facing the dread of a foreclosure on their home.
Foreclosure is certainly no laughing matter, and we take the subject seriously. On our new site, we will try to bring you good, real information you can act on to protect your interests and that of your family.
The target date for our new launch is June 1, 2008. Watch here for details about the 'big day'.
You can also go to our main site for details and a link to the new site when it is available. To go to our main site, click here: FreeInfoDepot.com

Personal Security Devices

2008-05-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

In our on-going effort to stay on task and provide you with some of the best information and tips about Personal Security, we offer another in the series of articles from Frank Joseph.....

Effective Personal Security Devices to Keep You Safe

by Frank Joseph

Especially considering our ever-changing times, it is always a smart idea to find new ways of protecting yourself. In today’s world, when it is not safe to walk on almost any street at night in any town, having an array of personal security devices at your disposal can go a long way to making sure that you and your family remain safe.

Aside from the more potent personal security devices like guns or knives, there are other personal security devices that you can purchase that will bring a good level of security to you and your family at the same time as reducing the chance that you could accidentally injure someone else. Most criminals frighten fairly easily while others require direct contact before they will call off an attack, so it is a good idea to have a variety of small personal security devices on you at all times to help repel any kind of assailant.

Of course, the best personal security is common sense and common sense says to avoid dark streets and alleys at night for your own protection. Beyond that there are various personal security devices.

A personal security device that many people carry is an alarm that makes a very high pitched loud squeal when the button on the alarm is pushed. If you are in an area occupied by a lot of people, then this sort of personal security device can be extremely effective. If an attacker is causing you harm and you push the button on this little alarm, the shrill and loud sound is likely to make them take fright. It is always nice to turn the tables on a criminal, and making them scared just after they did the same for you is always a nice feeling.

Just Give a Whistle

A more basic personal security device that many people carry is a simple referee’s whistle like you would see a football or basketball referee carry. The disadvantage is that you don’t always have the time or ability to raise a whistle to your mouth while you are being attacked, but having the whistle does bring a feeling of security to the people who carry them.

Many people prefer personal security devices such as taser guns, mace or pepper spray. Understand that there may be laws where you reside against buying and using these products, especially tasers, so always check with law enforcement before buying these products. Law enforcement wants you to be safe, but you do not want to be the one taken to jail for any violation after you have been attacked. Leave that up to the criminal!

Find more articles by Frank Joseph, along with tips, links and free info at www.freeinfodepot.com/personalsecurity.
Check out our main web site for other subjects we cover and subjects that are 'in the works' for publication soon: www.freeinfodepot.com.

The Best Home Security

2008-05-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Another in our series on our new web site for Personal Security. Enjoy!

The Best Home Security and How to Find It
by Frank Joseph

A lot of different companies claim they are the best when it
comes to home security systems, but how can you be sure who
is the best or not? You definitely need a game plan when you
begin your comparison of which is the best security system
and which is the best company.

Evaluate Your Options

The first step you'll need to take in finding the best home
security is to look at your options. Your first choice will
be between hiring a company to install and maintain your
home security system or installing a custom one yourself.

Companies such as Brinks and ADT provide great services for
protecting your home from break-ins, fire, and are able to
connect you with emergency services at any time. These
systems, however, can get expensive, depending on the
different features that you want to include.

A second option in getting the best home security system is
to install the security components in your home without the
services of a security system company (Do-it-yourself). This
option is good for people who have one special problem area
in or around their home. It’s also great for those who want
the protection of a security system without the high price
tag. Really, the best home security system for you is the
one which meets all your requirements while remaining
affordable.

If you decide you will get the best home security system by
installing the security components yourself, then you will
first need to know where your problem areas are. Example,
are you concerned about particular entrances. If that is the
case, you can purchase and install separate alarms on these
doors and entry ways, or you could install security cameras.

Perhaps the best security system is security cameras to
watch your home, because so many can be installed either by
yourself or a security company. If something does happen at
your home, you can provide the police or sheriff’s office
with videotape and aid them in capturing the bad guys with
proof that will lead to their prosecution.

Although a security system provided by a service company can
give your endless options for your coverage and be there at
a moment's notice, it may not be the best home security
system for you. If you happen to live in a rural area, all
you may need is a camera and some motion sensor lights.
Every home is different, and every homeowner wants the best
home security they can get without breaking the bank. That
is why you should always check out every option before
deciding on the right home security system for you, your
family and your home.

Don't forget: you can visit our Personal Security site to see more articles from Frank Joseph, and to get more info and links on the subject. Go to : www.freeinfodepot.com/personalsecurity.
You can also visit our main web site to check out other topics we cover and which topics are in the works for later release: www.freeinfodepot.com.

Our New Web Site - Personal Security

2008-05-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Our newest site has just been launched, and we are very excited about his one too! The site is about Personal Security, a concern for most people in today's society. Enjoy the next series of article, and don't forget to check out this site and our main site. Links are below.

Do You Really Need Home Security to Protect Your Family?
by Frank Joseph

Most people are unsure whether or not they need home
security. For sure, everyone wants to feel safe. If you are
in a neighborhood with high crime rates and you want to feel
safer in your own home, then a home security system may be
the best choice for you.

The Basics of Home Security

Home security is a booming business. Security companies make
millions of dollars every year protecting homes from
burglaries, break-ins, and fires. These companies can give
you a variety of different options for your home. They will
come in and evaluate your security needs and make
recommendations on what type of system would be best for
your home.

Once you get an evaluation of your home by a home security
company, you may realize that you will not have quite as
much protection as they have suggested. If this is the case,
you can put together your own home security system that
focuses on specific problems with security that your home
has. This way, you will get the protection that you need
without the high price of getting a full service from a
security company.

Are you really a potential victim to crime? An easy step
would be to thoroughly go around the outside of your home
and do a careful investigation. Are there any areas where a
criminal might easily break in? Doing another investigation
at night, are there any areas that are extremely dark? These
areas that are very dark could give a criminal extra cover
he could use to nearer to your house without being seen. You
could eliminate the problem by installing motion sensor
lights to illuminate the areas. This would also make it
safer for you at night when walking from your car to your
house while avoiding any unnecessary surprises.

Home security is an important part of owning a home today.
There is nothing you wouldn't do in order to protect your
family, and many people feel that their family is well
protected by having a great home security system, either
through a company or put together yourself. Getting security
in your life does not have to break the bank and it does not
have to be complicated. Basic safety can give you the
comfort you need to have fun and enjoy life in your own
home.

Again, don't forget to check out our new site at www.freeinfodepot.com/personalsecurity . Also check out our main site for a listing of both active sites and sites that are in the works for launch in the coming days and weeks. For the main site, go to http://www.freeinfodepot.com/

Debt Consolidators - A Growing Business

2008-05-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

With the down-turn in the economy, higher fuel costs, and higher prices generally across the board, debt has become a major problem for the world public (not just the American public.) In 'honor' of our new web site for Debt Reduction launched this week, we bring you another article that can be of use:

How Debt Consolidators Can Help You
by L. B. James

When it comes to being in debt, feelings of hopelessness and
fear can overwhelm even the best of us. The bad news is that
being in debt can have you running from harassing phone
calls and can even have you on the brink of losing your
home. Debt can also affect credit scores, making it hard if
not impossible to get loans for cars and other major
expenses.

The better news is that if you are an individual who is in
debt, you don't have to remain in debt. As a matter of fact,
debt consolidators have become quite popular, particularly
with the cost of living rising, as many more people are
discovering themselves seriously in debt.

What is a Debt Consolidator?

Debt consolidators can help you to do a few different
things. The first and most important thing you will get out
of using this service is the ability to pay off all of your
outstanding debts while not having to worry about sending
multiple payments out each month.

The whole point of debt consolidators is to give you an
opportunity to get out of debt by making just one payment
per month to your debt consolidators. Your consolidators
will take your monthly payments and make sure that all of
your debts are paid off at the same time, little by little
each month.

Additionally, debt consolidators will help you save money
while paying off your debts. While putting a consolidated
package together for you, these consolidators usually
contact your debt collectors and settle for less than the
full amount of the debt. You should expect to save
significantly when paying off your debt while using this
service. What is saved can be used for things like keeping
up with other current bills you may have.

Where to Find Good Debt Consolidators

The least attractive thing you want to do is search on the
internet for debt consolidators and get taken for a ride by
all of the different websites that claim to hold the key to
your financial freedom. Of course, if you're very lucky,
you'll find a legitimate website to work with, but there's a
possibility that you will find yourself in a worse position
than when you began.

It’s important to find debt consolidators that own a
business in your local area, where you can go meet them and
sit down with them to discuss your situation and make sure
your decision to do business with them is safe. After all,
we’re talking about your livelihood that can either make or
break your future.

Be sure to check out our Debt Reduction web site at www.freeinfodepot.com/debtreduction
Also check out our main web site where you can see other subjects that are available or that are under construction for launch in the near future. Our main web site: www.freeinfodepot.com

Next In Line: Debt Assistance

2008-05-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

Here is another article that appears on our newly launched site:

Debt Assistance. Reduce Debt & Save Money
by L. B. James

A debt assistance provider may be able to get you back on
your feet again if you feel bowled over by your debt. Before
you make the leap into debt assistance, though, consider
whether or not you can get out of debt on your own.

Consider A Second Job

The easiest possible way to reduce your debt quickly without
resorting to debt assistance is to acquire a second job.
Earmark your earnings on your second job to getting out of
debt. Apply the savings toward the debt with the highest
interest first, then the next highest interest rate, etc.

If you don't believe you have the time, strength or energy
to work a second job away from home, consider working your
second job in the comfort of your home. With a high speed
internet connection, many jobs such as web designing and
copy writing can be done at home.

Selling What You Have

Look around your house and consider what you could sell, and
apply the proceeds of sale toward reducing your debt. Maybe
you have a collection of some knick-knacks or childhood
merchandise that you could easily sell on craigslist or
eBay. You may even try the classified ads in your local
newspaper.

Having a garage sale could be a second option. You may be
pleasantly surprised at how fast you can make hundreds or
even a thousand dollars by selling your excess items and
possessions. The same applies here as with the second job:
be sure to apply all funds from the sale of these items and
articles to debt reduction. These proceeds are not a
windfall; they are a means of providing your own debt
assistance so you can reduce the heavy load of debt upon
your life.

Credit Counseling

If these subtle efforts are not enough to get you out of
debt, or at least reduce it considerably, then credit
counseling is the next option of debt assistance that can
start to make a difference in your life. A one-on-one
meeting with an experienced credit counselor will help you
with resources you need to manage your debt and your
finances. You will learn how to set up a budget, perhaps for
the first time in your life, and how to stay to it.

Together, you and your credit counselor will set up a debt
management plan that includes all your creditors and all of
your debt. The plan will leave you with enough money so you
don't feel too deprived. That way you will be able to stick
to the plan over the months or years that it takes to
conquer debt.

Be Patient

This kind of debt assistance has been proven to work. To get
all their debts paid off, it typically takes an individual
up to six years . Don't incur new debt while you are
undergoing debt assistance. It will only prolong the
process.

We will post new articles here several times per week. This week we are concentrating on the new site, Debt Reduction. Check out the site at www.freeinfodepot.com/debtreduction and be sure to check out our main site www.freeinfodepot.com

Debt Reduction Launch Complete!

2008-05-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

The new web site on Debt Reduction has been launched on target and is now up and running. To say we are excited is an understatement! True to our word, this new site is very informative, containing over 40 articles on debt, debt reduction and dealing with the problems of debt. Here is an example of the articles you will find on the site:

Secrets to Debt Reduction
by L. B. James

The secret key to debt reduction is for you, the debtor, to
be absolutely committed, totally 100% committed, to reducing
your debt or getting out of debt entirely. Have you ever
been totally obsessed in achieving anything? Take just a
moment, look back on your life and think of a time when you
were that obsessed.

Getting Excited About Debt Reduction

Maybe it was while you were in college, and you were
obsessed with getting good grades. You attended every class,
and you took copious notes. You read ahead in the syllabus
and focused on your assignments with feverish intensity. You
started studying early in the semester so you weren't caught
short at Finals or mid-terms. Your friends and family knew
better than to expect you to slack off and hang out with
them.

Perhaps it was a car you were truly excited about. You
looked up pictures of it in car magazines or on the Internet
and read reviews and reports about it. You read the owners'
club books and craned your neck every time you saw a car
just like it drive by while you were cruising around town in
your shabby, boring older car. You saved and sacrificed, and
put away all the money you would need to buy your dream car.
Then came the proud day when you purchased that car, and it
was all yours.

Get Really Obsessed About Debt Reduction

Debt reduction takes that kind of commitment, dedication,
and, yes, obsession. You should be thinking 24/7 about how
you can reduce your debt. As you step onto the bus or train
to commute to work instead of driving, congratulate yourself
on the money you are saving on gas and parking.

During lunchtime, when your co-workers spend upwards of $10
or more on sandwiches, salads, hot dogs and hamburgers take
out your sandwich or salad from your brown paper bag you
brought from home and congratulate yourself saving $50 or
more per week. That is over $2,600 per year you can apply
toward debt reduction!

At night, after work, enjoy a movie….on DVD, that is. Save
$10 to $20 by watching movies at home instead of going out.
Eat dinner and dessert at home. Ask someone to teach you how
to cook if you don’t already know how.

Track Your Changes

Keep a journal, log or notebook of your quest for debt
reduction. Jot down every cent you save so you will be aware
of even minor efforts that have been made and that they are
worthwhile. Total up your savings at the end of each week
and write a check for the amount you accomplished to save.
Utilize that money you saved toward your ultimate goal of
debt reduction by paying down higher interest credit cards
first, then other debt as you go along.

Author L. B. James writes exclusively for our site and for this blog. If you would like to see more of his articles, or just to check out our new site, go to www.freeinfodepot.com/debtreduction.

If you would like to view our main web page, you can see what sites we have completed and a list of sites that are 'under construction' and scheduled for completion in the near future. Find our main site at www.freeinfodepot.com. If you have a suggestion for any subjects you think ought to be covered, post it here or drop us an e-mail to support@freeinfodepot.com. We would appreciate it!

Exciting News - Our New Launch!

2008-05-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

I told you a couple of weeks ago that we would launch a new web site dedicated to consumer information, and that I would let you know when it was coming. Well, after much work, and a lot of time and research, we are ready for the new launch! The new site will be launched tomorrow, Sunday, May 4th.
Our first site is aimed at not a new problem, but one that has grown more with the downturn in the economy: Debt Reduction. More and more people are finding their debt has become overwhelming and, as such, we felt it an appropriate time to do research on the subject and make the results free to the public. The site contains 40 new articles on debt reduction and getting out of debt, written by L. B. James exclusively fo our site. It also has numerous suggestions, facts and links to resources that can help with a debt problem.
In the coming weeks we will be bringing you more sites with current subjects to aid you on a wide variety of subjects. We are excited, as we hope you will be!
Anyway, we will post the first article from the new site here tomorrow, but if you can't wait, get on over to our new web site and take a look for yourself: www.freeinfodepot.com/debtreduction.

It's Been Some Time...

2008-04-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since the last post! But...I have an excuse. A new venture is in the planning.
It has become sorely apparent that there is a lot of hype and misinformation now on the internet. People are trying to sell you something all the time....anything! Sales letters are sent out via e-mail, web sites, blogs, etc, etc. I am sure you have even seen a few. What is troubling is that all the sales pitches make (fill in name of whatever product) is the next best thing to sliced bread. When you buy the product, it is crap....most of it is stuff that is two years old and is being recycled just for the purpose of making money for the seller. I have also found that in some (most?) cases, customer service/support is poor at best.
Well, enough is enough! What has kept me busy for the past 2 months is that I have decided to create an information web site about products and services. The new sites will feature valuable articles and information that will make buying decisions easier for you, and they will cover a variety of topics.
This has not been an easy task, at least for me....someone with very little computer experience other than sending e-mails. Hell, it took me a month to figure out how to do this blog. (Sad, huh?!) I have spent countless hours trying to learn HTML and how to build a web site. Then there are the hosting issues, domain name acquisition, software to review and buy to help write articles, edit graphics, directory submissions, and a host of other tasks. But we have made progress, and are nearing a launch date....hopefully within two weeks. When the launch is close, I will post it here.
Each subject will have it's own web site with a parent site named FreeInfoDepot.com (it's not up yet, so don't try to run over there to have a look-see!) Each new web site will be a sub-domain from the parent site, such as FreeInfoDepot.com/DebtReduction or FreeInfoDepot.com/Landscaping, etc.
The neatest thing (and one of the most time consuming) is that others share in my desire to provide legitimate information on varying subjects. I am lining up some pretty savvy people to write articles and info tidbits exclusively for our web sites! And another great thing - I will post some of those articles here so you will know when a new site is up and running.
If any of you out there would like to see a particular subject covered with a new information web site, post it here and let me know. It could be anything from the debt reduction I mentioned above to investing, forex market, skin care, landscaping, on line business opportunities, etc. The subjects and opportunities are endless, to say the least.
Well, must go back to work. Again, we will post and let you know when our new project launches. Good health until then!

Farewell to a Legend

2008-03-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

Unless you have been asleep for a while, everyone heard this week that Bret Favre, quarterback of the Green Bay packers football team, has announce his retirement after 17 years in the league. He will be missed.
I won't bore you with all of Favre's stats, that's easy to look up if you are interested. Suffice it to say that he was a prolific quarterback, holds several important records, was Pro Bowl and All-Pro several times, made it to the Super Bowl twice and won the coveted game once.....something Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and several top-notch quarterbacks never did.
No, what I will remember about Favre was not the records and stats, but how he played the game. He loved to play the game, loved to take chances, and he loved to win. Favre was tough, too. He holds the record for consecutive starts for a quarterback in regular seasons and when including playoffs as well. Guts. A certain confident air about him. A player that endeared himself to the public for his grit, determination and will to win. We love winners. We loved Favre.
Now, at age 38, Favre is calling it a career. He says he has lost the passion for the game and it is time to move on.....even after coming back this past year from a tough year in 2006 to post one of his best years in 2007.
But has Favre really retired? For someone who has shown the passion he has for the game for these so many years, what will happen when the regular season approaches again late this summer/early fall. Will the lure be too much for him to be able to set aside a part of his life that has been so important to him? It will be interesting to see. Other athletes retire and come back. Will Favre be one of them, or can he really move on the the next step of his life which he richly deserves?
In any case......and for now.....we wish Favre good luck, and extent many thanks for the joy of watching this great man play a great game. Favre was a player's player, a man's man, and a fan's thrill. Good luck to one of the best, if not the best.

Let's Go 'A Few Rounds'....

2008-02-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while since I felt compelled to add something to this blog. Not much happening in our small community, but not so in our neighboring town, Las Vegas. The past three weeks have seen many a news program devoted to reports of shootings at or near several high schools there, and it does not seem to be getting any better.
What is wrong here? What is becoming of our society? Sixteen-year-olds are shooting one another, and for what reason? As usual I have my own opinions, and they probably differ from yours, but, hey, it's my blog!
First, am I an anti-gun, anti-NRA nut? Not by any stretch of the imagination. You see, I was raised in small rural communities in Oregon where to own a gun and to use it for sport and protection were a way of life, second nature if you will. The big difference was that we were trained to use the weapons properly and safely by our fathers, uncles and Granddads. The guns were not just left laying around. And if we killed an animal, we damned well ate it. Hunting was a secondary food source.......same with fishing. Even now I own a gun. Remember, we live in a small rural community where wild coyotes still roam free. We have even lost one of our dear pets (cat) when he strayed too far from the house at the wrong time. Now we have a chain link fence to keep the pets in and the wild critters out. Still, we have a gun in the house, just in case.
But what about now? Kids get their hands on guns and express anger by going out and shooting people. I do believe there is something to the 'suggestions' that TV, movies and those crazy video games desensitize our youth from the meaning of taking someone else's life. Kids kill freely on the video games with no remorse, and it seems there is no remorse in real life killings either. It's just a game.....a deadly game.
Just how bad is it? The other night I was watching the news when a report came on that back east or midwest.....I forget where.....about some kids who were having a snowball fight. One of the snowballs was over-thrown and it hit a neighbor. The neighbor went to the the house and got a gun. When the young boy tried to apologize to the neighbor, the boy was shot and killed!
Even communications are in trouble. This morning, Dear Abby had a letter about a girl whose boyfriend ended their relationship (dumped her) by sending her a text message! He didn't even have the guts (read that as 'communication skills) to face her and tell her why!
What has the world come to? What can be done about it? Do we adopt a gun law where no one can have weapons? That is not the answer, Folks. Bad guys will always be able to get weapons, gun law or no gun law. All a gun law would do really is take the guns out of the hands of people like you and me, and the bad guys would still have theirs. Great!
We have to get back to teaching our youth what life is all about. We need to show them the way, like we did in the past. If you want to get rid of something or enact a law, ban the video games. Make death mean something again. Make life mean even more.
It used to be that when women gave birth, and they were working at the time, a maternity leave of weeks (even months) was not uncommon. Now, some mothers are back to work in what seems like hours. We leave child rearing up to baby sitters, pre-schools, teachers, and, of course, TV, movies and video games. Let's just entertain them and get them out of our way. We don't have the time for our youth anymore, so they cannot and do not learn our values.
Is it any wonder we are headed in the direction we are with today's society? I have a hunch that it will get worse instead of better. And who is to blame? We all are.............Think about it.

Ahhhh....Politics

2008-02-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

Super Tuesday, or Super-Duper Tuesday......Although the Republicans are beginning to show preference for John McCain as their candidate, the Democrats yesterday settled very little, leaving that battle still up for grabs. Congratulations to McCain on his showing. The GOP maverick won in nine states, including all of the winner-take-all contests and garnered 423 delegates while Romney won in 7 states and received only 130 delegates. Quite impressive for a candidate who is deemed not conservative enough for some GOP bigwigs.
The Democratic race, however, was confusing to me. Hillary won 8 states, Obama won 13. Hillary picked up states with larger delegate counts and got 471 delegates to 437 for Obama. The popular vote was a virtual tie. Hillary was aided by her appeal to women, Latinos and older white males. Obama won over the youth vote (18-29 yr-old), Black vote and made a good showing in the overall white vote. The results really settled nothing and this thing may go down to the wire at the Convention. The GOP race will be settled long before that.
There was some interesting political analysis on ABC during the coverage last night, one in particular. Although Hillary and Obama are locked tight in this duel, it was pointed out that Hillary is campaigning on the 'change' issue as a change from the Bush (and GOP) administration, while Obama is campaigning on the broader issue of change from politics itself and the way politics are conducted in modern day society. Interesting. Could that fundamental difference be the deciding factor as this race moves forward?
No matter. Either one will definitely be a change from the current administration and it looks like that will happen. In my opinion, the GOP does not stand a chance come November if history repeats itself. No administration or party has retained the White House when the election year begins with an economic recession.....never.
The (Democratic) fight is not over yet. The war has just begun, and that was proven with Super Tuesday. Batten down the hatches and get ready. Let's just hope the two candidates, Hillary and Obama, play nice and don't rip the party apart in the process.

The Fight is On

2008-01-18T13:16:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow will be interesting. It's time for the Nevada Caucus, and it looks like it will be a close fight for both the Democrats and Republicans. Hillary wins, then Barak wins. Mitt wins, then McCain wins. What will Nevada bring? Everyone seems to be touting the same issues. I just hope the winner(s) can deliver.
That's an interesting thought. Can any candidate deliver on promises? Remember, the President can do very little other than veto a measure once it passes the Senate and the House. He or she cannot enact the measures themselves and must rely on the Congress to get their bidding done. No matter what, we will still have the same old politics in place and we will still be paying $500 for hammers and $300 for toilet seats. With this cold weather, I hope the seats are warmed!
Congrats are in order for Hillary for her comeback win in Michigan. She 'found her voice' and refused to roll over. She doesn't do that for Bill either....roll over, that is.......;-).
By the way, it is well know that John McCain, as a prisoner of war, spent 5 1/2 years in prison, then went into politics. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around! Politics first, then prison........?? Hm-m-m-m-m-m-mmm.
Don't forget to get out and vote. If you don't, then you have nothing to complain about if your candidate doesn't make it.

What a Scam.....

2008-01-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was watching TV and one of those info-mercials came on advertising $5 gold pieces. Perhaps you have seen it also. It sounded so good, but when you put a pencil to it, this thing looks like a scam! The particulars:
The ad is by the 'National Mint' and is advertising newly minted $5 gold coins (supposedly legal tender) for a discounted price of only $109 each. The kicker of it is that you have to buy a minimum of 5 coins ($545 total) to get that 'unbelievable' price. What's so unbelievable is that anyone would think this is a great deal! Follow along with me now, and I will show you why this is not such a good deal.
First, the gold content of each coin is 1/10 ounce. At the gold futures price on the market today, gold was trading in the range of $860 per ounce, making each coin worth a raw value of $86.....not the 'unbelievable' value of $109 they claim. If you bought a coin today and had to sell it tomorrow, you would lose $23 per coin if you could get the full value of the gold market. Coin dealers are not prone to give you full value, even for gold. They have to make a profit, too, you know!
Even if you could get full value for the gold, prices for gold would have to increase a full 20% for you to just break even on your investment. In other words, gold prices would have to climb to over $1030 per ounce just to get you money back.
What about added value for the coins being categorized as rare coins? I would tend to think not. They are newly minted. Seldom, if ever, do newly minted coins gain the prestige of being classified as rare coins right from the beginning. Now, if these were $10 gold pieces from the early 1900's, that would be another story, because you would be placing value on rarity along with the ultimate value of gold.
Wow! What a deal! I get to invest $109 to get a coin worth $86 and only lose $23 in the process. If some of you out there think this is such a good deal, let me know. I have some 'beach front' property here in the desert of Nevada. We all know that California will some day slip into the ocean, and Hey!, some day you will have the ocean right at your doorstep. Think how valuable that would be. Of course, you may have to wait a little while..............

In The Beginning.....

2008-01-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

In the beginning of the New Year, that is.....Well, the new year is indeed upon us. The holiday season seemed to come and go so fast this year. It hardly left any time to do much. The middle of December did bring new joy to our family, though. We welcomed another granddaughter on Dec. 13th and our first great grandchild....a boy...on Dec. 16th! Both are doing well, I am glad to say!! That will make the holidays in the years ahead even more special. Let's hope you all had the same type of excitement and joy in your life this season!
The one thing that this time of year brings....football!! And for those of you who love basketball, the season is just starting out and teams are beginning to show what is in store for later in the year when they have their playoffs. As for football, we are brought the end of both college and football seasons with bowl game after bowl game and the NFL playoffs. By the way, congratulations to the New England Patriots who finished their regular season undefeated, going 16-0 for the first time a team has done that in history. But who will remember how important and difficult it was if they do not complete their year undefeated and win the Super Bowl? Unfortunately, we sports fans tend to forget losers, and if the Pats do not win out for the rest of the season, their accomplishments will go down as just a foot note. Don't believe me? The last team to go undefeated in regular and post season play was the Miami Dolphins in 1972.......36 years ago. They posted an impressive 17-0 season and won the Super Bowl. The question is who did they beat in the Super Bowl?! Most of us don't remember or don't care because they lost.
Bowl Games. Are there too many? I think so. It used to be that you got up on New Year's day (if you could get up!) and watched a bit of the Rose Parade from Pasadena, then satisfied your need to watch a lot of football in one day by taking on the real important bowls: the Cotton Bowl, the Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl. Then you had a bit of reprieve before the big one came on that was traditionally the last major bowl and what was supposed to crown the national champion for the year, the Orange Bowl.
Now, they have bowl games lasting for over a week, and everyone and his brother/sister is sponsoring a bowl game. GMAC Bowl, Meineke Car Care Bowl, Independence Bowl, etc, etc. Some stretch it out for far to get teams to fill the game that teams with a .500 record are eligible. I saw a game the other day where two teams with 7-6 and 6-5 records were playing. It was so bad......I think it was the Toilet Bowl. We need to get back to just the major bowls and make it mean something to have played well enough during the year to be invited to a bowl game.
Alas, for the football fan it will soon end. Today, Friday Jan. 4th, is the first day in the last week that there will be no bowl game played. After next week, college football fans will be without and they will go into withdrawal. I have heard it is even tougher to quit than smoking!

Special Note: Past blogs have centered mainly around sports. However, my New Year's resolution is to expand the scope of this blog into other areas and beginning next week I will be posting articles on different subjects, some of which will be posted to article directories as well. We will try to keep the subjects informative and entertaining and not quite so focused on sports. That is our aim, our resolution. But, then again, how many of you have kept your resolutions so far this year? How about last year? At least we are going to try.....

The World on Steroids

2007-12-19T12:10:00.000-08:00

With the holiday season(s) upon us, it has been some time since posting last. It all seems so hectic these days to have the time...or is it that the older we get, the faster time gets away from us?!
No doubt most of you have heard of or read excerpts from the Mitchell Report. The report exposes certain of our baseball heroes, past and present, to the use of steroids and HGH (human growth hormones) in order to gain an athletic advantage. Some of the players named have admitted the use of these banned substances, some have emphatically denied it. To those who deny their use, I say show patience and allow the rest of the process to unfold. All should be deemed innocent until proven guilty....that is the American way.
However.....and a big however it is.....since this is the Christmas season, what about Santa Claus and his reindeer?! Have you ever seen a real reindeer? They are shaggy looking beasts and not near as cute as all the media hype at this time of year happens to show.
So-o-o......how can these un-cute creatures pull Santa's sled and make it fly? Steroids, I say! How else can they get that high for that long, and cover the entire earth in a single night? Not being the speediest of animals, these reindeer of Santa's would have to be traveling several thousand miles per hour to get the job done. If one of our revered athletes were to show this kind of performance enhancement, they would be surely crucified by the media and be the headline topic in the next Mitchell Report!
And what about this Rudolph reindeer with his nose so bright? When was the last time you saw a nose so red, when your partner had too much to drink after the Christmas party? So is Rudolph not only on steroids, but has a drinking problem, too? That may explain why I didn't get what I wanted last year.
But as I said, we have to be tolerant and give the benefit of the doubt until proven guilty. It may be time to form our own Mitchell report, set up a committee and begin mandatory testing for these super athletes called reindeer. Let them 'do their thing into the urine cup.' Then we would know for sure.
Flying around, indeed! Steroids, I say!
Happy Holidays!!

Kudos...and a Boo

2007-12-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

By now, you know I like to read about sports. It is part of my morning routine. Not that I was ever a good athlete.....hardly!I just made it by to participate. My brother was the athlete of the family, I was the bookworm. But today there was something in the sports section I thought interesting.
The kudos: As inflation and greed continue to drive up prices for tickets at sporting events, The Pittsburgh Pirates are standing pat, keeping ticket prices the same for next season. They have not raised ticket prices since 2001, and their ticket prices average $17.07, among the lowest in baseball.
Now the Boos: Apparently, 15 consecutive losing seasons are enough to make even baseball executives feel guilty. "We will at some point need to raise ticket prices to stay competitive, but the focus this season has been and will be on changing the culture of this organization to one in which our fans will again be proud," team spokesman Brian Warecki said.
Be careful who you root for and how well you want your team to do during the season and into the playoffs. Rooting for a winning team will apparently cost you more! Especially if they raise those already exorbitant salaries we talked about before in order to keep the winning players.

December, A New Month

2007-12-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

Well. we are in the first throws of the month that ends our year and our holiday season. What a year it has been, for most of us anyway!
Most of us have routines that we follow on a day to day basis, and I am no different. My particular routine gets me up aroung 6 AM and I grab a quick cup of coffee and the newspaper. If it is a nice morning outside, I go sit on the back patio to drink and read. But I don't just begin reading. Even that has a routine. I first start out with the Sports page. After all, I have to check to see if the same teams I rooted for yesterday still won and there were no changes!....;-)
After the Sports comes the Comics, Dear Abby, the Bridge column......even though I don't play bridge, I just love to read about the strategies. I actually prefer Cribbage, a dying game if there ever was one.
Our paper is the Las Vegas Review Journal, and with all the sports betting going on in this state, the sports section is a good one. Check it out if you ever get the chance. The Bridge column is great, because not only do you get lessons on strategy, but the author, Philip Alder, loves to throw in a few quotes during the week that are very profound at times. Here are a couple of his included quotes from the past couple of days:
Charles Caleb Colton, an English cleric, writer and collector well known for his eccentricities, said, "When we are in doubt and puzzle out the truth by our own exertions, we have gained something that will stay by us and will serve us again."
Here is another: Thomas Mann, German novelist and Nobel laureate, wrote, "A great truth is a truth whose opposite is also a truth." Pretty profound stuff coming from a bridge column, don't you think?!
Oh, and don't forget the crossword puzzles. After the sports, bridge, etc., the crosswords finish up my first morning routine with a second cup of coffee. I only do the crosswords to bone up and give me fuel for my evening routine of watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, and to help me kick some serious booty against my competitve wife!
What could be better? Fresh coffee and the newspaper to start, and a couple of good rounds of game shows to keep the mind sharp. That leaves the rest of the day in between to fill in with other mundane stuff.......like finding the truth.

Two Down, Two to Go

2007-11-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well, we have 2 holidays 'down' (Halloween and Thanksgiving) and two to go. I don't know about you, but hearing Christmas carols before Thanksgiving is a bit tedious!. It's not just this year, but for every year I can remember in recent history.
With all the holiday activities, family, friends, parties, galas, etc., we probably will not be posting as often as we would like. But that doesn't mean we are short of opinions. Heavens, no! We are just going to take the time to enjoy this holiday as best we can.
The Dancing With the Stars show is done for the season, ending last night with Helio winning the whole pot. Although I love the guy, his effort and his magnetism, I felt that he was the 3rd best dancer on the show this year. In my opinion, Helio was behind in talent to Mel B. and Sabrina, who got knocked of a couple of weeks ago through a real voting goof up. If you read my previous post (NOv. 7th) about Sabrina getting kicked off and my suggestions about how to possibly change the judging, I have not changed my opinion.
Take for example Marie Osmond, who had no right and not enough dancing talent to even be in the semi-finals, much less the finals! Granted, Marie is a good entertainer with a good sense of humor that she readily displayed for us all during the past weeks. But, her audience/supporters kept her in the game way too long. Another example of the popularity contest that needs to be changed.
Even Helio benefitted from the popularity thing. I would guess that few people knew who he was when the season's show began, or even knew he has won 2 Indy 500 races, a tribute to the skills and talent he has as a driver. Here is a guy who won the entire contest last night without never having danced before!
How did he do it? Yes, through a lot of hard work and determination, but come on......8 weeks and he is a champion dancer?! If you look back at the talents of Mel B. and Sabrina, Helio won on popularity. If you watched Monday night, let me prove my point: Each team danced two dances that night, the last night of the competition that the audience would have a vote in the outcome. Mel's score for the 2 dances was 55, Helio had 54 and Marie had 48. What made the difference, in my opinion, was that Helio had the last dance. It was a good one, scoring 10's across the board and exciting the audience. Even though his total score was less than Mel, he left a lasting impression, and obviously, by popular vote, he won the competition.
Don't get me wrong. I love the show, watch it every week, both nights. Helio won, and good for him and his effort. But the best one did not win. The judging rules need to be modified to make it more fair for the dancers who are really good, but maybe do not quite have the following of some other popular stars. Set the playing field level and we can all enjoy.

What Is The World Coming To?

2007-11-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

After a 2-week 'vacation', we are ready to get back at it. It was nice to take some time for remeberances on Veteran's Day, and to begin preparations for the holidays beginning with Thanksgiving. But all that did really was to store up a few gripes......
First, our Veteran's day parade in our little home town was pathetic. Only one town official actually showed up to march in the parade. The whole parade passed in 10-15 minutes. There were no marching bands (where was the high school band?), very little substance at all. In this time when our troops sorely need our support, out little town failed. Hey, Town Officials, you missed it! Shame on you!
Now, another pet peeve. Athletics. We all revere our athletes, college or pros. We love to see them run faster, jump higher, hit it further. But what about those that are stars, then fail in their position as role models? Michael Vick kills dogs and is going to jail, rightfully so. Barry Bonds is indicted for steroid use and likely will also go to jail. He lied to us, and will deserve what he gets. He also should be forced to change his name to "Bail" Bonds.
Ray Lewis has been in jail. College kids are getting kicked off teams for violating rules and felony charges of all kinds. What is going on? Sadly, although there are some athletes out there who are good people, it seems that the majority of the time we hear about the bad apples.
What is really frustrating about this is the amount of money these athletes make, good or bad. Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) from the New York Yankees bailed out of the last two years of his contract, then opts back in (without his agent) to a 10-year, $275 million contract. Folks, that is $27.5 million per year! To put that in perspective, NY City school teachers make on average $60,000 per year. A-Rod's salary for one year could hire 458 teachers for NY for the same year.
I'm not just singling out A-Rod. This is rampant throughout sports. Just today you can pick up the paper and see the new signings for some of the fee agents or soon-to-be free agents from this past baseball season. Mariano Rivera, also with the Yankees, re-signed a 3-year deal for $45 million, $15 million per year. People! He is a 38-year old relief pitcher. His salary will be per year will be $4 million above what every other relief pitcher currently makes. Compare that to Greg Maddox who just signed a new contract with the San Diego Padres for a 0ne-year contract of $10 million. All Maddox has ever done is win over 300 games, 3 Cy Young awards and several Gold Glove awards for his fielding of his position from the mound. Luis Castillo just signed with the Mets for $25 million over a 4-year deal. The list goes on .....and on.
What does this say about us? Some of the current athletes can't even spell 'baseball' or 'football', yet they are paid millions. Our real heroes, our firefighters, police officers and soldiers don't get paid what theses athletes do, yet they risk their lives every day for us.
By the way, as of this writing no published report has been released outlining the income of our college athletics stars...................

Fall Has Been Cancelled

2007-11-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

TheOnion.com today reported the following: "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Fall, the long-running series of shorter days and cooler nights, was cancelled earlier this week after nearly 3 billion seasons on Earth, sources reported Tuesday. The classic period of the year which once occupied a coveted slot between summer and winter, will be replaced by new, stifling humidity levels, near-constant sunshine, and almost no precipitation for months."
TheOnion.com is a satirical news web site that you should check out....if your sense of humor runs to the satirical side. Anyway, they can't be too far wrong if you have been following the news lately.
What has been reported, in reality, is that the unseasonably warm weather can be attributed to the possiblity of La Nina which affects ocean currents. Or could it be that Al Gore is right and we are seeing the effects of global warming? If I had known that Al Gore could actually be right once in a while, I may have voted for him instead of Bush. At least Al can spell 'global warming', unlike Bush who now spells it global warring!
Speaking of Bush, there is a new ritual out now that you may want to participate in. You get an effigy of Bush and place it on the ground. Then you take a big stick and thrash the ground around the doll until you have no stength left. The new ritual is called "Beating Around the Bush".
Later.....................

"Stars" Finally Got It Right

2007-11-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Well.....last night, Dancing With The Stars finally got it right after the fiasco of last week when Sabrina was voted off by the combined scores of the judges and the audience! After watching this Monday's contestants perform two dances each, it was my opinion that Jane Seymour was the next to go. As lovely as she still is at her age (can you believe that figure at 50+?), she still lacked the skills others have shown. More true to form, she was voted off the show last night.
In my opinion, Sabrina was one of the top dancers in this season's show, if not the top. The format that they use for judging on the show is more than a little lacking. With the 3 judges scores accounting for only half of the scores, the other half of the combined scores are voted by the public. The terrible thing is that the judges get one vote, the audience gets to vote as many times as there are contestants remaining. In other words, if there are 8 contestants still remaining, each audience member gets 8 votes for each e-mail address, text account they have and phone number they have! What impact does this have? I have a cell phone, a house phone and a fax phone that can be used for regular calls and has a different telephone number. My wife has a personal cell phone and a business cell phone, each with different numbers. I have 3 e-mail addresses, my wife has two. That makes 5 phone numbers and 5 e-mails addresses, or a total of 10 times we can vote. If, as in the above example, we have 8 votes per line, we could vote for one person 80 times!! Judges get one vote each, my wife and I get 80! Now you don't have a legit contest, you have a popularity contest.
What has happened in the past seasons really took its toll last week with Sabrina. The judges had her at or near the top, and all of them said she should be in the finals, if not win the whole thing. The audience exercised their 'popular' vote for the others and Sabrina lost out. What a travesty!
Solution? Here's mine: Keep the current panel of judges....they are very good and very knowledgable, even if we do not agree when they do not vote highly enough for our favorite. Form another panel of 8-10 judges drawn for a pool of previous contestants who made it at least half way through the contest. Give each of the panels one vote, and each panel's votes make up 1/3 of the total combined score. Let the audience participate in the other 1/3 of the vote, but instead of giving them multitudes of votes as they do now, give them only one vote per line. Make them make their vote account for something, but not the power they have now!
With 2/3 of the votes coming from judges and panels, and only 1/3 of the scores coming from the audience, this would be less of a popularity contest and more in line with a 'real' contest to find the best overall dancer for the season's series. If this format for judging had been in place last week, we would not have had to endure the shock of seeing Sabrina voted off and we would be in the midst of a good contest. What a concept!!

A Legend Lost

2007-11-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Being from the desert just outside of Las Vegas, it is noteworthy (to us) to note the passing of one of Vegas' legends this past week. I am, of course, referring to the great Robert Goulet. Like most of you, I grew up listening to the velvet tones of Robert Goulet. He had one of the richest voices I have ever heard.
Unfortunatley for all of us, Robert lost his battle to a lung disease (fibrosis) this past week while waiting for a match for a lung transplant. He was only 72 years old, but to those who knew him, he was much younger at heart.
I never knew Robert Goulet personally, but my wife did. She worked for many years in the casino/gaming industry before we met and married. She had the occasion to meet Robert Goulet many times. According to my wife, he was as nice in person as he appeared to be on stage and in front of an audience. Not only was Robert a great entertainer, but he was a great man.
Some legends are made, some are born. Robert Goulet was born to be a star and a legend. For those of us who loved his performances here in the Vegas area, he will be missed.
So with a heavy heart, we say goodbye to a great singer, a great man and a great legend of show business. So Long, Robert. You gave us great pleasure, and you will be missed. Peace be with you on your new journey.