Ebay

 

 T here are so many different ways to make money online that many of them have yet to be explored yet. While the majority of ways to make money online are for people who are well educated marketing, advertising and computer languages like HTML, which is used to make things like websites. To many people, the option of making money online doesn't even come up because they think their not smart enough which is simply not true. Anybody can make money online given that what you are selling is a necessity to people, its something people need and or want, for instance a cell phone, or cell phone accessories.

The first thing you need to do if you're going to be successful online is find your niche. A niche is a category or, something you're going to thrive off of. What you need to do from there is decide how you're going to sell your product.

For step two, you will need to figure out is how to get your hands on your product. How will I get my hands on a bunch of cell phones that I can resell? Seeing how making them is not a very good option, how about buying them from a cheap source. Craigslist and Kijiji are great for this exact thing. You simply search "cell phones" in your local area and ads for selling cell phones will appear. The reason Craigslist and Kijiji are great for this is because many of the people selling on the two sites want quick cash now. In other words, the sellers are not willing to wait for an eBay auction because they need the money right then and there. Arrange a meeting spot with the seller and offer to pay cash, sellers usually like that.

Step three is simply go home, take a picture of your newly acquired cell phone and put it up for bid on eBay with a starting bid of more then you paid for it. I recently came across a used Nokia camera phone on Craigslist for $60.00, I searched the exact same used Nokia camera phone on eBay and it sold for $110.00, a profit of $50.00 for just the one phone.

Buying and selling using Kijiji and Craigslist is a great way to start off an online business. Remember you don't necessarily need to use cell phones, any electronics in general work great such as video game systems or IPods. If you can make roughly $50.00 in profit per sale you make, this is definitely one of the best ways to start off a business or to get some extra cash.

Vick Dog

Nigh almost a year ago in this revered space, counsel was dispensed to the esteemed Judge Henry E. Hudson concerning the much-anticipated sentencing due one Michael Vick. The esteemed fumbled.

No less than unanimous accord was given by all three of you who read the opinion, accompanied by such platitudes as, "Wow! You must have slept on top of the mountain to come up with that, J. Dave!"

Unfortunately for many, the Honorable Judge Hudson was not one of you three. Too bad. Hudson missed a golden chance to take such a high-profile case as Vick's and make a real difference by taking the criminal and using him to educate others prone to engage in such despicable social activities. Instead of just throwing Vick in the pokey and tossing the key to thunderous ovation from the likes of the PETA puckerheads, direct the formerly bigger-than-life star to visit schools, hold seminars, visit detention centers and the like - at his expense - it stated here, and tell everyone with ears how he got involved in his contemptible form of entertainment and what he would do differently now that he got caught and was subsequently hosed in ignominy. Hudson blew it.

Now it's Roger Goodell's turn. With Vick's guilty plea on state charges to dogfighting Tuesday in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Vick is set to enjoy a most-befuddling irony: He may become paroled early as a result of his admission.

It's about the only break he's gotten. Maybe.

Because Vick could shuck his state-issued jumpsuit by Mother's Day, the NFL czar known for his no-Pac Man stance on chicanery will weigh in with a decision that could make Vick's Memorial Day anything but memorable. Here's hoping Goodell takes this chance to make a difference - not just an example.

One blather mouth on sports radio this week called for another year's suspension, justifying his stance by saying that Vick has only been punished by the law, not the league. The peacock further elaborated that since it was such a high-profile case, Vick, in essence, needed to be punished more, so as to satisfy the intense scrutiny of the hordes, a.k.a. the disciples of New Age idiotology so dyslexic they spell 'GOD' "D-O-G." In other words, his comments only served to underscore what was the assertion here in my first dissertation on this matter: Vick's sentencing was more about furthering an agenda than it was in righting a wrong.

Whether Goodell suspends Vick another year, or for only the first play of the 2009 season is not the point. Either Vick is repentant by now, or he's not. And regardless of how long of a suspension - if any - Goodell metes, Vick will get his chance to play again. But if Vick can be mandated into working to help educate and thus, possibly eradicate such a loathsome deed as his, rather than forced to only endure more punishment, then there's a much better chance of wiping out the barbaric leisure that dog fighting most certainly is.

That's the point.

The question is whether Goodell will rely on his own wisdom, whether he will succumb to the pressure of those with the agenda, or whether he will stamp a legacy on his tenure as NFL Commissioner by employing an understanding that will make a real difference.

May Goodell have the wisdom of Solomon on this matter, and show mercy on Vick in so doing, should Goodell determine that the former star has some semblance of a contrite heart. Because if he does, Vick's been punished enough. After all, he's still got a life sentence to serve.

800,000 pageviews

I recently met my goal of reaching 1 million page views. I have to admit that I am shocked I met this goal in only 18 months, especially when you consider the fact that I had less than 200k page views less than 9 months ago. A few people have asked how I was able to meet my goal so I thought I would share a few useful tips in this article. Whether you want to increase the page views on your blog or website, these suggestions are sure to help you.

Bookmarking Sites:

Once I was able to keep track of my page views, I started using bookmarking sites. For the most part, I use Propeller and StumbleUpon. Both of these bookmarking sites are easy to use and have several categories. I also sometimes use Digg, but most of my content doesn't really fit into their categories so I don't use Digg very often. The bookmarking sites you should use to increase your page views will depend on the type of content you write. The important thing is to only put your content on sites where your content has a nice fit. This will attract more readers and more readers mean more page views.

Newsletters:

Another way I've increased my page views is by writing a weekly newsletter. Since most of content is food-related I chose to start a group at Yahoo Groups. The newsletter is called Content for Foodies and gives a brief description of each article along with a link to that article. I also include other pieces of advice that my readers may find useful, such as websites that deal with the articles that were posted in the newsletter. For example, if I wrote an article on Southern cooking, I may include links to sites where readers could buy cast iron cookware. If you choose to do a newsletter to increase your page views, it's best to choose one category. You can always do more than one newsletter to cover the different topics you write about.

Blogs:

Another way I try to make my work more visible so that I can get more page views is to use a blog. With my blog I sometimes post individual links to articles along with descriptions. Other times, I post my Content for Foodies newsletter on my blog. Either way, my blog does help to bring in more page views.

Proper Placement:
Probably one of the most important things you can do to increase your page views is to make sure your articles get the proper placement on Google. By making sure that your keywords range from 3 to 5% throughout your article, you have a better chance of getting your article on the first page of Google when people search for those keywords. A great example of this was a Harry Potter article I wrote. The keywords were high enough that the article showed up on the first page of Google. When the last Harry Potter book was released people went online and entered the keywords I had used and I received around 60,000 page views for that article in only one month.

Helping Your Fellow Writers:

One of the easiest ways to increase your page views is to seek out fellow writers that write similar content. Read their articles and leave comments. Not only will you learn something new about the topics you enjoy, but the writer may return the favor. I'm not saying you should read content you don't enjoy just to increase your page views. This should be fun and should be articles you enjoy.

Panties or thongs

Today I want to visit the age old question involving panties, yes panties. It may not be age old, but ever since I dawned the age of 13 this has been a subliminal issue for me, and I'm sure, many of you. Panties is a very vague subject. I understand, so just bear with me fellas and ladies.

As I became a teenager, I encountered many road blocks and check points in my appearance, emotions, and probably most of all, my sex drive. Almost immediately girls when from coodie infested colleagues to objects of affection for me and all the boys around my age. These changes brought about many conquests and tribulations that I look back on today and smile to myself. Then there are many other things that I think back on today and wonder what the hell I was thinking? They range from curious innocence, such as, my father catching me smooching the underwear models in the JCPenny magazine, to the mother of all embarrassment, the dreaded, "witnessed whacking." For those of you that don't understand this phrase, allow me to explain using euphemisms as much as possible in the shortest description possible. This occurs when an elder in your life catches you pleasing yourself. The fact that no excuse can be used in a time like that just adds to its severity. The good thing about the situation is that it is somewhat expected. We were all teenagers at a time which makes it easy to understand events such as these.
 
I am now 21, and as a 21 year old I feel I have much experience in what I want to address today. A common discussion I encounter within my group of friends is, what is sexier? The thong or the booty shorts? Although it bears little importance, the topic is widely discussed. There are alot of men out there that see the thong as the epitome of sexiness. It can not be denied that a woman in a thong is a very intriguing sight, but is that as good as it gets? There are many different types of men out there. You have your typical skin hound that seem to have a radar for the woman whose shirt forgot to cover what it's supposed to or pants that play peek-a-boo between the butt cheeks and us observers. These are the men I associate with being fans of the thong. The more skin the better would be their motto.

On the other hand we have our more artistic individual. First, I would like to clear up any questions you were all wondering when I dropped the word, "artist." This does not apply to all artists so don't take it the wrong way please, but by being an artist, you have a keen imagination. Artists love to use their imagination, which makes them perfect candidates for supporting the booty shorts revolution. Booty shorts show the curves of a woman without giving it entirely away and there are many men out there that prefer it that way. Women, by leaving your body a little more undiscovered, you can turn up the heat by a noticeable percentage. In comparison, if you were in Egypt and stumbled upon an undiscovered tomb, what would you do? If you haven't already dove in yourself, you will most certainly wonder, with passion, what is in that tomb? We, much like the curiosity you would feel in that situation, men are excited by the temptation of wanting to know what treasure will be uncovered when those booty shorts come off.

Use Yahoo

There are many ways to promote your online content, but have you ever considered using Yahoo? Yahoo has some great ways to boost your page views.

First, try using Yahoo's Buzz Index. This tool shows the top keyword searches for the day, as well as the searches that have increased in popularity the most. You can see a list of overall search terms, or break it down into categories like 'movies' or 'sports.

Popular keywords are more likely to get page hits than obscure ones or none at all. Some keywords are only popular for a short time (like holiday related items) while some are always popular. Try writing articles that utilize both (but not at the same time). This way you'll have some articles that get page views now, while some will slowly gain page views over time.

Another way Yahoo can be used to generate page view is Yahoo Answers. This is a public forum where users can post questions and/or answers on just about anything. If you've written an article that addresses someone's question, direct them to your article in your answer. Anyone who reads your answer will see the link and may be curious enough to click on it and read your article. You don't necessarily want to shamelessly promote yourself or you may look like a spammer, but if you do this well it should get you a few page views at least.

Yahoo Answers can be used to help you generate article ideas, too. Maybe you see a question you know the answer to, but you haven't written about that topic. Write about it then. If people are going to Yahoo Answers to look it up, then it's a subject in demand, which translates into page views.

Lastly, try submitting your website to Yahoo Search. This could be especially helpful if you have a personal site or blog. Submit that to Yahoo Search, and place links to your articles on your site or blog. This way you will get more page views on both (if more people see your blog, more people will see your links...). You could also try submitting your content producer page to Yahoo Search.

Whether you're new to the internet or not, Yahoo has some easy, free ways to increase your page views.

Wall Mount

Plasma and LCD televisions are critically acclaimed for their 4 inch depth screens and easy portability. Unlike regular, boxy televisions that require a larger surface area, plasma televisions can go on the wall and ceiling. Nowadays, plasma televisions are more of a fashion statement for the home and require a snug, tight place to reside. For this reason, there is a huge market for plasma television mounts for home or office installation. They come with plenty of additions like swivel features and strong construction to protect and safeguard your investment.

For starters, plasma mounts come in one of two major categories: universal and custom mounts. According to industry statistics, 90% of universal mounts fit plasma televisions 85 to 90% of the time. Customized options avoid this and fit within the parameters and specifications of your plasma television by accommodate the side and back area, whereas a universal mount might "jut" the television out too far depending on the width of the back side. When buying plasma mounts, wall studs also have to be taken into consideration. For larger televisions, industry experts advise that you look at lateral shift adjusting mounts.

Plasma TV mounts are usually added to the living room for simple viewing, with the average screen size being 39" or above. There are many locations in the house in which to use plasma mounts, like above the fireplace, in corners, on tables, and on ceilings. Adding plasma TV mounts above fireplaces is usually a lesser trend that should only be done if you plan on sitting at least 10 feet away from the television during every leisure time. In this case, you may need a tilt mount that shifts the angles of the television to meet your eyes. A nice way to figure out if you need a tilting mount is to attach a piece of tape to the wall where your eyes will meet the screen. If you find your eyes straining or needing help to look at that piece of tape for a few minutes from your seating position, tilt mounts are the way to go.
 
For corner viewing, buying a swing arm mount is recommended to adjust the viewing angle. Corner mounts are perfect for rooms that have many windows and don't have a lot of wall space. With a corner mount, you can adjust the television to the right viewing height and turn the television to the best viewing position. In essence, corner mounts also double up as swing mounts. There are a variety of arm mounts to suit this demand based on television weight. Dual arm mounts are ideal for larger televisions and single arm mounts are perfect for lighter televisions. Of course, you could purchase a single arm mount for a larger television if it is sturdy enough.

To conclude, plasma television mounts are an integral part of the viewing experience. It lets you rest your eyes comfortably and economizes the space in your home. In addition to this, it can also turn a drab wall into a trendy entertainment center for anyone.

Not Enough KeyWord Density

All the social bookmarking in the world will not help you if the search engines can't find your article in the first place. And search engines can't find you unless you speak their language. As we all know, part of that language is effective use of keywords and keyword phrases, namely keyword density ( the number of times your keyword appears in your article compared to the number of words in your article creates keyword density) that is neither too high or too low. It is, after all, the keywords and keyword phrases that are searched, right?

Keyword Density
Yes and no. Without good keyword density, your article simply will not come up in a search. Keyword density is determined by the number of times your keywords or keyword phrases appear in your article. For the purposes of AC, 3% to 6% is considered ideal keyword density. Having good keyword density is a major part of Search Engine Optimization or SEO. To determine your keyword density, AC recommends text analyzer. Live Keyword Analysis is also a great site to use for measure your keyword density. The advantage of this site is you can edit your article and immediately see increases in keyword density by selectively placing keywords and keyword phrases throughout your article.

Searchabilty
Once you have mastered keywords, keyword phrases, and keyword density, this is probably your biggest stumbling block, especially for writing articles for submission. Finding a topic that is likely to be searched, but has not already been flooded with sites and articles may seem like a daunting task. It is manageable, but requires you to step outside your role as a writer and enter the role of a consumer.

What would someone type to find my information?
There are several questions you need to ask yourself first. Does anyone want to read about my topic? If so, who are they and what would they type into a search engine to find your information? This is where you get your key words and keyword phrases. Think like the consumer. The words and phrases they would type to find this information are the keywords and keyword phrases you should use in your article.
Are there already a lot of articles out there about my topic? If so, in order to reach SEO, you will need to find something different from what is already available. This is where you need to be specific and target your audience.

SEO Tools
There are several SEO tools available for you to check the popularity of particular keywords and keyword phrases. In fact, you can find a host of tools, many of which are actually Google tools, offered at SEO chat. (www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-suggestions-google) This gives you a place to start and should help you build some possible keywords and keyword phrases.

With the use of these SEO tools, finding effective keywords and keyword phrases becomes a little less daunting and a little more manageable. Go ahead. Play around with your keywords and keyword phrases. Try similar words and see what happens.

Consumer's viewpoint
Beware! Just because keywords or keyword phrases are popular, doesn't mean your article will rate high with a search engine. It's not the way SEO work. It's likely that your article will be returned along with thousands of other articles and sites. Being buried in the midst of titles that all look the same isn't going to help you at all.

Once you've found your keywords and keyword phrases, you need to take a look at them from the viewpoint of the consumer, again. What specifically are they looking for under this topic? Look for ways to narrow down the topic while taking advantage of popular topics. Be specific about what your article has to offer.

Your keywords or keyword phrases , which you have carefully placed in your headline , must be the actual words someone would type in to search for your information. Forget the highly creative and catchy phrases we love to roll off the tongue. Search engines won't find them.

Keywords vs Keyword Phrases
For SEO, whenever possible, develop your keywords into keyword phrases of two to three words. Matches of one word are far too common and will often be ignored by search engines.Besides, people rarely use just one word to search for information. Remember, search engines are man made creatures designed to crawl the web in search of exact matches. Make sure they can find yours by giving them a clear picture of your article via your own keywords and key phrases. It is merely one way of taking advantage of SEO.
The search engine doesn't care that you have just come up with the perfect title, in fact the search engine doesn't even care if you spell your words correctly. AC does, so be careful with that one.

Beware of Social Book marking
Did you know that linking your articles to your own blogs and social book marking sites may actually prevent your article from showing up in a search? That's right. If you are linking your articles to hubs or lens that you have created you may be defeating your purpose. All your hard work may actually be turning away potential readers simply because the search engine has identified your articles and their accompanying links as spam.

A way around it
If you really want to draw traffic from social bookmarking have someone else bookmark your articles for you. If you must do them yourself, be sure to include articles from other people too. These articles could be other sites or articles that share your keywords and keyword phrases. The search engine is less likely to flag your links as spam if they include a variety of articles from others too.

Of course, linking to your blog is a great way to get traffic, if you already have high traffic to your blog. Don't rely on search engines alone to index your blog and draw people to your links.

SEO Tricks
There are a few other SEO tricks that may entice search engines to land on your article. Use several keywords or keyword phrases. That's right. You need more than one. It isn't difficult to accomplish once you discard your misplaced ideas about finding keywords and sticking to them. In fact, most articles lend themselves to several keywords and keyword phrases.

Keywords and Keyword Phrases in Headline
You absolutely must include those keywords and keyword phrases in your headline and in your first paragraph. Search engines search your headline and beginning paragraphs first. Resist the urge to use another word to avoid the redundancy of repeating key words and key word phrases. The search engine will not recognize even the most clever synonym. SEO depends on repetition of keywords and keyword phrases.
Special Font
Take advantage of using bold print for one of your keywords or keyword phrases and italics for another to take advantage of SEO. Sprinkle your keywords and keyword phrases throughout the remaining article and always check your keyword density before submitting your article.

Wrapping it up
Your last paragraph should function as a conclusion to your article. It should also contain your keywords and keyword phrases. If you have done your job well and have adequate keyword density the search engines will note that your keywords and keyword phrases are present throughout your article.

SEO and Links
Providing a link to another site also increases your chances of rating higher with a search engine and increases your SEO . Although there are many links on AC that the search engine can work it's way through, it wouldn't hurt to add a link from your article to another site that contains complementary information that your reader could benefit from. It is especially helpful if the site you link to also has a good keyword density of the same keywords and keyword phrases you have used in your article. AC discourages links from the body of the article, so take advantage of the supporting links section when submitting your article. Don't forget, you want the site you link to to reinforce your keywords and keyword phrases, too. Providing links to your other work, unless it directly ties to the article your reader is engaged in, will simply irritate your reader and may be picked up as spam. Make sure the link you provide is to a reputable source, preferably one that will boost your keyword and keyword phrases. This helps the search engine confirm that your keywords and keyword phrases really are what your article is all about.

Get links to your article
Gaining a link to your article from a reputable site not only provides you with traffic, it builds SEO. So take the time to find a complementary site, once again who employs the same keywords and keyword phrases you do, that will link to your article. If you can't trade links with another site, try linking from a friend's blog that covers similar content.

The more links you have to your article, especially if they are from high ranking sites and contain the same keywords or keyword phrases as your article, the more likely you are to score with the search engine thereby approaching SEO. That is, after all, what we are all looking for.

Backlinks

Back links are the key to wealth from your website. When submitting links to directories make sure that you plan to submit farther than your first page. If your website provides great quality content then you have convinced the directories that you know what you are doing.

Every time a back link is created you are building up your sites momentum and fortune. A back link is a trustworthy way that a search engine can tell that your website provides quality content. After submitting your articles into a directory you have confirmed a deep link inside your website as you are letting the search engines know that there is more to your site than the first page.

In order to generate successful traffic you will need to have your content in order and ready for the world to see. Make sure you have the proper keyword density throughout your articles and that proper grammar has been used. If all has been followed through your directory will be another helpful guest in your group of helpers, as they will do much more than show off your work, they will help your deep links get established.

Once your back links are in place from a reliable source then you are on your way to great search engine optimization. However these are not the only ways back links can help users with their domain. Back links will enable other viewers to see that you are a reliable source and that your link is on another website that they view which creates the feeling that you are someone they know they can trust. If you have the wants from the users then you have successfully became popular, and popularity is what search engine optimization is all about.
If you had the option to put all your back links onto one website or to have multiple back links put onto multiple sites you would most likely go with the latter. The more trustworthy domains linking back to yours will make your site to be very trustworthy and instead of only having one trustworthy website linking back to your domain you will have multiple. The reason search engines take priority in this is simply because the more your name is out there, then the more popular you are, and popularity is the only way to be good in search engines. Go out there and create back links and you are surely to succeed.

Legality of Homeschooling

It is completely legal to home school a child.

Some parents are concerned of legal restrictions they feel home schooling may impose on them when deciding to home school their children. Parents fear that home schooling their children is either illegal or that the steps needed to acquire home school certification are too ponderous or odious to accomplish. Some of these fears are justified depending on where the parents reside; however, the fears are usually larger than is appropriate.

The rules and laws of a child's education are set down and enforced by the individual states even though the Constitution of the United States makes no mention of education and the Department of Education tends to play a very large role in the certification of home schooling. The laws do vary from state to state, though.

It is legal in all fifty states to home school children, but some states have fewer restrictions than others. For example, Texas and Idaho place a minimum of restrictions on parents who decided to home school their kids. However, Massachusetts and New York are very particular about the methods and keep a close watch on parents who do home school their children; even requiring curriculum approval, regular student achievement scores to be submitted on a timely basis, and even home visits. Pennsylvania requires local school districts to review any materials that are to be used in home schooling for approval.

Many bills have been introduced into Congress that would expand the power of the states to enter the home of children who are home schooled or to compel parents to enroll their children into public school. While efforts have been made to monitor or defeat these legal efforts, they were overturned in 2006. Parents need not worry too much about rights being taken away since the trend of courts has been stalwartly in their favor for many years.
The Supreme Court case of Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) stated that the care and education of a child rested solely on the parents of said children, not the state in which they reside. The court also reaffirmed the rights of parents to make decisions regarding their children's education in 2000 with the Troxel v. Granville case, which in and of itself was not an issue of home schooling, home school advocates used it to further their goal of freedom to choose how their children are educated.

The HSLDA (Horne School Legal Defense Association, http://www.hslda.org ) was founded in 1983 to support the rights of parents who wish to home school their children and has fought many battles in the courtroom on behalf of such parents. This association closely follows any changes made by Congress and the states regarding education and publishes a yearly account of legislative acts.

Even though government from state to federal levels have tried to chip away at the parents' rights to home school their children, court cases generally have been settled in the parents' favors.

There have been cases of social workers who zealously try to protect what they feel is their duty to protect the children of parents who home school. Even with no evidence of parental abuse, such social workers try to follow through with their attempts. The HSDLA works to provide support and resources to parents so that such legal and social issues never have to be dealt with in the first place.

It is a good idea for parents considering home schooling to assiduously investigate all the necessary paperwork, supervision and requirements by law of their resident states. The parents are the ones who need to be first educated in home schooling.

Normal Frequency of Sex

Have you ever wondered how your sex life stands up to another couple? Have you wondered if you are having too much sex, too little sex, or just the right amount? Have you wondered if there is a set amount that is considered normal? I will discuss the idea of a normal sex life and what factors may be influencing your numbers and how you stack up to other couples.

One of the major factors that determine approximately how much sex is "normal" is your age. Much younger people, especially young hormonal boys, want sex many more times than they are usually getting. Their sexual appetites far exceed what would be considered normal. Newly married couples or couples that have just gotten together are more likely to have more active sex lives. It is "normal" for these couples to have sex at least once a day however it maybe more or less. Their "normal" is much higher than couples that have been together for a while. People in their forties will have less sex than people in their twenties but still more than older couples. Their frequency is more likely to be a few times a week or a few times every few weeks. Then you have people in their fifties and higher that are likely to still have sexual desires but are much more diminished. They may have sex a few times a month and that is considered their "normal".

The amount of sex you have also depends on the stage of life you are in. Young people without any major responsibilities are likely to have more time for sex but less opportunity. College students may be busier with school work and have less time but more opportunity. Couples that have married, gotten their first big jobs, and started families are extremely busy and may be too tired to have sex all the time. Couples who have established their careers and have kids that are grown still have strong desires and more time to indulge them. Older couples definitely have the time but their desires are not as strong so are less likely to have sex.
There are numerous different factors that can affect your sex life besides just age and stage in your life. Factors such as stress, diminished desire, and illness can affect your frequency as a couple. The important thing to remember is there is no across the board number that is "normal". What should be considered normal is what is right for you and your partner. Do not feel the need to compare your sex life with that of other couples. Some couples may have sex all day everyday and that is normal for them but you may have it a couple times a week and that is your normal. No matter what your number is as long as both parties are satisfied there is no need to worry about normalcy. Chances are your numbers fluctuate and so do your friends.

Increasing your RSS

Every strong website or blog has an RSS feed. These feeds are used by subscribers to read your content and stay updated when changes happen. The stronger the site is in maintaining and increasing these visitors the more money the site will make. However, RSS feeds work off of their own business model and website owners should understand what works in RSS feeds and what doesn't.

Tips for Increasing RSS Feed Subscriptions:

Original Content: Original content gives readers a reason to subscribe to your feed. If they can get the information somewhere else they will subscribe there. Even though it is acceptable to add interesting articles from other authors most of the articles should be uniquely designed for your site.

As well as content the owner of the blog or website should concern himself or herself with quality over quantity. Misspelled words, poor grammar and typos detract from the overall impression of your site. Continual mistakes will make it appear as though you are an amateur.

Credibility: Subscribers to your work want to know that what you are telling them is the truth. They don't enjoy information that is questionable and may hamper their overall reading experience. Questionability is a sign of an amateur who can't back up his work.

There are a number of ways to increase credibility. Quoting well known people in your writing, using references like you were in college, having an appropriate knowledgeable tone for your work. It is also important to understand that the quality of your work (i.e. spelling) also supports the overall credibility of what you are saying.

Listen to Your Audience: The internet group is very verbal about what they like and what they don't like. Listen to your audience's feedback, comments and emails. Watch how certain articles bring in new visitors and try and offer similar type content.
You may also consider adding a poll to your website so that you know exactly what the want. Once you have narrowed down your overall topic base you can then ask them which they prefer. After you have collected this information you can move forward in the process of designing your page and writing content that appeals to them.

Getting Exposed: The best way to increase your overall RSS subscribers is to get your information out there. Submit your RSS feed to RSS directories. You can either do this for free by hand or you can pay a service that will help you submit to these directories. The more times people see our RSS subscription button the more people will subscribe to it. It is a numbers game.

The second method is to locate this subscription feed in a place that everyone is going to see it. Simply shoving this feed some haphazard place on your page isn't going to work. Market in your site, write about it and make your readers aware.

A Thanksgiving Story

Are you interested in learning about the history of this fall holiday? Are you wondering when it is celebrated? Were you ever curious about how we determined which day to celebrate this post-harvest holiday?

When is The Holiday Observed?

Thanksgiving Day in the United States is always observed on the fourth Thursday in the month of November.

In Canada, this harvest holiday is celebrated in October, not in November. The Canadian holiday is not on the fourth Thursday of the month, but on the second Monday in October.

When Was the First Holiday Observed?

The first Thanksgiving was held in 1621.

Important Dates and Milestones for this Autumn Holiday

1621: A harvest feast was held by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag (Scholastic.com)

1777: George Washington calls December 18, 1777 "a day for solemn Thanksgiving and Praise."

1817: The State of New York adopts Thanksgiving as an annual custom. (http://www.holidays.net)

1863 President Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation. It was this proclamation that determined that the holiday should be held on the fourth Thursday of November. (http://www.holidays.net)

1927: The first giant balloons appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (macy's)

1934: The NFL game that may have started the whole football on Thanksgiving Day is believed to be the game between the Lions and the Bears (Pro Football Hall of Fame).

1939: President Franklin Roosevelt changes observance of the holiday from the last Thursday in November to the third Thursday in November. (Scholastic.com)

1941: President Franklin Roosevelt give this feating holiday a fixed celebration day: he signed the legislation that determined the fourth Thursday in November was Thanksgiving.

1971: Actress Christina Applegate was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1971.

The Friday After The Holiday

The Friday after Thanksgiving has gained status as its own kind of holiday of sorts. For some, the day after Thanksgiving is also known as "Black Friday." Black Friday is officially the first day of the holiday shopping season. Many retailers hold special sales events on this day.

The Friday and the weekend after the celebration is also a traditional day for early birds to find and purchase a Christmas tree. Christmas tree farms tend to open on the Friday after the holiday celebration, or on the weekend after the holiday.

The Friday following the holiday is also a day when some people choose to hang up their holiday decorations.

Verizon

I am, quite frankly, a bit of a mess. I am constantly forgetting things and my memory seems to have rapidly deteriorated within the past several years. It is quite often when I have to return to a previous locale and attempt to locate my personal belongings. I cannot count how many times I have lost a hat or various articles of clothing. Another item I seem to have difficulty holding on to is cell phones. Cell phones are convenient because they are portable - but for me that is also their downfall. I will set them down somewhere and go about my business, and not remember where I have left it - so for me, when I went to Verizon Wireless to pick up my new cell phone, their insurance policy was extremely attractive.

In previous years I have had to resort to buying phones on eBay after losing my cell because I refused to get insurance (This time I won't lose it! I'll be extra careful! etc.). The full retail price to purchase the phone again was much too expensive and eBay offered a moderately cheap replacement of a different model. This year I went with a different route. Verizon's insurance policy involves paying $6 a month and a $50 deductible when you are in need of a replacement. The phone I bought this past April was a Samsung Flipshot tagged at a hefty $220 price - something I would not want to pay again. I must say it has payed off so far.

Me being the klutz I am, I left it out in a locker room and it was stolen within my first month of ownership. I deactivated my phone and then filled out the necessary paperwork before being shipped a replacement in about two weeks.

Several downsides of Verizon's insurance program were the $50 deductible (I could have gotten a working replacement on eBay for this amount) and the fact that you had to pay for the

Verizon service while your phone is out of commission. Also one cannot simply go to the Verizon Store to replace your phone. You have to mail it to Verizon's insurance company and then wait for them to process your claim.
Regardless I decided I made out quite well because I really liked the make and model of my phone and wanted to keep it. Several months later I left it in a hotel room and when I called to see if it had been reported missing I had no such luck. I ended up filing the insurance report again and received another replacement.

How much did I save? The math:
2 new phones = $220 each * 2 = $440
2 $50 dollar deductibles = $100
6 months of insurance = 6*6 = $36
$440 - $136 = Approximately $300 in savings

For me getting insurance was definitely worth it. Unfortunately Verizon's insurance company will only replace 2 of your phones a year so I will have to be extra careful for the next 6 months or I will have to resort to eBay again. Moral of the Story? If you purchase an expensive phone and have a past history of losing or forgetting your cell insurance is a bargain.

Home Insulation Basics: Higher R-Values = Higher Insulating Values

Whether you live in Bangor, Maine, or Bakersfield, California, your home will be more comfortable and energy efficient with the right insulation. Insulation helps reduce the costs of heating and cooling your home. Here's how: Heat travels. In the winter, heat flows out; in the summer, heats flow in. A properly insulated home reduces heat flow, using less energy in the winter for heating and less energy in the summer for cooling. That could mean money in your pocket.
To help you get the most for your insulation dollar, the Federal Trade Commission offers answers to some basic questions about home insulation.
Q. What's the first thing I should look for when buying insulation?
Look for the "R-value." "R" means resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation power. The R-value must be disclosed for most insulation products. (Pipe and duct insulation are the exceptions, although duct wrap is covered.) For instance, if you buy loose-fill insulation with an R-value of 38 from Company A, it will have the same insulating power as loose-fill insulation with an R-value of 38 from Company B. You also can compare the R-value of one type of insulation to another, such as loose-fill to blanket.
Q. How do I know how much insulation R-value my home needs?
Several factors affect the R-value your home needs:
Where you live — You'll need a higher R-value if you live in the Northeast than if you live in Southern California. How your home is built — For example, is it a single-level or multi-level structure? Do you have cathedral ceilings? Is there a basement or is your home built on a slab? How you heat and cool your home — Do you have a furnace, a central air conditioner, or a heat pump?
Q. Should I use the same R-value of insulation throughout my home?
It's more efficient to use insulation with higher R-values in the attic and in rooms with cathedral ceilings than in wood frame walls and basements or crawl spaces with walls.
Your local home improvement store (or its website) may have information to help you calculate your insulation needs.
Your state energy office, local building department, or your gas or electric company, can tell you how to conduct an energy audit to help detect waste and gauge the efficiency of your current heating system. Your utility company may offer free or low-cost energy audits, or you can conduct your own. The Department of Energy offers instructions at www.homeenergysaver.lbl.gov.
As the colder weather sets in, I hope that this information is useful for you. At the same time, if you or someone you know may be thinking about buying a home or refinancing an existing home, please give me a call.

Fastest Tracks racing

NASCAR classifies its racetracks into two categories, short tracks and super speedways. Short tracks are anything under a mile; while the super speedways are over a mile. There are two tracks in the super speedway category that exceed the two mile length - Dayton International Speedway is 2.5 miles long while Talladega Speedway is 2.66 miles in length. These tracks also have a banking at the turns in excess of 30 degrees.

Because of the speeds that can be achieved at these tracks - in excess of 200 miles an hour - the engines are restricted in the amount of horsepower they produce which slows the cars down around eight or 10 miles an hour. However, when the cars get into a single line causing a draft the speed of these cars increases and can again reach the 200 miles an hour mark. As a child I lived five miles from the track in Daytona. This was before the speeds reached today and the restricor plates and we could hear the cars going around the track even with the windows closed.

But because of the restrictor plate Daytona and Talladega are not the fastest of the tracks in NASCAR racing. That distinction belongs to Atlanta Motor Speedway where the cars can easily reach the 200 mile an hour mark without the help of drafting.

Unlike the open wheeled cars that routinely exceed two hundred miles per hour, NASCAR tries to keep the cars under that mark as a safety issue. Even so when there is a crash at the larger tracks it can trap a large number of cars in the field causing what is known as THE Big One. The cars are usually a mess after such an event but fortunately the drivers nearly always walk away from the fray.

Raymond.. Love him?

Abrasive, weird, and completely unafraid to say what was on his mind, Frank Barone was the best character on "Everybody Loves Raymond." Raymond's father Frank was the perfect sidekick for Marie, who more often than not stole the show. His constant barrage of insults brought her down to earth, when everyone else was afraid to stand up to her. And had any other character uttered Frank Barone's lines, they would have become instantly unlikeable. But Frank Barone remained loveable throughout. Here is why Frank Barone was the best character on "Everybody Loves Raymond."

"Everybody Loves Raymond" was one of the most critically acclaimed American sitcoms of its time. It ran from 1996 to 2005, and can still be seen in syndication several times a day all over the country. I admit I was one of the few American viewers who didn't love "Raymond" during its initial run. I found Ray Romano's character Raymond Barone incredibly annoying, what with that nasal voice and pathetic fear of his beautiful wife Debra. I didn't care much at all for his brother Robert, played by Brad Garrett, either. He was nothing but a big goof and the character was overdone, overacted. But I did love "Raymond" when I began watching it in syndication on TBS, not because of Ray or Robert, but because of their hilarious parents, Frank and Marie.

Frank Barone was played by legendary character actor Peter Boyle, who passed away in New York on December 12, 2006. His trademark "Holy crap!" was hysterical, and just about every line he uttered during the show's long run was perfectly delivered. With Frank's strange look and attitude, the character could have been easily dismissed as nasty and mean, but quite the contrary, everybody loved Frank.

And Frank Barone loved Marie's cooking, and deep down, he even loved Marie herself. The insults, the one-liners, it was just the way they were. Everybody used to get a few digs in on Frank, too. They remarked about his baldness, his weight, but Frank Barone always had a comeback, and when he didn't, he simply brushed them off.
"I'm not some trophy wife!" exclaimed Marie, portrayed by Doris Roberts, on one occasion. "What contest in hell did I win?" said Frank.

Peter Boyle gave the character of Frank Barone heart and warmth, and the legendary actor is already missed, as is the show, "Everybody Loves Raymond." Boyle's seamless portrayal of Frank made him the best character on "Everybody Loves Raymond."

20 PC Games

When it comes to PC gaming some people say that the PC is dead for games. I think not. The PC may be down do to popularity of some councils but it will hold steady and always be here. Here is a list of what I consider the top 20 PC games that I have played. These games all have great story lines as well as game play. This list of course changes from time to time but these games are still tops.

1. Half Life 2

2. Homeworld

3. Homeworld Cataclysm

4. Homeworld 2

5. Space Hulk

6. StarCraft

7. Pravateer 2 The Darkening

8. Freelancer

9. Diablo

10. Elder Scrolls Oblivion

11. Thief The Dark Project

12. Tie Fighter

13. World Of WarCraft Reign Of Chaos

14. Mass Effect

15. Global Civilizations II Twilight of the Arnor

16. Battlezone

17. FreeSpace 2

18. NHL East side Hockey Manager

19. Mafia

20. Assassins Creed

These are all really good games. Some old and some new but all great to play. There are of course others but these will do for now. If you have not played these games then do yourself a favor and check them out. You will have a blast if you do. Also remember that just because councils are the fade now does not mean that the PC is done for. The PC has a line of unique games that I have not seen any council even get close to. The only council that ever did was the 3DO but thanks to stupid people no one purchased one. It carried games like Space Hulk Vengeance of the Blood Angels and Syndicate. Two very cool games. It also had others but the best one was Star Control II. This is an old game but one of the best. Find it and download it for yourself. You will love it.

 

What do they do?

What is lesbian sex? What do lesbians do? Many people seem totally unable to imagine what two women could do together. As a public service, this article seeks to enlighten readers on the subject of lesbian sex. This is not meant to be prurient but simply to inform. Heterosexuals might use some of this information to enhance their own sex lives. Remember, these activities are enjoyed by different women and at different times.

Why do people seem to have so much difficulty figuring out lesbian sex? One reason might be that some people (but not most women) think that a woman must be penetrated by a penis to enjoy full sex. There are many crude comments by men about or to lesbians that allude to this false belief. This, of course, is not true.

Lesbians tend to be much more whole body sexual than do most heterosexuals. Hugging from head to toe, kissing and caressing the entire body is very common. The average time for lovemaking between lesbians is 90 minutes as opposed to 20 minutes for heterosexuals. Lesbians have more orgasms than their heterosexual sisters do, which is not surprising given that women need more time to become fully aroused but when they do they can keep going.

When people imagine lesbian sex, the most common image is that of mutual masturbation. This is never or almost never practiced. One woman may insert two or three fingers into her partner while keeping a thumb on her partner's clitoris. She moves her fingers inside her lover and her thumb on her clitoris. She may be moving against her lover's thigh.

Another practice is called tribidism and an old term for lesbians is Tribids. This is a fancy word for mutually rubbing, or grinding against each other's genitals. This can go all the way to orgasm but is most frequently part of "foreplay."

I have put "foreplay" in parenthesis because it really is not a part of lesbian sex. It is meant to warm up the partners for intercourse and since lesbians are not goal oriented while making love, the concept of "foreplay" doesn't have much meaning.

Probably the most beloved practice is oral sex. One partner concentrates on pleasuring the other and this gives her great pleasure also.

Becoming more and more common is the dildo with strap on. Dildos have been around for a long time. All archeological digs turn them up and the diary of Ann Lister, a Tom (butch) in early 19th century England mentions them. The dildo wearer inserts the dildo through a hole in the strap on and snugs it in with a ring. The strap has a base, which rubs against the wearer's clitoris thus stimulating her as she moves against her partner.

These are the most common practices of lesbian sex. The most important idea is that lesbian sex involves the whole body. While the sex is sometimes urgent and fast, most times it is slow and takes its time. Heterosexual lovers can take these tips from lesbians and enhance their own lovemaking.

Christmas NBA

The NBA schedule for the 2008-2009 season has been released, and the primary thing that should be noticed, is that there will be 5 games played on December 25th this year. In a stark change from past years, the National Basketball Association is pulling out all the stops with a full line-up of games to celebrate Christmas.

Immediately brought to mind, is that the holiday has been for years considered a football day, where you could normally see a Detroit Lions or Dallas Cowboys game while the Turkey was being cooked. It is pretty obvious that the NBA wants to do battle in both the ratings and with sports fans as they have loaded up the Christmas Day line-up with a veritable smorgasbord of offerings. A day that was once dominated by football watching could soon become a split of the ratings bonanza on a day where typical programming is relegated to either only sporting events, news, re-hashed Christmas specials, or It's a Wonderful Life.

According to the NBA schedule, the games will get started at 12pm Eastern (9am Pacific) with the Orlando Magic hosting the New Orleans Hornets. Olympic team members Dwight Howard (ORL) and Chris Paul (NO) get to face off in what will be a great match-up. ABC will be hosting a double-header over on their network, starting with the San Antonio Spurs playing the Phoenix Suns. This will pit Tim Duncan (SA) against Shaquille O'Neal and Steve Nash (PHO) in what will probably be a playoff preview. That game is followed on ABC by a re-match of this years NBA Finals, with the Boston Celtics traveling to Los Angeles to play the Lakers.
Finally, over on TNT, Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards will travel to play the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, followed by the Dallas Mavericks traveling to Portland to play the Trailblazers. Certainly this is going to be a day packed with games, and with many channels to choose from, it is going to be a big day in sports. Not only that, but the schedule makers were nice enough to give fans the superstar treatment, with many of the best players in the game all playing on the same day. This is a good move by the NBA, and maybe a sign that the league really wants to head in the right direction after some off-season hiccups. One thing is for sure though, this Christmas we are all getting basketball as a present.

French Kissing

Kissing is one of the best ways to show affection to a loved one. It is great way to start and end the day being kissed passionately. This is also the key in maintaining an intimate relationship. This is why learning how to French kiss is something very important to people who have not experienced it yet.

The French Kiss

There are different kinds of kisses that people will share. There is the kiss on the cheek that is quite common in most communities. People also do the Eskimo kisses. The air kiss is also one way of showing you care to friends.

French kiss is a more intimate gesture. This is something that you can only share with your love one. This is not to be taken lightly. The French kiss happens the moment the mouth of two persons touch, involving some tongue action. The tongue moves in and out of the mouth as the partners share the intimate moment.

It is very important to learn how to French kiss well because it will tell a lot about the sexual compatibility of the partners. It can also make or break a relationship. It is difficult to get kissed again when the French kiss is done very badly. Thus, learning how to French kiss will help a lot.

Learning How to French Kiss

Keep in mind that learning how to French kiss will not come easily if you merely think of how the tongue moves. They say that it is even difficult to practice on this one. However you can keep in mind a few tips that will help you prepare for your real French kiss.

1. Practice Alone
Some people try practicing alone. This will not equip you with the necessary experience. Some even find this embarrassing. However, it can be helpful in preparing yourself for that moment.

2. Ask Your Partner
It is best to ask your partner or love one. Tell him or her that you have not really done this yet. This can be one way for the two of you to explore things together or your partner can lead you throughout. By doing this, you can test the waters without the worries that your partner might think of you as a complete failure.
3. The Element of Love
Keep in mind that the French kiss is a passionate act. You cannot expect to successfully do this unless you feel love and affection to the partner. Sharing a kiss with tongue action requires giving yourself up to a certain extent. Your partner will be able to tell on how much you can give through the kiss. Thus, do not expect to learn how to French kiss easily if you or your partner do not feel any love chemistry.

4. Read Each Other
Learning how to French kiss also involves some rhythm and synchrony. You and your partner have to read each other as you kiss. This means reading the body language to know what to do. For example, you cannot constantly do the tongue action. You have to feel if your partner wants to kiss your lips, then you stick with that. Once he or she moves closer then you can read this as a desire to share a French kiss.

5. Relax and Enjoy
Finally, you have to relax and enjoy this intimate moment. You might be scared on how you will do on your French kiss. However, you cannot keep thinking of such things or else you might hold back. You have to be comfortable to be able to give a good kiss. Just go with the flow of your feelings and desire.

Conclusion
Learning how to French kiss is an art. It is a good thing to learn as you share this passionate moment with your love one. Nothing compares to having that perfect French kiss.

Online earning experiences

I'm always interested in deals online where you can earn cash. When I saw on discussions boards a place to earn free phone call minutes and cash just for signing up for free offers, I figured I'd try it out. Another suggested website was where you can submit tips to earn money. The first offer I signed up for was for free calls.

Phonehog.com is a website that claims you can earn free minutes by simply joining for a newsletter, giving a zip code or answering s survey. Sounds pretty easy. You simply register with your name, e-mail and password. Then you are given an e-mail by phone hog explaining your membership details. The next e-mail is a newsletter with deals to entice. For example if you only enter your zip code, they offer you 7 free minutes.

I signed up for the Coca Cola rewards deal. You sign up for their newsletter and phone hog will credit your account with 24 free minutes. With the Coke rewards program you can enter the code from the cap of special marked bottles and possible win free stuff. Phone hog says on it's website to wait one business day for your account to be credited. It's been over seven now and I still have no minutes added to my account. But I have the Coca Cola membership from the website sitting in my inbox.

I also signed up for a free couple for heartburn medication. The website claims you can get a free trial of their product if you answer a few questions regarding your heartburn needs. The website itself was easy enough to negative through. I waited and checked my phone hog account daily to see if they had credited me with 25 free phone minutes.

As each day went by I ended up getting the usually e-mail newsletter telling about offers to earn free minutes but never once an e-mail that I had minutes. But I did receive one thing from phone hog, a lot of spam! More then one time a day I would receive newsletters claiming on more minutes from partners. I decided to unsubscribe from their website. They have three options on their subscribing page. One is to stay with the newsletters, have less e-mail sent or three have all newsletters stopped. I voted for the unsubscribing completely. This is one website that I won't be continuing with.
Another website I checked out was Itpaystolearn.com. Here you sign up for offers and they pay you in cash via paypal. I signed up for two newsletters and was suppose to earn $4.00. I was excited because I had heard from another person they pay promptly the next day. I waited and checked on my account with the e-mail they send you. Every day now it always says the same thing, they need to make sure you have signed up with their advertisers. Daily I receive from the two offers I signed up for, spam. Several e-mails about signing up for more items. I'm still wondering where are my earnings.

What I've learned from both of these websites is to be more careful when signing up. It's a good idea to check reviews and hear if others have had spamming experiences. You can check out both websites for yourself and see if you have a different experience. Luckily under the newsletters is a unsubscribing link.

Daytripper was a more pleasant experience. When you register you give your name, account name, password, address and how you would prefer to be paid if your work is published. They offer payment by check, paypal or a donation to charity. After signing up you can start submitting a tip for possible publication. It can be about anything. Keep in mind that submitting a tip doesn't mean it will be published. In a few days you'll receive an e-mail regarding if your tip will be published. Publishing/payment times vary from weeks to even months so prepare to be patient.

Cuban Crisis

The payroll for Mark Cuban's pro basketball team, the Dallas Mavericks, is pegged at $92 million and change this season, according to the web site sportscity.com. But Mark Cuban can afford it, because he's one of the Information Age gurus who didn't bomb out a decade ago. Forbes magazine last year reported his net worth at $2.8 billion. Why, then, would Mark Cuban mess around with a paltry $750,000 insider trading crime, as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleges in a filing today?

Even the lowest-paid Dallas Maverick, benchwarmer Nick Fazekas, makes a reported $711,517. Of course, that's nothing next to Jason Kidd at $21,372,000, or Dirk Nowitzki at $17,178,100.

But Mark Cuban is charged in federal court by the SEC. He is accused of selling 600,000 shares of mamma.com, an Internet search operation, while he possessed confidential information. To avoid a $750,000 loss, that's only a buck-and-a-quarter per share, and if this whole deal is true, Cuban sold high.

The alleged violation of antifraud federal securities laws transpired in June 2004, and even though the Dallas Mavericks didn't make the National Basketball Association finals that season, owner Mark Cuban's mind may have elsewhere at that time of year. Those who still follow the pro game know Cuban for dressing in blue jeans and T-shirts (or team jerseys), sitting behind the team bench and shouting at the referees. There's no skybox at Reunion Arena for Mark Cuban, and wikipedia.org estimates that he has paid $1,665,000 in fines to league offices, which distresses Cuban to such an extent that he gives matching money to charity.

Mark Cuban sure seems to enjoy life more than your average stuffy billionaire, even though a coveted NBA championship has eluded the Dallas Mavericks, and they got knocked out of last spring's playoffs in the first round. At least they are making the playoffs, which was not true eight years ago before he obtained the franchise for $285 million from H. Ross Perot Jr.
What can you say about a guy who once complained that the league's manager of officials (Ed T. Rush) was so lousy, he "wouldn't be able to manage a Dairy Queen?" The Dairy Queen folks were either truly offended and/or saw a chance for publicity, and so Mark Cuban managed a Dairy Queen for a day.

In this mamma.com case, it seems Cuban may be in line for a stiff civil fine from the Securities and Exchange Commission. If the SEC follows through, the NBA may have to wait in line.

Where to find Christmas Deals?

Christmas is a time for joy and gift giving, and at times it can be hard to find the best gifts at prices that won't break your back. Have you ever wondered where to buy the hottest Christmas gifts at inexpensive prices? Many of us have, and it turns out that the competition between big box stores such as Target and Wal-Mart are heating up. From Black Friday to Christmas, some of the greatest sales on consumer electronics that we'll see in years are almost here. Basically, all this is due to the state of the economy and competition between larger stores. Fact is, while smaller businesses are closing their doors and shutting down, big box stores like Target and Wal-Mart are doing great.

Target-

For some it may feel that Target has been in the shadow of other stores for years. However, Target is now ready to ready to jump out in the world where Wal-Mart is the main competition for it. If you've been following the Saturday newspaper in your local area then maybe you have seen the advertisements for buy two get one free Wii games, which is pretty impressive but was just a one day sale.

Expect Target to have some extremely amazing sales coming up for Christmas on Hi-Definition televisions, Blu-Ray players, and even Laptops. According to ABI Research, Blu-Ray players may even drop to $150-$200 range for the Holiday season.

Wal-Mart-

Much like Target, Wal-Mart is in competition mode and is ready to slash prices for the Holiday season. Most notable of all is Wal-Mart's sale on Playstation 3, which includes two Playstation 3 games and four Blu-Ray movies for $488. Also, Wal-Mart even has sales on Hi-Definition televisions just like Target and other larger stores.

Looking for a laptop? Rather then going to the local pawnshop for deals, why not try shopping at Wal-Mart. Recently Wal-Mart slashed prices on Laptops, and now sell laptops from $348 and up.

Best Buy-
A quick look at Best Buy website will reveal that they now have a sale on select television models for 5% to 15% off. Do you want a laptop or personal computer? Best Buy has a sale on laptops, ranging from $150 to $250 off on laptops, and $80 to $288 on personal computers. Of course all of these prices could be changed any time, but many expect them to be slashed before Christmas gets here.

Needless to say, all three of these amazing stores will have great sales for the Holiday seasons. Right now all of the prices are low, and they will only get lower, as the economy remains in the dumps, companies will look for new ways to reach the consumer and sell merchandise.

Female Viagra

 Coffee and the caffeine that comes with it have gotten a bad rap over the years in terms of whether or not it's good for you. But the latest scientific and medical research shows that there are plenty health benefits, as well according to an article in the January issue of Food Technology, by Roger Clemens and James Coughlin.

The authors contend that the latest scientific research, as well as reviews of the last 30 years of thousands of controlled studies, tell us that moderate coffee consumption (3-5 cups a day) can reduce the risk of a number of diseases and conditions, including type 2 diabetes, liver disease, Parkinson's disease, and cardiovascular disease.

The antioxidants that naturally occur in the brewing process means that coffee can reduce the risk of cancer, too.

Reducing Caffeine Doesn't Affect Child's Birth Weight

When I found out I was pregnant with my children, I immediately stopped drinking my morning java (and suffered from the horrible withdrawal symptoms that went with it, including headaches, lethargy, crankiness--or maybe those were just the oh-so-lovely signs of pregnancy...). It just didn't seem right to be funneling a caffeine stimulant to my fetuses.

Turns out, even if I hadn't stopped drinking coffee, the extra doses of morning caffeine may not have affected the lengths of my pregnancies or my babies' birth weights.

According to research published on BMJ Online First (a web publication from the British Medical Journal), Danish researchers monitored 1,207 healthy pregnant women who drank more than three cups of coffee a day. Half were given decaffeinated coffee, half caffeinated coffee. Neither group was told which kind they were drinking.

Once they gave birth, researchers found there was no real difference in either the length of the pregnancy or birth weight between the two groups.

Previous scientific research had shown mixed results in the connection between caffeine intake and low birthweights and pre-term births. Some controlled studies seemed to show a link between caffeine and fetal development, others had not.

Coffee a Female Viagra?
Researchers at Southwestern University found that female lab rats who were given caffeine were more "motivated" to be with male rats in a sexual way. A dose of caffeine shortened the amount of time the female rats returned to their male partners "following an ejaculation," according to the study abstract.

However, the scientists point out that these rats had never had caffeine before. Their reactions may have been based on their being "caffeine virgins," so the same effects may not be seen among humans who already drink coffee, green tea, diet sodas or other caffeinated beverages regularly.