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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Wishful Thinking and Middle-Class Taxes


IN the continuing fiscal negotiations between President Obama and House Republicans, both sides have, from the very beginning, agreed on one point: Taxes on the middle class must not rise. But maybe it’s time to reconsider this premise. An unwavering commitment to keep middle-class taxes low could be one reason the political process has become so deeply dysfunctional.
Michael Marsicano
Let’s start with the problem: the budget deficit. Under current policy, the federal government is spending vastly more than it is collecting in tax revenue. And that will be true for the next several decades, thanks largely to the growth in entitlement spending that will occur automatically as the population ages and health care costs increase. As a result, the ratio of government debt to the nation’s gross domestic product is projected to rise, substantially and without an end in sight.
That can happen for a while, or even a long while, but not forever. At some point, investors at home and abroad will start questioning our ability to service our debts without creating steep inflation. It’s hard to say precisely when this shift in investor sentiment will occur, and even whether it will strike in this president’s term or the next, but when it does, it won’t be pretty. The United States will find itself at the brink of an unprecedented financial crisis.
Republicans and Democrats agree on the nature of the problem, but they embrace very different solutions. My fear is that both sides are engaged in an excess of wishful thinking, with a dash of mendacity.
If Republicans had their way, they would focus the entire solution on the spending side. They say that reform of the entitlement programs can reduce their cost. The so-called premium-support plan for Medicare, from Paul D. Ryan, the 2012 Republican vice-presidential candidate, would let older Americans use their health care dollars to buyinsurance from competing private plans. (Interestingly, it’s similar to the system envisioned for the nonelderly by President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.) The hope is that competition and choice would keep health care costs down without sacrificing quality.
The premium-support model may well be better than the current Medicare system, but its supporters oversell what it would be likely to accomplish. The primary driver of increasing health care costs over time is new technology, which extends and improves the quality of life, but often at high cost. Unless the pace or nature of medical innovation changes, this trend is likely to continue, regardless of structural reforms we enact for Medicare.
Democrats, meanwhile, want to preserve the social safety net pretty much as is. They balk at any attempt to reduce this spending, including even modest changes like altering the price index used to calculate Social Security benefits. They focus their attention on raising taxes on the most financially successful Americans, contending that the rich are not paying their “fair share.”
Fairness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately, people’s judgment is often based on anecdotes that distort rather than illuminate. The story of the undertaxed Warren Buffett and his overtaxed secretary looms larger in the public’s mind than it should.
Here are some facts, so you can judge for yourself:
In 2009, the most recent year for which data are available, the richest 1 percent of Americans paid 28.9 percent of their income in federal taxes, according to the Congressional Budget Office. (That includes income taxes, both individual and corporate, and payroll taxes.) Members of the middle class, defined as the middle fifth of households, paid 11.1 percent of their income in taxes.
Some of this difference in tax rates is attributable to temporary tax changes passed in response to the recent recession. But not all. In 2006, before the financial crisis, the top 1 percent paid 30 percent of their income in taxes, compared with 13.9 percent for the middle class.
These data suggest that the rich are not, as a general matter, shirking their responsibilities to support the federal government. To me, the current tax system looks plenty progressive. Others may disagree.
One point, however, cannot be disputed: Even if President Obama wins all the tax increases on the rich that he is asking for, the long-term fiscal picture will still look grim. Perhaps we can stabilize the situation for a few years just by taxing the rich, but as greater numbers of baby boomers retire and start collecting Social Security and Medicare, more will need to be done.
Which brings us back to the middle class. When President Obama talks about taxing the rich, he means the top 2 percent of Americans. John A. Boehner, the House speaker, talks about an even thinner slice. But the current and future fiscal imbalances are too large to exempt 98 percent or more of the public from being part of the solution.
Ultimately, unless we scale back entitlement programs far more than anyone in Washington is now seriously considering, we will have no choice but to increase taxes on a vast majority of Americans. This could involve higher tax rates or an elimination of popular deductions. Or it could mean an entirely new tax, such as a value-added tax or a carbon tax.
To be sure, the path ahead is not easy. No politician who wants to be re-elected is eager to entertain the possibility of higher taxes on the middle class. But fiscal negotiations might become a bit easier if everyone started by agreeing that the policies we choose must be constrained by the laws of arithmetic.
N. Gregory Mankiw is a professor of economics at Harvard. He was an adviser to Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential campaign.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

How a Bad Boss treats there Employees.

Does he command your employees? Taking a drill sergeant attitude with your staff only alienates them from you. Remember: being a boss isn't a power play; your job is to facilitate better communication and help your team do a better job. You won't make them want to work harder if you're barking orders.

Is there open door policy a farce? If, despite you insisting that your door is always open to the employee who needs to chat, you invisibly push people away from coming to you with real issues with your terse and tense attitude, you're not doing anyone any favors. A well-run office builds its foundation on communication, and if you're not the one encouraging dialogue, your team can't move forward successfully.

Does he micromanage? Even if you don't see it this way, constantly following up with each and every employee to make sure he does his job correctly is plain insulting. After all, your staff was hired because they were competent at a certain skill set. With you checking up on their work, they won't feel any compulsion to do their best; after all, you're only going to criticize it.

Are they stingy with the compliments? Giving the old "atta boy" doesn't come easy to all managers, and that's fine. But realize the benefits of occasionally letting your employees know they're doing well and that you've taken notice: they'll be more inclined to continue doing great things, hoping you'll notice.

Is your boss wishy-washy? Do you hate conflict? Do you say whatever it takes to get someone out of your hair, but then never follow through to amend a bad situation? Your staff won't respect you if you're not standing up for them, and they'll choose their own leader, manager or otherwise.

 Do they tend to block visibility for executives? If you tend to wave your hands when your boss ask how things are going in your department and say, "I've got it," you're missing out on an opportunity to be the link between executives and your department. That connection can help your department get recognized for great work, as well as get support when things get out of hand. But you have to be honest when you're in over your head.

 Does your staff drag in to work in the morning? You can't take all the credit for this, but if they dread coming in to work because of your iron fist, it's time to soften up. Unhappy employees are ones that will leave for a better opportunity, so it's to your benefit to keep them happy.

Do they hand off there assignments to there peons? If you constantly shirk your duties and pass them off to your employees, you're probably not long for your position. Never curry favors by giving assignments that you should be handling yourself.
 
Do your boss like there job? If you're unhappy in your role as manager, how can you expect the people who work for you to be happy? If you're letting your dissatisfaction with your job show, it's affecting your team's morale. Find a solution. Either find another job or button up your feelings and boost the spirits of your staff.

Monday, December 10, 2012

No Facebook / Did FB Get Shut Down?

It appears that Facebook is Down. This is not your computer or webbrouser.  FB is down. Hopefully it will be up later. 12/10/2012

Update - Facebook is back up, FB reps stated “Earlier today we made a change to our DNS infrastructure, and that change resulted in some people being temporarily unable to reach the site. We detected and resolved the issue quickly, and we are now back to 100 percent. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
And this sad news came just a few hours after we confirmed widespread Gmail outages. If we start seeing Fail Whales,that will make some kind of social media nightmare..
In the event that you just can’t wait a few minutes to get your Facebook fix, try beta.Facebook.com instead.

This webpage is not available

The server at www.facebook.com can't be found, because the DNS lookup failed. DNS is the network service that translates a website's name to its Internet address. This error is most often caused by having no connection to the Internet or a misconfigured network. It can also be caused by an unresponsive DNS server or a firewall preventing Google Chrome from accessing the network.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Reload this webpage later.
  • Check your Internet connection. Restart any router, modem, or other network devices you may be using.
  • Check your DNS settings. Contact your network administrator if you're not sure what this means.
  • Try disabling network prediction by following these steps: Go to the Chrome menu > Settings > Show advanced settings... and deselect "Predict network actions to improve page load performance." If this does not resolve the issue, we recommend selecting this option again for improved performance.
  • Add Google Chrome as a permitted program in your firewall's or antivirus software's settings. If it is already a permitted program, try deleting it from the list of permitted programs and adding it again.
  • If you use a proxy server, check your proxy settings or contact your network administrator to make sure the proxy server is working. If you don't believe you should be using a proxy server, adjust your proxy settings: Go to the Chrome menu >Settings > Show advanced settings... > Change proxy settings... > LAN Settings and deselect the "Use a proxy server for your LAN" checkbox.
Error 105 (net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED): Unable to resolve the server's DNS address.
NO FACEBOOK!,Facebook down, Server not Found.. Facebook dead !Site OFFFacebook is currently
Avatar






Downfacebook wont load:(, , , , FB site down not loading

YMCA Sucks

The YMCA Sucks ass to work for. They only pay $8.00hr and are mean to there employees. The Hours are  split shift until late evening. Management loves to play favorites. Management likes to verbally abuse the employees. They make you work while being sick. Do not take a job for the YMCA. It is not worth the headache.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Newfangled 4Loot - Worddash

Definition of NEWFANGLED

1: attracted to novelty
2: of the newest style or kind <had many newfangled gadgets in the kitchen>

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Mitt Romney Caught Cheating During 1st Debate

Mitt Romney cheating during the debate on October 3rd 2012.
"No props, notes, charts, diagrams, or other writings or other tangible things may be brought into the debate by any candidate."

Mitt Romney snuck a cheat sheet filled with notes on stage. The evidence comes from the first few seconds of the debate, during which Romney takes something out of his pocket and casually tosses it on to the lectern.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Bucky Lasek was born on December 3, 1972

To days 4-loot blitz answer is Bucky Lasek,born on December 3, 1972.

Pizzazz / 4Lopt

Todays word was Pizzazz - Countertop Pizza Oven or Pizzazz Performance Wear!

Friday, November 30, 2012

How to Win Facebook Credits on 4Loot.com | eHow.com

The website 4Loot includes a search engine that allows people to win Facebook credits just by searching the Internet from 4Loot. Using the 4Loot search engine is free.
Win Facebook Credits at 4Loot.com!

Get Free War Commander credits. Using 4loot. Build up your base for Free, Repair your Platoons for Free.
4Loot.com is a cool website where you can win Facebook Credits by searching the web and doing other fun stuff

Win Facebook Credits at 4Loot.com!

Brouhaha on 4loot

A brouhaha (from French brouhaha, possibly from a corruption of Hebrew בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא (barúkh habá, “welcome”, literally “blessed is he who comes,” a phrase uttered by devils or demons in early modern French religious dramas) is a state of social agitation when a minor incident gets out of control, sometimes referred to as an uproar or hubbub brouhaha (from French brouhaha, possibly from a corruption of Hebrew בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא (barúkh habá, “welcome”, literally “blessed is he who comes,” a phrase uttered by devils or demons in early modern French religious dramas) is a state of social agitation when a minor incident gets out of control, sometimes referred to as an uproar or hubbub

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

YMCA Made My Wife Work While Being Sick Exposing Children to Laryngiti

I am extremely mad at the YMCA. My wife was diagnosed with Laryngitis by her doctor.  She tried to call in sick to the YMCA and they said no. Come to work anyway.  How can the YMCA expose young kids to this illness.  Sunny @ North Shore Elementary YMCA daycare in St. Petersburg FL told my wife to come to work, knowing that she was sick.  This is  unethical. Sunny should not be in any position to work for the YMCA. Knowingly exposing children to a flu like virus. 

The YMCA shows no Mercy to there employees. The YMCA also forced my wife to work even when sick. Knowing it is a health risk to there community. Unforchantly  Florida is a "right to work" state. Which means, If an employee can't perform the essential functions of the job because of medical problems. 
They're out of luck.  What I don't understand is that if your kid goes to the YMCA, they send them home if they show even the slightest sign of a fever or and cold like symptoms.   But they are making my wife work knowing they are exposing kids.
Laryngitis is swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the voice box (larynx) that is usually associated with hoarseness or loss of voice. Symptoms: Fever; Hoarseness; Swollen lymph nodes or glands in the neck.



"Right to Work" is a term involving union organization and if employees have to join a union present at the employment site in order to remain employed at the company; different states have different laws about that and in a state with right to work you don't have to join the union to remain employed with the company.

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/work-employment/27531-can-you-fired-calling-sick-pension-5.html#ixzz2CmlVhcDZ
"Right to Work" is a term involving union organization and if employees have to join a union present at the employment site in order to remain employed at the company; different states have different laws about that and in a state with right to work you don't have to join the union to remain employed with the company.

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/work-employment/27531-can-you-fired-calling-sick-pension-5.html#ixzz2CmlVhcDZ
"Right to Work" is a term involving union organization and if employees have to join a union present at the employment site in order to remain employed at the company; different states have different laws about that and in a state with right to work you don't have to join the union to remain employed with the company.

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/work-employment/27531-can-you-fired-calling-sick-pension-5.html#ixzz2CmlVhcDZ
"Right to Work" is a term involving union organization and if employees have to join a union present at the employment site in order to remain employed at the company; different states have different laws about that and in a state with right to work you don't have to join the union to remain employed with the company.

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/forum/work-employment/27531-can-you-fired-calling-sick-pension-5.html#ixzz2CmlVhcDZ

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Tao Tao, Eco Green Motorcycle & Scooter Review

Last month I bought a Tao Tao 49cc scooter from Eco Green Motorcycle & Scooter (http://www.greenbikesale.com/). The store is really nice and they have many scooters to chose from.  I was on a budget, so, I chose the cheapest scooter. Tao Tao 49cc, ATM50-A1 for $650. They offered a 1 year guaranteed on parts. However it was void if the scooter was dropped or wrecked. After the first week, my wife dropped the scooter. It was clear that it was dropped. but it still ran and drove great.  Now that we had it for 1 month and less then 200 miles. It is giving me problems.  It is really hard to start and when running, it will not stay running.  I took it to a friend who does small engine repair. The plan was to clean out and to adjust the carburetor. After removing the carburetor, it was clear that you could not clean it. It was assembled  with ribbots not screws, there is no choke and you can not adjust fuel to air ratio. The Tao Tao is China Crap.  The battery was plane black with no name or labels.  All the hardware was loose and the gas lines were not properly inline. Eco Green Motorcycle & Scooter assembled this scooter 1/2 ass.  I was snot happy with the quality of the Tao Tao 49cc scooter. TheTao Tao 49cc, ATM50-A1Speedy  Scooters Sucks Ass. Take my advice and don't go with the cheapest.
 For Parts  after it breaks down http://www.eagleatvparts.com/index.php




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Friday, October 26, 2012

Halloween Events, Pinellas County FL / Tampa Bay

Trick-or-treat 2012! Halloween-themed fun is happening all around Pinellas County.

TBNweekly.com put together a list of events and activities sent in by readers. The list is sorted by date.

• Pumpkin patch through Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., at First United Church of Pinellas Park, 9025 49th St. N., Pinellas Park. Trunk or Treating is Sunday, Oct. 28, 6 to 8 p.m. The church will host its Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival will feature crafts, entertainment, games and food. For information, call 546-5741. 

• Eighth annual Field of Screams, Friday, Oct. 26, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Seminole Recreation Center, 9100 113th St., Seminole. The event includes Seminole’s unique “Spook Zone,” which includes bounce houses, inflatable slides and carnival games, Lazer Tag, a costume contest, family photo area, and free Halloween candy.

The festive event appeals to all ages. Those attending should come dressed in costumes. Food and beverage will be available for purchase. Cost of participation in the spook zone is $5 and includes unlimited play in bounce houses and carnival games. For more information, please call 391-8345.

• Spooktacular and Fall Festival, Friday, Oct. 26, 6 to 9 p.m., at Treasure Bay Golf and Tennis, 10315 Paradise Blvd., Treasure Island. Activities include a costume contest, carnival games, glow golf and moonwalks, along with interactive games, a haunted hayride and spooky cemetery, as well as entertainment and refreshments. Judging for the costume contest begins at 6:30 p.m. with the 2-year-old and under age group.

The haunted hayride and cemetery opens about 7 p.m. For more information, call the Recreation Department at 547-4575, ext. 237.

• Spooktacular, Friday, Oct. 26, at Countryside Recreation Center, 2640 Sabal Springs Drive, Clearwater, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Entertainment includes the Trail of Terror, a pumpkin patch, costume contest, inflatables, carnival games with prizes, and music. Call 669-1914.

• JD’s Halloween Party, Friday, Oct. 26. Door prizes and Costume Contest with more than $175 in prizes. Halloween night, Oct. 31, kids in costume eat free off from items on the goblin menu. Call 727-595-1320 for times and more information. JD’s Restaurant and Lounge is at 125 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach.

• Haunted Tavern of Terror, Friday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m. Rosie's Tavern of Dunedin transforms into a Haunted Tavern of Terror with live music by Razed by Wolves, a costume contest with a $50 bar tab prize for best costume and a pumpkin carving contest. Pumpkin entries will be accepted at the Dragonfly Garden next door. The party is in conjunction with Dunedin’s Downtown Trick or Treat.  For more information call 727-724-4209. Rosie’s Tavern is located at 730 Broadway on the corner of Main St. and Broadway in Stirling Commons.

• Pandemonium II Return of the Horde, Seminole’s premier haunted attraction for five years, Friday, Oct. 26, 6 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 27, 6 to 11 p.m., at the Seminole Recreation Center. Admission is $5. A portion of the receipts benefits Kiwanis Clubs of Seminole’s community projects. The event is intense and may not be good for small children. The recreation center is at 9100 113th St, Seminole. For more information, call 391-8345 or visit www.myseminole.com.

• Halloween in the Park XV, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27, 6 to 10 p.m., in the picnic area at Honeymoon Island State Park, 1 Causeway Blvd., Dunedin. The Florida Park Service and Friends of the Island Parks Inc. sponsor this annual event. This year’s theme will focus on the Wild West complete with a haunted house as well as scenes along the scary trail. There will be a family area for the younger ones where children and adults will be entertained with Halloween themed arts and crafts, games, music and freeze dance. Activities include face painting for the kids, fortune telling for the parents, games, bungee jump, dunk tank, storytelling with the Dunedin library, food and fun. A donation of $10 per carload includes 10 free game tickets. Annual passes are not valid for this after hours event. Participants can wear their costumes, if they want. Wear walking shoes and bring insect repellant and a small flashlight. For information, call 462-6187.

• Halloween Spooktacular for Kids, Saturday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Armed Forces History Museum, 2050 34th Way N., Largo. Activities for kids include a scavenger hunt for treats throughout the museum, decorating cupcakes and cookies; take-home arts and crafts projects; games; and a costume contest. The event is sponsored in part by Publix. Discounted tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $5 for youths 4 to 12. Call 539-8371 or visit www.armedforcesmuseum.com.

• Halloween Spooktacular, Saturday, Oct. 27, noon to 6 p.m., at Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, Largo. This family-friendly event features fun and games for kids 14 and younger as well as a free trick-or-treat trail, open from noon to 4 p.m. In addition to games, there will be music, concessions, bounce houses, ropes course, a petting zoo and strolling entertainment. Event wristbands cost $5 in advance for recreation cardholders and $6 without a card. All wristbands purchased the day of the event will be $7. Wristbands are required for all inflatables, games and activities. Children must meet height requirements for bounce houses and rides. Limited on-site parking will be available for $5. There will be free park-and-walk areas at Everest University, Largo Middle School and the School Board parking lot. For more information, call 587-6775 or visit LargoEvents.com.

• Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary Hallowings Haunted Carnival Saturday, Oct. 27, 6:30 to 11:30 p.m., at Inside The Gates, 2338 Emerson Ave. S., St. Petersburg. The fun-filled fundraiser will include live music, a costume contest, carnival games, door prizes, food and drinks. First prize in the costume contest is a five-day stay at a Redington Beach condominium. The music lineup includes Dean Johanesen, Noah Broe and the Groove Company, Shoeless Soul and The Josh Magwood Band. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The ticket price includes a buffet dinner and one drink. Buy tickets in advance by calling 391-6211. For more information, call Don at 518-4652 or Micki at 785-7090.

• Shepherd Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival, Saturday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 10891 102nd Ave., Seminole. Activities will include a pumpkin patch, free food, carnival games, crafts, pumpkin decorating, and bounce houses. Pumpkin sales support the youth group. For information, call 391-4644 or visitmygoodshepherd.net.

• Sixth annual Witchstock 2012, Saturday, Oct. 27, 3 p.m. to midnight, at Witch’s Brew, 1219 Florida Ave. Witchstock features a Pet Costume Contest at 3:30 p.m.; Kids Costume Contest at 5 p.m. and an Adult Costume Contest with a sexiest costume category at 9 p.m. Winners receive customized Witchstock trophies and prizes. Adult costume contest winners receive cash prizes of $100, $75 & and 50 for first and second place and sexiest costume. There is no entry fee and participants are encouraged to arrive a half hour prior to contest to register. 

Terry Premru will fingerpick songs from The Wizard of Oz on his acoustic guitar at 4:30 p.m.; Higher Tides will play songs from the 60s at 6 p.m. The Defendants rock the house from 7:30 to 11 p.m. The event will be streamed live on www.livestream.com/thewitchsbrew and archived on the internet for on demand viewing. The Witch’s Brew is located at 1219 Florida Ave. in Historic Downtown Palm Harbor. Call 727-483-9210, emailinfo@thewitchsbrew.com or visit www.Witchstock.com.

• Halloween Happening, presented by the Dunedin Parks & Recreation Department , Saturday, Oct. 27, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Highlander Park, 1920 Pinehurst Road, Dunedin. This family-friendly event features child-focused games and crafts, Boo in the Zoo, bounce houses, spooky storytelling and a costume contest. This year's Haunted Hayride will test visitors’ scare and thrill limits with the theme of Zombie Apocalypse and a host of scary creatures lurking in the night. Wristbands cost $10 and include all game booths, crafts, inflatables, costume contest and Boo in the Zoo. Hayride tickets are $5. Concessions will be available. Parking is $5, cash only. An ATM will be available during event. Proceeds will benefit the Dunedin for Youth Scholarship Fund. Volunteers are needed. For information, call 812-4530 or visit us online www.dunedingov.com.

• Halloween Carnival, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 6 to 8 p.m., at Clearwater Beach Library and Recreation Center, 69 Bay Esplanade, Clearwater. Admission is free. Carnival game tickets will be five for $1. The event will feature small carnival games, costume contests, crafts, story time and light refreshments. For information, call 462-6138 or visitwww.myclearwater.com.

• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, a special story time for ages 6 and up, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m., at the Palm Harbor Library. No preregistration is necessary. For further information, call the youth services department at 784-3332, ext. 3018.

• Halloween Treat Trail, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m., at England Brothers Park, 5010 81st Ave. N., Pinellas Park. Girls and boys of all ages may collect candy donated by local businesses and community organizations. The free event kicks off at 6 p.m. Radio Disney will provide activities, costume contest and prizes. Refreshments and popcorn will be provided. For information, call 541-0895.

• Boo Bash – Wednesday, Oct. 31, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Bright House Field, 601 N. Old Coachman Road. This free event features interactive areas for kids, games, hayrides, a haunted house, costume parade on the field, and plenty of candy. For information, call 467-4457 or visitwww.thresherbaseball.com.

• Spooktacular Pumpkin Contest, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m., at the Safety Harbor Public Library, 101 Second St. N., Safety Harbor. Contestants may bring a painted, carved, or otherwise crafted-out pumpkin for display and judging. Sign-in for the contest is at 5 p.m. Results will be announced at 5:30 p.m. Contestants ages 15 and older are welcome to participate and compete for prizes and gift cards. For information, call 724-1525, ext. 112.

• Simon Kidgits Club Mall O Ween, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Tyrone Square Mall, in St. Petersburg. The event will be presented by The Hub TV Network, a destination for kids and their families. The Hub will provide fun activities for attendees, giveaways and trick-or-treat bags (while supplies last). Little ones can view some of the network’s fun, kid-friendly, spooky-themed episodes of shows including “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic” and “Transformers Rescue Bots.”

• Sweet swap – Thursday and Friday, Nov. 1-2, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., at The Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road, Clearwater. Trick-or-treaters ages 17 and under can donate their Halloween candy and receive a prize from the pumpkin prize box. Each pound of candy that is brought in earns an entry into a drawing for prizes such as a new bike, a Play Pass, and tickets to a local sports game. An extra entry can be earned by bringing in a thank-you note to a U.S. service man or woman overseas. All candy collected will be sent to the armed forces. Call 793-2320

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Arigato Japanese Steak House, St.Pete, Review

Here is my review about Arigato Japanese Steak House. My family loves to eat at Arigato Japanese Steak House. My wife and my kids, both love the show as the chefs cook right in front of your table. Arigato Japanese Steak House  Offers great dinners and lunches at a great price. I just took my wife there to celebrate our anniversary. We had a great time. Sign up for there email club and receive coupons for your birthday and anniversary.  Even with out the coupon it is a great deal. Arigato Japanese Steak House   is the best  Japanese Steak House  in the Pinellas County, FL area.
 
Arigato Japanese Steak House 
3600 66th Street North  St. Petersburg, FL 33710
(727) 343-5200
 
 
Written By: Aaron S
 
 
 

Friday, October 19, 2012

Blogging = Money $-)









What is a blog?

A blog is short for “weblog”. Basically, it is just a website that has entries listed in reverse chronological order. The original idea behind it was to be a online journal or diary that was updated daily (or as frequently as the writer chose). Over the last decade many software programs and blogging platforms have been created to make the process VERY EASY. As the blog writer, depending on which platform you use, you can just type your entry, press submit and it shows up on your blog for the world to see. Most bloggers don’t know any programming languages and are not “techies.” Starting a blog is one of the easiest ways out there to start a website. If you haven’t started one yet, why not try it? It can be very quick to set up and can be completely free.

Is it easy to start a blog?

It is very easy. Even if there are steps along the way that are confusing, there are plenty of resources to get the help you need. There are over 20 million blogs in existence, so it can’t be that difficult.

How much does it cost to blog?

There are many services that allow you to start a blog for free (see below). I suggest using one of the free services to get a basic feel for blogging and “get your feet wet.” Once you decide you want to stick with it and that you want to make money with your blog, I suggest moving up to a self-hosted blog (see below). Anyone who is really trying to make money with a blog will probably be more successful with a self-hosted blog. Getting a self-hosted blog may not be free, but still can be VERY inexpensive. You will need to pay for nothing more than a domain name ($10) and web-hosting (as cheap as a few bucks a month).

Getting a blogging platform

All 4 of the options listed are free. The first 3 options are the easiest, but the are also limited on features. If you are just trying to make an extra few hundred dollars from your blog, these options could work. But if you are really serious about trying to make good money from your blog, I recommend self-hosting your blog (which we talk about in the next section…).
Tumblr.com – This is probably the simplest blogging platform to use, but it also is the probably the least customizeable. So, it might be something good to start with, but it would be more difficult to build an income-generating website with it.
Blogger.com – Blogger is also very good, easy to set up, owned by Google, you can customize the theme, and the domain name includes “.blogspot.com” (in some people’s opinion a little less professional). Blogger continues to become more customizeable and currently has a lot more options than they did a few years ago.
WordPress.com – I like wordpress.com they are completely free, easy to set up, you can customize the theme, but other customizations are limited, domain name includes “.wordpress.com”.
WordPress.org – Wait, what is the difference between wordpress.com and wordpress.org? To put it simply WordPress.com is where you will go to set up a basic, easy blog with limited features. WordPress.org is where you will go to get a self-hosted wordpress blog. If you get to the point where you are serious about blogging and really want to make some money with it, you need to self-host your blog. Now I should mention that you don’t actually ever have to visit wordpress.org, if you use Hostgator as your host, they will be able to help you install wordpress on your selfhosted blog. 

How I make money with this blog

When I go to family functions or social events I often get a blank stare when I explain what I do for a living. I think people understand the part that I write articles and put them on a website, but when it comes to making money from it, they don’t get it. In this section I will lay it out and hopefully it will help bring some clarity…

CPC Ad Networks

There are a few different ad networks that I use on CPF. The most successful one has been Google’s Adsense program. Basically what they do is read the article that I write and find ads that are relevant to it and display them next to the article. The great thing about it is that by having extremely relevant ads, it actually can be quite beneficial to the readers as well.
For example, if I write an article explaining what an IRA was, but didn’t mention where you could open one, Adsense would likely be displaying ads of places to open an IRA. So as a reader, if I read that article and decided that I did want to open an IRA, the ads would be providing options that the article did not. I am currently doing a few tests with another CPC network called Chitika. Apparently, you can use it in conjunction with Adsense. The jury is still out, but I am interested to see how it compares to Adsense. All things considered, I have found that if optimized correctly, Adsense really can work well. I will explain more about how to optimize it in sections below.

CPM Ad Networks

While Adsense pays on a click basis (CPC), I use other ad networks that pay by the total # of impressions (CPM). At the beginning, these networks didn’t produce much income, but as the traffic grows CPM networks seem to work well in conjunction with Adsense. I use (or have used) ContextWeb, AdClickMedia, Adbrite, Adify, BuzzLogic, and Casale Media. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses and may be suitable for one kind of a site and not another.

Affiliate Product Sales

Basically an example of an affiliate sale would be if you sold lawn mowers and I referred a customer to you, if they purchased you would pay me back a % of the sale for referring them. There are a million options for this on the internet now. The main programs I use are














A Beer a Day, Keeps the Doctor Away


We have long been told that a glass of red wine is good for 
our health, but now an increasing number of clinical studies 
show that beer can have even greater benefits.
‘Beer has a bad image – it is more often associated with drunken football crowds than health-conscious, discerning drinkers,’ says Dr George Philliskirk of The Institute of Brewing and Distillery, who specialises in yeast research. ‘But when drunk in moderation, beer provides a wider range of health benefits than wine.’
And it doesn’t matter whether you prefer ale or lager, as they are both produced from water, barley, hops and yeast. The only difference lies in the way they are fermented – ale is brewed for a week in a warm environment, while lager is produced over the course of a month at a much colder temperature. ‘It needn’t be an expensive beer – just don’t drink so much you cancel out any of the benefits,’ adds Dr Philliskirk. ‘This means no more than a pint a day for a woman and between one and two pints, depending on the beer’s strength, for a man.’


228 million more bottles of beer on the wall 
 Craft beer sales surge almost 12% in 2006 
 
 
 Alan Eames dies 
 Author, lecturer was known as 'Indiana Jones of Beer' 
 
 
 OBF ousts minors 
 'Family friendly' Oregon Brewers Festival forced to kick out kids 
 
 
 Labatt buys discounter 
 Acquisition of Lakeport could raise industry pricing 
 
 
 Got Bilk? 
 Japanese brewery uses milk to brew


 Valuable resources for Beer ...

 
 

en.wikipedia.org
Beer is the world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage; it is the third-most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is thought by some to be the oldest ...
en.wikipedia.org
www.samueladams.com
With over 30 styles of beer, Samuel Adams® has been brewing quality beer since 1984 and is proud to be an American Craft Brewer.
www.samueladams.com
beeradvocate.com
Beer community dedicated to supporting and promoting beer through education and appreciation. Learn more about craft beer, find a brewpub, brewery, bar, ...
beeradvocate.com
www.realbeer.com
Everything you could ever want to know about beer, brewpubs, microbreweries, homebrewing, and the beer industry. We have over 150000 pages about beer, ...
www.realbeer.com
www.yuengling.com
Read about our fine beers. Shop for merchandise online. Join our Brew Crew club. Watch our TV spots online. Visit our breweries in Pottsville, PA and Tampa, ...
www.yuengling.com
www.dogfish.com
Dogfish Head and Victory to host beer and art exhibit. Victory Brewing ... With the lazy days of summer on their way out, beer events are kicking into high gear.
www.dogfish.com
allaboutbeer.com
American beer magazine featuring online articles about beer, brewing beer, and beer news.
allaboutbeer.com
www.mrbeer.com
Home - Mr.Beer is the world's #1 selling home brewing system. Our home microbrewery systems are perfect for yourself or as a gift.
www.mrbeer.com

Pinnacle Pumpkin Pie Vodka ALCOHOL


If you are a fan of pumpkin-flavored liquors you will be familiar with the fact that they come and go. The bottle you fell in love with this year may not be around next year and it can be a daunting task to find a suitable substitute for your lost love. The reason for this disappearing act is that pumpkin is a tricky flavor and a very seasonal one and producers are understandably very cautious with such unstable products.
This season we have another attempt at the elusive pumpkin spirits to grab hold of and this one is rather impressive. It comes to us from Pinnacle Vodka, one of the leaders in those tempting dessert vodka craze, and their Pumpkin Pie Vodka is spot on to its namesake. Okay, it is as close to a pumpkin pie as a liquor can be because there is always going to be that alcohol factor involved.
What I really like about this one is that the flavor is apparent but it is not overpowering like many of the pumpkin liqueurs available. A great testament to this is the approval of my husband who is generally not fond of flavored vodkas. When I get a "I actually kind of like that" out of him I know we have a product that can appeal to the majority of drinkers.


 Valuable resources for Alcohol ...


en.wikipedia.org
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxyl functional group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should ...
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol . Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and ...
en.wikipedia.org
kidshealth.org
Deciding whether to drink is a personal decision that we each eventually have to make. Get the facts about alcohol.
kidshealth.org
www.drugabuse.gov
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is an intoxicating ingredient found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches.
www.drugabuse.gov
www.alcohol-soft.com
Alcohol is CD / DVD burning copying backup recording duplication emulation and creation software.
www.alcohol-soft.com
www.howstuffworks.com
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs around. Find out what alcohol actually is and how it affects those who drink it.
www.howstuffworks.com
www.medicinenet.com
Alcoholism is a disease that affects over 14 million people in the U.S. Get the facts on the symptoms, signs and long-term effects of alcoholism and alcohol ...
www.medicinenet.com
www.drugfree.org
When a person drinks alcohol, the alcohol is absorbed by the stomach, enters the bloodstream, and goes to all the tissues. The effects of alcohol are dependent ...
www.drugfree.org