Are U Looking for a Franchise That Will Make You $$ & Solidify Your Place in the Universe? Huh, R U? Maybe It's Time 4 U to Get With the Gator!

Are you thinking about starting your own business? Let me suggest that before you go out on a financial limb, that you seriously think about obtaining a franchise. There are a ton of really great franchise opportunities out there is the world right now. We're talking about finding a franchise opportunity that is ideal for you--that will tap into your talents and abilities, not to mention your passions, and give you a business that is proven to be successful and that you can call your very own. There's a web site out there that I have recommended before. It's called http://www.franchisegator.com/. Let the Gator get you the biz opp you're looking for. It's better now than later when you're talking 'bout the Gator!

Are YOU Looking 4 a New Laptop?

I think it might be time to purchase a new laptop computer. I bought the one I have about five years ago, so it's time. I guess I'll look at a site called www.buy.com. I have heard that they have some really great deals on laptops. The technology of the laptop computer has progressed significantly over the past half-decade. With Wifi and music downloads, not to mention streaming video, getting the right laptop for you is no easy task. Laptology (a word I just made up) is a science now, so I will have to really sit down and look at all of the available options b-4 I buy!

Inflatable Boats: Get One For Summer!!

Have you ever considered the benefits of buying one of the wide range of inflatable boats that are currently available? Why not enjoy a summer out on the water with an inflatable boat? It’s fun for the entire family. Your kids will love it and you’ll appreciate the cost. Inflatable boats are considerably cheaper than other watercraft, like jets skis, for instance. They’re great for fishing, going on adventures and excursions or just cruising around. You can use it as a learning experience for your children as well. Teaching them how to be responsible and safe on the water is a valuable lesson. Inflatable boats use small energy-efficient engines that will burn less fuel and cost less. And you won’t have to perform all of the maintenance that is associated with a fiberglass boat. It’s a great idea for this summer and many more to come.

McCovey Cove Has Lost Its Balls!

McCovey Cove used to be one of the really fun things about going to AT&T Park and seeing a San Francisco Giants game. With all the boats and activity, it was like a big pool party. I hadn’t seen that many drunks on the water since my last booze cruise or since the annual houseboat trip I take to Lake Shasta each summer.
It was a raucous crowd in rowboats, kayaks, floating dirigibles, ski boats – I even saw a guy one time floating around in a wash basin. The interplay among the sea faring revelers was one of the most fun aspects of the whole affair, especially when Barry Bonds came to bat.
We met one gentleman last season that made quite a nice little career out of kayaking in McCovey Cove and retrieving Barry’s home run balls. Known to everyone as “Kayak Man,” he was out there every game, day or night, and had captured more than his 15 minutes of fame for getting some of Bonds’ more celebrated homers, including #660. People would notice him on the streets of San Francisco and his chest would puff out. He even made a little side income producing “Kayak Man” t-shirts and bandanas.
But, now all that is dead. Bonds has been blacklisted out of baseball and McCovey Cove is just another body of polluted sea water. As if on cue, even the seagulls are staying clear. The other day, I did see a sea lion in McCovey Cove…taking a dump. Even the sea mammals of the bay know when a place has been relegated to The City’s “B” List.
The state of the Cove is really indicative of how the whole season is going for the Giants. They’ve been losing games in droves and Barry Zito, their big star pitcher, hasn’t won a single game. It’s sad to see how far the team has fallen since Barry left town.
Yes, it’s true—McCovey Cove (and the SF Giants) has lost its balls.

Did Eight Belles Die in Vain?

When I saw Eight Belles put down Saturday at the Kentucky Derby after breaking both of his front ankles, I swore off horse racing then and there. I used to be a big fan of the sport, and believe me, I have given the track a lot of my cash over the years, but when I saw that incredibly beautiful animal being killed, it broke my heart. These scumbags will never get another penny from me, that's for certain.
Two years ago, the world was shocked at the Preakness by the awful shattering of 2006 Derby winner Barbaro’s right hind leg. They tried to save that horse but failed. And now this.
And then, when they interviewed the Eight Belles’ trainer, some clown named Larry Jones, this is what he had to say: “These things are our family, you know. We put everything into it that we have and they’ve given us everything they have. They put their life on the damn line, and she was glad to do it!”
What a complete a-hole this jerk is. How does he know that Eight Belles was glad to die for a sport where she is repeatedly beaten by a jockey so that she’ll run faster? Do you think the horse really gives a damn whether she wins the race or not? What a ridiculous and uncaring remark to make. I’d like to saddle up Jones myself and whip his ass for a mile and a half and see how much he enjoys it.
Now PETA is in on the whole thing, calling for the suspension of Eight Belles’ jockey. Me, I want the trainer to go down. I think he is just as responsible.
PETA does some crazy stuff on behalf of animal rights, but when I heard about how many horses get destroyed like this throughout the country every year, it made me ill.
Here are the facts: The Washington Post reports that there are 1.5 career (and life) ending equine breakdowns every per 1,000 starts, which comes out to about two per day. USA Today reports that there were 55 equine deaths at one track alone, Del Mar near San Diego, between 2004 and 2006.
These animals are forced to perform for our entertainment. And when we push them too hard or they run into some bad luck out on the track, we kill them. I won’t accept it any longer.
I doubt that the sport of horse racing will cease to exist just because I’m not throwing down my little $10 bets anymore. But, if enough of us step away from the betting window—it just might.
Here is what AOL Sports reported about the incident today:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is seeking the suspension of Eight Belles' jockey after the filly had to be euthanized following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
Gabriel Saez was riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track.PETA faxed a letter Sunday to Kentucky's racing authority claiming the filly was "doubtlessly injured before the finish" and asked that Saez be suspended while Eight Belles' death is investigated."What we really want to know, did he feel anything along the way?" PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said. "If he didn't then we can probably blame the fact that they're allowed to whip the horses mercilessly."Guillermo said if Saez is found at fault, the group wants the second-place prize of $400,000 won by Eight Belles to be revoked.Saez, a 20-year-old Panama native, was riding in his first Kentucky Derby. He frequently rides for Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones.A call to the jockeys' room at Delaware Park, where Saez raced on Sunday, went unanswered.Eight Belles, the first filly since 1999 to run in the Derby, appeared fine until collapsing while galloping out after the finish.The letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority also sought a ban on whipping, limits on races and the age of racehorses, and a move to softer, artificial surfaces for all courses.

Pens Can Carry Your Marketing Message

If you have a business that you are attempting to promote, you should consider purchasing marketing pens. Put your name, tagline, slogan or message on a pen and you will start to see the money pouring in. People LOVE free pens. It's natural, G. You can get a colorful pen, marker, ballpoint or soft tip, and all of a sudden--you'll see a real spike in business. It's an effective way to get your name out there in an inexpensive way that is proven. Check it out! Marketing pens are the way to go in 2008!

Wind Chimes

Now that the weather is getting nicer, maybe you should think about buying a set of wind chimes. Here is sunny (but windy) San Francisco, wind chimes are the best! Our neighbors have them and we can hear them every night and it's quite relaxing. There is a web site called www.gardenfun.com and they sell some really great wind chimes. I especially like their animal and bird wind chimes, including dogs, turtles, hummingbirds and all kinds of creatures. It's an excellent time for wind chimes!

Men's Jewelry

I don't wear jewelry. I don't have a watch or chains, even a ring (which will change when I get married) I just don't like the way it feels on me. But, I have found a great web site called http://www.jewelelegance.com/ that offers some really great deals on all kinds of men's jewelry. They have a lot of very high-quality items that are more than reasonably priced. Their experts can assist you in selecting the type of rings, necklaces and other jewelry that appeals to you. They also have a lot of really good specials going on all the time--check them out!

Cell phone repeaters

Do you know what a cell phone repeater is? I didn't until recently. A cell phone repeater is a device that can help you get better cell phone reception in a building. Many times, it's hard to make or receive a cell phone call in a building. They can be blocked and you'll get an intermittent signal, which causes you to get disconnected and dropped from the call. A high-quality cell phone repeater can prevent this type of annoying situation. Don't be upset by bad cell phone reception, Start considering purchasing a cell phone repeater today!

The SF Giant's First Shortstop: Ed Bressoud

Ed Bressoud was a very slick fielding dependable shortstop whose arrival in 1956 allowed the Giants to send Alvin Dark to the Cardinals in a deal for Red Schoendienst. He spent just two of his six Giant seasons as their regular shortstop, but was successful in three years with the Red Sox because he adapted his swing to Fenway's leftfield wall; hitting 20 HR for the Bosox in 1963. Made expendable by Rico Petrocelli's emergence in 1965, Bressoud concluded his career against the Red Sox as a Cardinal utility man in the 1967 World Series.

His one all-star appearance in 1964: “It was a wonderful experience for me. Luis Aparicio couldn’t make it, so I went in his stead. And I didn’t play, which has always irritated me – particularly after seeing that all-star game a few seasons ago when they ran out of players. The experience of that year just brought to mind the pain that I felt in that all-star game, because the manager for the AL, I forget his name – the White Sox manager (Al Lopez) – he played Jim Fregosi through the whole game, which he did with several players. There were a lot of players like me that didn’t get into that particular ball game. But, I think at that time, the American League had been beaten by the National League for something like 12 out of 14 times, and I think the manager decided that he was going to stay with his best lineup and try to win that game. And I think that’s fine, even though it was disheartening that I didn’t get a chance to participate.” (In that game, held at Shea Stadium, The National League won again, 7-4, on a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth by Philadelphia outfielder Johnny Callison.)

Playing in the Polo Grounds with the NY Giants: “With guys like Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Bobby Thomson, Don Mueller, Johnny Antonelli—that club was absolutely loaded with talent. The only problem was that the National League was a powerhouse full of great clubs back then. Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh—those were some good teams. We didn’t play particularly well that year and then in 1958 the team left New York and moved to San Francisco. I remember seeing signs from the fans that said ‘Please Don’t Go.’ I never thought we’d move to the West Coast, but we did. It was kind of sad.”

His relationship with Willie Mays: “Willie and I never had a conversation that lasted more than a minute. Mays has always been kind of a loner, in my opinion and I can understand it, actually. The public is always pulling and tugging at him for one thing or another, and I don’t care who you are—that has to get old after awhile. So, he kind of stayed to himself most of the time. I did get the privilege of playing shortstop in front of him, though, which made my job a lot easier. He played such a shallow centerfield that I didn’t have to worry about going back for short fly balls or pop ups. He also caught a lot of line drives that would have been base hits against other teams. Batters rarely hit it over his head. I think I saw it happen maybe once or twice. He was the best player I ever saw or played with, no doubt about it.”

About contract negotiations and agents: “No one had agents back then. You were offered a contract and you either took it or you walked, basically. We were grateful to just be playing, to be honest. The alternative was a nine-to-five job, so playing a game and getting paid pretty decently for it was pretty favorable in comparison. The first time I heard of any player hiring an agent was when Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax got together and hired an agent and then held out with the Dodgers. I think they wanted something like $125,000 a year, something like that. In 1964, I was seventh in the league in hitting and made the All-Star Game, and I was very happy with the season I had. They paid me $27,000 the previous year and then sent me the same contract for 1965. I sent it back and they sent it back again. It traveled back and forth through the mail several times before they generously agreed to give me a $1,000 raise. But, that’s the way things were back then. The owners were in control and they knew it, so what could you do?”