Personalized DVDs for young kids...It's the new thing!

If you have a small child, you should jump on the new personalized gifts bandwagon. They have these new DVD's where you can put your child's name into the story. It's proven that children will learn more and learn faster with these amazing new innovative tapes and DVD's. Entertain the little nippers (they go crazy when they hear these things because they're essentially the "star" of the story) and give yourself a little respite from the hectic life that is raising kids. Check out www.personalizedstories.com.

Don't Get Mad...Get an External Hard Drive!

You see the poor guy in this photo? Why is he so upset? What happened to this sap that has angered him so thoroughly? Well, I will tell you-he didn't buy an external hard drive and he lost a bunch of vital data. Oh, man-this is a tough situation for anyone to be in. So, be smart and do the right thing. Get a reliable, sturdy and high-quality external drive and back up your stuff today. A little free advice from the fine folks at Life On the Edge.

I am a Huge Fan of RAM

Do you have enough ram on your computer? I am asking all of my good friends the same question. Many people are walking around right now and they're dangerously low on ram and they aren't aware of it. They're in deep trouble potentially and are clueless about the fact that they're super short on ram. If you're one of these accidents waiting to happen, you should access a Web site called www.4allmemory.com. They have all the ram you'll ever need. They can save your life. So, click on through to the other side and visit them today!

Faucets Go With the Flow

We have a few faucets in our house that need to be replaced and we found a great web site that I feel strongly compelled to tell you about. It's called www.faucetoutlet.com and they have one of the widest, most complete selection of high-quality, top-tier faucets and other bathroom fixtures. Don't go with a poor quality, badly designed faucet--in the end it will cost you big bucks wehen you have to replace it. Check out www.faucetoutlet right away and get back into the flow of things!

Diet Pills: Because we all need a little help now and then...

I have been working out, eating right and doing all of the things I need to do to lose weight, but in the end I am always HUNGRY! The fact that my lovely fiancee Angelina is a fantastic chef does not help much. She makes these awesome dishes and presents them so beautifully that it's hard for me to say no. That's where reliable diet pills enter the picture. I have studied most of the ones out on the market and have found some that I believe are safe and effective. Check out the option of diet pills today. Hey, we all need a little help now and then. Don't be ashamed to admit that you want want a little assistance in your pursuit to lose weight!

The New Cell Phone Law: Stick it in Your (R)ear!

When the new cell phone law goes into effect tomorrow in California, I will be one of the very first people not to obey it. I think it’s a ridiculous law and just another example of too much government in our lives. One by one, all of our freedoms are being taken away and this is a prime example.
Pretty soon, there will be all kinds of frivolous new laws just like this one. Some day, it will be a crime if you have more than 15 items in the express lane at the grocery store; if you drop an upper decker as a joke at a house party; if you break wind on a crowded bus; if you leave snarky comments online (you’re busted, El G).
This needless and invasive piece of legislation is just another way for Big Brother to get his (or her) hand deeper into our pockets.
They say the law will prevent a lot of auto accidents, but I don’t buy it. People get into accidents for a wide range of different reasons (tailgating, speeding, being drunk, running lights, screaming at their kids, etc.) and cell phone usage is right at the bottom of those reasons, I believe. Anyone who isn’t coordinated enough to use a cell phone and drive at the same time shouldn’t be driving anyway. I can chew gum and walk simultaneously, thank you very much.
One of the things I have always done to avoid using my phone excessively while driving is to prioritize my phone usage while in the car. I look at the phone number when my cell phone rings, and if it isn’t an important call that I need to take immediately, I let it go to message and I call the person back when I am off the road. The main problem with people talking on cell phones in their cars is over usage. The majority of calls consist of drivers chatting about anything and everything—it’s not like these folks are handling business, coming up with brilliant ideas or dealing with emergency calls. I doubt that they’re discussing important topics like colonics, world peace or 12-21-12. I would predict that 80% of all cell phone conversations in the car are either meaningless or unnecessary. The cell phone law is designed for those individuals-not me.
I know that by deciding not to adhere to this new law, I am risking a ticket. Big deal--$20! Who cares? If the state was seriously considering enforcing this law, the fine would be a lot more. At first, they will be pulling people over right and left. Then, after a while, they will find better things to do. Enforcement will be spotty and inconsistent, just like the seat belt law or the headphones law.
So, join me in rejecting this silly law. We pay a lot for these cell phones and we should be able to use them whenever and wherever we want. Part of being a U.S. Citizen (as well as a Californian and a San Franciscan) includes the right to pick and choose the laws we wish to obey. If you don’t believe me, drive around SF for an hour or two and observe the chaos. As Ted Nugent once said, “It’s a Free for All!”

Don't Count Out the Dodgers Quite Yet!

As of this morning the LA Dodgers are just 2.5 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the underachieving National League West. It is amazing when you think about all the troubles the team has gone through this season. With injuries to brittle old veterans and mistakes made by unseasoned youngsters, the Bums have had multiple problems with pitching and scoring runs.
But, don’t count out the Dodgers just yet. Last night they didn’t get a single hit and still beat the Angels, 1-0. It is only the fifth time in modern baseball history that something like this has happened.
Believe it or not, this team could be coming together at just the right time. Up-and-coming stars like James Loney, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Chad Billingsley and Andre Ethier have displayed moments of brilliance. Injured former stars like Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, Brad Penny and Andruw Jones will be returning to the team soon. If they are healthy and can contribute at all, it could get interesting.
Maybe I’m dreaming, but who knows? Stranger things have happened, last night’s game being a prime example.
This account of the game appeared on www.cbssportsline.com:
Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo combined to no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night -- and it still wasn't good enough for the Los Angeles Angels.
The Dodgers became the fifth team in modern major league history to win a game in which they didn't get a hit, defeating the Angels 1-0. Weaver's error on a slow roller led to an unearned run by the Dodgers in the fifth.
Weaver downplayed the fact the Angels lost without giving up a hit.
"Any loss, no matter what, is tough," he said. "I'm sure you guys are going to eat this up a lot more than I am. I don't call it a no-hitter for me. I only went six innings."
The Dodgers' Joe Torre thought it might've been his weirdest win as a manager.
"I'd really have to reach down, and I don't really remember too much, but that's about as bizarre as you can get," he said.
With the Angels trailing in the interleague game at Dodger Stadium, Weaver was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning after throwing 97 pitches. Arredondo pitched the next two innings.
Because the Dodgers didn't have to bat in the ninth, the game doesn't qualify as a no-hitter. It was only the fifth such game since 1900, and first since Boston's Matt Young in 1992, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Angels' Torii Hunter said he has never been involved in such a strange game.
"Never," he said, "not even in Little League."
The Dodgers' Chad Billingsley (7-7) scattered three hits over seven innings, then Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito shut out the Angels for the next two innings.
Weaver (7-8) was victimized by his own fielding error with one out in the fifth inning that allowed Matt Kemp to reach first.
Kemp's spinning squibber rolled to the right of the mound and Weaver rushed toward first base to grab the ball, but bobbled it. The ruling on whether it was a hit or an error was a close one, since Weaver would have had to field the ball cleanly -- and first baseman Casey Kotchman was off the bag. Official scorer Don Hartack ruled it an error.
"I believe if he just picked it up with his bare hand and flipped it, he gets him by a good step and a half," Hartack said. "So my thinking was, it really wasn't a bang-bang play. I looked at the replay once and it looked like Kemp was a good seven steps away, so my thinking was Weaver had plenty of time to make the out."
Kemp completely agreed with the scoring.
"I hit it off the end of the bat and it had a little funky English on it," he said. "He could have made the play, but he just dropped the ball. It was an error. I mean, if they'd have given me a hit, I'd have been happy. But it was an error by far."
Kemp stole second and continued to third on catcher Jeff Mathis' throwing error, then scored on Blake DeWitt's sacrifice fly.
Weaver struck out six, walked three and hit a batter in his six innings. Chone Figgins pinch-hit for him in the seventh with two outs and a runner on second, but grounded out.
Baseball's other no-hit losers were Andy Hawkins of the Yankees in 1990, Steve Barber and Stu Miller of Baltimore in 1967, and Ken Johnson of Houston in 1964.
Billingsley struck out seven and walked three.
The Angels, shut out for the second consecutive night, had six hits but didn't get a runner as far as third base. They had runners on first and second against Saito with two out in the ninth, but he struck out pinch-hitter Reggie Willits to earn his 12th save.

Custom Cardboard Boxes

I don't want to be a doomsdayer, so I won't dwell on the horrid economy and the bad things ahead, but I have noticed in my neighborhood especially, that a lot of people are moving. I am wondering if they know about custom boxes. High-quality, custom cardboard boxes can make a nasty move relatively painless. Store and transport your perosnal items efficiently and peoperly with these boxes and it will make your move and your life just that much easier. Moving can be a very traumatic and difficult experience. I don't think anyone really enjoys moving. So, why not get some custom boxes before you make that big move?

Cliffside Malibu Can Get You There!

As we enter what looks like a long recessionary period, people are going to be turning more and more to things like drugs and alcohol. Money is short; foreclosures are happening every day and people are losing their life's savings literally overnight. Suddenly, folks don't have the disposable income that they once had. Families are coming up short when it comes to paying their food, gas, mortgage/rent, and other basic bills. If you've made the journey through any type of addiction, you know quite well that abusing drugs and/or alcohol is no solution. All it does it compound your problems even more. But, escape is all many people can think about when their lives turn for the worst. If you know someone who needs Drug Rehab, Drug Treatment and/or Drug Rehabilitation, Cliffside Malibu can help you get sober, drug-free and back on the right track. Cliffside Malibu is a residential drug rehab, alcohol rehab center and extended care facility for adults from alcoholism, drug addiction--even eating disorders, co-occurring disroders and depression. Their philosophy uses a wide range of clinical components that includes things like detox, individual therapy, group therapy, depression treatment and alternative medicine. All in beautiful Malibu. Don't become a cautionary tale for your friends. You don't ever want your loved ones sitting around asking, "What went wrong?" You can turn the tide and get back to where you once were at Cliffside Malibu. Don't try to do it all by yourself. There's nothing wrong with asking for assistance top beat your demons. I lost a friend recently to alcohol. In his early 50's, he lost himself to whiskey and beer and his body just eventually shut down. His family had scheduled an intervention for the week after he passed. They were too late. Don't wait until it's too late. Don't wait until your name is listed in the death notices section of the newspaper. Contact the professionals at Malibu Cliffside today!

On the Road

I'll be on the road working all next week in the San Diego area. It's the peak of tourist season, so I might run into a few (see photo.) I will be back on 6/30, ready to blog all about my adventures in the South.