Mini Blob

Question: My husband has been talking about homeschooling and I don’t feel capable. He said that we can consider hiring a private teacher to help out, but we’re not rich. I feel like this can be costly. Can you give me an idea of what it would cost to use a private teacher to homeschool?…

The Philadelphia Eagles are the reason the NFC East had such a down year in 2011. Despite being projected by many before the season to run away with the division, the Eagles struggled to a 1-4 start and never recovered. At one point they were a dismal 4-8. They created a huge vacuum in the…

On a recent Saturday afternoon, my sister, Deb, invited Dad, our sister, Marion, and I to visit a wine tasting event at the Tassel Ridge Winery, located at 1681 220th Street near Leighton, IA. For readers acquainted with the neighborhood, it’s located just northeast of Oskaloosa, IA en route to Des Moines. It sounded like…

Individuals are creative, knowledgeable, skillful and diverse. Individuals are also potentially fragmented, limited, isolated, lonely and more likely to suffer from mental and physical health issues than those who are not isolated from others. When people participate in groups where others share like-minded beliefs, creativity and goals, there is greater wisdom because communities are able…

For the last few months I have been watching those pretty commercials on tv with ” real life” dates through Match.com. My cynical nature laughed at the public image of a corporation who is really just a giant data base filled with people who lie. Even if you never joined, how can you believe that…

It was Halloween. I was on my way to the Albany Museum but didn’t have any idea why. I felt as if I’d been drawn into some sort of a Royal Command Performance, and though I had planned to play host to the Trick or Treaters this evening, I had made this trip a priority….

What You Need to Stop Doing..Have you heard yourself saying, “I am so sick of making calls, leaving voice mails and not getting anyone to return my phone calls!” Have you ever found yourself wondering, “Why don’t they call me back?” “Am I being avoided?” “Am I being too PUSHY?” Reaching out to your customers…

With all the despicable characters in the books of A Song of Ice and Fire and in the HBO series A Game of Thrones, readers and viewers need some comic relief. George R.R. Martin delivers with a smattering of characters that lighten the mood now and then. Here are some of my favorites. Don’t see…

Red Snapper can grow to be real dumbos, and by that I mean they can get pretty big, in fact it’s not too uncommon to catch one that tops the scales at over 25 lbs. Their color is pink to light red when they are young, and as they mature they turn a nice shade…

I’ve written before about how payday loans can destroy your finances and about their astronomical interest rates. That’s all still true but it seems that in our current economy another group of a similar nature has expanded even while the economy is contracting and that group is buy-here-pay-here car financing. The way it works is…

San Angelo, Texas, is known for several things: San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, Roping Fiesta, a lake that infamously caught on fire, bad drivers, and a unique style of Mexican cuisine. With over 40 Mexican restaurants in a town with a population around 100,000, it can be a bit daunting trying to choose one…

Introduction In preparing a new snack food for WidgeCorp, Vicky, one of the regional sales managers has contacted me for help in trying to categorize some demographic data available through the American Marketing Association (AMA). The AMA website provides free demographical reports where U.S. Census information can be obtained regarding a specific region within the…

The breeze taunted the drapes, of the huge open windows, surrounding Jackson’s house. I sat outside on the porch. His farm was expansive. Most of his land had been leased from my family years before. His payment has become that he helps me out with odd things. Items like chicken feed, milk, and sometimes a…

COMMENTARY | As a political science professor, I get a lot of questions about the 2012 election. Other than who will win the 2012 election, and who will be the Republican nominee, the question I get the most is whether or not President Barack Obama will replace Joe Biden with Hillary Clinton as his vice-presidential…

An Old Cowboy with a grizzled and sun reddened complexion rode his trusty horse Walking Thunder into a desert in the old west. Feeling weak, from years of drinking whiskey in various saloons and numerous gun battles, he pulled the reins of his trusty raven colored companion and stopped next to a cactus. As the…

Despite moving to Boston with a $14K+ credit card debt, I became quite savvy at navigating the perils of financing a graduate education. Along with learning how to balance my life, priorities and spending, I pushed myself to learn as much as possible about how to cut the costs of attending an outrageously expensive school–without…

When people begin thinking about a career path, they generally start by finding out how much a position pays. While salary is very important, it is certainly not the only factor to look at when choosing a career path. Professions have many other things to offer that can make employees happy and excited about what…

Austin is ground zero for the explosive interest in natural grocery stores that has developed nationwide over the last two decades. Whole Foods was founded here and its flagship store takes up a city block in old west Austin. The demand for organic, pesticide free produce, recycled paper products, natural personal care and quality foods…

The proverbial ‘ teachers pet ‘ – aka the new favorite. That’s a pretty good term for abl financing, which is pretty well the newest form of business line of credit financing in Canada in many years. Let’s take a look at why asset based lenders and their lending facility, the asset based loan are…

With the winter rapidly approaching we’ll all be turning on the heat and trying to stay warm. Unfortunately, that pushes up our energy bills and can cost a lot of money. Here’s a way you can save on energy costs – cover your windows with heavy drapes. If you’re thinking that’s too old school for…

Are you a Detroit Tigers fan who’s planning a first time pilgrimage to the Joker Marchant Stadium this spring? If you are, you won’t be disappointed with what you find at Tiger Town. It’s a really pretty stadium and it’s located in a nice section of Lakeland. Here’s a quick rundown on some of what…

Just to bring you up to speed on the events leading up to this. We bought this apartment on the 30 March 2009. We had paid a deposit and paid the balance by certified cheque. We had already advanced sufficient funds to the lawyer to cover the costs of transferring the title to our joint…

I have Judge Wolke’s ruling that he filed in the case of Ockenden and Glynn v. Josephine County, but I haven’t read it yet. I don’t need to read it. I already know everything I need to know about it, because it was written by one man who routinely disregards the law, at the behest…

Thanksgiving is a great family oriented holiday. Many people will travel far and wide to visit with family, help prepare meals, decorate for the Holidays and just enjoy being together. We’ve scoured the internet to find the top activities to do as a family in Denver over Thanksgiving weekend. Many of these event are free…

Entering that time again in the election cycle where the race for the title “Leader of the Free World” dominates water-cooler conversation, many voter’s continue to express discontent with both President Obama and the field of Republican hopefuls. As the American political scene is overshadowed by the race for the GOP nomination in the 2012…

I care about the future of the United States, passionate even. In fact, you could surely say I’m slightly obsessive when it comes to the state of the country and direction it seems to be heading towards. I want such multitude of things for the US and it’s people, that the list is practically endless….

While buying your oil and filter, or perhaps just waiting in line at the grocery store, they tend to call out to you. Often impulse purchases, automotive accessories are big business in the United States, racking up billions of dollars in sales annually. While that little bobbing-head dog for your dashboard may not run you…

COMMENTARY | The new social networking website Unthink.com began beta testing on Wednesday, Oct. 26. It’s calling itself the “Anti-Facebook”. The Tampa, Fla.-based startup wants to be everything that Facebook and rival Google+ are not, but will it catch on? They are not the first social media site to think they could pull off the…

There are bushels of pregnancy myths. But the most annoying ones are probably those that have to do with normal physical activity and body positions, as these have more to do with general comfort than with hedonistic preferences. Expectant mothers and significant others alike will breathe easier after learning that perceived major restrictions on body…

The psychedelic drug known on the street as Ecstasy or simply as “X” is a compound named MDMA (3,4-ethylenedioxymethamphetamine.) It is a synthetic (man-made), psychoactive drug that is chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. Recent news reports have commented on some mental health professionals promoting the use of hallucinogenic substances and…

This fashion “hot-spot” is one of the Internets major websites for designer clothing collections and accessories at-a-glance. It’s been featured on shows like “Bravo” and the television show, “The Runway,” hosted by Heidi Klum. Who or what am I blogging about, but “BLUEFLY.COM” found on this link: http://www.bluefly.com/ ?!” Actually, the things that you can…

There can be no single all-encompassing definition for meditation, but the generally accepted definition defines meditation as “The act of continued or extended thought, reflection, or contemplation”. Meditation is a practice that is being enjoyed by a countless number of people all over the world as a means for getting their physical body into a…

October is the start of the Holiday Season with Halloween to kick off the sugar cycle. How do you avoid all of the harmful sugars , hydrogenated oils, chemical dyes and words you can’t pronounce without sending kids away crying? Finding healthier Halloween treats can be tricky! The good news is, there are healthier, more…

What is Drunkorexia and what are the signs of Drunkorexia? Drunkorexia is a new disturbing trend that is becoming more common across college campuses and in some cases in high school populations. Essentially this dangerous lifestyle is a combination of an eating disorder and binge drinking. Both of which continue to be problems among high…

When it comes to Halloween costume ideas for women for 2011, referencing pop culture will be all the rage. Sexy superheroes and pirates will be popular thanks to movies like Green Lantern and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides , as will characters from the Angry Birds video game (these baggy costumes would be…

Many churches focus their attention on financial stewardship. This is an important issue; without the money put into the offering plate, the church can’t function. However, that is not what stewardship is all about. There is much more to it. Time: Being a proper steward of your time may mean volunteer work. There are a…

There are lots of great places to pick pumpkins – some located surprisingly close to downtown Portland. And you can do more more than just pick pumpkins – many of the farms also sponsor additional kid-friendly events. Here’s a list of pumpkin patches, you can also see a map of these farms here. Baggenstos Farm…

This documentary of the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships held in Glasgow, Scotland in 2010 reveals the grueling practice which the competitors experience as they prepare for the “Worlds” in the hope of being declared the winner which will lead to further fame and fortune in their young lives. Known as Irish Step Dancing in…

It had been 10 years since I last decorated my bedroom. Everything was severely outdated, especially my window treatments. We were going to need to replace them, so I went shopping. It had been five years since I last looked at window treatments but decided to delay gratification and wait a while. To my surprise,…

A blowout at the salon can take up to half an hour for long hair but you don’t have to spend more than about fifteen minutes to dry your hair at home. Longer hair needs to be divided into sections before drying or you’ll be left with patches of damp hair and roots that are…

The other day I came across a post on Facebook. It was one of those “trending images” that have begun to appear. It said “If you really want to occupy Wall Street do your holiday shopping at a small independent merchant.” Grammar aside, I was initially thrilled to see this. My mother and her best…

Disney certainly has quite a relationship with animals, in many different ways. Sometimes, they can talk. Sometimes, they help the protagonist clean a house. Other times, animals will take center stage. When they do, Disney will be pushing the message of the wonders of nature, while wooing us with wonderful art and scenery. They give…

Most people have spent some time daydreaming about having the ability to fly. While airplanes, hang gliding, and even skydiving all might help to give the slightest sensation of flying, these are all extremely temporary experiences. Additionally, all of these activities are extremely costly, with very little opportunity for any initial investments to later pay…

By: Chef Cristian Feherwww.tampabaychef.com In this day and age, more and more people are adopting healthy lifestyles. And as part of a healthy lifestyle, we’re always in search for new and better ways to eat. For some people, the mere mention of healthy food can have a negative connotation. They sneer, berate and avoid. They…

Stink bugs are no longer a new problem in the United States. These nasty little bugs were brought back to us as a souvenir in someone’s suitcase. That is one souvenir that most people can live without. These are some of the hardest to deal with pest to come across American soil. The main question…

In difficult economic times, it is not unusual for people to nurture a side business to supplement their incomes. However, it was recently revealed that President Obama has directed the White House staff to begin brewing beer somewhere on the premise of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The beer, called “White House Honey Ale”, was served during…

In 2006, I was a man on fire. Everything I touched was turning to gold. I made over $300,000.00 in that enchanted year and I thought I could do no wrong. I had a senior position in a major consulting company. I had over one million dollars in real estate. I owned a very successful…

Spring is an interesting time for movies. Companies have just released all of their big Oscar films, are busy looking for new ones at the Sundance Film Festival, and are generally concerned about their big summer box office flicks that are sure to capture a huge bit of a payday. Between March and mid-May, this…

(This is part one in a series that will be updated weekly. Click on my profile to find subsequent parts.) Luke woke with a start as the train shuddered to a stop outside the dusty town. The sign outside his window read Mesilla. “Just stopping for water,” explained the conductor as he descended from the…

The first blog I ever started was a “lifestyle design” one (a la Tim Ferriss style) back in college. It failed. Miserably. I had the hardest time connecting with other bloggers and getting people to the site. I couldn’t understand why people weren’t coming and commenting – the content was good, so what was the…

My favorite holiday recipe is one that’s actually very simple to prepare – most of the ingredients come straight out of a can. Over the years I’ve “freshened” the salad a bit to keep it in line with my family’s more modern taste preferences, but the Garbanzo Bean Salad I serve each Thanksgiving is still…

Modern cruise ships are like floating hotels, many more than ten stories tall, carrying more than 4,000 travelers. The recent disaster in Italy with the Costa Concordia reminds cruisers like me of the importance of safety while on a cruise ship. As I write this, I’m preparing to fly to Florida to take a Carnival…

As a guy I have spent my fair share of time going out with the guys. Once you reach a bar or club men invariably see a woman they want to meet. There’s just one problem: We’re guys. Women know we want to hook up and they know how we use a wingman. They’re bright…

An esthetician is a skin care therapist who specializes in the cosmetic rejuvenation and treatment of the skin. Depending on the services provided, an esthetician may work in a day spa, salon or medical facility. Most estheticians perform procedures like facials, hair removal and full body treatments. The equipment an esthetician uses varies from professional…

During these tumultuous times of doomsday prophecies, the coming of the Messiah, and the constant threat of leaving this world in an abrupt manner, we all have to wonder if there is any truth to this. According to Harold Camping and his followers, there is. As reported by several news outlets and media across the…

Resumes are a vital tool in any job search. Before sending out your resume, it’s important to ask yourself if it’s compelling enough. Would you read it? After all, first impressions are critical and it’s essential to set yourself apart. Your resume needs to reflect your skills and qualifications, but it should also show your…

This is a conference with some exciting teams at the top, but some really bad teams at the bottom. They are of course not an automatic qualifying conference, but UCF could make a run at getting in a BCS game. Its really an exciting conference that won’t have very much attention paid to it. UCF…

With the Supreme court ruling on the Affordable Care Act of 2010 coming in March about the constitutionality of whether or not the government has the right to impose another unfunded mandate on the citizens of the United States comes at a time when so many millions of our citizens still cannot afford any health…

When people pose the (rhetorical or not) question – ‘Why do they hate us’, the answer lies within the question itself. One simple answer as to why they hate us is because so many of us (Americans) don’t know why they could possibly hate us. This is unfortunate. Hatred is wrong. Hating another for reasons…

“American Idol” has gone to places never seen before for Season 11, and Aspen was one of the locales that made the lucky list. The talent offerings were there, but so were the twisted! Jenni Schick set the night off in an appropriate wild and crazy way with her rendition of Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker,” and…

According to Discovery’s Tree Hugger, some car seats have been found to leak toxic elements. This means that children are exposed to these toxic elements. Of course, there are ways to reduce children’s exposure. Follow these tips to help children avoid toxic elements from car seats. Use Solar Reflectors There are a variety of solar…

On September 23, 2011 All My Children, one of the most famous soap operas of all time, aired its final episode after a 41-year run. The show was set in the non-existent town of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania. The characters brought a great deal of strife to the place. According to an article on Mercury News…

When a recipe says we need x amount of a fresh produce and you really don’t plan to eat any left over of the produce before it would go bad, use this chart to determine how much you need. It covers many popular ingredients even some things that are not produce. Apple: 1 medium apple…

The first thing to do when you get engaged is to let family and close friends know about your upcoming nuptials. You may even want to announce the news to the rest of the world. There are many ways you can do so, besides telling the most important people in person (if possible). Here are…

I see a boondoggle waiting to happen. I hope I’m dead wrong, however, because the casualties will be thousands of Michigan’s students. Earlier this week it was announced that Governor Snyder’s new Education Achievement Authority, a statewide school district aimed at turning around failing schools, will be funding its start-up with private donations. I may…

The NFL preseason is well under way as numerous rookies do their best to earn one of their respective teams’ prestigious roster spots. Whether they were a first round pick or a seventh round pick, they’ll all be getting their opportunity to prove that they’re NFL-worthy. With two games still remaining, there is plenty of…

The Proper Execution of Life This period in time seems to be a get it now, show me the results, immediate gratification, non committal era. This article will lay out the steps by which an individual who can commit, will accomplish the most productive execution in self protection as well as in life. This information…

Saint Nick is supervising the elves on the toy production assembly line in the North Pole, and kids of all ages are eagerly anticipating Christmas. Holiday magic is in the works everywhere in Georgia. From points south to the north end of the state, preparations for the big day are underway. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra…

Step away from the Christmas cookies and put that fruitcake down! Here are some healthier snacking ideas for when you get that “snack attack” between shopping trips and gift shopping. It’s scary enough the amount of unhealthy calories we find in that mine field of a super-delicious holiday meal, which is most likely packed with…

My father was raised on a small country farm town in Louisiana. Although his father was a successful farmer his mother saw a different opportunity for him, so she sent him to New Orleans, to live with his oldest sister. In New Orleans he attended grade school and graduated from the only high school at…

I am a long time fan of many Lay’s brand snacks. Recently, I came across a bag of Lay’s Kettle Cooked Spicy Cayenne & Cheese Potato Chips, in the chips section of my local favorite grocery store. These are made with all natural ingredients and they caught my attention. I decided to buy them, try…

Pitchers and catchers will start reporting to spring training here in the next few weeks. As the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues get ready to begin, we all know what else is on the horizon: fantasy baseball. Here is a look at 5 familiar faces closing in new places: Ryan Madson – Cincinnati Reds: With Francisco…

Break out the anti-bacteria sanitizer and start looking at your neighbor twice, especially when they start coughing. “Contagion” is definitely a movie that freaks you out within the first 30 seconds. From the opening montage you may even start to think that something is wrong with you and that you are getting sick. Contagion is…

If you want to irritate a housewife, there are many ways to do it. In fact, I spent some time looking at how salesmen have made an art in irritating via the first sentence out of their mouths. Here are some examples: Mom and the Grave Plot Guy: I have permission from my mother to…

He is a distant cousin of mine. But, he’s finally home. Fighting in a war took a toll on him, but he got to hold his daughter for the first time in years. That’s all the rejuvenation he needed. We were all there! We received our notifications only a week earlier. But anyone who could…

Many cat owners dread crating their cat. Cats aren’t dumb, and the know what’s coming when that carrier comes out. But if you start early, you can train a kitten to get willingly into the crate with minimal fuss and stress. Wondering how? Follow these steps will make crating your cat easier and less stressful…

The roofing surface is installed over the joists, while insulation is placed between them, and the ceiling beneath is suspended from them. To build a roof joist for a flat roof, you need some carpentry skills and a few basic tools. You Will Need: Tape measure Pencil Steel joist hangers Power drill Screw gun Wood…

Odds. We can’t speak for you but we like them when they are stacked in our favor! So is there a way to increase your chances of loan approval for the SBL Loan… Canadian government business loans? We know there is! and we’re going to show you how. Some folks might consider us biased, but…

Buying a home should be an enjoyable experience. Knowing what to expect during escrow process can remove some of the doubt and fear that are natural when buying a home. Getting Your Offer Accepted and The Escrow Process Started It is critical to understand that an accepted offer is considered to be when you have…

Sometimes when you want to write down a quick note or reminder to yourself, a word processor or text editor isn’t quick enough, and there’s no pen and paper handy. Maybe someone just gave your their address, phone number or email address, or you saw something online and wanted to write down the model number,…

The human body is a complex thing. The human body requires different amounts of a large variety of nutrients and minerals in order to function and perform at its peak. It isn’t uncommon, especially in America, for people to have diets lacking in the proper amounts of these nutrients. For this reason, many people choose…

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are going to invest together in a new restaurant venture that will cater to vegans. Those that don’t eat any animal products at all will find a new place to eat in the restaurant whose menu will be created by Chef Tal Ronnen, who also happened to cater the…

A principle we should always consider when we hear or observe any politician is that “The Truth has Two Wings.” Principle and truth are complimentary aspects defining the reality of anything. Consider water. Pure water has a molecular composition of H2O, but it freezes at 0OC or 32OF with pressure having only a minor effect…

Sooner or later, everybody lies and this is just a fact of the human existence. The problem is that at times this deceptive behavior could destroy through misleading information in different ways: false misrepresentation in a job interview, salesmen who hide the truth to persuade you to purchase a “lemon”, or a spouse that is…

Boise State was a missed field goal away from a possible BCS title game for the second year in a row and instead will play in the MAACO Bowl. Its the second straight appearance for the Broncos in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. Last year, Boise easily handled Utah winning 26-3. Boise State got off…

Turn out the lights, the party’s over! That is the famous line that Don Meredith paraphrased on Monday Night Football almost 30 years ago. Is it time to turn out the lights on the Giants’ playoff hopes? After last night’s crushing loss to the Cubs (7-0, Lincecum rocked for 3 HR’s), the Giants’ have hit…

It’s unlikely any airline will ever be known for its stellar customer service, but a visit by my stepsons over the Labor Day weekend revealed some tools that can improve your experience when you’re confronted with delayed Delta flights. On their way home at the end of the weekend, my sons’ itinerary included two connections….

Word is we may yet have an NBA season. With both commissioner David Stern and NBA player union rep Billy Hunter smiling and giggling like school girls all over the presser podium the end to the heinous lockout nightmare is finally within sight. And it may be closer than you think. Both Billy Hunter and…

My two toddlers are both fans of the current crop of “educational” kids’ cartoons, exemplified by shows such as “Caillou” and “Dora the Explorer.” The characters in these shows are almost uniformly kind and gentle, speak slowly, and resolve disputes in a thoughtful, forgiving manner. In short, exactly the type of fare a developing member…

The difference between a psychic medium and other psychics is that they are able to communicate with the people who have already passed on through the spirits. They are able to see, feel and hear them. They are also able to communicate with other spirits like guardian angels and guides. They are able to see…