Monday, August 31, 2009

Good as Gold

There have been a lot of commercials about selling your gold, but there have been many that have cropped as well advising us to buy gold bullion. Of course, there have always been offers for us to buy commemorative gold coins. The commercials state the urgency of never being able to buy a certain design again, or having to do so later at a much higher price. No matter what, the value of gold going forward has been touted.

Buying a single coin is not going to amount to much, but some people are even doing a gold IRA transfer because they feel it is more stable in the long run. My great-grandparents kept rolls of silver coins in the floorboards. I can't imagine what the repair would be if the dip in the floor had been something heavier, like gold. Because of the bulk, I just don't know how to put gold in my IRA. I was quickly corrected on exactly what a gold 401k or IRA is. It just means that instead of having your money in stocks, it is in gold. You don't physically have bars of gold just like you don't have individual pieces of paper for each stock. The fund purchases them on your behalf rather than shipping them to your door.

If you believe that gold is a much more stable investment, you might want to learn about how a 401k Gold IRA helps your retirement bottom line or how to put gold in an IRA. It is not "all or nothing." Sometimes a gold fund can balance out more volatile stock investments that you may have also.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Camp Where History Was Made

If you are a history buff, or just love interesting experiences, what about doing some pa rv camping in the area of the historic sites? Why not merely camp AROUND Gettysburg, when you can do some actual gettysburg camping? What do I mean by "actual?" How would you like to park your RV and sleep in the southern tip of the actual battlefield? Yes, you heard me right.

You can wake up and walk to the Soldier's National Monument, where Lincoln gave his famous address. Or, you can take a hike down the Appalachian Trail. Gettysburg Battlefield Resort also hosts 40 theme event weekends a year, such as Wine Festival weekend,Holiday Festival and Halloween weekend.

When sifting through the pennsylvania RV Parks and deciding where to make your reservations, don't pass up Gettysburg. Remember that Labor Day weekend, the last hurrah of summer, is a favorite weekend to get one last vacation in, so plan now.

What We Do For Beauty

There is so much we do to ourselves to be even more beautiful and handsome than we are. Some may call it tweaking the truth, others say we are "doing the best with what we have." Either way, a lot of cash goes in to tonics, hair cures, body wraps and weight loss aids.

For the most part an inch loss body wrap is not something you just find at the corner store. It is something that is mostly found in day spas and consists of sea minerals. However, now you can get it on the internet. They say it removes toxins from cells, making you able to take off a lot of weight. I think it works on the same principle of sweating a horse's neck. The water retention is reduced in a concentrated spot, causing the area to shrink. I am no expert, but in my mind, that is what it seems like. The body is wrapped tightly while undergoing the treatment. The first treatment usually works pretty well, and the other treatments are for maintenance.

Beauty products are not always this intensive as far as the work you need to do to have success. Products that strengthen your hair, or make it shine are a simple "wash, rinse, repeat." No matter what, beauty products do not replace a good diet and at least moderate exercise. They will make the most of what you have, but if you are using them to counter the effects of poor choices in nutrition, you will be siphoning your money away day by day.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Hip Hop Jewelry

bling.gifIf you buy a simple chain or ring, it is typically something that doesn't go out of style very quickly. Things change slowly over time. Different colors of gold become trendy, but for the most part, men's jewelry doesn't seem to be as dated as quickly as ladies jewelry.

One type of jewelry that has evolved over the past 20 years is Hip Hop Jewelry. I thought that it was something that would have come and gone as a fashion genre, but it is still going strong. It is not only going strong, but it is thriving. Gone are the days of clocks around necks. Now you see silver and stainless steel cuffs with rhinestones. There are watches with rhinestones or diamonds around the sides. On the more outrageous side are "grillz" which cover your teeth.

What is your opinion of Hip Hop jewelry? Do you think it is here to stay or will it fade into the sunset?

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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Football + Movies = Peace Throughout The Land

footballwatch.jpgThe football season is creeping closer, and that means that people are debating about what their football watching will entail. Will they watch games on tv when they are on? Will they go to the bar? Will they make sure to make friends with someone who has subscribed to the nfl sunday ticket, or do they purchase it themselves?

I guess it all depends what you are after. Some may balk at the nfl sunday ticket price, myself included. What I didn't realize is that you not only get to watch the 200 games. Well, you really couldn't watch all 200 games in their entirety, as some are on at the same time, or the start times overlap. You know what I meant, though. What you also get is access to a variety of movie channels for a few months while the package is in effect. Sounds a bit too good to be true, doesn't it? It actually is true. There are 31 movie channels that come with the package for your viewing enjoyment.

While the football fans in your fan can be spending their evenings and afternoons pouring over the nfl sunday ticket schedule, the rest of the family can be watching a premium movie or show in the next room. Peace occurred throughout the land.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Deep Marketing Thoughts after a Mental Vacation

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It is the body's natural inclination to want to take a nap in the afternoon. Remember the Diamond Nut commercial that talked about sleepy people being stricken with sudden attacks of Robert Goulet messing up their desks because they were too tired to notice? I rest my case. In many countries throughout the world, business indeed stop in the late afternoon, to commence later.

onlinesiesta1.gifTomer Treves has lunch everyday, and then takes a little siesta. He uses that time to share his thoughts. He blogs about online marketing and digital advertising. Treves definitely has some expertise in the field, as be is a VP at a company called Infolinks.

In one of his musings, he raises a very interesting point about free offers. Often, free offers include free samples, or free articles to read. He writes:

Free is not really free. For every free offer we take, we actually pay with our most precious currency – our attention.

He offers the idea that for the concept to evolve and thrive, the offer has to commensurate with the time and attention it takes. Personally, I have been invited to take online surveys for various companies. Some offer pennies for twenty minutes of my time. I pass them by because the time it takes is not worth it to me. However, if I were taking a survey about a subject I was passionate about, I possibly would do it out of the goodness of my heart, or for my own interest. This follows his concept of the value of attention, it can not always be accurately monetized.

A few years ago, the craze in online marketing was to motivate people to perform an action, such as clicking, but with attention recognized as a value, companies may see longer residuals, as he suggests. For more "fresh from a mental vacation" thoughts, check out the blog.

Friday, August 14, 2009

North Highlands Auto Repair: Help Is On The Way on your California Vacation

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North Highlands Auto Repair is in the greater Sacramento area and provides all of your towing and road side assistance needs. If you need a jump, run out of gas, or need a tire change, they can help. Some car purchases come with roadside assistance, but I have found that once your car runs out of the warranty period, you cannot find anyone to help. Even if you offer them cash, they don't seem to want to help. That is not the case with North Highlands. You can depend on them to bail you out. Just call 916-332-6995 for details. Help is on the way!

Time Machines - Where to Wear!

Los Angeles Time Machines is a site that we have been watching for awhile that we think our readers would enjoy. It focuses exclusively on pre-1970s restaurants and bars that are still in their original state. Occasionally, there are updates on when folks can make a big difference in saving a historic vintage landmark so stay plugged in!

It mainly focuses on the many sites in Los Angeles, California, but has extended to includes spots in Nevada, Maryland, Washington and beyond.

So, go look up a historic place and show up in your vintage clothing! It would make a great retro photo!
http://www.latimemachines.com

Stay Unique :)

PK24: Bob Shouldn't Be the Only One Smiling


You've all seen the commercials. There are some very silly commercials for "male enhancement" products. Remember "Smilin Bob?" The commercials that had a retro vibe to them had a character with a plastered on smile that was recognized by millions, even children, if they didn't even know what the product was for. Similar women's issues are not dealt with so humorously on television, if they are dealt with at all. Perhaps it is the subject of a made for tv movie for a women's oriented network, but never on a commercial.

Women have different issues as the grow older, just like men, but possibly more dramatic as their bodies go through dramatic changes. For the most part, the main concern occurs after child birth. They change hormonally and they change shape. Some women have concerns about that and how it will effect their relationship. Now there is a women's answer in pk24 . It is a formulation of all natural ingredients. The ingredients are FDA approved and there have been clinical trials with a 78% success rate. Since is topical, there are no reactions to prescribed medicines or other such concerns.

It should be interesting in the next few years if things change and we start seeing advertisements, just like we do for men's products.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Viva Las Vegas...Only 8 Months Away

elvisann.gifViva Las Vegas 2010 is a little ways off. In fact, it is seven months away. People are already booking their rooms for the biggest Rockabilly show and fashion strut ever. Some of my friends enjoy it so much that they say they want to just move there permanently.

What will they do for work? I don't know. They do have Nevada Health Insurance that you can pick up even if you don't have a job, but how are you going to pay for it? I guess when you are beautiful or have a really neat jacket, it really doesn't mater.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

An Address Plaque Says You're Here to Stay

10304-2-01.jpgWhen fixing up around the house, there are some small touches that can turn your shop or residence into a jewel box versus a little hole in the wall, and a country estate instead of a big old house. Just like mailboxes are important, address plaques and signs are even more so. After all, how is someone supposed to find your house without them?

An address plaque with an upscale look, instead of stick on numbers, can make your home look more finished. It also says "welcome" versus "enter at your own risk". You can add a wall address plaques, or your number and surname on a stake that mounts in the ground. A sign that mounts in the dirt may be a better choice if your front door is down a windy path. This way, people know they came to the right place, before an embarrassing knock at the door. In some subdivisions, homes look so similar. Every third house is the same floor plan just flipped, it seems.

When you buy address plaques and numbers for your business, it gives your place an air of permanency. Unless you have a seasonal business, having a paper sign up for weeks makes customers feel like you don't have the interest in staying around awhile. Even if the business is your life's love, people don't think you planned far enough in advance or carefully enough. Proper signage can mean a lot subconsciously. An "I just discovered you," versus an "Are you closing?" is usually better, I would say!

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Reevaluate Your Finances with a Pro

stokexchange.jpgA few friends have wished me a Happy Christmas in July. Now that August has rolled around, we are even closer to the end of the year. I am thinking all about what charities to give to at the end of the year. I am also thinking about how I may need to reevaluate my finances.

It is important to pay attention to what is going on in the world of Online Broker? Many people walk in and sit down with an advisor, but many more have turned to online trading for their needs. Are you finding that you are with the right one that fits all of your needs?

Gone are the days of day trading when it comes to stock trading. In truth, there are still many people who sit at home buying at one hour and selling at another. However, the majority of people are managing their mutual funds, stock options, and 401K. Nowadays, those investments are not deposited into a company fund that you only get a quarterly report for. Most of the time you can now see these nest eggs from day to day. It is tempted to flip them during the day, but investing a little bit at a time and holding on to it works out better in the long run.

Things aren't like 1929 like some people say. No way. Just think about your long term goals and you will come out on top when you need it.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Get Your Game On In The UK

Sometimes our British readers feel a little left in the dark when I talk about shopping sites. While you may easily be able to order books and clothing from American and Canadian sites, furniture and other large pieces to create a home restoration are a little impractical. ShopWiki has a UK site as well. Even with clothing, the postage is so much higher that if it is not one of a kind, buying from online shops within your country may be better.

If you are so used to wearing vintage shoes or leather soled shoes, but need something you can kick around in or train in, there is a guide for running shoes to give you some tips on how to get the most out of your foray into brand new footwear.

One tip that most people remember when buying a dress shoe, but forget when buying running shoes is:

Each person has a different type of foot that needs different shape or different stability and there are shoes to fit any runner's needs.

There are folks with high or low arches, as well as those with average arches. I was surprised, but they advised going against cushioned soled for those with flat feet. Someone with a high arch needs that instead. A normal arch is considered ideal for running, and what the average running shoe is optimized for.

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Another item that you may want to consider is a pedometer. I have sworn off of pedometers before, but I realized it is because I was always using pedometers that were cheaply made and were given out free at events or as premiums. Today, many high quality pedometers have a GPS system. You can figure out where you are, as well as send your data to your computer. I wonder if it would help people find you also, if you decided to run out into the mountains in a snowstorm against better judgement.

Whatever you decide, ShopWiki helps put all the comparative information at your fingertips.

Upscale Design

gessato1.gifGSelect.com. is a website full of all sorts of products for the discriminating man of taste. You can find furniture, accessories, and even skin care products. The style is sophisticated and urban. Typically, the products feature clean, simple lines, and some of them are items I have not seen elsewhere before.

Case in point is the Storyline book shelf, pictured. It depicts a word translated into sound waves and made of powder coated steel that is folded into an unusual shape to display all sorts of interesting things.

GSelect stands for Gessato, and the upscale online store has a spare and well curated feel to it. There is a limited amount of items in each category, but they are all high end and carefully selected. It is like browsing through a boutique, rather than rummaging around a store that has "everything" and you end up finding nothing. Prices on the site range from $20-2000.

Gessato also has an online blog that expands upon the story behind the items, as well as featuring great design. The latest blog features Tomas Meyerhoffer and his reimagining of the longboard surfboard. It is well worth checking out for color inspiration.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Spouses of Football Game Body Painters: Rejoice

bodypaint.jpgIt’s that time of year again. Direct TV is starting to advertise the NFL Sunday Ticket package. For the uninitiated, it gives you unlimited access to watching every single NFL game that ever was, even if it is blacked out in your market. If you live far away from your home team, or just have to see it all (200 games!), then that is the antidote for what ails you.

Something disturbing always happens during football season, and that is usually both a major lapse of fashion sense, as well as a lapse in one’s general well being. It involves standing outside in freezing weather, and if you are a male of the species, being shirtless and painting yourself with absurd numbers and logos. It seems like that would be the surefire way to deter any of the ladyfolk from coming anywhere near you. Ever. Even so, the trend still rages on. I is not everyone doing it, but just those few groups that make everyone else stand and point.

If you want to be “that guy” without the fashion police bearing down upon you, I suppose that checking into the NFL Sunday Ticket price and seriously considering itis going to help you paint and display in the privacy of your own home. Then, of course, it will make you a closet painter and some unsuspecting gal will have the shock of her life once she starts her life with a guy. She will have had no inkling about the mild mannered gent, and then one day, she is home from work or exercise class unexpected and walks in to the shock of her life.

Don’t be a closet painter. If you must, then please tell the lady in your life before you get serious, lest she consider it a deal breaker. Perhaps, as an alternative, maybe that could just be your private thing, and you do it in the “Man Cave.” In other words, it is an unspoken rule that the den or tv room is your private sanctuary during games where none shall pass.

I like to plan ahead, but am not thinking about what I will be watching on television in the fall. However, for those of you that are in mourning over the Lions and just believe that this year will be the year, you are probably pouring over the nfl sunday ticket schedule right now.

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