Four Stress Reduction Exercises

Four Stress Reduction Exercises You Can Blog or Tweet About: 
"This Christmas week may be filled with places and events for you to attend and tweet about, but have you stopped to appreciate the beauty of all the events that have brought your family and you together in this busy season?
Being thankful for the good things, however small or big, is one good way to be positive and see that reflected in a happier mood in yourself and others. Gratitude has been cited as a resource for fighting depression and improving mental health, according to studies by former American Psychological Association president, Martin Seligman."

Even if you don't Blog or Tweet, this article has something for you. I am always stressed out around the Holidays, and the article contains some useful hints on how to avoid the unpleasantries of the season.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Camcorder Deal

The Cheapskate - CNET News:
"Tis the season to record a lot of video. And take it from me: you want a camcorder you can slip into a pocket between memorable moments, not some big, bulky thing that requires a neck strap.
Flip Video's popular pocket cams start at around $200, but right now you can grab the Creative Vado HD (with accessories) for $99.99 shipped."

If you don't have a camcorder already, this is a really good for the Holidays. Besides the price, the nice thing about the deal is that it includes an Accessory Kit which would normally cost about $45. Check out the article and most of all view the comments, they are always worth the read.

The Complete Guide to Avoiding Online Scams

Scam Busters - For Your Less Savvy Friends and Relatives:
"Our readers are a savvy bunch who aren't likely to be taken in by an online scam—but we've all got those friends and relatives we worry about. Here's our definitive guide to helping them stay safe online.
When training your loved ones how to keep themselves safe online, you should remind them of the rule your parents probably taught you: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Using a little common sense goes a long way to realizing that you aren't going to suddenly win the Spanish National Lottery when you didn't even know you had a ticket. That said, here's a few tips that you should share with your less-than-savvy friends and family to help them avoid falling victim to an online scam."

Sorry I haven't posted in so long, I've been side tracked by some personal things. Hopefully they'll be resolved next week.
At any rate here is a great article to forward to your not too computer savvy friends and family. It's a basic online scam survival guide brought to you by the people at LifeHacker.
Enjoy.

A Grinch's Gift Guide

Five Items You Might Think Twice About Buying:
"In my family, there's a grand old tradition in which we threaten to fill each others' Christmas stockings with coal -- the implication being that we've all been very wicked. But I'm starting to think that coal isn't a bad gift at all. For one thing, it lasts forever. And while it doesn't play mp3s or grate carrots three different ways, coal never requires obscure replacement parts available only through membership in a secret society.
Of course, what we're really talking about here is the frustrations of those perennial holiday gifts: gadgets and appliances. Lately, device makers seem to be outdoing each other in their creative approaches to planned obsolescence. Roaming store aisles, it's easy to come up with a list of gifts that qualify as the new lump of coal:"

This article struck a note with me, so much so that I'll add a sixth item to the list of things to think twice about buying.
I was going to purchase a new laptop and decided to splurge and buy a Mac. After a copious amount of research comparing the Mac Book against similarly specked PC, I decided to spend the extra bucks (almost 2X a PC) and go for the Mac. Fortunately just before I ordered it I saw an article about battery life and at the very end of the article, almost as an aside, they stated that you had to return the Mac to the factory to replace the battery. That was a deal buster for me.
Replacing a laptop battery is one the simplest things, next to turning it on, that a person can do in a PC world. The hassle and cost associated with sending a laptop back to the factory for something that simple is totally outrageous. Link to Apple price list for battery replacement.
Apple deserves a big lump of coal in their stockings for this one.

Questions On Your Money - Las Vegas caller

Do I walk away from this house? - Housing Doom:
"An underwater Las Vegas caller calls in and asks if he should walk away from his house"

This is a very interesting video, with some even more interesting blog comments. Jingle Mail is a subject that gets more discussion in the blogsphere than the MSM. It is truly is a moral issue, but who is the immoral one, the bank or the home owner?
Since most Boomers are Old School and have worked their entire lives to pay off their mortgages, it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Pay Off Debt In 10 Steps And 5 Years

Pay Off $50k In Debt On A $20k Salary In 10 Steps And 5 Years - The Consumerist:
This 30-year old receptionist and single mother of 3 climbed out of a $50,000 debt hole in 5 years using these 10 steps.
Broke and $50k in debt, Noemi Wikstrom, who had become a single mother at 19 living in Puerto Rico with no child support and working for minimum wage as a secretary, sent her three kids to live with relatives. She enlisted in the Air Force but was still behind. Desperate, she turned to payday loans, which only made matters worse. Finally, she got real and started on her path to a debt-free life."

I posted this article for two reasons -
The first was so that you could pass it on to someone that you know who is just starting out, and could benefit from some sage advice about money.
Secondly I thought that as a Boomer you would find the comments, at the end of the short article, very interesting. It gives a good insight as to how different people look at money and finances. Some people are critical of Ms. Wikstrom, others support her resolve. Even at our age you can learn new perspectives about how people think

Seniors Going To Food Pantries

Recession Sends Many Seniors to Food Pantries :
"ALBANY, N.Y. — Older Americans who were raised on stories of the Great Depression and acquired lifelong habits of thrift now find themselves crowding soup kitchens and food pantries in greater numbers for the first time after seeing retirement funds, second jobs and nest eggs wiped out by recession.
'What we see in line is lots of gray hair, lots of walkers,' said Marti Forman, Cooperative Feeding Program. The help is crucial for many fixed-income seniors, who can't always keep up with rising food prices."

 I make it a habit to only post upbeat articles on this blog but as Jerry Seinfeld once quipped, this time I Slipped One Past The Goalie.
Whenever I think about Food Pantries and Seniors, I always envision a bunch of older Boomers tripping over them selves in order to volunteer to help those down on their luck. Now it seems that The Times They Are A Changing, and Boomers are the ones in need of help. I don't know how it is in your locality, but here in Durham North Carolina property and sales taxes are increasing steadily to make up for short falls in government spending. A senior can scrimp, save, and cut back on most items, but not on taxes. This is something that Government seems to either forget or ignore when they try to save their budgets by raising taxes. What makes it worse is that this area doesn't offer any senior discount on property taxes, they pay the full tariff.
Let's hope that the economy improves, but if it doesn't, try to help out your local Food Pantries with donations or volunteering.

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Maximize Your Thanksgiving Leftovers with Leftover Recipes:
"Last year we shared a few leftover recipes and now we're back to share a few more. The absolute easiest method of course is to simply throw servings of your leftovers on the plate and heat them back up. If you love a good Thanksgiving meal you can't go wrong with a basic reheat. That said, we've gathered up a few basic recipes here for you to mix up your left overs."

Thanks to the folks over at LifeHacker for this great post Thanksgiving article.
Tomorrow I'm making my old but simple classic, Turkey Salad. Recently I've taken to adding pickle relish and a hint of mustard. I'll package and freeze individual servings with what's left. Hope you enjoy the recipes, some of them look really good, but a little too much work for just one person.

What Is That Father

A friend of mine sent me this video and it almost brought tears to the eyes of this old cynic.

It is a short film by Constantin Pilavios. I have scoured the web, but I the only thing I can find out about him is that he is an amateur Greek film maker and director who lives in Athens. The film is another story, there aren't any mainstream reviews on it but it seems to be all the rage of blogs like mine. Most of the Bloggers give reviews or opinions of the film, but I won't because doing so will take away the surprise of the poignant little vignette.

Please do yourself a favor and take the time (5Min.) to watch this. It is very moving and I'm quite sure it will bring back some fond memories of your child hood, or maybe it will just make you want to say something special to someone special.

Hat tip to John L. for sending the clip to me.
Enjoy.

Five Black Friday Deals

Five Black Friday Deals You Shouldn't Miss: 
"Here we go: one week until Black Friday. Am I excited? Pumped? Polishing the ol' credit card for a day of deal-crazed madness?
Don't get me wrong: I enjoy BF as much as the next cheapskate. But I'm weary of the month-long hype machine, what with all the 'leaked' ads, pre-Black Friday sales, and so on.
What's more, I have never, and will never, set foot in a retail store on Black Friday. I don't enjoy crowds, especially the deal-crazed variety. Oh, and 5 a.m.? That's sleep time, not stand-in-line-in-the-freezing-cold time.
My other issue: Like last year, the deals I've seen so far just aren't that great. Know why? Because everything's already dirt-cheap all year. Regular Cheapskate readers have seen the $50 GPS, the $80 Blu-ray player, the sub-$300 32-inch HDTV. Sadly for retailers, there's just not much room to go any lower."

I have to agree with the author of this article Rick Broida A.K.A. The Cheapskate. I think that these Black Friday prices aren't so great that they're worth standing in line at 5 a.m. for. Also with today's economy, Ole Man Deflation will drive down prices even further.
So if you don't need it yesterday, sit back, relax and remember Cash Is King.
That is until it's Ole Man Inflation's turn at bat.

Mayo Clinic Opting Out Of Medicare

Phoenix Mayo Clinic in W. Valley Opting Out Of Medicare:
"'Low reimbursements have led one West Valley medical facility to stop taking certain Medicare patients, a pilot program that an Arizona health-care expert says may become a long-term trend in the industry.'
'Government payers without question are the worse payers in health care,' said John Rivers, president of the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association. 'Medicare shortfalls in hospital payments represent nearly $1 billion in Arizona alone. And those costs ultimately get shifted onto the backs of privately insured individuals in the form of a hidden health-care tax.'"

Boomers Brigade is not a political Blog, and I'm not posting this article as a vehicle to start a debate on the Health Care Bill before Congress. However, the Mayo Clinic's position on Medicare payments does have National implications for Boomers like us. I would be remiss if I did not share this article with you since it looks like a shift that will have a huge financial impact on any current or future Boomer. There are a lot of us out there who depend on Medicare as their sole source for medical coverage, and this trend doesn't bode well for us financially.

How To Wrap Ear Buds

I guess by now most everyone owns an MP3 player of some sort. IPod, Sansa, Zune you name it they all have the same problem. Tangled Ear Bud wires. In the long/short run these need to replaced, and let me tell you they are expensive ($ Store doesn't count).
Thanks to the folks at Hack College the solution to longevity is simple, and as an added bonus it works with any delicate or not so delicate electronics cord you use on a daily basis.

Must-Install Programs - MakeUseOf

Roundup: 15 Free Must-Install Programs for Your PC:
"Over the last three years, the writers here at MakeUseOf have profiled thousands of software apps on the website. With all these thousands being presented to you, it’s hard to decide which apps to use and which ones to discard. To make it easier for you, we have managed to compile a list of the top 15 absolute must-have tools for everyday tasks."

Here's another great article from the folks over at MakeUseOf. This one is about free programs that are a must to have on your PC. I'm ashamed to admit that because I'm not big on music, photos, and video editing, I only have a few of these programs installed. However if you're more mainstream than I, the article is well worth the read. The cost of the programs fall well within anyone's "budget" so give them a try.
Enjoy!

This Holiday Season

Giving Experiences, Not Things, This Holiday Season:
"Give Experiences Instead of Things -
What do I mean by this? Instead of giving a material gift that would require you to spend money on something you’re unsure they’ll like and them receiving something that they’ll have to now take responsiblity for, give them something that isn’t material."

A Good Idea or Not?
I guess this one depends on you and the person you're giving the gift to.
Fore example, I know that when I was a kid I was less appreciative of a new sweater than a brand new shiny toy.
Now, not so much.
What about you?

Used Stuff On Facebook

How To Buy Used Stuff For Cheap On Facebook: 
"Now that I am more proficient in Facebook, and my list of friends is growing, I’ve learned there are many other uses for Facebook beyond “keeping in touch”, “playing games” and “updating my status”. Facebook is a good tool to buy used stuff for cheap or to sell your used stuff. How do you access the used Facebook marketplace? Let’s take a look."

I posted an article about deals on Facebook back in September, but it didn't have the level of detail that this one has. I think that with today's economy we'll be seeing more and more unexpected places to find bargains, especially the used previously owned genre.
Never Pay Retail.

Black Friday Strategy Guide

The dealnews Black Friday Strategy Guide - dealnews.com:
"This year's holiday shopping season is expected to be a bargain hunter's paradise. With struggling vendors and a sagging economy, everyone's vying for your dollar. But unless you know how to score the best deals, chances are you can wind up spending more than you wanted. Follow our Black Friday Strategy Guide before heading outside and you'll not only find the best deals, but you'll do so without breaking a sweat."

I found this great article on Black Friday sales tips and thought I'd Boomer it. It comes from one of my favorite bargain hunters web sites "dealnews.com" which I check every day. They started out as mainly a tech bargain type of  list site, no pictures, no fancy advertising, just plain old vanilla bargains. Over the last year they have blossomed into a really great one stop on line deal web site. The newest thing are articles just like this one, which are very helpful to frugal shoppers like me.
Enjoy, and Never Pay Retail.

529 Dropouts - Yahoo! Finance

More Parents Are Becoming 529 Dropouts:

"When Michael Singer of Coral Springs, Fla., started saving for his children's college education about six years ago, he relied mainly on a 529 savings plan sponsored by the state of New Mexico. Then the 49-year-old high-school teacher lost about half of his 529 savings because of an Oppenheimer bond fund that had bet heavily on mortgage-backed securities. Mr. Singer decided not to make the big contribution he had planned to his 529 this year, and he is now saving for college on his own."

With all the articles that have been written about the stock market decline, the vast majority of them were focused on 401K and IRA plans. This is the first one I've seen that even mention 529's. It's difficult to imagine a hard working middle class couple taking a hit on their house, 401K and 529 college fund all at the same time. It must also be hard on you Grand Parents out there who also set up a 529 for the grand kids only to see it take a serious decline. My heart goes out to all of you.

Black Friday Ads - Electronic Gadgets

Black Friday ads leaking all over town, we've rounded them up:
"The holiday shopping season is really creeping up on us quickly this year... wasn't it just Halloween the other day? Regardless, Black Friday ads revealing the deals to come are leaking all over the internet, so we thought we'd round up a few of the less monotonous-looking bargains"

Just found this, but don't have much time to elaborate on it. Seems like Black Friday ads are being leaked all over the place. I'm sure they come from the stores themselves. I think it's going to be a slow Christmas buying season. The Sam's Club Acer Aspire One 10.1-inch Netbook going for $197 will push me over the edge when it comes to a NetBook. I've heard rumors of this model at different Black Friday leaks for the same price, so maybe it's more than a rumor.

Latte DIY Tip From Apartment Therapy

How to Make Milk Foam Without a Frother or a Machine!:
"We love a bit of creamy foam topping our morning coffee, but haven't really wanted to invest the funds or the counter-space in an actual milk steamer. Here's how we get around it with just a jar and a microwave!"

This is for all of the ex-Yuppies out there who still want to stay hip, but prefer doing it on a budget. Besides those damn frothy machines are a royal pain in the ass to use, and hard as hell to clean.
As an added bonus, check out the entire website that the article is posted on. The Kitchn makes for some interesting reading browsing, it has some great tips and tricks for today's Boomer living.

When Bankers Were Bankers

A little levity Ala Monty Python. I hope you find it as funny as I did. John Cleese plays a more honest banker than any you'll find today, but I guess that's the purpose of my post.
Still can't get over how young they were, or maybe it's how old I've we've gotten.
ENJOY!

Don't Cash Out That 401K or IRA

The Market Ticker - Karl Denninger: 
"Let me make this crystal clear:
Your 401k or IRA has near-absolute protection in a personal bankruptcy. As a qualified retirement plan it cannot be seized by creditors if you file a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.
The absolutely worst thing you can do is to cash out those plans. This is not just about sabotaging retirement, although that's serious.
This is the 'human face' on the games our government has played with bailing out banks and other big financial institutions. You, 'Joe Six Pack', hasn't been helped at all, and bill collectors and others will even 'suggest' that you cash in retirement funds so you can pay them!
Don't do it!"

If you're like me you know a few younger people that are going through some hard times, and are thinking of tapping into their 401K or IRA accounts. Please take the time to forward this article to them, it's short and to the point. It will at least arm them with some facts and alternatives to help them weather the financial storm they are going through. Karl is right $100 is well spent money for advice from a CPA and/or Bankruptcy Attorney.

16-inch Windows 7 laptop for $350

Get a 16-inch Windows 7 laptop for $350 | The Cheapskate - CNET News:
"If you are in the market for an inexpensive laptop to make the jump to Windows 7, we may have just what you are looking for."

Attention all Boomers, if anyone needs a cheap laptop right away, give this one 'look see'.
All indications are that the prices will really take a plunge by Christmas, but if you need one NOW for knocking around, this is the guy  .............. and did I tell you it's comes with Windows 7?

 

Rumor has it that Santa is going to treat me to either a 12" Netbook (Atom/Nvidia) or a 13.3" Mac, wont I be surprised. I'm so tired of lugging around those big heavy bricks just to write email and do some net surfing..

Upside To The Downturn?

Some people think so: 
"It seems the financial crisis isn't all doom and gloom: one in four people are glad the world's economy slumped like it did, because it helped them realize their priorities in life, according to a global survey. Market research firm Synovate polled around 11,400 people across the world and found more than half had permanently changed their attitudes toward money over the last 12 months."

 It's interesting to see how other countries are adjusting, but I feel that they haven't lost near as much as the US. What do you think, are Americans adjusting to the Downturn or are we mad as hell about it?
Boomers want to know!

Guess Who Sleeps Better After Retirement

People With Pensions Sleep Better After Retirement : 
"NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Retirees have something else to look forward to besides playing golf -- much better sleep -- particularly if they have decent retirement benefits and retire relatively early. That's what Dr. Jussi Vahtera of the University of Turku in Finland and colleagues found in a study of 14,714 people who had retired from the French national gas and electric company. But because the workers in the study had excellent retirement benefits, including generous pensions, the findings don't apply to everyone, Vahtera noted in a prepared statement."

And if they have 401K plans to go along with their pensions, they sleep like babies.
I love studies like this, they remind me of an old radio show I used to listen to called Tom and Ray. One of the best segments was called Ask Mr. Obvious. Tom would pretend to be a caller with the most transparent question, and Mr. Obvious (Ray) would give the most obvious answer to the even more obvious question. Trust me it was funny. Anyway studies like this are exactly the same as the Tom and Ray skit. The question: Why do I sleep so well? Mr. Obvious' answer, because you are retired with a good pension and don't have to worry about money in your Golden Years, obviously.
The only good thing about the study is that it was Finnish tax money that paid for it, not ours.
Obviously.

Snoring Cure

Snoring jab could cure noisy snoozing in minutes:
"It takes two minutes and costs just €3 , but its effects could be priceless for the partners of loud snorers. The 'snoreplasty' involves injecting a chemical called sodium tetradecyl into the roof of the mouth. It acts as a hardening agent that stops the soft tissue at the back of the mouth from vibrating."

Talk about "a day late and a dollar short". Where was this technology when I needed it? I can't tell you how many relationships my snoring has ruined over the years, and now when I'm too old they invent a cure :-( Anyway this is a good article for any Boomers out there that still have problems with the dreaded ZZZZZZZZ's.
PS I promise to stop with the signs and find more interesting graphics for the posts

Healthy Living - Yahoo Shine

5 Habits to Break Before It's Too Late : 
"'Someday,' you say, 'I'm going to get my health back on track, after this next project,' or 'when I get back from my cruise,' or 'when the kids get a little older' ... C'mon, you know your list of reasons -- or what I call EXCUSES -- better than I.
Look, if you're waiting for some magical day to appear, you just may be waiting forever. These days do not 'show up'; you show up for THEM. I have identified five critical areas, bad habits that many people mindlessly follow. Do you realize that each and every day of your life that you do not reverse these dangerous trends, you get farther and farther from your ultimate goal of living a fulfilling life?
Take a look at each area, determine how you stack up, and then make the fix today:"

I haven't posted anything health related in a while, so here's one that I'm sure will interest you. The reason this article caught my eye is that the habits are very easy to break. Some exercise but NO grueling forced marches in the heat of the noon day sun, no extreme will power needed, just some minor adjustments to your day. It makes sense, and it's easy.

Sears Starts Black Friday Deals Now

Sears Black Friday From Now Until Christmas: 
"HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Sears kicks off the holidays by celebrating Black Friday deals now -- offering them weekly -- with layaway options for these deals just in time for Christmas. Starting Saturday, Oct. 31, and continuing every Saturday until Christmas, Sears will offer Black Friday deals making gift giving even easier and more affordable with guaranteed best prices through Christmas on the best brands. From home electronics and kitchen and housewares to jewelry and apparel, shoppers will find incredible selections and values for their holiday shopping needs."

Well here's a surprise, Sears is starting to use the dreaded "C" word in their advertising for "holiday" sales. I wonder when the rest of the retailers will start putting Christmas back in their vocabulary? Hey you never know, maybe they'll put up Merry Christmas signs in their stores, and ...... gasp... allow their staff to wish customers a Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays.

It looks like the only up side to this Depression were in is that some merchants are admitting that the time span from the day after Thanksgiving to December 26 is called The CHRISTMAS Shopping Season, and that's the reason people spend money to buy their wares. It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that people don't buy Christmas presents for some nebulous "holiday season", they buy for Christmas.

Sorry I'm redundant but I was always a great fan of The Miracle On 42nd Street, it's a movie about Christmas don't cha noe.

N&O Friday freebies

Sue Stock's Friday freebies:
"Friday freebies...
Submitted by suestock on October 30, 2009 - 1:34pm.
It's Friday..."

I know, it's Saturday but I was busy trying to get some personal things squared away.
The coffee samples are always a good find, I save them for when I run out. You know how it is, if it's not on the list you forget to pick some up at the market. I used to think shopping lists were a Senior Moment thing, but I've come to the realization that it has to do living out in the sticks and not being able to walk out your front door and walk in to a supermarket.

Million Dollar Nest Egg

Six Simple Steps To $1 Million:
"Let's face it; we all don't make millions of dollars a year, and the odds are that most of us won't receive a large windfall inheritance either. However, that doesn't mean that we can't build sizeable wealth - it'll just take some time. If you're young, time is on your side and retiring a millionaire is achievable."

I know, I know, at our age we've done all the savings and retirement planning by now. But I thought that I'd Boomer this one so that you can share it with your children and grandchildren. It's very tempting to make a political statement about Congress and ................................ Never Mind

A Slick & Cool Internet Music Player For YouTube

TubeRadio.fm - Music Player For YouTube: 
"YouTube is not only about crazy videos going viral. It’s also a huge archive of videos of the musical kind. From garage bands to the platinum artists, you will find them there. I don’t know whether you have the feeling (or not) that watching music videos is not exactly the same thing as listening to them. Sometimes you just like to be left alone with the tunes. That’s where TubeRudio.fm starts playing."

For all you Golden Oldies fans. It might surprise you that You Tube is a fantastic archive for finding Oldies But Goodies that you don't have in your Vinyl or CD collections. I personally found two songs that I used to have in my stack of 45's when I was in my teens, but somehow I lost them over the years. I also found some Rolling Bones and Animals sound tracks that had somehow become corrupted on my original CD.

While TubeRadio.fm allows you to listen to the videos, a little known web site I found called Video2MP3 allows you to convert the Video to an MP3 file that you can then store on your computer or iPod/MP3 player. That one is a keeper also.

It's Groovy!

Winter Home Emergency Kit

Put Together a Winter Home Emergency Kit:
"Creating a home emergency kit can be a simple to enormous undertaking depending on the level of energy and preparation you want to invest into it. Most people are on the 'Stay warm and fed until the power comes back on' camp, not the 'Prepared for zombie apocalypse' camp, and though it never hurts to prepare for the worst we'll be focusing more on the former than the latter."

For those Northern procrastinators like me, winters coming  and it's time to start thinking about Old Man Winter. LifeHacker had this great article on how to prepare for a rough winter, Global Warming or not.

Are Blind Spots a Myth?

Blind Spots - Wheels Blog - NYTimes.com:
"In an effort to reduce lane-change accidents, some automakers are trying radar to eliminate blind spots that could conceal an adjacent vehicle."

Every time I go to the car wash they move the settings on my drivers seat, and futz around with the rear and side view mirrors. They do this because they have to drive the car 15 feet into the car wash, and 20 feet from the car wash. I've found a way to easily adjust the drivers seat, but the mirrors took me a few days to get back in sync. I finally ran across this great article from the NYTimes of all places, and thought I'd share it with you. It may be a life saver for someone.

Walmart to offer In-Home Install Crew

Walmart to rival Geek Squad: "Starting sometime before the holiday season, Wally World will be partnering with N.E.W. Customer Service Companies in order to offer in-home installation to customers buying anything from a wireless router to a HTIB. The service plans will be sold on prepaid cards ranging from $99 to $399 in value."

Full disclosure: I shop at Walmart, I dispise the underhanded tactics the Unions are using to organize their employees, I dislike Walmart bashing, I like Walmart better than Target or K-Mart.
That being said, this article made my eyes pop out of my head. First of all, who would let someone from Walmart touch anything electrical, much less a computer or router? Second with the price of computers dropping to zilch point shit, and Home Theaters (HTIB) starting around $300, who would pay $99 to $399 to have one set up for them? Sometimes I thing I'm in the wrong business, or at least on the wrong planet.

Wallpaper Roundup: All Hallow's Eve and Spooky Scenes

Wallpaper Roundup: All Hallow's Eve and Spooky Scenes: "The great festival of candy binging and spooky stories will be upon us soon. Take a moment to browse these Halloween-themed wallpapers to dress your desktop for the occasion."

Another installment of "For those of you who like wallpaper for your computers, this one's for you." This time the wallpaper theme is Halloween, a time that brings out the children in all of us.

Friday freebies

Sue Stock's Friday freebies:
"It's Friday, so let's do freebies!"

Click on the link for Sue Stock's Friday Freebies. This week is not one of her best, but give her a break she tries real hard. Sue is one of our local legends. She started her Shopping/Savings Blog as part of her job as a junior Consumer Affairs reporter for The News & Observer and it caught on like wild fire. She has a tremendous following in the Triangle area and has branched out to include giving courses on coupon clipping and consumer savings tips. It's been amazing watching her mature from "cub reporter" to a "cult leader".
Hat Tip to Sue!

MakeUseOf Web Site Directory

MakeUseOf Directory - powered by FeedBurner

Check out some of the latest MakeUseOf discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For more cool websites and web app reviews subscribe to MakeUseOf Directory.

I haven't posted anything technical in quite a while so when I ran across this MakeUseOfDirectory sight I decided to Boomer it. As a matter of fact it has so many great web entries I bookmarked the site for my own use. You'll need some quiet time to browse through the whole directory, but it will be worth it.

I still have to do more research on how to encorporate the FeedBurner feature into this blog, but hey, it'll keep me out of trouble and it looks like fun.

Honda Cub Electric

Greatest Motorcycle In History Goes Electric :
"The world’s greatest motorcycle isn’t a work of art, nor is it a speed demon of any sort. But the 50cc kick-star Honda Super Cub — with just four horsepower and a top speed of 50 mph — is the single most successful vehicle in the history of internal combustion. Honda’s sold more than 60 million of them, and after all that time the Cub is going electric."

Tired of driving that stodgy old golf cart around your Gated Active Adult Community? Well here's the next best thing to buying a Harley Hog and joining Marlon Brando's motorcycle pack, the Honda Cub ;-)

Soaking Cleans Overnight The Easy Way

Dishwasher Detergent Soak Cleans Dishes Overnight - Cleaning - Lifehacker:
"Hell hath no fury like the staying power of baked on food on your pots and pans. Sometimes a soak overnight is required, but to guarantee things will come clean by morning, try turning to your dishwasher detergent instead."

Another great hint from LifeHacker. With only one mouth to feed doing dishes in a dishwasher isn't always the best solution, this tip comes in handy.

Freezer Tricks to Save You Time and Money

10 Simple Freezer Tricks to Save You Time and Money - Winter - Lifehacker: 
"It's that time of year again, when our freezers are filled with the summer's bounty in preparation for the long winter months ahead. Get the most out of your freezer, and learn a few of its other uses, with these great tricks."

Some great tips from one of my favorite sites, LifeHacker. This one is especially good for us singles.

Is saving really for suckers?

The Mess That Greenspan Made:
"It's hard to disagree with the basic premise of Jon Markman's commentary today over at MSN Money, one that casts a rather dim view on those who are content to settle for paltry returns on their savings accounts while enriching the banking sector in the process."
Naturally, the proposed solution to no longer being a sucker is to buy a stock fund, preferably one that has low expenses.
That strategy would have worked quite well this year. Last year - not so much.

My take is, Next year - "Forgedaboudit".

F Troop Bloopers

Don't ask me where I came across this. While it's not outrageously funny, it is mildly amusing and brings back some good memories too.

Habits That Cost You Big Time

Yahoo! Personal Finance: Calculators,Money Advice,Guides:
"What dark corruption might be lurking behind your daily money routines, imperiling your road to wealth? What every day activities may be threatening your financial health? Here are seven:"

This is an eye-opening article that can save you some real money without cramping your style. Bank fees are real killers, $35 doesn't seem like much but if you calculate how much money you would have to have in a money market account to generate enough interest to cover it, you'd choke.

Unlimited Free Cellphone Calling

Make Unlimited Free Calling on Your Cellphone with Google Voice : "The idea is that if you only use Google Voice to send and receive calls—and you set Google Voice so that it only displays your Google Voice number when it rings, all of your calls will be free, and you may never need to use another minute again. Each carrier is different, so we're looking at what each plan looks like, and how to use it with Google Voice to get free calls."

I've been a land line user of Google Voice for about a month now and it works out great. I plan on getting a cellphone as soon as I place the house on the market to facilitate the sale and move. Because of that, this article in LifeHacker caught my eye and I thought I'd share it with you. The trick is to get a Google Voice account, they are a little scarce these days but if you have a friend who has one you can get a referral from them.
Good Luck!

Ending The Happy Hour

From Sudden Debt Blog - Ending The Happy Hour: "Regular readers know that I am a 'deflationist', i.e. I believe that the current Great Recession is already characterized by asset and credit deflation, which will likely deepen and widen further before the global economy rebounds.
Needless to say, this view is not shared by several academic analysts and gold-standard theorists - and most definitely not by commodity speculators who, however, are mostly talking their 'book'. Some even mention the possibility of hyper-inflation, a la Weimar Republic."

I've been waffling on this issue of  Inflation vs. Deflation for quite some time.
My first reaction was that with all the money being printed it would certainly cause hyper-inflation. No one has said this but you could consider the housing bubble as an example of hyper-inflation. It's global and has effected the economies of Europe, Asia, and of course the good old USA.
On the other hand, a lot of the financial arguments made for deflation are logical and well put together. The trouble with that theory is that it's biggest fans are Bernanke and the gaggle of dolts we call our elected officials.
The one thing that bothers me about both positions, Inflation and Deflation, is that it is based on a model that doesn't apply today. During the Great Depression all of the monetary systems were based on Gold, while today they are based on "fiat" currency. I find myself agreeing more and more with a fellow blogger who aptly observed "I fear that Mr. Bernanke, a Great Depression theorist, is a general trying to fight today's war with yesterday's tactics and weapons. It reminds me of the French wasting enormous resources to build the Maginot Line before WWII, only to see it immediately by-passed by Guderian's blitzkrieg panzers in 1940. I hope Bernanke and friends are not as  short-sighted."

Note to myself: Get off of this economic theme, too much gloom and doom.

Phoenix Foreclosures

Flood of foreclosure resales overshadow housing data:
"The ZIP code 85007 in central Phoenix, which houses more than its share of Arizona blue bloods and political insiders, was largely unaffected by area foreclosure activity in 2008, even as neighboring ZIP codes saw home values lopped in half. But this year, the median home price in 85007 collapsed, falling 76.5 percent in the first eight months, according to analysis by The Arizona Republic."

Since I'm planning to move to Arizona next year, I've been constantly checking the Real Estate market out there. I ran across this article in the Arizona Republic today and thought I'd post it so that you too could see whats happening to the real estate market in "fly over country". To the uninitiated a 76% drop seems mind boggling at first, however as fast as the prices are dropping now, at the peak of the frenzy they were rising 5% per month. Funny, nobody complained when prices were on the way up, it's only now that they've started dropping down to earth that you hear the outrage. I have friends in the area so I started looking at two very large and very nice Active Adult Communities, Arizona Traditions and Sun City Grand, about five years ago. Unfortunately  the prices were rising to fast I was priced out of the market and had to put my plans on hold until now.
The reason for moving is that since I've officially retired, all of my friend and business contacts in Durham have left the area and I decided that an adult community was the best way to meet new people and start a new life. There are some adult communities in the Durham/Chapel Hill area, but they are more like semi-assisted living facilities, and at 65 I'm not quite ready for that. A lot of people have told me that I shouldn't leave the "City Of Medicine" at my age, but the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix like Duke is expanding its facilities because of anticipated rising demands in the area (read More Boomers retiring). My logic is that I can draw equity out of my current house by buying down, I'll live in a neighborhood that is conducive to meeting people, and like Durham, I'll have top-notch medical facilities close by.

CrimeReports Maps

CrimeReports Maps Out Local Crimes:
"If you want to check out a neighborhood you're planning on moving to or just want to see how things are looking in your corner of Sunnyvale, CrimeReports mashes up local police reports with a map of the area."

I tried this out on my home address and thankfully nothing showed up. Some people might like this for keeping track of what's happening in the neighborhood, but I'm sure most people don't want to know ;-)

Peugeots Latest Quirky Electric Car

Peugeot draws inspiration from the 1940s for its latest quirky electric car design:
"It may not give you 'The Drive of Your Life', as its makers Peugeot may try to claim, but the latest micro electric car is creating huge excitement in the automotive industry.The Peugeot BB1, a cross between a scooter and a car, is powered by two electric motors which are mounted in the rear wheels."

I'll tell you the truth, I kind of like the car but I agree with one of the posters that it's not good for open road travel. However as an ex-Long Islander I would have given anything to use it as a station car, cheaper and more comfortable than the bus. I'm sure that there are a lot of Urban and Sub-Urban uses for the BB1 other than Express Way driving. As a matter of fact this car would work well for me in Durham NC as a grocery getter, which is all I do right now with my car.
I wouldn't mind the 1940 version of the car that is pictured in the article, but then I'm the kind of guy that had an old VW Bug  that I bought used in '72 and drove it until I got a new '82 Volvo. I then proceeded to drive the old BolVo until 2004, twenty two years, not too shabby.

Reminder Tools for Forgetful Minds

Reminders - Lifehacker:

"Tweak your workflow and inboxes all you want, but your mental memory might always be the weakest link in your day-to-day life. These 10 tools take some of the workload off your brain, and prevent a few forehead slaps."

Actually this article isn't about The Dreaded Senior Moments, but it's comforting to note that even the younger folks fall prey to "forgetfulness". The article contains some down to earth ways to remember "those little things that you'll regret forgetting just as soon as it's too late."

Pancake Breakfast

I usually don't do Public Service announcements, but I just received an invitation from an old friend to an event sponsored by the Tobacco Land Kiwanis of Durham NC, and thought I'd share it with you. It is an "All You Can Eat" Old Fashioned Pancake and Sausage breakfast at the Durham Armory Nov.3rd and 4th. The event benifits the Tobacco Land Kiwanis' local Children and Community Programs. For tickets call Wendell Hull (919) 416-1086. Tickets are $6 for adults, children under 6 admitted free.

This is the first time I've written anything about Boomers and Community Service, but now that I think about it, the subject is so relevant I'll do more of it in the future. Volunteering for a lot of my friends is a way of life, a hobby, a need to share, you name it, the list of reasons for doing it are endless. The venue that they use varies greatly, Churches, Business Groups, informal social groups, and structured national groups like Kiwanis.

What about you? If you have any stories about volunteering, or just want to make some comments I'll be glad to hear from you.

Wallpaper Roundup

Color Splashes and Cooler Days: 
"Fall is a colorful time of year and the vibrant hues of fall foliage and holidays lend well to livening up your desktop. Take a stroll through our collection of fall-themed wallpaper to find a new look for your workstation."

For those of you who like wallpaper for your computers, this one's for you. I happen to live in a three season area so I get to have a beautiful fall season. But for you folks in Florida or out west, these will remind you of home. When I was younger (when Plato was a pup) a few of my friends and I would take a weekend trip up to Hunter Mountain to see the fall foliage. It always amazed me that we'd leave Queens and all the trees were green, we'd ride up the through-way and watch the trees change colors as each mile went by, and when we arrived in Hunter most of the trees were bare. The ride back was just as amazing, only in reverse.

Portable Hard Drive with USB Dock

My Passport Elite | Ultra-Portable Hard Drives with USB Dock, Capacity Gauge And Drive Lock Indicator: 

"One of the storage industry’s pioneers and long-time leaders, Western Digital (WD) has launched its new ultra-portable My Passport Elite portable hard drives, which feature a convenient USB dock for storage on the go, as well as illuminated capacity gauge and drive lock indicator that let users check at-a glance how much space is left and whether their data is secure or not."

I have two external HDD's on my home network, one USB one ethernet, and they work out well for my SOHO PC needs. Traveling is a different story, I own two  old  vintage laptops with limited disk space so I've been looking at these personal portable hard drives for quite some time.  The security functions work out great when you're traveling, and it has quite a bit of storage for your pictures, music, and videos. Keep your eyes open for some pricing deals on this one by following the Bargain Blogs listed on the left hand column. For those of you who are more technically orientated, it's also possible to put a Linux OS on one of these drives and use it to boot any computer you come across in your travels.

No Knead Bread

I ran across this video a few years back and thought that with everyone cutting back to save money I'd share it with you. It's from the NYTimes and it's by Mark Bittman, a.k.a. The Minimalist. Mark shares the recipe on how to make no-knead bread, where the secret is letting the time do the work. The recipe was made famous by The Sullivan Street Bakery (NYC my home town) and has been reproduced and modified on many a baking web site since the video and NYTimes article were published. I use the recipe myself for both bread and pizza, and I highly recommend it. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, I prefer active dry yeast to instant yeast which seems to be in vogue these days. Active dry gives the bread/pizza a better taste than instant. The ultimate is cake/block yeast, but unfortunately it is almost impossible to find in "beautiful downtown Durham" or most anywhere for that matter.

Baking bread at home saves hundreds of dollars on groceries every year. With this easy method, you can still have that deliciously crusty-on-the-outside, moist-and-chewy-on-the-inside, rustic bread with out the gourmet price tag.

Reverse Mortgages

Declining home values squeeze Reverse Mortgages:
"Declining home values have put a serious squeeze on one of the mortgage market's most popular and fastest-growing financing concepts: the Federal Housing Administration's reverse mortgage program for seniors 62 and older. In a letter to reverse mortgage lenders Sept. 23, FHA Commissioner David Stevens said his agency must reduce the maximum amounts seniors can receive on reverse mortgages because of a $798 million estimated deficit in the program in the coming fiscal year."

I don't know about you but I've always felt that these financial vehicles were a bad deal for both parties.

1. The banks made them thinking they could rob seniors of future equity growth in the house. What a shock when they found out that real estate doesn't always go up in value.
2. The seniors made them thinking it was free money, but never considered; the Medicaid implications of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, other tax benefits associated with having a mortgage, and complicated inheritance issues.

The last 15+ years of tinkering with housing by the Federal Govt. has turned out to be a disaster. 

Grand kid's first bike without the training wheels

Gyrobike's Gyrowheel stabilizes bike without the training wheels:
"Being the fine physical specimens that we are, even from an early age, we of course had little trouble learning how to ride a bike without external help, but we're sure **some hapless child out there will welcome the Gyrowheel as salvation from the embarrassment of training wheels. The 12-inch wheel (a 16-inch version is in the works) replaces a standard front tire and has an adjustable-speed spinning disc inside, powered by a rechargeable battery. The idea is that you get the kid started on a high stability setting, and step them down until they're not using the gyro at all. It goes on sale this December and should retail for around $100. Video of it in action is after the break."

For you grand parents out there, here's something to make Christmas magical for the grand kids. Check out the video in the article, it is awsome. I'm working on a method that will allow me to embed a video directly into the post. Check back in a couple of days and I should have a YouTube video up and running.

Weight loss - Lifehacker

Five Best Weight-Management Tools:
"There's no magic bullet for fitness and weight loss—although most would argue 'eat less, move more' is a excellent starting point. One pattern that is definitely prominent among the comments of Lifehacker readers in our call for contenders for this week's Hive Five, however, is that if there is a magic bullet for weight loss, it's tracking. Whether you're using a spreadsheet, a notebook, or some of the great web and mobile phone-based solutions you'll see below, the biggest element in our readers' weight-loss success has been tracking their food intake and exercise activity."

I felt I was getting too Gloomy Doomy with the economy stuff so I thought I'd lighten it up (no pun intended) with some health news. Since almost everyone I know is trying to lose or control their weight, this article on management tools caught my eye and I thought I'd pass it on to you.
Enjoy!