The Maturing of the Age of Information

I was helping a 6th grader the other day with research methods for a school science project and presentation. Things have certainly changed since the days when I was wallowing in the education system.

Back in the day (boy, that ages me), we went to the library, used the Dewey Decimal System to locate appropriate reference material, read the information, and recorded it all on a pile of index cards. Not so today.

Fortunately, my background in IT and the research skills I've developed as a Freelance Writer have kept me up to date. It's all on the internet. And tracking sources down has nothing to do with pawing through vast card catalogs only to find that the book desperately needed is checked out by someone.

Google and other search engines made life easier by returning applicable articles, but some clever people have taken it one step further. Their search engines return links to actual scanned books, often in pdf format, so it actually looks like the original. For example, this pdf search provides a search engine that works like Google to serve up the goods.

So it's come full circle with digital research. Well, without the trip to the library which saves driving time and using gasoline. Now, can I claim carbon credits for that? I guess I'll have to email Al Gore for that answer...

Many thanks to my sponsor, www.ebook-search-queen.com.

New Furniture for an Economic Downturn

It sounds odd doesn't it? It seems like a recession would be the last time to splurge for a sectional sofa, doesn't it? Ironically, no. The reason for that is that a huge part of this economic downturn is the housing crisis brought about by sub-prime loans.

Consequently, very few homeowners are spending available capital on trading up on a new domicile. Instead, they are doing things like taking staycations, remodeling, and yes, investing in new furniture.

There's a bit more to it as well. I used to be the service manager at a furniture store in Houston. I found that other than couples or singles just starting out, customers used new furniture in the same way folks use comfort food. There's just something reassuring about a new leather sectional sofa.

Now all we need is a cash for clunkers furniture program to get this economy fired up!

Thank you to my sponser, www.mynewfurniturestore.com.

Choosing Tools for Christmas Gifts

I know, I know; we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet so why talk about Christmas? Well, it's hard to fight the tide. Walmart is displaying plastic trees and decorations from China already. But why focus on tools for holiday presents?

Well, for one thing, if you have a woodworker or home repair type person to gift, pssst! Something for their hobby will earn you more gratitude than a pair of socks or soap-on-a-rope. And it's practical during this recession.

Got Power Tools?

Yesterday I posted an article on power tool gifts. There's always one more on the list. He with the most tools when he dies wins! OK, that's a bit morbid, but it's true.

Rockler Gift Card For the woodworker that has everything.Give the gift of choice with a Rockler Gift Card. Let your favorite woodworker choose from thousands of products from Rockler. Rockler Gift Card

Sometimes for maximum accuracy only a certain tool will do the job easily. The Rotozip is one example. My Ryobi biscuit joiner is another. I can't tell you how many times I struggled with making dowel joints line up on complicated woodworking projects.

What if You're Looking for a Stocking Stuffer?

Yeah, we're all on tight budgets. But there's always highly useful and appreciated stocking stuffers guaranteed to delight on Christmas morning. How about a Magnogrip? I just did a Magnogrip review a few weeks ago.

I don't always do reviews on all the new products I'm approached about, but if I think they will benefit my readers here and at my main site (thanks for visiting so often and commenting, dear readers!), I'll go for it.

Another good choice in this category are the materials for making workshop woodworking jigs. What woodworker doesn't enjoy making his or her jigs?

Anyhow, now I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. I'm smack dab in the middle of training for the Houston Marathon, so I can eat with abandon and a total lack of guilt...

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What's With Global Warming or Climate Change?

First of all, let me say that I don't buy into the whole global warming thing. Neither do it's standard bearers either it seems, since they've changed it to the ambiguous "climate change". If we're not warming, then are we just to running madly about, pulling our hair and moaning?

So What Exactly is the Environmental Change?

According to the BBC, over the course of the past eleven years, we haven't been warming at all. Quite the opposite. During that period of time, the Pacific ocean has been steadily cooling. This year we've experienced the weakest hurricane season in a long time. (Thank you, thank you!)

And of course it's a fact that it takes warm water to make a hurricane.

Before I get totally flamed, let me say that I do believe humans directly affect the earth, the climate, and the environment. What I don't believe is that our effect is even minutely comparable to natural events like volcanic activity and bovine flatulence.

At the end of the day, the climate change movement is a left-leaning political and a right-wing economic movement. On the one hand, implementing all the legislation to regulate activity such as the automotive and construction sectors is a means to give big government and international influences more control over our daily lives.

On the other hand, hypocrites like the deplorable and pathetic Al Gore lean to the left in the public eye, but end up raking in the money from trading carbon units. And have you seen how much electricity his mansion consumes? Or how much fuel his private jet burns. Can't fly coach while you lecture us, Al? Put up or shut up.

The masses of true believers mean well, but have been swayed by both junk science and heavily edited studies. And you thought the 60s was the decade of the big kumbaya? You ain't seen nothing yet!

When Relocating, Make Things Easy on Yourself

Face it, moving is traumatic. Whether you're moving to get a better job or just to keep the one you've got, you've got a lot of things to juggle, what with trying to wrap up things at your old place and coordinate getting situated at the new.

Moving Strategies

There are strategies you can use to make the transition more seamless. Here's a few.
Have a professional do the heavy lifting for you. This is a great time saver. They are called movers in the US but are removal companies in the UK. That sounds like a "glass half full, glass half empty" thing to me. I love US/UK language differences!

Plan ahead. It's never too soon to start on a game plan. Things will escalate the sooner the move gets. It you are moving because of business obligations, they will expect more from you before you leave; no loose ends.

Register your new address with the post office. Time sensitive things need to follow you as soon as possible. Yeah, you can change as many as possible before the big move, but some will slip through the floorboards.

Transfer Your Services

Not many professionals leave it all at the office. We always bring work home and make things happen after usual business hours. For this you need a seamless transition of broadband services.

Satellite TV is a bit easier. One of the big selling points of Dish TV is "leave it there, we'll get you a new one". Good hype. but a Godsend for transitioners.

When you move into a new home use local recommendations from Angie's List for fine-tuning your new home. Take the Tour!

Health Care VS the Economy

The Obama administration has been getting more and more of a backlash. First, the health care reform that was supposed to sail right through began to stumble. Now, it's not just wading through molasses, it's mired in the primeval Wahingtonian tar pits.

Here's the issue: citizens, both on the right and the left, are increasingly asking why Obama is so focused on nationalizing the private business sector that he has no time to spend on saving the economy.

Recent polls show that overwhelmingly, people that are losing their jobs and homes are not concerned with changing the way their present medical insurance works.



The Distraction that Cash for Clunkers was

Even the cash for clunkers program is questionable. The administration is hailing it as a huge success. But was it? Many of the car dealers are still waiting for their money.

Ironically, from a financial point of view, the clunkers program benefited Japan more than it did Detroit. Who in their right mind wants to buy any American car other than a Ford? Toyota and Nissan were the big winners with this mis-guided program.

And on a fundamental level, I have to ask, why should my tax dollars subsidize someone else's new car purchase? This "cash" is our money, not the government's.



ACORN in Deep Trouble?

"ACORN has violated serious federal laws, and today the House voted to ensure that taxpayer dollars would no longer be used to fund this corrupt organization," said second-ranked House Republican Eric Cantor of Virginia.

Still, 75 democrats voted to keep ACORN afloat with tax dollars despite overwhelming evidence that they committed election fraud to get Obama elected and recently conspired to assist in setting up a brothel employing immigrant children as prostitutes.

At least some members of the House concluded that this is not the way to stimulate the economy, whether Obama is willing to pull their funding or not.

Re-Building After a Hurricane

I write hurricane articles fairly regularly during the season, pretty much to get folks to prepare early, not at the 11th hour.

I keep most supplies all year round, but the specific ones I need for the big blow, I can get at Home Depot early in the day. I've found that here in the bedroom communities south of Houston, folks that commute to the city are expected to show up, stay until the last minute, and storm-proof the facilities. "Do ya want yer job next week?"

That's the way it was when I worked for Marriott. It was a difference of opinion. I thought my family and my major lifetime investment was a priority and my boss thought a hotel property (which the guests had mostly fled) was a more important investment. Good old Howard said, "Take one for the team, Kelly!"

I don't think so.



Anyway, there is plenty of devastation in the wake of a major storm. Sometimes a remodel is needed, but there are times when nothing short of a demo and re-building will do.

If you have to re-build or you're just adding on, I suggest doing it right. Go green construction and use Insulated Concrete Forms for your exterior walls. Not only are you going to save money in the long run, but you will be able to withstand those winds.

Go for it, uh-huh!

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