MACAU, Macau - A Macau casino mogul bid US$330,000 for a pair of white truffles, including one weighing nearly a kilogram, matching the record price he paid at the same event three years ago for one of the giant tubers.Billionaire Stanley Ho made the winning bid Saturday at a charity auction through representatives of his company, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau.
The pair included a huge truffle dug up in the central Tuscany region weighing 900 grams as well as one found in Molise weighing in at 400 grams.
The auction was staged at Ho's Grand Lisboa hotel in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, with bidders participating simultaneously in Rome and London through satellite link.
White truffles are the most expensive and highly prized of Italy's truffles, and among the most famous are those from Alba in the northern Piedmont region, where pigs or dogs are used to sniff them out during the September-December hunting season.
During the autumn truffle season in Italy, restaurants offer pasta and other dishes containing the edible fungus at sky-high prices.
Slivers of the delicacy, with its strong aroma, are prized to flavour pasta sauces and rice dishes.
In 2007, Ho paid $330,000 for a white truffle unearthed in Tuscany weighing 1.497 kilograms.
Ho is best known for his casino monopoly in Macau, a gambling enclave in southern China near Hong Kong.
Sixteen lots of white truffles from different areas in Italy went on the block, raising a total of $373,500 for various charities in Macau, Britain and Italy.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Macau casino mogul Ho bids $330,000 for 2 white truffles at auction, matching 2007 record
Monday, November 29, 2010
Infamous vehicles
Ten vehicles that have become celebrities in their own right, and where they are today
Photo: Ted Soqui, Sigma, Corbis
When an automobile is involved in a notorious incident - a well-publicized crash, an assassination attempt, a police chase - the stories live on through history while the car often fades into oblivion. But sometimes that car or bike resurfaces years later and becomes a celebrity in its own right. "There's power and influence associated with these cars," says Leslie Kendall, curator of the Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum. Here some of the most infamous cars throughout history and where they are now.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Flying Snakes' Secret Revealed
The snake dangles 49 feet (15 meters) off the ground, tail entwined around a branch. Suddenly, the animal rears up and launches, flinging its body toward the forest floor.
In other reptiles, the leap would be suicidal, or at least an invitation for broken bones. But the snake in question is a Chrysopelea paradisi, one of five related species of tree-dwelling snakes from Southeast and South Asia. When these snakes leap, it's not to nosedive; it's to glide from tree to tree, a feat they can accomplish at distances of at least 79 feet (24 m).
What no one knows is exactly how these reptiles manage to fly so far without wings. Now, a new study finds that the snakes' amazing aerial abilities may all be in the way they move.
"For any flier, you really need to know the basics: How fast is it going, what's the shape of the flier, what is the shape of the wing," study author Jake Socha, a biologist at Virginia Tech, told LiveScience. "With this new study, we now really get insight into what the exact position of the body is as it's in this really developed glide."
Socha presented his research today (Nov. 22) at the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting in Long Beach, Calif. The study will be published this week in the journal Bioinspiration and Biomimetics.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Driving PSA voted ad of year despite avoiding shock tactics
A powerful public safety announcement showing why your loved ones want you to buckle up has been voted YouTube's ad of the year.
It will have you thinking of others every time you get in your car and start the ignition.
The 90-second commercial titled "Embrace Life" begins with a man reaching his hand out as if he is holding car keys and starting the ignition.
He starts to drive and looks over at his wife and daughter as if he is thinking about them while driving. They smile back.
All of a sudden, the man looks stunned as his eyes open to perfect circles. His daughter mimics his expression. He swerves while his wife and daughter jump up from the couch and put their arms around him as if they are his seatbelt keeping him in his seat and saving his life.
"I wanted to create a visual metaphor addressing how a single decision in a person's day can greatly influence both their own and their loved ones' lives," said writer and director Daniel Cox, who didn't want to shock or scare the audience.
"The family living room represents the feelings many people equate with their own car, in that it represents a level of safety and protection from the 'outer' world."
Watch the commercial:
Friday, November 26, 2010
Landfall for 3 teens who spent 50 days adrift in the South Pacific
SUVA, Fiji - Three teenage boys who spent 50 days adrift in a tiny boat in the South Pacific walked ashore on shaky legs Friday after their chance rescue — celebrated on their home island hundreds of kilometres away as a miracle that brought them back from the dead.
The trio — Samuel Pelesa and Filo Filo, both 15, and Edward Nasau, 14 — told rescuers they survived on rainwater they collected, a handful of coconuts, raw fish and a seagull that landed on their 3.5-metre aluminum boat.
The boys set off Oct. 5 from their home island to one nearby. It's not known how they went missing, but the outboard motor may have broken down at sea.
Worried family members reported them missing and the New Zealand air force launched a sea search. No sign of the tiny boat was found, and the village of 500 people held memorial services, expecting never to see the boys again.
They were picked up Wednesday by a fishing trawler, undernourished, severely dehydrated and badly sunburned, but otherwise well. The ship's first mate said the area they were in is way off any normal commercial shipping routes.
They drifted 1,300 kilometres from where they set out — Tokelau, a bucolic collection of coral atolls north of Samoa that is New Zealand's territory.
A Fiji navy patrol boat met the trawler Friday and escorted it into the harbour of its capital, Suva. The teens were met by New Zealand consular officials and taken directly to a hospital for medical checks. Looking thin, the three walked off the boat without speaking to reporters.
Tai Fredricsen, first mate aboard the tuna boat San Nikuna, said a crew member spotted a small vessel bobbing in the open sea northeast of Fiji on Wednesday. "We knew it was a little weird," he said.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Macy's Thanksgiving parade dazzles NYC
NEW YORK — A high-kicking Kung Fu Panda and a diary-toting Wimpy Kid joined the giant balloon lineup as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade unfolded Thursday, drawing tens of thousands of spectators to the annual extravaganza on a chilly, overcast morning.
As millions more watched the live broadcast on television, entertainers on tap included Kanye West, Gladys Knight and Colombian rocker Juanes.
The Broadway cast of "Elf" performed and they were to be joined by the cast of "American Idiot," along with marching bands from across the United States.
An inflatable version of Virginia O'Hanlon, the 8-year-old girl whose letter to the editor elicited the response, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," made its debut.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
How to invest in emerging markets now
China plans to focus its economy on domestic consumers; that's probably a good tactic for investors, too. Here are 9 stocks (you may not have heard of) to help.
By Jim JubakAt the end of October, China's Communist Party formally endorsed the country's new, 12th five-year economic plan. For 2011-2015 the plan envisions changing China from the world's factory to the world's market. During this period, China's leaders intend to change the economy from one driven by exports to one focused on domestic consumers.
I think investors should pursue something like that transformation in their stock portfolios. Most investors who have put money into the world's emerging economies have bought the big export companies in those economies: a Vale (VALE, news, msgs) or Petrobras (PBR, news, msgs) in Brazil, an Infosys (INFY, news, msgs) or Coal India in India, a Petrochina (PTR, news, msgs) or Lenovo Group (LNVGY, news, msgs) in China. Even investors who don't own these companies have likely heard of them.But I think it's time to develop your own five-year plan that shifts some of the money in your portfolio that you've allocated to overseas equities from export-driven companies to companies that focus on consumers within Brazil or India or China or . . . .
You don't need to abandon those exporting powerhouses all at once, or even at all. But you do need to rebalance your portfolio to include more companies that focus on domestic growth.
Let me give you the two reasons for undertaking this rebalancing. And then give you a short list of stocks that you should consider as potential tools for that rebalancing.
Reason No. 1: Beat the bubble
First, if you're worried that the aggressive monetary growth coming from the Federal Reserve and China is inflating a new bubble that could burst as early as 2011, you should add domestic-focused emerging-market stocks to your portfolio.
Jennifer Grey named 'Dancing' champ
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Jennifer Grey is having the time of her life again after overcoming painful neck and back injuries and a voting bloc for Bristol Palin to become the new "Dancing With the Stars" champion.
Grey, who consistently topped the judges' leaderboard throughout the season, took the title on the television celebrity dance competition Tuesday, outscoring fellow finalistsr Kyle Massey and Bristol Palin, who was buoyed for weeks by passionate voters and online efforts to support the single mom.
Disney Channel star Massey finished second. Palin, the daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was third.
Grey dazzled the judges with her routines just as she did filmgoers as Patrick Swayze's partner in the climactic ballroom dance to "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" in the 1987 film "Dirty Dancing."
Grey, who overcame painful neck, back and knee injuries to earn three perfect scores in the run-up to Tuesday's finale, said her mind went blank in the moments before she was named the winner.
"I was in a surrender moment of whatever happens will be great," the 50-year-old actress said after the show, an ice pack tucked into the back of her fringe-covered costume as she spoke with reporters. "The absolute destination for me was the journey. The journey was the gift."
Still, Grey was happy to have the mirrorball trophy, and to turn her professional partner, Derek Hough, into the show's first three-time winner.
The actress plans to keep the trophy in her daughter's room, adding, "She earned it."
Grey's husband, actor Clark Gregg, and their daughter were regulars in the ballroom each week throughout Grey's run on the show.
A Great Yoga Stretch For Your Lower Body
Going to a yoga class does wonders, but sometimes you just don't have the time.
Of course it often happens that when you don't have the time is when you need a good stretch the most. The great thing is that there are many stretches you can do at home in very little time.
The Yoga Bow Pose is one of my favourite stretches, because it works on releasing many muscles all at once: tight back, neck, shoulders and quads. The other great thing about this stretch is that the better you become at it, the more you'll feel its benefits. With the advanced version of this stretch, which involves rocking your body back and forth, you increase benefits to the digestive system as well.
Yoga Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
Named Bow Pose because it looks like an archer's bow, the torso and legs being the body of the bow, and the arms the string.
How to:
- Begin on your belly with arms alongside your body, palms facing up.
- Now as you exhale, bend your knees and bring your heels as close to your buttocks as possible.
- Reach back with your hands and take hold of your ankles. Making sure your knees aren't wider than the width of your hips, and keep them close through the duration of the stretch.
- Inhale and with strength lift your heels away from your buttocks, while simultaneously lifting your thighs away from the floor. This motion will pull your head and upper torso (chest) off the floor.
- As you breathe continue to lift the heels and thighs higher, and pull your shoulders down away from your ears and pull your shoulder blades back to open your heart. Look forward.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
William, Kate to wed April 29 at Westminster Abbey
LONDON - Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry April 29 in Westminster Abbey, the historic London church where Princess Diana's funeral was held.
Royal officials said Tuesday the couple chose the date because they wanted a spring wedding. It also the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena, whose name Middleton shares.
Queen Elizabeth II married at the abbey, the 1,000-year-old church in central London where British kings and queens are crowned.
William and Kate decided against celebrating their nuptials at St. Paul's Cathedral, where William's parents married in 1981.
The palace said the royal family and the Middletons will cover the costs of the nuptials, apart from security.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Five industries that are doomed to fail
Thu Nov 18, 5:39 PM
As Sir Isaac Newton once famously stated, "What goes up must come down." The brain-trust at themarknews.com has compiled a list of five things that are not only on their way down, but that were destined to fail from the start.Related stories
Vote for what you think is most likely to fail.
Choose a side as two experts face off in a debate about the future of the tobacco industry.
Read Matt Sheedy's take on why religion is here to stay.5) The Record Store
Remember spending lazy Saturday afternoons at your local record shop leafing through the latest releases from your favourite bands? Well, those days are done. The advent of digital music sales, as well as digital music piracy, has made high-cost physical music stores economically unviable and, perhaps more tragically, has rendered obsolete millions of snobbish record store clerks.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Really Strange Story Behind Sunday's Blue Moon
The full moon of November arrives on Sunday and will bring with it a cosmic addition: It will also be a so-called "blue moon."
"But wait a minute," you might ask. "Isn't a 'blue moon' defined as the second full moon that occurs during a calendar month? Sunday's full moon falls on Nov. 21 and it will be the only full moon in November 2010. So how can it be a 'blue' moon?"
Indeed, November's full moon is blue moon - but only if we follow a rule that's now somewhat obscure.
In fact, the current "two- full moons in one month" rule has superseded an older rule that would allow us to call Sunday's moon "blue." To be clear, the moon does not actually appear a blue color during a blue moon, it has to do with lunar mechanics.
Confused yet?
Well, as the late Paul Harvey used to say - here now, is the rest of the story:
The blue moon rule
Back in the July 1943 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, in a question and answer column written by Lawrence J. Lafleur, there was a reference made to the term "blue moon." [Gallery - Full Moon Fever]
Lafleur cited the unusual term from a copy of the 1937 edition of the now-defunct Maine Farmers' Almanac (NOT to be confused with The Farmers' Almanac of Lewiston, Maine, which is still in business).
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Dinner
Martha Stewart's Ultimate Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
From turkey to trimmings, take the classics to the next level with Martha's picks for a Thanksgiving meal to remember.
For more Thanksgiving recipes from Martha, check out Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving 101. And we've got lots more Martha-approved recipes on our Martha Stewart recipe page.
Our Thanksgiving handbook is the place to turn for Thanksgiving ideas galore, including hundreds of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes,
Friday, November 19, 2010
Christina Aguilera talks about the man in her life
Christina Aguilera talks about the man in her life
Jordan Strauss/Getty Images
Newly single Christina Aguilera appears on "Ellen" Friday to promote her new film, "Burlesque," and she talks about the man in her life. Hint: he's underage.
Son Max, who is 2, "is the love of my life," Aguilera said. "I adore him and he's such a character and he's so happy and at the end of the day, that's what's most important." Aguilera filed for divorce in October from Max's dad Jordan Bratman, who she was married to for five years.
Aguilera turns 30 on Dec. 18, and she told Ellen that she's definitely OK with reaching the milestone. "It's better than turning 20, I'll tell you that," she said. "You're more comfortable in your own skin as a woman. You have a better idea of what you want and how to get it. At this time in my life, it's a huge turning point, it's a transitional stage and I'm ready."
Mexico opens homicide probe into hotel blast
A prosecutor said the governor of the state of Quintana Roo has told him he can pursue criminal charges against the hotel owners if the explosion was caused by faulty construction.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the Nov. 14 explosion at the 676-room Grand Riviera Princess resort in Playa del Carmen.
In addition to the seven dead, the blast also injured 17 people.
Officials said the families of all the victims have either already filed, or plan to file, complaints of homicide, injury or damages. The complaints will be dealt with at one inquiry, which will also determine responsibility for the explosion.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Daniel Radcliffe, 21, has spent nearly half his life as a movie star since he was first cast as Harry Potter a decade ago.
The Briton is now a multi-millionaire and famous the world over after the eight-movie series turned into one of the biggest film franchises in cinema history.
The Warner Bros. studio decided to make two films out of author J.K. Rowling's seventh and final Harry Potter Book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Part 1 comes out on Friday and Part 2, in 3-D, will hit theatres in July, 2011.
Now shooting has ended on the series, Radcliffe is looking ahead to life beyond the wizarding world. He sat down with Reuters recently to talk about Deathly Hallows Part 1 and what is in store for him next.
Q: So, to get this one out of the way, you were quoted as saying recently that (co-star) Emma Watson was "a bit of an animal" in your kissing scene together. What did she have to say about that?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Best Christmas Deals
Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse
So, you've already got a hold of this year's hottest holiday toy, the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster? Then you already know what fun these little bundles of joy can be! But did you also know you can get collectible habitats for your Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster to play in? Yup! One of the best of these collectible habitats is the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse. So, exactly what is the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse?
Well, the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse is just about the most fun, exciting, coolest, most hamsteriffic thing that ever happened to your Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster! The Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse is a little house for your Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster buddies where they can scamper and run to their heart's delight. The Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse includes a kitchen where your Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster can eat, a bedroom where they can rest and even a bathroom where your Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster can wash up after a hard day of playing! All of the rooms in the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Funhouse are connected by a play tunnel so your Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster can run from room to room, playing and squeaking all day long.
Popular toys for Xmas.
Under Cabinet Television
Under Cabinet Television
Under cabinet television become more popular than ever and no wonder. The TV no longer stalls as a solitary piece of furniture but has turn into a main attraction of many other rooms in the house. And kitchen is just one of them.
Women traditionally spend more time in the kitchen than men, so placing the TV in the kitchen makes sense. Working in the kitchen whether cooking, cleaning or doing other household chores makes the job that much more enjoyable. But flip down kitchen TV can be enjoyed by the other family members as well.
Under cabinet television have become very popular in recent years, not only for the room they save in the house but because these televisions have advanced into high quality models. The technology used in these rather small, convenient units is amazing. They are ranging from plain, simple televisions to units including built-in DVD/CD player, AM/FM digital radio and the clock.
Something I need.
Telephone directory about to walk into pages of history?
The printed phone directory is well on its way to becoming a history book.
Now that Verizon Communications has been granted government approval in several large American states to stop delivering white pages as a condition of service, technology is ending a tradition that dates back to New Haven, Conn. in 1878, just two years after inventor Alexander Graham Bell placed his first call.
Canada was already ahead of the curve, as publisher Yellow Pages Group did not deliver new residential directories in Toronto last spring, and just 1,000 residents requested one, compared to the 1 million copies that used to be dropped off each year.
Telephone companies are still technically obligated to make the directories available, although a request was filed with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to discontinue their publication. With mobile phone listings not appearing on paper, though, even those without home Internet access were drawing little benefit from a new annual book of numbers.
That was predictable!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Internet Marketing Has a Cancer - You Can Help
Again, it’s not really with joy that I write this post. I feel like this is all I’ve been talking about lately.
But at the same time, I can’t bear to NOT write this. I can’t bear to NOT let you know.
I went out to the World Internet Summit in London yesterday, an IM event that is pretty much bottom of the barrel in terms of pitchy-ness. There’s no content, it’s a high pressure sales environment that preys on people who simply don’t know better yet.
But I wanted to catch up with a friend and hopefully meet some more half decent marketers in London.
There’s 2 groups of people there: The newbies waiting to be sold their hopes and dreams on a platter for $2000 (2000 Pounds actually at this one… more like $3300 or thereabouts) a pop, and then the speakers & their friends, there to meet JVs and talk about how much money they make from ripping off those newbies.
I go to events alot, just to meet interesting people and sometimes learn. But the ones I’d been to more recently were a lot more content based and had a lot more experienced crowds. I quickly got jolted back to what these things were like in IM, and in many ways, what it’s like for someone new to online marketing to be trying to start up from scratch.
I spend most of my time at the bar, which is where the latter of the two groups of people in attendance hang out. I don’t want to listen to the pitches so that’s the only other option.
The conversations you here there are just grotesque.
(All of the following are based on ones I overheard yesterday)
“He gets up, speaks for an hour, sells the crowd a set of 7 PLR sites for $2000… walks away with $100k”
“Hahaha, you wouldn’t believe it, in Malaysia he had a guy during his pitch TRIP OVER running to the back of the room to sign up for his course, hahaha – brilliant!”
“Well we know why he launched it – they knew it wouldn’t work anymore in 3 months time. This way he can add another 100k a month to his business and be done with it”.
And much more…
I put them in the same group: The “speak from stage is all I do” marketers and the “product launches are all I do marketers”. There’s often a revolving door between the two groups. They are both equally as douchey.
Here’s the worst, scariest thing I heard.
Two guys were talking about a clickbank launch that had just happened. They were talking about how much the product sucked. The launcher was someone you’ve definitely heard of.
One guy asked the other guy to tell me how many sales the launch did.
The answer? 40 000 copies………………………………………………
Think about that number for a second.
To put it in perspective: I’ve been online for quite a while, doing both affiliate marketing and teaching. When I release a new product I’m happy if I sell 500 copies. They do 40 000! 80 times more than me.
If you’re reading this post you’re probably one of the people who are less likely to buy the overhyped clickbank launch type products…
If you’re like me, you probably think that those products are only for those unfortunate newbie souls who are just coming online and getting the inevitable fleecing before they realize how the game works…
BUT NO… no no… it’s not just a small group of newbies who buy this crap. It’s not just a minority of those getting started. It’s MOST people. It’s the MAJORITY. If you’re not in that group and you’re reading this post and you know better… you are in a TINY tiny sub sect. You’re one of the lucky ones!
The guys who do these launches and are the most unethical… make the most money. No one I mentioned on my list of “the wisest and most trustworthy marketers” do anything like the figures these guys do. That pisses me off but I guess that’s life.
Everything I’m about to write here I already knew, but the day that was yesterday just crystalized it in my mind and even took my understanding to a new level of depth regarding how dodgy and disgusting this IM world can really be.
The majority of product launches, ESPECIALLY Clickbank launches, where-ever you see extreme Clickbank screenshots, whenever you get more than 5 emails about the same product (with a rare few exceptions) the following is almost always the case:
1. The “System” they’re selling does not work.
Period. What they do is sit around mastermind meetings thinking of one question: “What would sell?” They think of ideas for things that those poor unfortunate souls would buy and they create products based on them. If there was a list of things needed for a good launch, laid out in priority order, the factor of whether a system works… whether anyone’s actually going to make money from it… would be at the bottom. Great sales copy at the top, bunch of JVs next, perfect upsell third… good product? Who gives a ####. As long as it’s good enough that we don’t get too many refunds, it’s fine.
This is the RULE, not the exception.
2. The “System” they’re selling, is not something they even use.
Doesn’t matter what the income screenshots say, they DON’T use it. They couldn’t use it even if it did work and even if they wanted to use it. Their entire lives are consumed by doing product launches and promoting other people’s junk so they’ll get more JVs when their launch comes around. They say they use it, and they show the income screenshots from their last launch. They DON’T use it.
3. The $67 product never contains the “secret”.
This is what these guys get taught (I’ve heard it being presented myself)
“You have a front end product, $67 or $77, but you don’t give away all the details in here! You don’t teach them all the secrets for $67 – don’t undervalue your products like that! Your front end product is supposed to be a teaser. Your $67 product is supposed to give them just enough so they understand the idea, but can’t apply it without further help”.
I’m not even kidding, I’ve heard those words being spoken from stage. So if you’re looking at one of those clickbank courses where the sales letter says you’re going to learn EVERYTHING… ALL THE SECRETS… for just $67… it’s NEVER true. There’s always an upsell you need in order to implement anything.
4. They work on the principle that most people who buy these products won’t use them.
Will the customer actually be able to make money? Who cares?
I told one guy yesterday that I have a customer support manager for our products (this was the 40 000 copies launch guy) and he was shocked. I told him we have a live support system and he couldn’t believe it.
These guys don’t care whether people implement their methods or not. Once the sale is made it’s “what can I launch next?”.
Ok guys, here’s the deal.
I’ve been writing about this stuff for quite some time and I can’t handle having this be ALL I do about it.
I need your help today.
We have to make some contribution to cutting down the number of people in that early part of their journey who don’t know that this is how things work yet.
This is what you can do.
1. Stop buying this stuff: Please, make a commitment right now that you will stop buying, or at least be EXTREMELY skeptical before you buy any clickbank IM product that shows clickbank screenshots and has a massive launch fanfare. You know they are all the same and there’s no point wasting your money. The above is how those products come about and you don’t need to be involved in that.
2. Tell someone you know: Do you know someone in IM who’s newer than you, just getting started maybe? Send them an email right now and tell them to be careful. Tell them to stop buying these products too.
3. Tell everyone you can: Do you have a blog? A Twitter or Facebook where you are in contact with other marketers particularly newer ones? Make one tweet or update about this. Tell people that they need to know about it.
4. I’ve never asked for something like this before, and I probably never will again, but if you have a blog or a Twitter or Facebook and you can’t do any of the above, send people the link to this blog post to read for themselves. Every person who hears this news and takes it on board is someone who saves themselves $67 or $197 dollars next time. Every person who hears this is another $67 that those bottom feeder launch guru scumbags don’t get.
We can help people here. We won’t change how this industry works, but we can do something.
Until next time, thanks for reading and…
Thanks for being my subscriber even though I’ve never shown you a clickbank screenshot.
Great idea! There is too much scam online, why not do something about it.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ticket bought at porn shop worth $129M
By Tim Martin, The Associated Press
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LANSING, Mich. - A group of friends and family is obscenely rich after winning a nearly $129 million jackpot with a lottery ticket bought at a Detroit-area porn shop. And some of the money will be devoted to sacred purposes.
Mike Greer, a member of the group, came forward Friday to claim the Powerball winnings on behalf of the others, who chose to remain anonymous.
Greer — who said only that the group has more than two members and fewer than 100 — indicated some of the riches will be going to a church.
"The only thing I can assume is that the Lord trusted us to do certain things with the money that He bestowed upon us," he said. "That's the only thing that I can gather."
Greer said he didn't buy the ticket himself and doesn't know whether it was purchased inside the Uptown Bookstore or at its outside, walk-up lottery window. And he said that among the group's members, "nobody cares" where it was bought.
Many customers of the adult bookstore in a depressed section of Highland Park buy their lottery tickets without setting foot inside the place and getting an eyeful of its X-rated videos and magazines.
The group will take its winnings in a lump sum of $69.6 million instead of annual instalments.
Greer, a 49-year-old from Farmington Hills, said he is self-employed in the digital imaging business. He would not give details on the others except to say that most are from the Detroit metropolitan area.
Lucky winners!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Bed bugs enjoy biting popularity on travel website
Marc Weisblott
Yahoo! Canada News
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The most popular new website for people booking hotels doesn't focus on the quality of room service, but fellow guests that may check in any time, with no intentions to leave.
Bed Bug Registry, created three years ago by San Francisco computer programmer Maciej Ceglowski, recently reached a tipping point of popularity due to the volume of tips coming in. The site claimed 50,000 daily visitors this summer, and around 100 reports a day, submitted from across the continent.
Toronto is currently represented by 2,770 individual bedbug reports, compared to 1,944 from Vancouver, where hotel managers recently attended a symposium for advice on how to rid of the blood-sucking critters.
Ceglowski makes no claim about the accuracy of submissions, but invites hotels to dispute any reports, while weeding out prank submissions. Yet he is also critical of mainstream media outlets that take bedbug sightings submitted to his site as indisputable fact.
Hotels are not the only locations referenced on the registry, however.
The reports include people refuting the existence of bedbugs in the apartment buildings they share.
Concern is also growing in medical facilities, like the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert, Sask., where bedbugs were sighted in two patient rooms last week.
Last month, CBC Winnipeg accessed information that revealed bedbug problems at the Health Sciences Centre, and inside books at two libraries.
Bedbugs were a fact of daily life, especially in large cities, prior to 1930, before the advent of pesticides that prevented their spread.
Better cleaning devices, and more simplified furniture design, are also cited as helping to limit their population.
But, for the past few years, there has been renewed currency to the rhyme "Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite."
Media attention for the infestation reached fever pitch in August when bedbugs were found in the biggest movie theatre in Times Square.
The Waldorf- Astoria Hotel is also being sued by recent guests who claim they were bitten.
Later that month, the suggestion on Twitter that bedbugs found their way into a cinema preparing to host the Toronto International Film Festival caused a stir until pest control agents, accompanied by three dogs, determined within 15 minutes that there was nothing to fear.
This doesn't look good.
Huge bubbles found at heart of our galaxy
Mike Wall
SPACE.com Senior Writer
SPACE.com
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Scientists have detected two gigantic bubbles of high-energy radiation spilling out from the Milky Way's center that may have erupted from a supermassive black hole.
The mysterious structures each span 25,000 light-years across, and are emitting gamma rays, the highest-energy wavelength of light.
The bulbous features may be evidence of a burst of star formation a few million years ago, researchers said. Or they may have been produced when a supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy gobbled up a bunch of gas and dust.
The newly discovered structures remain an enigma for now, scientists said. [New photo of gamma-ray bubbles]
"We don't fully understand their nature or origin," said study leader Doug Finkbeiner of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Scanning the gamma ray sky
Finkbeiner and his team used observations from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, which maps the sky's gamma-ray light. The scientists processed data from Fermi's Large Area Telescope, the highest-resolution gamma-ray detector ever launched.
By filtering out the fog of background gamma rays suffusing the sky, the researchers were able to pick out the huge bubbles. The scientists weren't flying blind; previous studies by other astronomers using other instruments had found intriguing clues that a huge, previously unknown structure might be lurking near the Milky Way's heart.
"We were definitely looking for something," Finkbeiner told reporters today (Nov. 9). "Some hints of this signal had been seen before, but not convincingly."
The two bubbles are dramatic, enigmatic and huge. They're emitting about the same amount of energy as 100,000 exploding stars, or supernovae, Finkbeiner said.
The structures extend as far as the distance between our solar system and the galaxy's core (the bubbles don't envelop Earth; they spread out in a different plane).
A paper about the findings will be published in an upcoming issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
Possible causes
Researchers aren't yet sure what created the bubbles. But the structures appear to have sharp, well-defined edges, suggesting they were formed by a large, rapid and relatively recent release of energy.
Two leading candidate causes, according to Finkbeiner, are a surge of star formation several million years ago and a burst of activity by the Milky Way's central black hole, which is as massive as four million suns.
Astronomers have observed powerful jets blasting from the supermassive black holes in other galaxies. These jets are fueled by matter falling into the black hole.
"These monsters, once fed, can produce very powerful explosions," said David Spergel, chair of Princeton University's astrophysics department.
While there is no evidence the Milky Way's black hole has such jets today, it may have in the past, researchers said.
"This might be the first evidence for an outburst of activity of the black hole at the center of the galaxy," Finkbeiner said.
Scientists are now conducting more analyses to get a better handle on just what drives the newly discovered bubbles, and what they can reveal about the nature of the Milky Way and the universe. "Whatever the energy source behind these huge bubbles may be, it is connected to many deep questions in astrophysics," Spergel said.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Wendy's New Natural-Cut Sea Salt Fries Heat up the Fast-Food Fry
Wendy's New Natural-Cut Sea Salt Fries Heat up the Fast-Food Fry Category
Wed Nov 10, 8:00 AM
DUBLIN, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Wendy's announces the nationwide launch of its new natural-cut fries with sea salt, marking the first complete redesign of the company's classic fries in its 41-year history. Designed to give French fry lovers a hotter, crispier taste experience with an enhanced potato flavor and texture, Wendy's new fries are the only ones to be offered by a national fast food chain with the natural "skin-on" cut and seasoned with sea salt.
The new fries incorporate a range of new ingredients and preparation methods to meet consumers' demand for a better-tasting, higher-quality French fry. They are made 100% from Russet potatoes and sliced "natural-style" with the skin on for additional texture and taste, then cooked in proprietary oil that contains no allergens and has 0 grams trans fat per serving. They are finished with a dusting of natural sea salt to further enhance the flavor.
"A year ago, Wendy's launched its Real brand position that is the foundation of our company --- real products with authentic, high integrity ingredients, fresh preparation and exciting tastes and flavors for every main food item we serve. We challenged ourselves to translate this brand promise into even better French fries. The result is hotter, crispier, and tastier natural-cut fries, seasoned with sea salt. We think our sea salt fries will set a new standard in the QSR industry," said Ken Calwell, Wendy's chief marketing officer.
Wow, this may work! Healthy fries sounds good.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Reputed Mafia patriarch Rizzuto killed;source
MONTREAL - Nicolo Rizzuto, the reputed patriarch of Canada's most famous Mafia family, has been shot and killed, a police source said.
Police say an 86-year-old man died after being shot at his home in the north end of Montreal Wednesday night.
They would not immediately identify the victim, but a source told The Canadian Press that the man struck by bullets was Rizzuto.
The Rizzuto clan, which once ruled over Canada's underworld, has been has been decimated in recent months.
Since last year, the family and its associates have been targeted in a series of slayings that crime analysts say are an attempt to destabilize its hold on power.
Wednesday's killing, if confirmed, drives a definitive nail into the coffin of a once-formidable criminal organization.
Reputed crime boss Vito Rizzuto, Nicolo's son, is in a U.S. jail.
It looks like a scenario from the movie.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Beauty Trend: Khaki Nails
Beauty trend: khaki nails
For fall, nail polish is taking a muted turn into autumn-appropriate colours that even manicurists haven’t seen the likes of yet. Get earth-toned and camo-cool by dipping your fingers (and toes!) into the must-have shades of the season.
By Stephanie Boridy; Photo by Keystone Press
A manicure for fashion’s front lines
I like these colors, nice and warm.
Thingvellir, Iceland - Amazing places you've probably never heard of
Icelandic chieftains gathered in this spot in 930 AD to form the world's first parliament. For 300 years afterwards, they continued to meet here once a year to hold elections, amend laws and settle arguments and disputes.
Thingvellir national park, surrounding the site, is considered the greatest symbol of Iceland's ecological and geological richness. The park overlooks a landscape that includes volcanoes, faults and gorges, as well as Iceland's largest lake. Hiking trails and campgrounds make it easy to remain entirely embedded in the starkly beautiful scenery throughout your stay.
Amazing places to check. I wish I could just go and visit at least some of them.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Yearlong Cruise Ship To Sail From Baltimore
It looks like a dream! Interesting to watch.
The world’s most overvalued real estate
Are Canada's home prices some of the most inflated home prices on earth?
Really, no one knows what to make of the Canadian real estate market. A recent report suggests the sector should post modest growth in 2011, yet even the most optimistic broker will tell you such stability is, regrettably, tied to the uncertain U.S. economy. For now, what we don't know about the future of Canuck home prices is plentiful.
Yet we can be sure of one thing: Canadian real estate is currently among the most overvalued in the world. A new study from The Economist has measured the world's real estate to find where home prices are the most inflated on earth. Where does Canada rank, then? Click through to find the nations where, right now, homes cost significantly more than they're actually worth.
Interesting! Are they telling us the truth?
Monday, November 8, 2010
5 Ways to Get the Best Deal on Credit Reports
5 Ways to Get the Best Deal on Credit Reports
Monday, 08 Nov 2010 04:18 PMArticle Font Size
Credit reports are important because they may decide whether you are eligible for car loans, house loans, and other financial assistance. It is extremely important that you keep your credit reports as favorable as possible. Here are five ways to keep your credit history in good shape:
1. Pay on time: Paying your credit card bills on time will work in your favor in the long run. If you have not defaulted on your payments, chances are that financial institutions will be more willing to dole out bigger sums to you. This makes it important that you keep a clean credit report track record.
2. Limit your number of credit cards: Carrying too many credit cards might work against you.
3. Choose your card wisely: When applying for a credit card you should choose options that offer a low annual fee and a long grace period. This will help you avoid finance charges and save you precious money. It is also an easy way to ensure that your business credit reports stay favorable.
4.Check your reports: It is highly recommended that you review your credit report for any errors and omissions.
5.Use credit cards wisely and sparingly: Don’t go on a shopping spree just because you have a credit card. Keep in mind the fact that every time you use your credit card, you are getting into debt until the end of the month when you make a payment. Use your credit card sparingly and wisely to avoid any financial pitfalls.
Some tips we all need now.
Daily Horoscope by Annabel Burton
Create My Future Ask-The-Astrologer.com
Annabel on FaceBook Ask Annabel
my hobbies Cherry Tree Handmades.com
Something fun to do. Check your horoscope!!!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Air Hogs: Fantastic Flying Fun!
Air Hogs: Fantastic Flying Fun!
Air Hogs are shaping up to be a favorite for this holiday season. After all, who hasn't dreamed of flying through the air at some point in their lives? It's the feeling of fantastic flying fun the makes for a fabulous gift. Kids love them because they are so much fun. One of the reasons parents love them is that they don't require any assembly.
The radio controlled, feather-light and air-powered flying Air Hogs have models for beginners to more advanced users. New models of this award winning product line are released frequently. Some information on the more popular models follows.
Xmas is coming!!! Look for the toys.
Funny road signs from around the world
These are sure to make you wonder about who's behind the signs and markings on our roads
Photo: AP Photo. News and Record, Joseph Rodriguez
Have you ever wondered what sort of work goes into making a road sign? It's actually an intensive, ongoing process - one involving more than posting giant white lettering on a big reflective sign.
Traffic experts from around the world attend conferences on the creation of effective road signs. They do studies and experiment with visibility, legibility and understandable instructions for drivers whizzing by. And yet . . . signs have defied more than a century of attempts at standardization.
And then there's just good old human error. Check out some of these humorous head-scratchers.
Something funny to check.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
'Masked man' did not use Aeroplan ID: airline - News
'Masked man' did not use Aeroplan ID: airline
Rumours that Air Canada staff in Hong Kong accepted an Aeroplan card as identification from a passenger in disguise are "totally unfounded," the airline says.
The carrier said Saturday it is conducting an internal investigation with the airport's staff as well as Singapore Airport Terminal Services, or SATS, which verifies passports at the boarding gate on behalf of Air Canada and other airlines.
During the flight, the passenger removed his disguise in the washroom and emerged as a young Asian man in his 20s, later claiming refugee status in Vancouver.
"Upon being alerted by flight crew, Air Canada security advised Canadian Border Services Agency officials to meet Flight AC018 on Oct. 29 in Vancouver to investigate a passenger who altered his appearance while onboard," spokesman John Reber said in a statement.
How is this even possible with so much security control at the airports? Unbelievable!!!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Lanvin for H&M, the latest designer collaboration
This is something interesting to check.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Eliminate Hemorrhoids Now
How To Eliminate Hemorrhoids
Oh my, how to eliminate hemorrhoids? Painful, itchy and quite embarrassing to talk about, finding a way to eliminate hemorrhoids becomes a priority for anyone and everyone who suffers from them. We have some tips and ideas to eliminate hemorrhoids and make your life a little easier.
First, why did they happen? Well, hemorrhoids are like small herniations that occur for a number of possible reasons. Pregnant women tend to get them, as do excessively overweight individuals. Anal sex and rectal infections are also a cause. But the primary reason for hemorrhoids is a diet poor in fiber and fluids that leads to constipation, which leads to inordinate straining to move the bowels.
That's very common and embarrassing problem that nobody want to talk about it. But there are actually things that work, and they work permanently.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Take the fatty talk outside: It’s time to drop the fat bashing
Take the fatty talk outside: It’s time to drop the fat bashing
In this PC age, Rosie Schwartz asks why making fun of overweight individuals is still okay
A scene from Mike & Molly, the TV show that Maura Kelly refers to in her controversial blog post. Courtesy, Everett Collection
We've come a long way, baby. The concept of political correctness has yielded some big benefits: being prejudiced is no longer PC. But there are some prejudices that remain and seem to be tolerated - maybe because they aren't recognized as such. And intolerance to fat is right there up at the top of the list. Witness a recent post by writer Maura Kelly in her blog, A Year of Living Flirtatiously, who felt comfortable enough revealing her revulsion of fat to put it up on women's magazine Marie Claire's website. She would not have done it had she thought that it would create much controversy.
That's so true. It's very easy to judge others. There are different reasons people get overweight, so why not leave it alone.
Cirque's unveils $57M touring Jackson show
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 3, 2010 | 5:53 PM ET Comments15Recommend19
CBC News
Cirque du Soleil will debut Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour in fall 2011. (Cirque du Soleil)The Cirque du Soleil's upcoming Michael Jackson show, a $57-million US extravaganza to debut in Montreal in fall 2011, will be "a celebration of dance and spectacle," vows the production's creative team.
Written and directed by high-profile concert director and former Jackson dancer Jamie King, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour will combine the late King of Pop's iconic musical oeuvre and choreography with the Cirque's signature artistry, dance and aerial displays.
"I wouldn’t compare this show in any way to other Cirque productions that have come about thus far," King told Canadian journalists by phone from Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon.
"This is an all-new production, completely reinventing … the idea of Cirque, merging it with a rock 'n' roll/pop spectacle and touring it."
It would be nice to see this concert.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Is fish oil supplements slowing down Alzheimer's
Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease who took omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements did not experience a slowing of brain decline compared with patients who took a placebo, says lead author Joseph Quinn, associate professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University and the Portland VA Medical Center. He presented findings Tuesday at the National Press Club.
"We wanted to see if we could slow the rate of progression, and we could not," says Quinn, whose randomized, controlled trial tracked 402 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.
"It's looking less good, but we can't answer if they were exposed at midlife if it would have made a difference," says Kristine Yaffe of the University of California-San Francisco and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, who wrote an accompanying editorial.
That's too bad, but keep the test going. Alzheimer is a very nasty condition not only for these who suffer from it but for the caregivers as well.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Gaining weight? Stress may not be main culprit
...and I thought I have my excuse for gaining weight!
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