Reading time: 3 - 4 minutes

As an early adopter to Google Gmail and a regular user, I could not imagine a day without a visit to Google's fantastic email client. Gmail includes excellent spam protection, phishing warnings and virus scanning; ultimate organization, conversation view, POP3 and IMAP access and currently 8 GB of inbox storage that continues to grow every day. ¹ I can't think of any reason not to use Gmail. It is by far the best free email client out there. So if your not using gmail yet I urge you to get on the bandwagon and open a new Gmail account today. Once you do, you will find the following videos helpful in finding your way around the interface.

1. Overview of Gmail Interface, 2. Updating the Contacts Section in Gmail, 3. Composing Mail in Gmail, 4. Using the Gmail Inbox, 5. Using Search in Gmail ²

Technorati Tags: best email client, composing email, email, free, gmail, gmail contacts, gmail interface, gmail search, google, how to, internet, mail, no spam, video

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Reading time: 2 - 2 minutes

Seems that the powers that be over at Apple have pulled all Google Voice-enabled applications from the App Store, citing the fact that they “duplicate features that come with the iPhone”. ¹ This adds to a long list of grips I have with AT&T who is surely behind the block and in my opinion frighten of what Google Voice brings to the table. Although Google vows to "continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users" it may be sometime before it succeeds.

As an earlier adopter Google Voice (since GrandCentral days), I have really found apps like GV Mobile a complement to the service. GV Mobile is no longer available at the app store; I hope that when I sync my Iphone today GV Mobile will still be there. Sean Kovacs, creator of GV Mobile announced today "I’ll be releasing GV Mobile v1.2 on Cydia for free today or tomorrow, with an update coming in a couple weeks". ² Of course, you have to be willing to jailbreak your iPhone in order to now use GV Mobile on your Iphone.

Even though, GV Mobile can now be found via Cydia on for jailbroken iPhone, I still wonder what the official Google Voice app from Google would have offered.

Other apps blocked from the App Store included; VoiceCentral.

Technorati Tags: app store, cydia, google voice, gv mobile, gv mobile free, iphone, jailbreak, pulled from app store, sean kovacs, voice central

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Reading time: 2 - 3 minutes

The economic forecast seems to be getting gloomier by the day. As the economy takes a dive and my savings deplete like water in a leaky bucket, I recently decided to get down to business and work on a monthly budget in an attempt to stop my leaky bucket life style.

Budget Document Sample

Using this simple template and following the steps below, I was able to hammer out a monthly budget and curve wasteful spending.

Believe it or not, the hardest part of the was getting started. I began by listing my monthly and quarterly outgoing expenses. Meaning, I gathered every bill and printed every e-bill I pay and then some. My list included, but was not limited to, the utility bill, mortgage (or rent if you lease), car payment, and insurance and so on. Oh, don't forget those other bills that don't usually occur monthly like license fees, car registration, oil changes, gift spending, and everything else in between. Basically everything that you spend money on needs to be included in your budget for it to be accurate. For those quarterly and yearly expenses, I broken them down into monthly portions as describe by this great article and using this annual spending worksheet. ¹

Your next step is gathering all your pay stubs and other sources of income. You then need to populate your income fields and expense fields in the spreadsheet. Feel free to rename some of the currently populated fields if they don't pertain to your spending.

If you are unhappy with the what you discovered, you are not alone. Most people tend to spend more than they make. Howver, putting it on paper is the first step to seeing where your money is going. Hopefully with the help of this trusty spreadsheet, it makes it easier to look at your expenses closely and figure out what you can live without.

Technorati Tags: budget, budgeting instructions, excel spreadsheet, financial freedom, home budget, how to, sample, template

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Family and friends gathered on July 19th to remember and celebrate the life of Torre Blalock. Blalock died July 6th from a fatal gun shot wound to the head during a domestic argument with his live in girlfriend, Yasmin Linder, in their Gainesville, Florida apartment.

Blalock left behind a two-year-old son who, family members say, was his pride and joy.¹ Blalock's family held a "Celebration of Life" barbecue at Cherokee Lake on Sunday to commemorate his life. ²

Technorati Tags: cherokee lake, domestic violence, family, murder, remembering, remembrance, son, torre blalock, video, yasmin n linder

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Domestic violence is an ugly truth that plagues approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.¹ Of which, 1,247 women and 440 men are killed annually by an intimate partner. In recent years, an intimate partner killed approximately 33% of female murder victims and 4% of male murder victims.² Each one has a story.

Recently I read a story in the Gaineville Sun, a North Florida newspaper, a student Yasmin Nicole Linder who was recently charged with murder in Alachua County, Florida.

Linder, 19, originally from the small town of Thomasville, GA, was a 2008 honor graduate from Thomasville High School and came from a financially stable family. ³ She has been described by friends as a nice and personable by friends and co-workers at the local IHOP in Gainesville, Florida where she worked. Her story has resonated mentally since I read about this article last week. This story has left me wondering as to what could have happened in this young woman's relationship with her live in boyfriend, Torre Blalock 20, that could have resulted in his death. Although a trial will surely follow, it will not be for some time, and maybe then the details of this story will surface.

Until then, I look forward to reading more on this, mainly because there is a story behind every crime and although I am not justifying the death of Blalock, each headline has a back story.

Technorati Tags: charged, domestic violence, florida, gainesville, murder, statistics, torre blalock, uf student, violence, yasmin nicole linder

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In layman`s terms, as the name suggests, RapidShare is an easy way of sharing your files with anyone you want through the internet. It is a German based company that allows file hosting or web hosting from the user`s hard disk to a remote server location by just a click. The headquarters of RapidShare is located at Switzerland and the site is the 17th most visited globally. The company initially operated through the ‘RapidShare.de’ that used the German domain ‘de’. But then the traffic to that site became so high and that the servers, given their limited capacity could not handle it efficiently. So another site ‘RapidShare.com’ was opened to re-route some of the traffic and work through two different servers, combined together, to give a higher capacity. So basically RapidShare is a place where you can store your files which can be used by anyone across the globe.

RapidShare exists ‘for’ the people and ‘by’ the people. Confusing?? Well RapidShare contains almost all types of file that can be downloaded. Games, serials, songs, movies etc. of all genres are available and can be downloaded at ease with just a click away. Now the prime question is where did all this input come from?? The answer is: you!! People around the world are uploading files every second so that it will be viewed and downloaded by users through the globe. So basically RapidShare acts like a global ‘sink’ where you can store your files and perennially as a global ‘source’ where you can find any file you want to download.

RapidShare is used by people throughout the world to upload and download files. When users upload the necessary files that require storage in the global level, a link is provided by RapidShare which can be shared among your friends who can download the uploaded file by clicking on the link. The link is primarily a pointer to the address location of the file in the server. This process or facility can be used for free or by paying a monthly subscription free. By choosing the former option, you are a free user which means the download speed and the capacity is limited and less bandwidth is allocated for your sake by the hosting server. But by the latter option, you choose to be a ‘premium’ user wherein your speed is more, more bandwidth is allocated by the server and you don`t have to wait for the download to start, its instant.

There are many other sites that offer the same file hosting service like the bit torrent which provides the service through torrents which needs to be downloaded by a connecting to a server location through a torrent. RapidShare provides easy hosting services that are ‘just a click away’. In RapidShare you don`t have to seed the file once you have downloaded it, so there is no feeling of being a leecher in RS. The speed offered by RS is more and it doesn’t broadcast you IP address through the world perhaps offering you a safe manner in which your file can be hosted. All these make RS more preferred that Bit Torrent.

Technorati Tags: downloads, file sharing, rapid share, rapidshare, what is

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The Codex Sinaiticus, or Sinai Book which is the oldest known surviving Christina Bible, handwritten over 1600 years ago, was recently digitized and now available to the public online.

This unique treasure was original kept at the Monastery of St. Catherine in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula until 1859. At which time it was divided in four parts and taken to Russia, Germany and Great Britain. A portion remained at the monastery. Efforts to unite the 4th century treasure have come to fruition; together for the first time in 150 years it can now be read online at the Codex Sinaiticus web site.

Scot McKendrick, from the The British Library and chairman of the multinational group that worked on the project, said "The whole project rests on an agreement between the four institutions. Each one committed themselves to ... the greater good of the whole to present this virtual codex,".

The codex offers an insight into what was happening in the fourth century stated McKendrick.

"This is the point at which Christianity is becoming authorized, accepted by authority, and this book very much reflects that," he says. "It also reflects a point where there is still a discussion going on about which texts are in the Bible and which order they should be presented in."

The Codex Sinaiticus Web site is a veritable treasure trove for researchers and others. The site grants access not only to images of the pages, but also to the new transcription of the text, McKendrick says, which allows scholars to search for word patterns, among other uses. The digitized version offers breathtaking detail of the codex, which is written by hand in Greek on animal skin.

"The Web site is wonderful in that it allows you to see that physicality, see a thumbprint of a 1,600-year-old scribe, an insect that bit the animal that the page has come from," he says. "It's like a window in that ... critical era."

Technorati Tags: bible, codex sinaiticus, digtized, old, scot mckendrick, sinai book, the bristish library

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NEW YORK – The death of Walter Cronkite elicited tributes from colleagues, presidents past and present, world-famous astronauts and those who hoped in vain to fill his empty anchor chair, all honoring the avuncular face of TV journalism who became the "most trusted man in America."*

Cronkite died Friday night after a long battle with cerebrovascular disease, he died with his family at his side. He was 92.

* AP has more: Link | Walter Cronkite [wikipedia]

Technorati Tags: cbs news, cerebrovascular disease, death, died, remebering, walter cronkite

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The US Government is thinking of cracking down on bottled water manufactures. Many test results favor tap water over the many national brands of bottled water on the market. As bottled water sales skyrocket, it has become common place to spend as much as 1000% over the cost of tap water. Leading bottlers to spend millions on marketing to make us to believe that the water used in these expensive bottled alternatives are better from you because they come from mountain artisan wells. What you may not know is that some bottled water may not be as pure as it is advertised. Truth is, if your lucky, there’s a good chance that your favorite bottled water comes from the same place your tap does — your municipal water supply. However, since bottlers are not required to label the product with where the water was obtained, its possible that the ice cold bottle water you had yesterday could have been filtered and filled from a contaminated source.

Technorati Tags: bottled water, regulation, tap water

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The new Dos Equis commercials that has lately been airing on TV, radio and the net is just about the cleverest marketing campaign I've seen in a while. Not just because the main character (played by actor Jonathan Goldsmith) reminds me of my uncle Gabriel, who in my opinion is actually the "Most Interesting Man in the World", it's because the spot actually has an excellent blend of humor, sophistication and product placement.

"Dos Equis: The Most Interesting Man in the World" commercial was created by Euro RSCG/New York with Jeff Kling as Creative Director. Steve Miller directed the spots with @radical media as the production company (Outside Editorial did the post work).*

I’m going to go buy a six-pack (make it a case) of Dos Equis now.

* Reference Source brentter.com

Technorati Tags: dos equis, jonathan goldsmit, the most interesting man in the world, video

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Solicitous Behaviors

These include all the more passive ways a parrot asks for attention. If we ignore these, they can lead to more outright demands, such as screaming, or neurotic behaviors that become obsessive, almost ritualistic, habits such as constant flipping or circling in the cage, or toe-tapping, beak wiping, and odd looking head movements. The basic solicitous behaviors include the following:

Food Begging: Recently weaned babies often cry and "baby bob" repeatedly. They sit low on the perch, heads turned up, slightly quivering their wings, with heads bobbing rapidly. This needs to be addressed! Often, newly weaned babies revert after moving to their new home. It's a good idea to continue regular body weight checks, as anything over a 10% loss is cause for concern. I don't believe in time-table weaning, and do not feel it is inappropriate to continue, or re-start, hand feeding of young birds. Ask for guidance on how to best handle it

Happiness Behaviors

These are my favorites! They are also the most subtle and most often missed signals that our parrots give us. Learn to recognize them and you'll enjoy a whole new level of richness in your communications.

Tail Wagging: Often in one on one interactions, you'll see your bird give his tail a quick "fan" and a vigorous side-to-side shake. This means "I'm content, I'm enjoying myself and feeling quite relaxed!" It's always a happy sight!

Excitement and or Aggressive Behaviors

Eye pinning: The pupils dilate and constrict rapidly, back and forth, indicating excitement and interest. Definitely means you need to pay attention and look out.

Feather Puffing: The bird fluffs his feathers out all over, but especially the head and neck, and with Cockatoos, the crest is erect. In the wild, birds use this to appear larger, and thus be more intimidating to foes.

Tail Fanning: Especially in Amazons, the bird fans his whole tail out (like a mini-horizontal peacock), again, to appear large and "scary."

Blushing: Bare-faced birds like Macaws, allow you to visually observe the facial redness that accompanies excitement. (Actually, ALL parrots so this - we just can't see it through the feathers! Some birds blush a light pink, others (Like my Amber), go a deep red. I find babies blush more than adults, as they experience new things in the world.

Head Bowing: The bird, while puffed up, eye-pinning, tail fanning, and blushing, also lowers his head, stretching out his neck. Often accompanied by a "growling" sort of sound, or with African Greys and Cockatiels, it's more of a "hissing" sound.

Parrot Sensitivity to Emotion

Parrots are highly empathic - simply put, they feel our emotions. Some might call this statement a classic case of anthropomorphism, but I guarantee you, they're people who don't live with birds, as all of us who do have no doubts about our companions capacity for empathy! This is an important factor in dealing with all aspects of sharing your home with a parrot, as it directly affects behavior and is a common undercurrent in behavioral problems. If you feel anger towards a bird, he's going to pick up on it

Spring Fever

It starts around March and often lasts until June, when things tend to even out again. It's that time of year again--flowers are blooming, robins are nesting, bees are buzzing--and your sweet companion baby bird is suddenly moody and unpredictable. "Oh no, What do I do? My baby is turning mean!" Luckily it's not a sign of a "good bird gone bad," or an indication that you messed up as a bird parent--it's simply the raging hormones of adolescence. Recognizing "spring fever" for what it is--simply, a transitional hormonal phase young birds go through in adolescence--will greatly ease their stress, as well as yours during this time of year.

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Technorati Tags: african greys, aggressive behaviors, amazons, behavior, bird, blushing, cockatiels, decode, emotion, excitement, feather puffing, food begging, head bowing, macaws, parrot, sensitivity, solicitous behaviors, spring fever, tail fanning, tail wagging

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I've been looking for a easy, free and reliable solution to sync documents and most importantly propagate changes to both my desktop computer and a portable USB thumb drive for sometime. I came across this light weight free app SyncBack. It also come in a SE and Pro versions at a cost.

SyncBack easily backup, synchronize, or restore files to another drive, FTP server, ZIP file, networked drive, or removable media. It is highly configurable, SyncBack includes: detailed, easy to read log files; email results; simulated backups and restore; file filters; sub-directory selection; copy verification; background backups; auto-close of programs; easy and expert modes; profile groups; compare files, and an extensive context sensitive help file.

Supported platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2000, Windows 98, 98SE, ME, and NT 4 - Please note that Windows 95 is not supported.

Technorati Tags: backup, files, free, FTP server, how to, networked drive, removable media, restore files to another drive, sync, synchronize, thumb drive, usb, usb drive, ZIP file

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Got this video forward from a friend regarding Goodyear Run on Flat Tires. Run-flat tires are awesome. Designed to resist the effects when punctured, run-flat tires let you travel at a reduced speed for a limited distance, usually up to 100 miles (some let you do 200 and over). Video has three sections so make sure you watch it all the way. BTW - I believe this series of commercials ran in England. This commercial is a little extreme but it gets its point across. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Technorati Tags: chaning a tire, commercial, funny, goodyear, run on flat, tires, video

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A Carrot For Your Parrot

Just one large carrot per day provides about six times the Recommended Dietary Allowance of Vitamin A for humans. Cooking or grating carrots increases the nutritional value because it breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase the beta-carotene. To convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A the body needs a little amount of fat, because Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that is fat-soluble.

Some veterinarians say that about 70% of all pet parrots have a vitamin A deficiency. The carrot is a vegetable that can help us overcome this problem.

Calcium - The Basics

Calcium, one of the "macro" minerals - in other words, something the body needs in major amounts. African Greys and Eclectus are prone to calcium deficiencies, females laying eggs need more calcium and an insufficient supply can lead to egg binding.

Proper feather growth depends on calcium as well. So it's much more than just the "strong bones" nutrient! It works in conjunction with phosphorus, magnesium and Vitamin D. Besides egg productivity and bone development, calcium also helps maintain the acid/base balance and regulate the balance of body fluids as well as maintaining cell membranes and muscle function. Minerals definitely work in conjunction with each other, as well as other substances in the diet

Healthy Diet for Your Parrot

Is your bird a seed only eater? Did you know in that wild seeds form only a small portion of the natural diet? While seeds are an important part of a pet parrot’s daily diet they should not comprise all of it.

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Technorati Tags: african greys, calcium deficiencies, calium, carrot, dietary allowance, eclectus, egg laying, nutrition, parrot, seed eater, vegitibles, vitamin A deficiency

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Buy the WP Remix 2 Theme for Wordpress.

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Been meaning to stop by this location for sometime now and boy I am glad that I finally did. This little gem is locally owned and managed by the face behind the counter. It is a departure from the cold and faceless corporate stores we have all visited since coffee became cool.

I love that it is located next to (inside access to) the new/used book store next door. It's modern decor and warm atmosphere is what gives this place its charm. I can really see this new place becoming a hot spot in the near future.

The menu over the counter offers a wide array of coffee and teas. In addition they offer sandwiches and a variety of soda and bottled drinks.

Review them on Yelp!

Technorati Tags: 30519, brew awakenings, buford georgia, cafe, coffee, retail, shop

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Recently, a resurgence of this email variant has been making the rounds on the Internet again.

SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES

It is already impossible to live on Social Security alone. If the government gives benefits to 'illegal' aliens who have never contributed, where does that leave those of us who have paid into Social security all our working lives?

As stated below, the Senate voted this week to allow 'illegal' aliens access to Social Security benefits. Attached is an opportunity to sign a petition that requires citizenship for eligibility to that social service.

Instructions are below. If you don't forward the petition and just stop it, we will lose all these names.

If you do not want to sign it, please just forward it to everyone you know.

Thank you!

To add your name, click on 'forward'.. Address it to all of your email correspondents, add your name to the list and send it on.

When the petition hits 1,000, send it to comm...@whitehouse.gov

Claims: False but based on truth

This petition misrepresents a recent Congressional vote regarding payment of social security benefits. As with the majority of forwards of this type, they take an actual event and twist it. Read this article on the effectiveness of this particular petition variant.

In addition, I recommend the following article to clarify the actual issue and subsequent Congressional vote this email petition references.

Technorati Tags: access, congressional vote, illegal alien, petition, social security benefits, truth

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As many have noted, Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for Vice-President, is a Catholic turned Evangelical. One big question about Palin is how her deterministic view of God's will in world affairs influences her decision-making on issues ranging from the Middle East to the environment, sexuality to education. CNN Reports on GOP Vice-Presidential candidate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's spiritual journey and religious outlook. Should we be worried?

Technorati Tags: alaska governor, religious outlook, sarah palin, speaking in tongues

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Barack Obama spoke to an audience of 84,000 at Mile High Stadium, on August 28, 2008 in Denver, Colorado.

Transcript of the Speech

To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation.

With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest — a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and yours — Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Bill Clinton, who made last night the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.

To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Malia and Sasha — I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story — of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren’t well off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

It is that promise that has always set this country apart — that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

That’s why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women — students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors — found the courage to keep it alive.

We meet at one of those defining moments — a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit card bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach.

These challenges are not all of government’s making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.

America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.

This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.

We’re a better country than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he’s worked on for 20 years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.

We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.

Tonight, I say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land — enough! This moment — this election — is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight. On November 4, we must stand up and say: “Eight is enough.”

Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and our respect. And next week, we’ll also hear about those occasions when he’s broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

But the record’s clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Sen. McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than 90 percent of the time? I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change.

The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives — on health care and education and the economy — Sen. McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made “great progress” under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers — the man who wrote his economic plan — was talking about the anxieties that Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a “mental recession,” and that we’ve become, and I quote, “a nation of whiners.”

A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud autoworkers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and they give back and they keep going without complaint. These are the Americans I know.

Now, I don’t believe that Sen. McCain doesn’t care what’s going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn’t know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under $5 million a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people’s benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?

It’s not because John McCain doesn’t care. It’s because John McCain doesn’t get it.

For over two decades, he’s subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy — give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is that you’re on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. You’re on your own. No health care? The market will fix it. You’re on your own. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps — even if you don’t have boots. You are on your own.

Well it’s time for them to own their failure. It’s time for us to change America. And that’s why I’m running for president of the United States.

You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.

We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was president — when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of go down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.

We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off and look after a sick kid without losing her job — an economy that honors the dignity of work.

The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great — a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.

Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton’s Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.

When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business or making her way in the world, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

Now, I don’t know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped my life. And it is on behalf of them that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as president of the United States.

What is that American promise?

It’s a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.

It’s a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, to look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.

Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves — protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and science and technology.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who’s willing to work.

That’s the promise of America — the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper.

That’s the promise we need to keep. That’s the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am president.

Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.

You know, unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

I’ll eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will, listen now, cut taxes — cut taxes — for 95 percent of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

And for the sake of our economy, our security and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East. We will do this.

Washington’s been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years, and by the way John McCain’s been there for 26 of them. And in that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil that we had as the day that Sen. McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I’ll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I’ll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I’ll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy — wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.

America, now is not the time for small plans.

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. You know, Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don’t have that chance. I’ll invest in early childhood education. I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I’ll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American — if you commit to serving your community or our country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their job and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.

Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.

And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work, because I want my daughters to have the exact same opportunities as your sons.

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime — by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don’t help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less — because we cannot meet 21st century challenges with a 20th century bureaucracy.

And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America’s promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our “intellectual and moral strength.” Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can’t replace parents; that government can’t turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility to provide love and guidance to their children.

Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility — that’s the essence of America’s promise.

And just as we keepour promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America’s promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander in chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.

For while Sen. McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats that we face. When John McCain said we could just “muddle through” in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. You know, John McCain likes to say that he’ll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell — but he won’t even go to the cave where he lives.

And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush administration, even after we learned that Iraq has $79 billion in surplus while we are wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.

That’s not the judgment we need. That won’t keep America safe. We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.

You don’t defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq. You don’t protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can’t truly stand up for Georgia when you’ve strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice — but that is not the change that America needs.

We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don’t tell me that Democrats won’t defend this country. Don’t tell me that Democrats won’t keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans — Democrats and Republicans — have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.

As commander in chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm’s way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.

But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other’s character and each other’s patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America — they have served the United States of America.

So I’ve got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.

America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can’t just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose. That’s what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than they are for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. You know, passions may fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. But this, too, is part of America’s promise — the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that’s to be expected. Because if you don’t have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare voters. If you don’t have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things.

And you know what — it’s worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn’t work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it’s best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don’t fit the typical pedigree, and I haven’t spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s about you. It’s about you.

For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us — that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it — because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.

America, this is one of those moments.

I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I’ve seen it. Because I’ve lived it. Because I’ve seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I’ve seen it in Washington, where we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorist.

And I’ve seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and the young at heart, those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they’d pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I’ve seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day even though they can’t afford it than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

You know, this country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit — that American promise — that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It’s a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours — a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln’s Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could’ve heard many things. They could’ve heard words of anger and discord. They could’ve been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead — people of every creed and color, from every walk of life — is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

“We cannot walk alone,” the preacher cried. “And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
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America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise — that American promise — and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.

Technorati Tags: 2008, august 28, barack obama, barrack, colorado, democratic convention, denver, dnc, full speech, mile high statium, nomination speech, obama, speech, transcript, video

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A recently retired New York man wanted to use his retirement funds wisely, he and his wife decided to buy a home and a few acres in Portugal.

They found a perfect and out of the way farm at a decent price. The modest farm had been vacant for 15 years; the owner and wife both had died, and there were no heirs.

The estate was being sold to pay back taxes. There had been several lookers, but the large barn had steel doors, and they had been welded shut. No one wanted to go to the extra expense to see what was in the barn, and it wasn't complimentary to the property anyway... (basically and eyesore) so, no one made an offer on the place.

The New York couple bought it as is, paying just over half of the property's worth; moved in, and set about to access the barn... curiosity was killing him.

So, he  and his wife bought a generator and a couple of grinders... and cut thru the welds.

Amazing… Total value of all exotic vehicles… just over 35 Million US dollars in rare vintage cars!

The man and his wife had full title to the complete lot of vintage exotic cars.

They're having a great  retirement! Ok, that's what the email I received said anyway. Truth or hoax you be the judge. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

Technorati Tags: Abarth 1300 Scorpione, Alfa 1900 Super Sprint, Alfa Giulietta, another Lotus Elan FHC, Aston Martin, Austin A30, Austin Healey Sprite MkII, Balilla, barn, BMW V8, cabriolet, car collection, Chryslers, Fiat Topolino II, Ford Y, Formula Racers, Giulia Sprint Speciale (SS), Giulietta Sprint, Interior of Alfa Romeo, Lancia Flaminia Coupé, Lotus Elan DHC, Lotus Elan FHC, Lotus Europa, Lotus Super Seven Series IV, Matra Djet, Mercedes, Mini, Nash Metropolitan, news, Opel GT, Peugeot, Peugeot 202, Porsche 356, Triumph TR4, Volvo PV 544

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