Beware of Kitty Porn

This article, Don’t let your pets use your computer, extolled the dangers of leaving your computer on and allowing your pets to use it.  This man said his cat downloaded over 1000 images of child pornography on his computer.  Apparently, he has changed his defense as this Orlando Sun Sentinel article explains.  Please, I beg you, don’t be a victim of your pets’ obsessions.

They burn it, they burn it not…

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know the controversy surrounding the Ground-zero mosque and the Florida pastor who wants to burn the Koran (Quran?).  Several of my tweeps on Twitter (okmusa) have a wide range of opinions on these controversies that are also worth considering.

In my previous article, Having the right doesn’t make it right, I make the point that just because someone has the right to do something doesn’t mean it is right to do.  I think I understood that Terry Jones has decided not to burn the Quran after deciding to burn it, then not to burn it, then to burn it again.  I’m so confused.  Anyway, some of my tweeps wonder why it’s even such a big deal.  If he wants to burn it, let him burn it.  Okay, so they have a point.

I, personally, don’t like book burners.  I don’t trust them.  A friend of mine who shares my opinion also said they usually have a hidden agenda (i.e. Hitler).  I don’t see Jones actions as teaching the Jesus I know (same for Westboro Baptists).  My opinion is that he should not go through with this burning, not because it may offend those of the Islamic faith, but because there are better ways to get a message across than burning a book.

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I finally took a peek at the Stop744 website because I do like to get both sides of an argument.  Their argument is that this would be another unfunded mandate that will cause the state to cut budgets and/or raise taxes to pay for.  While it is true SQ744 doesn’t provide a funding source, it shouldn’t be necessary.

First of all, the money was there, so education was funded at least to a manageable level.  But when lawmakers saw the extra money the lottery was bringing in (although less than projected), they decided to raid the education budget instead of budgeting education at the same level and adding the lottery money to that.  When federal stimulus dollars came to the state to add to the current education budget, it was raided again.

Because of the fiscal irresponsibility of our state government, education is in trouble in Oklahoma.  SQ744 does not require a funding mechanism, it only requires the funds be put back into the budget.  We wouldn’t need to worry about a state question such as this if our lawmakers had been responsible with education, the lottery and stimulus monies in the first place.

Of course, putting funds back into the budget is not quite as easy as I made it sound.  It is always very difficult to increase a budget once it has been cut to the bones.  I have to agree that SQ744 will place a burden on the state and possibly the taxpayers of Oklahoma.  Even though SQ744 doesn’t raise taxes in and of itself, money has to come from somewhere.  There will be cost associated with SQ744, there has to be.

So, my challenge to the opponents of SQ744 is this: come up with something better to fund our schools;  come up with something better to force Oklahoma to fix the lottery; come up with something better to force lawmakers to be responsible with our money.

The real cost if SQ744 fails is our children, our future, our teachers, and our education system.

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From the proposed mosque and Islamic cultural center at ground zero to the Koran-burning pastor in Florida, America is questioning rights versus what’s right.

The ground-zero mosque supporters say they have the right to build their mosque anywhere that’s legal.  That is true.  If it is legal for American citizens to build a mosque at that location, then they have the right to do just that.  But, is it right? I know Islamic extremist make up a small percentage of Muslims and most do not condone what their more extreme counterparts are doing, but they should be sensitive to the pain America is still feeling.

To build this center so close to the site terrorists crashed jets full of passengers into the World Trade Center is a slap in the face to America.  To me, it seems to say, “Hey, look, we brought down your two tallest buildings and now we’ve got a mosque there.”  That is most likely not what is on the mind of those who want to build this mosque and cultural center, but it is certainly what it says to me and, I’m sure, millions of other Americans who watched as the planes hit the buildings.  Do they have the right?  Yes.  Is it right?  No.

On the other hand, we have a Christian extremist, pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, who wants to burn the Koran on 9/11.  That doesn’t sound much like world outreach to me.  I don’t know enough about the Koran to either support or condemn it, but burning it does seem to me to be extreme.  What’s the difference between Christian extremism and Islamic extremism?  Remember the crusades?

The federal government has apparently gotten in on this action, but they can’t do anything about it as it is a First Amendment issue.  The military are concerned about the fallout and increased risk to Americans who are still in the Middle East if this Koran-burning occurs, a valid concern to be sure.  This church has the First Amendment right to burn the Koran, but should they do it?  They have the right, but it is not right.

Americans enjoy certain rights (for now) and the most revered is the first one:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Maybe we need to not only enjoy our rights, but focus more on what is right.

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President Obama’s stimulus plan doesn’t seem to be working, so, of course, he wants to throw another 50 billion dollars at it.  I’ve got a better idea, he can throw some MY way.  Okay, that’s not going to happen, but it did get me to thinking: would it  have been better to give money to taxpayers than throwing money at all these banks and corporations?

I’m not talking $600 or $1200, I’m talking taking the approximately 1 trillion dollars (1,000,000,000,000) that’s already been blown and if, instead of sending it to banks and corporations, divided it up between the approximately 138 million taxpayers (2007 figures) tax-free.  If my math is correct, that would have been approximately $7246 per taxpayer.

With $7246 per taxpayer, I imagine quite a few mortgages could have been caught up.  In my case, since I never got behind on my mortgage, I would have paid off all my credit cards.  By reducing my debt load, it would allow more disposable income at my fingers every month, which would help the local economy.  Sure, I would save some of it, but most likely I would save up for something I want, instead of putting it back on the credit cards, and purchase it when I had enough saved up… again, helping the local economy.

Sure, some people would just go out and blow it without reducing their debt load, but the couldn’t say we didn’t try to help them.  And, it would have been the quick, short-term boost the economy needs.

I know it’s a bit too late now, but I think maybe my plan would have worked.

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What if there was a way for you to watch thousands of television channels, any time you want… and never pay another cable bill again? With Satellite Direct, there is.

Satellite Direct is a new way to watch TV- from the convenience of your own desktop PC or laptop. Why pay over $100 a month for a cable or satellite television subscription with limited channel availability, when you can get a lifetime of unlimited access to over 3,500 channels for less than half of that?

Just some of the benefits of choosing Satellite Direct over cable:

• 24/7 unlimited access to over 3,500 channels
• Hard to find international channels, as well as all the best movies, sports and news shows- at no additional cost
• No hardware to install
• No bandwidth limits
• No subscription or installation fees – EVER
• Automatic channel updates

And best of all… You’ll never have to pay another monthly cable or satellite bill again!

Why settle for other TV for PC services that deliver poor sound and picture quality, or come loaded with hidden fees? With world class customer service and support, making the switch to Satellite Direct will be one of the best decisions you’ve made for your family in a long time. (And with no hardware to install and no waiting around for hours for the cable guy to show up… it will be one of the easiest, as well)

Switching to Satellite Direct is simple and straightforward: Just answer a few questions using our safe and secure registration process. After your one time payment, you can download our easy to use software directly onto your PC or laptop.

Then sit back and enjoy thousands of premium channels, any time you want. That’s it!

Don’t pay another cable bill. www.satellitedirect.tv

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When I was a child, I remember going to the Oklahoma (Muskogee) Free State Fair.  People all over the state would flock to Muskogee each Fall for the corn dogs, funnel cakes, rides, all that other fair stuff.  At some point, this moved to Tulsa and became known as the Tulsa State Fair.

I searched the internet to try to find exactly when this happened, but so far am unable to.  But, I do know that for many years, Muskogee had nothing.  However, for several years, Muskogee has been trying to revive our fall festivities with Muskogee Regional Fair.  It’s not easy competing with the Tulsa State Fair.

Even though the Muskogee Fair has tried different dates around Tulsa’s fair, for a while it seemed as if attendance wasn’t quite enough.  However, I have noticed that attendance has increased over the last couple of years, which I find heartening.

The Muskogee Regional Fair runs from September 29 – October 2 while the Tulsa Fair is September 30 – October 10.  Muskogee’s fair may not be as large as Tulsa’s, but it does offer good family fun.  If you can only attend one fair this year, you should consider making it Muskogee.  Otherwise, there is no reason not to attend both Muskogee and Tulsa’s fairs.

Muskogee was once the thriving center of trade and commerce.  There is no reason we can’t be again.  We have a major North-South highway, the only one in Eastern Oklahoma.  We are only 20 minutes north of a major East-West interstate.  We are a port on the busy Kerr-McClellan Navigation System and at the intersection of 3 rivers.  We are close to several lakes: Ft. Gibson, Eufaula and Tenkiller.

Citizens of Muskogee, this is our city.  It is a great place to raise a family, a great place to shop, a great place to live.  It takes us to keep it great and make it greater.

Invest in our community and it will return that investment to you.

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Parents who don’t

It seems as if parents nowadays want to be their child’s friend.  They want to treat their children as equals instead of children.  Children already have plenty of friends, what they need are parents.  The need parents who guide, teach, and discipline, not a friend who will back them up no matter what.  A good parent will support their child when that child has been wronged, but will also discipline their child when he or she has done wrong.  The police don’t just make up reasons to harass your child, there was a valid reason for that contact.  Teachers don’t just pick your child to harass, there’s a reason your child has gained that teacher’s attention.  Children are NOT innocent little snowflakes most of the time, remember how you were when you were a child.

Be the parent, be in charge, teach your children limits, teach your children how to behave in public, don’t make idle threats and follow through on punishment.

Racism – Can’t we all just grow up?

Okay, people, this is 2010.  It’s time to grow up and realize that it is NOT the color of someone’s skin and it is NOT their heritage that counts, but what is inside that individual that counts.  People who vote based on race are wrong.  It doesn’t matter the color of our president’s skin, but what he does or does not do that should be judged.  It is wrong to look at a person and immediately judge them because their skin is white, brown, black, or purple.

A middle school in Mississippi segregated class officers as to which race could run for what office.  The president of all grades had to be white.  Vice President in 8th grade could be black, but in 6th and 7th had to be white.  This was in AUGUST OF 2010.  Even though that policy was changed very quickly once it was exposed, why did they even think that policy could be considered correct and how did it stand for so long?  Even Mississippi should realize racism is completely wrong.

It’s 2010 – grow up and treat all people like you want to be treated.

You being offended offends me

I’m also tired of everyone being ‘offended’ way too easily.  It seems as if every time I turn on the news, or walk down the street, someone is offended by something.  If you are offended, let’s make sure it is something to be offended about (see Racism above).  We need to learn to let things roll off, ignore the ignorant and watch our stress level decrease.

If you aren’t a Christian and my Christmas (it is Christmas, not X-Mas, not Winter holidays, or anything else) decorations which are in MY yard of the house I own offend you, don’t look at them.  I will not remove them simply because you are offended.  In exchange, I will not demand you celebrate Christmas the same way I do.

Some people are just plain mean and try to get a rise out of others and pick a fight.  Some people are ignorant and don’t know any better and don’t want to.  If most of us would just ignore the mean and ignorant when they try to offend, the world will be a much better place.

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Whenever it comes to budget cuts, it seems as if education is one of the first victims of the axe.  Legislators say education of our children is paramount at the same time they are cutting funding.  Oklahoma State Question 744 will force the legislature to fund education to the regional average without raising taxes.

In 2008-2009 school year, Oklahoma spent less per student than all six surrounding states with $8,006 while the regional average is $9,633 and the national average is $10,193. (Source: www.yeson744.com and State Departments of Education).  That is over $2,000 less per student than the national average and it is wrong.

A yes vote on SQ744 will:

• Guarantee that the average amount spent for each student in Oklahoma is at least equal to the average spent in other states in our region.
• Ensure the students have up-to-date classroom materials and supplies, smaller class sizes and high quality teachers.
• Require annual reporting to the Education Oversight Board and the Office of Accountability.
• Make our children’s future a priority by investing in teachers and schools.

(Source: www.yeson744.com)

Children are the most precious resource we have.  The education of our children will ensure the success of our great state.  However, without adequately funding education, we cannot help but to fall behind other states in educational opportunities.  Several years ago, Oklahoma voted for the “Oklahoma Education Lottery” where lottery proceeds would supplement, not replace, education money.  We have since found out that was the Oklahoma Education Lottery Lie.  Money was removed from the budget and suddenly lottery proceeds are part of the funding formula.  Now, education depends on the lottery.

It’s time to invest in Oklahoma’s children, our precious resource.  SQ744 will give our students a good, quality education so they have the tools to compete for jobs in the region and across the nation.  Right now, students must use outdated textbooks, share whatever obsolete technology that may still work, and attend crowded classes.

By voting YES on SQ744, we will be declaring that our children are at least as important as children in other states.  We will be preparing them for good-paying jobs by arming them with the skills they need.  Smaller classes will also help children receive the more individualized attention they need and deserve.  SQ744 also requires oversight, accountability and transparency in school funding, spending and performance.

Oklahoma has one of the best, if not the best, teacher preparation curriculum and standards in the nation.  Other states clamor to hire our teachers.  SQ744 will help Oklahoma move up from last place in the region in teacher pay and recruit and retain the best teachers for our students.  Why should our best and brightest teachers have to move out of state to make a decent living?

SQ744 does NOT raise taxes.  What it does is tell the legislature to put the money they raided back into the education budget.  Put the priority back into education and our children.  Our students are our future and Oklahoma needs to invest heavily in it.

Please, vote YES on SQ744 on November 2.  The future of our children’s education depends on it.

For more information, please visit www.Yeson744.com, PO Box 54796, Oklahoma City, OK, 73154 (405) 601-4897.  Follow on Twitter twitter.com/yeson744, or Facebook facebook.com/yeson744.

This article is based on information from www.Yeson744.com.  Neither the author nor this website is affiliated in any way with Yes On 744.

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I read an article on cquaredsworld.com that has some good thoughts on the basics of Christian life.  Sometimes, as Christians, we tend to place ourselves above others and forget to minister to them.  Yes, we are to set ourselves apart from the world, but not above it.  Sometimes, we tend to depend on our own abilities and not lean on God.

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s workmanship, and that he has created us to do great things, which He has planned out for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says He knows the plans He has for us, and that those plans will prosper, not harm, us, and give us a bright and glorious future. It’s time to get back to basics and put my definition of what my life has in store for me into God’s hands and let Him tell me what He says I should do. I’m not going to turn my life into a crusade to run around and proclaim I’m better than everyone, because that’s not what it’s about. I’m a child of God, and I will follow the plan He has for me. This will take time, but as long as He guides me and shows me what I’m supposed to do, I know I’ll prevail.

Read the entire article here.

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The end of humanity

Here comes West Nile Virus and it’s going to wipe out humanity.  Oh, well, that didn’t quite happen, but look out for the Bird Flu, it’s going to wipe out humanity – don’t touch any dead birds!  Oh, okay, so we were wrong about that one, too.  Swine Flu, yes, swine flu is going to wipe out humanity if we don’t do something.  Oops, ok, now what do we do with all that vaccine we produced ?

Look out, we are going to be in a greater depression since the Great Depression, it’s going to wipe out humanity.  Ok, so it was a recession not a depression.  Not good by any means, but not as dire as the media made it out to be.  Now, we are being told to watch out for a double-dip recession.  These fears may be realized, but not only because of the status of the economy.  No, this is mostly because of media fear-mongering.  When bad times are reported in the news, it makes investors nervous, so they react, which causes the market to react.

We seem to be back in the days when sensationalism was more important than fact.  How many times have you seen a teaser on television, “Will the City of Muskogee survive the next flood?  Story at 10.”  So you stay up to watch it and you hear this, usually from some “expert”, “Yes, if it rains for 200 days straight at the rate of 2 inches per day and the Corp of Engineers can’t keep the river flowing and it backs up and overflows it’s banks and the storm sewers back up and the animals start lining up at a large boat and if… and if… and if.”  That’s a lot of ifs for such a sensationalistic headline.

It’s gotten so bad, I don’t like watching or reading the news anymore.  When I do, I dismiss most of it.  The media has cried “wolf” so much, I don’t pay attention to it any more.  We need to get the message to the media to stop the fear-mongering and cry “wolf” only when there is a wolf.

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Update 8/26/10: Follow Sweet-n-Sassy on Facebook and Twitter!

Meanwhile, this is what’s in the offering:

Sandwiches – served with chips & pickle

BLT, club, chicken salad on croissant, deli (turkey or ham), pimento cheese, and fried bologna.

Salads

Chef salad (turkey, ham, cheese, tomatoes, eggs, croutons), spinach salad (baby spinach, bacon, croutons, red onions, eggs), Caesar salad, anti-pasta salad (rotini pasta w/ garlic basil,  parsley, dressing w/ black olives, smoked sausage, pepper jack cheese)

Sides

Potato salad, sweet-n-sour pasta salad, black eyed peas, anti-pasta, side salad

Miscellaneous

Loaded baked potato and soup of the day

Sweet Stuff

Cupcakes, cookies, brownies, cake, and pie

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Imagine a world where you have absolutely no privacy, similar to Orwell’s dystopian society where privacy is non-existent.  A world where the government can spy on you without a warrant and track your every move.  Well, welcome to 2010, just 26 years after 1984, where it seems as if that prophecy has come true.

According to this time.com article, The Government Can Use GPS to Track Your Moves, government agents can sneak onto your property and plant a GPS tracking device on the bottom of your car to track your movements and it doesn’t violate your 4th amendment rights because, apparently, you have no expectation of privacy in your own driveway.

The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has declared the government can track you in this way almost any time it wants without a search warrant.  The court also showed class bias by suggesting that any personal privacy should belong mainly to the very rich.

It is a dangerous decision — one that, as the dissenting judges warned, could turn America into the sort of totalitarian state imagined by George Orwell. It is particularly offensive because the judges added insult to injury with some shocking class bias: the little personal privacy that still exists, the court suggested, should belong mainly to the rich.

It seems as if Americans are giving up more and more of their rights to privacy in the name of security and crime-fighting.  The government says we must take off our shoes and submit to sometimes invasive searches if we want to fly – in the name of security.  The government says we must have a passport if we want to re-enter our own country – in the name of security.

It is true there is a fine balance between privacy and security, but we must find that fine balance.  Americans need to draw a line at just how many rights we are willing to give up.

I wonder: how would the framers of the constitution view our current society?

Read this article to get the entire story of how this developed.

Click the picture to learn how to protect your children from online predators with PC Pandora

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Any civilized society has rules.  Whether it is the law of the land, or the rules at school, we are expected to follow them, or live with the consequences.  It seems more and more, parents aren’t teaching their children the responsibility to follow the rules and the fact they must live with the consequences if they don’t.

I saw a story on KTUL this morning where a student was suspended right after school started for wearing his hair way too long.  This same student was suspended last April for the same reason.  Apparently, it is against the rules for boys to wear their hair like this.  Mom said that he should be able to stand up for what he believes in, so she’s taught him that much.  But, she didn’t think he should suffer the consequences.  There’s the fail.  This country is full of examples of people standing up for what they believe in and affecting change, mostly positive, but they also suffered the consequences of their actions.

When this country was breaking away from England, many people stood against England and were imprisoned, or most likely killed.  They knew this would be a consequence if they were captured, but they stood firm anyway.  They were willing to accept the consequences of their actions.

The civil rights movement in this country was a great positive.  Many people stood up for what they believed in; many people went to jail or were killed.  They weren’t trying to avoid the consequences of their civil disobedience, but were willing to accept it.  Without people willing to accept the consequences, we would never have made progress.

Parents should teach their children the responsibility to follow the rules.  They should also teach their children how to affect change in rules or laws they don’t believe are just.  Yes, stand up for what you believe in.  If disobedience is the choice they make to get their point across, so be it.  But, parents also need to teach their children there are consequences for their actions and they should decide if they can live with them before they act.

Most major change in this country was affected by those willing to take the responsibility to stand up for what they believe in and accept the consequences of their actions.

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Whether your leisure time is spent with World of Warcraft or Starcraft, it’s always nice to be able to quickly gain the advantage and prove your gaming prowess.  I’m always on the lookout for ways to improve my game and master my universe no matter what game I’m playing.  After some searching and testing, I believe I’ve found some great guides that will help you command and conquer.

Here we go!

Starcraft 2

If Starcraft 2 is your game, then the Shokz guide is for you!  The Shokz Guide is the complete Starcraft 2 Mastery Guide. The Starcraft 2 Guide is an in-depth guide teaching you how to master the Terran, Protoss, and Zerg. Learn the top strategies and play styles of all three races to earn your way to #1 rank Diamond.

The Starcraft 2 Guide teaches you every aspect of the game giving you the advantage against any opponent. The Guide has the top strategies used by the pros so you can learn how to micro and macro like a diamond player and take over your diamond division.

Along with covering all three races and battle.net strategies the Starcraft 2 Guide has a complete campaign walkthrough guide. Our campaign walkthrough guide takes you through all missions with step-by-step instructions while preparing you for battle.net gameplay.

World of Warcraft

For a long time, the only leveling guides available to Warcraft players were dinky little e-books which were filled with limitations. To simply read the guide, players had to do one of three things: go in and out of the game constantly with alt-tab, print the guide out which took hundreds of pages, or use a second monitor which only a few players had. Then they had to scan over the game map trying to find specified locations using coordinates.

Zygor’s guide eliminates all that because it is an in-game guide that can be viewed from inside the game using an on screen arrow which would point you where to go.  The guide also knows when a player completes steps and adjusts accordingly on the fly.  World of Warcraft players can focus on the game rather than look up hints in an e-book.

The  new Zygor guide has better graphical user interface, improved quest step detection, on-screen directional arrow, and help for all classes makes this the essential guide for World of Warcraft.  Plus, it is guaranteed not to violate any TOS and get you banned.

In conclusion

Whether it’s the Zygor guide for World of Warcraft, or Shokz Starcraft 2 Guide, you will find all the help you want or need to level up, command and conquer!

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Change you can believe is not happening

Obama’s cross-country fund-raising spree for the Democrats is apparently costing taxpayers millions.  Not to mention all that jetting around is not very green.  He had Los Angeles hopping mad as his entourage caused new traffic problems amidst all their existing traffic problems.

So, after spending millions of our money and expending untold gallons of jet fuel and snarling ground and air traffic just to tell everyone how good the Democrats are and how evil the Republicans are, we should just say, “oh, well.”

But, we really should be more open, I mean, after all, Barack Obama’s father served in World War II – even though he was apparently a 10-year-old Kenyan (according to Gateway Pundit) at the end of the war…

Oh, well…

Goodbye and thanks for all the sand

So, Obama is pulling out all the combat troops from Iraq.  But, the job isn’t finished.  According to GMA, some Iraquis are afraid the violence will increase – DUH!  We will be leaving troops there, but they won’t be called combat troops.  I agree we need to pull out at some time and leave them to their own devices, but history has proven time and time again, if there is no strong leadership, usually a tyrant will step up and we will be right back in the same situation we were before, probably worse.

So, here we go again leaving the job unfinished.

OOoo my God!  What a stupid idea!

We have been hammered in the last few years with the idea that there are no stupid ideas.  Well, I have to disagree.  The OOoo Chair is a stupid idea.  Not only is it stupid, but it is moronic.  Anyone who uses this idea deserves the damage they do to their house.

Basically, you figure out where you want to sit and cut 2 leg-sized holes in your floor.  Yes, your floor.  You put your legs through the holes and sit on the floor.  What do you do when you’re not sitting and don’t want to fall through your chair?  Easy, you cover the holes with recycled plastic disks.

I’m guessing the guy in the downstairs apartment won’t be amused and re-arranging the living room won’t be easy.

I’ve got a great idea!  The OOoo toilet!  Cut three holes in your bathroom floor!

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Many official forms and documents are not only printed in English, but also in Spanish and other languages.  Several states have decided that it is too expensive to translate things to other languages and are looking to establish a language in which to conduct official business.  Even though America is made up of all different cultures, English is the predominant language and has been the de facto official language in the US.  Now, some states are trying to make English the official language in which to conduct business.

Oklahoma’s State Question 751, on the ballot for November 2, brings that decision to the people.  Nothing in this says that people should only speak English, or that a translator can’t be used, but that for the purposes of conducting official business, English is the only language in which forms, documents and services must be provided.  I fully support this measure and I urge you to also vote Yes on SQ 751.

STATE QUESTION NO. 751

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 351

This measure amends the State Constitution. It adds a new Article to the Constitution. That Article deals with the State’s official actions. It dictates the language to be used in taking official State action. It requires that official State actions be in English. Native American languages could also be used. When Federal law requires, other languages could also be used.

These language requirements apply to the State’s “official actions.” The term “official actions” is not defined. The legislature could pass laws determining the application of the language requirements. The Legislature would also pass laws implementing and enforcing the language requirements.

No lawsuit based on State law could be brought on the basis of a State agency’s failure to use a language other than English. Nor could such a lawsuit be brought against political subdivisions of the State.

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Muskogee Public Schools staff and band got together one day and put this wonderful video all together to get ready for the 2010-2011 school year!  Good Job, Roughers!  Vote YES on State Question 744 to require Oklahoma to boost education spending!  Watch the video below!

State Question 744 will basically require that Oklahoma spend at least the same average amount for K-12 schools as surrounding states:

STATE QUESTION NO. 744

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 391

The measure repeals a section of the State Constitution. The repealed section required the Legislature annually to spend $42.00 for each common school student. Common schools offer pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

The measure also adds a new Article to the Constitution. It sets a minimum average amount the State must annually spend on common schools. It requires the State to spend annually, no less than the average amount spent on each student by the surrounding states. Those surrounding states are Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado and New Mexico. When the average amount spent by surrounding states declines, Oklahoma must spend the amount it spent the year before.

The measure deals with money spent on day-to-day operations of the schools and school districts. This includes spending on instructions, support services and non-instruction services. The measure does not deal with money spent to pay debt, on buildings or on other capital needs.

The measure requires that increased spending begin in the first fiscal year after its passage. It requires that the surrounding state average be met in the third fiscal year after passage.

The measure does not raise taxes, nor does it provide new funding for the new spending requirements.

This can easily be funded if the state will stop raiding the education fund and replacing it with lottery funds as it was supposed to.  Right now, the state is replacing funds with lottery funds instead of supplementing them.  See: Oklahoma Education Lottery – the big lie.

Now, the video!

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So, you want or need to work from home, but don’t want to be the victim of a scam.  Searching for legitimate opportunities can make most people pull their hair out.  However, there are legitimate opportunities, if you know how to find them and know what to look out for.

The first thing you need to know is that working from home isn’t for just anyone.  You will find out you must be your own worst boss.  You must be a self-starter who doesn’t need a boss over your shoulder to make you work.  Your performance is directly tied to your income – if you slack off, so does your money.  So, with that in mind, are you still ready to work from home?

Next, you need to decide what you might like to do, assess needs you can fill for a fee, and put it into action.  Do you want to provide a local service, or sell a product online?  What are your goals?  Where do you want to be in a month, a year, and five years?  If you don’t have a clear business idea and goal, you are setting up for failure.

You need to decide how to get the word out about your business.  What is the best way to reach the most people with the least money?  What most experts agree on is you need exposure.  If you are a decent writer, you can start a blog on your product, educating people on the reasons they need your service or product.  Join forums to get your name out there.  If you have an advertising budget, you can try pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns such as Adwords, or email marketing.

And, finally, you need to be able to recognize a work-from-home scam.  For example, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  If you are paid by recruiting, it is probably a pyramid scheme.  Be wary of opportunities that require an upfront fee or initiation fee to join.  Check the Better Business Bureau.

The Work At Home Bible is a free comprehensive guide to working at home and avoiding scams.  I was impressed with the amount of information inside about how to choose and start working at home with a lengthy section on how to recognize and avoid a scam.  And, did I say, it’s FREE?

You don’t have to give me your email address, just click, download and read.  It is a PDF e-book, so you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to see it, but you probably already have that on your computer.

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The question was raised: “If a man alone in the woods speaks, and his wife cannot hear him, is he still wrong?”

I have considered this question in light of the principles of Modern Physics and offer my thesis, dedicated to my wife, who anchors me in reality.

In the year 1900 Max Planck discovered that the energy of light is quantified. In 1905 Albert Einstein used Planck’s Constant to write the theory of the Photoelectric Effect, that light behaves as a particle when it comes to energy transfer. Louis de Broglie proposed that particles can have a wave nature and this fact was later verified.

These discoveries led Neils Bohr to propose a radical theory of the atom, which was partially successful in explaining the emission spectra of the hydrogen atom. Neils Bohr was compelled to introduce the Principle of “Complementarity,” that light is both a particle and a wave.

The modern theories were extended when Max Born showed that the distribution of energy was a function of probability. Further, Warner Heisenberg wrote the Principle of Uncertainty, which says that it is impossible to determine the exact location of an electron and the vector direction of its momentum at the same time.

This was followed with the master stroke penned by Erwin Schrodinger. Using the “Psi function” of Quantum Mechanics, Schrodinger could map the “wave field” of any particle, thus giving us a theoretical explanation for the structure of an atom and the entire periodic table of the elements.

The Quantum mechanics predicts that a wave of a single frequency would stretch out to infinite proportions, the superposition of a narrow range of frequencies produces a standing wave function which can be localized to a much more precise location. Thus the electron and its position within an atom becomes a cloud of probability.

From this I infer that there are such states as being right and being wrong, within certain parameters of uncertainty. Applying the Psi function, the more vague the statement of the man the greater the probability of him being correct. The narrower and more specific his utterance the greater the likelihood of his being wrong.

Also, the Principle of Complementarity assures us that if a man alone in the woods speaks, and his wife can not hear him, he is BOTH right and wrong until he comes out of the woods.

In the analogy of Schrodinger’s Cat, the cat in the box is both dead and alive until someone opens the lid. The act of observing the phenomenon determines the outcome.

Thus, the inevitable conclusion is that it doesn’t matter what the man says only his wife can determine whether or not he is correct.

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I’m not advocating for or against a mosque and Islamic center only two and a half blocks from ground zero, I’m just tossing out my thoughts on the whole deal.  Do American citizens have the right to build a worship and cultural center anywhere it is otherwise legal, no matter what the religion?  Should we lump every Muslim together and call them evil?

We live in a wonderful nation founded partly because a small group of people decided they didn’t want to worship God the way someone else told them they had to, but in their own way.  Freedom of religion is a key piece of our constitution, as is freedom from religion.

Yes, it is true that 19 Islamic extremists were cowardly enough to fly planes into buildings killing thousands of innocent people.  But, is it fair to condemn the entire group because of the actions of a few?  What about Baptists?  Should all Baptists be lumped in together with those who practice hatred and calling themselves Westboro Baptist Church?  The short answer is no.

So, back to this mosque and cultural center being planned just two and a half blocks away from Ground Zero that so many prominent people have spoken against.  What is the reason they are against it?  Is it because it is Muslim and not Christian?  Would they be any less opposed if a group like Westboro wanted to open up a ‘church’ in the same place to preach “America Deserved 9/11″?  I would certainly like to hear the answer to that one.

The people planning this center, I’m told, are American citizens.  Just like any other American citizen, they have the right to legally build their center wherever it is legal to do so.  Why is the opposition building?  There is already a mosque within 2 blocks of Ground Zero, so why all the ruckus?  It would appear to me to be either fear or they feel it is in colossal bad taste.  Either way, it is perception.

Do they, as American citizens, have the right to construct their center?  Yes.  Do I feel it is in bad taste to locate it there when there is already a mosque so close?  Maybe.  Now that several politicians are weighing in on this, should we treat this as a slap in the face, or freedom of religion.

Feel free to comment with your thoughts, but please, no hate or vulgarity.

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Credit reports have become so widely used, a good report almost is almost as necessary as air. We are all aware our credit reports are checked when we want to finance something like a house, car, or get a credit card so they can determine if you qualify and how much interest to charge you. Employers will access your credit report to see how responsible you are and even insurance companies are accessing it to see what kind of risk you are. Even your professional license may be at risk with a bad credit report. So, what can you do to help make sure your report stays accurate? Here are some tips.

Identity Theft Detection

Identity theft is rampant and, in today’s economy, is on the rise. People will find someone with good credit and steal their identity. You may not know your identity has been stolen until you try to purchase something and are either turned down or charged an ultra-high interest rate. If you are the victim of credit card theft, and they have changed the billing address to something other than yours, you won’t know until your credit is already being ruined. A good credit monitoring service can alert you to any changes in your credit report and allow you to take action to prevent identity fraud.

Credit Management

Managing your credit through careful spending, making sure you pay all bills on time, and keeping your credit card balances well below the limits are key, but that is only part of it. Stop applying for every credit card that comes along since that generates hard inquiries to your credit report. These are counted against you with your credit score. Soft inquiries, such as you accessing your own credit report are not held against you, so you won’t be penalized for watching your own report.

Credit monitoring will also help keep you in touch with your spending and payment habits. It’s gratifying to see any late payments drop off and see all green on your report. It’s also nice to see that credit score start on the upward trend. You can see the ratio of debt to income and begin to work that in your favor.

There are several credit monitoring agencies out there. Research and find one that offers a trial period or money back guarantee of some sort. Credit Sentry is unlike other monitoring services that bill you monthly, offering protection for a one-time fee. They have a money-back guarantee, so there is no risk.

There is also a great book on how to repair your credit with practical advice to help you raise your credit score: Credit Counseling for Credit Reports and Credit Repair Workbook.

You are the first line in the defense of your credit report.

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Most of us have friends, but few of us have true friends.  A friend is someone you invite to your house for dinner, or go out with for an evening of diversion, or an acquaintance you speak to every now and then.  But, what makes a friend a true friend?

True friends are always ready to help you build a fence, even if it is 105 degrees outside.  True friends will share whatever they have with you, be it food, tools … or an extension cord.  True friends will go out of their way to do something for you so you don’t have to go out of your way to do it.  True friends will never keep an accounting of what they do for you and what you do for them.

So, what is the best way to have such true friends?  Easy – be one yourself.

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Here in Northeast Oklahoma, we have been in the midst of a nasty heat wave.  With temperatures over 100 degrees every day and heat indices 10-20 degrees above that, it’s safe to say it’s freaking HOT!  So, that brings be to wondering just how many ways you can get the idea across just how hot it is, so I came up with this list:

• It’s so hot that I saw two trees fighting over a dog.
• It’s so hot that I saw a chicken lay a fried egg.
• It’s so hot that cows are giving evaporated milk.
• It’s so hot that you learn a seat belt makes a good branding iron.
• It’s so hot that when the temperature drops to 95, you feel chilly.
• It’s so hot that hot water now comes out of both taps.
• It’s so hot that all the corn on the stalks started popping and flying through the air. The cows thought it was snowing and they froze to death.
• It’s so hot that Satan took the day off.
• It’s so hot that even the sun was looking for some shade.
• It’s so hot that I saw a dog chasing a cat … and they were both walking.
• It’s so hot that Dennis Rodman went out without a bra.
• It’s so hot that my thermometer says “Are you kidding?”
• It’s so hot that you discover asphalt has a liquid state.

Those are the one’s I’ve come up with or found on the internet.  If you have more, please leave a comment.

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Google + Verizon != Total Net Neutrality

Apparently, some larger broadband providers want to be able to block or slow different types of internet traffic, allow websites to pay more to deliver their content faster to customers (the more they pay, the faster their content will be delivered), or otherwise tier services based upon payment.  Net neutrality means that if I pay for 10meg, I should get 10meg no matter what I’m downloading or looking at.

Google and Verizon agree on a couple of things.  The first is that landline connections to the internet should be net neutral.  The second is that mobile connections should not be.  Of course, Facebook is not real happy with this since, according to this article, most of their traffic is now from mobile devices.  Mobile access to the internet is growing daily.  Since Google already controls much of the searching and advertising on the internet, it appears as if they want to control mobile access as well.

The Federal Communications Commission is also currently an advocate of an open internet:

In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued its Broadband Policy Statement (also known as the Internet Policy Statement), which lists four principles of open Internet, “To encourage broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet, consumers are entitled to:”

• access the lawful Internet content of their choice.
• run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement.
• connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network.
• competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers.

Get a life, PETA

I don’t believe in abusing animals or killing an animal just to kill it.  However, I have no problems with keeping pets, using service animals or even eating meat.  I don’t have any problems using animals in movies or commercials, either.  But, apparently PETA wants us to bow down before the animal kingdom and pledge our undying loyalty to them.  PETA was upset because Dodge used a chimpanzee  in a commercial.  The chimp wasn’t hurt or even portrayed as being hurt, but PETA whined to Dodge, so they erased the monkey and made it invisible.

I say there is room for all of God’s creatures – right next to the mashed potatoes.

Would you like a f***ing pillow, b*****?

The Jet Blue flight attendant who quit his job in a very public way when he supposedly announced, “To the passenger who just called me a motherf—–: f— you. I’ve been in this business 20 years, and I’ve had it.”  Then, he allegedly scuffled with fellow crew members before arming the emergency slide, grabbing some beer, deploying the slide and jumping.  Then he supposedly walked to his car and went home where he was arrested on several complaints including: reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.

According to this CNN article, he now wants his job back.  At the very least, he was unprofessional.  At the very most, he is a loose cannon who, thankfully, didn’t lose it in flight.  As his attorney indicated in the article, the flight attendant job is probably more stressful than anyone who hasn’t done would think.  Unfortunately, flying in today’s world isn’t any less stressful on the passengers.  But, when you have a plane full of stressed-out passengers ready to take it out on a handful of stressed-out flight attendants, it’s easy to understand how they can be a bit overwhelmed.

However, flight attendants are trained in de-escalating problems and that’s what I would expect.  Nobody deserves to be cussed at, and that includes the passengers.  But a professional flight attendant as he was should have been able to handle that situation a bit better.  If Jet Blue does give him his job back, they could be opening themselves up to a tremendous lawsuit if he ever does anything like this again.

I wonder how many of his 191,000 Facebook fans would want to be on the same flight he is on knowing that he could go off at any time, even in the air.

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There are many ways to quit a job – nicely with a written resignation, loudly with yelling “I quit!”, nastily with “Take this job and shove it!”, or simply not showing up.  I, personally, don’t like to burn my bridges.  I try to live by the adage: Be careful whose toes you step on today for they may be attached to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow.  But, there was a certain woman who came up with a unique approach to quitting.

Well, this woman was apparently fed up with workplace harassment and decided she wouldn’t put up with it any longer.  She wrote a series of messages on a white board, took pictures of them and sent them to everyone in the office.

Well, you really need to see the entire sequence here.

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Most of us have received emails from someone in Nigeria claiming they have millions of dollars in the bank and need our help transferring it.  For our troubles, we will be able to retain a hefty chunk of it.  We know it’s a scam, but now, it appears the Martians have become involved.

This article from EnglishRussia.com, there is a new Martian scam you need to be careful of.  Apparently, the South African Air Force has an astronaut program.

“My name is Major Greg Boner Moyo, a direct and only remaining member of the wealthy Moyo family. I am an astronaut with the South African Air Force and on loan to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).”

“In 2003 I left earth aboard the Mars Rover, Spirit. Seven months later I arrived on Mars.Prior to departing earth, I deposited the amount of US$ 11,600,000 (Eleven million, six hundred thousand United States dollars) in four safety galvanized boxes in a European financial institution which will be disclosed to you upon your acceptance of my proposal.”

Read complete letter here.

You’ve been warned!

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With simple instructions available on how to convert to homemade wind power or DIY solar panels for as little as $200, many people are taking the alternative energy more seriously. When choosing to take on a DIY conversion project the first question most people ask is will one windmill or one large solar panel be enough?

There are too many factors involved here to answer that question for you. But one way to start is to ensure your home is efficient in the first place. In this article we will walk you through some steps that will help you reduce your energy consumption before you start converting your home.

Reducing Your Energy Needs

One often overlooked step in converting a home to green power is reducing your energy needs in the first place. The average home uses inefficient lighting, power hungry appliances, and poor heating/cooling solutions.  An important step to reducing your energy needs is to look at the inefficiencies in your current system.

Consider:

1. Replacing old incandescent bulbs with fluorescents or led bulbs will cut your power consumption from light in half.
2. Replacing old, inefficient, appliances may reduce your energy bills by as much as 30% by itself.

You should also look at your current heating/cooling solutions. For example an electric hot water heater could potentially be replaced by a solar water heater. Maybe that inefficient air conditioner can be replaced with a more efficient heat exchanger.

If you need help choosing more efficient appliances, an excellent resource for this is put out by the Canadian government: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/EnerGuide/home.cfm.  It’s called Energuide, and it covers everything power consumption of home appliance to energy requirements of large commercial air conditioners.

Spend some time looking through that guide and calculating how much you can reduce your power consumption in different areas of your home.  By simply taking a look at everything in your home that consumes energy, you will find ways to reduce your energy needs before you start.

You don’t necessarily have to go all out and spend $10,000 replacing everything – but things as simple as changing your lighting will reduce your energy needs before you start your conversion project.

Click here to see a comprehensive review of green energy options.  You can get your free, no obligation report here.

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Helping in Quincy a crime

In Quincy, IL, a man decided to operate a courtesy ride service for people too intoxicated to drive.  This decision came after his friend was killed by a drunk driver.  However, local cab companies didn’t like it and lobbied the city to change the wording on the ordinance to remove ‘for hire’, which made it a requirement for him to get a taxi license.  However, when he applied, he was refused.  But, we need to draw the line somewhere.  Soon folks will be wanting to feed the homeless or provide clothing for children.  It will be ANARCHY!  Story here.

Obam(a) I am!

This was sent to me on email and I thought I’d share.  It sums up a few of my rants without any ranting at all.

Updated Dr. Seuss Book:

I do not like this Uncle Sam,
I do not like his health care scam.
I do not like these dirty crooks,
or how they lie and cook the books.
I do not like when Congress steals,
I do not like their secret deals.
I do not like this speaker, Nan,
I do not like this ‘YES WE CAN.’
I do not like this spending spree,
I’m smart, I know that nothing’s free.
I do not like your smug replies,
when I complain about your lies.
I do not like this kind of hope.
I do not like it, nope, nope, nope!

Well, that’s all for today (for now).

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It seems as if supermodel Giselle has stirred up a hornet’s nest by making the statement that mandatory breastfeeding should be a worldwide law.  Of course, many moms were angered by this statement and some even felt inadequate.  In fact, breastfeeding has been in the news quite a lot lately with new laws that support breastfeeding moms to short-sighted managers who want to prohibit breastfeeding in their establishments.  But, whose choice is it anyway?

Benefits of breastfeeding for baby

There is absolutely no doubt as to the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child.  The child gets the benefits of mom’s antibodies and other immunities, fewer stomach problems, fewer ear infections, and fewer lower respiratory infections.  Actually, the list continues.  The first milk (colostrum) contains large amounts of secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) that coats the baby’s mucous membranes, stomach and intestines to protect against invading germs.  Secretory IgA is also available in the later breast milk in lower quantities.

Breastfeeding benefits extend long beyond the end of breastfeeding.  Studies have shown that exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months can set your child up with immunities that last not only throughout childhood, but also into later life.  These studies show a lower risk of diabetes, high cholesterol and inflammatory bowel disease.

Breastfeeding can also help protect the baby from allergies.  Babies who are fed formula based on cow’s milk or soy tend to have more allergic reactions than babies who are breastfed.  Scientists think this is due to the lack of secretory IgA protecting the baby’s intestinal tract.

Breastfeeding is also linked to higher cognitive functions.  Tests have shown that breastfed children tend to have higher IQs, do better on vocabulary tests than their formula-fed counterparts.  Breastfeeding also promotes emotional bonding which also helps cognitive development.

Breastfeeding also has been shown to help reduce childhood obesity.  Breastfed babies tend to only eat until they are satisfied and stop, setting up a healthy pattern of eating.  It also has been linked to reducing a child’s risk of becoming overweight as a teen or adult.

Benefits of breastfeeding for mom

For mom, breastfeeding has it’s benefits as well.  Breastfeeding can reduce stress levels and lower the risk of postpartum depression.  Studies have shown that women who don’t breastfeed or stopped breastfeeding early showed a higher risk of postpartum depression.  Oxytocin released during breastfeeding often has a calming effect on mom.  Oxytocin also helps the uterus contract and reduce postpartum bleeding.

Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.  The studies have shown that the longer a mom breastfeeds, the lower her risk for ovarian and breast cancer.

Numerous studies have found that the longer women breastfeed, the more they’re protected against breast and ovarian cancer. For breast cancer, nursing for at least a year appears to have the most protective effect.

It’s not entirely clear how breastfeeding helps, but it may have to do with the structural changes in breast tissue caused by breastfeeding and the fact that lactation suppresses the amount of estrogen your body produces. Researchers think the effect on ovarian cancer may be related to estrogen suppression as well.

Whose choice is it?

Okay, now that I’ve extolled the benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby, the question is still: Whose choice is it anyway?  Well, for all the benefits, I reject Giselle’s call that it be made mandatory and legally required.  That idea is ludicrous at best.  Some mothers don’t feel comfortable breastfeeding, some can’t breastfeed.  And some others simply don’t want to or don’t have the time.  Some mothers want to, but don’t have the support of family and friends.

It is ultimately mom’s choice.  It has been shown breastfeeding has definite benefits, but if mom doesn’t feel comfortable or doesn’t want to, but is forced to breastfeed, the effects may be worse than not breastfeeding at all.

If you are a friend to a nursing mom, offer your support and encouragement, but not judgment.  If you are a restaurant or store manager, don’t condemn a mom who’s nursing discreetly (as most moms do).

Mom, it’s your choice – and your choice alone.  Whether or not you decide to breastfeed, do not allow anyone to judge you or make you feel any less a good mother.

More Information:

• How breastfeeding benefits you and your baby | Babycenter

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by Michael Kryzer

If you love photography then a career as a freelance photographer is well worth considering. If you want to start a business in freelance photography there are three main ways to sell your photos.

1. Stock Photography

Stock photography refers to a stock of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. Publishers, magazines, advertising agencies, filmmakers, web designers, and graphic artists are all examples of users of stock photography. They can use stock photography instead of hiring a photographer to shoot the photographs they need.

As a photographer when you take photographs those photos become a part of your “stock”. As the copyright holder you can license the images again and again. Your stock photos can be sold online through stock agencies and microstock sites, or by approaching publishers and other users directly, or you can sell them through your own web site.

2. Photography Products

You can take your photographs and create products for sale. Some examples of possible photography products include posters, prints, postcards, t-shirts and even books.

At CafePress, for example, you can design a wide variety of customizable products using your photos with zero upfront costs and zero inventory investment.

3. Photography Services

Another way to work in freelance photography is sell your skills, to sell your services as a photographer. In this capacity you could work on assignment for portraits, for weddings, or for various types of business project.

If you only want to work part-time at your photography, then working as a freelance photographer is still a great way to earn a little extra cash or to pay for your next digital camera or lens.

About The Author

If you would like to start your own freelance photography business and learn how to sell your photos, please visit http://www.CameraCareer.com.  You’ll discover all you need to know including which photos to take and how to get the best fees possible for your photos.

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