Verizon News

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

The iPhone is now officially released on the Verizon Network!

I know many of us have been awaiting the introduction of the iPhone to Verizon because we are fed up with the service from ATT or simply do not want to switch carriers. Well, now the iPhone is available for the first time on two networks!

The rumor mill has been running wild for the last year or so with excitement and anticipation surrounding the iPhone’s release, but today I was surprised by the small reaction surrounding the announcement. When the Verizon iPhone news was presented this morning it came off as a hurried and lack luster effort from the service provider. The new carrier did not go over the top with new features, price reduction or anything that would attract a passive observer.

However, despite the apparent lack of features or marketing, Verizon will still be able to attract customers due to their service reputation that dramatically outpaces ATT’s.

Alright, here are the specifications and details that have been released so far:

- Available in stores on Feb 10th

- 16GB model: $199, 32GB model $299

- Rumored $30 per month unlimited data plan

- Pre-installed iOS 4.2.5

- The Verizon iPhone is currently NOT able to use voice and data simultaneously

Honestly, I was fairly disappointed in this announcement (as you probably noticed) because I had hoped the Verizon iPhone news would make a bigger impact in the smartphone market. Maybe the increased competition will push the two carriers to offer more competitive data plan rates in the future…

Enjoy your new iPhone!

Band Of Horses

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Perennial Indie rock music favorites from Seattle, Band of Horses, will be headlining the concert at the new Fox Theater in Pomona, CA on August 29th of 2009. At the time of this writing, tickets are already on sale. This is after they’ve been to Helsinki, Finland to headline at club Tavastia earlier in that month (August 18th). This will be the band’s final stop on their Scandinavian tour that will see them at the Oya Festival in Oslo, the Way Out West Festival in Gothenburg, and the Beatday Festival in Copenhagen.

Band of Horses exploded onto the rock music scene in 2006 and immediately began drawing critical parallels between themselves and early Neil Young (Crazy Horse…Band of Horses…it fits). Mat Brooke promptly left the band he’d founded, so that former Carissa’s Weird (the dead band that Horses rose Phoenix-like up out from the death of) bassist Ben Bridwell was left to be the Horses’ band leader. This seems like it took care of one of the great criticisms of Band of Horses: juvenility. Not that Brooke was necessarily any more immature than any of the other youngsters in the band, but since he dominated perhaps nobody else had enough input. This is now not the case, and Band of Horses definitely showed some signs of maturity on their follow up album “Cease to Begin.”

The second album doesn’t feature the light-hearted romp into bad craziness about the lovely time one has smoking ganja with a song like “Weed Party” off the first album. But there’s a lazy-rockin’ song named after the German version of basketball legend Larry Bird called “Detlef Schrempf,” a guy who never achieved the fame (although nobody really knows what the Bridwell lyrics are really about). But there are plenty of more mature good times to be had on the album, too. “The General Specific” is an artfully simple, catchy pop-rock song with a touch of philosophy thrown in; “Lamb on the Lam” is a nicely-done instrumental piece; and the “Marry Song” shows off some Southern Rock experimentation. “Is There a Ghost?” opens the album and has become one of Horses’ fan favorites, with its driving eighth-note clean-toned electric guitar strumming and reverb-saturated vocals.

Much of the band’s first-album material is still beloved of fans and if you go to see them kick out the jams live, you can rest assured that you’ll be hearing much of it. “First Song” and “Wicked Gil” won’t be vanishing from the set list anytime soon. I can’t imagine a Band of Horses show without them doing “The Great Salt Lake,” either. That’s a song that connects these indie rockers with the classic rockers like Crazy Horse and The Band who clearly have made such an impact on them.

So if you’re lookin’ to rock this summer (and in the future) and you’ll be in their area, get out of the house and catch those Horses. You won’t regret it.

Homepath Com Michigan

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

If you’re currently thinking of buying a home and you’re navigating the mortgage minefield, I don’t envy you: it seems, at the moment at least, that the rules are changing constantly, with lenders closing products off and introducing new loans every day of the week. If you’re getting confused, you’re not alone.

 

For this reason I thought I would cover two of the more popular loan programs, HomePath and 203k, to help you figure out which one might be best for you and your situation.

HomePath

HomePath is a product that has been rolled out by Fannie Mae in an effort to help them sell more of their REO properties. It’s available to both owner occupiers and investors, although slightly different rules applicable to each group.

 

As an owner occupier, you can purchase your home with as little as 3% down, which equates to just $7,500 on a $300,000 purchase price. Even more significantly, there is no mortgage insurance required on this product, which equates to massive savings. They also do not require an official appraisal on the property, which is quite astonishing in the current market.

Investors don’t have access to such a low deposit, but they can qualify for this loan with a little as 10% deposit, or around $30,000 on a $300,000 loan. Again the bank requires no appraisal, and there is no mortgage insurance payable.

203k

Now, when comparing these products to the 203k, many differences are evident, for first one being that 203k packages are not available to investors. The 203k is available in two different options, however, it’s designed strictly for owner occupants. It’s also designed for established properties that are in need of a major refresh.

 

The standard 203k is really intended for properties that require major structural rehabilitation, and may even have foundation issues. It comes with a standard draw process to manage the rehab process. 

 

The 203k streamline, on the other hand, is a good alternative for a property that perhaps only needs a spit and polish, but doesn’t require a complete overhaul. It is attached to a simplified, easy-access draw process, and can be used for cosmetic renovations only. For this loan, you are not limited to Fannie Mae homes, and borrowers qualify in a similar manner that they would with any FHA-style loan.

Neither the HomePath or the 203k have very stringent qualifying factors, and their loan features are very appealing in the current market. Just remember to consider your own personal finances, obligations and income security when deciding which loan is right for you.

Flax Meal Crackers Recipes

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

If you’ve been wondering how to make raw flax seed crackers or just looking for a good basic easy, healthy raw flax seed cracker recipe then I’ll make it easy for you. As a nurse, amateur chef and raw foodist – vegan I’ve been making raw food recipes for a decade and have made many different types of flax seed cracker recipes. I’m, going to show you the simplest and fastest way to make flax seed crackers.

There are many different types of raw food flax seed cracker recipes but starting with something simple and then adding spices or ingredients can make it much more flavorful.

Flax seed crackers are dehydrated crackers. Usually a dehydrator is needed, although you can try to make them in an oven and keep it under 120 degrees – if it has a fan in back. However that can take quite a few hours and would be a major drain on your electric bill. And I don’t recommend it – it may be too hot and damage the enzymes that dehydrating at a low temperature is supposed to preserve.

Dehydrators use very little energy. If you’re eating raw foods now and don’t have a dehydrator you definitely should get one. I find it an indispensable piece of equipment for raw fooders. It will give you much more in the way to choose from in terms of the number of raw food recipes you can prepare.

I make many different raw recipes in the dehydrator – for example, cookies, other types of raw crackers, raw pizza, raw crepes, mushroom appetizers, appetizers, raw onion bread and much more. Invest in a dehydrator if you can. Get the big square one with the fan in the back, because those are the best and will not heat the food. The 9-tray Excalibur is the one I use.

Okay for the simple, easy, basic raw flax seed cracker recipe see below. However it is bland and I would suggest my follow-up variations for the best and most flavorful crackers.

How To Make Flax Seed Crackers

Ingredients: flax seeds and pure unfiltered water

2 cup flax seeds soaked for 5- 8 hours or overnight – not ground up or you can use 2 cups of flax seeds unsoaked ground in a food processor

2 tsp sun dried sea salt

2 1/2 – 3 cups or more of pure filtered water

Mix together in mixing bowl and add more water if necessary. It should be very moist. Don’t worry – it does not have to be perfect. They always turn out. Spread onto dehydrator trays about 1/4 inch thick.

Use a pizza cutter to cut into squares. Dehydrate at about 95 degrees for 12-24 hours or until they look dried and crispy. About half way through the process, re-score with the pizza cutter and place another tray on top and flip over and continue dehydrating.

Now this is a very basic flax seed cracker recipe. But you’ll want to add spices or additional ingredients to make them flavorful. Otherwise they will be bland.

Optional: 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for a more pizza-like cracker or add 3 T caraway seeds for a caraway seed cracker or add 4 dates for a sweeter cracker or add 1 T coriander seeds or add 2 cups of unsoaked sunflower seeds that have been ground up fine in a food processor or any combination of any of these. You can also add 5 stalks of celery or the pulp from juicing carrots instead of some of the water as long as your final mixture is a little moist.

Now you know how to make raw flax seed crackers. Follow these simple directions and make sure to add the variations for the best flax seed crackers. There are many other raw food diet recipes you can make with or without a dehydrator. And even more variations of crackers.

Reince Priebus

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

President Obama went to Marquette, a remote town in Michigan to make the case that expanding wireless access is essential to the nation’s economic recovery. Mr. Obama chose to speak At Northern Michigan University, as Michigan is his home. The state has expanded wireless access over the last decade with a system provided free to university students and government offices.

Obama noted how the university had partnered with various companies to build a high-speed, next-generation wireless network that covered areas off campus as well. “And you managed to install it with six people in only four days — without raising tuition,” Mr. Obama stated. He also said that, “It’s towns like this where our economic future will be won.”

The President Speaks Out

While discussing how the U.S. has adapted to change from its beginnings, he said, “But this is a new century,” and, “…for our families and businesses, high-speed wireless service is the next train station, the next off-ramp.” The president also stated that connecting America to wireless Internet is all about living up to the “Digital Age,” and about, “…a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers can monitor weather across the state and markets across the globe. It’s about an entrepreneur on Main Street with a great idea she hopes to sell to the big city. It’s about every young person who no longer has to leave his hometown to seek new opportunity – because opportunity is right there at his or her fingertips.”

President Obama singled out Getz’s Clothiers, a third-generation, family-owned Marquette institution to show off the power that the internet has on the nation and its businesses. The company has, “occupied the same downtown store for more than a century — but with the help of broadband, they were recently listed as one of America’s 5,000 fastest-growing companies.”

Proposed Action Plans

Obama wants to nearly double the wireless spectrum available for mobile broadband and make a one-time investment of $5 billion to expand access into rural areas as well. The plan calls for established broadcasters to relinquish some of the broadband spectrum for which they would be compensated. The government would then auction this spectrum to broadband providers, raising an estimated $27.8 billion over 10 years. He proposed using $9.6 billion of that money to help reduce the deficit. He is also proposing to take $3 billion from the proceeds of the broadband sale and use it to fund and focus on research and development into new wireless technologies.

The president also proposed a $10.7 billion commitment to ensure public safety communication systems are interoperable, allowing improved communication over a high-tech wireless system that would link cities and towns together in the event of a national emergency, such as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 2001. The plan requires Congressional approval and will be submitted with the new budget proposals. In a statement, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said that Obama needs to be talking about cutting, not spending. Obama rebutted that statement by saying that building the infrastructure for widespread wireless will lead to more business and more jobs overall.

Regis And Kelly

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa travel to PEI – ‘live’ on July 12-July 15, 2010. The stars of ‘Live! With Regis And Kelly’ – the popular US daytime talk-show – will tape four shows on Prince Edward Island. The outdoor production will broadcast from the Confederation Landing Park in Charlottetown. The ‘Live! With Regis and Kelly’ segment will showcase PEI – Canada’s smallest province.

Fans with tickets to the shows, as well as a huge at-home audience, will see an interesting line-up of guests. John Corbett, star of Sex and the City, Canadian actress Elisha Cuthbert, and musical performer, Lady Antebellum, are on the guest list. The audience is in for a treat. As for Regis and Kelly, what can they expect from Prince Edward Island? If you were their tour guide, where would you bring the popular duo to experience the best of PEI?

Regis and Kelly in Prince Edward Island

Since ‘Live! With Regis And Kelly’ is broadcasting from Charlottetown, let’s stay in that charming capital. We should begin with “Anne of Green Gables.” Charlottetown celebrates ‘Anne’ (the lovable character from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novel) in island style.

Charlottetown

Anne of Green Gables

. Precious Moments Fine China, Gifts & Collectible Inc.

Maybe Regis and Kelly would like to shop at Precious Moments Fine China, Gifts & Collectible Inc. They could choose from a selection of delicate ‘Anne’ figurines.

. Confederation Centre of the Arts

An ‘Anne’ production at the Confederation Centre of the Arts is always a good choice.

. The Anne of Green Gables Store

The Anne of Green Gables Store has a myriad of ‘Anne’ keepsakes and souvenirs.

. The Two Sisters at The Confederation Court Mall

The two television stars might like to meet “The Two Sisters.” They could browse through their ‘Anne’ wares.

. Lucy Maud Dining Room

The Lucy Maud Dining Room is not decorated in an ‘Anne’ theme but Regis and Kelly will like the restaurant’s fine cuisine.

Culture and History

. Province House

The stately Province House, a national historic site of Canada, is a must-see.

. Founder’s Hall

Regis and Kelly should head down to Founder’s Hall – Canada’s Birthplace Pavilion. They can travel back in time to the Charlottetown Conference in 1864. If they take a tour of the nearby historic district, costumed guides will re-enact stories from the era.

. Historic Great George Street

The visiting television personalities must take a stroll down Historic Great George Street. They have to see the storyboards on the street corners. These storyboards provide a glimpse into the city’s past.

Arts and Crafts

. Firehouse Studios

If Regis and Kelly want to see artists at work, they have arrived in the perfect place. Firehorse Studios offers an open workshop about the craft of stained glass.

. Marcela Rosemberg Glass Studio

The pair will be amazed at the stunning fused glass pieces in Marcela Rosemberg Glass Studio.

. Happy Glass

Kelly might want to pop into Happy Glass for gorgeous lampwork glass jewelry.

. Pilar Shepard Art gallery

Regis may prefer to browse the Pilar Shepard art gallery.

Shopping

. Peake’s Wharf

 The pair will want to visit Peake’s Wharf – Historic Waterfront Merchants – for shopping and a relaxing meal.

. Luna Eclectic Emporium

Kelly will love Luna Eclectic Emporium featuring unique clothing, jewelry, and home décor pieces.

. Northern Watters Knitwear

Regis might want to get prepared for winter and pick up some ‘winter warmers’ at Northern Watters Knitwear.

. P.E.I. Dirt Shirt

Regis and Kelly would look good in a hand-dyed shirt in the island’s customary red (like its rich and red soil) from P.E.I. Dirt Shirt.

. COWS Ice Cream

The famous pair can cool off with a COWS ice cream – named ‘World’s Best Ice Cream’ by Tauck World Travel.

Dining

. Harry’s Bar

Tasty appetizers in this cozy spot!

. Mavor’s Bistro & Bar

Mavor’s Bistro & Bar serves up mouthwatering desserts.

. The Selkirk at the Delta Prince Hotel

For fine dining, Regis and Kelly should try The Selkirk at the Delta Prince Hotel.

. Chambers Restaurant

 Regis might enjoy a tender steak at Chambers Restaurant & Bar.

. Grandma’s Tearoom

 Kelly can try a ‘spot of tea’ at Grandma’s Tearoom. They even have a Tea Sniffing Bar.

. Claddagh Oyster House

Claddagh Oyster House serves up island oysters.

. Lobster on the Wharf

Regis and Kelly can enjoy fresh lobster and a spectacular view at Lobster on the Wharf.

. Culinary Boot Camp

Do you think Regis and Kelly would like to go to boot camp? A culinary boot camp held at Holland College’s Culinary Institute of Canada!

Wherever Regis and Kelly stay on the island, they are bound to enjoy the accommodations.  are first-class establishments. Fit for talk-show royalty – or the Royals – or that ‘very’ special guest – you! Vacation – ‘live’ in PEI!

Hannah Montana Apparel

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Many people do not realize that there is a cheap source of children’s clothes that is often overlooked. Wholesale clothing lots provide a reliable source of clothing apparel that is deeply discounted. Suppliers of wholesale clothing lots offer products that are amazingly cheap and yet they are of good quality. You can sell these clothes and make a good profit.

Children’s clothes are best sellers because of the high demand for them. They are quickly outgrown and so they need to be replaced quite often. Children are also very active and they are rough on their clothes. Their clothes get torn or stained and again they have to be replaced.

Parents prefer to buy wholesale children’s clothes because they are more affordable. People today are more careful of their money because of the economic crisis, so most parents choose clothes that give better value for their money. That is why parents like to buy children’s clothes online where they can look for bargains and find affordable, quality clothes for their kids.

There are many SaleHoo suppliers of wholesale clothing lots containing children’s clothes. Discounts can be as high as 70% and sometimes even more. You can buy clothing lots worth $500 or more. The clothes can come from different sources. Some are production overruns while others come from liquidations or clearance sales. They are purchased at a very cheap price by the truckload and then sorted and repacked into smaller lots.

Usually, the clothing lots do not contain one type of clothing only. One lot may contain assorted children’s dresses, shorts, pants, shirts, pajamas, etc. Different styles, colors and sizes will be mixed together. Oftentimes, the clothing lots will also contain branded apparel such as Disney, Nike, Kenneth Cole, Barbie, Adidas, Hannah Montana and many more. You can easily sell these clothes online very profitably.

You must always look for cheap sources of wholesale children’s clothes so that the clothes you sell will be affordable yet profitable for you. Remember that parents want quality clothes that are available at bargain prices. By using SaleHoo, you can find many reliable suppliers of cheap children’s clothes available in lots.

W9

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

In the digital age, our recreation life is filled with the portable devices like 16 GB mp4 player. And in the interactive age of Web2.0, the handheld network device comes collectively. From the 3G to WLAN, the network access method continues to satisfy the network application needs of consumers. From the easy realized Linux to the limited Symbian and from the Windows Mobile to the living iOS and Android, the mobile smart system is spread from the computer to the personal device.

With the open source android system, Ramos W7 has become the classic product of smart MID. In the current time, the 7 inch MID W9 with Android 2.1, +DDR2 and Android+HDMI attracts the attention of the players again. In the article, let’s come to experience the W9 software.

The brief overview of W9

Android is an open source system. Due to the openness of the system, many software companies, programmer and senior players are pleased to edit software for it. Android 2.1 comes with highly increasing operation speed and improved user interface. It supports Exchange active wall paper and improved virtual keyboard input. What’s more, it integrates Google map 3.1.2. The world market share is 41.7%. It has become the most popular smartphone system at present.

W9 applies Android 2.1

Android attaches great importance to the convenience of the network application and network access service. With the spreading of the network, wireless WiFI is widely used. Not a few people would like to surf the internet through the laptop, mobile phone and MID at home. With the hardware support and Android 2.1, the wifi access of W9 is very convenient. At the same time, the open source software promotes the development of the android software support. By the September, 2010, the software amount of the Android market had topped 120,000. It’s likely to run after Apple Store.

W9 reading and playing experience

Android 2.1 has the excellent image processing and file editing application. In the following, let’s come to see how we can benefit from it in our study, work and life. The built-in iReader connects the multi reading method with the online stack. Meanwhile, it supports CHM, UMD, TXT and HTML e-book formats. The software provides many retrieval modes and supports account registration. The user can find the favorite book anytime and anywhere.

W9 audio and video experience

W9 comes with Rockchip RK2818 master controller scheme. The CPU structure and main frequency have been upgraded. The memory is upgraded to DDR2. The GPU accelerator chip is also added. The interface display is more fluent. In addition, RK2818 features with video hardware accelerating and the video playback effect is much better.

W9 supports 720P HD video playback. It can realize the data sharing through OTG and digital video output through HDMI. What’s more, we can also enjoy the video, movie and TV programes through OOLIVE and other video softwares. Through the Wifi connection, we can watch movie with the W9.

W9 game experience

As the W9 is styled as the portable smart MID, it must support the game softwares. Benefit from the Android 2.1, the user can play many interesting games.

What Is Folklore

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

There is a whole host of information available online and in books about the effects that toxic chemicals in cleaning products can have on us, our families, our pets, and the environment around us. The questions that remain are how can we differentiate between what is fact and what is simple folklore, and how do we know who we can really trust? Added to this mix is the fact that some less scrupulous companies are using scare tactics to try and convince customers to use their products, which are often no less dangerous than the others available on the shelf at your local supermarket.

Let us begin by stating the facts. In the last sixty years, companies have begun using over seventy thousand different chemicals in home cleaning products. By a simple process of elimination, it is obvious that not every one of these chemicals has been tested for toxicity to humans. We are, in effect, one giant test group, but how many people have to suffer complications before these chemicals are removed? Too many to even consider it a viable option. The only way we can truly begin to know the effects of these products is to remove them from the marketplace until such time that adequate research has been conducted.

While this may seem easier said than done, there are literally hundreds of alternatives in the shape of completely natural or home made products that can be just as effective in cleaning your home as the chemical based alternatives. The key to knowing the difference between good and bad chemicals for use around the home is the ingredients they list. Sadly it is not a requirement for cleaning products to list all of their ingredients but some companies still make an effort to keep us informed. The simple answer here is to just not use products that fail to list their ingredients; rather be safe than sorry.

For those products that do list their ingredients, be sure to pick ones that are natural, or made from plants rather than those that are petroleum based. Even organic products are not always completely safe. Remember that in certain instances, a product only has to be made up of a small percentage of organic products to be able to carry the classification. The percentage that is not made of organic products could be just as harmful as fully chemical based products.

So, the overall view when it comes to separating fact from folklore is to use your common sense. If a product is not willing to show you what it is made of, then why would you trust it to be safe for you to use? On the other hand, there are instances where you may choose to use smaller amounts of harmful products rather than cut them out completely. This is understandable, as making a complete overhaul of your lifestyle is hard; rather, make smaller steps while always remaining aware of your end goal. All the effort of going natural is worth it when it comes to maintaining your health and well-being.

Live Grammy Coverage

February 14th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve spent my fair share of time sitting in front of my computer recently intensely watching live coverage through my live video streaming services. During the recent Olympic games I spent at least three hours a day in front of my computer watching hockey, curling and skiing action (don’t hate, once you get into curling your hooked) live through the internet. This does not count the highlights I watched through the websites video sections.

I’ve also become a big fan of watching live concert footage online. The AT&T Blue Room website has become a big force in the online concert world with full weekend coverage of such coveted music festivals as the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, Lollapalooza and The Bonarroo Festival. With their live streaming you can now see your favorite bands from the comfort of your own living room (and without having to spend $10 on a beer).

One of my favorite live video events in recent months, though, has been the live coverage of the Grammy Awards on Grammy.com in early February. Through the website for the first time you could watch live coverage of the winners being announced in the 80+ categories that don’t get coverage on the performance-heavy live television broadcast. It might sound weird to watch the winners of the Best Engineered Album getting announced, but I found it pretty interesting. Also, because most of the big Grammy Award categories usually end up being won by artists who I either don’t listen to or completely loathe, this is an opportunity to watch artists that I actually like win awards.

With the internet becoming as common as cable TV is most American homes, networks have begun to put just as much effort in their online broadcasts as they do on their television side. The last couple of years have seen CBS put every single one of the NCAA basketball tournament games live online so that fans can watch games from work or out of market. Since studies have shown that productivity at American businesses goes down nearly 50% during these tournament days it seems that this strategy is working.

Networks have also begun putting their shows on demand streaming from their websites just hours after their original airtime. The fact that networks load their streaming shows with commercials online (and no, you can’t fast-forward through them) means extra revenue and extra exposure for the show.

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