If there's one thing that's better now than it was then, it's your choices for cable television, telephone and internet services that are available for people. It's a lot better than the old days when the companies offering those services knew they were the only game in town, and their service reflected it. Set up an appointment, wait all day and hopefully they'll come. If not, they'll do you the courtesy of rescheduling you. Besides, what are you going to do? Even out here in the middle of nowhere, I've got different choices for those services. And even better, there's competition for your business.

One company that wants your business is Charter. And in the Month of May they've got the Charter's Free Gift Card Sweepstakes going on where you can win a $5,000 gift card grand prize or four weekly prizes of a $1,000 gift card. And what's more, winners can mix and match gift cards in $500 increments from popular brands. Even if you're already a customer, you're still eligible. Just order anything online at their website and you can win a $75 or $150 gift card depending on your bundle selection. Charter is always running contests and promotions to get your business. And to keep up with the latest from Charter and to get valuable deals and access to great sweepstakes, FollowCharter on Twitter. Get great services and bundles and win great prizes. What more could you ask for?

Yeah, it's another one of those internet holidays that you didn't know about until the day of. So much for the cards and merchandising money. But apparently today is Star Wars Day. You know, "May the fourth be with you"? Get it? Okay, so you can celebrate by watching the trailers for all six movies. And if you're sick and tired of all the drum beating for big Summer blockbusters, here's a list of the 10 most-anticipated anti-blockbusters this Summer with trailer goodness.

If there's one thing all of us have, it's a lot of clutter. Or at the very least, there's a few areas of your home that could stand some straightening out and organizing. Even if you decide to go through all your stuff and sell what you don't use anymore online or in a yard sale, there's still a lot of stuff left over that could stand to be better organized. And that's where this Professional Organizer can come in handy. Not only do they offer products to help streamline your clutter and stuff, but they have valuable tips that will help you out and can help makes things simpler and clearer for you.

You know that hacking trick in Superman III? What, you're going to pretend you didn't see the movie? Okay, how about Office Space? Okay, in case I didn't get everybody on the same page, it's where you divert the fractions of a cent in an interest calculation on all the accounts into an account of your own. Well, Christopher Knight related this tale of an aerospace engineer who found he was being overpaid 2 cents an hour, suggested a way to fix the problem...and was ignored. Now, two decades later, it looks like that simple to fix error has cost the government billions. But it's the Pentagon, so after some officials express how they're shocked, shocked that such a thing would take place, will ultimately shrug their shoulders and we'll move one.

Another good thing about the warmer weather is that there's more opportunities to have parties and enjoy the weather. It might be a bit late to get what you need for a Cinco de Mayo party this year, but they've got plenty of other party ideas if for some reason you want to throw a party, but stuck on an idea or theme for it. Or you may think that all you need for a pool party is a pool, and once you let everyone know, there'll be guaranteed fun for all. And I've got a niece getting ready to graduate, so more than likely there's a party for that in the future. One of my favorite parties are the ones for the holidays, like Memorial Day, which is actually used more for a kick off of summer. When you combine the cook out and fun times with the prospect that this is just the start of a whole season of fun along those lines, make for a real good and fun party.
Want to make sure that your party will be fun and a success? They've got tips for how to throw the best party possible, and they have the supplies you'll need to make sure that happens, all at great prices that won't break your budget. Whether you need to get supplies and accessories for your next party or you want to get in a party mood, check out all the great stuff they have here.

Here's some information I came across that you might find interesting: Scammers advertising apartments to get access your credit information. Once again, as a correllary to the "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is", don't be swayed by limited time offers or those where you have to decide now! More than likely, it's a subtler way of offering something too good to be true. At least have it make your Spidey sense tingle.
Anxious for the next next-generation console, or hoping it'll bring down the prices of video game systems on the market right now? Looks like 2013 before they'll show up.
And good luck trying to find the items in Target and K-Mart's ads. K-Mart should take the name from fellow company Sears and call their weekly ads "wish lists" because the few times I saw a sale item I wanted, most times they didn't have it at the store. At least Kohl's has items in stock, but watch the prices when they ring them up at the checkout.

With the weather getting warmer, a lot of people are starting to look to enjoy all the warmer weather activities and are starting to plan accordingly. And there's some activities that involve getting ready, and one of them is boating. And with the help of American Marine Supply you can get what you need to get your boat ready, such as gel coat. And they are very well stocked on items to not only get your boat ready to get back in the water, but other accessories to make it look good, like chairs and tables, nautical clocks and supplies, and more. Needing a particular part or accessory and don't see it on the website? They've got a special order desk that you can let them know what you're looking for and they can search for it for you. Hate being landlocked in the colder months? You can buy nautical-based items to decorate your home and keep your love of the open waters close to you, and help tide you over during that time. And they're more than just sellers of boating supplies and accessories, they have a resource page to get whatever information you need on boating. And not only do they have competitve prices, they offer free UPS shipping on all orders over $200. So if you need something to get your boat ready for the water, then see what they've got for you.

I just read on this link provided by Journalista that Vertigo isn't doing a third miniseries of American Splendor. The article presents it as they haven't picked it up yet, so write them now. I don't know if it's a case of it will be picked up, but hasn't yet. But if they don't, I'm sure either his previous AS publisher Dark Horse will pick it up, failing that Top Shelf or another publisher. I don't know if Harvey would want to go back to self-publishing. On one hand, he could take the attitude "if I don't, who will?" and "I gots ta get paid". On the other hand, he may feel he's too old for this stuff. In any case, even with Diamond's increases on minimum orders I wouldn't see American Splendor having any problems in that regard.

One of the things I'm trying to do right now is build up my savings. One of the things that was brought home to me when I saw the film IOUSA is that not saving and getting deeper in debt on an individual basis is bad not just for yourself, but it goes beyond that. Without saving and investing, you're not only depriving yourself, but you're depriving the opportunity for people and the country to grow. Of course, the movie goes into more detail, but at the very least, investments will help you secure a better future.
And hopefully we can get to the point where we can start to do some investing, and one good source would be bank CDs. And of course, you want more than just do some good, you want to see what the best CD rates are out there. You can look at the bank profiles, check out the rankings of CD rates by state and the nation, and read up on the advice and news on banks and bank rates. That way, you can get the best return on your investment and grow and do you some good in return.

Well, you don't have to worry about superhero movies dying or workprints leaked on the internet ruining the gross: X-Men Origins Wolverine pulled in $87 million over the weekend. My thoughts on the film haven't changed that much: it was a good way to kill a couple of hours, leave your brain at the door, and enjoy the ride. And there were some plot holes that even I said "c'mon" at, and it seemed mainly to set up possible future films, but I think that it was a summer movie appetizer: there to make you hungry for more summer films. And I'm not sure my decision on which film is better: Wolverine or X-Men 3. The best answer I could give is that it's like deciding which is better: Superman III or Superman IV. And I hadn't heard much about the 6 different epilogues tacked at the end of XMOW, but this is the one we saw (highlight invisotext to read): One of the katanas drew back into Weapon XI's (Super Deadpool) body. His hand reached over to his head and his eyes opened. Next weekend: Star Trek!
And if you're wondering what films to take in this summer, Ken Levine has started his annual Summer movie review.

So you've got an idea for a website. And you're anxious to get it out there before somebody else with the same idea pops up a website and beats you to it. But while it's good you want to move fast in this internet age, there's no need to grab the first thing handy to get it online. You want to make sure you do it right and get the best you can. One of the most important things that will make up your site is the company that you select to do your webhosting, and you should check out this webhosting ranking to start in your selection.
Need more information on the different webhosting plans out there before you make your decision? You can do a more specific search such as best blog hosting. Feeling overwhelmed by the jargon being thrown around? Want to study up a little more before you decide? They've got articles for you to peruse, such as how to avoid the pitfalls of domain registration.
So if you've got a good idea for a website, don't give it up because it seems so overwhelming. Review the different choices for webhosting, study up on the subject, take it a step at a time and before you know it, you'll be the new kid on the information superhighway. And drop me a line if you start a new website. I'm always on the lookout for new material online, and glad to share it with everyone else here.

Christopher Knight has this cartoon up that was made 50 years ago, and is more relevant today (and would've been more helpful a few years ago):

It's a lot easier today to point to a cartoon and the message it communicates than it used to be, when the whole genre was dismissed as solely for children. Of course, those doing the dismissing was forgetting that cartoons were shown in the theatres and made for all to enjoy. But this was before television got a hold of it and saw it as a cheap programming source, eventually making it's way to the daytime kiddie shows. At least nowadays (as in 1959) can hold this up as an example to shine a light on such shady practices as those who want us to trade liberty for freedom and, as Benjamin Franklin said, end up with neither.

If you're thinking of going online to see what's available for dating and are open to the idea of interracial dating (and in this day and age is it even a question or issue anymore?) then you should check out this site for interracial dating sites. And you're just a few questions away from being signed up and meeting people. They can help you with all types of interracial dating.

Things are starting to gear up for the comic convention season. And especially at San Diego, movies, television and video games (among others) are getting into the act, showing their latest offerings and getting the fans interested. And the promotional products come out and get picked up because us fans are a bit on the cheap side and we like our free goodies. And it just comics fans, a lot of people like to get free things when they go to conventions, trade shows, festivals and carnvials, etc. And companies like to get the word out about them and get it in the consumers' minds so they'll use their company when the time comes.
If you're a company that wants to get the word out about them with something like Logo T Shirts with your company's logo, or you have an idea for a shirt but you have more of an entrepreneural spirit and want to make more money by printing up Custom Printed T Shirts or you want more on hand, they can help you with that. In addition to Customize T Shirts they can also offer customize products like pens and tote bags for that show and convention to many more items. So if you want to get the word out and don't want to spend a lot of money see what they can do for you.

This time of year before the networks announce their fall schedule you hear a lot about shows "on the bubble", those whose fate are uncertain. Will it be renewed? Will it be cancelled. There's more involved than the ratings, although this article doesn't seem to address the factors of DVD sales and online viewing. Or the fact that we're talking about an archaic system in this cable and satellite era. Did you know that the networks premiere shows in the fall because when they got started, one of their major customers for commercials was the automobile manufacturers who debuted their new line of cars in the fall. Even with the automotive industry in the dumps we're still clinging to the way things were done. But the article addresses one of the great mysteries of our time: why a show like According To Jim gets renewed each year.
As far as Chuck, I have an interest as the show has improved proportionately to Heroes decline (and they're renewed). One source says it's renewed and another says not so fast. Guess we'll find out tomorrow.

With the weather getting warmer a lot of people are looking at making their travel plans. If you have an RV, you're probably glad that gas prices aren't as high as they were last year and you're just itching to take 'er out and enjoy it. One way you can enjoy it is to go to this rv park North Carolina and enjoy the tranquility of the area. It's close to the historic Pinehurst Golf Courses if you like golf. And if you're not into golfing or the scenery, they have great amenites such as wireless internet in their lodge, terraced gardens leading down to the swimming pool and a Jacuzzi complex, a bass stocked lake, paddle and fishing boats, canoes, mini-golf, nature trails, a children's playground, horseshoes, cabins, a state of the art bathhouse and much, much more!
Don't have an RV? No problem. They have cabins for rent for you to enjoy this rv park nc. And if you're looking to save more money they've got a deal where you can sign up for a free 3 day/2night stay. And a stay at nc rv parks looks like a better alternative than going to the crowded places everyone else is going to and waiting in long lines and coming away disappointed. Being able to relax and get away from it all without doing without all the modern conveniences sounds like a better way to go. There's been enough stress in the past few months without adding to it, especially if you're lucky enough to be able to go somewhere this year.

One of the good things about the internet is that no matter how esoteric your hobbies and interests are, it's real easy to find a site that you can enjoy about that interest. And you can meet others who share your interest and learn and share tips and tricks with them. I know a little about poker (particularly the fad of the past few years Texas Hold 'Em) but not enough to expand beyond playing it on video games or catching a few minutes of it on TV. But if you wanted to learn more, there's a site where poker fans get together and learn about the different facets of poker. They can even help you with the different ins and outs of online playing such as explaining PokerStars Rakeback and other terms to help you navigate online better instead of stumbling around like a novice.
One thing that I like a lot about this site (and it's a general observation, not a poker fan observation. As I know so little about poker, so I'll leave it to those more versed in the subject than I to make a final judgement call on that) is that they clearly spell out how to get the PokerStars Bonus Code. Sometimes when there's a special or deal they'll just give you a code and leave it to you to figure out how to get it. Most times you can find the box to put it in, but sometimes it doesn't work right, or you're not sure how to claim it. Here they'll clearly explain how to get it, so that you are left with a much better impression of their site. At least a lot better than trying to figure out how to get their offer, looking around to find out, and waiting for an e-mail response from the company. They just want you to jump in and have fun.
That's what's good about this site: you don't want to make rookie mistakes, they want players to enjoy the game without anything keeping them from it, so everybody benefits from this. I wish certain other online cliques would take this tack instead of wishing to flash their so-called superiority by being more in the know instead of wanting everybody to have fun. So if you want to get your PokerStars Bonus then head over there and claim it right now!

Think yesterday's long shot winning the Kentucky Derby was the biggest upset ever? Meh. It's been done before, as covered in this article written the day after the Giants' Super Bowl against the Patriots.
And it's Sunday, so that means a fresh batch of Post Secret secrets. And this week's Five For Friday asks for lists of 5 artistic endeavors within comics. Is it just me, or do I have to hit reset 2 or 3 times to get any of the Comics Reporters pages to come up?
Greg Hatcher addresses a problem common to us book lovers: having too many books, but getting more whether we look for them or not.
Kathleen David was glad to make pancakes for her family. And my Kathy was glad to make them for us today. And Kathleen's husband Peter echoes Paul Harris in that when you compare deaths from regular flu to swine flu or H1N1 flu or whatever it's called now, we're overreacting a bit.

Even though I live out here in the sticks, I haven't had problems with deers and raccoons coming around where I live and eating plants and causing damage. Ironically, Mark Evanier has more dealings with raccoons than I do, and he lives in La La Land. And the only real interaction I have with deer is when one crosses the road in front of me, or sadly when we see the remains of one that didn't make it on the side of the road. Although wild animals getting injured or killed is a fact of life in this neck of the woods doesn't mean that I have to like it. That's why I was glad to see these products that offer humane solutions to deer repellant and raccoon traps, and similar products. These would be a better alternative to most peoples' response to shoot first and then a long time later if you have the time and just happen to think of it ask questions then. They've got the products you're looking for if what you're looking for is a way to preserve your plants and property and you're looking for a way to do that without harming the animals causing that damage. And yes, it may take a little more money and effort than grabbing your gun, it's a better way to deal with an animal that doesn't know any better. And I don't want to get all tree-hugging hippie on you, but if man is the superior creature, then shouldn't he act that way?

I had to pop onine to pay a bill coming due. And one of Yahoo's highlighted articles was a video about the Dreamcast making a comeback. Apparently ThinkGeek is selling new Dreamcast consoles but there's only a 30 day return policy with ThinkGeek since Sega doesn't warranty them anymore. Joystiq has an article about it as well.
I got a used Dreamcast from GameStop after Sega got out of the console business, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Some games I liked like StarLancer by the makers of Wing Commander that was actually better than you'd expect from something marketed as "by the people who brought you". And there were some games I bought to fully explore like Record of Lodoss War, but never did. Maybe I should hook it up again. Sometimes you can have a lot of fun kicking it old school. BTW, ThinkGeek also has a combo Nintendo/Super Nintendo compatible system to play those old games.

We went out for another day of adventure. We decided to have lunch at Long John Silver's and then went to the comic shops for Free Comic Book Day. But first, a quiz: first read this posting from one of the shops for their FCBD plans. Okay, don't worry, there's just two questions:
1) Is there a discount on trade paperbacks for FCBD?
2) Do you get an additional discount if you bring in your Wolverine ticket stub on Saturday?
And here are the answers:
1) According to their web site, there's a 10% off sale on trade paperbacks.
2) According to their web site, you get an additional 10% off your purchase.
But at their Castleton location, they had a sign that said "30% off Hardcovers" and the line underneath said "Trades". I asked the clerk if there was a sale on trade paperbacks and they said no, but if I wanted to buy a lot I could get a deal. And when I was checking out, I asked about the discount with the ticket stub, and was told "nobody tells me anything". If it weren't for the principle of the matter that I know comic shops have to pay for the free comics they give out I would've just left with the free comics. But once again, the comics industry isn't making it easy to support them. I didn't even bother to ask about getting extras to give out for Halloween.
The other shop I went to Comic Carnival and they had more of a selection but a limit of 4 per person. There were only a couple I wanted since both shops had more of a mainstream selection than what I was looking for, and got the rest of our allotment for the Halloween books, and they were nice enough to allow us to get a few extras to give out.
I had a list of the ones I wasn't expected to get from my service, and I was able to pick up Aliens/Predator, Wolverine Origin, and the DC Kids Mega Sampler; but wasn't able to pick up FCHS, Love and Rockets Sampler, Comics Festival, Bongo Comics Free For All, and TMNT Sampler. Anybody have any extras for trade?
I also went to Half Price Books and traded in the DVDs that were too low to sell on Amazon and some magazines and got $22 in credit. I got 3 blu rays and a Marvel Essential Ghost Rider vol. 1. We also finished up our grocery shopping and Mother's Day shopping today. And after a couple of things online, I'm going to relax and enjoy our purchases and the rest of the night.

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Had a very busy day since my last post. I drove my dad to town to pick up a new battery for his lawn mower, we got some bread goods at the nearby Hostess Shop, picked up some stuff at Sam's Club, and he decided to pull the trigger and got an Apple computer. He'd been thinking about it and was asking me questions, but I don't have any experience with Macs. I tried to answer as best I could. But he was able to get some insight on what I know and about Apples when we were at the store and asked me some questions then asked the same questions of the salesperson. So we came home and I set it up for him, and he sat by me while doing it so he could get an idea how it worked. It didn't come with Solitaire (one of the things he wanted on the computer) but the salesperson said he could download it, and we did. I also set it up and showed him how he could pay bills online like he did on the old one.
After that, it was about the time Kathy and I planned to take off to go to the movies and get some groceries. We saw X-Men Origins Wolverine (I don't feel like doing a review right now, but if somebody asked me if it was worth seeing, I'd say it was; even with me trying to reconcile the movie version of things with the comics (including a couple of family relationships that weren't in the comic) and ended up not having time to make all the stops on our shopping trip. But we're going out tomorrow for Free Comic Book Day, and we can make the rest of the stops then.

There's some people in the prospect of this Great Recession who are worried and fretful at what the future holds. And there's some that see it as an opportunity to do something about it beyond sitting around and worrying. One way they're dealing with this uncertain period is looking at one of these online degree programs and seeing if it's right for them. You might want to further your education, but you're schedule may prevent you from doing so. Either that job you think you're hanging on to by a thread is still there, or your family or personal obligations is an obstacle. By studying online, you can take classes and work on your own schedule, at your own pace. And the link can answer any questions you have about online education and help you pick the school that's right for you. If you're thinking of going back to school but don't think you have the time or the money, this site can help answer your questions and find a way.

Hey Kids! Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow! I'm also glad that Hugh Jackman and crew recorded an announcement plugging the event. Yeah, there's an X-Men Origins: Wolverine trailer attached, but I don't think the target audience is going to complain that much.
What are your plans? I've got 5 of the books slated to come my way thanks to my local comic shop, but there's others I'd like to get. I made a list of the ones I really want to get, and any others would be gravy on top of that. The plan right now is to pick up Kathy after work and go to at least a couple of shops, and go from there depending on what we feel like doing. One of the shops we're going to (Downtown Comics) is running a sale and offering an additional 10% off if you present a Wolverine ticket stub, so we're going to see the movie today. And there's a sale and a couple of things that Kathy wants to pick up at Family Christian Stores, so we're going there as well. So even if you're not a comics fan, this could be something you like. Find the shops nearest you at the FCBD website, and pick up some free comics. However, they're not free to the stores, so pick up something else in appreciation. Even with superheroes dominating the field, there's something for everyone. You can pick up the Resurrection trade that came out this week for only $6, and the FCBD issue 0. You'll be glad you did.

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