Since my dad got a Mac over a month ago, I've been thinking about when I'm ready to get my next computer getting a Mac. And I'm used to being on laptops more now, so I'll probably take a look at the Powerbooks out there to see about getting one. And they say they're more reliable than PCs. I don't know from my own experience, but I haven't heard of any problems from my dad so far. But if I need to look for a part, or even see about repair, it's good to know that this computer repair service is available for help. You can look for parts or available parts from model number. I know when something goes wrong with my computer, I'm more the type to try to fix it myself than send it in for service and wait. If it's not under warranty, I can check out the repair guides they have available online.

Got home an hour ago, was glad to see the house was intact and the cats were safe and sound. Catching up on some internet...
The IRS has put the bite on Mark, and he's been bit quite a lot lately. Wish there was something I could do...
Judge Dredd was optioned a year after his debut in the comics, why was the movie so bad?
Alex Robinson is thinking about his next graphic novel project. Want.
Kid gives up iPod for Walkman for a week. What's the big deal, we use Walkmans all the time. Oh, you mean the old cassette players. We're old but we're not that old around here.

For the past few months my wife and I have been looking into healthier alternatives to eating. And as part of that learning process we've come across organic fruits and vegetables in the store. And it costs more than the other fruits and vegetables in that section, which surprised us. Maybe next year we'll look into organic gardening as a way to supplement our food and eating healthier. And I'm sure that the food will taste different and not be something that I'm used to, but I have learned that the adjustment in my eating habits is easier than I thought, and you'd be surprised how easy it is and how amazed you are at how you used to eat. And you'll be glad that the impact you have on the environment is at least minimal, and possibly more beneficial than what most people use for farming.
And if you grow a garden, learning how to grow your flowers and fix up your yard organically and letting it integrate into the whole system of nature will allow you to not only enjoy the beauty of what you grow, but be glad that you're actually contributing the natural process. Those who have tried to manipulate nature to their own ends sometimes ends up with bad results, but why try to fight nature, especially when you realize how wonderful it is?

If you're sick and tired of all the Obama comics in the comics shops and Previews, you may be getting a reprieve. They've announced the first of what is sure to be many Michael Jackson comics coming. Will there be any market interest for this by the time it comes out in October? And that's assuming it's on time. And remember when Michael Jackson was thinking about buying Marvel Comics?

Do you have a kitchen sink that's seen better days? Or are you looking to fix things up around the house and make some changes and improvements? Then you should take a look at a stainless steel kitchen sink as a replacement. And what's good about these is that they're cheaper than you'd think, but just as good. Just the thing if you're like me where you like stainless steel but worried about the price. And they also have granite sinks that are 100% environmently friendly, made up of 80% Quartzite and 20% Acrylic. Not only that, but they're also coated in bacteria killing silver ions which kill 99% of bacteria on contact. And they're scratch resistant, stain proof, and have sound dampening. So whether you want stainless steel or granite you're sure to get a better kitchen sink that'll brighten up your kitchen.

The rumors are true: Hayao Miyazaki is coming to Comicon next month. As if the con isn't going to be crazy enough. Even if I could make it down there, I don't know if I'd feel like lining up the night before. And I don't think G4 is going take any time from pointing and laughing at the fans to do any serious coverage of it.

In this current economic environment a lot of companies and corporations aren't sure about how to proceed with their future. Some smaller businesses are thinking about selling and getting out, and a lot of the larger companies and corporations are wondering if now is the right time to acquire some businesses, thinking they can get a good deal. The businesses on each end could use the services of a merger and acquisitions Broker to determine what would be the best time to buy or sell and business, and help you get the most out of the deal. The March Group even have a website set up called Corporations4Sale.com where businesses can go to find out more about the buying and selling of middle-market businesses. And they're more than just filling out paperwork, they can prove a valuable ally in the merger or acquisition by being in constant communication with you throughout the process. And they realize that each business is different, as well as the buying or selling of that business, and don't apply a boilerplate procedure to the whole thing. They've been in this business for over 20 years and can provide a unique approach to each acquisition and merger.

When we were at Borders, Kathy found a graphic novel based on the Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker, but it was the third one in the series, and the only copy had a bent cover. She said she wanted to start with the first one and read it. I found The Best American Comics 2006 anthology guest edited by Harvey Pekar for only $2.99, and I got the local papers. Then we went to Half Price Books, and guess what I found? The graphic novel Kathy wanted. We each got another book, then headed over to Great Escape where it looked like the graphic novel sale box had been picked over. I did get a deal on Fantastic Four Visionaries John Byrne Vol. 7. Then we went to Fat Jimmy's for lunch, and went to Book And Music Exchange. Didn't see anything there, so we went to the other one. They took my old books and DVDs and gave me a $35 credit, that I applied to the Godfather Trilogy on blu ray that I'd been thinking about getting for awhile.
I'd been craving some barbeque chips, but couldn't find any at the stores I stopped at so far. But at Speedway, I found the Grippo's Barbeque Chips that I really like. And we're back at the hotel where we have another day to enjoy before we head home tomorrow.

One of my favorite things about the internet is that if there's something you want to buy, you can find it and at a great price. It isn't like the old days when if you couldn't find what you wanted in a shop and dared to ask, you'd get a weird look or told they'd order it for you and you'd wait... and wait... and wait. If you're lucky, it'll come in someday. The internet elimates all of that frustration.
But there's some areas where some frustration remains. If there is something you want to get, you have to go looking for the websites offering it, and then you have to go to each and every one of them to comparison shop and compare the shipping, deals, etc. And then there's the times when you don't know what you're looking for, but you'll know when you find it, particularly in clothing. Something that can help not only with streamlining the online shopping process but allow for "just looking" without the salespeople coming up to you is ShopWiki. It's like an online search engine, but for shopping allowing for online browsing. There you can shop for womens' suits, casual work clothes for women, weekend casual clothes, and more.
So instead of going from website to website trying to find what you're looking for, have them come to you thanks to this online shopping search engine.

JMS has confirmed leaving Thor, and the reason why. On a related note, here's a strip commenting on a recent DC controversy. Does anybody get into these crossovers anymore? And I'm not just be crotchety, I've never bought all the crossover issues of an event comic. It's always been the miniseries and any comics I was collecting before the event. Now an event is enough to derail my interest in a comic.
Thanks to Laura for the link.

Let's face it, we've been through a stressful year, and could use a vacation. Something nice and peaceful with some scenery. Just across the California border into Oregon is a beautiful getaway at klamath falls lodging. When I saw it was called the Running Y Ranch and it was out west, I thought of dude ranches like the movies and was interested enough to take a look at it. But it's not what you think of when you think of a ranch out west. It's actually close to five National Wildlife Refuges and Upper Klamath Lake-the largest natural freshwater lake in the Pacific Northwest. And with the mild climate and approximately 300 days of sunshine a year, you don't have to worry about being rained out on your vacation. And with their hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, and not to mention the breathtaking scenery all around you, you don't want to spend your vacation cooped up in your room. And your accomodations aren't that bad either. With their suites offering kitchenettes, flat-screen plasma televisions and romantic fireplaces. For longer stays or more room, their privately-owned vacation rentals such as charming chalets, luxurious townhomes or custom home rentals, each individually furnished with personalized décor. Just the thing to get away from your hectic everyday life.

Next time someone famous dies, do yourself a favor and read this strip. It'll save you hours of watching the news, even the news channels that can devote more time to a story. Unless you're a Captain Janks fan, but I tried to find his Wikipedia page (which was deleted and archived here) I've been reading up on what he's been up to lately, and he's got his own troubles
And now you don't have to keep the news on all day to find out about Fred Travelina.

You might find that you need to make CD and DVD copies (legitimately, of course) that are of a larger scale than what your computer or DVD recorder can make. Even if you could pull off making copies of that scale, you'd like them to look nicer than something that was copied off. That's where the services of this DVD replication service would come in handy. VE Associates, Inc. has had 20 years of experience in graphic design, full full-service CD authoring, DVD authoring, CD and DVD mastering services, replication and duplication. Whether you're an indie band looking to make money off of CD and DVD sales, or a company needing their duplication services for your next big corporate event, VE Associates, Inc. can help meet your need. Even though they're based in California, they have experience in servicing clients all over the country, and have experience doing so. They are willing to work with you whether you're just starting out or you're an experienced company. They can master your CD and DVD artwork, create custom DVD menus, print full color inserts, provide a full selection of packaging choices, and meet difficult deadlines with their professional fulfillment services. And a lot better than what you can do on your own, and takes a lot less time as well.

I go away for a short trip, and the madness continues. Mark Gibson, Mike Norton and Mark Evanier report that spokesman Billy Mays has passed away. Ironically, Evanier wrote a post up a few days ago about someone who snagged the billymays.net domain and had his unique pitch to sell it to Mays. And as Evanier noted, at least Abe Vigoda is still alive. Check for yourself if you don't believe me.
Wireless internet in your hotel room sounds neat, but an indoor pool, hot tub, and dinner sound better. So if you'll excuse me... Play nice while I'm gone.

As I said earlier, we kicked off Kathy's vacation by going to B&K Drive In and saw Disney/Pixar's Up in 3D for a second time. We had a good time. More important, Kathy was happy that her vacation was here. I'm glad to see her more relaxed and playful like this. Then we went to Wally World to pick up a few things and came home. And it looks like we'll be watching Primeval and the Doctor Who special on BBC America. We've seen "The Next Doctor" already, but we're always up for watching it again.

My parents are going to the Smoky Mountains as part of their vacation next week. It's been a few years since my wife and I have been down there, but we'd like to go back sometime. We usually stay at a cabin rental that we like. One of those things I'd like to get if I win the lottery is a cabin in the mountains like the one we stay at. And even though I let my wife decide things like interior decorating, I would take a hand in the design of the cabin and want to rustic furniture in it. I would love to go with the whole rustic/wooden motif. In fact, one thing that caught my eye was the Rustic Log Bed. And it's king-sized as well, which is better than the queen size they have at the cabin we go to. I just showed it to my wife and she thought it was neat, too.

Johnny LaRue's Crane Shot has a post and opening credits video about the short lived TV show Banyon. A 30s era detective show starring Robert Forster and a Quinn Martin Production-sign me up! Too bad there aren't any cable channels that would run something like this like they used to do when they were starting out. I don't think TV Land would even touch this show. Since the internet is still in that infant stage where they're mining the studios' back catalog for content, maybe one of them will put it up. Who has the online rights to Quinn Martin Production shows?

I was only up in Toronto for a couple of days years ago, but I want to go back. I'm sure I won't be involved in any civil cases while I'm up there. But if I needed any legal assistance, I would see about obtaining the services of Robert Tanner based on his site.
One of the drawbacks of those of us here in the US is that we tend to think that we're the only people having the problems we're having. We don't think any other countries are going through the financial difficulties we Americans are. But believe me, if we're hurting, everybody's hurting. At least as much in Canada where they're navigating their way out of this mess and working on financial legislation. And Tanner & Guiney are involved with it as well.

Without a doubt one of your biggest investments in your life is your home. And that's for personal as well as professional reasons. But home ownership is more involved than paying off the mortgage. And not only do you need to protect your home investment, but everything having to do with it. That's why it's important to take some time to determine your Houston home insurance needs with Greg White Insurance Agency. They can help you determine what's needed to cover your home, and it starts on their website. That's right, it's not just a page with a "call us for a quote" and a phone number on it. They start to help you figure out what is needed in home insurance. Of course, you want to cover the home whether it's still got a mortgage or if it's paid off (you don't want to be homeless and owing money on a home, do you?) but other facets of protection such as liability insurance, your personal possessions, etc. And they have tips on how to save money on your home insurance. They've been in business over 14 years and by working in the many facets of insurance are familiar with the ins and outs of the insurance field that they can help you navigate it so that you have maximum coverage and minimum hassle.

I feel better after getting a good night's sleep. But I've got something on my arm that itches, and it feels like poison ivy. Kathy has something like that, as well. Might see about picking up some medicine for it while we're out today.
And today's the day Kathy's vacation starts. She told me last night she wants to go back to B&K in Kokomo for lunch, and hopefully we can go see Up again. I'd like to see it in 3D at least one more time while it's in theatres.

For some people, clothes are an important fashion accessory. The main thing they're worried about is looking good. But others take a more practical approach. Especially when it comes to their job. They're not worried about how good they look, they're worried that their clothes can withstand the rigors of the job. And if they look good, so much the better.
If you're in need of clothes like than, then WorkingGear.com can help you. They have a lot to choose from that are durable and look good, such as Levi's, Timberland Pro, Wolverine Boots And Shoes, and much more. Don't have a particular brand you're looking for? You can shop by product. And at their prices, you can stock up and be ready for the working week. Does this sound like something good for someone you know, but not sure what to get them? Give them a gift certificate and they can pick out what they want and need.
If you want some good, solid, dependable clothes and accessories, but don't want to spend a fortune, then check out the selection at WorkingGear.com today.