Free Podcast Hosting Site

If you're like me, you have quite a bit to talk about. I'm sure you've been surfing around and stumbled on some podcasts somewhere out there on the 'net since podcasting is becoming a popular way for businesses and bloggers to deliver media content about their site or services or whatever to visitors and readers. It's convenient to watch podcasts to since you can download them to your iPod or PC and listen whenever you want, unlike streaming audio. If you want to start doing your own podcasting for your site, MyPodcast.com is a Free Podcast host that lets you record and host your podcast for free!

How Much Is This Blog Worth?

This is pretty cool. This blog is relatively new in the blogosphere, but it already has some value! I was surprised to see what my blogs are worth with this cool little app from business-opportunities.biz

My blog is worth $3,387.24.
How much is your blog worth?

Check out my other blog's worth here...

What's a Podcast, You Ask?

A podcast is a media file that is distributed by subscription (paid or unpaid) over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. Like 'radio', it can mean both the content and the method of syndication. The latter may also be termed podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. The term "podcast" is derived from Apple's portable music player, the iPod. However, known synonyms for the word pod are capsule, case, container, hull, husk, shell, and vessel. A pod is obviously a container of some sort and the idea of broadcasting to a container or pod correctly the describes the process of podcasting. More about the name itself can be found in the History of podcasting article.

Though podcasters' web sites may also offer direct download or streaming of their content, a podcast is distinguished from other digital audio formats by its ability to be downloaded automatically, using software capable of reading feed formats such as RSS or Atom.

Source: wikipedia.org

Please, No Flowers...

It's nice to get flowers sometimes, but I've always told my husband not to get me flowers for anniversaries, birthdays, or Valentine's Day. They're beautiful for a few days, but then they just wilt and die. I'm a pretty low-maintenance kind of gal when it comes to flowers, candy, and candle lit dinners - just grill me a steak, and clean up the kitchen! Now, when it comes to my electronics, give me the best because I do love my gadgets! My problem is, if I asked for some nifty little gadget for Valentine's Day like one of these pink, personalized thumb drives, my husband wouldn't even know what I was talking about! He is technologically challenged to say the least. But anyway, maybe he'll read my blog and get the hint!

What celebrity do you look like?

What celebrity do you look like? Well, to find out, you need to go to myheritage.com - it's a way cool site where you can do this fun experiment for free and find out about how to research your family history...

Here's my daughter's celebrity collage...

All About Home Theater

I bought my first surround sound system about 10 years ago and it consisted of a Sony Pro-logic receiver and some mini Sony speakers for the center and front. I rigged up a subwoofer, later and I was content for awhile. About 4 years ago, I sold that system at a garge sale (it sounded pretty good and brought $300) then bought a new Sony System complete with center, front and rear speakers, a subwoofer and a Sony 5-disc DVD player. The system works great and sounds great, but I would love to upgrade my system so I've been looking around at some Home Audio Theater Reviews. A friend of mine just bought a 62 inch HDTV and I have to admit, I'm jealous - and it's just in time for the big game, too. I don't know if I could bear the rejection of American Idol wannabees on a 62 inch screen, or take the excitement of all my favorite shows coming through some new JBL speakers, but I could sure give it a try!

spicypage.com

Spicypage is a relatively new site that allows the users to vote and share their fave sites with friends and others who have things in common like location, topic, etc. If you want to join, it's free and you can get stats on your blog as well. Pretty cool idea and site...what are you still doing here? Check it out, NOW, but come back here, too!

Vote for this blog here

And My Whole Enchilada Blog here

When Will iPod Phone Be Available?

Want an iPhone? Want to know when the Apple iPod iPhone will be available? Me too! I can't wait to see the iPhone in action and I'd like to be one of the first to test it out, live and in person! Click the link and you can find out how to sign up to get email alerts on when the Apple iPhone will be available for purchase sometime this summer. To tempt your gadget tastebuds, here are some more pics...

Sharper Image iPulse

Today, I read the CNET review of the Sharper Image iPulse for your iPod. It's a cool little docking stereo system with a subwoofer for your iPod that has a neat-o light show. CNET gave the gadget a "very good" 7.3 rating. Check the full review here.

New Motorola Phones

Last year, I upgraded to a Motorola RAZR v3c from a Kyocera slider and I have to say that I am very happy with the RAZR by Motorola. Years ago, I bought my first cell phone and it was a Motorola StarTac. That was a quality phone that had great sound, was durable, and had great signal strength for those days when towers were few and far between. I had almost forgotten how good of a reputation Motorola has and going from the Kyocera, which was a decent little phone, to the RAZR was like going from a Pinto to a Lexus. I love the customization you can give the phone and it's power-packed features including the still/video camera quality - very nice. Motorola has a couple of new offerings including the Motorola K1 and the The Motorola Z3. The MOTOKRZR K1 is a flip or clam style phone like the RAZR that takes crisp photos, offers entertainment and helps you make the most of your time. The MOTORIZR Z3 is a slider style phone with features that you can access when the phone is open or closed. Listen to music, call a friend, play a game or use the full screen viewfinder as a digital camera.

Spammers Beware!

I hate spam, who doesn't? I'll tell you who doesn't hate spam - the scumbag spammers who try to gain your personal information for profit, that's who. I'm so glad to see that some action is beginning to form to deter criminals from using the Internet to trick people into scams. The first person in the US has been convicted under the anti-spam law, called the 2003 CAN-SPAM Act and he faces a sentence of up to 101 years in federal prison. Here's the press release detailing the spammer's conviction.

LA-area man first in nation convicted under anti-spam law
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - A man faces a sentence of up to 101 years in federal prison after being the first person in the U.S. convicted under a federal anti-spam law, authorities said.

Jeffrey Brett Goodin, 45, of Azusa, was found guilty Friday of running a "phishing" scheme that tricked people into believing they were giving personal information to a legitimate business. Prosecutors said Goodin then used the information to go on a spending spree.

Goodin is the first person in the nation convicted under the 2003 CAN-SPAM Act, the U.S. attorney's office said. The law forbids e-mail marketers from sending false or misleading messages and requires them to provide recipients with a way to opt out of receiving future mailings.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Goodin used several compromised Internet accounts to send e-mails to America Online users. The e-mails appeared to be from the company's billing department and told customers to update their billing information or lose service.

The e-mails referred people to one of several Web pages controlled by Goodin where they could enter their personal information, prosecutors said.

In addition to the anti-spam conviction, Goodin was convicted of 10 other counts, including wire fraud, misuse of the AOL trademark and attempted witness harassment.

Goodin is scheduled to be sentenced June 11.

Achieve Planner

I am a list-maker. I have at least 5 lists of "Things to Do" somewhere on, or in, my desk at home and work right now. There are things I want to blog about, stuff I need to do at home, things I need to take care of at work, grocery lists, stuff to gather to do our taxes, and the lists go on and on. Sometimes, I make so many lists, I think I need to make a list to keep track of my lists. If I spent less time making and looking for my lists, I would have more time to get things marked off my lists. Today, I read about some time management software that might help get rid of my lists, or at least make them electronic. With the Achieve Planner, you can capture, organize, and manage your projects and tasks, plan your week with the weekly schedule, and manage contacts. And, you can even set, plan, manage, and track your dreams & goals with the Goal Setting features.

Dugg Anything Lately?

Digg.com is a very cool website where surfers submit news from the far reaches of the 'net. You can check out all the latest interesting stories arranged by the number of diggs and you can even submit news from wesites and blogs you find interesting or newsworthy or even cool so that others can digg it, too. There's also a blog feature which allows the user to blog the stories as well. If you have been under a rock, you need to digg yourself out!

Get Connected!

Today, I stumbled upon a cable company that can get you connected no matter what your cabling needs. I have a surround sound system that we use very often, and recently, my subwoofer started cutting in and out. I purchased a new cable and realized that when you have a good system, you need good cabling to support the integrity of the signal - it sounds much better, now. While at the site, I found out that TCA offers a product that allows you to connect multiple HDMI appliances to one monitor with their own HDMI switch. Get connected with TCA-Inc.net

Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol

Just in time for American Idol Season 6, there's Karoke Revolution Presents: American Idol. So, if you don't want to watch those silly idol wannabe's make fools of themselves, do it yourself with the game that Gamespot gave a 7.3 "Very Good" rating! From CNET's Reviews Section: Konami's Karaoke Revolution series and the talent-search phenom American Idol seem like such a natural match it's surprising that the publisher has taken this long to pair its prolific singing franchise with the smash-hit TV show. Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol arrives just in time for the start of the program's 2007 season, and while it hits most of the high notes you'd expect from a game with the American Idol license--authentic venues, video clips of famous performances, (mostly) celebrity judges--the trappings of the television show make the game feel a little lackluster overall. Luckily, that fact doesn't really impact the underlying karaoke gameplay, which is just as entertaining and accessible as it's been throughout the last several versions of the franchise.

Norton 2007 Site

I have a friend who recently bought an HP for her daughter mainly for school, but you know how teenagers are, or at least I do. I found out the critical importance of installing antivirus software and keeping it up to date years ago when I was on dial-up and was struck with a virus that kept rebooting my PC. The PC that Amy bought runs Norton 2007, and she's been asking a few questions about the antivirus and included security programs. I stumbled upon a site that has loads of helpful information including screenshots and help and support forums. Take it from me, if you surf the web or read email, you need antivirus software and you need to keep it up to date!

Surf the Net and Create Your Lanscape

How? With a very cool program called packetgarden that takes data based on where you go and what you do on the 'net and creates your own personal world you can explore complete with hills, valleys, and plants and who knows what else. You just need to go ahead and check it out.

Wirefly: Top 10 Cell Phones of 2006

My husband is not one to want the latest cell phone, computer gadget, or software; we are different in that way. Just last week, his screen on the inside of his flip phone stopped working, so now he can't see what number he's dialing. He can still see who's calling him on the outside of his phone, though. That would drive me nuts and I would look at it as a good opportunity to get myself a new phone! Not him, he said, "I like this phone." Anyway, I think it's beyond repair and he'll probably have to get a new phone. I bought the RAZR last year and I love it. Wirefly announces the Top 10 cell phones of 2006 and I can see why the Motorola tops the list. Motorola makes some tough stuff and the RAZR is sleek and durable, and most importantly, I can HEAR on it, too!

Netflix Offers Movies on Your PC

Today, Netflix announced that it's getting into the download game. Although the service won't be available to all Netflix subscribers immediately, the company should have everyone online to enjoy movies on their PC by June 2007. Check out the press release, here.

I recently placed my Netflix subscription on hold since my son started working at the local video rental store - he can get all the movies I want after they've been out for 2 weeks, so I just decided to save a few bucks. I might have to try this out, especially if you can get TV shows as well - I never have enough recorders!

Restaurant Finance

Jimmy and I have talked about opening a restaurant, but have not really considered how much it would cost to create "the place to be." Not only do you have to have the right space, equipment, furnishings, and staff, but you also need a strong web presence, marketing, branding and a ton of advertisement to make your brand stand out. Guess what, it takes money to do all that - and a lot of it! I ran across ARF, a company who specializes in short term, working capital loans for small to medium-sized merchants. I also found out that by getting a working capital loan, the interest you pay is tax deductible which will give you a quicker ROI. I'm bookmarking them in case we take the plunge one of these days...


***This post sponsored by advancerestaurantfinance.com***