I have been scouring the world of stupid t-shirts looking for the most idiotic, disturbing and whacked out t-shirts of them all.  This is no mean feat.  What constitutes a stupid t-shirt?  There is a fine line between humour and overshare, witty and obvious.  And of course, some t-shirts are just out and out wrong.

You be the judge:
(Warning, slightly non-kid friendly themes... and in no particular order)

1.  "It's My Network"

If you need this t-shirt to advertise that you are surrounded by scantily clad women then you probably aren't.  My advice to those considering buying a t-shirt such as this, firstly think "would James Bond wear this?"  If the answer is no, move along...

2.  "Ex Masturbator"

For the love of decency, people!  Why are you guys smiling?  Is this a joke?  Please, please take these t-shirts off... the market.
OVERSHARE MUCH!!!!!




3.  "If You Can Read This, The Bitch Fell Off"

Obviously, this is the back of the t-shirt.  Clearly designed for motorbike riders.

I'm afraid that my sides have split from the witty subtlety of it all.  Can you spell lawsuit?

4.  "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right"

All kinds of creepy.  Please don't wear it around Star Wars fans like me.  The fact that it happened once in the film was disturbing enough.
DUDE-SHE-IS-YOUR-SISTER!!!!  Argh!!

5.  "I Bought This T-Shirt To Cover Up My Muffin Top"
Um...  OVERSHARE!!!!

 6.   "Mormons etc. Are All Wrong!!"

It's a free country I suppose. But just because you can wear this t-shirt doesn't mean you actually should.  P.S. If you must wear it, make sure you avoid churches, mosques and remote temples on top of mountains, supermarkets, pubs, trains, planes and automobiles.

7.  "Stop Looking At My Chest!"

Fine, I will stop looking at your chest, as soon as I stop reading the big writing on your t-shirt that just happens to be located in your chestel region.

8.  "Don't Bother, I'm Not Drunk Yet."
If you read into the subtext of this, it speaks volumes.

9.  Jihad
Do not wear to airports.  Or anywhere with jumpy security.  You might find they haven't got a sense of humour.

10.  Justin Bieber t-shirt






 

technorati tags: justin bieber, bad t shirts, stupid t shirts, wrong t shirts, weird t shirts, offensive t shirts, funny tshirts, rude t shirts, crazy t shirts, novelty t-shirts, t shirt sayings, retro t shirts, offensive shirts, vintage t-shirts

What is Latency?

When you record directly from a microphone or instrument, the audio signal is sent to your computer, converted into a digital signal and then back into analog and sent to your speakers. This is the process responsible for causing the frustrating "lag" or latency effect, where your tracks are recorded "late". When you play back your tracks, your latest recorded track will be out of sync with the first one. If you have experienced this problem, you will be familiar with this effect and you are probably tearing your hair out daily.

Thankfully there are a number of ways to fix latency in Windows Vista.  You can try all of these or just a few to try to fix your latency problem:


1.  Upgrade your RAM


The faster your computer, the less likelihood of latency being a problem.  As the saying goes, "you can never be too rich or too thin".  Or have too much RAM.  Get a memory upgrade to at least 4GB if you can and ideally see if you can upgrade to the maximum your slots can take.  If you are unsure, speak to your nearest tech head or check forums and manufacturers pages.



2.  Download ASIO4ALL

ASIO4ALL is the universal ASIO driver for Win 98SE/ME/2k/XP/MCE/2003/XP64 and Vista/Windows 7 x86/x64.  For some, a quick download of this free program is all you will need to fix latency issues.  You may need to tweak the buffer and latency sliders until you reach an acceptable level of latency. 

4.  Upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7.

Unfortunately for many users, Windows Vista is S-L-O-W, notorious for maximizing latency and is known as a problematic operating system for multitrack recording.  I'm going to come right out and say it, it is definitely worth the investment upgrading now rather than tweaking away with Vista until you are blue in the face.  Windows 7 can help your machine work quicker and easier.  The minute I upgraded my laptop from Windows Vista to Windows 7, I instantly noticed the difference in speed.



5.  Get an Audio Interface

How does an audio interface improve latency?  An audio interface will replace your sound card for the time it is on and plugged into your machine.  With direct monitoring, your interface will bypass the latency loop so you hear your sounds in real time.

When I bought my M-Audio Fast Track, I found that it simplified recording into a "plug and play" experience, removed latency and on top of all that, made the recording software fun to use.  You can plug a microphone straight in to the XLR jack and guitar leads (or mic leads) plug straight in to the 1/4 in jacks.  Once you are plugged in, you just start recording.

The M-Audio Fast Track uses a "Direct Monitoring" (zero latency) button, allowing the user to hear the recorded tracks while hearing the track as you record.  For this stage you need to make sure that you have done these two things (important):

* Plug in speakers for monitoring your recordings
* Use headphones to monitor your sound while you are recording

If you have followed these steps, your direct monitoring should work fine.

Minimum System Requirements (PC)

Windows XP (SP3)* or Windows Vista 32/64 or WIN 7

Pentium 4 2.0GHz

1GB RAM

one native USB port

* Home and Professional Edition only. Windows Media Center Edition is not supported.



Minimum System Requirements (Mac)

OS X 10.4.11 Or better

G4 processor**

1GB RAM

one native USB port

** G4 accelerator cards not supported.


Features

- Includes Pro Tools M-Powered Essential software

- Works with most popular recording software--including Pro Tools M-Powered 8*

- 1/4 in. instrument input: Record guitar, bass and keyboards

- Phantom powered XLR mic input: Use dynamic and studio-grade condenser microphones

Stereo RCA outputs: Easily connects to your stereo system or powered monitors


You will need the updated drivers to install the Fast Track on Windows 7.  M-Audio has now released compatible drivers for Windows 7 in 32 bit and 64 bit:

MAudioWin732bit

MAudioWin764bit

Installation

*  Download M-Audio driver (if you don't know if your system is 32 bit or 64 bit, click the "Start" button (bottom left corner), right click on "computer" and select "properties", "system".  Windows 7 will tell you what version you are running.

*  Install the driver exe file by double clicking, wait until Windows 7 notifies you that installation has been and the M-Audio icon shows up in your taskbar:

*  Plug in your M-Audio Fast Track.

*  Plug in your microphone or instrument jack and start recording!



There are more expensive audio interfaces on the market, it just depends on your needs as to which one to buy.  In my case, I needed something simple and this interface fitted the bill perfectly.  By all means, if you have the funds and the inclination, go for a more expensive model.

Other audio devices worth considering:

Behringer FCA202

Focusrite Saffire Pro 24

 

MOTU 828mk3

Important note: what works for some people may not work for you.  Do your research and get independent advice.  All systems are different and results may vary from one setup to another.  There will always be a possibility that an audio interface will not work so understand the risks when taking any advice.

technorati tags: audio, latency, m-audio fast track, personal, recording, shopping, Vista, how to fix latency,how to stop latency, latency in multitrack, latency recording, latency in Vista, latency Windows, usb audio,pro tools 8, audio interface, usbaudio, m audio pro, computer recording, recording to computer, fixinglatency, latency fix, fix latency, m audio interfaces

This is the perfect solution to the diet question:

What treats can I have?

Well, I have come up with yet another diet (I should be launching these as books!) for those watching their weight.

It's called the "Inedible" Diet

1.  The treats look delicious
2.  The magic of imagery tricks you into thinking you have eaten cakes and pastries
3.  They serve an ornamental function as jewellery

**Note:  mind you don't try and eat these, they are made from polymer clay!



Mini diet piece #1:  Carrot Cake Charm

Mmm.  Yum yum!  No need to worry about portion sizes!




Mini diet piece #2:  Mini Christmas Cookies

Don't mind if I do, I suppose another one won't hurt...



Mini diet piece #3:   Cupcake Charm

Do I wear them?  Or eat them?  Heck with it, I'll just look at them!




And of course, what banquet would be complete without....



Mini diet piece #4:  Mini Gefilte Fish

Alright!  Gimme the fish already!!

technorati tags: gefilte fish, Christmas, Hanukkah, cupcake, mini cake, jewellery, jewelry, cookies, charm,earring, decoration, miniature

Disclaimer: although pretty tame, if you are under 18 or easily offended, this is not for you.


I was watching a comedian on TV talking about edible underwear and the concept has floated in my mind for days.

The first question I would ask is "why"?

The second thing that really started to bother me was the "material" from which they are made.  This comedian mentioned the stuff that edible underpants are made from and it's been giving me nightmares.

So it's a sticky, sugary, fruity sheet type thing.  Designed for.. well actually, I don't really want to think about what they are for.  Use your imagination.  Or don't.  Preferably don't.

The thing that bothers me the most is that you are supposed to wear these things as underwear.  I don't want to go into too much detail but there are two problems with this.

1.  It's warm down there.

2.  Hair

Now if you get someone who is over enthusiastic and tries to take these things off quickly...

Well, only a qualified beautician should be allowed to do that.  Under strict, clinical conditions using the proper utensils.


It baffles me how shoving a couple of fruit rollups down your dacks is somehow deemed to be alluring to the opposite sex.

Each to his/her own I suppose.

In any case, if you do ever buy/use/eat?!!?! these things, exercise extreme caution, lest you experience an instant Brazilian.

technorati tags: edible underpants, edible underwear, lingerie, weird, underwear, edible, panties

If you have just bought a new laptop, or a netbook you don't necessarily want to order Microsoft Office, Windows 7 and various other security software packages all over again.

So what is the alternative?

I found this excellent site called Get the Free Version, which, strangely enough, shows you the free version or equivalent of popular software titles.

Instead of Microsoft Office, try Open Office.  It's free.  And open source.  And did I mention it's free?

Instead of Windows, try Ubuntu.  Again, free.

And if you aren't keen on forking out for another Photoshop, try Gimp.  Strange name, but it's FREEEE!

For more open source windows programs, you could try Opensourcewindows or Osswin.

technorati tags: open source, open source windows, office alternative, windows alternative, microsoftalternative, open office, open source software, ubuntu, gimp, photoshop, windows, Microsoft office, opensource tools, open source web, applications

My latest purchase consists of a great new LED photon light device, used to correct uneven skin tone and various other skin concerns.
 
The device itself is great, works perfectly, I am very happy indeed.

LED Photon Light Device

The part I found most amusing about the whole transaction was the instruction leaflet.  Please note, I am not joking and this leaflet really contains these phrases.

"Colourful Photon Skin Tenderizer"

I'm somehow nervous already...

Main benefits

• Light waves irradiate skin cells

What the hey?...

• Promotes rebuilding of collagen fibers and other flexible fibers

Like cotton?  Or spandex perhaps?  I've got some old bike shorts need repairing...

And finally,

Please stop the operation in case any stimulated phenomenon

Stimulated phenomenon?  What, like my compass and watch stopping on a deserted road?

Trust no one!!!

technorati tags: LED, LED photon, LED light, LED skin, LED photon Skin, red LED, blue LED

When geek and love collide, it looks something like this....

Geek Love Poem (The following T-Shirts are courtesy of Think Geek)

Alright, I get the first part, what's with the "base are" bit?

That's not even proper English!

***Holds eyes tightly shut while waiting for inevitable berating comment from Xanthar Doomsayer III (aka Colin)***



Intimate nerd apparel

Please don't blog this.  Please.  Really.



Love vs chocolate - chocolate wins

For when love is not forthcoming
...or I just prefer chocolate...  SORRY!! Theobromine.


 
Love is... free IT support

I should have bought one of these at age 14...



When 2 geeks fall in love, and make little geeks, there is really only one option:

That's two options.  FAIL.  *smacks forehead*


And completely unrelated...
Haley Joel Osment I Ain't

I don't think I've got enough space to fit all these t-shirts but I might just have to buy them all.  Starting with this one. 

technorati tags: geek, humor, funny jokes, funny t shirt, geek love, lol, funny pictures, slogan, funniest t shirts,

Ebay has made some updates to include a number of features designed to help the ebayer um... buy stuff.

So the first change includes a diversification of the watch list.

Personally, I love the watch list, it shows me everything I'm GOING to buy.  And it always seems to work out that I do manage to buy most of the things on my watch list.

Now we have some new lists:

Watch List (existing)
Gift Ideas (new)
Research (new)
Wish List (new)

So when you find an item you like/love, and you "add to list", you now have a choice:

For me, my watch list IS my wish list but... I can dig it.

The gift ideas list is a great addition - you can be super organised when it comes to birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas.  This is a feature I will be using frequently.

Research is an interesting one.  I thought I was the only person who did research on ebay.  Apparently not.  I will no doubt use this section as well.  This section is appropriate for forming an opinion about a type of product or category.  For example, "Windows 7".  You can compare prices, types/versions (eg. home, professional) , features etc. before you make your final decision.  The research section will be handy for those items that I will be purchasing in the future.

I love the idea of breaking up lists into categories.  Too many times I have found myself with 50 watched items and no idea where to start.  Now the items can be broken down into bite sized pieces.  You can also create your own customised lists (say, the name of a gift recipient or a category).  I can see myself having a bit of fun with this!

For more fun with ebay, check out my updated "Let's Go Shopping" sidebar ->>>>>

technorati tags: ebay, ebay changes, ebay updates, ebay australia, ebay shop, my ebay, ebay au, ebayauction, ebay account

On my travels this weekend I found myself shopping around for a hairdresser.

My hair has reached the stage where I can make a wig from sheddings and every time I try and sleep it wraps around my neck and tries to strangle me.

During my midday stroll I found a likely prospect:

Medusa Hairdressing.




















This is an actual hairdresser, I did not make it up.

After struggling with the idea of getting my hair cut at such a place I came up with some possible sub headings for their display window:

"Our hairstyles kill the competition"

"Stop men dead in their tracks"

"Midweek Discount - Snake Extensions"

"Who Needs Gel When You've Got Stone?"

"No mirrors guarantee"


But is Medusa the best name to really "get people in".
I'm not sure a beheaded snake haired woman who turned men to stone just by looking at them is exactly the appropriate connotation for a supposed beauty outlet.

Don't get me wrong.  Medusa was a noteworthy beauty.
It's just that she was headless and stuck in a bag by Perseus only to be brought out to stun warriors into a rather nasty death.



What's Next?


Minotaur China Shop?

Zeus Electrical?

Hellhound Kennels?

Siren Shipping?

Icarus Airlines?

Or how about

Cyclops Optometrists:

"We keep our 'eye' on our competitors"

technorati tags: greek gods, roman gods, hairdressing, mythology, greek mythology, gorgon, medusa,minotaur, zeus, siren, icarus, hellhound, cyclops

Tiger is still number 1. At the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, he played an excruciating round of 77, topped only by the even more horrendous 78 from Phil Mickelson.

Tiger had a bad day, Phil had a worse one, and Tiger should be glad.

In an "I'm-so-glad-for-playing-the-worst-round-of-my-life-glad-but- I'm-glad-Phil-didn't-score-in-the-top-four-and-knock-me-off-my-number-one-position-glad".

Which isn't very glad.

But... tomorrow is another day. And Tiger is not the kind of player you can just write off because he had a bad tournament.  No doubt he will be back to the drawing board, ironing out all the bad shots, analyzing the mistakes and going through everything with a fine toothed-comb until his game is back on track.




















Tiger has also decided to play in the Ryder cup if captain Corey Pavin offers him a wild card entry.  He has also mentioned that the lack of helicopters and reporters following him around is a welcome change and that his life is starting to "normalize".  Perhaps these conditions will herald a return to form for the world's No 1 golfer in the near future.

technorati tags: golf, tiger woods, no 1 golfer, tiger woods no 1, firestone, WGC, bridgestone invitational, golf

I have decided to base this weeks' finds on a theme - a piece of music called "L'amour est un bouquet de violettes" or "Love is a bouquet of violets"

I saw the title for this music in a French film I recently watched on SBS called "The Colonel".  Here is a brief description of the plot from Gonz30 at IMDb: 

A "Reformed Colonel" is found dead in Paris, a couple of decades after Algeria's struggle for independence was won from France. Lieutenant Galois is assigned the investigation of this murder. She receives the diary of Lieutenent Guy Rossi who served under The Colonel in Algeria in 1956, and has been reported as missing in action since 1957. The revelations found in Rossi's diary go far beyond The Colonel's actions in Algeria, and give an insight on how dirty Algeria's War for Independence really was. Written by Gonz30  - Source: IMDb

L'amour est un bouquet de violettes

The Colonel (Mon Colonel)

The film's subject has nothing to do with my romantic musings.  BUT... The title of this song listed in the credits of the film suddenly conjured up images of Paris, images of shades of purple, flowers and well... Love.

So without further ado, here are my picks for this weeks' theme: for lovers of purple and purple lovers(?):

"L'amour est un bouquet de violettes"

 Etsy hotpinkchick's violet hairpin design.

Etsy wildgingersilk's Cobalt Blue and Violet Silk Wrap

Etsy envisage's Violet Rose Locket

Perfect for keeping a tiny pic of your loved one (*sigh*) - See, Tiny pic isn't just an image hosting website!!


And last but not least, it's not French, but it's purple.  In keeping with the "war film" theme, this poster was made in 1939 by the British Government around the start of World War II.  I love this message that still speaks to us today:

Keep Calm and Carry On

The poster was designed as a motivational tool to keep people calm when the Germans finally invaded.  As this did not eventuate, this lovely poster has been hidden away, not really seen by the general public at that time.  "Freedom is In Peril" and "Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory" were predecessors to this wonderfully reassuring poster.  It really is hard to imaging the extent of what they people had to endure during that time.  The bombs, the rubble, the hiding under the kitchen table or in the basement, the rationing of food.  We can draw a lot of strength from our ancestors and how they coped in those days.  It makes me grateful for how lucky we are right now.  Be grateful for those flowers on your table, for the clear skies at night, for the food in your pantry.  And the message still lives:  Keep Calm and Carry On.

I think I'll do just that.  And put on a nice cup of tea....

technorati tags: keep calm and carry on, purple, violet, France, French, Romance, locket, scarf, silk, moncolonel, the colonel,

I woke up this morning with the distinct feeling that I was going to start being healthier.  I wasn't sure how, I just wanted to do something to push me in the right direction towards Spring tank top weather.

I made the snap decision to start eating more fruit.  Did I start slowly?  No.
This morning I had one Royal Gala apple, two Zespri Gold New Zealand kiwifruits, two mandarins and a partridge in a pear tree!!

Ok, without the partridge bit...

Now I am full of fruit and feeling exceptionally healthy.  One more Royal Gala apple, some avocado and tomatoes at dinner and I have covered most of the fruit families in one day.

The only thing I'm not sure about...  What fruit family is the Cadbury Twix?

technorati tags: fruit, diet, vegetables, fitness, health, fruit diet, diet foods, food diet, vegetables and fruits

Green is the new black.  I didn't read this in a magazine, I haven't been to the latest fashion shows, I just decided that I'm right about this.

Why green is the new black:

1.  It's easier to see at night (especially light green)
2.  It suits a brunette perfectly
3.  It makes me think of spring when it is grey and cold and foggy outside
4.  It's the colour of money if you live in the US.  Australian money would make quite a gaudy 80s outfit.
5.  Green is a stylish and classy colour (except perhaps anything in lime green spandex )

So, now that green has unofficially been declared the colour of Melbourne winter, here are a few ideas to get you started courtesy of my Kaboodle Style Board "It's Easy Being Green":

It's Easy Being... by violetlight7

So, the little black dress is now replaced with the little green dress. Enjoy!

technorati tags: green fashion, green clothes, green clothing, green dress, green, green shoes, green fashionaccessories, green apparel, kaboodle

For the fifth time this month I have seen an all too familiar sight:

1.  A dog
2.  An absent owner (possibly shopping)
3.  A leash fastening the dog to a pole
4.  The dog shivering uncontrollably

Why?  Because it's COLD!

Dog owners please note:  A dog isn't able to dress itself in the morning the way that we do.  So, to compensate for this canine inadequacy, us dog owners need to dress the dog in appropriate clothing for the weather.  In Melbourne, for example, it has been 2 banshee shrieks close to freezing in Melbourne for the last few weeks.

Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration.  Since we don't really get snow or anything.  But... some dogs (especially small dogs) have a low tolerance to cold.  So if it is 14 degrees outside and you are wearing a scarf, please make sure your dog is dressed too.

It is easy to keep your dog warm and if your dog could speak (yes, I know some do - at least they do on YouTube), it would thank you from the bottom of its shivering heart.

technorati tags: dog accessories, dogcoat, dog coats, dog apparel, dogcarriers, dog clothing, dog jacket, dogsweater, dog vest, dog sweaters, dogsclothes, dog harnesses, dog jackets,small dog clothes , dog life jacket,dogs coat

No, I'm not talking about that kind of herbal!

This morning I woke up at 4:30am.  Then fell back to sleep at about 6am.  Not really the essential ingredients for a good night's rest.  So I braved the health food shop to find something to pep me up.

I needed something that:

Increased energy
Reduced fatigue
Reduced adrenal burnout
Reduced the effects of stress
Improved the ability to concentrate


The only problem is that feeling like this, I found it nearly impossible to find the dang thing.

Firstly I spotted the magic formula on the shelf.  I thought "I'll come back to that after I get my hair skin & nails formula".

Big mistake.

The thing about being scatty and tired and stressed is that you can't remember where you put things.

So to get the vitamins & herbs for my condition I had to try and not feel tired and stressed and scatty.  Which isn't easy to do when it is the very reason why I needed the herbs in the first place.

Sometimes life can just give you one big wedgie.

So after stressing my adrenal glands even more in order to find the blasted vitamins, I struck gold after about 8 excruciating minutes.

Voila!

Someone needs to remind me that it's just easier to buy these things online.


Now I need a Panadol.

technorati tags: fatigue fighter, nutrients, herbs, vitamins supplements, nutra life, health vitamins,

The Best Online Traffic School?

Link to the course: Online Traffic School
California (and other states)

Traffic Schools (or in some states
Defensive Driving courses) are regulated by a state agency to insure they meet
certain requirements. While all traffic schools might have similar elements,
how they present information and what the reading is like will make a big impact
on how happy you are to spend several hours taking the course.

It usually takes between 3 and 4 hours to complete a traffic school course. To
summarize:

• Total cost: $19.95
  
• Time to completion: 3.x hours
  
  
  • No filler. No annoying graphics, gimmicks, games.
    
  • Information brief and to the point. Well written, easy to read.
    
  • Pages load fast. Easy navigation.
    
  • Simple questions, easy final exam.
    
  • Try before you buy. Great, great option.

Hopefully this
review will be helpful to other people looking for an Online traffic
school.

Links to Taking Traffic School Online: Online Traffic School
California, Defensive Driving
Online

I was browsing the perfumes in the chemist today, admiring the shapely bottles, imagining the spicy and floral fragrances.

I saw a bottle marked "Go" and thought to myself:  Yes.  Go-getter, trend setter, that's me, I'll have a spritz of that one.

After a lengthy spray on my wrists I smoothed a bit on my neck pressure point, finished my purchases and walked outside.

Then it hit me.

What is that smell?

It evokes er...  I can't quite place it... images of stubble... er... hairy sinks... gravel rash... er... DAMN IT!!!

A wonderous waft came up to my nostrils and I realised that blokey-smell was in fact me.


I checked out the blurb on the Go! website:

"...it not only changes the way you smell but changes the way you feel"

You're telling me.

...Could the hint of violet leaf be responsible for catching that girl's eye or not?"

Probably.  I may get a few looks from women thinking "why is that chick wearing aftershave?"

Would it have killed them to put "Pour Homme" on the dang bottle?

I did wonder why it was next to the David Beckham and Old Spice though...


So now, for the rest of the day (and night) I will smell like Eau De Bloke.

technorati tags: joop go, joop, eau de toilette, pour homme, perfume, fragrance, aftershave, perfume forwomen, eau toilette, men's fragrances, men's aftershave,

Eureka!!  Here are a few Firefox Add-Ons and Apps that make life a little bit easier.

I have a sneaking suspicion that every time you log in and out of Twitter, sift through unnecessary emails and cut and paste links, a fairy dies.



1.  Bit.ly sidebar - you can get this from the bit.ly home page and drag it on to your sidebar.  It shortens your links at the click of a button.

I can't understand why I have been cutting, pasting and opening and closing bit.ly all the time.  Duh!  Work smarter, not harder!!






2.  Hoot Suite - Wow.  If you have a couple of Twitter accounts and keep logging in and out, this is the Twitter App for you.  Hoot suite has a "Hootlet" bookmarklet for super easy tweets straight from the source page.  It has an app for Iphone too (what doesn't?)

 Soooo much easier to manage everything.  Great if you want to schedule Tweets (for different time zones, for example)






3.  Feedly - All-in-one feed App.  Imports your feeds from Google Reader and various other sources.  Nice!

4.  Yahoo Mail Watcher - Doesn't use your username and password in a way that could be compromised.  Checks your email while you are doing other things.  Notifies you when a new message comes through.

Heaven.

technorati tags: add ons, firefox, twitter, apps, iphone, feed, applications, RSS, news

1.  Write about a current event.  Read today's latest headlines and inject your opinion into the post.  Your content will be fresh, in demand and will provide a new perspective on the issue.

2.  Take some time to thank your fave bloggers and give them some link love.

3.  Write a silly post.  Sometimes, say, if you write a serious political blog, this may not be appropriate.  But if you can, people love to laugh and if you can think of something silly or funny your readers will appreciate it.

4.  Find a much-blogged about topic.  Then add your own opinion and perspective.

5.  Memes.  Some people love them, some people hate them.  I personally don't participate but if you are searching for blog material, a meme can keep the blogging process going.  Try Wordless Wednesday or Music Monday for starters.

6.  Review a site.  Do you love/hate Tweetdeck?  Do you use Facebook?  Talk about the features that work for you and provide screenshots to illustrate.

7.  Review a product.  You don't have to send away for samples, the product could be a recent purchase (say, an Ipad).  Provide your readers with a detailed review to provide value and insight.

8.  Add a Recipe.  Are you a master in the kitchen?  Just learning?  Make a video or write your recipe for your best dish.  Remember to provide lots of pics (yum!)

9.  Interview another blogger.  John Chow may be a little busy but if you have someone else in mind, this can be a great way to increase your blog's audience.  You can do a podcast or email them the questions and publish the answers in a post.   

10.  Write a top 10 list.  ;-)

technorati tags: top ten, top 10, ideas, blog posts, blog idea, interview, Tweetdeck, Facebook, Ipad

I don't know what kind of drugs they are feeding spammers these days...

I will try (and I do mean "try") to translate this latest offering by nutbags pretending to be internet banking admin people:











Dear Westpac Bank user,

Your Westpac online bank account is currently locked color

Really? I usually use Oxy Clean or lemon juice for those really locked in stains...

and only after you identify on the website
your account will be unlocked face and ready for use.

Oh good. There's nothing worse than trying to do your banking with a locked face. That is, if I can identify on the website. Err...

For added security we will send a Westpac SMS protect Code Color
to you pre-registered mobile phone number,
in order to confirm your identity.

Gee. Yeah. That sounds safe, sign me up. I'm so glad they are going to protect me (sic) mobile phone number.

Incidentally, I'd probably want to confirm YOUR identity considering you didn't pass grammar 101 and use US spellings for Australian victims. I mean customers.

Please follow the link below to request your Westpac Protect SMS Code Color.

Clicking a link in an email from a gramatically incorrect weirdo babbling on about locked colors and unlocked faces.

I don't see how that could hurt...

Incidentally, considering their outrageously obvious errors, they might have done just as well with this email:

"Dear Scumbag,

Weed porn ferret miscreant is dulling your online.
Please click your unlocked war scratchings to envelop your baby back ribs

Sincerely,
Scam Bastard Mother Fridge"

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