Christmas Fun Facts - Discover the Christmas Giver Called Christkind!

Five hundred years ago, church reformer, Martin Luther wanted to shift the focus from St Nicholas as the gift bearer back to the Christ child. So in 16th-17th century in Europe, many Protestants changed the gift bringer back to the Christ child known as 'Christkind'. The date of giving gifts also changed from St Nicholas feast day on December 6th, to Christmas Eve December 24th.

The traditional Christmas gift bringer in Germany and most German speaking regions of Europe is 'The Christ-child' also known as 'Christkind'. This now popular gift bringer is depicted in areas of Europe such as Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Croatia, Australia, Southern Brazil, some part of Hispanic America and Slovakia.

The Christkind in Germany is more often depicted as a sprite-like child with angelic wings and blonde hair wearing a white robe. Some presume Christkind to be the incarnation of Jesus as an infant. Often children like to leave a letter on the windowsill for the Chirstkind. Yet, children never see the Christkind. They are encouraged not to peek and try and see the figure arrive for if they do no present will be left. So the tradition is for parents to secretly ring a bell, which children believe the Christkind rings upon departure. Parents will always tell the children that the Christkind disappeared after leaving presents under the tree, just before they entered the room. It is a magical tradition.

There are many writings that suggest the Germans had a hard time getting their mind around the baby Jesus giving gifts so the Christmas gift-giver gradually morphed into a sweet girl. This sweet girl became known as the Christkind. Today, in modern Germany the Christkind is chosen every year in a contest. Usually a teenage girl, dressed in gold that is like a rock star complete with bodyguard, publicist and even her own entourage! The entrance of the modern-day Christkind is often marked by cheering crowds.

However, the appearance and name 'Christkind' changes from region to region. Here are some name variations that can be found for example: Christkindl, Christkindle and Christkindel. Another popular depiction of the Christkind is a fairy-like being with a crown on top of her golden curly long locks, dressed in a glorious gold and white robe. However, within some regions, the golden angelic girl is nowhere to be seen as the traditional 'Weihnachtsmann' or Father Christmas (better known as Santa Claus) is the bearer of gifts.

So depending where you are in Europe, you will see variations of the depiction of the Christkind. However, no matter where you are, this bringer of gifts is depicted bringing much joy and happiness.

Why Modular Office Furniture is in Style

Professionalism and efficiency are the two most important factors that one needs to keep in mind while furnishing his/her office. An office ambience that reflects these two factors can surely impress prospective customers and increase the productivity of employees. Therefore, when buying furniture for your office, make sure that it is able to project this image perfectly. But in order to do so, you do not have to go over your budget. Modular office furniture is the most in style selection of late and quite surprisingly it can be afforded by people with modest budget.

We all have heard about modular furniture, but what is it all about? Well, modular furniture for office consists of desks, tables, chairs, cabinets etc and they are attractive, light weight and easy to move. Moreover, it comes in a plethora of designs and styles and sizes thereby giving you the opportunity to mix and match as per your choice. The main purpose of modular furniture is its mobility. So make sure that when buying modular office furniture, it is of lightweight.

Unlike the earlier times when furniture was made of hardwood, modern furniture is made of laminates, wood veneers etc. This new style of furniture makes furniture cheaper thus affordable by the majority of people. The factor of affordability is accompanied with attractive designs that make modular furniture the first choice of many people. Moreover, the materials like laminates do not require the amount of care and maintenance that wood demands but on the other hand, they are as durable as wood. Even materials like plastic and metal are being used for manufacturing modular office furniture. Instead of going for the traditional boring color schemes, nowadays the designers are opting for vibrant, bright colors for modular furniture.

The modular furniture style is flexible in nature and it has a modern, chic look. The best thing about this variety of furniture is that it is manufactured in such a way that it can easily blend with your existing collection of modular furniture. So if a piece of modular furniture catches your eye, you would not have to change the entire set to fit this item in your office. It is often said that modular office furniture makes the employees content and more productive. This is because the modular furniture provides comfort and an attractive environment which helps to keep the employees happy.

If you are not in the position to buy even the affordable modular furniture pieces, you can opt for the option of buying used items. Used furniture pieces are often sold by retailers and manufactures both online and offline at much cheaper rates than the price of the new versions. Used pieces are even more preferable to those who wish to refurbish their office and cannot afford to spend a lot in the refurbishment. But when considering used furniture items, make sure it is not in a dilapidated condition since using them would be next to impossible. Always try to buy modular office furniture that suits your taste and budget.

There is no benefit in regret later down the road.

Decoding the Tiger Mom

Amy Chua took the world by storm with her bestselling book entitled "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother." But, it seemed that most people misunderstood where she was going with it.

Anyone can be a tiger mom - and Chua certainly details the criteria for such. However, many readers tended to harp on her "unconventional" parenting methods (that even she mentioned did not always work) instead of reading the book and seeing it as one mother's ever-evolving and amazing journey into parenting.

Chua is different than most and similar in many uncanny ways to familial matriarchs coast-to-coast and around the world. Her savvy for motherhood is both refreshing and a bit unnerving. Sure, to the conventional American mind, she may have seemed to be a bit strict, but to her credit, the stern was the only way that she knew how to instill the tools for success in her children. Do I agree with everything that she did? Not, at all. Do I credit her for her bravery in revealing the intimate details? Absolutely.

No parent is perfect, so why judge Chua for methods that she soon found out were not as effective as she thought when employed on her children?

She was forced to learn that both of her children were completely different and while one child may have been more inclined to obey her rules, the other was simply not as compliant. She didn't give up. What she did was what every parent should do - she just re-adjusted her parenting style. For Chua, it was learning the art of compromise that made a positive difference in parenting her children.

There are several techniques that Chua employed which made sense when parenting. The one stands out the most is her use of rote repetition. In order for a child of any age to be successful in school, extra curricular activities, or in life in general, repetition is essential. Continuously doing the same action over and over again will yield positive results. Regardless if that action is through the use of flash cards, singing, dancing or practicing a sport, eventually it will become second nature to a child which will bring about the results that parents so desire. This is how the human brain works.

Parents learn something new everyday as do children. Chua finally came to accept this and began to learn about herself as parent from the actions and re-actions of her children. Everyone makes mistakes - no parent is perfect but it is through those mistakes that parents become better parents.

Take Your Graduate Degree in Mastering Mentalism and Magic Tricks

Magic mentalism is fast catching on and with online resources available that can make you a master mentalist in no time, it is not difficult to sort of graduating in mentalism. You should forget about yourself and focus on the audience who may be friends, relatives or co-workers to whom you are showing your newly learned skills. You have to know the mind of the people you are performing for. Unless their mind is tapped, you would not be able to manipulate them to your advantage.

You should lead them on the way you are headed only by concentrating on them. Keep your feelings on the backburner for a while and feel the pulse of the audience. It would be great magical mentalism if you can tap into their inner consciousness.

It can be learnt the easy way and in no time you can be a graduate in mastering mentalism. There is no harm in tapping into somebody else's mind. Don't we do it always? If you know somebody intimately, can't you figure out what their problems are and how you can solve them? You certainly chip in with your ideas and solutions that can be exactly what they might have thought of. You can be a graduate in mastering mentalism if you can think out of the box and come up with new ideas.

You should never be scared or apprehensive about experimenting and innovating. You should be able to go under the skin and think. You can learn all these easy to follow steps shown by magic gurus who had earlier taught professional magicians the tricks charging them a fortune. And when they decided to offer their ideas online and share the magic tricks with you, they are doing it for a very small price.

Being simple and easy to follow is also the key to being a master mentalist. Gripping the people in front of you has made the likes of Chris Angel and David Blaine. When online mastering mentalism can be understood by a 12 year old, it is easy.

Film Review: Anything Else

I went to see "Anything Else" because I heard an intriguing rumor that Woody Allen had cut all of his own scenes out of the movie. It turns out that not only was he in most of it, there were two of him.

"Anything Else" stars Woody Allen as schoolteacher and part time comedy writer "David Dobel" who, despite participating in two of the lowest paying jobs in the U.S., can afford a vintage Jaguar. He befriends Jason Biggs as "Jerry Falk", a full-time comedy writer who would really rather be writing depressing novels about the pointlessness of existence.

Let's just take a second to look at this "Jerry Falk" character. Somehow by his early twenties he's already divorced, in therapy, and has become a whiny babbling intellectual with a well-paying writing career. Basically, he's Woody Allen, just younger. Oh good, another Woody Allen! Sarcasm!

We're clubbed over the head with how "urban" and "contemporary" this "comedy" is. They walk the streets of New York or eat in fancy restaurants for most of the film. They name-drop as many writers as possible. (Oh yeah, I've read that!) They over-use their thesauruses. They mock the idea of owning a survival kit. They hunt down hard to find records and memorabilia. They're all either actors or writers or singers. They listen to jazz. They're all fake.

The "comedy" part comes in a few clever lines that I couldn't remember if my life depended on it. That speaks to the quality of the jokes folks, not my encroaching senility.

You might be noticing by now that all I've really said about the plot is that Allen befriends Biggs. That's because, frankly, that's all there is. Sure, there's the awkward romance between Biggs and Christina Ricci (the only person in the movie who puts some effort into the performance). Still, it doesn't really go anywhere. He's nuts, she's more nuts, they torture themselves and each other alternately, and nobody's really happy. It would be funny, but there's no hook or plot twist keeping them together, so instead it's just sad and tedious. That's the plot.

A five minute story stretched itself out over almost two hours and bored us to tears. It was painful. Sure, "Gigli" was bad, but at least it was ignorable. "Anything Else" practically DARES you to keep watching as it's moronic pseudo-intellectual neurotics tool around town doing little of significance except irritate the hell out of you.

There were maybe twelve people in the theater, and half of them left. The rest made conversation amongst themselves. Of course, I couldn't because I had to review the thing. I hate you Woody Allen!

I'm only giving "Anything Else" a 0 of 5 Whuffies because I promised myself I wouldn't use negatives in my ratings a long time ago. Don't see it on a bet.

Anything Else - 108 Minutes, or "103 minutes too long"

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring: Woody Allen, Jason Biggs, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito, Christina Ricci, and apparently a complete hatred for the viewing public.

Motivational Books and Executive Business Book Summaries As Comic Books?

Spiderman, Superman, and Archie. These are the main characters that most people will think of when the subject of comic books is brought up. Assumed a child's medium, comic books are rarely picked up by adults, let alone thought of as a business book for adults. They're "just for kids" or "just for fun," not for a business executive who wants to motivate them self in a limited amount of time... Right?

Wrong!

As busy executives and professionals try to grow their business, they find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. They know that reading is important to their growth, but that reading takes time, and time is scarce. To help change that, executive business books are now being summarized and illustrated into comic book format. An executive business book summary in a comic version is the perfect solution for people on the go who want to get smarter, save time, and have fun in the process. The visual power of comics combined with the text of a business book summary allows readers to comprehend and envision main ideas, messages, and tips quickly. With the combination of mediums shouldering a story line together, authors quite literally are able to put human faces on any given subject, making complex business ideas and techniques easy to understand and remember. Having static images mixed with the business book summary gives comics a sort of visual permanence, as opposed to the fleeting quality of films and live lectures. As most individuals are visual learners, the permanent visual quality of comics increases both understanding and retention of a subject, an obvious advantage for a fast-paced society where time is a valuable asset.

Next time you are rushing around the bookstore, don't just walk by those comic books you see on the stands! Whether for you or as a gift, business book summaries in comic book form are the perfect way to get important reading done while having fun in the process!

Christmas - Fun Modern-Day Santa Facts!

Discover some fun insights related to Santa Claus. Discover three little known insights about modern Santa from America's famous Secret Santa, the world's oldest Santa school to the famous International University of Santa Claus.

1. Secret Santas Larry Stewart from Kansas City, USA, a successful businessman was known for years as "Secret Santa". He revealed himself in 2006 before he died of cancer in 2007 at age 58. He wanted to inspire others to do random acts of kindness. For 26 years he roamed the streets in December anonymously handing money (often $100 dollar bills) to people he thought could use a lift. He gave a total of $1.3 million. He believed in philanthropy; that we should help each other. "Secret Santas" are being trained to continue Stewart's work SecretSantaaUSA.com Donations can be made to the Secret Santa Foundation by visiting the above website.

2. Oldest Santa School in the World Tom Vallent is not only a famous Santa Claus but the current Dean of the oldest Santa School in the world, the "Charles W Howard Santa School" in the USA. The school teaches people from all around the world who wish to portray the spirit and image of Santa and more recently they are also teaching Mrs Claus! The school was established in 1937. It is the world's oldest and longest running Santa School dedicated to the art of portraying Santa Claus. A famous saying of Charles Howard the founder that has been passed down to all their Santa's to declare to the world: "I am the spirit of Christmas, I stand for love and giving". Charles Howard was also the technical director of the famous Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street. Charles W Howard Santa School website: http://www.santaclausschool.com

3. Santa Tim & The International University of Santa Claus! Founded by Santa Timothy Connaghan in 2003. Tim is the current Chancellor. Tim is also the owner of RealSantas.com (a company who supplies real bearded Santa's all over America) and the Executive Director of Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas! Tim is the reigning Santa in the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade and is a famous Santa whose appearances include Dr. Phil, the Tonight Show and Jay Lenno Show. Tim Connaghan, aka Kris Kringle, has played Santa Claus for more than 36 years. A former charitable fundraiser and producer of major special events raising millions of dollars for major charities. He's also the author of "Behind the Red Suit - the how-to book on the Business of Santa Claus" part of the curriculum at IUSA. For workshop info: http://www.realsantas.com/iusc.htm

Packet8 VoIP - What is Packet 8 Voip All About?

If you have not yet heard of Packet8 VoIP, it is broadband telephone service provider using the technology of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). They also have videophones. There service is affordable and easy to use for both residential and business customers. If you have high-speed Internet and a phone, you can use their service.

They offer unlimited calls throughout the United States and Canada for as little as $19.99 per month. If you are a subscriber to Packet8 VoIP and have a videophone, you can also make video calls for only $19.99 per month. If you are calling another Packet8 subscriber anywhere in the world, you will not pay an additional fee. If you are calling someone who not a Packet8 subscriber internationally, you will be charged a very low rate.

Once you subscribe to a Packet8 phone plan (using the online store) you will then receive an adapter, free of charge, or if you prefer a videophone. When you receive your order, you will also have a 10-digit activation code. At the time of activation, Packet8 will transfer your current phone number or issue you a new number from the area code of your choice.

You can choose between two Residential Service Plans either Freedom Unlimited, or Freedom Unlimited Global. With Freedom Unlimited you will enjoy unlimited calling in the United States and Canada for only $19.99 per month along with low International rates. With the Freedom Unlimited Global plan, you will enjoy those same features along with unlimited calling to 40 other countries and low International rates to the remaining countries for only $49.99 per month. Packet8 has Residential Video Service plans that start at $19.99 per month, not including the cost of the videophone, which can vary depending on the package selected.

For Packet8's business customers you have your choice of three packages, The Virtual Office, Virtual Attendant, and Business 2000. There is a package available to meet your needs whether you are a small business or large. Each of the business plans that Packet8 offers help companies substantially lower the communication costs and enhance today's high-energy business environments. The business plans range from $9.99 per month to $79.99 per month.

Packet8 VoIP has a plan that fits virtually any budget and provides features that you are already using on a daily basis with your traditional phone. They have an outstanding technical support staff available 24 hours a day to help you with any questions you may have. The service is simple to set up, simply connect your phone to the adapter and then to the computer, activate the product and you will be on your way to making and receiving calls while at the same times enjoying a substantial savings on your phone bill.

Peterbilt Trucks - From Chain Drive to the Peterbilt 379

Peterbilt trucks are made by the Peterbilt Motors Company, which has its headquarters in Denton, Texas. The American truck manufacture was started in 1939 by then lumber entrepreneur and plywood maker, T.A. Peterman.

Peterbilt Trucks - The Early Years Peterman was a man with a dream to get the truck business going stronger so he could get his logs to market easier and faster. At the time, Peterman was actually working towards that dream by rebuilding army trucks he bought at surplus, thus learning how to improve them. In 1938 he bought Fageol Motors in Oakland, California in order to use it to start making his custom made chain-driven trucks. The following year he started selling them to the public, which was the real beginning of Peterbilt Trucks.

During the 30s long haul trucking was becoming very popular. It was the Depression and many companies that built commercial trucks were losing ground and going out of business. That is how Peterman was able to get the Fageol Motors Company. Prior to his purchase of them, the company had been making heavy weight trucks and buses for 17 years.

Peterman built 14 trucks in 1939, but that number leapt to 82 the following year, demonstrating to Peterman that the trucking industry was definitely interested in the quality made trucks of Peterbilt. Peterman was famous for knowing exactly what the trucker wanted and needed because he sent his own engineers out to talk to truckers. They were required to know what the men in the field liked and disliked before designing a single new truck. Peterman also got the military contract during World War II to make heavy duty trucks. This helped him to get ready to re-enter the civilian market as well after the war.

After World War II, Peterbilt Trucks Marches Forward Even death didn't stop Peterbilt trucks. Peterman died in 1945. After his death, the company was inherited by Peterman's widow, Ida. His wife promptly sold the company's assets, but didn't sell the property, to seven of the company's managers with the thought of maintaining and building up the company. However, since she didn't sell them the property, the new owners had to scramble for a new location several years later in 1958 when Ida said she was going to sell the land to build a shopping mall.

Due to this, the company changed hands and Peterbilt was bought by Paul Pigott, owner of the Pacific Car and Foundry. He built a brand new facility for the company in Newark, California, and in 1960 Peterbilt trucks were again being manufactured. Pigott kept the name even though he also owned Kenworth trucks and ran both companies. The ironic thing is that Peterbilt was his stiffest competitor, even though he actually owned both companies.

Peterbilt continues to grow strong In 1960 Peterbilt put out 800 trucks and sales kept on increasing as more and more people began to trust and love the quality made trucks. The company was soon unable to make as many as the customers desired, so Peterbilt expanded to two manufacturing plants and built one in Madison, Tenn in 1969.

By 1973 Peterbilt was delivering more than 8,000 of its trucks and by 1975, it had opened up a version of Peterbilt in Canada. By 1980 it had another plant in Denton, Texas and by 1993 their headquarters was in California where it still is to this day. Denton become the sole manufacturing plant to build Peterbilt's 362 COE model truck.

Peterbilt's Truck Lines Peterbilt lines originally had model numbers that started with a number 2, which stood for single axle models and a number 3 for those with a dual drive. However, by the late 1970s, they stopped doing this sort of distinction. Some of the more distinctive or well known models were:

- 200/265: This was a smaller truck that had a cab based on a Volkswagen MAN G90 and it is still being made in Brazil.

- 260/360: This is the actual first model of Peterbilt trucks.

- 280/350: This model was built between 1949 and 1957 and was known for its unique cycle style fenders in the front and having a long style grill that had vertical shutters on it.

-281/351: This version of the Peterbilt model of truck was made from 1954 to 1976. One of its main claims to fame is that a model 281 appeared in the Steven Spielberg 1971 movie, Duel, where an evil truck was trying to kill people. It was a 1950 year version of that model of the 281 Peterbilt truck.

- 282/352: This version of the Peterbilt trucks had a tilt-cab cab-over-engine and was the model that came out after the 351, which was a non-tilting cab-over style. It was called the Pacemaker after someone won a contest to name it and got a color television as a prize. The Pacemaker also was developed as a 352 model and won fame when it appeared on the Knight Rider TV show as the evil super truck named Goliath, as well as being the model that was being sung about in the truck song, Convoy.

- 358: This model was the company's very first tilt hood style truck. It was sold until 1976.

- 359: This model of Petebilt truck was sold from 1967 to 1987. The 1100 series of these had a bulkhead style of door that is still in used today.

- 346: This is a very rare version of the Peterbilt brand and a mere 10 of these trucks were built from 1972 to 1975. It was meant to be used to mix concrete, or as a dump truck or snow plow type truck.

- 348: The model 348 was sold between 1970 and 1986 and had a sloped fiberglass hood for better visibility. It was the first fiberglass hood Peterbilt made.

- 353: The 353 replaced flat fender models and instead had pit style fenders. It was used in construction.

- 387: The 387 Peterbilt trucks were also made in 1976 to 1987. It had a heavy weight frame, flat fenders, undercab steps, big bumper and was used to carry coal.

- 362: The 362 became the Peterbilt flagship truck in 1981. It had two kinds of windshield wipers, one was a one-piece center style and the other had either three or two wipers. It also introduced a front axle that was set back and had longer springs in the front. The last one was made in 2005.

- 372: This Peterbilt model is considered the one that is the most aerodynamic, the cab nose piece can be flipped forward so that it is easy to do maintenance on it. It was made from 1988 to 1993. It's said that it has a sort of Darth Vader like look because it looks somewhat like a helmet shape.

- 377: This model incorporated some headlights into the fenders and was also considered aerodynamic. It was made with a front axle that was set forward, as well as one that was set back. It was made from 1987 to 2000.

- 378: This Peterbilt truck had a steep fiberglass design on its hood and came as a front axle that was set back in its design. It was popular for over the road, as well as local trucking.

- 357: The 357 was similar in style to the 378, but was more of a heavy weight than it was. This is because it was designed for construction. It also came with flat fenders, a new style of hood and grill that it had put on in 2004.This vocational style hood was created for clients who wanted front engine power. It was very popular in the heavy haul trucking industry.

- 385: The 385 model was made between 1996 and 2007. It was meant to be a competitor to a truck put out by the Freightliner brand, the FLD.

- 379: Between 1987 and 2007 this was Peterbilt's main flagship truck. A claim to fame is that Autobot leader Optimus Prime was shown as a 1997 Peterbilt Model-379 Extended Hood truck in the Transformer's movie.

- 389: this model ushered in some of the changes in Peterbilt models to make them compliant to 2007 EPA standards.

Many more styles and models of Peterbilt trucks have come out since this time and the company is still going strong with many truckers desiring to drive and or own a model of the legendary Peterbilt Trucks.

Is Monster Mastuzaka Known

Is a youth called Japanese Daisuke Matsuzaka known?

It is a Japanese player which comes and certainly plays an active part in a season and MLB.

In a Japanese player, equivalent to Ichiro or it is the player which has received evaluation beyond it.

A position is a pitcher.

The evaluation from the major leagues is exceptionally high, and the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Dodgers, the Mets, the Mariners, etc. are aiming at it.

Eager one is especially called the Yankees and Mariners.

It seems that it is fairly positive to acquisition since not both teams have the uneasiness in an acquisition fund side and are insufficient of starters.

There is a big problem in the Matsuzaka acquisition.

It is a posting system.

About a posting system

It is the system which is prescribed about the transfer of the player between Japan and the U.S. by the Japan-U.S. player agreement to define, and was born as a player's new overseas transfer method.

1. When a Japanese professional baseball team accepts the will of the player without FA qualification who wishes a transfer abroad, a professional baseball team notifies that the player is a player a contract of can be made to major-leagues commissioner through the commissioner of Japanese professional baseball.

2. Major-leagues commissioner notifies of the contents of the above-mentioned notification to major-leagues each professional baseball team (posting).

3. The interested major-leagues professional baseball team has to show the amount of money for acquisition to the player by whom posting was done within 40 days to major-leagues commissioner from the day which had notification from major-leagues commissioner.

4. When there are two or more professional baseball teams who showed interest, the professional baseball team who presented the big-ticket amount of a bid acquires bargaining rights with a Japanese professional baseball team.

5. A Japanese professional baseball team cannot be concerned with a player's will, but, on the other hand, can refuse on a target negotiation with the major-leagues professional baseball team who acquired bargaining rights.

6. When a major-leagues professional baseball team reaches a contract with a Japanese player, the amount of money for a bid is paid to the Japanese professional baseball team who abandons this player's right of possession the total amount as that countervalue.

-Japan Professional Baseball Players Association web site-

It is because the amount of money for acquisition becomes huge only at the pitcher called number one's ability in the past several years.

According to the press reports, it is said that the amount of money for a bid is 30 million dollars or more.

Although a major professional baseball team positive to acquisition seemingly has more than one, probably, the professional baseball team who can pay this amount of money does not have a not many deer.

Matsuzaka's profile is as follows.

Birth date: September 13, 1980

Age: 26 years old

Hometown: Tokyo

Alma mater: Yokohama high school

Height/weight: 182cm/85kg

Draft year: 1998 (the 1st place)

Now season pitcher results

Earned run average: 2.12522

The number of games: 25

Successful pitching: 13

Victory: 17

Defeat: 5

Affiliation professional baseball team: Seibu Lions

The Japanese fan is carrying out Matsuzaka's activity to expectation.

The Travelers by Walt Long

They are day laborers, dishwashers, gardeners, landscapers and more. They are people who have come into our country to try and make a better life for them and for those back in their home country. Most of these people come from Mexico and are here illegally. Yet, they are working at jobs that many people living here would prefer not doing.

There are many who feel that these people should not be allowed to remain in our country and should be deported. Proponents of this philosophy feel that these illegal immigrants are benefitting from our health care programs, government assistance programs and more. They feel that is unfair and since they are not paying taxes and pretty much work on a cash basis, they should not profit in any way.

Walt Long's novel The Travelers reminds us of the struggles of these immigrants and the story of one man, Henry " Mickey" McAllister who decided to help smuggle larger numbers of "wetbacks' across the border from Ciudad Juarez into the Rio Grande Valley.

Enlisting the help of his lifelong friend and now partner Leonard he embarks on his own private crusade to help as many of these illegal immigrants find a new home in our country and a better life. With the help of Leonard and his wife Lucy they manage to bring these people to America and house them in Leonard's run down home in Los Lunas. Hoping to be able to convert this undeveloped property into a new and better home for his wife and himself, he joins Mickey in his mission to help bring as many of these people across the border using his home as a way station until they could transport them to their families or final destinations. Leonard even employs two of these people to help with the renovations of his home.

Throughout the novel the author makes the reader aware of the issue of whether we should allow these people to remain in our country or not. With the economy declining in our country at the present time, these illegal immigrants often seek jobs in hair salons, restaurants and small shops that cater to the immigrants and when they fled from our country many business owners had to close their doors. This left many cities to rethink their positions on these laws.

Mickey, the key character in this novel had a tough childhood and a tour in the navy, which toughened him and help him develop his own perspective on life and survival. Befriending a man named John Henry, who owned a chop shop and became his close friend, together they decided to bring in large numbers of wetbacks in our country for profit.

Enter into the mix an organization called the American Immigration Control Foundation whose primary purpose was to make sure that our borders were closed to these people They did not feel that they should be afforded amnesty and allowed to remain here. This organization feels that many of these people don't seem to respect our country and are receiving the benefits of living here and make no attempt to become part of it.

Mickey, Leonard, Lucy and two immigrants that become permanent part of his life, work together to try and help these people find a better life here in America, but at what cost. Enter into the equation two young men who go on a randomly racial shooting spree. Add to that, Lucy's father and longtime friend calls him on what he is doing and strongly suggests that he discontinue what he is doing for his own sake and for his safety.

The author leaves us with many questions that we have to ask ourselves. Should these immigrants be allowed to remain here? Should be make it easier for them to become a part of our country and become citizens? After all they work hard and they do many jobs that most people are either not good at or do not want to do.

In 1986 the Immigration Reform Act or the Simpson-Mazzoli bill was passed. The purpose of the bill was to control the flow of illegal immigrants into our country and their access to jobs and employment. It also imposed fines and sanctions on employers who hired these undocumented workers. However, it did contain worker identification provisions to allow employers who were able to comply with the law.

The author brings up other issues that are just as relevant today and in the past. He discusses the issues of supremacy and discrimination and prejudice not only in this country but also throughout the world. Instead of celebrating our differences and learning from each other there are those who would rather hate someone because of their race, color or because as the author so aptly states it, "because they were born on the wrong side of the border."

This is not just a story about immigration laws, prejudice and discrimination. It is about friendship, loyalty and finally love and understanding of the human spirit to survive and flourish.

Regardless of your point of view on this topic you need to read this book and decide for yourself. After meeting the characters, learning more about them and getting to know the rationale behind their coming to our country and the reasons why Mickey, Leonard, Lucy and others risked everything to help them, you can form your own opinion. But, there is one opinion, mine, that I will state with total conviction right now and that is Walt Long has written a five star book and everyone needs to read it.

Fran Lewis: reviewer

Missing Ingredient to Building Your Own List

I am assuming you are here because you are an aspiring online marketer and are still looking for more success.

If you have been around the internet for very long, you have heard that "the money is in the list".

That sounds simple enough but the question is, "Okay, how do I get the list?" In fact, after awhile, you scream, "Tell me what button to push and I will push it!"

Before I reveal the missing ingredient, let's take inventory of what you might already have.

auto responder product or opportunity to sell a web page to direct people a way to collect payments

All the above are good and important. You need to understand how to properly use them... but none is the missing ingredient.

Maybe you have purchased lists, software or programs that promised to bring traffic. This traffic would help you build a productive, personal list. It didn't happen. You begin to realize there is no magic formula for you. In fact, you wonder is there anything that will work for you?

In summary, you can have all of these yet not have that elusive list. Why? Because you don't have the traffic you need to build the list! It's a mad cycle. You're mad. You become frustrated, very frustrated.

Time out!

So have you figured out what is missing? You might be thinking it is a certain method you have overlooked. No, not really.

Your head may be spinning from all the different methods successful people have shared for building their lists.

You have come to the conclusion these methods don't work. False! They are scams! False! In most cases they are probably legit. (Don't get me wrong, there are scams but sometimes people are too eager to call a good product a scam.) So what is missing? There are several things I have learned through this process of frustration and learning:

There is more than one way to build a list and get traffic - various effective methods Most methods you have heard about probably work to some degree.

The missing ingredient, I discovered was not the method but my Determination and Consistency to apply one method at a time. Wanting things to work quickly (perhaps false expectations because of the hype), I had given up too soon and become discouraged.

My next move was to jump to another method or plan and I would repeat the same downward cycle. This may sound simplistic but it truly is the key ingredient to building a wildly profitable list. Determination and consistency in my efforts.

Are you ready? You probably already have many of the tools. Let's go! Now that you are ready to apply yourself, where is the best place for you start?

I suggest a free seven part e-course that will have you on your way to creating the big, responsive list you have always dreamed of. This course will help keep you on track. Be determined and start today!

How to Avoid Becoming Wesley Snipes' Cell Mate

A recent, high profile tax case has been all over the news. Actor Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years in federal prison last week on misdemeanor charges of willfully failing to file tax returns. While he was also charged with tax evasion, he was not convicted on those charges.

Now, just for the record, my intention here is not to weight the merits of the case against Wesley Snipes, nor get into the discussion about the legitimacy of the government's tax authority or lack thereof. My intention here is to simply explain how to avoid a similar fate yourself.

So, what exactly IS "willful failure to file a tax return", and why does the IRS consider this to be such an egregious error?

First, one needs to understand the mission of the IRS. The IRS mission statement is to "provide America's taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness to all." I want to put emphasis on the "meet their tax responsibilities part". Whether you think you have a "responsibility" to pay taxes or not, the government thinks you do, and they've tasked the IRS without collecting that tax.

What does this have to do with filing tax returns? It's pretty simple, actually. In order for the IRS to collect taxes from you, they have to know HOW MUCH to collect. If there's no dollar figure for them to go on, they're pretty much in the dark. A tax return provides this number. Not only that, but a tax return includes your most recent address and perhaps even your phone number, so it provides contact information to the IRS for how to reach you in order to collect said tax.

Since the IRS collects the vast majority of the information that they need in order to do THEIR jobs via tax returns, they consider the filing of those tax returns to be one of YOUR biggest responsibilities in this whole process. In fact, it's considered so important that the penalties for failing to file a tax return on time are the steepest penalties that the IRS charges. This penalty is 5% of the balance due per month or fraction of a month, with a 25% cap. On top of that, the IRS is going to charge you interest not only on the principal, but also on all penalties. So, the failure to file penalty, plus interest, can really add up quickly, and can do so in less than 6 months.

Compare the failure to file penalty with the other common penalty for individual income tax payers: the failure to pay penalty. This penalty is "only" one half of one percent per month, and also has a 25% cap. Note that it takes 50 months to max out this penalty, whereas it only takes 5 months to max out the failure to file penalty.

Now, what happens if you don't file your tax returns? We work with clients all the time that haven't filed tax returns in years and years, sometimes even decades. In the majority of cases, the IRS doesn't pursue criminal charges on these individuals, unless the circumstances are such that the taxpayer is blatantly and purposefully refusing to comply with the law, which is apparently what got Wesley Snipes into such hot water.

Most of the time, the IRS will file a return on your behalf, called a Substitute For Return, or SFR. This tends to be a bad thing, since the IRS knows nothing about your dependent exemptions, may not know your current marital status, and has no records of your medical expenses, charitable donations, or any of the other hundreds of other legitimate tax deductions you might otherwise be eligible for. This means that they take the income information provided to them by employers, banks, pension companies, etc., and use that as the basis for preparing a tax return. At best, the only deductions you'll get are the standard deduction and one personal exemption, and nothing more. Also, they will tax you at the highest tax rate for whatever income they have record of. As you can see, having the IRS file your tax return for you is a very BAD IDEA.

There are a lot of people that don't file tax returns because they know that they are going to owe. They think that simply not filing means that the tax won't get assessed against them, which isn't true. Once an SFR is filed, the penalties and interest are then calculated based on when the return SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILED, not when the SFR was done. That means that years worth of penalties and interest could already have accrued, which can easily double your tax bill.

So, the lesson to be learned here is that, even if you haven't filed tax returns in years, it's better to take the time to get caught up, because just about any tax return you file is going to be better than what the IRS comes up with. Also, if you file the return on your own, you're looked at much more favorably in the eyes of almost any Revenue Officer (i.e., "collections guy") that gets assigned to your case, and demonstrates a willingness to play ball with the IRS and work towards a satisfactory resolution of the situation.

Lonesome Dove by Larry Mcmurtry

It has been a long time since I have read a book that has been able to chill my veins or make me cry.

The Lonesome Dove is exactly what I needed. Although it is a long read, when you start you easily get hooked.

In fact it is so impressive that I actually didn't want the story to end and as I reached the last couple of chapters, it actually was depressing to realize that the fun was over.

The story has its own share of horror and heart wrenching moments. The plot of the story is a very simple one, the adventure begins when a group of out of work Texan rangers, an ex-whore, and various cow-hands of all ages are assigned the task of driving a herd of cattle across the country into Montana.

The plot is a slow one but the writing is so amazing and the characters so interesting and like-able that one does not really notice the slowish pace. The list of characters in the novel is a long one and there are many subplots so if this is not your sort of thing i wouldn't recommend it.

The book is full of horror, you learn fairly quickly to not get too attached to the characters, when they are trampled by the herd or pushed off a ridge. There is one death that left me pretty shaken up and made me think that the character was not really dead. Death comes easily and unexpectedly, add to this the desperation of these times when medicines were not exactly reliable.....

I can't really do justice to the lonesome dove, so I will just recommend that you read it for yourself. Before the text begins, a quote is given: "What they dreamed, we live, and what we dream, they lived".

A Guide To How To Appeal Your Property Taxes

Fair to say, if you are living anywhere in the country, you are probably paying more property taxes than you should. The National Taxpayers Union, in fact, estimates that approximately 60% of all US properties are currently overassessed.

What makes this particularly shocking is that, since 2003, prices of median homes have declined dramatically. We would therefore expect tax assessments to be adjusted so as to reflect such declines in market values - though this has generally not been the case. Therefore property taxes for many homeowners unfairly continue to increase despite a continued decrease in local home values.

Due to a considerable shortfall in budgets, many municipalities are, in essence, heaping extra taxes on homeowners - many of whom are exercising their constitutional right for an appeal. Though appealing property tax assessments can be difficult and time consuming - and not always successful - being well-prepared for the fight can significantly increase your chances of success.

Assess your assessment

It is important to understand how your property is assessed. Ask a local realtor to help you compare your property with similar properties which sold recently to determine its market value. Multiply that value with the assessment ratio that has been established for your town. If the market value of your property is, say, $100,000 and its assessment ratio is 80%, this means the tax levied on that property is $80,000. Some rural areas and high class neighborhoods use another method of assessment by estimating the house replacement cost by adjusting factors such as the land value.

Property Record Card

Check for errors in your assessment next. To do so, you will need to obtain the worksheet of your property from your local assessor's office. This work sheet is also known as property record card and contains information of your property such as number of rooms, dimensions, number of bathrooms, and so on. Check whether all the information about your property provided in the worksheet is correct or not. If you discover any incorrect or missing information submit this information immediately to the local assessor along with a blue print of your property. In this way you will could receive an immediate reduction and become exempt from a formal appeal.

Comparable Sales

Compare the assessed value of your property with other similar properties in that area. Look at the property's worksheet to compare other factors like square footage, age, bedrooms, bathrooms, and so on. In this way you may be in a stronger position to appeal if your property's assessed value is determined to be higher than at least five other properties. Make a list of comparable properties along with their other details like square footage, construction material grades, same neighborhood, and so on. This list should be produced when demanded by the assessor. The record of your neighborhood's properties is available at the website of your local assessor.

In case you find only three assessed properties at lower and three at a higher value don't lose hope because in this case you might be entitled to a reduction representing the difference between comparable properties and your property. Your house may be the only property with lousy grading which prevents you from having a garden or a less than desired view of your city's water tower.

Fight back

Different localities have different rules and your assessment should be capable of explaining how your appeal works. For this you can provide evidence to the assessor including a list of comparable properties, repair estimates, blueprints, and photographs for review. In this way you can obtain a good settlement in an informal way and the assessor may continue completing his rolls and get a fair reduction for you. On the other hand if some settlement is not agreed upon, continue paying your taxes so as to avoid any future penalties on your property. Don't worry because if the county is satisfied with your appeal, you will get a reduction or check on all future bills thereafter.

Before submitting your appeal form and other related documents, ensure whether or not they comply with all the requirements stated by the county. Keep one copy of all the documents and information submitted by you for your files In a few months you will probably receive a reply and if you think that the reduction you've got is not fair, you can follow the next step. The next step is to submit your case in front of an independent local appealing body. This will be more advantageous because you can personally explain your case. You can use photographs, blueprints, etc to prove that your appeal is correct. Also submit a copy of all the assessed document highlighting important points to every board member.

If your case at local level fails, you can take it to state, and even the judicial, level. Bear in mind, however, that judicial hearing will court fees, lawyer's fees, and other expenses that could negate any savings you might realize from winning an appeal.

Where to search for the right help

It is better to employ an expert assistance which will not only save time but provide proper guidance also. In this way your appeal will become stronger. One more option is to submit your address and case to an online service company. Such companies - for a moderate fee - will highlight comparable homes in your area along with their assessment information and their sale price. If they consider your case strong enough they will send you a report which you can file with your local appeals board. If the appeals board rejects your appeal your money is then refunded.

Should you decide instead on hiring a professional appraiser, confirm that the board to which you are appealing your case permits such a professional or not. Certified appraisers can be found through the Appraisal Institute or the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers. Most charge anywhere between $250 and $500. Hire a person who is not only experienced in the field but also is familiar with local neighborhoods in your area.