The best summer vacation I ever had was when I went to the Grand Canyon with friends. It was amazing. Huge! There was so much to see, so far to see. I enjoyed being able to take in a ton of different details with such a grand view, as opposed to the kind of view you might get driving through a city. Everywhere you look, there’s a wall. Bam! Your field of vision ends. But not at the Canyon. It was magnificent.

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to go to India. I wonder how much flights to India cost? I know! I’ll bet they don’t cost much at all, when you book through DialAflight…

DialAflight is a UK travel company. They offer travel ideas worldwide, specializing in flights and hotels. You can visit them at www.dialaflight.com, and find heaps of helpful info regarding vacations. Need a rental car? Hotel? Flight? You’re covered! Whatever break you’re on, whether it be an extended leave of absence or just a spa holiday, DialAFlight has your back. Just call and they’ll help you get set up with a tailor-made vacation experience that is just as you request. Right down to the last detail!

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The other day, a friend of mine remarked how he'd found a high-quality repair service through a business he'd had dealings with in the past. The business, when asked who they used for repairs, quickly and kindly replied with the truth. The referral was of high quality, because it was based on legitimate experience.

But on the internet, and elsewhere, scores of individuals and groups are being convinced that it is in their best interest to refer people to the highest bidders. The arena of friendly information exchange has become Kickback City.

"Hey Hans, who cleans the Nakatomi Plaza?"

"Oh, my buddies in the Asian Dawn, of course."

"Great, thanks, I'll hire them to clean my place."

Vs.

"Hey Roy, where are the freshest Twinkies sold?"

"Not here, pal."

"Good to know. Thanks, you just saved me a few bucks."

"Try that place up the street, I've had good dealings there."

"Will do."

I'm sure there are people who, because they simply haven't found a way to monetize their advice, offer up the truth freely. But so many others are fine with spreading virtual lies…

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Whoo!! Mother’s Day!! Party!! It’s the rockinest, craziest, wackiest…. Ok just kidding. But seriously, have you figured out what you’re going to do this Sunday yet? I know what I’m doing.

I’m going to shower my mother with affection. First, a phone call, and a friendly conversation. Then the delivery truck will deliver flowers. Then a singing telegram will bring chocolates. Then a limousine will pick her up and bring her to fancy restaurant. Then, a lobster and steak dinner!

Ok, that sounds a tad expensive… Maybe just the flowers…and the candy!

But where can we get the perfect flowers for Mom? Hmm… Maybe 1800flowers.com? Yes, definitely! I encourage you, reader, to visit 1800flowers.com for all your Mothers Day gift needs. It’s the perfect place to find exactly what you’re looking for, something your deserving mother will appreciate.

Happy (upcoming) Mother’s Day!

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The internet has sped things up tremendously. Now someone somewhere can come up with a brand new catchphrase, and have it become famous in less than 24 hours. Next day, "everyone" is using the new phrase all over the place. A week later, a different phrase is hip.

Meanwhile, in slowsville, a video game manufacturer puts one of the phrases into the game as a sort of culturally-relevant bonus.

Does it become out of date quickly? Maybe. But I think most video game makers are probably aware of how quickly certain fads shift online, and so they only choose to use ideas that seem steadfast and lasting.

I wonder just how fast things will get in 10 years?

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You know how some people find a way to get a free car, just by agreeing to show a huge ad on that car? It’s like instead of a normal, solid-color paint job, that car has a huge, bold message, asking everybody on and off-road, “Who You Gonna Call?!” Beneath that would be the phone number or website of a specific company, let’s say… Phantom Nabbers.

Those types of ads must produce some kind of results, otherwise why would companies bother to give away free cars? I’ve always wondered what it would be like to drive one of those… I think you’d probably have to be ready to answer a couple questions!

Anyway, I was thinking about how a small business owner might go about using the same ad tactic, and I think I found a way. Car magnets! These are magnets that you slap on the outside of your car. Each magnet can be printed with your company logo and message. Where can you get them? VistaPrint!

VistaPrint is a printing company. They’ll print everything — dogs, cats… ok, just kidding, here’s what they really print: checks, announcements, rubber stamps, business cards, and of course, car magnets. Each item is highly customizable, and VistaPrint will take each of your specifications very seriously. So the next time you’re in the mood to buy some quality car magnets or get something else printed, think VistaPrint!

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I was reading some Yahoo news today, complete with links to the New York Times, and I was surprised to see that "A new study says it's possible to boost the amount of mental ability you were born with."

I understand what they're going for, and I get their point.

BUT! The wording just sounds like you can do something in the here and now that would retroactively impact how smart you were at the moment of birth. If you could "boost the amount of mental ability you were born with" by 100%, you'd effectively double how smart you were however many years ago you were born. But that would cause ripples throughout the past 20-60 years…

Let's see if the article (from the Times) can shed some light on the matter. Surely it will be much clearer than the short Yahoo headline.

The first sentence of the article reads, "A new study has found that it may be possible to train people to be more intelligent, increasing the brainpower they had at birth."

Wow, this is serious. This is great! So long, SAT score of 200! I'm gonna change everything.

First I'll go back and double how smart I was at age 0. Then I'll live my life up to April 30, 2008, and go back and double my intelligence again! And again and again and again…

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I know who I'm investing in…

---

[Begin Email]

From: "veforipy45606" <veforipy45606@hotmail.com>
To: 2santafe@microdsi.net
Subject: The company has real clients and income stream.
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:28:33 -0400

We have not said much in the last few weeks. We have not seen anything
of intrest. This one looks like it will be strong and steady mover.
With the new company Leadership and up and comming contracts. We feel
comforatble to bring QRVI to you.

Not all our picks will do as our last few with all climbing over 100%
in the first 5 days after our pick. But we do expect big things from
this Company.

Please take the time to do your research on this Company. Everything we
found looks like it will breakout anytime. The recent new is good but
we expect bigger things to come soon.

Quality Restaurant Ventures, Inc
QRVS
April 25: 3.90

Quality Restaurant Ventures, Inc., announced that its Board of
Directors has approved Tim Murray as the new President of QRVI. The
announcement follows several months of financial and operational reorganization.
The board has also given Murray, along with Peter Brown, President of
Obee's Franchise Systems, Inc., a seat on QRVI's Board of Directors.

Quality Restaurant Ventures Inc. announced today that a new co-branded
Sobik?s - Wing Way restaurant recently opened in Central Florida. This
is the first location that will serve both the Sobik?s and Wing Way
menus starting from opening day.

Quality Restaurant Ventures Inc. announced today it has now opened a
new Wing Way location in Central Florida . As with the company?s first
Wing Way restaurant, the new store is also co-branded with an existing
Sobik?s Subs location.

Quality Restaurant Ventures Inc. announced today that it is now
preparing to open four new locations of it?s recently announced
WING WAY fast-casual restaurant concept. The new Wing Ways will be
co-branded with existing Sobik?s Sub?s locations in Central Florida.

[End Email]

---

I know those question marks are just glitches, but they really give the second half of the email a feel of doubt, of question.

Gotta love that opening paragraph:
"…not seen anything of intrest…new company Leadership and up and comming contracts. We feel comforatble…"

With such a relaxed attitude toward spelling, I feel comforatble too!

"We have not said much in the last few weeks." Could that be true? Could the stock market spammers have taken a break in light of the craziness of our economy? Hmm…

I wonder who 2santafe@microdsi.net is? Maybe if you send an email there, it gets forwarded to tons of other accounts… If that were the case, then anyone could send out thousands of spam messages just by clicking "Send" once… And then off to jail with them!

"Please take the time to do your research on this Company." Totally cliché. "Wow, gee, if it requires research, forget that, I'll just take their word for it. Hyuh hyah, I'm brilliant!"

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I was thinking about insurance a while back, and I realized that we take great measures to prepare for an unforeseen catastrophe. We’ve got our cars insured, our homes, ourselves, our loved ones, our valuables… Some people even insure parts of themselves, parts that are essential for them to continue earning as much as they do. But now, how crazy, we’ve got one new thing to insure. Our identities!

The Federal Trade Commission has been keeping a complaint list for years, and who would have guessed that identity theft tops that list. ConsumerAffairs.com reported that in 2006, a full 36 percent of the 674,354 complaints that year were focused solely on identity theft. Isn’t that amazing? I say its nuts. It’s a real shame we live in a world where the criminals can now become so powerful that they can take your entire life away. Just like in “The Net!”

Thank goodness there are companies out there willing to help you guard against identity theft. LifeLock can protect you from ID thieves, and not only that, it’ll reduce your junk mail and superfluous credit card offers. But the best part? While it covers you for up to One Million Dollars, the Life Lock service starts at just $10 a month.

LifeLock is also pioneering the protection of children’s identities. What a strange time we live in where our children are at risk for such a new and complex threat. At least LifeLock can help give us greater security, and peace of mind.

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I think it was Meredith Viera I saw who questioned John McCain about his remarks regarding the economy, as evidenced by a campaign ad that aired in the same week during which it became generally agreed upon that our economy was hurting. In his ad, McCain had said he saw our economy as being strong.

Viera asked him about this, and he mentioned how he realized the economy isn't doing well, and how he plans to fix it.

Then she asked him if he felt such and such a way, where the way she referenced was actually pretty much a direct quote from his ad. So basically, she was asking him if he meant what was said in the ad. He said no.

But I don't think he's a liar. I think at the time, it may have seemed to him and/or his advisors that the economy could still pull through if enough people were encouraged about their prospects. Perhaps McCain's campaign believed (along with many people) that self-fulfilling prophecies are sometimes easy to influence, economically speaking. Or maybe it was a little early to predict where the economy was headed. So they go ahead and shoot the ad saying how strong the economy is, and then air it a few days later. A lot can happen in a few days, and perhaps by that time, the ad had become obsolete.

What seemed to bother me was how Viera didn't come right out and say his ad was wrong, and how McCain didn't come right out and admit that he had been mistaken. He simply treated the question as a matter of "right now," rather than, "This is what I said and why I said it, and this is what I'm saying now, and why I'm saying it." I really appreciate the latter.

But at least we know that guy who kept answering "I do not recall" is (or was) having trouble finding work. That gives me faith that our political leaders will be judged on what matters most — past performance, and a willingness to accept responsibility for that performance.

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It all makes sense. As the price of gas rises, the price of transporting goods from one place to another rises.

The Lays Potato Chip truck requires more money in order to pay for the fuel that powers the truck that moves the chips from factories to stores.

The Lays factory requires more money in order to pay for the fuel that powers the machines that make the chips.

So Lays charges more for chips in order to meet the new financial demands, created by rising oil prices.

So everything that requires machines to be either made or transported should increase in price.

But there's also the issue of the weather.

I saw on the news this morning that California was going through a cold snap, and that some crops were dying.

I also heard that riots have already begun breaking out worldwide, due to food shortages.

So gas isn't the only issue here. As the food supply decreases, demand will increase, and prices will increase accordingly.

But who needs food? Who needs gas? And if you really need both, just buy a lot of beans.

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