Haunted Mansion Fireworks Display....AWESOME ~

A Haunted Mansion themed fireworks display won this years Pyrotechnics Guild International competition. The Pyrotechnics Guild International, Inc., founded in 1969, is an independent worldwide nonprofit organization of amateur and professional fireworks enthusiasts.


According to Danny Clark "Although it is hard to see in the video, the sparkling prop in the beginning is a miniature mansion. "

He says on Google groups - "The choreography is done in a couple of steps. First, we peice together the soundtrack using a product called Adobe Audition. Then we use a program called SmartFire to mark where in the show we want effects. The trick is to pick effects that last the right amount of time and fit the peice of music. We do that by going to demo nights of fireworks importers."

"Most of the product in the show came from a company in Pennsylvania called Kellners Fireworks (www.kellfire.com). Once we have a map of the fireworks we want to use, we install what is called an ematch into the device which converts it from handfire to electric fire. We then run wires from each firework to a module in the field. It is similar to a computer network. Then we go back into the software and make sure that each devices location on the network is set to fire at certain times to match the music. A show like you saw would have about a 1000 lines. "

Ever heard of Cakesicles ??? - Baking time is here !

Cakesicles!! That is so cool ! My kids would love this. Ok here is an idea. Bake the cakesicles. Cool. Then dip them in your favorite melted ice-cream and then melted chocolate. It would be ice-cream and cake all in one. Yummmm !!!!!!!

What is it about children and snacks on a stick? Lollipops, popsicles, and now, "cake-sicles"! Bake them, then frost and decorate. You can also use the pan to make Crispy Rice Treats on a Stick.

The Cake-Sicle Pan !

Cuba's Oldest Person dies at 126, October 13th 2006

Benito Martinez Abrogan, Cuba's oldest person and star of the government's efforts to promote healthy lives for its oldest citizens, died in Central Cuba. He was said to be 126, but there was no definitive proof of his age, as he had no birth certificate.


Martínez claimed to have come to Cuba via steamship in the 1920s, whereupon he initially found employment on the family ranch of Cuban president Fidel Castro. He was nicknamed, “El Avión” (the aeroplane), for the speed at which he worked. He later settled in a small farming community outside Ciego de Avila, where he lived out his days as a perpetual bachelor. He attributed his longevity to a healthy diet of rice and fresh vegetables and the occasional alcoholic beverage. Mr. Martínez also said the secret to his long life was that, "he had never cheated a man or said bad things of other people."

Benito lived alone, although a local helper cooked and cleaned for him. He has never been married and never had any children. He never owned a car. He always walked, rode a bike or took the bus. Hobbies included breeding fighting cocks, growing bananas and dancing. He rarely over ate as food was rationed. He ate mostly starchy cassava and sweet potatoes cooked in pork fat. Only in the last twenty years of his life did he give up smoking. His first doctor's visit was not until he was around 115. The only time he went to the hospital was a few days before he died.

Video Link

Google Rank Cake - Bake and reap the profits !

Ok this is funny ! With Google being in the news each and everyday....I thought we could bake a cake. I found this recipe online. Hope you like it. Bake it and Serve me a slice ! :) This one is for all you bloggers, techies and webbies out there !

6 cups thick content mix
1 jar word of mouth, whipped
2 tablespoons meta tags
1 cup creativity
In a bowl, stir content mix with 1 cup creativity. Stir. If hard, let sit overnight
Stir in meta tags.
Heat server to 100 degrees. In a 1024x768 pan or two 800x600 pans, pour mix. Beat in meta tags.

Let bake for one year. While baking, prepare word of mouth. Pagerank and Linkback will start to form on cake. Spread with a spoon of new content batter every 1-3 weeks. Bake until done.

FAQs / Comments

Q. Should I buy content batter from the box or attempt to make it myself?
A. Content batter usually tastes best homemade. Although some people might want to get it over with and buy the mix from a box, its all according to your taste. I, personally, believe homemade is more rich and adds your own personal touch.

Q. What if I'm out of creativity?
A. There are many, many people making these cakes and I'm sure they won't mind if you took a taste for inspiration. Sometimes the batter just needs a little beating. On the other hand, there are many people willing to give you free content batter in exchange for credit.

Q. I have baked for a year and pagerank nor linkback will grow!
A. Is the server set to the right temperature? Did you check it frequently? Several factors can contribute to lack of pagerank and linkback growth. Make sure you didn't do anything to make your cake stale.

Q. What brand of meta tags do you recommend?
A. Honestly, it doesn't matter. The generic ones are just as good as the expensive ones. So I wouldn't worry too much about spending tons of money on them. Actually, the best way is to make them yourself. Get creative. Mix meta tags and jot down relevant words that go with your content mix. Slice and dice, mix and match. It also helps to use a mix of creativity and scripting.

Q. I heard word of mouth was hard to come by. So how am I supposed to get 1 jar!
A. Easy. Give them something to talk about. You'll have the whole jar in no time.

Q. I do not have the patience to wait a whole year for Google Rank Cake! I have money and I will buy the biggest one there is!
A. Good luck and see you at the unemployment line. Google Rank Cake cannot be bought. Ever! While its true you can purchase the sprinkles which appears next to the Google Rank Cake, however you can never purchase the cake itself.

Q. Is it okay to let my Google Rank Cake bake longer than a year?
A. Yes. In fact, the more you let it bake, the richer it will get. Just as long as you remember to spoon on fresh content batter every so often to prevent dryness.

Q. My friends cake is the biggest I've seen and mine is the second biggest. But I've used more content batter and meta tags than him!
A. Boy, I remember the day when having a cake that was one layer too small was something to truly fuse about. You'll have your day too, just remember to keep adding content batter and creativity.

I'd love to hear how your Google Cake Rank turned out! And remember, its not the size of the server that matters, but the person behind it!

About The Author : "Ignore what other people think you like and listen to your heart, its your passions in life no one can rightfully criticize." Tia is CEO of Client Centers, LLC, an Internet and graphic service business based in Florida since 2000. She also owns and maintains NerdByte.com

Ever heard of the "FART" Tax ???

New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and sure enough the rest of the world thinks so too....as tourism has doubled since the popularity of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, which was filmed in its entirety in New Zealand. Against the scenic backdrops of mountains and the sea, it seems it is "God's Country" !

So how does the NZ government protect this pristine land? Hmmm how about imposing a FART tax ! Livestock produce tons and tons of methane, which really adversely affects the environment. Pollution is an externalized cost -- meaning that gas released in the air represents damage to other parties created by a method of doing business -- and the farmers should be responsible.

I ask, How does the New Zealand government come up with a breakdown of how much should be charged per species or per fart?

Wanna "SHOOT" your rubbish into a dustpan?

Stephen Reed of http://www.stephenreed.net/ - Industrial Design studio is based in Deptford, London has innovation combined with some cool designs. Recently his scrabble sofas were featured on Boing Boing

Well besides the scrabble table I thought the SWEEPER KITCHEN BROOM was funner ! Although I love to clean....it would be great making it disappear while shooting a goal. I used to be a field hockey player in high school, so this one is going to be perfect !

One of the world's smallest legible dictionaries I have seen!

The Junkers English - German Dictionary was my father's - Jagdishchandra Govindrao Kulkarni. He used it in his travels to Germany and Europe. It is one of my prized possessions !

It has 704 pages and as you can see it is SMALL ! It is 1 3/4 th inch wide, 2 1/4 inch high and 3/4th inch deep.

It was printed in Germany in October 1953.

300 Million and counting !

US population reaches 300 million at 7.46 am October 18th 2006.

"It took the nation 139 years to get to 100 million mark in 1915. And another 52 years to reach 200 million in 1967. But it will have taken just 39 years to hit the 300 million mark, which means that the country is getting bigger and much bigger much faster." said Anderson Cooper on his show on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360

Want to know the WORLD POPULATION as of today?

The US Census Bureau's Web site has a POP CLOCK that shows up to the minute the population of the US and the World.

According to the US Census Bureau there is

One birth every.................................. 7 seconds
One death every.................................. 13 seconds
One international migrant (net) every............ 31 seconds
Net gain of one person every..................... 11 seconds

Ask.com releases the new Moblie search

From the Ask.com blog straight to you. Emanuel Bettelheim, Product Manager, Mobile Ask.com announced on October 12th their brand new search for mobiles. It makes searching on the road a lot easier. Well, I have not tried it yet but sounds really good. You can search for directions, images, business listings, weather, bloglines and more.

Blogging 5 year old ! Huh !

George Sfarnas' comic Being Five is about Georgie, a 5 year old kid who blogs about anything and everything, using voice recognition software. Well, he sure can't type you know ! Sfarnas has a five-year-old son, and he is the inspiration for the comic strip. Just like Georgie, Sfarnas is a blogger. George Sfarnas uses his blog to publish his cartoon about a little boy who blogs. The blog entries are funny little snippets that sound very much like some of the things my kids used to say. He blogs on the soccer field, from treetops, during kindergarten, and in his own bedroom.

Here is his recent blog about Google & You Tube!

Have you met Ms. Dewey yet? Search Something !

Google is still the best search engine there is ! Here is a new search engine that making search fun for a bit. Ms. Dewey is a new, interactive, Flash based search engine. To assist you in your search, the website is hosted by smoking hot model/actress/vocalist, Janina Gavankar, who is guest starring in upcoming new episodes of Showtime's "The L Word". See what she and the site are capable of by typing into the search field, or just leave it blank and watch.

Janina, is an American actress and musician of Indian and Dutch descent. Gavankar is a classically trained pianist, vocalist, and orchestral percussionist. She majored in Theatre Performance in Chicago during her college years. At one point, Gavankar was part of a singing group, Endera. They were signed to a subsidiary label of Universal Records and did one album, including a brief tour, before finally disbanding. Gavankar has appeared in theatre, commercials, short films, independent films, as well as Barbershop and its sequel; Barbershop 2 - Back in Business.

In 2004, Janina moved to Los Angeles She can be seen in the upcoming Bull Run. Gavankar is also playing the role of Papi on the fourth season of The L Word.

New Dove Campaign ! Compliments are like - an apple a day !

I love the new Dove campaign for Real Beauty But I do hope that Dove highlights men and boys too the same way ! They are as vulnerable as women and girls.

Postitive reinforcement in the day to day lives of our children is an essential part of making them confident young adults. One feels pretty when you are told that you are pretty.

Try saying it to anyone today ! And mean it ! You would have just changed their perspecive of themselves. Words can mean a lot and help raise self esteem !

Seeing Red - Not with ENVY...but CHARITY !

The latest iPod Nano from Apple is RED !

Apple is giving $10 from the sale of every RED IPod ($200) to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. U2's Bono's Product Red project raises money for AIDS research. Oprah's show on friday 13th Oct was a stunner. She along with Bono hit Chicago downtown's "Magnificent Mile" on Thursday for a shopping spree to promote a new line of clothing, accessories and gadgets, including the special-edition RED iPod.

JoinRed.com(RED)™ was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver to empower consumers to shop and do good at the same time.

You can even check out the BLOG for Joinred

Participating Companies

Gap is introducing Gap (PRODUCT) RED™—a new, limited collection of clothing and accessories for men and women.

Armani is a proud partner of (PRODUCT) RED™.

Converse It's just a little, red eyelet,at the top of each pair of Converse sneakers signifies participation in (RED)™.

Motorola is introducing the new red MOTORAZR V3m.

Slide ! The widget geek strikes again :)

Recently I saw this awesome slide show of Sam preparing an Indian meal on her blog Becks & Posh That inspired me to tell you about this wonderful widget.

Get Your Own! View Slideshow

Yup I am a widget geek ! Love them ! I think its great that we can make the web an interesting place with all these new widgets. So here is more about this one .... called the SLIDE !

You can add pictures from Flikr, My Space, Photobucket, Web URLs or upload from your own computer. I think its a neat way to showcase your pictures. Enjoy !

Colorizing Carrots !

I have kids who really love those mini carrots but when I read this story I was intrigued !

"Shredded in salads and slaws, steamed, or just peeled and dunked in an herb-speckled dip, carrots are versatile veggies that add colorful zest to our dinner plates. These crunchy orange roots are also a well-known source of vitamin A. Just a single, full-size carrot more than fulfills an adult's daily quotient of the essential vitamin."

Source :"Carrots With Character" was published in the November 2004 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

Haven't seen it yet ! White n Nerdy ! Funnnny !

Rembrant ? Van Gogh ? or You?

Ever wanted to be famous ? See a life-size painting of yourself or anyone else or any of your fabulous photographs showcased in the portrait gallery of famous museums around the world !

Museumr is a great little tool. It allows you to login to your Flikr account and place one of your pictures in the museum display .

You can choose between 3 museum gallery styles and the application will create an awesome piece of art displayed in a real museum gallery complete with admiring visitors.

So now you are famous. Save the picture by downloading it to your computer or you can even upload the newly created master piece to your Flikr album. Cool !

Eric & Kathy - One of the funniest shows on Radio !

I listen to Eric & Kathy on The Mix - WTMX every morning and their pod casts are worth listening to. Here is their home page

I love the new podcast technology. Here is one show you must listen to !

Have a great day !

On Sunrises ! Each day is a new day !

All sunrises should be this beautiful and calm.

Barrington, IL - September 2006

Every sunrise is a present, a gift from God above, Gift-wrapped with scarlet ribbons and tied with bows of love

Each day's a new beginning, a time to start anew, While all the stars are sleeping, and the rose is fresh with dew

Every day's a new creation, too lovely to ignore, And we may find a blessing, just outside our door.

We cannot keep the past, like fireflies in a jar

Nor journey to the future by wishing on a star.

Every sunrise is a blessing, a gift for just today

Rejoice, my friend, embrace it before it fades away!

~ Author Unknown ~

Widgets ? Small, Fun & Useful Web Programs

A widget is a little piece of content or a tool provided by a third party that you can place on your computer, web page or blog. Here is an article by Om Malik on Widgets !

Suddenly Everything's Coming up Widgets
Breaking down the Web into small, portable pieces is the smart trend that everyone from Nokia to Google is betting on. By Om Malik, Business 2.0 Magazine October 2 2006: 11:50 AM EDT
Ok here are some great sites to get widgets on your webpages for FREE ! Google is ofcourse the leader !


From Sudoku puzzles to Videos, to Calulators to News Feeds ! The web has now become more personal than ever ! So enjoy ! HERE ARE WIDGETS FOR YOU !

Google Gadgets Google Gadgets are miniature-sized objects that offer cool and dynamic content that can be placed on any page on the web. A directory of "Google Gadgets for your webpage" is now available for webpage owners everywhere to browse and select gadgets for their own pages, at http://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open

Yahoo Widget Gallery http://widgets.yahoo.com/gallery/

Apple - Mac Widgets http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/

Inside The World Of Google !

As we rely upon search engines more and more each and every day I find that the story of the simplistic Google search page is...yup...intriguing. Here are some great sound bytes from BBC.com I really enjoyed listening to the 2 episodes. Hope you enjoy them too.


Inside The World Of Google Part One - 22.09 minutes



Inside the World Of Google Part Two - 22.07 minutes



More on More info: news.bbc.co.uk

I "URGE" you to look ! :)

Did you know the new music download site that MTV just launched?
Its at urge.com
It is 99 cents per song or you can even do a monthly or yearly fee.

In their words:

URGE is the new digital music service from MTV Networks that makes it easy to enjoy, explore and get the music you want for your PC or portable music player. URGE gives you complete access to over 2 million songs, 18 music genres, countless styles and exclusives from MTV, VH1 and CMT. URGE also gives you hundreds of playlists and radio stations, music feeds, blogs, interviews and feature stories from leading music voices.