How to Give Great free Christmas Gifts

free Christmas desktop wallpaper

It's easy to get small gifts and stocking stuffers absolutely free! Many 100% free samples and products are available online for the asking! The Web is like a free cafeteria: it's all there free, you just have to go get it! You don't need a credit card or social security number and you don't have to buy anything! If you click to order a free sample and are asked to "participate" just back out and go on to the next one. I get free Food, Music CD's,T Shirts,tools,spices,make up,shampoo,laundry detergent and so much more completely free. With Christmas coming I want to share how I do this in hopes it will help your Christmas!

It's easy to find the 100% free goodies on the internet. Search for these terms "freebies","free sample request form","free stuff","100% freebies" note* I also visit the sweepstakes sites and enter the online sweepstakes: it's a great way to get free coupons and shopping discounts along with very cool smaller prizes from Wii's to free music.

I have been getting these freebies for many years and they really help at Christmas time! You can stuff stockings with free posters,health bars,Christmas music CD's and more! There are many free items for Pets and babies. Free Nasa Posters make great stocking stuffers, and there are tons of free educational materials given by Government sites such as the EPA for kids and teens. Moms can get free formula, diapers, sippy cups, bibs and fantastic coupons from sites like Pampers.com and Enfamil.com. Pet food companies offer treats, cans and bags of free pet food! And it's really free...you simply fill out the online form and click submit...and the item shows up in your regular mail!

I hope you will all enjoy "shopping" for free as much as I do. You could sit and order great freebies day after day and never be able to order them all! Your mailman will think you hit the lotto.

Tips and Warnings
# search Google for "freebies"
# Wal-mart (online) has great freebies that arrive quickly and change often
# visit online fast food and grocery chains for online freebies and discounts
# find a few good freebies and instant online sweepstakes sites and SUBSCRIBE
# to their free newsletters to keep your inbox full of freebies
# order all the laundry detergent and fabric softener freebies to cut down on laundry costs
# Do not give out your credit card info or social security number for a freebie!
# Good legitimate freebies don't even ask!
# Do not "participate" (usually require you to buy stuff with your credit card to get a big freebie)-Don't do it!
# Do not pay postage or shipping /handling
# only fill in the forms for 100% free stuff

I have a few sites to get you started! I use these!
Click the green name of each site
to order all the free stuff you want!

Freebie Finder finds freebies! It is an automated free stuff aggregator. It is designed it to collect free stuff offers from top freebie sites, while filtering out most scams and referral pyramids. Your feedback on freebies is used to improve the listings, and your suggestions are always appreciated. Remember to bookmark this site, because it updates every few hours! -------------------------------------------------------------

Pumpkins- BabyLand , All of the items that we list are absolutely FREE. There is no cost to you. There are NO items with S&H Fees, No SASEs and No Purchases are Required. Newest Offers are Always Added to the Top of Each List. Expired Offers are Deleted. Please tell us of any expired offers or bad links. We will promptly fix or remove them. -----------------------------------------------------------

TheFreeSite.com: Christmas Freebies , Happy holidays! You've found the Web's top collection of yuletide freebies, including gifts, samples, digital holiday cards, freebies for children, and free Christmas software. We also offer such goodies as free services that'll make sure a child's letter gets to Santa, as well as free Christmas clip art, games and contests.

Thanksgiving Bittersweet Reflections-photos

photos by William Thomas : Thanks giving at my sisters,
our family in Florida.

Thanksgiving 2008 kicked off a Christmas season
of suffering for many,nationwide. 2008 shook our faith
with scary high gas and food prices. Millions were homeless,
jobless and hopeless. Many now face a bleak Christmas,
wondering how to cope with not being able to afford a nice
Christmas for the children. In spite of what we have been through as
a nation, I found happiness on Thanksgiving. I joined my family
at my sisters home for the first time in years. My sister is worried
about not being able to provide Christmas presents to her children...
my parents are faced with tough economic choices...
how to even cover basic needs...
no money for gifts...my brother is facing a very tough Christmas...
I, however, am in heaven just to be with them. The children we all hope
will enjoy Christmas played gleefully outside. My wife and I will do
what we can to make Christmas a little more cheerful for
our family. With a little more creativity, togetherness and a little less
emphasis on the material, American families will rise above the troubles
of 2008 and find new ways to enjoy Christmas. Many new family traditions
arise from tough times. Please post your Christmas tips here in comments!

William Thomas

Happy Thanksgiving Photos-The view of North Bay,WA

Photos by Kathy Thomas

Happy Thanksgiving! Here is the view from our living room this morning. You
can use these as free desktops or on your blog or emails!

Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fortunate Son, lyrics

photo by William Thomas

Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fortunate Son, lyrics
Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, theyre red, white and blue.
And when the band plays hail to the chief,
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, lord,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no senators son, son.
It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, no,

Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, dont they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes,
Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fortunate Son

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no millionaires son, no.
It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, no.

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
Ooh, they send you down to war, lord,
And when you ask them, how much should we give?
Ooh, they only answer more! more! more! yoh,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no military son, son.
It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, one.

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no fortunate one, no no no,
It aint me, it aint me, I aint no fortunate son, no no no,

Clammath Falls Oregon-free desktop wallpapers

photos by William Thomas (DJ Washingtonson)

I took these photos in Clammath Falls, Oregon today.
Try one on your desktop.

Secret Life of Truckers-Free Trucking Photos,Mount Shasta

photos by William Thomas
Secret Life of Truckers-Free Trucking Photos, Mount Shasta Area

Ride With Me- Because I drive a truck for a living I constantly travel.

I am lucky enough to see some beautiful sights. You can use my photos on your blog
/ MySpace, you can turn them into backgrounds,etc.-just
"Ride With Me" and have fun with the photos

These were taken a few days ago in the Mount Shasta area.

James Taylor, Sweet Baby James lyrics

photo by William Thomas -Ride With Me-free desktop wallpaper

James Taylor, Sweet Baby James lyrics

There is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
Thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft but its clear
As if maybe someone could hear

(chorus)
Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby james
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Wont you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby james

Now the first of december was covered with snow
And so was the turnpike from stockbridge to boston
Lord, the berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

Theres a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me

Giant Wind Mills in Palm Springs-free desktop wallpapers

free desktop wallpapers-Ride With Me-photos by William Thomas
Alternative Energy is a rapidly spreading reality .
Giant Wind Mills dominate the landscape.
These photos were taken today.

The Secret Life of Truckers-My Truck

photos by William Thomas

Here is the Beast- my truck. It's hard to be away from my family and to be so isolated.
I sent these photos with my phone. I'm in Arizona now.

Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer,Lyrics

My home in Washington-William Thomas

Waiting On The World To Change lyrics
Hear the Song

me and all my friends
we're all misunderstood
they say we stand for nothing and
there's no way we ever could
now we see everything that's going wrong
with the world and those who lead it
we just feel like we don't have the means
to rise above and beat it

so we keep waiting
waiting on the world to change
we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

it's hard to beat the system
when we're standing at a distance
so we keep waiting
waiting on the world to change
now if we had the power
to bring our neighbors home from war
they would have never missed a Christmas
no more ribbons on their door
and when you trust your television
what you get is what you got
cause when they own the information, oh
they can bend it all they want

that's why we're waiting
waiting on the world to change
we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

it's not that we don't care,
we just know that the fight ain't fair
so we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

and we're still waiting
waiting on the world to change
we keep on waiting waiting on the world to change
one day our generation
is gonna rule the population
so we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

Sing it With Soul-sing with us

My Family in Florida, my Home in Washington-photos by William Thomas

Sing it With Soul-CLICK HERE to hear the Music or use the widget at the top of this page.

I'm sitting in my truck just outside of Dallas, TX.

My Instinct phone is sending photos to WA, and then to this blog.

Join my Party! Sunday of Soul, DJ Washingtonson

Leave All your song requests (and the stories behind them) with a link to you in comments!

Philadelphia soul, Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly

The Stylistics were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and comprised lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love (second lead on "You Make Me Feel Brand New"), James Smith, and James Dunn.

The Sunday Soul Show (hear some Philly Soul) CLICK HERE

Philadelphia (or Philly) soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound or Sweet Philly, is a style of soul music characterized by funk influences and lush instrumental arrangements, often featuring sweeping strings and piercing horns. The subtle sound of a glockenspiel can often be heard in the background of philly soul songs. The genre laid the groundwork for Disco and what are now considered Quiet Storm and smooth jazz by fusing the R & B rhythm sections of the 1960s with the Pop Vocal tradition, and featuring a slightly more pronounced Jazz influence in its melodic structures and arrangements.

Notable Philadelphia soul artists include:

* Jean Carn
* The Delfonics
* The Intruders
* The Jones Girls
* First Choice (band)
* Patti LaBelle
* Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
* MFSB
* The O'Jays
* Billy Paul
* Teddy Pendergrass
* The Spinners
* The Stylistics
* The Three Degrees
* The Trammps
* Blue Magic
* The Soul Survivors
* Dexter Wansel
* Gamble and Huff - Notable Songwriters and Producers
* Thom Bell - Notable Songwriter and Producer
* Daryl Hall & John Oates
* The Ethics
* Common
* Jerry Butler - Some Notable Songs with Gamble and Huff
* Charles M. Mann

Woodstock Remembered-Performers,Photos

Catch the Psychedelic Saturday Show DJ Washingtonson on Blip.fm

WOODSTOCK Festival Performers 1969
===================
Joan Baez
The Band
Blood, Sweat & Tears
The Paul Butterfield
Blues Band Melon
Canned Heat
Joe Cocker
Country Joe McDonald
and The Fish
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Crosby, Stills, & Nash
The Grateful Dead
Arlo Guthrie
Tim Hardin
The Keef Hartley Band
Richie Havens
Jimi Hendrix
Incredible String Band
*Iron Butterfly
Jefferson Airplane
Janis Joplin
Melanie
Mountain
Quill
Santana
John Sebastian
Sha-Na-Na
Ravi Shankar
Sly & The Family Stone
Bert Sommer
Sweetwater
Ten Years After
The Who
Johnny Winter
#Neil Young

Gas Prices Drop-$1.65 in TN

Being a Trucker, I keep a close eye on gasoline prices.
Happy to report that I saw gas for $1.65 in TN!

Gasoline News:
Crude continues decline despite signals from OPEC
Oil prices slumped Friday, despite signals from OPEC that it may slash production again, with the markets instead focused on the most recent reports showing drastic cutbacks in spending and consumption by businesses and consumers.

Crude oil fell more than $1 a barrel, and gasoline tumbled, as the global economic slowdown cut demand in the largest energy-consuming countries.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., supplier of more than half the fuel to the Asian nation, is slashing processing rates by 10 percent from July’s record. U.S. retail sales in October dropped the most on record and Europe fell into its first recession in 15 years, reports showed today.

“This is a headline-driven market and that’s giving the sellers plenty of ammunition,” said Peter Beutel, president of energy consultant Cameron Hanover Inc. in New Canaan, Connecticut. “Everyone is looking for recessionary numbers. The retail numbers were even worse than expected.”

Crude oil for December delivery declined $1.20, or 2.1 percent, to settle at $57.04 a barrel at 2:42 p.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures touched $54.67 yesterday, the lowest since Jan. 30, 2007. Prices, which have tumbled 61 percent since reaching a record $147.27 on July 11, declined 6.6 percent this week.

Gasoline for December delivery fell 6.33 cents, or 4.9 percent, to $1.2391 a gallon in New York, the lowest settlement price since the contract was introduced in October 2005.

China Petroleum, or Sinopec, will process about 15 million metric tons a month, or 3.65 million barrels a day, starting in November, said three refinery officials, who declined to be named because of internal rules. China is the world’s second-biggest oil-consuming country.

Falling Sales

Retail sales in the U.S. dropped 2.8 percent in October, the fourth consecutive drop and the biggest since records began in 1992, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. Purchases excluding automobiles also posted their worst performance. The U.S. consumes 24 percent of the world’s oil.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, supplier of 40 percent of the world’s oil, is “very likely” to recommend a production cut at the end of this month, Iran’s OPEC governor, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, told the country’s state-run Mehr news agency. Iran is OPEC’s second-biggest oil producer.

OPEC will hold a meeting on Nov. 29 in Cairo, according to a spokesman at the group’s Vienna headquarters. It will coincide with a gathering of Arab oil ministers scheduled for that day.

‘Significant Lag’

“OPEC may well announce additional production cuts, but there will be a significant lag effect, with any cuts coming well into next year,” said Paul Crovo, a Philadelphia-based oil analyst with PNC Capital Advisors. Compliance from members may not be in line with announced reductions, producing a “muted impact,” he said.

Florida-OVER 700 PROPERTIES UP FOR AUCTION

Bid on Bargain Buys at Huge Florida Auction Event!

RealtyTrac, in partnership with Hudson and Marshall, presents you with an amazing opportunity to buy a bank-owned foreclosure property at a discounted price.

Over 700 properties will be auctioned at this 5-day event!

This is your chance to purchase real estate through reduced prices but without all the extra legwork often associated with foreclosure buying and investing.

OVER 700 PROPERTIES UP FOR AUCTION!

Register to attend or bid on properties at these upcoming home auction events!


12/2/2008 Ft. Myers Area

12/2/2008 Fort Pierce Area

12/2/2008 Pensacola Area

12/2/2008 On-Site - Panama City Beach

12/3/2008 Tampa Area

12/3/2008 Port Charlotte Area

12/3/2008 Jacksonville Area


12/3/2008 Titusville Area

12/3/2008 Tallahassee Area

12/4/2008 Orlando Area

12/4/2008 Gainesville Area

12/6/2008 Miami / Ft. Lauderdale Area

12/7/2008 Miami / Ft. Lauderdale Area

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PROPERTIES

Obama is Ready to Kill Bin Laden

President-elect Barack Obama to renew efforts to hunt down Osama bin Laden

• "We will kill bin Laden," he said in a debate last month
  

President-elect Barack Obama wants to renew the U.S. commitment to finding al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to his national security advisers.
Osama bin Laden remains on the run despite a $25 million reward for his capture.

The Obama team believes the Bush administration has downplayed the importance of catching the FBI's most-wanted terrorist because it has not been able to find him.

"We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority," Obama said during the presidential debate on October 7.

Recipes for Cooking on Your Car Engine

Ladies, gentlemen, start your engines.
But only after you've loaded them up with sausages, chicken, crabs, Cajun shrimp and plenty of vegetables.

Car engine cooking will change the way you take road trips.

So, how do you find the best places on your car engine to place your chicken, your veggies or your succulent piece of rainbow trout? Well, it all comes down to...your finger.

Get your car up to operating speed, or better yet take it for a drive around the block for five minutes, and then bring it back to the garage and lift the hood. Now, finger at the ready, you start quickly touching various parts of the engine (nothing plastic...that will never get hot enough to cook anything). And by quickly touching, it's the kind of swift stab that means your finger feels the heat but you don't give yourself a third degree burn. (If you're feeling really fussy, try an infrared thermometer). Usually, the hottest part of the engine will be the exhaust manifold. On older cars, the top of the engine block will be a good, sizzling place.

You're not just looking for the hottest parts of the engine. Like any kind of cooking, different foods require different temperatures. A very hot part of the engine will be great for thick meat, a cooler part good for veggies or fish. Or, if you're traveling many hundreds of miles, you may want to use the cooler part to slow-cook your meat. Mmmm. As always, this is trial and error.

Car engine cooking no-nos...

1 - Give the accelerator linkage a WIDE berth. It connects the gas pedal to carburetor or fuel-injection system and regulates the flow of fuel to the cylinders. Jam this and either your car won't start, or worse, it won't stop!

2 - Don't block the airflow. You'll suffocate the engine.

3 - Avoid yanking wires. Or pulling wires. Or forcing a food-package to fit. Basic rule of thumb...if you have to force it, you shouldn't put it in.

4 - Place food with the engine OFF. Seems like an obvious rule, but if you don't want a nasty injury, follow this advice.

5 - Avoid foods with lots of liquid. Foil-wrapping a meal with lots of liquid could results in unwanted goop all over your engine. And that's not good for it.

The FOIL CONE test
This is done to give you a good idea of how much room you have in your new 'oven', and cannot be skipped. Simply make a cone of aluminum foil about 5 inches high, place it on the injector housing, then shut the hood. Now, when you open it, how much of that cone has been crushed? If it's a lot, your car engine will only be good for cooking slimmer meals, like fish and strip steak. If it hasn't been touched, you'll need extra foil to stop your packages from moving around.

Preparing your meal
Foil is about to become your new best friend. Grab a sheet of foil large enough to comfortably cover the food/ingredients. You don't want to be cheap on foil here, more is better. Wrap the foil around, creating a package, and crimp the foil tightly. You want a seal all around the food. And then do it again. And then again. Triple-wrapping in foil is the only way to ensure a tight, sealed, safe package.

Cruise-Control Pork Tenderloin - Cooking distance: 250 miles
I like this one because it's soft and tender, and is a great treat for the end of a long journey (hey, I'm a Brit...250 miles is along way to me).

Ingredients:
1 large pork tenderloin, butterflied
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp dry white wine
1/2 cup red onion, minced
2 tsp rosemary (fresh), crushed
Salt & pepper

Blend together all of the ingredients (except the pork) and spread across the inside of the pork tenderloin. Close up the pork, triple-wrap in foil and place on a medium-hot part of the engine. Turn once (125 miles) during cooking.


Any-city Chicken Wings (sweet) - Cooking distance: 140-200 miles
Is there a better snack food than buffalo chicken wings? I can't think of one, personally. So imagine my delight when I discovered a car-engine recipe. Feel free to swap out ingredients according to how hot/spicy/tangy you like your wings. This is my take on the recipe (the optional ingredients).

Ingredients:
18 chicken wings
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp molasses (optional)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
4-6 minced jalapenos
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp honey (optional)
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
Pinch of salt
Fresh black pepper (optional)
Splash of Tabasco Chipotle sauce (optional)
Splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Blend together all of the ingredients (except wings) and pour over chicken wings. Cover tightly in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Drain wings (save the marinade) and divide into three foil packages. Brush with marinade, then triple-wrap each package tightly and place on medium-hot part of the engine. I like my chicken well done so I do the 200 miles, or around 3 1/2 hours.


Good & simple Cajun Shrimp/Crayfish - Cooking distance: 35 miles
I love shrimp, and this is a quick journey. For most, it's an average morning's commute. What a way to start the day...Cajun Shrimp for breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 pound large shrimp or crayfish tails, in shells.
6 small green hot peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Butter or spread
Salt & pepper

Remove seeds from peppers (ouch, they are hot) and mince with the onion and garlic. Butter your foil, add the shrimp and cover with your spicy mixture. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper, then triple-wrap and place in a medium part of the engine. Delicious, seasoned, spicy shrimp or crayfish await.


Eggs On Cheese Pie - Cooking distance: 55 miles
Another good breakfast food, or anytime food. Legend has it that the recipe (minus the cooking method) originated in medieval monasteries. A holy treat.

Ingredients:
Breadcrumbs (Italian or fresh homemade)
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cubed
6 eggs (free range folks....be good)
Diced Canadian bacon (optional)
6 empty tuna-fish cans for cooking
Pinch of cayenne and paprika (optional)
Butter or spread.
Salt & pepper.

Wash 6 empty tuna cans and butter the insides. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs into each can and shake to cover the base evenly. Dump out excess. Now cover with mozzarella (and bacon if desired) then crack an egg on top of each, add seasonings and spices on top, then cover with mozzarella. Wrap cans tightly in foil, place on a hot part of the engine with good contact for the base of each can, and after 55 miles they should be good. If not, keep driving till the cheese has melted.


Provolone Porsche Potatoes - Cooking distance: 55 miles
Good for vegetarians and a great side dish, this is simple, tasty car engine cooking.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound new potatoes
1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 ounces grated aged provolone (or my favorite, aged cheddar)
Butter
Salt & pepper

Peel and slice potatoes to 1.4 inch thick. Place in a saucepan with the milk and water and simmer 10 mins. Drain, then spread onto heavily buttered foil. Sprinkle with your cheese (or cheeses, experiment with flavors) and seasonings. Sprinkle with butter, triple-wrap and place around medium-hot parts of the engine. Delicious.

And finally, practice makes perfect.
You aren't going to get all of this right first time. Experiment with different ingredients, different parts of the engine and different cooking time.

10 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Acne

Do you have acne? That must be hard. But wait � there is still
hope.

Read the following tips for getting rid of that problem:

1. Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. You can
easily create juices and smoothies using ripe fruit or consume one
salad daily, even as just a side dish. You can also pop in nuts
and dried fruits in between meals.

Brazil nuts have selenium while pumpkin seeds contain zinc � both
these minerals are lacking in people with acne. So take in lots of
these two.

2. Try to drink at least two liters of still mineral water
daily. When the skin is dehydrated, dead skin cells remain on the
skin which may block pores and promote acne.

3. If you have been prescribed antibiotics to control your
acne, remember that antibiotics destroy all kinds of bacteria in
your digestive tract � even good bacteria. Without good bacteria,
you will have poor digestion, constipation, and be less able to
absorb essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

This, in turn, may lead to increased acne production since your
body cannot expel waste effectively. Toxins pass through your skin
instead. To prevent this from occurring, replace the good bacteria
in your digestive tract with a good quality probiotic.

4. You may try consuming some supplements since your diet may
not incorporate every vitamin, mineral and nutrient necessary to
getting and keeping clear skin. Some supplements are really
helpful to people with acne, such as:

� Maca � This is a powdered root vegetable from Peru that
balances and stabilizes the systems of your body while normalizing
hormones. Maca also has a lot of essential amino acids,
phytochemicals, fatty acids, and minerals such as iodine, silica,
potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium.

� Manuka honey � This one possesses strong antibiotic,
antiviral and antiseptic elements. It is great for the skin, as
well as for digestive disorders.

5. Rely only on natural skin-care products. Many skin-care
products on supermarket shelves have chemicals which can worsen
your acne. Too many chemicals can strip your skin of its natural
oils, meaning the skin will overproduce oil to compensate � thus
blocking your pores and causing more acne to show up.

Use only products with natural ingredients or try to use fewer
products to allow your skin to naturally heal.

Should you wear makeup, use formulas that are listed as
non-acnegenic or non-comedogenic.

Some products you can use are:

� Tea tree oil body wash � This product can be used for the
entire body, including the face.

� Tea tree oil � This product has antiseptic, antiviral and
antibacterial functions. It is remarkable for use by acne
sufferers. Use a cotton bud to apply this product to the acne
blemishes.

� Neem soap � This product is very good for acne victims due
to its antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral
and antibacterial properties. It also calms and soothes irritated
skin.

97 Days to the End of Analog Broadcasts

What is the digital television transition?
At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders.

What is the TV Converter Box Coupon Program?
Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to keep using their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009. The Program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, that can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes.

A TV connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service does not require a TV converter box from this program.
Consumers have a variety of options. Options to explore include:

1. Keep your existing analog TV and purchase a TV converter box. A converter box plugs into your TV and will keep it working after Feb. 17, 2009, or
2. Connect to cable, satellite or other pay service, or
3. Purchase a television with a digital tuner.

If you can't afford cable, you'll need a converter box.
I received the two allowed, they looked like credit cards.
I took then to my local Wal*Mart and used them there.
With the coupons, the boxes ended up costing around $10. each.

You can order them online (free coupons)
CLICK HERE to get yours

Puget Sound Harbor Seals-photos

Every now and again, some creature will take a liking to scuba divers
and spend a lot of time with them. In Puget Sound, it's not unusual for
harbor seals to do exactly that.


Walking along Puget Sound beaches, you may see an earless harbor seal face rise from the water. Harbor seals are the most abundant marine mammal along Puget Sound. Although curious, they are shy animals and prefer quiet, unpopulated areas.

Hauling Out

Seals like to "haul out" on protected beaches, spits, bars, rocks and log rafts to bask in the sun and sleep. At the slightest sign of danger they will slip back into the water where they swim with power and grace. On land however, seals wiggle and flop along. (Harbor seals do not have rotating hind foreflippers for walking like sea lions.)

Harbor seals often haul out at low tide to digest food, rest, give birth, or nurse young. A high tide haul out is more typical along Hood Canal.

Giving birth or "pupping" occurs in June and July along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the San Juan Islands. In southern Puget Sound and Hood Canal, pupping takes place July through September. The mother nurses the pup with rich milk for three to six weeks. The highest mortality rate for harbor seals occurs during the first few months of life; pups may be stillborn, premature, or they may starve.

Harbor Seal Facts
# Winged Foot

The harbor seal is the only pinniped that breeds along Puget Sound. Pinnipeds (seals, seal lions, and walruses) spend part of their lives in the water but depend on land to give birth and raise young. The term "pinniped" comes from the latin word "pinna" meaning winged and "ped" meaning foot.
# Small & Spotted

Adults are mottled tan or blue-grey with dark spots, measuring between four and seven feet long, weighing 250 to 300 pounds. To distinguish harbor seals from other pinnipeds along Puget Sound (California sea lions, Northern sea lions, and elephant seals) look for the harbor seal's small size, earless head, and spots.
# Deep diver

The harbor seal can plunge 300 feet and stay underwater up to 28 minutes. It can swim a fast 15 knots.
# White Before Birth

Most harbor seal pups shed a white wooly coat before they are born. Sometimes pups are born in the water. Pups can often swim after birth, when the tide returns.


Protected by Law

Harbor seals sometimes fall prey to orcas (killer whales), sharks, and people. From 1947 to 1960 a bounty was placed on seals because it was believed they ate significant amounts of commercially valuable fish. During that time it is estimated 17,000 seals were killed. Today, seals are protected from killing by the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is against the law to hunt, capture, kill, harass or otherwise disturb seals or any other marine mammal.

A Harbor Seal on Your Beach...

Harbor seals may haul out almost anywhere along Puget Sound. One may appear on the beach near your home. Often, this is not an emergency -- harbor seals naturally use the beach to rest, give birth, or die.
# Do not disturb

It is against the law to disturb harbor seals and other marine mammals. Do not harass, scare, or separate mothers from offspring. Boats should not come closer than 100 yards of marine mammals.
# To report violations

Report any violations to National Marine Fisheries Law Enforcement at 1­800­853­1964.
# To report stranded marine mammals

Dead or dying marine mammals can aid important research. If you find a stranded marine mammal, note the exact location and the condition of the animal. Call the NOAA Marine Mammal Coordinator at (206) 526-6733.

Drug Discount Cards

free Hi Res Desktop Wallpaper from Interfacelift

What are drug discount cards?
Drug discount cards are plans that offer discounts on medicine. These programs may be created by a state government, membership associations, non-profit organizations or for-profit businesses.

How much do drug discount cards cost?
Some cards are free, some have an enrollment fee or annual fee and some have monthly fees. Annual fees generally range between $30 and $60 for families; monthly fees generally range from $4.75 to $7.95 per month.

Do any drug companies offer discount cards?

The following is additional information about companies that provide drug discount cards:

Together RxAccess
This drug discount card is sponsored by 10 major pharmaceutical companies--Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Glaxo Smith Kline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Takeda and TAP Pharmaceuticals. The card is free and offers a 25%-40%* discount on over 300 brand-name and generic prescription drugs as well as other prescription products, such as glucose test strips.

To be eligible you:

• Cannot be eligible for Medicare
• Cannot have prescription drug coverage (public or private)
• Must have a household income* equal to or less than
  • $30,000 for a single person
  • $40,000 for a family of two
  • $50,000 for a family of three
  • $60,000 for a family of four
  • $70,000 for a family of five
• Must be a legal US resident

For more information call 1-800-444-4106 or visit: http://www.togetherrxaccess.com/about.htm.

Merck's Prescription Discount Program
This drug discount card helps those without prescription insurance save 15% to 20% on selected Merck medicines. Enrolling in the program is free. There are no income or age requirements but you must be a legal U.S. resident to be eligible.

The following medicines are covered:

• COSOPT®
• COZAAR®
• EMEND®
• FOSAMAX®
• FOSAMAX PLUS D™
• HYZAAR®
• JANUVIA™
• MAXALT®
• MAXALT-MLT®
• SINGULAIR®
• TRUSOPT®

To apply visit www.merckhelps.com/uninsured.

Pfizer's "Pfizer Pfriends"
This program helps those without prescription insurance save 15% to 50% on most Pfizer medicines. Enrolling in the program is free. Eligibility and benefit levels will be determined by the applicant's income, depending on individual or family status. You must be a legal U.S. resident to participate. To apply call 1-866-776-3700 or visit www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com.

What are discount pharmacy services?

Some stores have discount pharmacy services. For example, Kmart pharmacies have a 90 day generics program for $15, available anywhere in the country where there is a Kmart pharmacy. Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s pharmacies often have competitive prices. Membership is not required to use the pharmacy services. Check www.costco.com, www.samsclub.com, www.bjs.com for pharmacy locations. Costco has a mail order pharmacy service, with no additional charges for standard shipping.

Cranberry Christmas-free recipes-free photos

Free cranberry photos (desktop wallpapers)
Maine Cranberry Digital Pictures by Charles Armstrong
UMaine Cooperative Extension's Cranberry Professional
These photos are free for anyone to use - permission is not required but giving credit is always appreciated.

Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Already a star of the holiday table, Ocean Spray launches its first animated television special -- "Cranberry Christmas" -- airing at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Monday, December 8, on ABC Family as part of the network's annual 25 Days of Christmas programming event. The special will re-air on ABC Family on Saturday, December 13, at 12:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Ocean Spray has created the animated show as a special gift to consumers, commercial-free. The show is based on the classic 1976 children's book of the same title, written and illustrated by Wende and Harry Devlin. "Cranberry Christmas" features two new original songs performed by the legendary Grammy(R) Award-winning singer/songwriter, Barry Manilow. With worldwide sales of more than 75 million records and dozens of hit songs, music superstar
Advertisement
Barry Manilow co-wrote the two songs with longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman.

"Cranberries have become as much a part of holiday traditions as ice skating and decorating the tree," said Ken Romanzi, chief operating officer of Ocean Spray. "We have taken a story that is near and dear to Ocean Spray's heart and brought it to life to share with other families, and we hope that 'Cranberry Christmas' will take its place as a perennial holiday favorite."

"'Christmas Is Just Around the Corner' has been released as Manilow's Christmas single for 2008. "It's the first original holiday single from an animated TV special in decades," said Rick Ungar, executive producer of the special and former president of Marvel Productions. "I look forward to it being played for decades as well."

"We were moved by this lovely children's story because it celebrates the importance of community as well as the simple pleasures of the holiday season," said Manilow. "The songs we wrote for this television special reflect the themes of the story, which we hope will help viewers step back from the holiday hustle and bustle and get in touch with the true spirit of the season."

"Our brothers and sisters are absolutely thrilled to see our parents' work revived and come to life after a long period of quiet," said a Devlin family member. "For over 30 years we have thought Ocean Spray would be the perfect partner, and now here we are. Our parents would be overjoyed with the faithful and creative TV version of this humorous and colorful tale, with its message of forgiveness and love for the holiday season."

Story Synopsis

Set in the fictitious town of Cranberryport, the story begins three days before Christmas when grumpy old Cyrus Grape forbids children to play and skate on the ice over the local cranberry bog near his home. Young Maggie, along with her grandmother and their friend Mr. Whiskers, work together to save Christmas Day for the children by reclaiming their favorite ice skating spot and discovering the land's rightful owner.

When Mr. Whiskers learns his sister is coming to visit, it's a scramble to get his house in order and Maggie and her grandmother pitch in to help clean the old house. While working, they uncover a hidden box that holds a surprise for everyone ...

Maggie and her grandmother make delicious cookies to serve at their Christmas feast. For more recipes, visit http://www.oceanspray.com.

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray(R) Craisins(R) Original Sweetened Dried
Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl.

Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

About Ocean Spray

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 600 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 50 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed over 75 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America's leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2007 earnings of roughly $1.7 billion.

2008 Gruber Women's Rights Prize and its $500,000 Award at Columbia Law School on November 11, 2008

THE PETER AND PATRICIA GRUBER FOUNDATION PRIZE MEDAL
posted Nov/10/2008 2:31 PM · PRN

Features International Women Activists Who Challenge Religious,
Political and Cultural Biases

Yanar Mohammed, Sapana Pradhan Malla and

Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian to Receive

Prestigious Gruber Women's Rights Prize and its $500,000 Award
at Columbia Law School on November 11, 2008

NEW YORK, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Hailing from some of the world's major hotspots, four of our most dynamic women leaders will come together tomorrow in New York for a highly unusual forum on peace. The group will focus on important issues that are not generally mentioned in post-conflict talks, such as the measurements used by women in defining peace, how women can change the political debate and how they can interpose their voices in the discussion.

Moderating the panel discussion will be Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International, who is originally from Iraq. Panelists are the 2008 Gruber Foundation Women's Rights Prize recipients: Yanar Mohammed, co-founder of Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq, who succeeded in protecting numerous Iraqi women threatened by domestic abuse and what are termed honor killings; Sapana Pradhan Malla, a practicing Nepali lawyer and member of Nepal's Constituent Assembly, who has been a leader in advocating legal reforms that have extended gender equality in many areas; and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, a leading feminist scholar, therapist and activist who has worked to end domestic violence against Palestinian women, particularly in what have been referred to as honor killings.

The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation will present Ms. Mohammed, Ms. Pradhan Malla and Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian with its 2008 Women's Right Prize - an unrestricted $500,000 (US) award to be shared equally by the recipients. The panel discussion will immediately follow the Prize ceremony on November 11, 2008, at Columbia Law School.

Can't Afford Your Medicine? Patient Assistance Programs can help

Patient assistance programs help when people are not able to afford medicine.

All the information on pharmaceutical patient assistance programs plus hundreds of other programs is available for free at www.needymeds.com. Each workday over 9,500 people visit our site. We have all the applications on the website.

Our information is ease to access, updated regularly, and free. We gather no information about our users.

You don't have to pay to apply to these programs. Most are easy to apply to and respond quickly.

Rich Sagall, MD
President
NeedyMeds.com, Inc.
P.O. Box 219
Gloucester, MA 01931
richsagall@needymeds.com

Yes We Did- Barack Obama Wins ,World Rejoices-see the video

The world rejoices as Barack Obama wins a transformational election which will reshape US politics and the US role on the world stage.Yes We Can!

Yes We Did!
if you can't see the video click here to view it!



AFROMAN LYRICS

"Hush"

[Hook (Afroman talking)]
Hush, hush (yeah yeah)
Somebody's callin my name (if you listen closely baby)
Hush, hush (yeah yeah)
Somebody's callin my name
Hush (listen baby) hush (somebody's callin)
Somebody's callin my name
Oh my lord, oh my lord, what shall I do

(A man sometimes girls think I'm crazy cause I wake
her up and I tell her)
Sounds like Jesus (sounds like Jesus)
Somebody's callin my name (I know I'm high but baby)
Sounds like Jesus
And somebody's callin my name
Sounds like Jesus
Somebody's callin my name
Oh my lord, Oh my lord, what shall I do

(You know man, I think about all the hard times that I
went through and I think)
I'm so glad that trouble don't last always
I'm so glad that trouble don't last always
I'm so glad I'm glad that trouble don't last always
Oh my lord, Oh my lord, what shall I do

I gotta feelin, that everything's gonna be all right
I gotta feelin everything's gonna be all right
I gotta feelin that everything's gonna be all right
Be all right
Be all right
Be all right

(A man it's funny cause I learnt this song when I was a little kid
When I went to visit my granddaddy down there in Mobile, Alabama
He stayed in this place called Trendy Garden you know what I'm sayin?
He used to grow his vegetables right there on the side of the house
And every now and then he'd get me to help him out know what I'm sayin?
And as he was like weedin out his garden and everything
He'd sing all kinda tunes and hymns know what I'm sayin?
And sometime he'd sing the same one like over and over and over again
You know what I'm sayin?
He'd get tired of singin the words
Sometimes he'd take a sip of his water outta that glass jar, set it back down
And while we was plantin them collard greens, he'd hum it
Just like this right here, help me out cuz, you know how we used to do it)

[*humming*]

It gets all in my hands
It gets all in my feet
It makes me wanna sing my song
To every little girl I meet
It gets all in my heart
It gets all in my sole
It comes straight out my mouth
And then I lose control
Cause I, I got this feelin, that everything's gonna be all right
Be all right
Be all right
Be all right

Washington State Food Banks-relief from high cost of food

Need Food in WA? We can help!
Northwest Harvest’s hunger relief network is comprised of nearly 300 independent food banks and meal programs serving individual communities. We believe in serving clients with dignity and respect, turning no one away.

To find food services near you, see our complete list of partner food programs. Search by county, city, zip code, program name or type.

Program hours and areas of service vary. Please contact the programs individually for information. For help finding a location, contact Northwest Harvest at (206) 625-0755, 1(800) 722-6924 or info@northwestharvest.org.

Need other services? Please see our list of community resources.

No Puppy Mills- Obama will adopt a dog for the girls

After announcing they planned to buy a dog as a reward for their daughters being such good sports about the grueling campaign, animal rights and animal welfare groups started campaigns of their own — for the Obamas to adopt a shelter dog and not buy a dog from a breeder.

PETA's president sent them a letter. Best Friends Animal Society launched a petition drive on the Web site www.obamafamilydog.com that collected 50,000 signatures in just two weeks. The Humane Society of the United States made an appeal.

Then the news broke on "Entertainment Tonight" a little over a month ago: Michelle Obama announced the family would, indeed, adopt a rescue dog.

What breed? Probably a Poodle!
The Poodle dog breed was originally bred to hunt birds, and today still tends to be fairly athletic and agile. Poodles can also be hard-working, and are used by French customs in inspections. But the Poodle breed also tends to be playful, which sometimes takes away a bit from their competitive spirit in sports. With their families, Poodles tend to be loyal, sometimes to the point of possessiveness.