That Blozzz

I purchased the Magellan Merdian Gold GPS last summer. I waited to review it until I seen the longevity of it. I purchased the GPS at Walmart for $99.00 on clearance and I bought it for Geo Caching. That is a game that you play where you find stuff people have hidden. The unit is a hand held GPS or Global Positioning System.

I was impressed right away with the extended features including 16 MB of maps pre-installed. I have used it everywhere in my very rural area and the maps seem to cover even the smallest of streets. I have used the GPS in many weather conditions including pouring down rain and it keeps working without a hitch.

The accuracy is pretty good and is accurate to 3 meters. I would like a little better because some of the hidden items are quite small and can be hard to track.

I have used this both out in the open and in my car and even through the window, it is easy to follow. There are many ways to track your position including on a map, on a screen that looks like a road and there is also a compass. There are seven navigation screens in all.

You can save up to 500 waypoints and 20 routes in the GPS. I normally put the location of the item or location I am looking for as a waypoint and then hit the goto button and the GPS will guide me to where I am going.

The screen is large and easy to read, however, it takes a little while for the GPS to load and find a signal when you first turn it on. It is easy to hold on to because the casing is rubber and it is safe in most areas because it is not only waterproof, it also floats.

Other features include the ability to add additional maps with the purchase of new software. You can add memory with a simple SD memory card. The GPS has 12 parallel channels and a quadrifilar antenna.

I have used a few GPS units and this was one of the better ones I have used. Original retail value was $249.99. I am not sure I would have bought it for that price but the $99 price I paid beat any other GPS in the same price range.

Pros:

Easy to use

Loads of features

Great maps

Good Price

Water proof

Cons:

Slow loading and slow read on position

Large size (of course that means a better screen)

Additional software is very expensive

Overall, I would rate it a 4 out of 5 star.

There are many many blogs on the Internet and you may be one of the many who want to start a blog. Well you have come to the right place.

Basically a blog is a place where anyone can write about anything they want to. I mean anything your heart desires rather good or bad. This gives a whole new meaning to freedom of speech. However, you do have to be careful in what you say as far as hate speech or stuff against the law because unless you own you own server, you could lose your hosting account and your blog be taken down.

To start a blog, first you need someone to host your blog. This can be free or it can cost you money. If you want to be a serious blogger and hope to some day make money on advertising, you want to go the paid route. However, I am jumping a head a bit. Let me first discuss your free option.

There are many free hosting services for blogs on the Internet. I will only address the two biggest ones. The first is blogger.com (blogspot). They are owned by Google and their service is user friendly and so easy that you could have a blog up in a matter of minutes. There is no cost and if you choose to put Adsense ads up, they make it very simple to place them where you want them. Since they are owned by Google, chances are they will be around for a long time.

The first step is to sign up and register a name for your site. This is anything you want as long as it is available. The name will be your web address on the Internet (URL). Choose carefully because you want the best name possible. The final address will be a sub domain and look like this thenameyouchose.blogspot.com . You now have a home on the Internet.

The next step is to choose a template or design of your site. There are quite a few to choose from but limited compared to what you can find elsewhere for paid hosted blogs. Chances are you can find one you like. If you are a web designer or coder or you know one, you can edit and change the design to fit your needs. I am not a coder so I went with what was offered by blogger.

The next step is to add elements to your site. You can add all kinds of good stuff like ads, links and other things from the template tab in the dashboard of your account. I could have pages about stuff to add but it is best to explore for yourself.

The final step to get you up and running is to add fresh original content to your site. Try to add often and keep people interested in coming back. Some bloggers use copied material, I suggest you write everything yourself or at least approve it yourself if you have someone else write it. Bam, you have yourself a blog. They do also have a feature that if you own your own Domain Names, you can point them to your blog and eliminate looking like a sub domain.

Word Press is the other free hosting site for blogs and they are located at wordpress.com . The process is similar to blogger but there are some features like categories that blogger.com does not offer. They also have a better selection of templates. I still prefer blogger.com because it is much easier to use for beginners and much easier to add adds and stuff. To be honest, I have never used the free version of Word Press, but my wife has and she thinks blogger is easier to use. If you use the free version of Word Press, you get a sub domain like blogger gives. You site will look like this : yourname.wordpress.com .

If you decide that free is not the way you want to go, the next step would be to purchase your own hosting account. This can range from $1 a month up to about $9.95 a month depending on who you use. You may want to look at some hosting reviews to see what other think before you buy.

You also would need to purchase your own domain name. I highly recommend namecheap.com because they have been the best that I have found. You will be looking at around $9 a year for a domain name. Pick one carefully because this is what people will see first when looking for or at your site. Try to find one that fits your topic and the smaller it is the better it is to remember. This is hard because most really good names are taken but you still find some good ones, or you can search around for one that someone is willing to sell.

Once you have these two things you will need to point your domain name to your hosting account. This is done by changing the name servers on your domain account. You should receive your names servers from your hosting provider. If not, ask them for the name servers.

Now you need to install a blog software script. This is pretty easy from your hosting package if they have Fantastico. This might be something you want to check before buying a hosting service. It is much easier to install this way than through the web page of the software provider.

Most bloggers use the Word Press software on their own hosting account. It is a little harder than if you used one of the free hosting sites but you can do so much more. There are many plugins or addons that you can install for free that will make life easier and add cool features to your site. I have a few on here that improve things. There are also thousands of templates you can find at wordpress.org or other places on the Internet. Make sure that the theme (template) is widget ready and that it works on all browsers. I downloaded one before and it worked great on Internet Explorer but did not work on Firefox or many other browsers. Another plus is that the side bar is on the right side, this is better for the search engines. Once you have the right theme and add your content, you now have a blog ready to go.

If you want people to read it, you need to make sure you advertise the blog. This can be done by telling people on related forums, adding links in directories, adding it to social bookmarking sites like Stumble Upon and word of mouth. The more you advertise, the better the traffic will be.

This short guide should be enough to get you up and running with your first blog. If you have something to add that would help others, please register and leave a comment.

If at first you fail, say That Blozzz and try again!

I have recently started expanding my Online writing and now I have the time to take on more writing jobs. I just recently added a page here on the blog with information with my rates for anyone who needs to hire a writer. I can do both article writing on various topics and I can also do forum posting for anyone looking to build their forum.

I make a pledge that all my writings will be original and not copy and paste or rewrites.

The page is listed in the side bar with all my rates.

First, let me start by explaining for those who do not know what Adsense is. Google Adsense is a pay per click program that is way for advertisers or webmasters to advertise all over the Internet.

As a website owner, you can apply to Google with your website or blog to become a publisher for their ad network. It is a simple process where you provide honest information to Google about your self and your site. They then evaluate your site to see if it qualifies to be included. Most sites will be included as long as they have some quality to them and the you offer some original content on your site.

Once you are approved, you are approved for all your websites and you do not to reapply for each one. You must carefully read the Terms of Service for Adsense so you make sure that you are following the rules and that your sites comply with the rules.

You first step is to log in to your Adsense account with your chosen email and password. There you will find many things that may overwhelm you at first. It is not as overwhelming as it looks. There are four main tabs; Reports, Adsense set up, My Account, and Resources.

The first tab is the reports, you will not see nothing much here yet but you will as you earn. This tells you how many views the ads on your sites have had, how many clicks, and how much you earned. You can check for various times. If you have channels set for each site, you will see what sites earned what. I will explain channels further down in the article. You can also get advanced reports for extended periods of time breaking down in several ways. You can play around and see the reports that best fits what you are looking for.

The Adsense setup tab is all about setting up your ads. Here you can get the code, which is a java code, for all the ads , search box, and referral products that Google offers. You can change the size, design, and filter out things you do not want on you site like an ad from your competitor. At this tab you also can add channels.

Channels are simply a way to track an individual ad or a website URL, By setting these up, you will know which of your sites are making money and which ones you need to work on. They are easy to add and delete and I highly recommend you do one for all the sites you use Adsense on.

The third is My Account, which is a place to edit your main information like name address, email, etc… The final tab is a resource tab of other tools and services that Google offers.

Once you find what ads you want and where to place them, all you need to do is place the code in your website template or in the code of your website. Depending on what kind of coded site you are using will depend on how you do this.

If you are using a self-hosted word-press, it is best to install an Adsense plug- in to place the code on the sidebar as long as your template is widget ready. For the header and footer, you will have to place it in those files. I am not a coder so I will not give too much advice on that.

If you are using a free blogger.com blog, it is even easier to install the code. All you do is go to your dash board and find the layout and you can just add your AdSense with a few clicks by clicking add page element and dragging it where you want it.

For all other pages, you need to add the code in the appropriate files where you want the ads to be.

Once you have the code installed, Google will find you, there is nothing else you need to do. The ads will be based of main keywords from your content. If you chose to include both links and image ads, you may see a picture ad once in a while.

You get paid a small percentage every time someone visits one of your ads, purchasing or sign up for a product or does a search through the search box. If it is an image ad that is placed on your site, you will get paid a small amount for every 1000 people who view the ad.

Many people have made some huge amounts of money using Adsense. The key is to have a large amount of traffic and to follow the rules. The more popular your site, the better the chance people will click on the ads and you will earn money.

Once you earn $50, you will be sent a PIN number through the postal mail to the address on file. You will need to confirm this number before you can ever receive a payment. You can not get paid until you have reached $100. It takes up to a month depending on your payment method and where you live to receive payment following the end of the month you reached at least $100.

I recommend direct deposit but they will mail a check or in some parts of the world they will send Western Union but this involves a fee.

A few things that are not allowed by Adsense are:

No Adult sites

You can not click or ask others to click your ads

You can not alter the code

You can not display an image with the code

No Pop-ups

You can not try to hide the fact that it is a Google ad

You can not list them as a sponsor of you site

You can have only three of any one kind of ad on your site

There are many other rules that you should take the time to read carefully. If you break the rules, there are no second chances, you will be banned and that means banned for life.

If you try to open another fake account or even with your same information, you may get approved. However, they will catch you prior to paying you any money. Just do the right thing and follow the rules from the beginning you should be fine and hopefully make some good money.

If you apply once and you are turned down, don’t get upset, say That Blozzz and fix your site and reapply.

Here in the United States we have for several years lived by the seat of our pants when it comes to money. We are use to having the best and are often not willing to settle for less. Earlier people were not as materialistic as we are today but we have become a spoiled society.

The problem is that prices of everything have gone through the roof. We are seeing record increases in items we need every day. Our recent fuel oil bill for our house was $532 for three weeks. Gas has jumped to $3.26 a gallon and our grocery bill has climbed up about 20% a year.

We are fortunate in the fact that we have decent household income but many are not as lucky. However, even with a nice income, we struggle every month to make sure we have enough to cover all the bills with a little left over for the occasional fun stuff.

People in other parts of the world have faced these prices for many years and we are now seeing the effects in our own country. The jobs are getting scarcer and the cost of living is going up faster than the income is. It is a scary thought of the way things are going.

There are way to fight off the costs. One is to plant a garden. You can supply your family with healthier produce for a small cost of money and some good old fashion physical work. The garden offers you many benefits. You can quit paying those gym memberships because the exercise you get from the garden is some of the best exercises available. You save money on your food bill. You save on medical expenses because you know where the food is coming from and it is healthier than anything you buy in the store. Gardens also offer great family time without the added expense of finding things to do. A garden is a win win.

Another way to cut cost is to barter with others. The old ways of neighbors helping neighbors has all but faded out but it can be reborn. In my neighborhood, one neighbor has a tractor and he does all my tilling in the spring. In exchange, I help out where I can when him and his wife go out of town. I also have a neighbor who is a mechanic and I pay him much less than I pay a commercial garage but often times, I trade computer work by me for him fixing the car.

Another way to save money is to cut down on eating out. Also pack your lunch instead of eating out everyday. Instead of expensive coffee out, make some at home and add favors if that is your thing. When you do eat out, drink water instead of soft drinks. That alone can save you $2-$3 per person plus it is healthier for you.

When grocery shopping, use coupons. The Sunday paper cost anywhere from $2-$3 most places and you will get much more than that in savings from the coupons. Also when possible, buy things you use often in bulk. Use stores like Sam’s Club and BJs to save you money. Just be careful, some items cost more in the big packages than it does in the small.

Other ways to save is to buy used when possible. Yard sales are great places to find bargains and you can cut your cost by 75% or more on items you need. Shopping your local classified ads can land you a super bargain. There are now also numerous sites like eBay, half.com, craigslist, and more that makes it easy right from home to find a deal.

These are just a few ideas of how we can adjust our spending so we can afford it. Current prices suck and they can end up getting you down. You can sit and bitch and complain all day or you can use our philosophy, say That Blozzz and stand up and do something to save your family money.  

We purchased “Puzzle Quest Challenge of the Warlords” a couple of weeks ago. I thought I would give a review of the game.

First of all, it is very addicting and we play it just about everyday. You can play either one player or two player but both ways count toward your overall stats.

The two player version, you just play a puzzle battle against the other player and you gain experience and gold and the more experience, the higher the level you get. The goal is to line up the color disks , the gold, the experience, or the skeletons in rows of three or more. The color disk are for manna so you can cast spells against your opponent. The gold allows you to buy stuff like weapons and armor. The experience helps you work toward the next level. Finally, the skeletons take life away from your opponent. If you win the battle, you get more gold and experience.

In the single player mode, you enter cities and receive various quest and end up battling different creatures in the puzzle battles. The further you go, the better spells the creatures have and the harder the puzzle is. You also gain experience and gold and learn new spells as you go through the quest. You can also spend you money to build up your citadel to learn new stuff like spells.

This game is so much fun and you can spend hours playing without getting bored. Even though the puzzles all seem the same, they are harder the more you play. There is even a way to capture creatures to learn from them.

The game cost $39.95 at Best Buy and I would say it is well worth the price. Most of the games I have played on the Wii is fun but this is by far one of my favorites.

Pros: It is fun. It is challenging. Great if you like puzzle games.

Cons: Would not be fun if you do not like puzzle games. Cost is still a bit high but not compared to other Wii games.

I would highly recommend this game for something a little different than the sports games and the shoot them up type games.

One more year left of George Bush. Can we make it? Well let us take a look back at the last 7 years and see what we have in a leader. First, we take a look at the first election. Bush barely won and in some people’s eyes he was not the real winner. How did Bush handle it? He went on television and claimed that he has the full support of the American People. This was not the true case but in his eyes, a win meant that he was fully supported by all of America.

OK, so let’s look at the first term. Bush passed a great tax refund for the middle class. This was great. The downfall was that the tax refund caused less funding to state and local programs. The fallout was that because of these refunds, our property tax, sales taxes, and state taxes increased much more than the original tax refund.

The second event of his first term was 9/11. This was a disaster that Bush turned into a hunt on terrorist. He had support from almost of all of the American people and Congress. He did do the right thing to go into Afghanistan. Of course then he decided to go into Iraq and piss off a majority of the world leaders and also most of our allies.

Let us not forget the improvement he has made to education. No Child Left Behind, this great program that was going to improve our education system. It was poorly funded, too much pressure put on students, and caused teachers to teach to the test or fear losing federal funding.

In the first term he managed to raise the federal debt and cause are men and women in uniform to be placed in the Iraq. He created a world where we are hated by many parts of the world.

Well along came the second election and again, Bush barely got by and won by a very slim margin. Once again, he went on television to exclaim that he has heard the confidence that the American people has in him. I can not understand who voted for him but I think it was a vote of no confidence in John Kerry more than a vote for Bush.

In the second term, Bush’s cabinet was under attack as with the first and many of his top members fell in the crossfire. We also saw another disaster in America in the form of Hurricane Katrina. We seen the Federal Government under George Bush’s leadership respond in such a slow and poor manner that we looked more like a third world country. Was it because the poor people of New Orleans really did not matter in Bush’s scheme? We will never know for sure but it was a sore stain on American history. FEMA was the last to respond and allowed many deaths to occur.

So after all this, are we Americans better off after seven years of Bush? I say no way. Prices are through the roof for just about everything we purchase. Gas and fuel prices are scary as rich oil companies are making all time high profits. Federal taxes are down but we are paying much more taxes over all. Hopefully the last year will be swift and the end will come soon.

How will history look at the legacy of George Bush? Well, we Americans do not wish to look at our past leaders in the negative so maybe he will look better in the books than he does in the present time. I for one will be glad to see the end of the Bush administration.

What is your opinion of George Bush’s legacy?

I am in the processing of planning my gardens for the spring. I have all my seed catalogs and other information spread out on my desk. I love to get a jump on planning so when the work begins I am prepared for it.

This year, I am planning start a for profit pumpkin patch. Last year we did some experimenting and I grew some rather nice looking Jack-o-Lanterns. This year I am expanding and dedicating a little over an acre to just pumpkins.  We have all the manure we need between our chickens and my families Alpacas, so the main cost will be seeds and manual labor. I am hoping to make a small profit the first year so we can expand in the future. This will be our first for profit farming venture and I am hoping to make it a great season.

I would love to expand into other connected adventures and I am thinking of creating a flea market on my 85 acres.

Well that is what I am up to on the old homestead. Be safe and enjoy the New Year.

As always when you are dealt a rotten apple, say “That Blozzz” and move on to fresher fruit.

Well my hens have finally finished their long moult and they have started laying again. I have 7 hens and I was getting one egg a day but I am now up to between two and three a day.

It has been cold and since i have no electricity in the barn, I do not have a light for them so I am happy with the amount I am getting.

I am hoping to add another dozen hens in the spring to up my production. I am thinking of starting to sell fresh eggs once the production is up.

It has been in the 30s for a week or so and it has made it easier to take care of the chickens. Last night it hit below zero so i had to go back to thawing the water everyday.

Well that is all the news from the hen house for now.

Take care and if you are dealt a poor hand, say “That Blozzz” and move on!