The Squeaky Brain

Tea Robot

2011-03-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

Going thru my reader this morning and ran across this from swissmiss... Got a laugh and think it would be great for my morning tea.

Tea Robot

This little Tea Robot is fueling my robot obsession: It’s a tea egg in the shape of a robot. Made me chuckle.

PLR FAQ Report

2011-02-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

There are so many questions surrounding PLR. This is partially because there are no hard and fast rules about it’s use since the provider makes the rules. To help make PLR easier to understand, here is a wonderful free report that answers a huge number of the most asked questions.

*This is a report with affiliate links inside. If you share it, you should disclose that.

Download & Share ==> PLR FAQ Report (27)

Today is Groundhog Day!

2011-02-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

On this day every year Punxsutawney Phil lets the world know if spring will be early or winter will be long. Check out the website of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to find out more about this annual tradition.

They also have a link to a video of Phil's 2011 prediction but I had trouble with it in Chrome. Your mileage may vary.

Groundhog.org

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

2011-01-31T03:40:00.000-08:00

What’s the first thing many people hear when they receive a package in the mail? “Give me that box!” What’s the deal? Someone wants the bubble wrap. Beyond its obvious use as packing, Bubble Wrap can come in handy in many situations. For instance, it can be a great stress reliever, unless you are sick of hearing all the pops, in which case you need your own sheet (or roll.) If you’ve ever had a sheet of Bubble Wrap to save a shipped item or your sanity, you may want to jot Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (Jan 31 – the last Monday) on your calendar.

Here are a few cool places where you can learn more about Bubble Wrap and even play games!

Bubble Pop Game
101 Uses And Other Fun (Click the Home or Back links if you get an error.)

Today is Data Privacy Day!

2011-01-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a business owner, a consumer, an adult or a child, data privacy is of the utmost importance.

You’ve heard the horror stories about data that has been stolen, hijacked, or leaked and the resulting problems.

To find out how to keep your business and family safe,get the latest updates and materials, visit Data Privacy Day.org.

Here are some more privacy resources:

Facebook Privacy

Online Safety

Family Photo Privacy

"Deleted" Doesn't Exist on the Web

Margarita Stewart: Hot Apple Spiced Cider → Alcohol Free

2010-10-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

Margarita Stewart: Hot Apple Spiced Cider → Alcohol Free: "You can of course, add alcohol to this...but for those looking for a warm hot drink without alcohol....I made this for our Halloween Part..."

Google Help : Cheat Sheet

2010-08-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

A quick list of some popular tools to help refine and improve your search when using Google. Check out the Google Cheat Sheet -- Google Help : Cheat Sheet

Infobarrel.com Articles

2010-08-20T09:53:00.001-07:00

Have a new article up at Infobarrel.com.
http://www.infobarrel.com/August's_Unusual_Holidays

For the Coffee Lover in Your Life

2010-08-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a great idea! Check it out! COOL BEANS™

Get Ring Tones

2010-07-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Links to share

www.cellmind.com
in.mobango.com
www.madringtones.org
www.tonesall.com
www.mobile9.com
www.zedge.net

Ever Wonder What Happened In Your Birth Year?

2010-07-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered about the major events, happenings or trivia that occurred during the year you were born? Find out at the what happened in my birth year website.

It takes a page from google with an extremely basic and simple home page. Here's an example of what you'd get using the year 2000. the website counts backwards from the current year and fades to black. Then starts typing the information line by line until you get:

One bit of warning, the screen shot above is just a small portion of the results and it takes quite some time for it to complete since its printing line by line. Here's the whole thing:

In 2000, the world was a different place.

In 2000, the year of your birth, the top selling movie was Mission: Impossible II. People buying the popcorn in the cinema lobby had glazing eyes when looking at the poster.

Do you know who won the Oscars that year? The academy award for the best movie went to Gladiator. The Oscar for best foreign movie that year went to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The top actor was Russell Crowe for his role as Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator. The top actress was Julia Roberts for her role as Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich. The best director? Steven Soderbergh for Traffic.
In the year 2000, the time when you arrived on this planet, books were still popularly read on paper, not on digital devices. Trees were felled to get the word out. The number one US bestseller of the time was The Brethren by John Grisham. Oh, that's many years ago. Have you read that book? Have you heard of it? Look at the cover!

In 2000... Alan Greenspan is nominated for a fourth term as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman. The rap-metal band Rage Against the Machine plays in front of Wall Street, prompting an early closing of trading due to the crowds. UNESCO holds the inaugural celebration of International Mother Language Day. After originating in The Philippines, the ILOVEYOU computer virus spreads quickly throughout the world. The Constitution of Finland is rewritten. George W. Bush and Al Gore emerge victorious in the Republican and Democratic caucuses and primaries of the United States presidential election. The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the government lacks authority to regulate tobacco as an addictive drug, throwing out the Bill Clinton administration's main anti-smoking initiative. In United States v. Microsoft, Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors. Brazil officially celebrates its 500th anniversary, with protests, especially from native and black populations. The State of Vermont passes HB847, legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples. The Tate Modern Gallery opens in London. Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez is reelected with 59% of the vote. A powerful solar flare, later named the Bastille Day event, causes a geomagnetic storm on Earth. The UK fuel protests take place, with refineries blockaded, and supply to the country's network of petrol stations halted. In San Antonio, Texas, computer pioneer Datapoint files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The video game of the day was Diablo II.

That was the world you were born into. Since then, you and others have changed it.
The Nobel prize for Literature that year went to Gao Xingjian. The Nobel Peace prize went to Kim Dae Jung. The Nobel prize for physics went to Zhores Ivanovich Alferov and Herbert Kroemer from Russia and Germany for developing semiconductor heterostructures used in high-speed- and optoelectronics. The sensation this created was big. But it didn't stop the planets from spinning, on and on, year by year. Years in which you would grow bigger, older, smarter, and, if you were lucky, sometimes wiser. Years in which you also lost some things. Possessions got misplaced. Memories faded. Friends parted ways. The best friends, you tried to hold on. This is what counts in life, isn't it?

The 2000s were indeed a special decade. Globalization continues to influence the world. Islamist groups are on the rise. The European Union further integrates and expands in Europe. A global financial crisis occurs. The US leadership declares a "War on Terror". The Arab-Israeli conflict continues. The second Congo War takes place. Kosovo gains independence from Serbia. Google becomes the web's most visited site. Other sites on the rise include YouTube, Facebook and MySpace. VHS collections become replaced with DVD. Touchscreen mobile phones gain popularity. Microsoft releases operating system Windows XP. The Chinese launch their first manned space flight, Shenzhou 5. Climate change and global warming become household words, while the global temperature keeps growing. The best-selling album of the decade is the Beatles compilation album. Michael Jackson dies. The Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films capture the imagination of audiences across the globe. Michael Schumacher wins five F1 World Championships before he retires. Taipei 101 becomes the tallest building in the world.
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... it's 2000. There's TV noise coming from the second floor. Someone turned up the volume way too high. The sun is burning from above. These were different times. The show playing on TV is Dora The Explorer . The sun goes down. Someone switches channels. There's Malcolm in the Middle on now. That's the world you were born in.

Progress, year after year. Do you wonder where the world is heading towards?

Two thousand years
Two thousand years
Two thousand years
Two thousand years
I have waited
To ask if I have loved you
To know if I have served you
To finally find the being
To know if I could trade you
...
That's from the song Two Thousand Years by The Who.
It's 2010.
The world is a different place.
What path have you taken?

Free Puzzle Maker

2010-06-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

Make a puzzle from the free puzzlemaker site at discoveryeducation.com. You can choose from word search, criss-cross, double puzzles, fallen phrases, mazes, letter tiles, cryptograms and hidden messages.

Send a Future Email

2010-06-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

FutureMe.Org allows you to send your self or others an email at a date you specify for the future. Send yourself reminders, schedule a birthday greeting or other event when you remember it instead of having to remind yourself over and over.

Send Someone A Standing Ovation!

2010-06-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Know someone who has done something great? Want to recognize a personal hero? Someone you look up to? Send them a standing ovation from playfair.com.

Get Your Name Meaning Report

2010-06-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

Find out what your name means at this website.

When you put in your full name you get something like the following:

(Used sample name of "Anna Nicole Smith")

You entered: Anna Nicole Smith
There are 15 letters in your name.
Those 15 letters total to 67
There are 6 vowels and 9 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:

Swedish	Female	Grace.
Russian	Female	Grace.
Native American	Female	Mother (Algonquin).
Latin	Female	Variant of Anne. Biblical; devout woman who saw infant Jesus presented at the temple in Jerusalem. Daughter of Dido.
Hebrew	Female	Favour or grace. Prayer. God has favoured me. Variant of Hannah.
Greek	Female	A variant of Hannah. In Virgil's 'Aeneid', Anna was sister of Dido, Queen of Carthage. According to an apocryphal gospel, Anna was also the mother of the Virgin Mary.
English	Male	Name of a king.
English	Female	Variant of Anne, meaning favor; grace.
Biblical	Female	Gracious; one who gives.
Arthurian Legend	Female	Arthur's sister.
Anglo-Saxon	Male	Name of a king.

Your number is: 4

The characteristics of #4 are: A foundation, order, service, struggle against limits, steady growth.

The expression or destiny for #4:
Order, service, and management are the cornerstones of the number 4 Expression. Your destiny is to express wonderful organization skills with your ever practical, down-to-earth approach. You are the kind of person who is always willing to work those long, hard hours to push a project through to completion. A patience with detail allows you to become expert in fields such as building, engineering, and all forms of craftsmanship. Your abilities to write and teach may lean toward the more technical and detailed. In the arts, music will likely be your choice. Artistic talents may also appear in such fields as horiculture and floral arrangement, as well. Many skilled physicians and especially surgeons have the 4 Expression.
The positive attitudes of the 4 Expression yield responsibility; you are one who no doubt, fulfills obligations, and is highly systematic and orderly. You are serious and sincere, honest and faithful. It is your role to help and you are required to do a good job at everything you undertake.
If there is too much 4 energies present in your makeup, you may express some of the negative attitudes of the number 4. The obligations that you face may tend to create frustration and feelings of limitation or restriction. You may sometimes find yourself nursing negative attitudes in this regard and these can keep you in a rather low mood. Avoid becoming too rigid, stubborn, dogmatic, and fixed in your opinions. You may have a tendency to develop and hold very strong likes and dislikes, and some of these may border on the classification of prejudice. The negative side of 4 often produces dominant and bossy individuals who use disciplinarian to an excess. These tendencies must be avoided. Finally, like nearly all with 4 Expression, you must keep your eye on the big picture and not get overly wrapped up in detail and routine.

Your Soul Urge number is: 4

A Soul Urge number of 4 means:
With the Soul Urge or Motivation number of 4 you are likely to strive for a stable life. You tend to follow a rather orderly pattern and systematic approach in your endeavors. You have an inner desire to serve others in a methodical and diligent manner. You want to be in solid, conventional, and well-regulated activities, and you are somewhat disturbed by innovation and erratic or sudden changes. Excellent at organizing, systematizing, and managing, you have a way of establishing order and maintaining it. You are responsible, reliable and in the final analysis, practical. Highly analytical, you can see your way through all sorts of situations and generally have a clear understanding of the issues. You are a very honest, sincere, and conscientious individual.
The negative side of the 4 is rigid, stubborn and somewhat narrow-minded. There is a tendency to hide feelings, or to really not be aware of real feelings. Avoid being too rigid and stubborn in your thinking, and try to always see the big picture rather than becoming to involved with the detail. Don't be afraid to take a chance once in awhile.

Your Inner Dream number is: 9

An Inner Dream number of 9 means:
You dream of being creative, intellectual, and universal; the selfless humanitarian. You understand the needy and want to help them. You would love to be a person people count on for support and advice.

Birthday Calculator

2010-06-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

Find out your astrological data and fun information from your date of birth at the birthday calculator.

If you were born on January 1, 2010 below is listed the information you would see... or at least the people who did the report for you since at a few months old, you probably didn't do it by yourself. Kudos if you did.

1 January 2010

Your date of conception was on or about 10 April 2009 which was a Friday.
You were born on a Friday
under the astrological sign Capricorn.
Your Life path number is 5.

Your fortune cookie reads:
Your ability to juggle many tasks will take you far.

Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 3 & 9.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 8.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 6, 11 & 22.
The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2455197.5.
The golden number for 2010 is 16.
The epact number for 2010 is 14.
The year 2010 is not a leap year.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Goose; your plant is Bramble.

You were born in the Egyptian month of Famenoth, the third month of the season of Poret (Emergence - Fertile soil).

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 16 Tevet 5770.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 17 Tevet 5770.
The Mayan Calendar long count date of your birthday is 12.19.16.17.13 which is
12 baktun 19 katun 16 tun 17 uinal 13 kin
The Hijra (Islamic Calendar) date of your birth is Friday, 15 Muharram 1431 (1431-1-15).
The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 4 April 2010.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 4 April 2010.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 17 February 2010.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 23 May 2010.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 30 May 2010.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Thursday, 9 September 2010.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Tuesday, 30 March 2010.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 16 February 2010.

As of 2/20/2010 7:16:19 PM EST
You are 0 years old.
You are 1 months old.
You are 7 weeks old.
You are 50 days old.
You are 1,219 hours old.
You are 73,156 minutes old.
You are 4,389,379 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday:

Kala Sosefina Mileniume Kauvaka (2000)	Verne 'Mini-Me' Troyer (1969)	Kathleen Casey (1946)
Don Novello (1943)	Robert N. Cronk (1924)	J.D. Salinger (1919)
Barry Goldwater (1909)	Xavier Cugat (1900)	J. Edgar Hoover (1895)
Betsy Ross (1752)	Paul Revere (1735)

Top songs of 2010

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 1.95694716242661E-02 years old. (You're just a pup!)

Your lucky day is Saturday.
Your lucky number is 8.
Your ruling planet(s) is Saturn & Uranus.
Your lucky dates are 8th, 17th, 26th.
Your opposition sign is Cancer.
Your opposition number(s) is 2 & 7.
Today is not one of your lucky days!
There are 315 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 1 candles.

Those 1 candles produce 1 BTUs,
or 252 calories of heat (that's only 0.2520 food Calories!) .
You can boil 0.11 US ounces of water with that many candles.

In 2010 there were 4,091,063 births in the US.
In 2010 the US population was approximately 281,421,906 people, 79.6 persons per square mile.
In 2010 in the US there were approximately 2,181,000 marriages (7.4%) and — divorces (3.7%)
In 2010 in the US there were approximately 2,423,000 deaths (8.3 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.

Your birth flower is CARNATION

Your birthstone is Garnet

The Mystical properties of Garnet

Garnet is used as a power stone

Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)

Emerald, Rose Quartz

Your birth tree is

Apple Tree, the Love Of slight build, lots of charm, appeal and attraction, pleasant aura, flirtatious, adventurous, sensitive, always in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, scientific talents, lives for today, a carefree philosopher with imagination.

There are 308 days till Christmas 2010!
There are 321 days till Orthodox Christmas!

The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning gibbous.

Free Vedic Janma Kundali (Horoscope)

2010-06-13T00:33:00.000-07:00

Fill in the form at the vedic horoscope site and click the submit button to get your own free Vedic Janma Kundali.

According to the website:

Your free Vedic Janm Kundli is the snapshot of the zodiac at the time of your birth. The Janm Kundali or Horoscope reveals the important trends in your life and your ultimate destiny as per the Vedic astrology system.

You can generate this chart absolutely free from this website. Just provide a few simple details and get your Vedic astrology Janma Kundali immediately. Your kundali will be generated in PDF (Portable Document Format), will be sent to your email, and can be downloaded.

Have fun!

Create Personalized Money

2010-06-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Create money with your face on it at the Personalized Money website.

Turn your Photo into a Charcoal Drawing

2010-06-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

Turn your photo into a charcoal drawing at sporkforge.com.

Turn Your Photos into Digital Artwork

2010-06-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Turn your photos into digital artwork at befunky.com. They offer over 140 photo effects.

What art will you create?

Turn Your Photo into a Blueprint

2010-05-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Turn your photo into a blueprint at the Blueprint Picture Effect site.

Make Your Own Dodecahedron Calendar

2010-05-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Make your own 12 sided calendar at this site.

One Day Calendar Generator

2010-05-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Have a special day or event? Need something to announce the date? Check out the One Day Calendar Generator.

Find Out if You Have Perfect Pitch

2010-05-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Do you have perfect pitch? Find out at the Distorted Tunes Test presented by the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

You will hear 26 well-known tunes (some played correctly and some not so much) and you decide which is which.

Play Piano on Your Keyboard

2010-05-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

Play piano on any keyboard at the Virtual Keyboard site.

Choose from 9 instruments and 6 drum beats to create your own masterpiece!

Create Your Own Wanted Poster... Again

2010-05-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here's another place to create your own Wanted Poster.

Create Your Own Fake Magazine Cover

2010-05-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

Design your own magazine cover at the Magazine Cover Generator.

Create Your Own Latin Motto or Slogan

2010-05-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Create your own motto or slogan in Latin at the Latin Motto Generator.

Have fun!

Create Your Own Newspaper Clipping

2010-04-28T10:52:00.000-07:00

Make your own newspaper clips at The Newspaper Clipping Image Generator.

You pick the Name of the newspaper, the date and the title then you input your article text.

Have fun with the story!

See Your Slogan on The Side of a Bus

2010-04-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

At the Bus Slogan Generator you can get your own three line slogan on the side of a bus.

Social Networking Status Generator

2010-04-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

Need help coming up with things to update your status lines with? Check out the status generator.

Make Your Own Coat of Arms

2010-04-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Make your own coat of arms at the simply titled makeyourcoatofarms.com.

Hue Test

2010-04-18T23:42:00.000-07:00

How well do you see color? Find out when you take the hue test.

Heretical Rhyme Generator

2010-04-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

Start the website off with the first line and it will create a short poem for you. Check it out here.
.

Make Your Own Comic

2010-04-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Make your own comic strip staring... You! Have fun at bitstrips.

Free Ebook 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success

2010-04-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

When you first look into starting a home business, you’ll likely hear people tell you to base your business on something that you enjoy doing. That’s sound advice, as far as it goes. What you don’t find out until later is that no matter what kind of business you start, you are a marketer.

If you can’t successfully market your information, service, or product, you may as well not have a business. So, to help you or your readers find out more about marketing skills, you may want to download 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success, an overview of the Duct Tape Marketing System.

Astrology - East Meets West

2010-04-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Find out your astrological profile at eastwestprofile.com.

Make Travel Easier And Cheaper With Maps

2010-04-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

When you think about warm weather travel, the first events you think of probably include spring break and summer vacation. If you have kids, you may also think about daily or weekly outings. Since almost everyone is watching their spending, it only makes sense to include travel into the budget mix. One way to make travel easier and cheaper is with maps.

Whether you are planning for a vacation or frequent outings, state and local maps can help you find cool places to visit. They can also help you plan the most economical route to take so that you save on that gas bill! To help you find the maps you need, to put this frugal plan into action, you may want to check out these map resources.

On a side note, grabbing a copy of these maps can also help you to teach your kids about places that they may never actually visit. What a way to spend your summer vacation…visiting the US without ever leaving the safety of your home!

Paper Toys

2010-04-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

Do you like paper airplanes or origami? If so check out check out free paper toys.

They have several categories including, airplanes, animals, boats, cartoon characters, furniture, geometry, holidays, paper dolls and transportation.

Free Metallica Concert Downloads

2010-04-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

Are you an “experienced” rocker or have a taste for old-school rock songs? Here are some Metallica concerts that you can download for free! These concerts were originally performed between 1982 and 2003 (with one from 2009.) There are 21 downloads to choose from. If you need to get you pumped you can get some work done, this may be just the music for you.

Although the concerts and dates are listed on this page, just click a concert to see the songs that were included.

*Note: If you aren’t familiar with Metallica, you may want to preview these songs with your headset on. Some of the lyrics are not appropriate for little ones.

Free Guide To Direct Sales Success

2010-04-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Many people interested in starting a home business find themselves drawn to direct sales opportunities. The variety of available opportunities makes it easy for almost everyone to find products that they feel comfortable selling. However, not everyone is suited to this kind of business. It is not uncommon for misconceptions to cause many businesses to fail. The key to succeeding in direct sales is to have realistic expectations and know what you’re getting into. In other words, you need to know some of the ins and outs before you start a business.

This free Guide To Direct Sales Success will walk you through the basics. From deciding if direct sales is right for you to marketing your business, this book will give you thorough ideas of what to expect, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to manage your business effectively.

Pick up a copy for yourself or to share with others.

Download here –> Guide To Direct Sales Success

Gangsta Name Generator

2010-03-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

Get your very own Gangsta name at the Gangsta Name Generator.

Old School DJ Name Generator

2010-03-28T22:59:00.000-07:00

Get your own Old School DJ Name at the Old School DJ Name Generator.

What's Your Travel IQ?

2010-03-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

Check out TravelPod.com's Travel IQ Challenge. How do you score?

Fun Stuff: DVD Easter Eggs (hidden fun stuff)

2010-03-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Do you remember easter eggs in computer software? DVDs have them also and this site tells you how to find them.

Here's a sample for the movie WALL*E

Have fun watching all the hidden items on your favorite DVDs and if you find any of your own, submit them to the site and help your fellow fans find them too.

Not Your Mother's Milk

2010-03-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Milk is a dietary staple for the majority of the population but there are several possible reasons why one may want, or need, to cut milk out of their dietary plan.

Perhaps they have a food sensitivity (not quite lactose intolerant but “have issues”), want to lower mucus issues, going vegan or non-milk vegetarian and a host of medical issues.

There are several very good alternatives to milk these days. The first to come to mind is usually soy milk. However, if you have genetically modified organism (GMO) concerns or “from China” concerns, soy milk may not be fore you. There is also mounting evidence showing the inherent poison in the soy plant survives pasteurization and some amount of the toxin can be present in the product on your market's shelves.

Almond milk is a great alternative with at least three flavors readily available in mainstream markets. There is regular, vanilla and chocolate (yum, chocolate!) Many markets also have several other nut milks to choose from. You can also make your own nut milk of you have a juicer at home. Just check the instructions for any special requirements when using nuts.

For those with any nut sensitivities there is always rice milk which also comes in several flavors and is available in mainstream markets.

If none of the above work, you can always try the newly available hemp milk. This can also be found in a regular grocery store.

There is also coconut milk as an option. This is a dual choice option. There are newly created coconut milk beverages coming out on the market as well as the original ‘coconut milk’ that is really the ‘water’ from the center of the coconut. This can be an acquired taste as authentic coconut taste is very different from the mainstream coconut that most consumers are accustomed to.

A specialty store or health food store would have a greater selection and/or additional flavors. There is sometimes an aftertaste to these alternate milks, sometimes by brand, sometimes due to the region it was grown in.

For resources or recipes check out:
http://www.godairyfree.org/Food-to-Eat/Shopping-List/Milk-Alternatives.html

Self Assesment Tools: Free IQ Test

2010-03-18T10:13:00.000-07:00

check out this free IQ test at Funeducation.com.

This free test is a premium psychometric exam and will measure your cognitive performance in several key areas including word analysis and spatial reasoning. This IQ test is primarily a verbal or I.Q. test containing elements of spatial reasoning. Your raw IQ score will be scaled and applied to the standard deviation to provide your IQ relative to the normal distribution of intelligence scores for this IQ testing assessment. It has only content validity and not concurrent validity.

Fun Stuff: Cartoon Yourself

2010-03-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

Make a cartoon of yourself at cartoonme.com.

Fun Stuff: Lego Yourself

2010-03-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Have fun making a lego picture of yourself at the Mini-Mizer website. You can choose different skin tones, hair, hats, outfits and things for your lego you to carry in one hand.

Here are some examples of the choices:

Hair choices

Hat choices

background/setting choices

And here's a screenshot of the lego I made for myself along with the instructions to save your creation:

Have fun!!!

Fun Stuff: South Park Yourself

2010-03-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

If you had fun legoizing yourself, try South Parking yourself.

Website Resource: Speedtest.net

2010-03-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

Wondering how fast your internet connect is? Want to find out quickly, easily and for free? Check out speedtest.net.

Click on the blue 'begiin test' button on the top of teh map and watch it go to work.

It doesn't take long for the test to complete and then you get several boxes on the screen showing you the results.

Turns out my connection is average. If I was minded to, I could click on the "Too slow?" button and see if I can get something better but this works for me right now so I will stay where I am.

Fun Stuff: Sketching Online

2010-02-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Do you like to sketch or doodle? Do you like to share them with others? Check out sketchcast.com.

According to their About page:

Sketchcasting is a new way to communicate something online by recording a sketch, optionally with your voice speaking. Any sketch can then be embedded on your blog/ homepage for people to play-back, and you can also point people to your sketchcast channel here (or let them subscribe to your sketchcast RSS feed).
Sketchcasting is new but it's based on an old principle: the whiteboard (or the napkin in a bar) on which you sketch something to get a concept across... or to just have some fun.

Self Assesment Tools: Burnout Test

2010-02-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

Are you burned out? Are you not sure? Try taking the burnout self test at mindtools.com. It's a 15 question test taht is supposed to be able to give you an idea on whether you are burned out, close to it or doing OK. this is an informal test and they refer you to something more specifc if you prefer rigorously validated tests.

Note:
This tool uses an informal approach to assessing burnout. While it is intuitively useful, it has not been validated through controlled scientific tests and must therefore not be used as a diagnostic technique. Please, therefore, interpret the results with common sense. Also, make allowances for any recent events that may have a disproportionate influence on your mood at the time you take the test!

If you prefer rigorously validated tests, then the Maslach Burnout Inventory may be useful. This was developed by Christina Maslach, one of the leading researchers in the field of burnout. Copies can be purchased at the following site: https://www.cpp.com/en/detailprod.aspx?pc=35.

Mindtools.com itself is an online management and leadership training site. According to thier website:

"Learn hundreds of essential management skills, free of charge... and develop yourself on an ongoing basis..."

This looks like a useful resource.

Gift Card Discounts - Get Restaurent.com cards for $2

2010-02-24T10:34:00.000-08:00

When purchasing gift certificate at Restaurants.com use the coupon code 'savor' at check out to pay only $2 for each certificate.

Website of the Weird - Poorly Dressed People

2010-02-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

Just ran across this website that is a collection of poorly dressed people at http://poorlydressed.com/.

Some are funny, some are weird and some are downright scary.

Optical Illusions

2010-02-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Check out '86 Optical Illusions & Visual Phenomena' at http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/. This is a fun website with lots of things to do and play with. According to Michael Bach himself at the top of the page:

These pages demonstrate visual phenomena, and »optical« or »visual illusions«. The latter is more appropriate, because most effects have their basis in the visual pathway, not in the optics of the eye. When I find the time I will expand the explanations, to the degree that these phenomena are really understood; any nice and thoughtful comment welcome.

Here's a list of the categories the phenomena are separated into:

Motion & Time
Luminance & Contrast
Colour
Geometric- & Angle Illusions
Space, 3D & Size Constancy
Cognitive- / Gestalt Effects
Specialties with faces

Some History / What’s new

2010-01-03	Shaded diamonds
2009-12-30	Checker Bulge
2009-09-17	SAM
2009-06-08	Breathing Square
2009-04-13	Colour mixing
2009-02-13	Darwin Illusion

String 3D Drawing

2010-02-19T23:28:00.001-08:00

Make a figure based on a line drawing that is copied by rotation.

Make Your Own Search Puzzle

2010-02-19T22:54:00.001-08:00

Make your own search puzzle at this site. You can print to html or print to pdf and your puzzle will be available on the site for two months. You fill in a screen and a half of information and then click the 'make puzzle' button.

Trial JLR

JLR

Blog trail puzzle

g	u	b	n	t	r	a	i	l	s
h	j	r	r	j	h	r	l	s	u
g	o	a	u	f	l	a	f	i	s
n	y	i	u	t	b	r	f	l	c
i	g	n	i	t	i	r	w	l	i
h	y	k	a	e	u	q	s	y	p
s	s	e	n	i	p	p	a	h	o
o	m	d	a	c	t	i	v	e	t
j	s	b	l	o	g	s	r	w	g
t	t	l	a	h	c	a	l	t	v

active	blogs	brain
friends	fun	happiness
JLR	joshing	joy
meatball	silly	squeaky
topics	trails	writing

Flip Your Writing

2010-02-19T22:49:00.001-08:00

Ever have a need to flip your text so it runs upside down? If you ever do, here's the website to help you.

type your text into the top box and it will show up transformed into the lower box.

ɹlɾ

'sɹnoʎ

˙uʍop ǝpısdn ʇxǝʇ ɹnoʎ ƃuıddılɟ ʇnoqɐ ʇsod sıɥʇ ɥʇıʍ unɟ ǝʌɐɥ noʎ ǝdoɥ

'ollǝɥ

Fun Stuff: South Park Yourself... Again

2010-02-19T22:44:00.001-08:00

Here's another South Park Yourself site. You can create an avatar at South Park Studios.

Fun Stuff: DoppelMe

2010-02-19T22:37:00.001-08:00

Want to make a great graphical likeness of yourself? An avatar? Check out doppelme.com and create one for yourself or someone you know. You can create without registration but if you want to save your avatar you do need to register.

Fun Stuff: Funny Faces With Photo Manipulation

2010-02-19T22:05:00.001-08:00

Create a funny face of your own!

According to thier website:

This site is designed for fun. We get a kick out of making "chimeric faces", or, " face flips" as we call them, and have automated the process so we don't have to use Adobe® Photoshop® to do the image manipulations every time.

Fun Stuff: Animate Yourself

2010-02-19T21:43:00.001-08:00

Need a character or 'out there' avatar? Check out Gizmoz Animate Yourself. Just upload a photo and get going.

Fun Stuff: Fun With Anagrams

2010-02-19T21:13:00.000-08:00

Acording to Dictionary.com, the definition(s) of Anagram are:

–noun

a word, phrase, or sentence formed from another by rearranging its letters: “Angel” is an anagram of “glean.”
anagrams, (used with a singular verb) a game in which the players build words by transposing and, often, adding letters.

–verb (used with object)

to form (the letters of a text) into a secret message by rearranging them.
to rearrange (the letters of a text) so as to discover a secret message.

Origin:
1580–90; prob. < MF anagramme < NL anagramma.

Have fun making or playing with anagrams at www.wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html. This site is free and will make several screens worth of anagrmas from whatever word, name or phrase you type in. There is also an advanced search function where you can specify the number of responses, the maximum number of words, a specific word to be included and even the maximum number of letters in words.

There is a great section of anagram trivia called Odds n' Ends. Here's a sample:

The word "anagrams" is an anagram of "ars magna", Latin for "great art".
The word stifle is an anagram of itself.
Japan's former capital city (Kyoto, A.D. 794-1868) and present capital city (Tokyo) names are anagrams of each other.

This is a fun website and I enjoyed spending way too much time trying it out.

Phrase of the Day

2010-02-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

"He missed an opportunity to keep his mouth shut"

This phrase could be used so much more often than it really is.

Thanks to Janet Reid for the "of the Day" pick me up. You can check out her blog here.

Free Photo Books, Free Shipping,

2010-02-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

Hotprints.com. has added partners to their stable of item sponsors allowing them to offer you one free photo hotbook a month... free book and free shipping. This means there are ads in the books but they are removable full page inserts and won't be mixed in with the photos. A hotbook is a 16-page, hardcover photo book that you design on their system with no downloads required.

This offer is currently only available to US, UK and Canada.

Review: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

2010-01-29T18:05:00.001-08:00

Michael Pollan is skilled at making the politics and back office bluster of the modern age nutrition and food industry interesting and readable. Usually one considers such topics when the sleep aids have run out or don’t work, however, in this instance the topic keeps interest and (surprise) can be relatively easy to follow. I enjoyed this book almost as much as his Omnivore’s Dilemma.

I liked that the ideas he posits are backed up with scientific research and studies and not simply anecdotal evidence that is often easily dismissed.

He sums up much of the problems with the Western Diet and the American Public’s obesity problem in a very succinct sentence:

“... the human being who manages to be both overfed and undernourished, two characteristics seldom found in the same body in the long natural history of our species.”

I found this book to be both informative and enlightening. Although I lean in the direction of organic, natural, around the outside of the grocery store eating, in practice I’m still struggling to reach that. This book was a boost and a reminder that eating for self and health are not to be taken lightly or ignored but can still bring a lot of fun and comfort.

10 Cool Online Apps and Interactive Features Offered by NASA

2010-01-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Makeuseof.com has a great post about 10 Cool Online Apps and Interactive Features Offered by NASA. I especially like the Lunar Outpost.

Light-Emitting Wallpaper to Replace Light Bulbs?

2010-01-03T17:41:00.000-08:00

Light-Emitting Wallpaper to Replace Light Bulbs? | Business Pundit

Business Pundit had an article about a Welsh start up that has received funding for light emitting wallpaper. Check out the story here.

Santa Claus and Christmas at the Northpole

2009-12-22T12:10:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus and Christmas at the Northpole

Visit Santa's Secret Village, create personalized stories, write to Santa and send cards to friends, join the Elf Pal Academy and track Santa as he makes his rounds with NORAD.

Santa Claus Museum

2009-12-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus Museum

Ran across this website of the Santa Claus Museum. You can write to Santa from this site and get a letter from Santa for the children in your life.

Ho, ho, ho!!!

Where Did Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Come From? - Holidays News - Holidash

2009-12-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Holidash.com has a short article about Rudolph's origins...

Where Did Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Come From?

Baggy Pants were his Downfall

2009-12-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Killer Plunges to His Death After His Pants Fall Down

In what appears to have been a drug deal gone bad a killer who followed another victim onto the fire escape tripped and fell over his baggy pants. He then plunged 3 stories to his death.

Read the whole article here.

Exobotics!

2009-12-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Exobotics!

Design your own robot and make it shake its booty!

Free Christmas Music

2009-12-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

Free Christmas Music from Feels Like Christmas.com
Songs & Carols
Holiday Music MP3 Downloads

2009-12-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Check out the Graffiti Creator at GraffitiCreator.net.

Here's one I made for The Squeaky Brain. Note there is limited space, I had to type in the name without spaces or I couldn't fit in all the 'brain'.

PassiveAggressiveNotes.com

2009-12-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

PassiveAggressiveNotes.com

Found this website and spent waaaayyyy too much time there.

Check it out!!!

Paper Toys

2009-11-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

PaperToys.com has lots of models to choose from (boxes, cars, buildings, cards, etc). Check it out.

Here's one that caught my eye...

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

2009-11-27T13:20:00.000-08:00

An engaging and informative read, the Omnivore’s Dilemma takes the reader along on the author’s journey from field to meal in four different ways.

The reader is a bird on the shoulder while the author travels the same journey your food takes from field to plate.

For the first meal we travel from field to feedlot to a “meal on the go”. The author’s family experiences a McDonald’s meal during a drive in the car. He chose a burger, his son was very happy with the chance to scarf some chicken nuggets and the author’s wife resigned herself to a salad.

For the second meal our journey moves from “industrial organic” through to plate. The author creates a dinner from items at Whole Foods market with a chicken as the main course. He gets philosophic about the packaging and the current marketing strategy of feel-good stories used to sell products.

The third meal meanders from farm field to abattoir to dinner table. Pollan dishes up a dinner with several items from the farm where he spent a week working alongside the farmer and family. The section about the abattoir may be too much for some people. I remember I thought of one of my vegetarian friends and considered that she may not be able to read this section.

The final meal, meal number four has the reader follow as the author attempts to hunt and forage for his meal. The author learns along the way many lessons about food and about self.

The first portion of this book was a great eye opener if a bit dry. Once we got past the feedlot my interest piqued and I had trouble putting the book down. I found the processes fascinating and am looking forward to his next book.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T12:52:00.001-08:00

Wishing you a...

A Real-Life Big Brother Poster

2009-11-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

A Real-Life Big Brother Poster. See the original at Business Pundit.

It's real which makes it very creepy. I feel like I've just stepped into a sci fi movie.

Blind Boy Regains Sight With Gene Therapy

2009-10-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, an experimental gene therapy procedure has given a boy who lost his sight another chance at light. He was born with a disease that ravaged his sight until it was gone completely last year. After this procedure he was able to read and ride a bike with his friends.

Check out the full story and video here.

Pumpkin house wows visitors

2009-10-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Pumpkin house wows visitors

thanks to sixwise.com for the heads up

Why One Wife Now Chooses to Shop Alone | Business Pundit

2009-10-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Why One Wife Now Chooses to Shop Alone | Business Pundit

Thank you businesspundit.com

Review: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

2009-10-22T14:56:00.000-07:00

In Eat, Pray, Love, author Elizabeth Gilbert takes us along on her journey of self discovery and recovery. Dealing with the aftermath of her discovery that she doesn’t want children or to stay in her marriage we piggy back on her decision to spend four moths in three locations to study what each does best.

We discover Italy through her eyes (and stomach) learning and discovering pleasure in its many forms. The word today is most often associated with sex, and there is a level of that, it is Italy after all, but she reminds us that the definition is much broader and multi-layered.

Pleas-ure [plezh-er]
1.    The state or feeling of being pleased.
2.    Enjoyment or satisfaction derived from what is to one's liking; gratification; delight.
3.    Worldly or frivolous enjoyment: the pursuit of pleasure.
4.    Recreation or amusement; diversion; enjoyment: Are you traveling on business or for pleasure?

We encounter the aesthetic magic of an ashram and Gilbert’s breakthrough in self development, and forgiveness, in India in such a self depreciating manner that the breakthrough seem almost anticlimactic. There are so many misconceptions and taboos around a stay at an Ashram that her ability to bring to life each denizen in a straight forward and day to day manner was especially appealing.

After investigating pleasure in Italy and faith in India, Gilbert takes route to Bali where she hopes to study balancing both while learning from a medicine man she met two years prior who assured her she would return to the island and study with him. A brief foray into history helps the outsider understand some of the current culture and interactions of the Balinese.

At each turn in her journey he readily shares vignettes of her lack of planning, lack of strategy and ability to succeed in spite of the jumble she often feels. Makes international travel seem more plausible to the stay t home who has always believed it would be too difficult to make a trip outside one’s own borders.

Top 5 Website Analytics Programs - Starting a business - Biznik

2009-10-15T12:33:00.001-07:00

Top 5 Website Analytics Programs - Starting a business - Biznik

Shared via AddThis

UK court orders writ to be served via Twitter

2009-10-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

UK court orders writ to be served via Twitter

Britain's High Court ordered its first injunction via Twitter on Thursday, saying the social website and micro-blogging service was the best way to reach an anonymous Tweeter who had been impersonating someone.

View article here.

Charcoal Drawing Generator

2009-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sporkforge has a Charcoal Drawing Generator that's fun to use.

Here's an example. I changed the resolution from default to high and changed the colorization from default to moderate. I like the effect.

Hello, please meet... Scion Speak

2009-09-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Scion Speak

Create your own crest and show the world what you're made of (or at least what you think you're made of).

When you're done you can download, print or post it to the Scion gallery. You can view the exclusive 'making of' video.

Here's a random crest from the randomizer...

Send Some Luck Someone's Way

2009-09-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Create and print a personalized Luck Transfer Certificate at Transfer of Luck web page.

Step One is to type in the to and from names. The current day's date is already there but this can be changed.
Step Two is to press the Update Preview button and let the system render the new certificate. Once created, you can press teh click here button to have an image pop up in a new window where you right click and 'save as'.
Step three suggests you affix real pennies to the penny graphics and then present to the lucky recipient of your luck.

Go forth and spread some luck!

Create Your own Lego Set

2009-09-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the LEGO Digital Designer. The program that lets you build with LEGO bricks on your computer.
Learn more about LDD and how you get started by using our new tutorial movies. It works on both PC and Mac. You can create your dream package with the designer software and at the end check on the 'check price' button which will show you the pricing for all the necessary parts in your local currency. Then you just upload and follow the directions.

Getting Started Video Tutorials

Create Your Own Wanted Poster

2009-09-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

Planning on being an outlaw this Holloween? All the most wanted outlaws have their own Wanted poster.

Wanted Poster

Tuxpi has many photo effects to play with.

Letters from the Tooth Fairy

2009-09-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Ran across a great website for those with tooth loose age children, www.toothfairyletter.net. You can download a PDF version of several letters or purchase a modifiable Word document for $5. There are specific letters for boys, girls, lost tooth and extraordinary situations. There is also link to coloring pages.

Assess Your Risk of Identity Theft

2009-09-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

I just ran across a website called www.myidscore.com which states they can assess your risk of identity theft. You input some information like full name, address, phone numbers and date of birth. They also ask for a social security number but this is optional. Then you press a button and it gives you a score with explanation. There is a limit of 2 score searches in a 14 day period.

According to their website My ID Score is a three digit number between 1 and 999. It describes your risk of being a victim of identity fraud and gives you real–time, actionable insight into the security of your identity.

My ID Score is different than a credit score. A credit score indicates your creditworthiness. My ID Score indicates the risk that you might be a victim of identity fraud. Your specific My ID Score will fall somewhere within three score ranges: Low, Moderate, or High. A higher score indicates a greater identity fraud risk.

2009-09-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!

According to the US Department of Labor Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Click here for a list of Labor Day 2009 events.

The Squeaky Brain

Tea Robot

Tea Robot

PLR FAQ Report

Today is Groundhog Day!

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

Today is Data Privacy Day!

Margarita Stewart: Hot Apple Spiced Cider → Alcohol Free

Google Help : Cheat Sheet

Infobarrel.com Articles

For the Coffee Lover in Your Life

Get Ring Tones

Ever Wonder What Happened In Your Birth Year?

Free Puzzle Maker

Send a Future Email

Send Someone A Standing Ovation!

Get Your Name Meaning Report

Birthday Calculator

1 January 2010

Free Vedic Janma Kundali (Horoscope)

Create Personalized Money

Turn your Photo into a Charcoal Drawing

Turn Your Photos into Digital Artwork

Turn Your Photo into a Blueprint

Make Your Own Dodecahedron Calendar

One Day Calendar Generator

Find Out if You Have Perfect Pitch

Play Piano on Your Keyboard

Create Your Own Wanted Poster... Again

Create Your Own Fake Magazine Cover

Create Your Own Latin Motto or Slogan

Create Your Own Newspaper Clipping

See Your Slogan on The Side of a Bus

Social Networking Status Generator

Make Your Own Coat of Arms

Hue Test

Heretical Rhyme Generator

Make Your Own Comic

Free Ebook 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success

Astrology - East Meets West

Make Travel Easier And Cheaper With Maps

Paper Toys

Free Metallica Concert Downloads

Free Guide To Direct Sales Success

Gangsta Name Generator

Old School DJ Name Generator

What's Your Travel IQ?

Fun Stuff: DVD Easter Eggs (hidden fun stuff)

Not Your Mother's Milk

Self Assesment Tools: Free IQ Test

Fun Stuff: Cartoon Yourself

Fun Stuff: Lego Yourself

Fun Stuff: South Park Yourself

Website Resource: Speedtest.net

Fun Stuff: Sketching Online

Self Assesment Tools: Burnout Test

Gift Card Discounts - Get Restaurent.com cards for $2

Website of the Weird - Poorly Dressed People

Optical Illusions

Motion & Time

Luminance & Contrast

Colour

Geometric- & Angle Illusions

Space, 3D & Size Constancy

Cognitive- / Gestalt Effects

Specialties with faces

Some History / What’s new

String 3D Drawing

Make Your Own Search Puzzle

Trial JLR

JLR

Flip Your Writing

Fun Stuff: South Park Yourself... Again

Fun Stuff: DoppelMe

Fun Stuff: Funny Faces With Photo Manipulation

Fun Stuff: Animate Yourself

Fun Stuff: Fun With Anagrams

Phrase of the Day

Free Photo Books, Free Shipping,

Review: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan