For those of us that have to travel as part of our jobs leaving our families and knowing that they are safe and secure is a major priority. The question is what steps can you take to make sure that your family and home remain safe. Thanks to todays technology you can install a wireless security system like the ones made by ademco which come with many features that can help you install and implement your new system in less than hour. Plus there are many add ons that can be purchased as your needs change. You can add wireless motion detectors and expand your system to really have a true security system.

Popularity: 30% [?]

When I was in high school and playing sports I did everything that I could to try and build muscle and bulk up that was legal. I was that wiry kid in school that no matter what I tried could not put on the pounds. As I went out for football the coaches tried to show me training regimens that could help me put on muscle mass and increase my strength but I was only able to make small improvements. What did play in my favor is that I did have speed so that I could avoid the direct hits and get around the defense. Nowadays there are more options to help build muscle safely and effectively that can be found online through reputable stores. So if you are looking to add some bulk to your frame make sure you do your homework and do not take short cuts.

Popularity: 19% [?]

The latest gadgets for your car appear to be the GPS devices to help you navigate the local roads. There are are many different variations that you can choose from such as voice directed, color, and black and white. This is contrast to just a few years ago when you had to break out the pocket magnifiers to read the fine lines of the street maps that you had stuffed in the glove box. As these navigational units become more cost effective you had to think that maps will become a thing of the past. Besides I could not never get it folded back into it’s original form leaving me with a mess.

Popularity: 37% [?]

We recently had the chance to join a new upstart social networking site called Online Prototype Community of Tomorrow or opcot.com for short. They are in the beta test phase now and will be in full swing in May. You can sign up for free now and get in early to set up your name and user groups. What drew us to this site is that have proposed a revenue sharing model that is very intriguing. I have listed the terms below directly from the owners blog so that I do not incorrectly report anything. Now there are several of the revenue sharing sites that are out there and I have ventured into a few of them with little excitement. The reason is that half the people that you find on most of these sites are trying to sell you there affiliate program by becoming your friend. Adam who is the owner will be in full launch in May and this could jump out in front of some of the more current online social network sites that are springing up.

Revenue Sharing from OPCOT.com

We give back 85% of our ad revenue to the community and our partners.

Our revenue sharing is in the form of a monthly lottery, and will be broken down as follows:

One (1) Grand Prize. Consisting of at least 50% of the company’s (OPCOT) ad revenue profits for the given month will be given to a random eligible user.

Two (2) Second Prizes: Consisting of at least 10% each of the company’s (OPCOT) ad revenue profits for the given month will be given to 2 random eligible users who are in the grand prize winners friends list. (if the grand prize winners friends list consists of less then 2 eligible users, another random eligible user will be selected for the prize)

Ten (10) Third Place Prizes: Consisting of at least 1% each of the company’s (OPCOT) ad revenue profits for the given month will be given to random eligible users who is in either the grand prize, or second prize winner’s friends list. (if the friends lists of both the grand prize winner, and 2 second prize winners total less then 10 eligible users, then other eligible members will be randomly selected for the prize)

To be eligible for the OPCOT revenue sharing lottery a user must

• Be at least 13 years of age.
• Have generated at least 1,000 total lifetime views to their profile, blog, and media pages.
• Have generated at least 30 total views during the given month to their profile, blog, and media pages.
• the users account must be in good standing with OPCOT’s term’s and conditions.
• and you must not be an employee of OPCOT.

See, pretty simple. Every year 159 members will win, and 12 of them will win the grand prize, why not you?

For example: If the monthly ad revenue profit for the OPCOT site is $1,000,000 then the prizes would be broken down as follows:

1 Grand Prize of at least $500,000

2 Second Prizes of at least $100,000

10 Ten Prizes of at least $10,000

(The revenue sharing is scheduled to begin for the month of May, 2008. OPCOT reserves the right to remove or modify the revenue sharing model without notice at any time.)

Popularity: 38% [?]

I live in the Pacific Northwest and the selection of local and regional wineries has skyrocketed over the last 5 years. This has brought some prestigious awards to some of our local wineries and has created a new cottage industry of wine tours and wine tasting events. These events bring in people from as far away as Arizona, Texas, and California. I have noticed that local builders are accommodating the wine lovers with having built in wine racks in newer homes as a standard feature. Some are built right into the side of the kitchen island and some are more sophisticated and are placed in the basement with their own cooling system to help wines at the perfect temperature.

Popularity: 23% [?]

I have noticed that both mens and womens watches have gotten bulkier and more noticeable. It seems that your time piece has become more of the fashion rather than just a complimentary piece. There are some high end makers of watches like Vacheron which offer a great selection of styles that fit todays fashion and have a since of old time style to them.

Popularity: 40% [?]

The seventh installment in a series of suspense books from James Patterson the 7th Heaven book promises to continue the saga that is features the Womens murder club. The setting is in San Francisco where a pair of arsonists are on the loose and must be stopped. A very interesting story line when you consider what happened in the state of California last year with the wildfires that tore through the state. A few of those fires were attributed to arsonists and one of those were caught. Based on the reviews that we have seen this book promises to start off with a bang and unveil some twists along the way. We won’t reveal them as you will want to pick up a copy to read for yourself.

Popularity: 39% [?]

If you are looking for a great way to improve the curb appeal of your home then you may want to consider vinyl shutters from Larson Shutter. Shutters can add a new dimension to your home and really make your home different. With vinyl shutters you do not need to paint them and they are virtually maintenance free. Plus you can find them in a multitude of colors that can help accent your current painting scheme or highlight your landscape.

Popularity: 36% [?]

People need to understand that medical insurance is not an entitlement. I agree that all children should have access to the best medical care as they cannot control their situation, but adults who only rely on the government to supply their benefits need to get motivated to change what they can.

Popularity: 35% [?]

This year thousands of businesses will attend and have booth space at conferences. Conferences are a great way to network, introduce a new product or just create awareness about your company or brand. Some of the larger meetings that are held there can be over 10 thousand attendees all there to learn from the keynote speakers and visit with the vendors during the expo. You will see some very high tech banners and signs that are mainly used to draw attention to the booth. Then it is up to the salespeople in the booth to showcase the products.

Many companies will spend weeks preparing for such a meeting and dealing with logistics, meeting planners, and outside vendors to help get the booth ready. But there are times when your concept or product logo may not be ready to go to press then you have a tight turnaround to get your banners made and up for the conference.  This is where an outside company like Fastsigns and digital printing capabilities can be of service. They can help print large custom 4 color banners on demand and have them ready to deliver or picked up at one of their many local shops though out the country. With the latest printing technology at their fingertips they can receive files to their shop and begin printing just in time for the big meeting. So if you have a larger meeting coming up and the last minute details require that large format printing is a must then you have a business partner in FastSigns that can help you get the job done.

Popularity: 33% [?]

I have noticed more ads lately on TV regarding acne treatment with stars claiming the great resutls.

Popularity: 23% [?]

In the world of house remodeling there are many things that will make a house more presentable. One of the areas that you can really make a statement is in the guest bathroom. This is where all your friends and guest will take a moment to themselves and what better way to make an impression than with a beautiful vanity and bathroom vanities that are stainless steel. Don’t let one of the most visible rooms for your guests be one that is neglected.

Popularity: 20% [?]

We had the opportunity to try mobile cell phone booster from Powerfulsignal.com for our new iPhone. They provided the unit free of charge and we put it through the paces. I am on the road quite a bit and keeping in touch with my customers and sales force is critical. There have been numerous times in a given a week when I will talking to someone or leaving a voicemail and the call drops or the it sounds like I am under water. With the SignalBoost I was able to see and hear a noticeable difference in my iPhone. The video shows the unit in action. I did learn something very interesting after talking to Kevin from PowerfulSignal and that is that the bars on the phone do not actually translate to better reception. There is a sequence of numbers that you can enter into your cell phone ( see the cell phone reception FAQ here) that allows you to see the cell towers within a certain distance and what the actual reception is. The read out is in decibels and show in a negative number. So you want a larger number showing. For example a -70 would be much better than a -106. This was the difference that I saw on our iPhone when we attached the SignalBoost device.

The great advantage to this setup is that it is portable and can be used in your home, car, or hotel room. Check out our video and let us know if you have any questions.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Whether you are in need of a cosmetic surgery or a simple Botox injection there are more surgeons and Dr.’s who are adding these services as part of their practices. One of the main reasons is that these patients are typically paying cash and there is little to no insurance which is major time consuming event for most Dr.’ s today. They are able to realize better revenue and thus spend more time with their patients for total health care. The cost for Dr.’s has risen for items like medical equipment, staff, and even exam gloves that it pays to make sure you are giving the best care so that the Dr. is not having to constantly recruit new patients.

Popularity: 23% [?]

This story goes to show that my family and I eat out way to much. We were in a Mexican food restaurant and I needed to take my son to the restroom. After he finished I asked him to wash his hands and said Dad, ” I Can’t” I thought that he was just trying to be lazy and get out of washing his hands. Besides, what 7 year old would love to never to have to wash. I looked around the corner and saw the problem. The bathroom faucets had been placed so close to the edge of the sinks that it was next to impossible to actually have your hands under them to wash. This created a problem for us and I am sure for many others that have to use that facility. I guess after a few drinks from the cantina that this oversight is not as problematic.

Popularity: 27% [?]