Ron’s  Newsletter - September 2004

— Someone else said it first —

"Do not let yesterday take up too much of today."
— Author Unknown

Welcome to the September edition of Ron's Newsletter.
This month has special meaning — it marks my 5 year anniversary of being part of the Internet community. (woo hoo) Many of you have watched the website and newsletter grow from the start. Referrals have grown the newsletter subscriber base with each issue - way beyond my imagination, and lately some of you have asked why I don't change it  to a paid service? Well, the truth be told... it's just a hobby. The donations of a few loyal supporters help keep the financial burden to a minimum. I have always enjoyed wading through the world wide web to find you the information, be it useful links or being just interesting and newsworthy. However, if there are others that can afford to give a few bucks to help ensure another five years, then give of your own free will. Thank You! — Now, sit back, start clicking and enjoy.

Comments invited.

C YA  nEXT mONTH,
  

«  Now, some news you may have missed  »

Good News for Chocolate Lovers Scientists have found that eating dark chocolate appears to make the blood vessels more flexible, which helps prevent the hardening of the arteries that leads to heart attacks. But experts cautioned that the weight gain from eating a lot of chocolate probably would cancel out the apparent benefit. read more.

The Dallas Cowboys Channel... The Dallas Cowboys are launching a 24-hour cable network on Sept. 8, to be available to Comcast subscribers in Texas and adjoining states. The network will offer original programming, including broadcasts of coach Bill Parcells' news conferences and a nightly news show from practice with interviews. There will also be call-in shows and "Owners Desk," a weekly report from the team owner Jerry Jones. more details.

Web Site Helps Compare Gasoline Prices... Price-sensitive motorists are flocking to the Internet to save on their gas bills. Created from the frustration of filling up their gas tanks only to find another station selling gas for a nickel a gallon cheaper, Jason Toews, a 30-year-old computer programmer from Minneapolis and Dustin Coupal started the nonprofit GasBuddy Organization Inc. The GasBuddy network, now four years along, surveys an average of 150,000 stations per week in all the U.S. states and Canada and has links to 173 price comparison Web sites. Visitors enter their zip codes to find prices at nearby stations. Pa Gas prices

Free Online Legal Service Launched... The Web site helps the poor in California with legal services, provides referrals in all 58 counties and offers general information on a variety of legal topics, ranging from domestic abuse to workplace discrimination and issues specific to seniors.

Free Travel Brochures... Use Travelinformation.com to select the latest FREE travel brochures, vacation guides, maps & travel planning kits — and have them mailed to you free of charge. These free vacation guides are what every traveler needs to plan a safe vacation. (did I mention, they are free?)

Survey Sez !... Broadband Internet use has passed dial-up access. More than half of US households that use the Internet now are using cable, DSL or other high-speed connections to go online, according to a new study by Nielson/NetRatings. The research found that 51 percent of U.S. households in July now have broadband, as compared to 38 per cent a year ago.

'Fat Darrell' Crowned As Best Sandwich... Named for its caloric content, Fat Darrell has been crowned the best sandwich in the country by Maxim magazine, which lists the top 10 sandwiches in its Sept. issue. The sandwich was created by Darrell Butler of Eatontown, N.J., to reflect his cravings for chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and french fries, ALL ON ONE BUN. Runner-up was "The Nuke," an artery blocker at the Staggering Ox in Helena, Montana. It combines ham, roast beef, turkey and three cheeses. read more.

"Bullets Not Boobs" Campaign... Be all that you can be - and no more. That's the message KA Pictures wants to give women serving in the armed forces. "Bullets Not Boobs" is a protest movement opposing the U.S. Military’s offer of free boob jobs and other plastic surgery as a recruiting tool. The company will give $500 in lingerie and a day at a spa to any woman honorably discharged from the military with her natural breasts intact. Owner Mark Kulkis says, "We think the military should be spending its money on bullets, not boobs." The New Yorker, which first reported the recruiting tool story in its July 26 issue, says that in the first three months of 2004 the military performed 60 breast enlargement operations. The Department of Defense does not deny it. According to Martha Rudd, an Army spokeswoman, the military does have a policy whereby their surgeons, on a very limited basis, practice reconstructive surgery skills on enlistees and their dependents if time and space is available. Recipients must pay for their own implants but the surgery is covered. First in line to accept the offer is former Army Specialist E-4 Jennifer Zandstra from Texas.

The Secret To Wholesale Car Prices... Wouldn't you love to buy the vehicle of your choice at the very lowest price possible, at dealer wholesale prices? Well, now you can, through a unique auto broker service that is for for consumers only. At  Auto Broker Magic, they will buy a top condition, fully inspected and CarFax Certified used vehicle of your choice ... at a "Dealer-Only Wholesale Auction." No longer will you have to pay for showroom overhead, sales commissions, large inventory costs, or big advertising budgets. They will go to these "Wholesale Dealer Auctions" as YOUR representative. In effect, their unique Auto Broker Service puts you right there at these special "closed to the public" auto dealer auctions ... with full access to their "Car Dealer Only" wholesale prices. They can acquire any vehicle you are interested in, through their involvement in numerous wholesale auto dealer auctions. How do I know all this? Because Joshua told me so! Call him at 1-561-308-3407, after viewing the website.

Introduction to Windows XP Service Pack 2... Columnist Barb Bowman details the new SP2 update that makes for safer computing, including an improved Windows Update, a stronger Windows Firewall, safer e-mail handling and improved network protection. A MUST READ.
Also see: Why CNet says to hold off on getting the update.

Look for one coming near you... Dressed in a tuxedo, Simba sat at the front of one of Manhattan's newest dining establishments and nodded at people who greeted him. Then he yawned, began to roll on the floor and lick his paws. That's acceptable behavior at the Meow Mix Cafe, a new 3,500 sq.-foot eatery designed especially for cats and their owners. The world's first pussycat restaurant opened August 17th and offers fully-interactive games, including scratching posts and catnip-filled toy mice. The flagship Meow Mix Cafe in NY City, including gift shop, is an experimental concept slated for expansion around the country. The feline-friendly restaurant has one main rule: NO dogs.

and finally, To Craig Kilborn with Love... will NOT miss you.
You were not that funny. Sure, the shows' numbers were up, but one could expect that, what with following the coveted post-Letterman nightly slot. Kilborn, the TV king of gay-sarcasm, ( who no doubt is probably gay himself ) had been the host of The Late Late Show since March of 1999. He was also an ESPN reporter, the former host of The Daily Show, where he once was suspended for a week-without-pay for making slurred remarks about its head writer, Lizz Winstead. ( does anyone see a pattern?) In Craig's departure, The Late, Late Show will air re-runs for three weeks. [geez] Then, CBS plans to bring in a series of guest hosts. Rumors for a replacement are floating, CBS may be interested in a newcomer named 'Lumpy' Harrison, who was quoted saying, "So, you're saying this rumor is a 'definite maybe'?"

    J-O-K-E  of  the  M-O-N-T-H

After a long night of passion, He notices a photo of another man on her nightstand by the bed.

He begins to worry. "Is this your husband?" he nervously asks.

"No silly," she replies, snuggling up to him.

"Your boyfriend, then?" he continues.

"No, not at all," she says, nibbling away at his ear.

"Is it your dad or your brother?" he inquires, hoping to be reassured.

"No, no, no !!!" she answers.

"Well, who in the hell is he, then?" he demands.

"That's me .... before the surgery."