This Month's: Links, Tips, News and Fun Stuff       

Inside this edition:

This Month's
Sites in the Spotlight

Consumer Corner:

In the Spotlight:
« TAX   Resources »

Pennsylvania:
« TAX  Information »

MARCH
« Seasonal Resources »

Favorite Links this month:

Fun Stuff to Email Friends:

Websites  in  Pa:

more sites
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business or product
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Inquire re: Advertising !!!

— a quote worth remembering —

When asked why he takes his wife on all the road trips,
he responded ...
"Because she is too damn ugly to kiss goodbye."
—Author: ex Houston Oiler coach Bum Phillips

Welcome to the March edition of Ron's Newsletter.
                March... came in like a lion in Pa., will it go out like a lamb? March is the month of wind and taxes. We got Spring around the corner and Easter this month too. And, did you know? — the one national holiday that is celebrated "in more countries" around the world than any other is — St. Patrick's Day.
It's true. I looked it up - so you wouldn't have to.
          Hope you have your best month yet.
      — now sit back — read, click and enjoy your Internet experience!

Comments invited.

C YA  nEXT mONTH,
  

«  Now, some stories in the news  »

Customize Your News Online ... Google News has added a Powerful Customization Feature. On the Google News page you'll now see the "Edit Customized Page" in a gray box at the top right are of the page. Click it to access the customization page. There, you'll see the sections which you can rearrange with the cursor, and options to create a standard section and a custom section. Standard sections are pre-packaged by Google and are similar to what you see on the standard, default news page. You can specify the number of articles you wish to have in each section or eliminate sections. Don't Worry, you can add them back later, if you wish.

Now for the custom sections! You can create a custom news section that will include articles that match your keyword criteria, and then place this section anywhere on the news page you like. Click in the "Create Custom Section" to get started. You'll see a field to enter your keywords and specify the number of articles you wish to have in the section. Here is where you can keep updated on your favorites, whether it be: Clay Aiken, social security, American Idol, a specific stock or whatever.
If you click on the "Advanced" link, in the keywords field you are able to use an advanced operator such as: ( -satire), in order to exclude the rumor-mill news sites. (This works well for a Clay Aiken section) Note: when you include a negative term in your search, be sure to include a space before the minus sign. You can use other advanced search operators like OR's, excludes, "allintitles" to truly define your section. Choosing the right search terms is the key to finding the information you need.
For more help, see these FAQ and The Basics of a Google Search

Advanced tip:
On the Google News homepage, Click on the Advanced News Search, (a small link near the top of page), fill out the form. Here's an example: Let's say you want articles with "Social Security" and ("tax" in the article title only, not in the body), plus you don't want any stories on Al Gore. see image for example.
After searching, you then copy to your clipboard the search criteria Google inserted in the News Search field and then go your Custom Section you created and paste it into the keyword field. Don't forget to name the Label for your category and Save it. (you can repeat the Advanced News Search to tweak the results the way you want it.)

Sharing Your News Page with Others
If you look near the bottom of the news page you'll see a link "Share your customized news with a friend." Clicking on this link will provide you with a unique URL that you can copy and email to anyone else so that they can see the same news setup you do.

Kelly Clarkson Breaks Away For Tour... Still grounded, but on a non-stop flight of stardom. Kelly Clarkson, has announced plans for a two-month theater tour. The trek will open with a March 28-30 stand in Tulsa, Okla., and will close May 29 in Vancouver. Kelly will be touring behind her 2nd album, "Breakaway" which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard charts and has sold 1.3 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album has already produced a pair of top 10 singles, the title track, "Breakaway" and "Since U Been Gone." Her new single is "Behind These Hazel Eyes," which is also the name of her new DVD. It's in stores March 29.
Kelly's new DVD will give her fans a unique behind-the-scenes look at her life through a series of frank and candid interviews, as she reveals the girl behind the image. From the private 'closed' set of a music video to the red carpet of a movie premiere, Kelly gives exclusive access to all areas of her professional life both in the public arena and behind-the-scenes. The DVD includes the making of her hot music video, "Breakaway," a camping trip video diary, bloopers and six songs. It's available at Amazon.
See Kelly's official website or join the Kelly Clarkson Fan Club.
Related Links:
Kelly's Tour schedule - Kelly Ringtones - Lyrics & Videos
Scene from the DVD - Kelly Clarkson Tickets

Hotline Offers Free Dental Advice ... a national hotline that people can call to talk one-on-one with a dentist about oral health is called SmileLine. "We hope that this toll-free service will help answer difficult or embarrassing questions about dental and general health issues," said SmileLine coordinator Donna Miller. The SmileLine hotline is a toll-free number 1-800-764-5333.
Related Links:
Animations: Brushing and Flossing - Oral Hygiene -
Oral Health Topics A-Z - Glossary of Dental Terms

Satellite radio ... Any Music, News or Sports - and it's all 24/7 ... The satellite radio industry, with commercial free music has achieved startling subscriber growth in the four years since it was launched. Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, are the two satellite radio companies which offer commercial-free music to listeners bored by endless repetition and commercials on traditional radio.

Subscribers of satellite radio, in 2004, totaled about 3.23 million for XM and 1.14 million for Sirius. Every major sport is now covered by one or the other satellite radio firms. Sirius has the NBA, the NFL andHoward Stern while XM has Major League Baseball, Nascar and Tony Kornheiser. However, Nascar fans should take notice that Sirius has just signed a five-year agreement worth $107 million with NASCAR for exclusive radio coverage starting in 2007.

XM offers more than 130 channels of digital radio programming for $9.95 per month, covering every major music format, as well as news, sports and talk. Sirius offers 65 music channels and 65 channels of news, sports and talk subscription for $12.95 a month. The monthly fees are necessary because satellite radios' support is subscription-based and not advertiser-based.

Satellite-ready receivers can be installed in your car or at home. Portable devices such as boomboxes and hand held devices are also available, such as XM's MyFi and the Sirius' Sportster.

You can find satellite systems at stores that sell electronics. The radios can also be purchased pre-installed in a car or truck. XM has major agreements with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Nissan and others, while Sirius' partners include DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes, Ford and BMW.

SMELL LIKE SHANIA ... Most ladies might not be able to achieve her looks or her body, but soon they'll be able to smell like her. Canadian born, country/pop star SHANIA TWAIN is the latest celebrity to plan a fragrance line. The MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN! singer, 39, is teaming up with Coty Inc.'s Stetson to develop the new perfume, which has yet to have a release date. "I wanted to partner with a company that would be able to express my personality through their products, Stetson is a great fit for me to accomplish this," Twain said in a statement. "Like a favorite song, a scent evokes a memory, creates a mood and inspires a feeling." Read more on the story here. Shania is the best-selling female country artist of all time. She is also the only artist in the history of recorded music to have three consecutive albums with record sales that top 65 million copies worldwide. See Shania's official website, or join the Shania Twain Fan Club.

Survey Sez ... Unhappiness At Work is on the rise. Many are simply ‘showing up for a paycheck’ (Geez! Can U believe that?) U.S. workers are markedly less satisfied with their jobs than a decade ago. According to a survey by The Conference Board, a New York-based business research group, only 50 percent of U.S. workers are happy with their jobs, which is down from 59 percent in 1995. Of those, about 14 percent say they are very satisfied. The biggest decline in on-the-job happiness was among workers earning $25 to $35,000 and among workers between the ages of 35 - 44. The workers most satisfied with their jobs are those earning $50,000 or more (no kidding) and workers at least 65 years old. The survey also found that workers are generally content with their commutes to work and relationships with co-workers, but they voice much discontent with their companies' bonus plans, promotion policies, health plans and pension benefits. Read more at CBS News.

Looking for a Computer Repair Shop ?
NEW WAVE ELECTRONICS
1026 Woodland Bigler Hwy. Woodland, Pa. 16881
 · Computer Repair  · BigScreen TV Repair  · Security Systems
 · Custom Computer Building  · Home Entertainment Installations
Call (814) 857-5242 —or— Toll Free 877-857-5242.

NEW Deduction for state and local sales taxes ... One of the key provisions inside the corporate tax bill that Congress passed right before the last election — Starting this year, you can deduct — either your state and local income taxes or sales taxes on your federal return --as long as you itemize and don't fall prey to the AMT (alternative minimum tax). If you’re subject to the AMT, the sales tax deduction won’t count, just like the state income tax deduction doesn’t. (If this sounds familiar, you're right. Until 1987, taxpayers who itemized were allowed to deduct sales taxes.)

The new tax law was created because states with no income tax complained that their taxpayers were at a disadvantage, so now, everyone has the choice of deducting sales or income tax. Residents of these states: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming pay no income tax, thus the sales tax deduction is sure to be the better choice. Residents of other states have to determine which write-off would be bigger.

This new break means nothing to you if you’re among the majority of taxpayers who use the standard deduction. (Although it could push some people who are now on the edge into itemizing— if adding sales taxes to other deductible expenses pushes the total over the standard deduction amount.)

Since the law was passed in October 2004, if you didn't save all your receipts don't worry. While you CAN use the actual sales receipts you may have collected to determine your write-off, you don't have to. The IRS has calculated how much you can deduct - based on where you live, your income and your exemptions.
Read Publication 600, or download the IRS table here. [ pdf ]

If you bought a car, boat, motorcycle or airplane last year, you can in most cases, add the sales tax paid on that big-ticket purchase to the table amount. If you kept receipts that show you paid more tax than table estimates, you can use the higher figure. So, starting in 2005, save those receipts, but keep in mind, under current law, this tax break is temporary. It applies only for 2004 and 2005 returns.

Disclaimer: The articles and links herein should not be construed as a substitute for professional tax services nor as advice.

Is Baseball, as we know it, Over? ... the Steroid issue aside ...
I'm talking about the Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry, now that 'The Curse' has been reversed. As you know, Boston "finally" won their first World Series in 86 years. (see chart below)
So... everything is different now, right? ... OR is it?
The Baseball Gods have managed to schedule Boston to hoist their World Series banner during their home opener at Fenway Park  vs., you guessed it, The Yankees.

    J-O-K-E  of  the  M-O-N-T-H

As an owner of a new business, the entrepreneur was trying to pay his invoices. He knew that if he paid his bills early, he would get a discount, but he wasn't too good in math. He was getting confused and decided to ask his secretary for help. He called her into his office and said,
"You went to college, didn't you? I need some help.
If I were to give you $20,000 minus 14%,
how much would you take off?"
The secretary thought for a moment, then replied,
"Everything but my earrings."

Find the best sites fast!
Browse the Internet with our web site directory. Quick access to over 1000 hand-picked * useful links, categorized to save you time. Experience the Ultimate Road to the Internet on ... www.route53.com

« Computer Tips: »

Is running Two antivirus programs better than one? ...
Two antivirus programs are not better than one. If you already have antivirus software but you'd like to try a different one, always uninstall the old program before you install the new one. Running more than one antivirus program at the same time may cause major conflicts. Read frequently asked questions on antivirus software by Microsoft.
All good antivirus software should have an autodetect mode, which means the software is always running and will automatically scan files when you download them, open them, copy them, or run them. Panda Software is one antivirus solution that is capable of providing "hands-off" protection with daily automatic updates.

Time for a Quiz:

Got change for a dollar?

click here for answer

three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies
(to hide the answer, click it again)

Did You Know?
When do we change our clocks?
Daylight Saving Time begins on the first Sunday of April.
Time reverts to Standard Time on the last Sunday of October.

Send this Newsletter to a Friend!

Microsoft cracks down on pirates
Microsoft is continuing its crack-down on Windows pirates by modifying its Windows XP Product-Activation Policy. Product activation is Microsoft's way of requiring new Windows users to authenticate their copies of Windows. Microsoft will rely on the PC makers to do the activation for users. more info here.

Protecting Your Personal Information
Every day you share personal information about yourself with others. It's so routine that you may not even realize you're doing it. You may write a check at the grocery store, charge tickets to a ball game, rent a car, buy a gift online, call home on your cell phone or apply for a credit card. Each transaction requires you to share personal information: your bank and credit card account numbers, your income, your Social Security number (SSN), or your name, address and phone number. To help manage your personal information, the FTC has these tips.

Do it yourself:
Upgrade, Repair and Speed Up
Your Computer
ComputerHelp.com offers a step by step computer training video which shows computer users how to solve the most common computer problems as well as how to upgrade and add different types of hardware and software. Does your computer crash and freeze every now and then? Learn how to understand and solve those annoying errors that show up on your computer. Imagine your friends or family calling YOU for help with their computer! For just $24.95, it's a good investment. read more

See the Ron's Newsletter Archive

    Hot Coupons!
Coupon Finders.com is your online source for FREE Online Coupons, Coupon Codes and bargains at your favorite stores. Not sure how coupon codes work? This site takes pride in the opportunity to answer your specific questions through email.

How To clear browser cache in IE
-» Click the 'Tools' menu at the top of your browser
-» then select 'Internet Options'
-» On the 'General' tab (by default)
-» Click 'Delete Files' under Temporary Internet files
-» Select 'Delete all offline content' by checking in box that popped up.
Click 'OK' and you did it.

Experience Pennsylvania
... If you go ...
-Visit during one of the 4 seasons-
almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction
—
Driving conditions are much better at this time because the potholes are filled with snow.

1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623)
was established in 1996 as a year-round toll-free hotline for reporting road hazards of all types. Besides pothole reporting, missing highway signs, high shoulder drop-offs, roadway washouts and other potential hazards can be reported throughout the year. The hotline is staffed Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Calls from across the state are automatically routed to the closest PennDOT regional office. For information on specific PennDOT Districts, refer to this map or visit their pothole website. If you'd like to share your pothole pictures, send them to WPVI Action News 6.

Move over VCR — DVR is here
When the VCR was first introduced to the public, the television industry reacted with panic. Here was a device that would let people record programs, watch them when they felt like it as opposed to when the programming staff decided they should, and (scariest of all) skip through the commercials! (GASP!) But the television industry survived, and VCRs are commonplace. Now, a new innovation has come along that makes recording television programs even more convenient:
the digital video recorder — DVR.
See How DVRs Work

Notice
Any computer that doesn't have all the latest Windows patches can become virus-infected, simply by being online. Get updates at windowsupdate.microsoft.com

====================
Bumper Sticker Sighting:
====================

If You Can Read This:
I've Lost my Trailer.

this just in:

All College Sports, All the Time
ESPN has launched a multi-media college sports initiative including a new 24-hour television network called ESPN U. The brand-new channel, that will broadcast nothing but college sports - 24/7, made it's debut March 4, 2005. The new channel is on DirecTV satellite and Adelphia cable systems. ESPN "Dreamjob" winner Mike Hall will serve as ESPNU's anchor man. Sports fans can expect to see comprehensive coverage of over 300 live events, including Division I football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball, along with the lesser known lacrosse, swimming, wrestling, hockey, and ... ( if we're lucky, midget tossing and full contact lawnmower racing.)

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