November 30, 2009
Clippers play-by-play man Ralph Lawler and color analyst Michael Smith met with Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi before Sunday’s game at Staples Center, where they expressed regret for an incident that earned the TV broadcasters a one-game suspension. It was the first meeting between the teams since Lawler’s and Smith’s off-the-cuff remarks about the Iranian-born center during the final…
Read more of Clippers announcers meet with Haddadi before game (AP)…
November 27, 2009
AP – Iranian authorities have confiscated Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi’s medal, the human rights lawyer said Thursday, in a sign of the increasingly drastic steps Tehran is taking against any dissent.
Read more of Iran seizes rights lawyer’s Nobel Peace medal (AP)…
November 26, 2009
AP – Muslim pilgrims holding white umbrellas against the blazing sun clambered up a rocky desert hill for prayers Thursday during the annual hajj, a day after torrential rains that killed at least 77 people.
Read more of Saudi floods kill 77 while Muslims perform hajj (AP)…
November 26, 2009
AP – Muslim pilgrims circled Islam’s holiest site Wednesday in their traditional white robes, with a few additions — umbrellas and face masks — as the opening of the annual hajj was complicated by torrential rains and fears of swine flu.
Read more of Islam’s hajj: rain and fears of swine flu (AP)…
November 25, 2009
Yeah, you read that right. You should make the credit card companies pay for your holiday spending! (You thought I meant something else?) Since they offer juicy incentives to get you to switch to their credit card, take advantage of these loss-leaders and use the money to pay for your gifts. Sure, technically it may take you a bit to actually get the check or gift cards in the mail, but a few hundred dollars can go a long way. Just remember to pay off your balances in full, or they win!
I chose one card from three of the major issuers – Chase, Citibank, and American Express, and you can get at least $100 from each one. If you apply for all three on the same day, it is more likely that you’ll be approved for all of them since they won’t be able to see that you applied for other cards.
The Chase Sapphire Card is a new rewards credit card that is offering 10,000 bonus points after any first purchase on the credit card, which can be redeemed for $100 cash. No annual fee.
As a rewards card, it offers 1 point for every dollar in purchases (100 points = $1, or the usual 1% back). The nice part is that redemptions are easy – you can even redeem in $1 increments as long as above $25, so you could cash out $27 or $113 without anything left over. There are no earning caps, or points expiration dates.
The Citi Forward card is offering 11,000 ThankYou points for making just $250 in purchases and electing for paperless statements within 3 months of account opening. That’s enough points to exchange for $100 in gift cards from stores like Sears, Staples, Overstock.com, Macy’s, or Gap. No annual fee.
In terms of ongoing rewards, you get 1 reward point for every $1 you spend on other purchases like most other cards, but this card offers a special 5 reward points for every $1 you spend on books, movies, music and restaurants. You also get 100 points each month you pay your balance on time and don’t exceed your credit limit. See my Citi Forward card review and Amazon.com & restaurants follow-up for more details.
Free $150 in Gift Cards
The American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card offers 15,000 Membership Rewards bonus points when you spend $1,000 in your first 3 months of Card membership. MR points are very versatile, and can be converted to 15,000 frequent flier miles in a number of programs (or 10 Southwest credits), or you can simply get $150 in gift cards at several stores like Home Depot, Crate & Barrel, or Macy’s. You can view the reward options at MembershipRewards.com. I think you can also get cash equivalents at a reduced ratio.
You can also earn another 15,000 Membership Rewards bonus points when you spend $30,000 per calendar year. No annual fee for your first year. After that it is $175, so remember to cancel within the first year if you don’t want to continue.
Read more about Pay For Black Friday Gifts With Credit Cards…
November 24, 2009
I thought to make a turkey, you threw it into a turkey bag and bake it according to the directions. I’ve always made turkey this same way for many years and it always turned out great but then I heard about brining the turkey.
Brining the turkey is just soaking it in a salt and sugar mixture and then baking it. So I tried it and it was the most amazing, moist turkey I’ve ever had. I thought I better share with you one of my turkey brine recipes so you can have the moistest turkey you have ever had.
1 c. salt
1 c. brown sugar
2 quartered oranges
2 quartered lemons
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs thyme
To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 c. salt and 1/2 c. brown sugar for every gallon of water. Remove the giblets, neck, and liver from the inside of the turkey and reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Bake as you usually would.
November 24, 2009
NEW YORK, NY — Access Hollywood has learned from a rep for Adam Lambert that ABC’s “Good Morning America” has canceled the singer’s live morning show concert tomorrow morning.
An ABC News spokesperson tells Access, “Given his controversial live performance on the AMAs we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning.”
More about this breaking news story… after the jump.
Read more of UPDATED: ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ Cancels Adam Lambert Performance…
November 24, 2009
“It’s going to take a little bit more than pig in the face to slow me down!” the celeb chef tells “Extra”
Read more of Paula Deen: Recovery From Ham Throw ‘Like a Miracle’…
November 24, 2009
I love Disney movies. I could watch them all day, a few years ago I used to stay up all night with my older sibling and watch lion king and a couple different movies like Shrek the third and then after we would sneak out and go to a fast food place and get a bite to eat.
Those were some of my favorite memories with my family members. Disney movies are great things to watch with your children, there fun and appropriate, and you know in the environment these days you don’t find that very often. You can always count on those Disney movies.
My favorite Disney movie is probably enchanted. It includes a lot of singing and smiles and has a lot of other Disney movies like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, what a creative idea to put all the Disney movies in one. It’s so cute! I miss staying up all night having fun; I think I should do that more often. Most other movies don’t put you in a very good mood, for example maybe the grudge or when a stranger calls, why would anyone come out of that kind of a movie feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, unless they peed their pants because they were so scared.
Disney movies leave you smiling and cheerful and maybe a little more positive about life. Every Disney movie has a happy ending, that’s one more thing I love about those movies. Like in Shrek the third, Fiona and Shrek have some problems but they work it out by the end. And I like how they show that even if a person looks different they still can have a great heart and show compassion. I admire how those movies send a good message out to the watchers. Disney movies are over all the best movies out there!
November 23, 2009
Reuters – Country crossover star Taylor Swift overshadowed the late Michael Jackson at the American Music Awards on Sunday, winning five prizes including artist of the year.
Read more of Taylor Swift wins five American Music Awards (Reuters)…
Martin Rogen 