52 Reasons Why it's Great to Be Single

Forget the home-alone image of sad singleton women curled up on the sofa longing for a hug. Independent women everywhere know that being single is something to celebrate. Here's why?

1. We don't have to fight for remote control ownership.
2. We don't have to wash their smelly socks and skiddy underwear.
3. There are no pairs of shoes left in the middle of the floor to trip over at six in the morning.
4. We can lie in the bath for as long as we want.
5. We don't put a wash on and then find ten articles of clothing belonging to him lying in heap in the corner of the bedroom.
6. We don't have to fake an orgasm.
7. We don't have to shave and can turn into yetis if we want.
8. We don't have to buy and write our own Valentines/birthday/Mother's day cards.
9. We don't have anyone saying 'you're not going to wear that, are you?'
10. We don't have to suffer their cooked meals and then spend an hour trying to get the burnt, congealed mess of the bottom of our saucepans.
11. I love not being accountable to anyone - if I want to do something, I just do it!
12. I control my finances and if I screw up, it's my fault, not because my man has spent money we need down the pub, bookies, etc.
13. I enjoy sleeping in my double bed and having it all to myself.
14. I can be moody without anyone trying to find out if something's wrong! If I don't want to talk - I just won't!
15. I have FREEDOM to choose.
16. I love it now my pillows are a dribble free zone.
17. I love waking up and not hearing the sound of snoring.
18. I love going out and not having to say where I've been or what I've been doing and what time I should be back.
19. I love going shopping and not having to hide what I've bought in the wardrobe and pretend I've had it ages.
20. I love being able to have control over what I spend and where I spend it.
21. After being married for 23 years (now separated six months) I also find it kind of scary to go out now that all the restrictions have been lifted...its like being a teenager again. Weird. I feel like I have been let out of prison.
22. You can tell him what you really think instead of keeping the peace.
23. You can be rude to his family.
24. You can eat what YOU want.
25. You can join a gym because you want to.
26. You can be rude to his boss.
27. I can have my friends over to drink wine and behave outrageously WHENEVER I want (because he never liked those friends anyway!).
28. I can open the curtains when I get dressed instead of fumbling about in the dark trying to keep quiet.
29. I don't have to worry about what sort of food to buy because he never liked any of it anyway. Now I can eat whatever, whenever I choose.
30. I'm not made to feel like an idiot for sitting on the Internet - I can surf to my hearts content.
31. I can listen to Depeche Mode 24/7!
32. I can spend all night on the phone without having to justify it.
33. I go to bed when I please, not when he 'wants to'. I can read all night and have the radio on.
34. There's no one to criticize the state of my car!
35. There's plenty of space in the wardrobe.
36. I don't have to appear interested in his job.
37. I no longer spend hours looking excited in computer stores or car showrooms, do not need to admire mobile phones, personal organizers, latest gadgets...
38. I can make a mess, and never tidy it up.
39. I can drink wine out of a mug.
40. I don't have to write cards on his behalf for birthdays or Christmas.
41. I no longer have to excuse his behavior - OR MINE!!!
42. You can do a smelly fart without being told it's 'unladylike'.
43. You are entitled to an opinion!
44. You don't have to satisfy yourself while he's in the bath to make up for the fact he couldn't manage to give you an orgasm in the first place.
45. You don't have to like Starsky and Hutch/Dads Army/Airwolf.
46. You don't have to watch the '10 minute free view' on the Playboy Channel with the sound turned down.
47. You don't have to take being called a 'man hater' just because you disagree with what he says (let's face it, they're usually always wrong anyway).
48. You can wear the same knickers for two or three days without caring that there might be a 'spontaneous going down' session on the cards.
49. You can love Adam Ant, Boy George, Simon le Bon and David Sylvian without being lectured that only gay men look that good - THREATENED!
50. You don't have to listen to him hyperventilating every time a Kylie Minogue video appears on MTV.
51. You don't have to worry about your sanitary towel not flushing away properly.
52. BONUS: You don't have to pad the toilet with bog roll to disguise the fact that the poo is gonna make a big splash.

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Pink Hope

by Brandi Rhoades

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and most communities have activities to honor survivors and help raise money. Contributing creates a closer community.

Each October, the news fills with stories about breast cancer and its survivors. Local businesses push various fundraisers for breast cancer research. People begin to talk about their experiences with breast cancer. Working for breast cancer research is something many activists do throughout the year, however. There are a number of ways to get involved with the fight against breast cancer and not just during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.....

Buy Pink Ribbons Whenever Available

The pink ribbon campaign, one of the original colored ribbon awareness campaigns, is the most visible sign of breast cancer research. Buying a pink ribbon whenever possible is an excellent way to support breast cancer research without spending significant money. In many cases, consumers are simply funneling money they would be spending anyway toward a good cause. Some states have made license plates with a pink ribbon, for example, and clothing or handbags with pink ribbons are available in many stores. Some of the money from purchasing these products goes to support breast cancer research.

Honor a Breast Cancer Survivor

Chances are good that almost everyone knows a breast cancer survivor as this cancer is so common among women. Find a woman who won her battle with cancer and take her out to lunch or send her a gift. Use the month of October to share thoughts about her fight with breast cancer.

Run in the Race for the Cure

Susan G. Komen fought breast cancer and lost her battle. Her family started the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in her memory. The very small race has spread now to a large non-profit with races happening all over the country. In most towns, the Race for the Cure is a run/walk event, so even people not in great shape can participate and raise money.

Organize a Breast Cancer Fundraiser

People feel more generous during months designated for certain conditions. Plan a fundraiser during Breast Cancer Awareness Month for the local community. A simple fundraiser is a formal dinner with all proceeds going to charity or a potluck with requested donations or a raffle among a smaller group of friends.

Cancer Awareness Calendar


October 2009

• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Mammography Day (Oct. 16)

November 2009

• Great American Smokeout (Nov. 19)
• Coaches vs. Cancer Classic® Weekend (Nov. 19-20)
• Lung Cancer Awareness Month
• National Family Caregivers Month
• Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer Hope Network
Non profit organization that provides one-on-one support to people undergoing treatment for cancer. Features stories, volunteering, and a bulletin board.

American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering.


Awareness Ribbons
Awareness ribbons : cancer ribbons : cancer awareness ribbons : awareness pins : cause ribbons. Non personalized cancer ribbons : cancer awareness ribbons.

FireFox Browser Theme


DOWNLOAD PinkHope



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Helping Grieving Parents to Cope

When a friend's child passes away, many people don't know how to react. They don't know what to say and are at a loss of words in the face of such a great tragedy. On the other hand, there are those who have enough to say, but they don't realize that what they are saying is only adding to the grief and anger of the grieving parent. Here are tips on what to say and what to do in such a situation, and on how you can help the parents cope......

• If you are a close friend, don't just tell them to call you if they need anything. They are not going to call you, and you know that. Just be there for them. Be available. A lot of guests would be dropping in to pay their condolences. Send over some food that they can use. Even if relatives are visiting or if the servants seem to be managing fine, inform them that you would be sending over a dish. Be there. Run errands for them. Help in the cleaning up of the house and in the looking after of the other children.
  
  
• Don't be afraid to talk about the deceased child or say his or her name. The child was a real person.
  
  
• Don't go up to the parent and start talking about destiny. Also, don't say that they will get over it soon and the hurt will fade away. By doing so, you are minimizing the tragedy, trying to make it seem like a trivial event.
  
  
• Most people start off with the line, I know how you feel. Unless you have also suffered the loss of a child, it is unlikely that you would be able to comprehend the magnitude of pain the grieving parent is feeling. So don't say it. It may make the parent want to look at you and yell, How do you know how I feel?
  
  
• Listen to what they have to say. It would help them to get their feelings out.
  
  
• Be patient with them. There may be times when they are in a foul mood and are rude to you or are generally grumpy. They may even snap at you. Don't take it personally. Just give them their space. It's going to take them time to adjust.
  
  
• Don't start feeling awkward if they start crying - or if you start crying. It's a grave tragedy, and we're all humans.
  
  
• Realise that no matter what you say, you won't be able to reduce the pain they are experiencing. Just being there will help far more than anything else. Don't keep asking them if they are feeling better now a few months later. They were not suffering from any illness or disease.
  
  
• It would be easy for them to just sink into depression and lose interest in life. They may just want to stay indoors - especially if they don't have any other children. Encourage them to start moving out again, and help get them involved in daily activities. If you have been thinking of joining a cooking or yoga class, get your friend to join in with you.
  
  
• Encourage a return to exercise. Exercise helps kill stress and will keep them healthy, mentally and physically.

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EtherFast® Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch BEFSR41 Corrupt Firmware Upgrade FIX

I know many of you have had problems getting the TFTP.exe utility from linksys. This is the ONLY way to get a successful flash update into your router. Even if you have previously flashed and you can't access your browser admin panel, this WILL fix the corrupt flash that you have done. AND, since linksys will not provide working links to this, I will offer to host this file myself.

I have tested this and successfully completed and fixed my corrupt flash of my router. All you have to do is:

• download your correct flash (firmware) .bin file version to your PC from their website
• run the Tftp,0.exe file. (See Below)
• In the text fields type or copy/paste 192.168.1.1 and your password...usually the password is "admin" if you didn't change it.
• then search for the .bin flash (firmware) file you downloaded
  

Click upgrade and you're done in seconds. Now you can access your admin page...fixed.

Here is the Tftp.exe file you will need....Tftp.exe
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Tiger Woods is first the billion dollar athlete

LOS ANGELES - With Tiger Woods overshadowing the sports world like a colossus, the PGA Tour has so far managed to provide fairly robust resistance to the global economic downturn.

Although neither Woods nor the lucrative U.S. circuit have been totally immune to financial woe, both appear to be in surprisingly good health.

Woods won six times in 17 events on the 2009 Tour and ended his campaign with earnings of $10,508,163...............

Although disappointed he failed to add to his career tally of 14 majors, the world number one also clinched the season-long points race for the FedExCup along with a bonus of $10 million.

While sport has been left vulnerable to the loss of marketing and advertising dollars over the last 12 months, the Tour has negotiated fairly smooth waters.

The U.S. circuit was fully sponsored for 2009 and although the troubled Detroit automaker Buick has withdrawn two title sponsorships for next year, one of those events has already been replaced.

Commissioner Tim Finchem predicts that perhaps two more sponsors could disappear before the end of 2010 but, overall, he believes the Tour is in a "comparatively quite good" situation amid the economic downturn.

"The good news is we've had a lot of good extensions well out into the future," Finchem said at last week's Tour Championship. "I think we're going to have some ... additional new sponsors over the next two or three years.

"I'd characterise the situation as good, maybe even comparatively quite good, when you look at other enterprises. But certainly we have our challenges ahead of us."

Earlier this week two news stories emerged on the same day, one highlighting the power of the Tiger factor and the other proving that golf cannot afford to be complacent.

On the golf front the Tour announced Verizon Heritage would not renew its title sponsorship of the Heritage Classic in Hilton Head, South Carolina after the 2010 edition.

FUTURE INVOLVEMENT

A title sponsor for more than 20 years, Verizon said it would be restructuring its future involvement with the circuit and would focus instead on "select" events that provided more opportunities for business development throughout the year.

Within hours of that announcement Forbes Magazine reported Woods had become the first person in sport to earn more than $1 billion.

According to Forbes the 33-year-old American crossed that threshold with the help of his $10 million FedExCup bonus.

"Woods has been the world's highest-paid athlete since 2002 when he surpassed (Formula One's Michael) Schumacher," the magazine reported.

"His earnings have surged in recent years as he launched a golf-course design business. He currently has three courses underway that pay him more than $10 million per project."

For many people Woods is golf and he has almost single-handedly ushered in an era of multi-million dollar endorsements and lucrative appearance money since turning professional in 1996.

His Afro-American-Asian background has spread the sport to an audience far beyond its traditional image of male, white and middle-class and he has become the world's best known and most marketable athlete.

"He's the best draw out there," Robert Boland, professor of sports management at New York University, told Reuters.

"If you're a sponsor of an event, generally what will happen is you'll cut your overall spend, you'll cut your spend in the middle, but you'll keep your best value deal out there.

"For a lot of people that best value deal probably is the PGA (Tour) and the event that Tiger is in. There's always been some discrimination in favor of events Tiger plays."

When Woods competes the television ratings soar along with an abundance of advertising dollars.
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Judas Priest's Rob Halford Sets Out to Dress the Metal Gods

New York – While it might seem like a difficult task to reinvent that fashion staple of heavy metal music fans, the t-shirt, if anyone has the right credentials for the task it's Rob Halford, lead singer of legendary metal band Judas Priest.

Halford just launched Metal God, his signature brand of t-shirts that have all the soft-worn appeal of a vintage concert t-shirt but with all-new original graphics that he's betting will appeal to die-hard metal fans and aspiring rockers alike.

"The imagery is simply an extension of what I do with my music," explained Halford at a preview of the collection on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at a New York hotel in the East Village, not far from dive bars where heavy metal music aficionados like DJ Lady Starlight spin Judas Priest classics. "Metal God" refers to the nickname given to Halford by fans...............

"Quite simply, Rob Halford invented heavy metal style," said DJ Lady Starlight, who writes a fashion and music blog chronicling the history of hard rock and airs a heavy metal podcast, "Metal for Muthas," on American Apparel internet radio. "The biker and leather boy look Halford adopted for promoting 'Hell Bent For Leather' in 1978 became the look every metal band emulated going forward."

At Wednesday's preview, Halford was sporting one of his own designs. "If you see something like this thing I'm wearing, with this fantasy mythical creature with a guitar, it says something strong and powerful," he said. "That's just been a natural progression over the years in rock and roll, to try and find a way of saying something about yourself with the item of clothing you're wearing."

"A metalhead is rarely seen without a t-shirt or at least one patch or badge of their favorite bands," said DJ Lady Starlight. Other tropes of heavy metal style, she explained, include studs, spandex, lace and most definitively, elements of fantasy literature and art like chainmail, armor and other Medieval and Renaissance influences.

As such, many of the Metal God t-shirt designs feature mythical creatures, like the Cerberus, a ferocious three-headed dog that guards the gates to the underworld in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Fantasy in heavy metal, said Balford, is "a cool association."

"You can see I'm covered in tattoos of dragons and all this other mythical imagery, and that's again a part of my background as a lyricist," he said. "I've got a very vivid imagination and a lot of characters I create are made up in a fantasy kind of way. They always carry realistic virtues and attributes. So if I'm writing a song like 'Painkiller,' it may be, like, about, this really evil, menacing guy, which is the persona of the creature that you create, but he's doing good. I always have a lot of fun with that."

So far, the collection only features t-shirts, for both men and women, retailing between $55 and $65 - but eventually Halford hopes to branch out, albeit dependent on the economy.

"I think that you have to have a little bit of a leash on what you do, otherwise it's chaos," he said. "But we always see the light at the end of the tunnel. I don't think we can suddenly stop, Don't make records, don't make clothes, don't make movies. I think we have a responsibility to try and keep that creative optimism going, no matter what we do."

Halford's confident that his particular take on things - he is the Metal God, after all - will distinguish his brand of rock-related apparel.

"I think that my connection is a little bit more personal than some of the other great things that are going on around me," said Halford. "This is a direct connection to me. It's called a 'Metal God' t-shirt. I think we've all got a bit of Metal God inside of us."

He's also hoping to extend the heavy metal spirit beyond just music fans.

"I was talking to someone earlier and they were saying, it's like everybody wants to be a metalhead, but people are like, 'Can I really be one? I don't really know what this is about, but I see it, and I look at what they wear and the shows they go to, and I'm like, wow, it looks so cool,'" said Halford. "But if you're into that rock and roll, edgy, exciting type of passionate world, then I think that these t-shirts and this initial launch have a way of connecting to you as a person."
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