Free Purex Samples

Purex has free samples of their Tripple Action Bright-White-Clean Laundry detergent available.

Watch the short 15 second movie then click the sign up button that appears under the movie to request the free samples.




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Free Wendy's Fries

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

Have you tried Wendy’s new fresh cut fries? Then hurry up and grab this freebie. These fries are cooked to golden brown perfection and finished off with a touch of fresh sea salt.
Just text FRIES 
to 81229 

and you will get a  text back instantly for free small fries. To redeem just show the reply text message to the cashier upon ordering within 7 days.




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Expired Coupons? Don't Throw Them Away!

What do you do with the expired coupons that you have? Throw them away like most people? There is better way.

Every month there are hundreds of coupons that expire.

Send them to those who sacrifice for us everyday: our troops around the world. The military and their families are able to use manufacturer coupons up to 6 months after their expiration dates at their Commissaries if they are stationed abroad. There are a number of bases that can use these coupons.

We here at Wisdom Steps 101 have "adopted" a military base in the United Kingdom (England) to send all of our expired coupons to and we want give you the opportunity join us. You could do a search online and find a base that is accepting new "adoptions" as they call it or you can send you coupons to us and we in turn will turn around and mail them out to the base that we have adopted. Either way you will be helping out those that are protecting our freedoms that we hold so dear here in the USA.

Here is the simplicity of it:

1. Cut the coupons.

2. Sort them by "food" and "non-food"

3. Total the batch by dollar amount.

4. Place each batch in a separate envelope or baggie "food' in one, and "non-food" in the other.

5. Send a report to OCP.

6. Note: The base and OCP will not contact you. (For details see: "Confirmation Requests" page.)
- Overseas Coupon Program

The expired coupons should no more then 2 Months Max! Yes expired coupons are accepted. We recommend not sending any coupons older than 2 months expired on the date of shipment. They can use them for 6 months after expiration but remember that the volunteers at the base must process the coupons once they arrive and get them out to be used. We also need to leave enough time for them to have the families sort through them and find the ones they want for use and get to the store with them.

Also no need to send internet coupons as they can get these themselves while still in date. Also do not send any store coupons (IE: store specific coupons as they cannot be used overseas). Finally No restaurant coupons.

Most bases have 2 stores. One is called the “Commissary” which is a grocery store and the other is the PX or BX which is a department store. We therefore ask you to sort the coupons into “food” and “non-food” bundles so that they can more easily be placed in the correct venue once they arrive at the base. If a base wants additional sorting they will let you know but this is the standard sort that OCP is aware of.

Use baggies, envelopes, etc., to contain the different categories -- whatever will keep them separated during shipment

(Do not use rubber bands, paper clips, and similar methods of keeping the coupons sorted as they do not work and will come apart in shipping).

It is important to label the bundles "Food" and "Non-Food" or as the base requests.

Add up the face value dollar amount for the coupons.

When you sort your coupons into "Food" and "non-food" I would write on the outside of the envelope the total dollar amount enclosed (or if you use a baggie on a piece of paper visible through the baggie.

If you send them to us here use this address:

Wisdom Steps 101
Coupons For Troops Effort
PO Box 170670
Austin, TX 78717

and we will make sure they get mailed on to our adopted base within the week.


Note: It is perfectly fine to send coupons that haven't quite expired yet as that will give the troops more time to use them.



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Chance To Get a Kirklands Gift Card

posted by Kevin Surbaugh


Kirkland's is giving away a $2,000 gift card to there stores. Click here to enter for your chance to win this great prize.
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Corn Pudding B

1 can (15-1/2 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (15 oz.) cream-style corn

1 pkg. (8-1/2 oz.) corn muffin mix

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

3 eggs

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients until well blended.

SPOON into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with additional butter, if desired.

Yams for Health

4 medium Yams, peeled and sliced

1/2 t Finely shredded orange peel

1/2 c Orange juice

1 T Brown sugar

1/4 t Salt

1/4 t Cinnamon

1/8 t Allspice



In a large skillet, bring 1" of water to a boil. Add yams. Cover and

simmer for 20 minutes or until they are tender. Drain. In a small

bowl, mix orange peel, orange juice, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and

allspice. Pour over yams in skillet. Cook and stir until bubbly.

Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, spooning sauce over potatoes

occasionally to make a glaze.



Per serving: 135 calories, 0 fat.

Sweet Potato Streusel

Ingredients:

2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed

6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted, divided

1/4 cup orange juice

1-1/2 tsp. salt

10 NABISCO Ginger Snaps, finely crushed

1/2 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans, toasted

()

Here's How to toast nuts (3 ways):

1. Nuts may be toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir until they're golden brown.
2. To toast in the oven, spread nuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. To toast in the microwave oven, place 1 cup of chopped nuts on a paper plate. Microwave uncovered on HIGH for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they smell toasted. Rotate the plate a half turn after 2 minutes. They will not brown.

Tips:

1. Warmed nuts are easier to chop.
2. Always taste nuts before using; rancid nuts will ruin whatever food they're used in.





3 Tbsp. brown sugar




PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix potatoes, 3 Tbsp. of the melted butter, the orange juice and salt until well blended. Spoon into 2-quart casserole dish.

MIX remaining 3 Tbsp. melted butter, the gingersnap crumbs, pecans and sugar until well blended; sprinkle over potato mixture.
BAKE 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.


Prep Time: 15 mins.
Total Time: 45 mins.

Serving Size : 8

Old fashioned Square No Bake Cookies

1/2 cup milk

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped nuts

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt


Mix sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a large saucepan. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until blended. Add rolled oats, nuts, vanilla, and salt. Put into 8"x8" square pan and chill. Cut into squares.

Bangers and Mash

This is one of my favorite meals. It is simple, economical and tasty.

It simply consists of thick sausage patties served with mashed potatoes. I usually have corn with this. Last night my wife and I had this with peas and Cole Slaw. Very good. In England where this recipe is derived it is OFTEN times served with grilled tomatoes.

Old fashioned Square No Bake Cookies

1/2 cup milk

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped nuts

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt


Mix sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a large saucepan. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until blended. Add rolled oats, nuts, vanilla, and salt. Put into 8"x8" square pan and chill. Cut into squares.

Crock Pot Corn Pudding (aka Corn Cassarole)

1 can cream style corn

1 can whole kernel corn

8 oz. sour cream

1 stick butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 box Jiffy corn meal mix


Spray pot with non-stick spray. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in a crock pot. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. You can cook on high 4 hours. Excellent to take to covered dish affairs.

Cowboy Cookie Mix in a Jar

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart jar in the order given. Press each layer firmly in place before adding the next layer.

Include a card with the following instructions:
Cowboy Cookie Mix in a Jar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stir in the entire contents of the jar. You may need to use your hands to finish mixing. Shape into walnut sized balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven.
Transfer from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Mr. Food Recipes-Mexican Toast

Makes 4 servings

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended.
2. Cut each tortilla into quarters then place in the egg mixture. Gently stir to completely coat the tortillas. Allow to soak for 10 minutes, or until softened.

3. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add 4 tortilla quarters and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden, turning halfway through cooking. Drain on a paper towel-lined platter. Repeat with the remaining butter and tortillas. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
NOTE: Sure, you can top these with maple syrup or even fresh or thawed frozen strawberries.

Pistachio Salad (aka Watergate Salad)

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple

1 (3 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1/2 (10.5 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the pineapple and dry pistachio pudding mix. Fold in thawed whipped topping and marshmallows until well mixed. Refrigerate until chilled and serve.
Nuts optional

Cole Slaw

1 small head cabbage, shredded

3 medium carrots, shredded

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup vinegar
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine cabbage and carrots. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Vanilla Wafer Candy Canes

60 vanilla wafers

1 square BAKER'S White Chocolate, melted

1 Tbsp. each red and white colored sugars Preparation:
Arrange 8 wafers in candy cane-shape on parchment-covered baking sheet. Repeat 3 times to make 4 candy canes.
Brush chocolate onto flat sides of remaining wafers. Arrange 7 wafers, chocolate-sides down, on each candy cane to make second layer of wafers. Refrigerate 10 min. or until chocolate is firm.
Brush wafers lightly with water; sprinkle every other wafer with red sugar. Sprinkle white sugar onto remaining wafers.

Note: You can make candy canes ahead of time. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week before serving.

Debt Free by 2013

Guest Post by Katie Malcolm 

Being in debt is upsetting. You know that all you need to get rid of debt is a little extra money, but that extra cash is sure hard to come by. However, with a little initiative and a lot of motivation, being debt-free is certainly an obtainable goal. Here are five simple ways you can combat debt in 12 months or less.

Cut Up Your Credit Cards

The first step toward becoming debt-free is making a firm decision to spend your money differently. Study your current accounts and pick one credit card to use only in an emergency situation. Cut up all of the rest of your cards.
Don't close any of your credit card accounts, however. Closing an account lowers your debt-to-available-credit ratio and reduces the length of your credit history. Both of those factors will lower your credit score and you want to be a debt-free person with great credit. Just in case.

Find Small Ways to Save

Look at all of your current accounts and find small ways to save. Do you really need premium cable? You can always watch your shows for free on the TV channel's website. Ditch your Smart Phone and buy a simple prepaid cell phone that costs you $20 a month or less.
Cut out all of the small luxuries, like having rental movies mailed directly to your home and unused gym memberships. Every little bit you can save each month will quickly add up to a debt-free life.

Reduce Larger Monthly Payments

Lower your car bills by selling the vehicle you're making payments on and buying a reliable used car. While it might not look as nice as a new vehicle, it should still get you where you need to go. Shop around for cheaper car insurance as well. If you don't owe anything on your car, consider getting just the minimum insurance required by your state.
If you're renting a place to live, try haggling with your landlord to bring down your monthly payment. If this doesn't work, look for another place with lower rent. If you own a home, consider moving to a smaller house to lower your monthly mortgage payments. This might sound drastic, but you have to take some drastic measures to combat debt within 12 months.

Pay Off Debts

Now, take all of the money you saved by cutting back on expenses and throw it at your debts. Make a list of how much you owe on each of your current accounts. Start paying off your smallest loan or credit card debt first. Send in at least double the amount of the required monthly payment for the fastest results.
Once you pay off the first debt, start paying on your next smallest debt. This time, make at least the minimum monthly payment along with the same amount of money you were sending to your first creditor. Continue this pattern until all of your debts are paid off.

Pay Your Bills Early

Pay your bills early to avoid accruing any interest. Paying early also prevents costly late fees from draining your savings. You can pay many bills online to make this process faster and easier.
Combating your debts and becoming debt-free is only half the battle. Staying debt-free is the other half. Play smart with your money. Never spend any money that you don't already have. If you decide that you really want to buy some non-essential item, and then save up for it instead of putting it on a credit card.




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Safeway Updates its Coupon Policy

Safeway (which includes Von's Pavilion's, Dominick's, Randall's, Tom Thumb, and Generidi) has updated their coupon policy again. I placed the updated coupon policy below:

This policy applies to Safeway Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries in the USA
Manufacturer and Store Coupons:
1. We will redeem coupons only for the specific items included in our customer's purchase transaction. The redemption value will be as stated on the coupon, unless that value yields a final price for such item less than zero; if application of the redemption value yields a price less than zero, the coupon will be redeemed only for the amount that yields a zero price (our customer cannot net a cash credit or payout from a coupon purchase).

2. Paper coupons must be presented at the time of the purchase transaction. We will accept only coupons issued by Safeway or the manufacturer of the relevant product. We will not accept photocopies of coupons.

3. Coupons are subject to advertised offer limitations and all other limitations and restrictions on the applicable coupon or product.

4. Coupons may not be applied against any free item received in any offer.

5. Coupons have no cash value.

6. Safeway will not accept manufacturer coupons (including, but not limited to, coupons issued through a Catalina or other in-store coupon dispenser) that display another retailer's logo or name unless such coupon is for a specific item with the same product identifiers as the product included in our customer's purchase transaction and is sold and available at the store.

7. We will not accept coupons unless they have an expiration date. Expired coupons will not be accepted.

8. We will not accept coupons that, in the determination of Safeway personnel, appear distorted or blurry or are altered in any way.

9. Sales taxes will be applied in accordance with the law of the applicable state, regardless of any coupon or other discount that may apply to the purchase transaction.

10. All applicable bottle and packaging deposits on the purchased and free items must be paid by the customer.

11. Safeway reserves the right to refuse any coupons at its discretion.

12. Purchase reward thresholds (if any) will be calculated based upon customer's final price (after deducting Club Card savings and all other discounts and savings) before deductions for any manufacturer coupons. As an example (and not as an offer), if a $10 minimum purchase is required for a customer reward, a customer's order at full retail would be $12, a Club Card discount of $1.75 applies, and a manufacturer's coupon of $1 applies, the customer would be given credit for a $10.25 purchase, and would be eligible for the reward (assuming compliance with all other requirements) even though the customer's cash payment would be only $9.25. The manufacturer's coupon would not be deducted from the total for purposes of determining reward eligibility. Purchase reward thresholds (if any) will be calculated based upon customer's final price (after deducting Club Card savings, and all other discounts)

13. References to a threshold purchase requirement will exclude purchases of: Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes), Prescription Items and Co-payments, Bus/Commuter Passes, Fishing/Hunting Licenses and Tags, Postage Stamps, Money Orders, Money Transfers, Ski Tickets, Amusement Park Tickets, Event Tickets, Lottery Tickets, Phone Cards, Gift Cards, and Gift Certificates; also excluded are: Bottle Deposits, Redemption Values, and Sales Taxes.
Internet Printed Coupons:
14. We accept internet printed coupons. The same manufacturer and store coupon rules above apply to all internet printed coupons.

15. Internet printed coupons must be capable of scanning at checkout.

16. Internet printed coupons must have serial numbers and must follow an industry-standard format.

17. Manufacturer internet printed coupons must clearly indicate that they are a manufacturer coupon and must have a valid manufacture address on the printed coupon.

18. We will not accept "free product" internet printed manufacturer coupons.
Load to Card Club Coupons:
19. Internet and digital coupons that have been electronically loaded to a Safeway Club Card are automatically redeemed at the time of purchase after the club card number has been entered. All other coupon policies above apply to electronic coupons that are loaded to a club card. Internet and digital coupons electronically loaded to a Safeway Club Card are not included in any operative “double coupon” or other increase in coupon value promotion. Coupons are not accepted on online shopping orders made on Safeway.com, except Internet and digital coupons that have been electronically loaded the ‘Safeway Club Card’ being used for that order.
Doubling of Coupons:
20. Check with your local store regarding “double coupon” promotions where customers will receive double the manufacturer coupon face value off the regular or club card price up to the identified limit. Not all locations offer double coupon promotions and the terms of such promotions may differ by time and store. Limitations and restrictions for double coupon promotions may change at any time. Changes will be posted in store only. “Double coupon” promotions do not apply to any internet or digital coupons except for applicable internet printed manufacturer coupons. These explanations and restrictions on “double coupons” apply to any promotion that increases the value of a manufacturer coupon beyond its face value.
Coupon Stacking:
21. Safeway does not allow a customer to redeem two or more manufacturer coupons against the same item in a single transaction.

22. Coupon stacking policies for manufacturer coupons apply to paper and electronic coupons that have been loaded to a club card.

23. If a customer presents two coupons for the same item in a single transaction, Safeway will give the highest discount for that item, subject to the terms of the applicable offer and/or coupon.
Rainchecks:
24. Rainchecks expire ninety (90) days from the date issued and will not be accepted at any Safeway store that has the specific item in stock.

25. We reserve the right to limit Raincheck quantities based on product availability and advertised limits.

26. Rainchecks can be issued for up to six (6) items unless otherwise stated in the applicable advertisement.

27. Rainchecks will not be issued for Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes).

28. Rainchecks can be offered for store super coupon items unless otherwise specified on the coupon. Rainchecks will not be provided for items advertised as "clearance", "while supplies last," "limited quantities," or other designation indicating a limited supply.




All coupon redemption terms are subject to our Coupon Acceptance Policy in effect at time of redemption.

We may change the terms of our Coupon Acceptance Policy at any time. Such changes may become effective without advance notice or advertisement. The current Coupon Acceptance Policy will be posted at the customer service area in each store. You are also advised to periodically check our website for any changes to the terms of our Coupon Acceptance Policy.



Revision Date: 01/20/2012


- Safeway Coupon Policy

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What's the Deal with Preferred Stock?

Guest post by Andy Boyd


The landscape of investing is vast and there's no way to know everything about everything. Sometimes it's best to leave some investment products to other people and stick with something that's easy to understand, but preferred stock isn't one of those. Once you understand it and how it fits in to your portfolio, you'll wonder what you were missing.

What is it?

If any class of investments should feel rejected or ignored, it's preferred stock. The bond world doesn't claim it because it trades on stock exchanges and has the name stock. The stock world doesn't claim it because its actually closer to a type of bond than it is a stock. It's price changes more based on interest rates than it does market conditions. In short, nobody wants to claim the preferred stocks of the world but they're valuable none the less.

Some of the reasons companies issue preferred stock are complicated but the two textbook reasons may be alternative financing and takeover defense. First, most preferred stock pays a dividend which means that a company doesn't have to pay it every month (although it's rare that quality preferred stock wouldn't be paid). They can choose not to pay for as long as they please and make up the payments later on. When they issue bonds, they have to make the payments on time or risk affecting their credit rating.

Although not common with most companies, preferred stock can also be used to fight against hostile takeovers by issuing preferred shares with a poison pill attached to make the company less attractive as a takeover target.

Finally, if the company filed for bankruptcy, the assets are divided up in the hopes that shareholders won't walk away with nothing. Some creditors and debt holders get first dibs on the assets but after that, bond holders get paid, then preferred stock holders, and finally, if there's anything left, common stock holders. Holding preferred shares moves you one step up the ladder although realistically, even preferred stock holders won't get much.

Types of Preferred Stock

This is where preferred stock starts to look a lot like a bond. There are different types of preferred stock and in order to understand the many different types, you'll have to do a lot more reading but the easiest to understand is convertible preferreds. Convertible shares allow you to exchange your preferred stock for a certain amount of common stock where non-convertible doesn't have that option.

For the average investor, it's important to understand how your preferred stock works, but there's a better than average chance that you won't use the convertibility feature for long time if at all.

How to Use Preferred Stock

There are some problems with buying bonds. First, they aren't as liquid as stocks. They're more of a hassle and more expensive to buy and sell. Bonds have a minimum purchase which isn't possible for many individual investors and still keep a diversified portfolio.

But if you're an income investor looking for a safe, steady, and secure way to create an income stream, preferred stock is a great way. The bulk of the preferred stock is issued by financial companies but you can find preferred shares in other sectors as well.

What kind of dividends come with preferred shares? Much like common stock, the rates are higher when you purchase shares in a riskier company. Some of the world's largest banks have payouts of 8% or more while other, more risky companies pay well in to the double digits.

The Downside

The major downside of preferred stock for the individual investor is that in most cases, it takes a long time to see any capital appreciation. When you buy preferred stock, you're buying it for the dividend so make sure that the dividend is high enough that it captures a reasonable rate of return once you subtract inflation. Inflation may not be a problem now but as the European economy recovers, inflation can take a large piece of the dividend.

Related to this, the market is full of common stock that pays equally high dividends but in a market where some European common stock is at historic lows, you may be able to combine a high dividend yield with better than average growth prospects.

In Conclusion

Treat preferred stock like you would any other stock by setting a stop price just in case something happens but aside from that, keep it in your portfolio and create a low maintenance income stream that keeps you away from the hassle of owning bonds especially if you don't have experience in the bond world.

Andy is the co-founder of one of the leading credit card comparison websites in Australia. Click here to go to CreditCardCompare.com.au to read his reviews of the top credit cards on the market, or visit their personal finance education center for his articles on managing money.



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A Look at the Obama Administrations Accomplishments

We have all heard the claim that Democrats are for the poor and Republicans for business and rich. However, is that really factual? In short no. Republicans want a smaller government that means less taxes. Less taxes for everyone, not just the rich. Democrats want to raise taxes especially on the rich. So why not raise the taxes on the rich? Because the poor are the ones that will suffer more. How? The rich are the ones that provide our jobs, if there expenses go up, then they make cuts (IE: cut jobs) which in turn hurt the low income the hardest. Let's take a look at some facts on how events under the Obama administration has hurt the poor more.

1. When Obama took the oath of office on January 20, 2009 gas was a national average of $1.79/gallon today it is above $3 and most places hovering around $3.30/gallon. (source: Energy Information Administration) That is more then double the price in fuel. When George W. bush left office, gas prices were down 9% from when he was inaugurated in 2001.
   
   
   The thing is Obama even planned to do it,
   

   "Under my plan of a cap and trade system, [energy prices] would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was... [t]hey will pass that money on to consumers." --Barack Obama, 1 November 2008

   I would rather have Bush back (**groan**), then this current guy.
   
   
2. More people are on Food Stamps since Obama took office. Food Stamp recipients went from 31.9 million when he took office to 43.2 million currently (a 35.1 % increase) (source: various media outlets).
   
   
3. Americans living in poverty has risen under the first three (3) years of the Obama administration from 39.8 million to 43.6 million (that's an increase of 9.5%). So I guess you can say Democrats and Obama are for the poor, they want more of them.
   
   
4. Unemployment numbers are up since Obama took office in January 2009, when the unemployment rate was 7.8% (11.6 million) to 8.5% (13.1 million) in December 2011. (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
   
   
   
5. He also was the first President to sue states (Arizona, Wisconsin and Indiana) that he was sworn to protect. Why?
   Arizona - Immigration law
   Wisconsin - Voter ID law
   Indiana - Immigration law
   Other States could be coming, as his administration has threatened more lawsuits.
   

---------- My name is Kevin, and that's what I think. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? follow us on Twitter

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All You Need to Know about Mail-In Rebates

This post was written by Ella Davidson of couponing website Coupons. The website strives to provide consumers with the best possible deals available on the Internet while maintaining a charitable aspect and giving back to the community.

If you have two coupons and then add the possibility of a mail-in rebate, it is like you are practically getting paid to buy the product. This situation is not as uncommon as it sounds. Everyone loves saving money and a great way to fulfill those desires is by using rebates. The complicated but higher saving cousin of the cutout coupon, rebates are advantageous for both you and the company.

The good news for you is that rebates save you money. Mail-in rebates started the trend and were made noticeable by accompanying large electronic items from stores like Best Buy and Staples. Large sticker prices led to even bigger rebates. Nowadays rebates exist in many mediums, not just mail-in anymore. You can get a rebate on hundreds of thousands of different items—phones, car parts, makeup, food, and even beer—and you can get them for a wide range of money anywhere from five dollars to hundreds of dollars.

The added bonus for a rebate is that normally it stacks with coupons and discounts. If you talk to rebate connoisseurs or read about their exploits, it is not uncommon for them to actually get items for free with the coupling of discounts, coupons, and rebates.

As previously mentioned, rebates are also good for companies. This is where the bad news fits in for you and other consumers. Although some of the positive qualities allow companies to conduct surveys and collect accurate data about their consumers, there are also many qualities of the age-old mail-in rebate that try to take advantage of the consumer. If you have used a rebate before, you know the feeling of approaching the register expecting to pay one price. Instead, you have to pay a higher price and wait 6-8 or 8-12 weeks to get that money back.

This is a smooth psychological trick that companies use to make their products seem more appealing. People love seeing that lower price. But we all know what happens when you get home. If you are like many—and not like one of those rebate connoisseurs—then that receipt gets lost at the bottom of the file cabinet, the UPC gets thrown away with the box, or it is two months past expiration before you remember there was a mail-in rebate. This could mean that your pocket is fifty or even a hundred dollars lighter, while the company makes that extra money without having to lift a finger.

Factor this procrastination or laziness over every consumer and you get cases very similar to what happened with the Tivo. Just over 50,000 customers—half of the total people who purchased Tivo—had the same problem as me: they lost receipts, misplaced paperwork, and had that date slip their mind. This means that with the price of a hundred dollars per rebate, the makers of Tivo netted over 5 million dollars off of the mail-in rebate.

The good news now though, is that many rebates are going online. It used to feel like a company was paying you to jump through hoops and fill out paperwork. In some cases those five or ten dollars was not worth the time, the cost of the stamp, and the trip to the store. But now companies are making it easier. With the click of a few buttons you can have a check sent to you or even have the rebate deposited straight into your Paypal account.

Not only does the Internet make redeeming rebates simpler and easier, it also allows you to find more rebates. Now you can plan your purchases around rebates. Making a quick Google search of items you already buy is a good practice to work into your shopping lifestyle. You would be surprised with what rebates you can find. Nowadays there are rebates to turn your home green or to cut down on water usage. Rebates are an excellent way to save money that the Internet is making less and less daunting to take advantage of.





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We Reward

Have you heard of a new program called We Reward? It is a great program from Izea. The basic concept is that it allows you to check in with different businesses with your smartphone. The difference is they pay you for checking in. Like a couple of weeks ago when I went apartment hunting with my wife we checked in, taking a picture of the front door of the apartment locator and got 10 cents. Then at each apartment complex we again checked in taking a picture of their signage and again received 10 cents. Last night we had coupons for free food at McDonald's, we checked in, took a picture of ourselves with the food and got paid 25 cents. If you want to earn little side income then click here and sign up today. The best thing is, you can visit with your PC, scan the QR code on their webpage with your phone to install the app. I won't get rich with them, but I am certainly convinced that it can make some extra cash.

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Free Purex

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

This week Purex will giving away 10,000 free coupons each day at the following times:
Monday 1/23/12 3 PM EST (2 CST, 1 MST, 12 PST)
Tuesday 1/24/12 5 PM EST (4 CST, 3 MST, 2 PST)
Wednesday 1/25/12 9 AM EST (8 CST, 7 MST, 6 PST)
Thursday 1/26/12 7 PM EST (6 CST, 5 MST, 4 PST)
Friday 1/25/12 11 AM EST (10 CST, 9 MST, 8 PST)

If you don't get your today trying back each day.
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Free Kraft Mac and Cheese Offer

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

I have just learned that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese has placed a new tab (Macsurance) on their Facebook page that says they will start a new offer 1/23/2012 at 12 noon Eastern.

Offer will available beginning at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time (?ET?) each day between January 23, 2012 and March 4, 2012, while supplies of Macsurance policies available for that day are available. You must be at least 18 years of age and a legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia to redeem offer. Void where prohibited.
- Kraft Mac and Cheese on Facebook

Be a great time to score some free Macaroni and Cheese. So about 11 Central (12 Eastern/9 Pacific) head over and score yourself a great offer. Of course you will have to like their page first if you haven't already.
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Race for Delegates

The race for the Republican nomination is heating up.  When votes for the Iowa Caucuses were certified, it was found that Santorum won not Romney. Then the trifecta that was predicted in South Carolina didn't materialize as Gingrich won that state. Meaning three contests, three different winners. This race is not over. Of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination here is how they stack up: Here is how the delegate counts are stacking up at the moment.

Candidate	Delegates
Mitt Romney	19
Newt Gingrich	19
Rick Santorum	12
Ron Paul	3
Jon Huntsman	2

Whatever happens this primary season, whoever wins, they will make history. Especially if they win the General Election to.  No Republican has won the White House without winning New Hampshire. Likewise since 1980, no one has won the Republican nomination without winning the South Carolina primaries.
I certainly will be keeping a watchful eye on this primary season and I will make  decision before the April 3 primaries here in Texas. Who will win Texas? Who will win the nomination? Only time will see.

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And Then There Were Four

Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas is expected to announce in a few minutes to suspend his campaign. Suspending the campaign is essentially the same thing as dropping out. This newest exit from the race will leave four candidates. Mitt Romney, who some say is the man to beat, Ron Paul, who isn't given much chance, even though he does bring some good ideas to the table. Then two conservatives, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who will still be dividing the the conservative votes.
Reports say Perry will endorse Gingrich, but until I hear it for myself, I cannot be sure. As a Perry supporter myself, I will have to make some tough decisions as I reevaluate the candidates and focus on the upcoming April 3 primary.




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Free samples of Quest Protein Bars

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

You can get 2 Free samples of Quest Protein Bars! To get these freebies, click the bottom of their page where it says “FREE Sample”, then scroll down to where it says “Get my 2 FREE Bars”, then do that again on the next two pages until you get the form to fill out. Be sure to enter promo code "SAMPLE".




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Free Meal Planning Service

posted by Kevin Surbaugh


I just learned of a great new service, that is also a terrific freebie. Well unless you want to use it everyday. The great thing it is both a website and a smartphone App.

Food on the Table is an online budget meal planning service designed to help families eat better and save money. Our meal planner template combines the weekly sales from your local grocery store with your family's food preferences. What this gives you is a meal planning template that is ideal for creating a family-friendly and healthy meal plan based on kid-friendly recipes hand-picked by our chefs. Then, we send you to the store with a printable grocery list that can also be viewed on your smartphone.

Food on the Table has two versions. Try the limited version for FREE and plan three meals a week. You can upgrade to the premium version for $15 for 3 months and $9.95 thereafter for unlimited meals and more recipes.
- Food On The Table

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Understanding the High Cost of Payday Loans

Guest Post by Amanda Tradwick


People with lower-than-average credit scores are showered with offers for costly credit opportunities packaged to look like good deals. Here you’ll get the real explanations why payday loans are expensive ways to get credit that should only be used as last resorts.

Payday loans are always a bad deal. A payday loan works like this: You go to a lender and write them a personal check for the amount you want to borrow (let’s say $100) plus the amount the lender will charge you for the loan you desire (let’s say $20) – in this case, the check you write the lender will be for $120. The lender gives you $100 and you walk out with cash.

In two weeks, you owe the lender $120. Let’s say you don’t have the $120 in two weeks, and you need another loan. The lender will roll over the payday loan for a fee, let’s say $20 (this amount is not atypical.) Now you owe $40 on the $100 you borrowed. If you extend the loan again, the lender will roll over the loan again for yet another fee. Now you owe $60 for a $100 loan.

Too often people in very bad credit situations get taken in by this kind of offer. By the time they pay off the initial loan, they’ve paid an inordinate amount of interest on the loan.

There’s almost always a better option than a payday loan. Take advantage of times when you have fewer expenses and use these opportunities to save money for unexpected future expenses. Look for secured credit options if you need a quick infusion of cash. Ask creditors for extensions on bills instead of using expensive credit options such as payday loans to get cash. Educate yourself on the options available to those who have poor or no credit.

Instead of taking out a payday loan, consider the following options for making some cash quickly:
Go through your house and look for things you can sell on ebay
Consider hiring yourself out to neighbors or friends for cleaning, babysitting, or lawn work
Look for freelance gigs on Craig’s List and other freelance work sites
Borrow from a friend or family member

To prevent ever needing to take out a payday loan, try to prepare for the future by living within your means and saving extra cash in an accessible fund. It’s always better to scrimp now than to borrow at outrageous interest rates later.


About the author:

Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor's degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on teaching scholarships and grantsand california scholarships and grants.


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Free Sample of Fish Oil

Get a free sample of Schiff MegaRed Krill Oil. MegaRed is designed to promote a healthy hart. These pills contain 100% Omega-3 Krill oil, which is believed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Simply like Schiff on Facebook to get this great sample.
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Free Prilosec OTC Sample

Prilosec OTC has a free sample of their heartburn prevention medicine. With just one Prilosec OTC® pill a day, you can block frequent heartburn symptoms before they begin for a full 24 hours with zero heartburn. So you can get through the day-and rest at night-without the worry of heartburn flare-ups on your mind. That's because Prilosec OTC fights heartburn by shutting down many of the acid pumps in your stomach, giving you zero heartburn for 24 hours-with one pill a day.*

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A GIRL CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH

Thanks to Roman May

I got my husband DIRECTV HD Sports for the holidays. Now, I am starting to regret my decision, because he is controlling the remote all the time! He loves to watch sports. All kinds: football, golf, basketball, tennis, and even soccer ( the European football). He just can’t get enough of it. Now that he has all the sports channels and watches everything in HD, I can’t peel him away from the tube. I swear we watched every single college bowl game that was on over the holidays. I know that I clocked well over twenty four hours in football television. I can take football in little spurts, and actually enjoy it. My favorite is definitely college football. Now that NFL is in full swing, I don’t know how much longer that I am going to last. I think that I am just going to have to leave the house and let his friends come over and keep him company during the games. A girl can only take so much football!

Getting Serious and Trying our Hand at Couponing

by Kevin Surbaugh

With dozens of coupons printed from the internet, coupons from two Sunday papers and a hand-full of coupons from manufacturers that we had written we set down to do our first official big time shopping spree with coupons. This was an important one. We needed groceries and we needed to slash our grocery spending drastically. How were we going to do it? Please God, let coupons pay for most of this order.

Below is how our shopping trip went:

Item	Reg. Price	Coupon Amount	Final Amount
Tostitos Chips & Dip	$3.99+3.49	$.055	$5.33
Raisin Bran	$2.49	$	$2.24
Potato Chips	$3.29	$	$1.79
Cheese Curls	$3.29	$	$1.79
Saltine Crackers	$2.29	$	$1.79
Whole Kernel Corn (2 cans)	$1.78	$	$1.60
Cream Corn (2 cans)	$1.78	$	$1.60
Tomato Soup (4 cans)	$3.16	$	$2.48
Canola Oil	$3.99	$	$3.41
Grape Jelly	$1.99	$	$1.99
Pioneer Gravy Mix	$1.15	$	$0.79
Helmsman's	$4.59	$	$2.49
Coca-Cola (2-12packs)	$11.98	$4.99	$1.00
Diet Coca-Cola	$5.99	$	$0
Diet Cherry-Coke	$5.99	$	$5.99
Cherry Coke	$5.99	$	$5.99
Dasani Water (24-pack)	$5.49	$	$3.99
Sandwich Bags (300 count)	$ 2.69	$	$2.42
Canned cat Food (24-pack)	$8.99	$	$6.29
Bleach	$2.29	$	$1.79
Conttenelle Toliet Paper	$8.99	$	$8.99
Tide w/ Downy (2 bottles)	$15.98	$2.00	$9.98
Finish Powerball	$11.99	$1.00	$8.99
Finish Powerball Quantum	$11.99	$2.15	$7.84
Tidy Cat Pail (27 lbs)	$12.99	$	$9.59
Snuggle Sheets	$4.99	$0.50	$2.99
Imperial Spread Quarters (2 boxes)	$1.98	$	$1.50
Florida Natural Orange Juice	$3.99	$	$2.99
Pillsbury Grands	$1.79	$0.40	$0.99
Pillsbury Grands	$1.79	$	$1.49
Green Giant Just For One	$3.99	$	$3.99
18 pack Eggs	$2.59	$	$1.73
Shredded Cheese	$2.49	$	$2.24
Yoplait Yogurt (2-8 packs)	$8.98	$	$8.98
Lysol Wipes (x2)	$7.58	$0.30	$4.10
Allergan Refresh eye drops	$12.99	$2.00	$10.99
Mouth Wash (4 small bottles)	$7.96	$	$3.96
Whole Wheat Bread	$1.99	$	$1.79
Jimmy Dean Sausage	$10.98	$	$
Bananas	$0.48/lb	$	$1.10
Tomatoes	$1.99/LB	$	$1.49
SunMaid Rasins	$4.99	$	$4.99
Pom Wonderful Aerials	$3.99	$1.00	$1.99
Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice (x2)	$3.98	$2.00 ($1x2)	$0.98
	$	$	$
Totals:	$269.06	$55.51	$157.47

If a brand name is not used, then we bought the store brands on that item.  Some of the coupons didn't get listed under the items they were to match. Making it hard for me to type this list up...They were listed at the bottom with all the other various discounts. As such I have listed the final totals below, to show how we did overall. 

Amounts stated are after employee discounts as well, a savings amount totaling....$8.83
Advertised specials...$43.45
Total paper Coupon Savings....$55.51
Total e-Coupon Savings....$2.30
 Multiplied Coupon Savings....$1.50
Total Savings......$111.59  (44%)
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Coupons Could Literally Save You Thousands in 2012

by Kevin Surbaugh


The more I learn about couponing, the more I learn I don't know. The same goes with the plethora of couponing sites out there. One such site is Coupon Chief. A site that can help consumers and businesses alike to save money. Consumers can save money using coupons from the Sunday paper or one of the many internet coupon sites. Small business are beginning to learn from this and have especially focused on the internet coupon sites, where they can find a coupon codes to enter at of their favorite supplier (say Office Depot or Office Max) of office supplies and furniture.

For the consumer they can save at Walmart.com, Safeway.com, Zales.com, Schwans.com and many more sites.

"We have over 50k coupons for over 15000 stores, giving us one of the largest databases of online coupons on the net," according to Amanda Fouts of Coupon Chief, Inc.

Wow! With such a large database, how come I hadn't heard of them before? It is most certainly the silent up and comer in the online coupon world. However, it is no longer silent. People are taking notice, with over 250,000 visitors each month and has been around since January 15, 2005, when the name was registered through a domain registration service.
The site can't compare to coupons.com, but is still well worth a visit. I know I am certainly going to be adding them to my growing of sites to check out on a regular visit. Especially before I do any shopping online.
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Free Copy of Tortured for Christ

posted by Kevin Surbaugh


The Voice of the Martyrs would like you and your friends to have a complimentary copy of "Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand (March 24, 1909 – February 17, 2001)who was a Romanian Christian minister of Jewish descent.

He was a youth during a time of anti-Semitic activity in Romania, but it was later, after becoming a believer in Jesus Christ as Messiah, and daring to publicly say that Communism and Christianity were not compatible, that he experienced imprisonment and torture for his beliefs. After serving five years of a second prison sentence, he was ransomed for $10,000. His colleagues in Romania urged him to leave the country and work for religious freedom from a location less personally dangerous. After spending time in Norway and England, he and his wife Sabina, who had also been imprisoned, emigrated to America and dedicated the rest of their lives to publicizing and helping Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. He wrote more than 18 books, the most widely known is Tortured for Christ.
- biographical information from Wikipedia

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December in Guatemala

Happy New Year!

December has been a very busy month. We returned from a vacation, and Elias moved in to live with us. Then a bunch more came over to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with us. It's been a really fun time having our home full of people. 

Here are our blog posts for December:

• December Newsletter
• Back in Guatemala
• Elias now lives with us!
• Christmas Party
• Merry Christmas!
• Our Second Anniversary!
• Thank you for your support in 2011!

Here are our prayer requests for January:

• Prayer for Elias as he adjusts to life with us and as he starts his final year of high school in about a week.
• We hope to finally break ground on our land this month. I'm going to be pretty busy getting everything organized for the construction.
• Yuli has been offered a position at a nearby Christian school to teach in the mornings. We're happy about this opportunity because she really enjoys teaching, and I'm going to be more occupied with construction details this year. It will also help cover a small portion of our monthly expenses.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us this past month! We are very grateful for all of the prayers and support that we receive. It's a very exciting time for us as we start the halfway house. And we need your prayers that we can clearly hear God's will for our lives.

Brent & Yuliza

Brent Potter
512-551-4334
Brent@CasaShalom.net
http://potters.casashalom.net

Close Caucus Results is a Roller-Coaster, Nail-Bitter

Early in the evening Ron Paul was in the lead. Then his lead deminished and it looked like he was going to take third, which he eventually did. When I went to bed last night, the report was the Rick Santorum had won the Iowa caucuses. Even though it was a statistical tie with Mitt Romney. However, this morning when I woke up, I learned that Romney had eked out an 8 vote win over Santorum.

Jan 03, 2012 (100% of precincts reporting)

Mitt Romney 30,015 24.6%

Rick Santorum 30,007 24.5%

Ron Paul 26,219 21.4%

Newt Gingrich 16,251 13.3%

Rick Perry 12,604 10.3%

Michele Bachmann 6,073 5%

Jon Huntsman 745 0.6%

Herman Cain 58 0%

Buddy Roemer 31 0%

No Preference 135 0.1%

Other 117 0.1%

Romney eked out a minuscule 8-vote victory over Rick Santorum in Iowa’s Republican presidential caucuses, the state party chairman said early Wednesday, ringing down the curtain on an improbable first act in the campaign to pick a challenger to President Barack Obama in the fall.

Appearing hours after the caucuses had ended, Matt Strawn said Romney had 30,015 votes, to 30,007 for Santorum, whose late surge carried him to a near win.
- AP story via IowaCaucus.com

CNN earlier in the evening as the late news would have been starting on the four major networks was projecting Santorum the winner and Romney the 2nd place finisher, but was not ready to officially project 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. Well seems they still were a little early with the projecting game.

For whatever, it means the 24.6% finish is a record low. No Republican Caucus winner has ever received less then 26%. That being Bob Dole of Kansas, who received 26.3 percent support in 1996, when he won.

The next contest is this next Tuesday in New Hampshire, which hold the first in the Nation primary. No Republican president has ever been elected without winning the New Hampshire primary. Before President Bill Clinton, the same thing could have been said about the Democrats. Also no non-incumbent Republican has won both the Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. If Romney, who is handily leading in New Hampshire wins that primary, he will be the first do so.

Stay tuned, our eyes will be glued to the big day. Who will be the challenger to President Barrack Obama?


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Dreams

Recently I had a dream. The dream was weird in a way, but not in a scary way. Just a sense of me scratching my head looking for a meaning. I mean what could God above possibly be trying to tell me in this dream?

I walked into the area of the restrooms, I turn to my left to enter the men's room, what I seen was a single toilet sitting at the top of some steps. Sitting there by itself like a throne. I then turned and went the other way and in the ladies room I also seen a single seat, sitting near the outer wall. It looked like a recliner; covered in red velvet, but upon closer inspection the seat itself was a toilet seat.

At that point I woke up. Imagine two toilets looking like these. One like a King's throne and the other like a lush recliner. What in the world do you think this meant? What was almighty God trying to tell me?


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Magic 8-ball Tackels the Tough Questions

by Kevin Surbaugh

A columnist in the Wall Street Journal has become known the last several years for getting predictions from a plastic ball made by Mattel Toys, other wise known as a Magic 8-ball.

So I thought I would ask the Magic 8-ball some questions myself. Since I don't own one myself at the moment I turned to the Magic 8-ball online.

The WSJ columnist asked:

Q: So what about the global economic collapse? You know, debt crises and recessions turning into currency crises and a depression. Everybody owing everyone, but no one with money to pay. Is that going to happen in 2012? A: "Cannot predict now." Q: Come on. This is the most important question. A: "Concentrate and ask again." Q: Are you just afraid I might panic or something? A: "Better not tell you now." - Wall Street Journal

I asked:
1. Q: Will unemployment numbers drop this year?
   A "My sources say no"
   
   Q: Will I go full-time with my blogging?
   A: "Maybe"
   
   Q: Will my wife and I adopt this year?
   A: "Maybe"
   Q: Will my wife and I buy a house this year?
   A: "definitely"
   Q: Will gas prices drop?
   A: "Maybe"
   Q: Will gas prices rise above $4/gallon?
   A: "My sources say no"
   Q: Will lawmakers finally put a stop to our runaway deficit spending?
   A: "Ask again later"
   Q: Will gold prices spike above $2,000 in 2012?
   A: "Outlook not so good"
   Q: Will the Dow Jones Industrial Average return to its highs above 14000?
   A: "No way"
   Q: Will my stock holdings soar?
   A: Maybe
   
   The WSJ columnist asked:
   

   Q: Can President Obama be re-elected in this mess?
   A: "It is decidedly so."
   Q: Really?
   A: "You may rely on it."
   Q: Because his challengers inspire even less confidence?
   A: "Without a doubt."
   - Wall Street Journal

   I asked:
   
   
2. Q: Will President Obama be re-elected this year?
   A: "Definitely"
   Q: That concerns me. Are you sure?
   A. "Absolutely"
   With that I turned the question.
   Q: Will Governor Perry be our next president?
   A: "No Way"
   Q: Well will he at least win the Republican nomination?
   A: "My sources say no"
   Q: What about Romney, will he be the President-elect this year?
   A: "Maybe"
   Q: So does the mean Romney will win the Republican nomination?
   A: "No way"
   Q: Okay, what about Rick Santorum?
   A: "Definitely"
   Q: Will Rick Santorum be the next President?
   A: "Ask again later"
   
   Finally, the WSJ columnist asked:
   

   Q: The Mayan calendar predicts the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012. Is it correct? A: "My sources say no." (I swear, if the 8-Ball is wrong about this, I'm taking it back to Wal-Mart.)
   - Wall Street Journal

   which I also asked:
   
3. Q: The Mayan calendar predicts the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012. Is it correct?
   A: "Yes"
   (Of course I don't believe that for a minute. God said in His Holy Word, that No one knows the day nor the hour. That includes the Mayans. So I will trust God and His word the Bible and not some Mayan calendar.)
   

Finally I asked one last series of questions. Again this one was back to the political line. I asked it who would win the Iowa Caucuses. The first two I asked about, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, the Magic 8-ball said, "Ask again later." When I asked, will Rick Santorum win the Iowa Caucuses? The Magic 8-ball said, "Outlook not so good." So I asked one final question of it. will Ron Paul win the Iowa Caucuses? To this the Magic 8-ball responded, "Yes."

So does this thing know what it is talking about or not. If you ask me it is one confused little ball. Only time will tell if the Magic 8-ball was right about anything. For now, Happy New Year and enjoy the new year.

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Happy New Year

by Kevin Surbaugh

I wanted to write a quick post and wish each everyone of my readers a very Happy New Year. May God richly bless each and everyone of you in 2012. 
As we go in to this new year may I share my life verse with you.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. God loved us, and through his grace he gave us a good hope and encouragement that continues forever.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NCV)

What are your hopes and dreams for the 2012?


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