ABC: The Cost of a Good Night's Sleep

There were too many headlines catching my attention this morning and I decided to take the time, sift through them and share my comments on those which immediately prompted a comment rushing through my brain.

Concerning the cost of a good night sleep, that is easily solved. After taking a look at the price tag of a decent mattress you are out cold.

CBS: Teens are sending 60 texts a day, study says.
Is texting supposed to be the advanced equivalent of the old fashioned Thumb war game?

CNN: 14-year-old buys house, rents it out.
That is quite impressive. He must have started building up his credit score the moment he was born.

Fox News: Obama Raises Eyebrows With New Executive Order.
My eyebrows never had a chance to come down ever since he moved into the White House.

Fox News: 101-year-old woman sets world paragliding record.
Let's put it on record that you are never too old to learn and are as old as you feel.

MSNBC: New $30 million tower the future of world cities?
And what future is that; the future of bankrupt cities?

Yahoo!: Hillary Clinton wades into Amelia Earhart mystery.
Does that mean that she is going to vanish into thin air also and never show up again?

Yahoo!: What's the longest word in the dictionary?
No, it is not supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, but a 1,185-letter term which I will spare you.

It would only cost you more sleep trying to pronounce it!

MSNBC: Former Mr. Universe turns 100 in India

It is absolutely amazing how people can reach such a respectable age these days compared to just a few decades ago when turning 70 was already quite an achievement. A lot of it has to do with the never ending search and results of finding cures and medications, but I suspect our lifestyle has got as much to do with it as anything.

There was no rest and relaxation for the weary several thousands of years ago. The days were filled with the search for food and fighting off dangers which took their toll on the body. Hence, turning 40 would be considered a major accomplishment, but even then there was no time for a celebration.

Even though it may not always seem that way, we are living a life of luxury. The times we had to leave our cave and hunt for food are long gone, unless you consider taking a trip to the store and hunting for bargains a physically taxing chore, but there are times when we have more spare time on our hands then we know what to do with.

Mr. 'Pocket Hercules' says he reached this age by sticking to a healthy diet and reducing and avoiding stress as much as possible. I can certainly see how the latter can rob you of some extra years which you could have enjoyed on this earth. Focusing on the good things in life is always better and celebrations are among the options.

It is already fun sending out party invitations and looking forward to being the center of attention and spending some pleasurable times with family and friends. Since this Mr. Universe always wanted to, but never got to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger, he should have sent him an invitation to attend his Birthday party.

With so much common ground, they would probably have hit it off. Yeah, he should have struck the iron while it was hot, instead of pumping it!

ABC: Cell Radiation Tied to Behavior Problems?

My eyebrows rose to the roof when I read this headline and noticed the question mark behind it.

Even though the article is talking about all the future negative effects the radiation could possibly have on an unborn, there is no doubt it already has taken its toll on the grown-ups who were not exposed to it, prior to purchasing their cell phone.

I certainly have noticed plenty of behavior problems where cell phone users are concerned; the roads have become ten times more dangerous due to cell phone users trying to control their vehicle with one hand, since the other one is glued to their ear with the phone in the middle. That doesn't always go over well.

The focus is more on the conversation or the text message they are trying to send which can cause unexpected, sudden maneuvres. Unawareness of what is going on around them is not uncommon either, no matter the situation or location.

The biggest issue I have though is that their social skills have dwindled to an absolute minimum and the only way to have some form of communication with them is through a text message. Thanks, but no thanks. How did that expression go again?

Oh yeah... silence is golden!

CBS: Unusually warm US weather likely to last a bit

This post brought to you by Scotts®. All opinions are 100% mine.

That is a nice break from the cold, but we also know what else it means; trees and bushes will bud, flowers will come up, and you can hear the grass grow.

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Yahoo!: Red meat can be unhealthy, study suggests

I don't know what is going on, but they sure are trashing our food these days and issuing all kinds of warnings. It is rather confusing too, because a lot of these cautions and research results are totally contradictory to the outcome of previous studies.

Where eating red meat was recommended before, since it provides you with the needed proteins to build bones and muscle, is rich in iron, and very low in calories, now it is said to increase heart disease. I suppose when consumed in moderation, you can safely sink your teeth in a juicy steak.

Even though ground beef falls under the category of red meat, you sure want to avoid that these days; CNN: Does your ground beef contain 'pink slime'? I certainly hope it doesn't, but it still sounds healthier to me then when the color green would show up in it.

If you would avoid all the foods which are considered to be unhealthy, or could put you at risk, you would grow very hungry very soon and if you manage to find something to munch on that passed the test, then be careful what you wash it away with: CNN: Daily soda may raise heart risk.

The pickings are getting slimmer by the minute. I wonder what's next on the menu?!

MSNBC: How to get cash back for kids’ clothes

It shouldn't be a big problem coming up with some good and quick solutions to turn kids' clothes into cash; you can simply hold a yard sale, or display them at a trade show and attract many potential buyers.

In both cases it is essential to grant good access to the products, services and/or ideas you are trying to bring to the attention of the public. Making use of trade show booths would give enough space and allow for a good display of all your items.

Ensure to impress on the public that you care about the presented items by using table skirts. Due to special clips or Velcro, those are easily put up and immediately enhance the appearance of your booth. You can even add printed ones if you so desire and choose the color that suits you best.

Since you won't be the only merchant attending a trade show, you need to make yourself stand out from the crowd. With a wide selection of different shaped in and outdoor banner stands at your disposal, advertising is a piece of cake.

People are easily confused and overwhelmed, but a Pipe and Drape divider will keep it all under control and give the potential client a place to catch his breath and admire the goods or services to the fullest and at his leisure.

When you take all of this in account, your kids' clothes are bound to put some cash into your account!

Yahoo!: Entire Arena Football team fired at dinner

I bet they didn't see that coming when they first stepped into the restaurant. I can imagine they were all looking forward to enjoying a pleasant meal and talking about how they were going to crush their opponent in the upcoming event.

None of them anticipated or was aware of the fact that this was going to be their last meal and when they found out, they refused to take it and left. I can't blame them, but what I don't understand is how the coach would still allow the game to take place, after he just fired his team.

Maybe the coach had the best interest of his players in mind, but I sincerely doubt this MSNBC: 85-year-old’s Olive Garden critique goes viral had got something to do with it. If that was the case, then he would have chosen to consume a meal in a different location.

It turned out however that the whole thing was in the best interest of the budget, as usual. I don't think that was a wise decision; the greenbacks he saved may have yielded some profits, but won't yield any victories. He now is confronted with having to find another team to beat the competition.

Game on!

CBS: Most and least expensive states for car insurance

When it comes to car insurance and you find yourself living in the least expensive state then good for you, but you don't have to consider moving when you are a resident of the most expensive one.

The best route to go would be finding the best insurance services available and it certainly wouldn't hurt to gather up some good information; there are plenty of leads available and all you got to do is dare to compare.

That pretty much goes for everything, but budget-wise financial services leads are the ones that would have the greatest impact and yield immediate results; they are money in the pocket.

The biggest chunk of our budget usually goes towards the mortgage and it may well be that the monthly payments are more then necessary. You wouldn't know unless you are constantly being updated with the latest mortgage leads.

All this shows that it doesn't matter where you live, but how you go about spending your money. Knowledge is power and that can lead to saving a bundle!

ABC: $50 Light Bulb Wins Affordability Prize

I can't by the life of me understand how such an expensive light bulb wins a prize like that. Go through your home, count all the light bulbs you would have to replace, and you will quickly figure out that it certainly is not affordable to replace them with those that come with such a high price tag.

Let's shed some light on this; it is said that the benefit of this new light bulb is that it lives 30 times longer then the regular ones, but when you multiply the costs of the 'old-fashioned' ones times thirty and compare that to the purchase of one of the prize-winning bulbs, you are still a lot cheaper off.

Energy-wise they may yield some savings on your electricity bill in the long run, but I wonder if $50 a pop would be enough to justify the huge dent in your budget. After a quick assessment of the amount of bulbs we would have to replace, I came to the respectable number of at least 30.

That brings to light that it would equate to $1500 if we would replace them all. That is a substantial amount of money. No wonder I am feeling a little light-headed!

Fox News: How to get your significant other to help clean

I don't think many people are a big fan of cleaning and I am no exception. Instead of trying to get my significant other to help out, I would be much more interested in my better half suggesting enjoying the beautiful weather and making a clean break for it.

There is nothing more pleasurable then grabbing one of those handy picnic baskets, stuffing it with all kinds of goodies, and heading out. Nature offers many beautiful spots to bask in its tranquility and it is even more relaxing when you know you got all you need right there with you.

Whether you plan to make an entire day out of it, or intend spending just a couple of hours outdoors, there are plenty of options where picnic baskets are concerned. Even if you want to enjoy some cheese and a nice glass of wine; a wine bag is among the possibilities.

I am all for taking a break and 'let's have a picnic' sounds much more appealing to me then 'let's clean'. The latter doesn't walk away and can be done at any time. The first however depends on the weather and you never know what tomorrow brings. In other words; seize the day!

Yahoo!: Beverage comes in first self-chilling can

How cool is that?! Just push the button and the can automatically chills your beverage. It can't get any easier and sure eliminates the need for bringing and dragging a heavy ice chest around with you.

It also comes in handy when you find yourself in the middle of a heated discussion. Instead of having to take a chill pill in order to cool off, simply hold the can against your forehead or the back of your neck and with the push of a button you have some instant cold comfort.

Another benefit of these cans is that they can be put out on the table and your refrigerator will be left alone. You don't have to wonder anymore whether your fridge got raided, or not and your food will be safe and sound.

Yeah, I can see a lot of pros and very few cons pertaining to these self-chilling cans. The only negative aspect I can think of is that the materials that cool the contents might be harmful to the environment, in which case it might get the cold shoulder.

We will have to wait and see, but for now I am going to chill out!