Family Guy

Late last night I watched the two back-to-back episodes of Family Guy that BBC 3 were showing. It's always on very late but I don't really mind as I consider it a treat before turning in for the night. I think it's very funny and I love trying to keep up with the many references, some of which are quite obscure.

Some people swear by The Simpsons but although that's quite funny I think the novelty's worn off. I get it! Bart is unruly and Homer is a moron, enough already!

I like the fact that the writers of Family Guy don't mind who they offend as long as it's funny. And it is. But you have to say that men these days are invariably portrayed as complete ignorant sick slobs married to a lovely wife who's far too good for them. Oh well..perhaps that's near enough to the truth in many cases so I shan't organize a protest group just yet..

Sometimes a loan is the answer

It is not always easy to make your paycheque last. Tying the ends together is not always that easy and a little help could sometimes come in very handy. That is when you may consider taking of the payday loans offers that are available. It really is very easy to do so. How do I get a loan? I hear you ask. Well, on the site of Payday UK there is a handy online form which you can fill out and within minutes you will find out whether you have been approved.

All you need to do then is fill out your bank and card details and sign your loan agreement. It really couldn’t be any simpler than that. If you are wondering whether payday loans are right for you just consider what you could do with it: You could pay those final demand bills or get the electrician to repair the telly without having to wait until payday, you could even take your partner away for a romantic weekend. You could do anything you wish. It really is your choice!

Money worries are never nice and finding a way out by applying for an easy payday loan could be the answer for your situation. This site makes it really easy to apply for such a loan and may be well suited to your specific needs.

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Scrape

Last night I came home after a tiring day at work to find a lorry had scraped the side of your parked car. The bloke driving the lorry had been decent enough to stop and try to find out to whom the car he damaged belonged. He had given our neighbour the name of the company he works for, his name and phone number. More than anything else it's just very inconvenient to have our car go in to the garage when we'll be needing it. Cars..what a headache.

E-Signatures

In all your wandering around the internet have you come across something called EchoSign E-Signatures? I will tell you all about it, don’t worry. EchoSign is quite simply the easiest way to get a signature. Moreover, EchoSign is the the number one E-Signature solution available on the web and helps over two hundred and thirty thousand users close deals in a matter of seconds.

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Press release:

Echosigns 3.0 raises the bar for contract signature automation.

Largest release in company’s history adds powerful workflow capability and real-time sales analytics to the web’s most adopted E-Signature service.

Palo Alto, CA, February 13, 2008 --- EchoSign, the leading Web-based signature automation service, today announced the availability of EchoSign 3.0. This latest version of the number one Web-based e-signature service brings the power of sophisticated workflows to a completely automated and intuitive Web interface.

EchoSign’s 250,000 users have already shortened their contract signature process by as much as ninety percent (90%) – getting contracts signed, on average, in just 42 minutes. In version 3.0, EchoSign introduces a host of new features that help companies of any size close deals faster, save money, and process contracts even more efficiently.

“The key to success for companies of all sizes is identifying bottlenecks in the sales process that hinder a company’s ability to close a deal. With so many businesses going global, the time it takes to get a single signature on a contract increases fourfold,” said Jason Lemkin, CEO, EchoSign. “EchoSign’s newest release continues to cut the fat out of the contract process, by enabling companies to quickly and intuitively gather the signatures they need to drive the business bottom-line.”

In a recent report, the analyst firm Gartner recommends “consider[ing] e-signature services instead of software suites when one or more of these factors exist: the signature-based process is automated; rapid time-to-market is important; complex internal workflows are not required; a third party to vouch for the signed record is needed; or the price per signed record will be less than purchased software and in-house development.”

EchoSign’s easy to use interface has enabled thousands of companies to go from ‘quote to close’ in less than 42 minutes. With EchoSign, companies are able to close more contracts, work more effectively with customers and partners, and manage and audit agreements within a single interface. With today’s release of version 3.0, EchoSign increases the power of e-signatures by extending their ability to reach across the globe and into the organization. Major features include:

Workflow “Language” – EchoSign API has already enabled dozens of Internet leaders to integrate EchoSign e-signatures into their own products – including Salesforce.com, WebEx Connect, Box.net, Zoho, H&R Block RocketLawyer.com, SpringCM, and Drawloop. EchoSign now takes this to the next level by enabling its customers and partners to go beyond the standard counter signature and sequential EchoSign signature options and directly craft their own customized signature workflow processes.

MegaSign - With EchoSign 3.0, users can now send an agreement out to 10, 100, 1,000 or more users for signatures. In just one click, EchoSign automatically tracks down signatures from thousands of employees; automatically follows-up for you and reminds them until they sign; and creates a full, real-time audit report of who’s signed and who hasn’t across your enterprise.

Instant, Automated, Interactive Forms – Users can marry data collection and e-signatures in a few clicks. Now, users can create an interactive form without requiring Adobe Acrobat – just by using Microsoft Word. EchoSign 3.0 automatically converts the Microsoft Word document into an interactive form. This form can be posted to a Web site or secure portal via the EchoSign widget in seconds, without programming. Or the form can simply be e-mailed for signature. Either way, with one click, the document is e-signed – and the collected data is exported out to Microsoft Excel for analysis and integration.

Real-time Dashboard Analytics in Salesforce – For the first time, sales managers can track, in real-time, the status of every single contract across their companies. EchoSign for Salesforce offers real-time dashboard analytics to measure metrics across an entire team, including deals closed by sales reps, open deals, percentage of agreements signed, and average minutes until signed.

About EchoSign
In just one click, the EchoSign solution automates the entire signature process from the request for signature to the distribution and filing of the executed agreement or form. With nothing to download, learn or install, there is simply no faster or secure way to get your contracts signed, tracked and filed. EchoSign customers close over $100M in contracts each month with an average 'quote to close' time of 42 minutes. EchoSign has won numerous awards including Red Herring Top 100 Private Company, “One to Watch” by Gartner Research, and Best of Show at Office 2.0, and has twice been named by Salesforce.com as an AppExchange Essential. Over 250,000 users at organizations such as AtRoad, British Telecom, GE Capital, Johnson & Johnson, Netscout, and the University of California use EchoSign everyday to get contracts signed, tracked and filed in the most efficient and effective way possible. For more information and access to web service, visit http://www.echosign.com .

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Earthquake hits Blighty

Last night at 1.00 AM an earthquake measuring a tidy 5.3 on the scale hit England. The epicentre was near Grimsby but the tremors could be felt as far south as Southampton and as far west as Swansea. The extent of it is a few chimney pots falling down and no one was hurt but it is strange to be confronted by a quake in this otherwise so stable country. At 1.00 AM some men may have got away with claiming to be responsible for making the earth move..

Counselling degrees

You cannot put a value on education. A good education that is, and that is just what Capella University can offer you. Whether you are interested in studying for a masters degree in counseling or any of the many other courses on offer at Capella University, you will find exactly what you want here.

Capella Universitsy was founded in 1993. The University is an accredited online education institute that offers graduate degree programs in a variety of subjects including business, human services, psychology, information technology, education public health, and public safety. There is all to choose from and study conveniently online. There are also bachelor’s degree programs available.

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive.

Eva Cassidy

I was watching television this avo and they showed a clip of Eva Cassidy playing ‘People Get Ready’ in a live set. It was beautiful and moving. The lyrics of the song are of course very edifying and poetic and her voice was so crystal clear that I achieved goose bumps. I don’t know much about this artist but this was a fabulous introduction. Stunning!

Dream catchers

Do you know those things, those so-called dream catchers? They look a bit crafty and I think you are supposed to hang them over your bed. I think they may be Native American in origin but I can’t be sure about that. I don’t know whether they are meant to catch bad dreams before they reach you as you lie in your bed sleeping or whether they catch the dreams that you are having for some arcane purpose. If anyone knows, please leave a comment. I’d quite like to know.

Credit card solutions

Finding the right credit card is not an easy task these days. We all know that there is a bewildering choice of credit cards on offer almost everywhere. But which one is right for you? Perhaps you should check out CreditCardSearchEngine.com to find Airline Miles Credit Cards or any other type of credit card. This is a very useful way to go about choosing your credit card.

CreditCardSearchEngine.com is one of the longest running websites for online comparison of credit cards. This site offers consumers, students as well as businesses the means to search, compare, and also apply for all manner of credit card offers. This includes everything from low interest and reward card to cards for people with a bad to average credit situation. There is a credit card on offer to suit most people’s needs.

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Style versus brute force

Eduardo, an Arsenal player, was badly hurt in a tackle he sustained in a match at the weekend. Apparently, it was all a very unfortunate incident but no malice was involved from the part of the player who broke his leg. Eduardo will be out for a number of months which is bad. But I wonder whether the rarefied talented Arsenal players, hardly anyone of whom is British, are really up to the type of football as it’s played on these shores. One does like to get tough and physical, far more than is customary in Europe. Perhaps there is a discrepancy between Arsenal’s technical ability and the rough and tumble of the English Premier League?

Brucie Birthday

Bruce Forsyth, the British entertainer, is eighty years old and the BBC threw him a grand birthday party show the other day. All the old performers were there to wish him well but there were also a lot of new comedians on hand to give credit to this most engaging of artists. Seems like he’s been around for ever. Hasn’t he done well?

Moving house

Everyone knows how stressful moving house can be. It doesn’t get much more tense or pressurized than the stress involved when you are moving house, and that is even when everything goes well.

There is a company that by all accounts could make all the difference for those needing or wanting to move. Service Network is now announcing their fast easy moving company matching system. After all, who would argue that moving can be a stressful time for everyone involved. It’s not always easy on the finances either of course. It can be quite challenging to select the moving company that is just right for you. Service Network could be just the answer for you!

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Quo Vadis, my holiday?

Not sure yet about the holidays. Camping in the Scottish mountains or lazing by a pool in some Mediterranean resort? The jury is still out. Both options appeal to me but after working hard all year round we tend to go for the easy and lazy option sometimes. And why not?

Lake District memory

When I was last up in the Lake District I noticed how much I loved the landscape. Of course, the lakes and mountains are fabulously picturesque. But I absolutely fell in love with just driving along the lanes and seeing the vivid green fields on either side, daubed with trees and, everywhere I looked there were rocks and boulders sticking out up from the grass. It was a rugged landscape and yet at the same time gentle. I thought it was a fascinating and rare combination. Must get back there sometime.

Accounting jobs blog

While browsing around the web looking for sites about accounting and accounting jobs blog sites, I happened to come across the site of A.E. Feldman. This site has an extensive listings service regarding all manner of accounting jobs.

A.E. Feldman Associates, Inc. can boast an outstanding reputation in the field of recruitment due to their excellent levels of service. This has enabled this firm to build solid relationships with industry-leading clients as well as with top-quality candidates.

The areas in which this company practices include financial and risk management services, communications and technology, legal and legal support services, and also human resources consulting. This is one accounting jobs site that is well worth checking out.

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Even more concerning trees

Some more about trees, then. When it blows a gale you will hear the branches of trees creaking under the strain, moaning and groaning and bending in the wind. And then there is the longevity of some trees. Some trees have been around for centuries and are still, actually, living, which is a stunning realization.

Concerning trees

A tree hugger I am not. Far from it. Not for me the woolly bobble hat, the uniform-like unwashed look, the unfashionable footwear and customary facial hair. But it has to be said that from a poetic point of view I love trees. I adore the way they are witnesses to life going on around them. Living watchers who must think all this human running around is fairly silly in the grand scheme of things.

Gold is the stuff alright!

Is there really anything in the whole wide world that is more alluring and enticing than gold? Just the sheer feel of luxury that surrounds this precious stuff and the aura of wealth and success that it exudes is simply fascinating, even intoxicating.

And of course investing in us gold coins would be a very wise and advantageous thing to do. Gold is a commodity that will always keep its unique value; that much is certain and you would stand to gain an awful lot from investing in gold coins or bullion.

As an investment asset, gold is available in coin or ingot form. Ingots are usually gold ingots of pure bullion that are cast in a convenient size and shape. Coins, of course, have a currency value or they are actually defined as ingots.
It is starting to get clear that there may well never be a better time for buying silver bullion than right now.


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Gothic

The weather, that is. It's grey and dark and dull and the wind howls around the building like a lovelorn wherewoolf. It's enough to make you want to call Sting, for crying out loud. My heart longs for sunshine and clear blue skies. Not yet, not yet. I'll withdraw for now to the tropical beach resort in my mind. Come in, the water's lovely!

Hectic Thursday

All day they came; the students and their questions and queries. I was hanging a bit so my patience was always going to be tried today. One by one I helped the punters out as courteously as I could but some days you get the real drongos in who can hardly open a door by themselves. Never mind, eh? It's the weekend soon and then I'll go and lie down in a darkened room for a bit and de-studentify my mind..

Great design site

Being slightly artistic and what-have-you I sometimes scour the internet looking for innovative websites that are useful for those of us who like to apply ourselves creatively in one way or another. The other day I happened upon one such site; the Inspiration Folder - Web's largest web design gallery, which really impressed me, I have to say.

This amazing website has over ten thousand designs to trigger your imagination and creativity. The way it works in a nutshell is that you can browse the enormous gallery of designs and then save them in so-called Inspiration folders, which you can call up again easily the next time you log on to continue your design work or start a brand new project.

You can even submit your very own design to be reviewed and possibly have it included in the design gallery. This is a fabulous website and a genuine asset to the designer and artist in each and every one of us. The art of design can be a very personal pursuit and browsing this website it made it very clear just what a wonderful thing real inspiration is. The sheer diversity of designs showcases on Inspiration Folder is stunning to say the least.

It made me want to start a new creative project right away and I just love that feeling of wanting to get going with my photography, painting or design work. There is nothing quite like getting stuck in on a new creative piece of work. Great stuff!

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Castro calls it quits

Can't believe the old bearded tyrant is going to step down. He's only been the undisputed leader for nearly half a century. Now, that's what I call democracy. Never mind about elections and delegates and presidents for a term or two, no you want a dictator telling you what to do for at least five decades. I heard how on the only television station in Cuba, you've guessed it: the state-run channel, the perpetual revolutionary used to deliver speeches that lasted anything up to nine hours. That's entertainment!

But seriously, it would be wonderful if that interesting country could finally get a taste of true democracy and a leader who doesn't feel the need to always dress up in army uniform. I think that Miami will be buzzing with anticipation. But who will the other left-wing thug Chavy Chavez in Venezuela look up to now?

Kosovo independence thanks to land grab

At least that's how I see it. No doubt we're supposed to fawn over the alleged underdog position of this off-shoot of Greater Albania.

Photograph enlargements

Photography is one of my many true passions and there are few things that I love doing more than going out into the country with my trusted digital camera in search of a good shot or two. Of course, once I have taken a few good pictures, sometimes I am in need of a good digital photograph printing services outlet that will enable me to get the perfect enlargement of any favourite photo.

My all-time favourite photograph is one I took while walking with family in the Malvern Hills. These hills are located in-between England and Wales and as this area is so picturesque it is very popular with visitors, hikers and walkers. I enjoyed the wide vistas, the panorama stretching in a westerly direction across Wales, the flowers and plants and wooded hillsides.

I managed to take a picture that I believed to be working well. It was a wide shot with purple flowers reaching up in the foreground against a background of the valleys beyond, hazy in the distance. The contrast between the sharp focus foreground of the flowers and the vague but evocative background made for a successful picture.

If I were to choose one of my pictures to have enlarged or put onto canvas, then this would be my first choice. Some images are just meant to be seen in a larger format and I would know exactly which one I would choose.

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The working week

It has been a good week so far. I have to say I am enjoying my job at the moment. It wasn't always thus, let me assure you. But these past few weeks I have been relishing the social element of my work in the university library, enjoying being of service to students and staff, all engaged on a quest of learning and research. I feel pretty darn good at the moment and I can honestly say that I feel grateful for that uplifting fact.

Green computing

Almost everyone these days is to some extent familiar with the world of computers and information technology. And some would no doubt imagine that this world of hard- and software has nothing whatsoever to do with environmentalism and taking care of our surroundings?

But did you know that there are green computers that can make a big difference to working responsibly with computers? Enviro Friendly Computing Ltd are experts when it comes to environmentally friendly computing. This company was established in order to provide practical solutions to the pressing environmental issues in the field of information technology, with a particular focus on the reduction of waste. Where possible, the recycling and re-use of products and materials is another priority.

Many components of computers can be recycled in an efficient manner and Enviro Friendly Computing Ltd are the people who can help with this. They deal with computer repairs, and green and refurbished computers as well as remanufactured toners and more.

I think it is fantastic that there is a company that is able to lead the way when it comes to environmentally friendly computing and information technology. Especially, when you realise just how many computers there are these days and also how almost everyone who uses computers could be made aware of approaching the world of IT with a greener outlook, so to speak.

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Post

For a week or two now I have been eagerly awaiting an item in the post. What could that be, I hear you ask. Well now, I will tell you. It is a Tai-Chi DVD I ordered from an online company that bears the name of a mighty river in Latin America. Usually, they are very quick and I've never had reason to complain about their service. Once, I ordered a book and the very next day it turned up, which I thought was quite impressive. But, it looks I will have to wait a bit longer before I can start the old Tai-Chi. Patience is a virtue, let's say..

Bathroom scales

There was a time when everyone’s bathroom scale systems were very basic tools, just designed to tell a person what they weighed and no more. This, of course, is no longer the case. As people generally take more of an interest in their physical well-being as well as their health, bathroom scales have become much more sophisticated tools that can give much more information.

These days, rather than just showing you your weight, these machines are able to determine your body fat percentage. Some bathroom scales are even able to tell you what percentage of your body consists of water. If you use these scales, you can rest assured that your diet or your exercise programme is helping you to lose the body fat itself. Try one of these scales and see for yourself how they can help you get more information about your body than just your weight.

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Charity shops

Just went into a local charity shop to pick up an item in which my better half had expressed an interest. As usual there was a small pack of elderly ladies on duty, busily engaged in one of many chats. Mind you, these nice ladies are all volunteers who donate their time to help out working in one of these shops whose main reason d'etre is to raise money for a worthy cause.

So, far be it from me to knock them but this particular shop is something else. Sometimes there are a few people sitting around -there is a cafe- that make you imagine you've walked in to a scene from the motion picture Deliverance. And whatever you buy, however small the item, these kind ladies insist on wrapping it in a big plastic carrier bag. If you say to them that you don't really need a bag they ask in a disappointed tone: "Are you sure, love? Don't you want a bag? Do you want a bag?" You'd think they had shares in the manufacture of plastic bags.

But these charity shops do good work and for the punter it's a good deal as well. Sometimes you can pick up real bargains. But I don't need a bag!

No Country for Old Men

Just posted a review of a film I saw last week in the Watershed art cinema here in Bristol. We went to see No Country for Old Men, the latest film from the Coen brothers. I really enjoyed this hard-hitting film. It seemed like a return to the sparse style of films such as Fargo and Blood Simple. A sense of brutal beauty permeates this film and some of the characters are extremely imposing. A great new film by this talented pair of film-making brothers.

Merchant Circle forum

You find the most interesting things when you browse the web and this feature I came across is another fine example.

There is a great feature on the business directory the Merchant Circle . There is a great easy to use forum where business owners can share ideas, and customers and are able to network to expand their business in an extremely easy way.

Here is an example of a current discussion taking place on the Merchant Circle forum . I think that this forum feature is a very intelligent addition to the Merchant Circle directory. It just enhances the experience of users of this business directory.

It makes it much easier for business owners to connect and network with each other, which can prove very valuable for their businesses. I have to say that I really think it’s a winning idea.

Top ten Rooney goals

Have a look at these superb goals by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. This Shrek-like forward has a deftness of touch with the ball, is very fast and has proper football intelligence. I found this little film online and enjoyed watching these stunning goals. Have fun!

The Merchant Circle

I was browsing the web just recently, as I am wont to do and found a very good business directory called Merchant Circle. Here I found to my great delight a listing for No Shorts Electric which is a fine electric contractor. This is a fantastic business directory where you will just just what you are looking for, presented in a very user-friendly manner. A great resource to find a contracter, a store or a business.

I love the name this business has chosen for itself as it denotes a sense of humour; something that the world of business and commerce is at times in short supply of, to be honest.

I also came across listings for these two other businesses: The Education Station as well as Charlotte’s Web Photography .

Parenting; a tough game

'Look, we've discussed all this. If it gets the kids into a decent school, it's worth it...'