Site review and Giveaway!

I have the opportunity to give a product review for CSN stores and bless one of my readers with a (drumroll please) $20 gift card usable at any of their on-line stores. While this does not cover shipping costs you still get $ 20 free bucks. A sweet deal in my book. Thank you very much! CSN stores.


The review? It's on TV stands. Here is a link to their Flat Panel TV Stands . You know, until I was asked to write this review I didn't really spend much time thinking about TV stands. But once I did, well... The thing is, almost all of us have at least one TV and TV stands just are part of it. Even if you have a wall mounted TV, you'll still need a place for all the other gizmos. You know, the cable box, voltage conditioner, game equipment, DVD player, etc. We have two flat screen TVs. One is in the family room (which will soon be my FIL's room). The other one is in what used to be our living room. One is a stand alone TV on a stand (older), the other one is mounted to the TV stand itself (way more secure). Both stands are are open. And here comes the decision making if you are planning to buy one. While we like the closed TV stands for their neat appearance they have two drawbacks. Heat from the gizmos and hard to access cables etc if you need to make adjustments. The drawback with the open one is that no matter how neat you are, it just looks more cluttered. The biggest drawback by far  is dust! dust! dust! Although we are done buying TVs (I am saying NO to a TV in the bedroom) I can't help but wish that I had known about tvstands.com when we bought the last TV 1½ years ago. Best Buy didn't even come close with their selections. And here is what really rocks... some of their models even ship free!

Here is what you can do to win the gift card. You have chances for two entries! Leave me your name (screen name is fine) and link to your blog. If you have no blog be sure to send me a separate feedback with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. If you send me two comments like that I can post one and leave the one with your e-mail private since all my posts are first screened. For your second entry visit a CSN site and post a link to an item you would buy with the $20 giftcard or put the giftcard towards.

This give-away ends midnight CST on March 15, 2011 and is open to US entrants only.

How will the winner be chosen? We have a very scientific approach. On March 16, 2011 I will print the entries on equally sized pieces of paper. My blind folded son will pick one piece of paper and his sister (who knows how to read and will not be blindfolded LOL) will read the name. I will notify the winner via e-mail and on their blog if I have their blog address. The winner will also be announced on my blog. The winner's name and e-mail will be forwarded to CSN Stores and they will then e-mail a coupon code to the winner.



Bon Chance!

A Blog I feel in love with - you might too!

I wanted to post a link to a blog I stumbled upon the other day. It is called mindfuldrawing.com and the artist Paula Kuitenbrouwer  has such an eye for detail that I can't help but smile my way through her blog.  Her color pencil drawings clearly profess a deep love for nature, as only one who is in tune with nature can capture its essence so profoundly. If you love the work of Marjorie Bastin you will, no doubt, love Paula Kuitenbrouwer's magical world. The picture above is one of her works. If you need a shot of Spring and have a moment, stop by her site.

Thomas Jefferson had it right!

Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.
Thomas Jefferson


Conquest is not in our principles. It is inconsistent with our government.
Thomas Jefferson

This week I bring you two quotes because they both are ever so relevant in this day and age. I often wonder what the founders of this great nation would say if they could see it in its current state. We have made allies of nations which would love nothing more than see us falter and fail. We are trying to conquer an other nation under the guise of bearing the gift of democracy when the true purpose is greed and want for black liquid gold. True democracy cannot exist in an Islamic nation. A truly democratic, islamic state is an oxymoron. But that's the subject of an entirely different post. As I teach my daughter about the founders of this nation, as we explore the ideals and tremendous forsight these men of old put into this task, I cannot help but notice how America has strayed further and further from these ideals. What would they say if they saw how America the Great, the symbol of Freedom (yes, I capitalized these words on purpose)  is now owned hook-line-and-sinker by China.

Yes, I do realize that the world has changed a great deal. But some of the thoughts voiced by Thomas Jefferson should ring true even now.  When America was attacked on 9/11 the world was on our side. Almost everyone felt that our invasion of Afghanistan was well justified. What followed then was that the leader of this Nation listened to the wrong voice/s and invaded Iraq. There went all the goodwill. This former leader can't even show his face in Europe now for threat of being charged with violating the Geneva Conventions. To some extent we do need to allie ourselves with some other countries. The threat of radical Islamic states continues to grow and they have made their aim in life perfectly clear. Convert the entire world to Islam.
And so,  here we are, allied with the likes of Pakistan and indebted to China. Indebted to China  and sending Millions of Dollars in funds to confirmed scoundrels like Karzai and Zardari.

Where is this all headed next?