German Sense of Humor 1/24/11

I always thought the Germans were a little stiff but I guess they are kind of wacky too!
Heidi, the cross-eyed opossum, is the latest creature to rocket from Germany’s front pages to international recognition, capturing the world’s imagination with her bright, black eyes turned toward her pointed pink nose.
Since the first photos were published in December, the marsupial from Leipzig Zoo has attracted more Facebook fans than Chancellor Angela Merkel. By Wednesday more than 111,000 fans from as far away as Bangkok and Montreal and clear across Europe were exclaiming “so cute!!” and “so sweet.”
Experts say that like Knut, Berlin’s famous fluffy white polar cub who was abandoned by his mother, and Paul, the late octopus who correctly predicted the outcome of all of Germany’s 2010 World Cup games and Spain’s victory in the final, the hype surrounding Heidi is fed by a human weakness for cuddly looking critters and the ability of modern mass media to spread images around the globe instantly.
Bangkok resident Julie Queen-Vichitthanarurk said she heard about Heidi on the local radio station on the way to work, and raced home to find a picture on the internet and become a “fan” on Facebook.
“Right away when I saw her picture, I feel in love with her!” the 40-year-old told The Associated Press in an Facebook message. “There is just something so sweet about her that made my heart melt.”
It is exactly that feeling that humans crave, making such “cute” animal images so popular.  I don’t’ find it cute but each hey who am I to judge?

Necrophilia Suspect: She Didn't Look Dead To Me 1/24/11

I know not everyone is expressive or even active in bed... but I'd like to think most people would notice if their sex partner was dead.Police say Richard Elwood Sanden called the cops when he noticed his girlfriend wasn't breathing after sex... and when medics arrived, they put the time of death at about an hour before the time he told police the intercourse had taken place.

Sanden, 55, insists he had no idea the victim, 48-year-old Rebecca Whitehead was dead when he last had sex with her.
But police say he tried to hide some video equipment when they arrived -- and after they watched what he had recorded, he was charged with necrophilia.
Yuck.
Whatever is on that tape also apparently caused a judge to raise his bond from $4,500 all the way up to $500,000.
Sanden has also been charge with charged with possession of marijuana and abuse of a corpse.

Sanden told police he met Whitehead on a telephone dating service, and that the two had been living together for about three and a half months, according to the Washington Times-Herald.
Now, he's living in the Weird Crime Mug Shot Hall of Shame. (Dumb Crime du Jour)

Cross-Eyed Opossum Becomes German Zoo Darling 1/24/11

I don't know where opossum rank on the list of cute animals, but I imagine that it's not very high.

But somehow, this cross-eyed beast is getting a lot of love over in Germany.
Her name is Heidi, and -- as you can see -- she's got a little bit of a problem with her stare. It's all crossed up.
She lives in the Leipzig Zoo, but isn't on display yet -- her exhibit doesn't open up until July.
But the nation has fallen in love with her since she showed off her cross-eyed gaze on a behind-the-scenes TV special, and as Ed Mazza writes, she already has a pop tune and a stuffed toy.
See Heidi and other strange creatures in my Weird Animals Photo Collection.

Guide to Frugal Living:: Shop Smarter 1/24/11

Shop Smarter From Erin Huffstetler, your Guide to Frugal Living Frugal cooks are smart shoppers. They know how to get the very best deal on all of their groceries. Looking Ahead: Week 2 - Make It Yourself Week 3 - Avoid Food Waste Week 4 - Learn How to Preserve Foods Simple Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill  Struggling with a too-big grocery bill? Use these strategies to slash it down to size ... Give Your Grocery List a Makeover  If you're spending more on groceries than you want to, the problem may not be what you're buying, but how you're buying it. Make over your grocery list by employing the following tips ... The Cheapest Fruits and Vegetables by Month  An easy way to save on fruits and vegetables is to buy what's in season. Here's a guide to help you identify the best produce deals each month ... Save Money on Meat  Discover 11 ways to save more on meat (without going vegetarian). How to Coupon Effectively  Couponing can be a great source of savings, and it doesn't have to be a big time consumer. Build a Grocery Stockpile  Stockpiling is a common practice among frugalites and for good reason: it can save a ton. If you're tired of paying full price for your groceries, it may be time to start a stockpile of your own. Here's how it's done ... Meal Planning Worksheet  Always making impluse buys? Try planning your menu before you shop. Start a Price Book  Create a price book to track how much you spend on each item that you purchase, and you'll soon know when something is a good buy, and even how much you need to buy to last until the next sale.

This email is written by:  Erin Huffstetler  Frugal Living Guide

Writing Your Personal Family History: Chapter 1 Ancestry 1/24/11

Chapter 1 Ancestry From Rachel Bruner, your Guide to Latter-day Saints Welcome to this email course! This is chapter one from the article, "Writing Your Personal Family History" and here are some questions to help you work on your personal history. To start just pick a question to answer and begin writing. You can write just a sentence or two, a paragraph, or a whole page if you want. Remember, you don't have to answer every question! Chapter 1 Ancestry Questions and Thoughts to Write About  1. Who was the first of your ancestors to come to America? (Or the country of your residence) 2. Write about your father's heritage. 3. Write about your mother's heritage. 4. Write about your pioneer heritage. (If you don't have any, how do you feel about being the "pioneer" in your family) 5. Write about the oldest relative you remember. Additional Resources Writing Your Personal Family History  Here's the full article with directions, helps, and links for writing your family history. Family History Category  More Family History resources.

This email is written by:  Rachel Bruner  Latter-day Saints Guide

Letting Go: Clearing Away Clutter 1/24/11

Clearing Away Clutter From Phylameana lila Desy, your Guide to Holistic Healing Hello, Thanks for signing up for "Letting Go Lessons." This is the first week's session, four more to follow. Our focus this week is on clearing away physical clutter. Any season of year can be dubbed "Spring Cleaning." Simply roll up your sleeves and dig deep into those closets and junk drawers. I'm sure you have plenty of "stuff" to get rid of. Spring Cleaning Your Chakras Home Clutter Mirrors Blocked Chakras  A person does not have to look beyond his own home environment to discover which chakra centers may be problematic or blocked. Hoarders are especially at risk of a complete chakra system shutdown. Taking a tour of your living space will help give you clues as to which of your chakras need attention. Need More Elbow Room? Free Up Your Space by Dumping Out Waste  If you are ready to face issues and want to move through them, release them, and be able travel along life's path a little freer afterwards,nothing will do it faster than cleaning out a closet! Assign Yourself a De-clutter Session Get Organized!  The more we hold onto "useless possessions" the less satisfied we often become. Don't let your STUFF define you. Follow the how-to steps to simplify your life. Enter Exit Principle Creating a Free Flow of Cosmic Energy  This brief story, written by Indian journalist R. Sridhar, emphasizes the importance of ridding ourselves of useless things that take up space to free energy to flow more optimally. I wholly agree with this principle-- now if I could only be better at clearing away things at a faster rate. Why is it so much easier to accumulate STUFF than rid ourselves of it? Is Clutter Invading Your Space in a Negative Way? Clutter Quiz  Easy to take "true or false" quiz that well test to see if clutter is crowding your life. Declutter for Your Health Go to Hub for "Decluttering Your Life" Resouces  Discarding possessions and organizing the things you keep will make your space tidy and your emotional body more stable. Is clutter invading your space or adversely affecting your well-being? Here's help! Quick tips for decluttering and lessons for "letting go."

This email is written by:  Phylameana lila Desy  Holistic Healing Guide  Email Me | My Blog | My Forum

About Freebies: New Freebies for January 24, 2011 1/24/11

From Stacy Fisher, your Guide to Freebies Look below to find free home decor catalogs, free movies, free hair care products, and a free entertainment magazine subscription. Look to the right to find free pet treats, free soup mix, and free online games. Find About.com Freebies on Twitter and Facebook. You still have until February 4th to nominate your favorite freebie websites in the 2011 Readers' Choice Awards on About.com.

Over 30 Free Home Decor Catalogs  Winter is a great time to makeover some of the rooms in your home. Free home decor catalogs are an excellent way to get inspiration on how to create your dream room. Click the link above to request free home decor catalogs from Pottery Barn, IKEA, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and 32 more home decor companies. More Room Makeover Freebies: How to Use Home Decorating Catalogs to Makeover Your Home Free Online Room Design Applications See More About:  free catalogs  free home decor catalogs

Free Movie Download From Amazon Video On Demand  Click the link above to find out how you can get a credit for a free hit movie from Amazon On Demand. More Ways to Get Free Movies: Free Redbox Codes Free DVD Rentals

Free Sample of John Frieda Hair Care Products  Click the link above to choose from a selection of John Frieda hair care products that you'd like to sample. More Free Beauty Samples: How to Get Free Makeup Samples How to Get Full-Sized Beauty Freebies

Free 3 Year Subscription to CBS Watch Entertainment Magazine  Here's a free 3 year subscription to CBS Watch! magazine which will bring you TV and entertainment news. More Free Magazines: Free 1 Year Subscription to Bridal Guide Magazine Free Baby Magazines

About Today: 16 Simple Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill 1/24/11

From Jen Hubley, your About Today Editor If it weren't for our food bill, my husband and I would be thousandaires. I swear that the bulk of what we earn goes to pay for all this eating nonsense, and I think it's time for that to stop.

16 Simple Ways to Slash Your Grocery Bill  When I say that it's time for it to stop, I mean the spending part, of course. Even if they perfected space nutrition and we could all survive on tablets, I wouldn't want to skip meals. They're the best part of the day, next to sleeping. 10 Ways to Get Free Food The Best Time to Buy Everything See More About:  grocery savings  frugal recipes  couponing

How to Lower Your Grocery Bill  Last year, my New Year's resolution was to stop grocery shopping when I was hungry. I've mostly kept that one, which has been helpful to the old budget. Top 10 Dollar Store Deals The Future of Grocery Coupons See More About:  grocery coupons  buying in bulk  meal planning

Grocery Stores That Double Coupons  In the old days, I'd go shopping when I was starving and get home with a cart full of snacks and no fruit. Apparently, I'm never hungry for an apple. How Clipping Coupons Can Help You Set a Savings Goal How to Save $30,000 by Clipping Coupons See More About:  coupons  grocery shopping  grocery savings

A Beginner's Guide to Couponing  I thought coupons were hilarious when I was a kid. Now I think they're the greatest thing ever. More than gray hair, this probably proves that I'm getting old. (Old and smart.) How to Get More Coupons Printable Grocery Store Coupons See More About:  couponing  grocery savings  bargain shopping

About Housekeeping: How to Clean Irons, Microfiber, and Bookshelves 1/24/11

How to Clean an Iron  By now you probably know that ironing is my least favorite chore...and to add insult to injury that dumb iron actually has to be cleaned occasionally, as well. Luckily, cleaning an iron is a simple job. See More About:  small appliances  how to do laundry

How to Clean Microfiber Cleaning Cloths  Microfiber is all the rage. And it deserves its limelight. I love my microfiber cleaning cloths. But if you think you can treat them the same way as any old cleaning cloth...you may not be getting all the mileage from your microfiber that you deserve. See More About:  microfiber  dusting tools  cleaning supplies

How to Clean and Organize a Bookshelf  Beautiful bookshelves are inviting, beautiful, and practical additions to our homes. Unless they are chaotic centers of clutter. I'm de-cluttering bookshelves this week. Want to join along? See More About:  organizing projects  living areas  dusting

How to Clean a Linen Closet  Our linen closet is at the very top of our stairs. It's convenient until one of the kids decides to dump everything out of the closet looking for one particular item. Besides purging out some of the contents, there are some organizational strategies I need to work on. See More About:  caring for bed linens  fabric care  linen closet

Tiffany Livingston has alleged anxiety attack 1/24/11

Playboy Model Tiffany Livingston put new meaning to the words "fight or flight" when she allegedly tried to open a plane door in mid-air yesterday. The 21-year-old model was on a Jet Blue trip from Orlando to Newark when what seems to have been high levels of anxiety resulted in her outburst. "She has dealt with minor anxiety issues in the past, however has always maintained a high level of professionalism in the modeling business," Livingston's former agency director, Kathleen Longsderff, told CBS News. Livingston was detained after the incident and charges are still pending.