Bottleneck and Slide Guitar Playing

Bottleneck and slide guitar playing. This is a form of guitar playing which has been around for nearly one hundred years or more. Its roots are embedded in the African-American negro blues music. It is easily recognized when played by the wailing sound it makes on the fretboard of the guitar.

Bottleneck and slide are terms often used interchangeably for a style of guitar playing in which the strings are "stopped" by a small metal or glass tube held in the hand or slipped over one of the left hand fingers.

Strictly speaking, " bottleneck" refers to glass, whereas slide refers to metal, but the technique for playing is the same in both cases.

Slide guitar originated in America, around the Mississippi Delta

It was predominately negro blues music. It is thought that it's roots originated in the tradition of black slavery and therefore linked strongly and forever to the evolution of the blues.

It is also believed to be an expression of feelings through music and song. The term bottleneck is derived from the fact that the earliest slides were made from broken - off necks of beer bottles. This technique for slide playing was the precursor to all the modern slides we now have available in the music market place.
Using a slide is quite easy, and it is also easy to make your own slide from the neck of a bottle, or you can improvise a metal one from a piece of tubing. But why go through all this bother when they are readily available in all musical instrument retail shops, and very inexpensive.

Metal and glass produce very distinctive different sounds, that is why most guitarist will have both types in their guitar bag. But if you just want one, then experiment around with both types until you are satisfied with the one that gives you the sound you are looking for.

Wearing the slide on the finger is also a very personal choice. It takes time to get used to wearing the slide so you must use the finger you feel more comfortable with when playing. Usually the third or fourth finger is the choice, but like I said it is purely a personal decision. Just to give you a tip on which finger might suit best, I would recommend you try the fourth finger as this frees up the other three fingers for playing chords or individual notes.

Learn how to use the slide technique of guitar playing and play the sounds you hear the professionals play. Click below now.

Guitar slide playing

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Noel_Halpin

 

 

Obama says health care law is working

Seeking to regroup from his health care law's disastrous rollout, US President Barack Obama has insisted that the sweeping overhaul is working and warned Republican critics that he would fight any efforts to strip away its protections.

'We're not repealing it as long as I'm president,' Obama said during a health care event on Tuesday at the White House.

'If I have to fight another three years to make sure this law works, then that's what I'll do.'

Earlier on Tuesday, the administration released a 50-state report saying that nearly 1.5 million people were found eligible for Medicaid during October.

As website problems depressed sign-ups for subsidised private coverage, that safety-net program for low-income people saw a nearly 16 per cent increase in states that have agreed to expand it, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The White House is trying to cast the health care law in a positive light after the first two months of enrolment for the centrepiece insurance exchanges were marred with technical problems.

With the majority of problems with the sign-up website resolved, by the accounting of administration officials, Obama and his team plan to spend much of December trying to remind Americans why the administration fought for the law in the first place.

'We believe that in America, nobody should have to worry about going broke because somebody in their family or they got sick,' Obama said, flanked by people the White House says have benefited from the law.

Despite Obama's sunny presentation, officials are furiously working behind the scenes to rectify an unresolved issue with enrolment data that could become a significant headache after the first of the year.

Insurers say much of the enrolment data they're receiving is practically useless, meaning some consumers might not be able to get access to benefits on January 1, the date their coverage is scheduled to take effect.

source: skynews.com.au

Shutdown could harm US economy

Financial markets are taking the partial shutdown of the US government in their stride in hope of a swift political breakthrough.

Australian shares ended Wednesday's trading session 0.2 per cent higher, while the Australian dollar was modestly lower at around 93.5 US cents.

US Congress failed to reach a compromise on its budget ahead of the US financial year-end on September 30, prompting the shut down that sent about 800,000 public servants home without pay and left only essential government services open.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Saul Eslake said, if the shutdown lasts a few days, there should be only a minor impact on the world's largest economy.

Longer than that and the consequences become more significant. If it extends to a couple of weeks it could reduce US growth in the December quarter by 0.5 per cent.

Any longer could wipe out all growth in the quarter.

The bigger concern will be if the US Congress doesn't agree to lift its debt ceiling by the middle of this month, risking default for the first time.

'If Congress isn't able to resolve this impasse before the US hits the debt ceiling, one of the possible consequences could be a fall in the US dollar and further unwelcome (upward) pressure on the Australian dollar,' Mr Eslake told ABC radio.

'The Reserve Bank clearly wants a lower exchange rate and is quite frustrated about its inability to fulfil that.'

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left the cash rate unchanged at 2.5 per cent at its monthly board meeting on Tuesday.

But RBA governor Glenn Stevens said a lower currency would assist in rebalancing growth in the economy.

Economists believe that after slashing the cash rate to an all-time low, the central bank will be reluctant to cut much further.

National Australia Bank has pushed back its expectation of a further rate reduction to February 2014, rather than next month.

But NAB still expects economic growth to slow to around two per cent by the end of the year, and well below trend at around three per cent.

This will put pressure on employment and with the new federal government shedding public servants the jobless rate could hit 6.75 per cent in the second half of 2014.

The rate was 5.8 per cent in August.

'With the big picture still unmoved, we continue to see a cut coming but right now there is no rush,' NAB group chief economist Alan Oster said in a note to clients.

The improvement seen in confidence, retail spending, manufacturing and house prices since the August interest rate cut failed to extend into August building approvals, which fell by a larger than expected 4.7 per cent.

Housing Industry Association chief economist Harley Dale said, while approvals are still trending higher, the recovery has been too slow and too narrow geographically.

'This has been the case for some time and the situation simply isn't changing,' Dr Dale said in a statement.

source: skynews.com.au

Stop being so stupid, US voters tweet

The roiling debate over the US government shutdown is extending to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as fed-up Americans turn to social media to register their disgust with federal lawmakers for shutting down the government.

Those posting pulled no punches, calling members of congress 'immature', 'stupid' and 'idiots' who need to 'grow up'. There were a few attaboys, too, by self-described red-state conservatives who cheered on the Republican leadership's unwavering stance against President Barack Obama's healthcare plan, even if it meant suddenly pulling the pay cheques of about 800,000 federal workers and threatening popular federal programs.

But mostly, tweeters said they couldn't understand why a compromise between the two sides seemed so elusive.

'(hash)DearCongress, You should not be getting paid. In fact, you all should be fired!' tweeted Bruce Swedal, a 46-year-old Denver real estate agent who says he is worried about what the shutdown might do to home sales if federally backed loans dry up.

The public outcry playing out on social media sites this week is a new twist.

During the last shutdown of government operations, in 1995, angry Americans would have had to look up their congressman's address and sit down and write an old-fashioned letter or email. But with the advent of Twitter, popular hashtags like (hash)governmentshutdown and the Today show's (hash)DearCongress let voters log their complaints to all 532 members of congress at once - provided they stay within the allotted 140 characters or less.

Voters also weighed in on the more humorous side of things, offering pick-up lines that federal workers could use in bars, some of which were advertising cheap drink specials throughout the day to those furloughed.

'The library is closing, mind if I check you out instead?' one person offered with the hashtag (hash)ShutdownPickupLines.

Added another tweeter: 'It's not like we have to go to work tomorrow.'

For their part, legislators used Facebook and Twitter to reiterate long-held talking points, further angering dissenting voters.

Republicans said Obama's healthcare program would be too catastrophic to allow, while Democrats accused Republicans of sending the government into a free fall to appease a small minority.

House Speaker John Boehner's post urging Senate Democrats to back down earned more than 13,000 'likes' on Facebook and an additional 13,000-plus comments from voters, either hailing the Ohio Republican as a hero or calling him everything from a 'crybaby' to a 'terrorist'.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi's Facebook post blaming Republicans for the shutdown earned fewer than 2200 'likes' and 1400 posts.

Meanwhile, federal programs used Twitter to announce that they would no longer be responding to tweets or other social media posts until the shutdown ends. Even the first lady, Michelle Obama, said her own personal tweets would be limited.

One Twitter account, which for two years has been providing detailed updates on NASA's Voyager 2 program, offered this less-than-comforting post before going dark: 'Due to government shutdown, we will not be posting or responding from this account. Farewell, humans. Sort it out yourselves.'

Swedal, the Denver real estate agent, said in a telephone interview that he doesn't think his tweets will make a difference. In the end, he says, politicians are likely to do whatever they want.

'But at least I feel better,' he said.

source: skynews.com.au

Colorado floods leave hundreds missing

Emergency workers involved in a massive effort to rescue stranded flood victims in Colorado, where more than 500 people are still unaccounted for, are bracing for a fresh pounding from storms.

Officials said efforts to locate those in need of help were hampered by flood damage to many mobile phone towers.

New flash floods were expected to inundate the area, which thousands were forced to evacuate.

Raging floodwaters in the city of Boulder, already confirmed to have killed at least four people, apparently claimed the life of a fifth on Saturday - a 60-year-old woman swept away in the torrent.

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that the woman was 'missing presumed dead', after floodwaters destroyed her house, and officials warned the toll will likely climb further.

'There might be further loss of life,' Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle told reporters on Sunday. 'It's certainly a high probability.... With an army of folks and an air show, we're hoping to reach everyone as soon as possible.'

But some additional help was on the way, with President Barack Obama declaring a major disaster in Colorado and ordering federal aid to support state and local efforts.

'Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,' the White House said.

And the Wyoming National Guard was helping the evacuation effort after Governor Matt Mead activated five UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and 20 crew members, the state's military department said.

In the disaster zone, helicopters circled above submerged houses in a search for survivors in the western US state, with hundreds still missing.

About 350 people were unaccounted for in Larimer County alone, from where about 475 people were evacuated, according to the sheriff's office.

In neighbouring Boulder County, 231 people were unaccounted for, according to CNN, though authorities cautioned that the numbers were fluctuating.

'It is no doubt an epic event,' Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway told The Denver Post. 'It is a once in 500 years or 1000 years situation.'

Search and rescue teams are being deployed to assess the situation and contact stranded residents.

The US National Guard provided seven helicopters to help get people out of danger.

About 1200 residents were pulled out of the Pinewood Springs area by the National Guard and Fort Carson personnel, state authorities said on Twitter.

But many others are still awaiting rescue, which authorities said could take days for some.

Impassable roads forced authorities to use a helicopter to evacuate 200 residents from Jamestown, northwest of Boulder, according to news reports.

Residents' furry friends were also stranded by the torrential rains.

'Our victims' advocates told me tonight there were almost as many pets as people getting off the evacuation helicopters today,' the Larimer County Sheriff's Office tweeted.

Officials said there were widespread power outages as streets became raging rivers after the state received months' worth of rain in just a few days.

Rain began pelting the state earlier this week, in Boulder, which saw 18.3 centimetres of precipitation in about 15 hours beginning from Wednesday night, with more downpours likely over the weekend.

Pictures from helicopter cameras showed heavy rain had reduced the towns of Jamestown, Lyons and Longmont to little more than islands, with ready-to-eat meals being dropped to stranded, anxious residents below.

source: bigpondnews.com

US stocks rise despite Syria

Strong car sales, revived merger and acquisition activity and an expected product launch from Apple have helped propel stocks higher in a week that also featured some major headwinds.

Despite uncertainty over Syria and a disappointing jobs report at the week's close, all three leading indices posted gains for the holiday-shortened week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 112.19 (0.76 per cent) to 14,922.50. The broad-based SP 500 advanced 22.20 (1.36 per cent) to 1,655.17, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index tacked on 70.14 (1.95 per cent) at 3,660.01.

Markets were closed on Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

The week's gains were a big improvement over August, which saw the steepest monthly declines for the Dow and SP 500 since May 2012.

Perhaps the week's biggest bright spot was US August auto sales, with the industry selling 17 per cent more cars than a year ago. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler all posted double-digit gains.

The robust auto sales lifted stocks on Wednesday and 'spilled over into better sentiment in general,' said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities.

Markets also digested Monday's news that Verizon would buy out Vodafone's 45-per cent stake in their Verizon Wireless joint venture for $US130 billion ($A143.16 billion). Verizon plans a record $US25 billion debt offering associated with the deal in the next week or two, a person close to the situation said.

On Tuesday, Microsoft turned heads when it announced a $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia's handset business in a bid to become a bigger player in the smartphone business.

Some analysts see increased merger and acquisition activity as a sign of rising confidence in the economy.

Analysts were also cheered by an invitation from Apple announcing a September 10 event in California. The gathering is widely expected to launch two new versions of the iPhone, including a less expensive model expected to appeal to China and other emerging markets.

On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was preparing to ship iPhones to China Mobile in a long-anticipated deal. Apple closed the week 2.3 per cent higher at $498.22.

The news on autos, telecommunications and Apple helped offset Friday's disappointing jobs report. The Labor Department reported a gain of 169,000 jobs in August, below the 177,000 projected by analysts. The report also slashed the jobs estimates for June and July.

The report, while 'not a disaster,' was weak enough to suggest that the Federal Reserve will either delay its plans to taper its bond-buying program, or reduce the program even more gradually than previously thought, said William Lynch, director of investment at Hinsdale Associates.

'I don't think the economy, as sluggish as it is, can take too much in the way of tapering,' Lynch said.

Investors are also skittish over the Obama administration's efforts to launch a military strike on Syria in response to Syria's purported use of chemical weapons.

Crude oil prices Friday pushed to a 28-month high of $US110.53 in New York amid US-Russian tensions over Syria. But equity markets have reacted inconsistently to Syria news, sometimes dropping in recent weeks on Syria headlines, and sometimes not.

'Of all the risks out there, the one that has the highest probability to hurt the market in the near term is the Middle East situation,' said Scott Wren, senior equity strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors.

'The market's not as focused on it as I think it probably ought to be.'

Congressional debate on Syria is expected to dominate next week's news. The economic calendar is relatively light, with August retail sales and inflation data due on Friday.

The calendar also includes a September 12 meeting with Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White and leading exchanges in the wake of the August 22 outage at Nasdaq Stock Market caused by a tech glitch.

Anthony Conroy, a trader at BNY Convergex Group, predicted the market would trade in a 'tight range until we get more clarity on the Fed and more clarity on Syria.'

source: bigpondnews.com

Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell Announces Fall Dates for Songbook Solo Acoustic Tour

Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell has announced a solo tour of North America this fall.

He’ll be playing a series of intimate shows highlighting songs he’s written throughout his career. This is the first time US fans will hear acoustic arrangements of songs from 2012′s King Animal, Soundgarden’s first new studio album in more than 16 years.

American/Sri Lankan folk artist Bhi Bhiman will support Cornell on tour.

This year also marks the launch of the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation, which helps the most vulnerable children. One dollar of every ticket sold on the tour will be donated to the Foundation, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit ChildHaven’s Creative Music Therapy Program Expansion. Visit childhaven.org for more information on ChildHaven and the program.

An exclusive pre-sale for American Express cardholder members will open for all dates August 14; venue pre-sales will open August 15; the public sale will begin August 16 at 10 a.m. local time. PRESS HERE to pre-order tickets.

Visit chriscornell.com for more information on the Songbook tour and Chris Cornell.






Chris Cornell Acoustic Tour Dates in Full:

10/15 San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre
10/16 Napa, CA @ The Uptown Theatre
10/18 San Francisco, CA @ Nob Hill Masonic Center
10/19 Eugene, OR @ Jaqua Concert Hall
10/20 Seattle WA @ Benaroya Hall
10/22 Victoria, BC @ University of Victoria – Farquhar Auditorium
10/23 Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre (check local listings for on-sale date)
10/25 Medicine Hat, AB @ Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre
10/26 Calgary, AB @ Jubilee Auditorium (check local listings for on-sale date)
10/27 Saskatoon, SK @ TCU Place (check local listings for on-sale date)
10/29 Winnipeg, MB @ Pantages Playhouse Theatre (check local listings for on-sale date)
10/30 Saint Paul, MN @ O’Shaughnessy Auditorium
11/1 Chicago, IL @ Cadillac Palace Theatre
11/2 Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theater
11/3 Lakewood, OH @ Lakewood Civic Auditorium
11/5 Buffalo, NY @ Center for the Arts
11/6 Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
11/13 Kingston, NY @ Ulster PAC
11/15 Boston, MA @ Shubert Theatre
11/16 New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
11/17 Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theatre & PAC
11/19 Providence, RI @ Veterans Memorial Auditorium
11/20 New Haven, CT @ Shubert Theater
11/22 Reading, PA @ Sovereign Performing Arts Center
11/23 Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre
11/24 Collingswood, NJ @ Scottish Rite Auditorium
11/26 Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre
11/27 Wilmington, DE @ Grand Opera House
11/29 Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Casino & Spa – Music Box
11/30 Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Casino & Spa – Music Box

source: revolvermag.com

$85 to see the Stones

Reduced price tickets to be made available for North American tour.

To accommodate more fans in their "50 and Counting" North American tour, the Stones plan to make seats available for just $85, due to overwhelming demand.

The seats will be made available on the day of the concert, once the staging and production have been loaded into the venue and it is possible to determine where extra space is available. Seating will include some of the best in the house, such as the Tongue Pit, as well as places spread throughout the arena. Regular tickets for the tour sold out in under 5 minutes once they went on general sale.

To be eligible, fans must regster at the Rolling Stones Facebook page HERE. 

The "50 and Counting" tour will kick off at the Staples Center in Los Angeles this Friday on May 3rd; the original May 2nd date having to be shifted due to the NBA playoff schedule.

The Stones will then tour across America for a total of 17 dates, finishing on June 21st in Philadelphia.

(HenneMusic)

source: planetrock.com

Fans asked to darken side of moon as Pink Floyd album turns 40

NEW YORK – Pink Floyd’s seminal stoner album “Dark Side of the Moon” is turning 40 on Sunday, and the band’s website has developed an interactive feature whereby fans can help turn a specially designed moon on the site dark.

Starting after midnight Sunday in England (8:01 p.m. EDT on Saturday), fans are invited to play back the classic album on PinkFloyd.com, then tweet their memories, photos or other thoughts and comments using #DarkSide40.

The collective tweets will darken a side of the moon on the website, EMI Music said on Wednesday.

One of the best-selling albums of all time, released in the United Kingdom in 1973, “The Dark Side of The Moon” was Pink Floyd’s first No. 1 album in the United States. It remained on the U.S. chart for 741 weeks between 1973 and 1988, and has spent 30 years on the UK charts.

Nearly as iconic as its ethereal compositions is the album cover artwork of a prism by Storm Thorgerson, who was tasked with turning out a “simple and bold” design.

Thorgerson and his current firm, Storm Designs, have created 14 exclusive new prism designs that will be unveiled over time on PinkFloyd.com in honor of the anniversary, and the designs will gradually form a celebratory poster that can be downloaded.

The most recent version of the album was released in September 2011.

source: interaksyon.com

US film, music industries roll out anti-piracy program

WASHINGTON — A new “copyright alert” system has begun rolling out this week in the United States in an effort to curb online piracy.

The system, informally known as “six strikes,” is a voluntary effort of the music and film industries, with the largest Internet service providers participating.

The program will use warnings and could result in slowed or suspended Internet connections, but users will not lose Web access entirely. Still, some civil liberties groups and Internet activists call it too invasive and warn it could unfairly penalize some users.

It is being coordinated by the Center for Copyright Information, created by the music and cinema industries and the five largest broadband Internet firms.

“We hope this cooperative, multi-stakeholder approach will serve as a model for addressing important issues facing all who participate in the digital entertainment ecosystem,” said Jill Lesser, executive director of the center.

Lesser said the program is “meant to educate rather than punish, and direct (consumers) to legal alternatives.”

She added that people who believe they get warnings in error will have “an easy to use process” to appeal, and get an independent review.

Despite the “six strikes” moniker, backers of the system say it is not intended to cut off Internet access for copyright infringers, who will get up to six warnings.

The steps announced by the big Internet firms include pop-ups, which force users to acknowledge warnings, and mechanisms to slow a user’s access to near-dialup speeds.

Some critics say that redirecting users is equivalent to a “browser hijack” while others say innocent users may be snared by the system.

“It’s an elaborate surveillance system,” said Corynne McSherry at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group.

“There will be innocent people caught up in this system, it’s inevitable.”

McSherry said another problem is a “lack of transparency” in the system, which is private and cannot be challenged in the same way as a law.

“We have an elaborate private enforcement system for copyright, because they weren’t happy with what they could get from Congress,” she said.

Internet subscribers “face consequences based on nothing more than an accusation,” McSherry said.

Other activists were even more blunt in their criticism.

“Soon your ISP will be spying on you and messing with your internet at Hollywood’s request,” said a tweet from the online activist group Fight for the Future.

The group said that under new system, “they can slow down or shut off your internet connection without any due process, claiming copyright infringement.”

But the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank, called the program “a model for addressing digital property rights without unduly inhibiting Internet use and innovation.”

Participating in the program are the five largest broadband Internet providers — Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Cablevision and Verizon — covering some 85 percent of US residential customers.

The firms this week began releasing details of their enforcement.

Comcast said on its website its “progressive alerts will start out as informational and then evolve into ‘mitigation alerts’” which require customers to call the company, but that the program will not involve “termination.”

Verizon said it will implement “temporary Internet speed reductions of two or three days for customers who receive at least five alerts.”

Cablevision said it “may temporarily suspend your Internet access for a set period of time” for repeat violators.

AT&T said customers would “be required to take an extra step to review materials on an online portal that will educate them on the distribution of copyrighted content online” but also stressed its privacy protections.

AT&T vice president Ben Olson added that even though its measures are voluntary, “many customers will respond positively when first notified and will not need additional reminders.”

source: interaksyon.com

Happiness is not an Entitlement

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I find it somewhat amusing and ironic that those of us who write about personal finance seldom get credit for why we focus on this very subject. We aren’t writing with the purpose of hoarding a large sum of cash to brag about. In fact, we write about personal finance so that financial issues won’t pose any threat to our inner purpose and to live a simple, happy life.

Perhaps, our politicians are to blame for a long list of entitlements, but they have not considered happiness as an entitlement yet.

Nonetheless, my experience at a restaurant recently made me think about importance of balance between happiness and hedonism.

I happen to visit a local restaurant that I like for lunch. I really enjoy their food and quiet setting. As usual, food was delicious this time, but quietness was lost in a vociferous conversation I was destined to listen. A couple was arguing about their personal affair so I tried my best not to tune in. But, my efforts were in vain.

Wife:  What have you given me in this six years of marriage? I asked for BMW and you gave me Honda Civic. I asked for Louis Vuitton watch and you gave me a cheap one. You’ve never given me happiness.

Husband: Honey, I have never turned you down, but I can’t afford those things. Besides, we have to think about our kids and their future. We are living on one income so that you can spend more time with kids.

Wife: I quit my job for you. Now I regret that I have nothing while you are making a decent income.

Husband: I am spending every waking moment of my life to ensure that our family lives a happy life. What I make is for all of us not just myself. But, we have to understand what is important in life.

Wife: I don’t want to hear your lectures on happiness. You can’t preach happiness as you’ve never taken time to understand what makes me happy.

Husband: I truly love you and I understand what makes you happy. Unfortunately, I don’t make enough to buy you happiness.

While this conversation continued, I requested a waiter to lend me a piece of paper and a pen.

 

I quickly scribbled: Happiness is not an entitlement. Learn to earn it.

I dropped the piece of paper on their table and quickly whisked away from the scene.

You won’t be happy if you decide not to. Those who decide to embrace happiness will not allow circumstances to sabotage their happiness; and those who decide not to become happy will do so even if happiness is starring right into their eyes. Happiness is a state of mind and happiness has no nexus to hedonism.

If this lady was born 100 years ago, she still would have found reasons not to embrace happiness that was starring in her eyes.

Think about it. Stand of living in America has gone up drastically in last 50 years yet stress has taken toll on our lives. We have everything that was considered a living standard for aristocrats just 50 years ago. Perhaps, we can learn from an old generation about the importance of  simplicity and focus on those values that are backbone of a moral and noble society.

We can chat with loved ones or talk with them no matter where we live on this planet. We can share our videos or even talk live to share happiness at no cost. Yet happiness is mere mirage for some who think that they deserve it.

I now have a new-found passion to write with the chief aim to eradicate this growing voice of entitlements.

 source: streetsmartfinance.org

40 or Older? You Can Still Whip Your Finances Into Shape

If you’ve recently celebrated the big 4-0, congratulations! For the next several decades, you’re going to get happier, and experience less stress. (At least that’s what the studies say!)

Of course, this does not exactly give you license to just sit back and take it easy. You’re about halfway through your working life, which means that you have half the time left to pull in the money that will sustain you for the rest of your life.

And, not to be pessimistic (although pessimism can be good for your finances), but that’s only true if you work until your intended retirement age. Unfortunately, a lot of people face early retirement—or can’t get hired at all in their later years, as one manager revealed to us.

But we’re here to talk about solutions, so we’ve rounded up the seven most common financial challenges facing people in the 40+ set. Our goal: ensure that your 80-year-old self can sit in a rocker and watch the clouds drift by.

1. If You’ve Been Avoiding Your Finances Entirely …

Think your financial situation is bad? Well, whatever you fear now is better than the situation you’ll face if you put this off for another year. So here’s how you can take action today:

• Review how much you have saved for retirement.
• Check your savings to determine just how many months you could fund basic expenses if you lost your job (we recommend at least six).
• Figure out if you’re in debt, and if so, how much you’ve accrued.
• Get your credit score via the steps in this checklist.

And the key to healthy asset growth is simple: You need to stick to a budget, which will ensure that you spend less than you make, and save for the future. But how much, exactly, should you spend on dining out versus contributing to savings? The 50/20/30 Rule will tell you–and Money Center users will automatically be guided in how to set up their budget according to this rule.

2. If You’re Living Beyond Your Means …

Keeping up with the Joneses is a human tendency—not a personal failing. We’ve got an entire article on how to cure comparisonitis, but, in short:

• Forgive yourself.
• Pinpoint what you envy. It may not be your friend’s six-figure salary, but it could be her intrepid travels.
• Be grateful for what you already have.

If you’re in debt, use this checklist to get out—and make sure that you know the top debt mistakes. For some added inspiration, check out how these people got out of debt, whether it was $20,000 or $60,000.

Then look into making more money. You can start by reading our Negotiating 101 guide, as well as get tips from real people who’ve gotten raises.

Finally, cut your costs. If your mortgage is too high, refinance. If your utilities bill is too steep, rethink your energy efficiency.

3. If You Aren’t on Track to Save Enough for Retirement …

The amount you need to squirrel away for retirement is the largest stash of money that you’ll ever need to save. To find out if you’re on track, do you know how much …

• you need to save in order to support yourself for 25 years or more?
• you need to put away every month in order to reach this goal?
• you’ll need to live on every month in retirement, taking inflation into account?

If you don’t know the answer to each of these questions, you must start contributing–or increase your contribution–to your retirement account(s) today.

If you have a full-time job, start contributing at least 5%—or more, if you can swing it—into your 401(k) or other employer-based account. And those with and without full-time jobs should also boost their IRA contributions—up to the limit. If you’re unsure of the kind of accounts you need, use these 401(k) vs. IRA flow charts to find out, based on your tax filing status:

If you haven’t opened an IRA, use this checklist to learn how to open an investment account.

4. If You Have Young Children or Plan to Have Kids …

Your biggest challenge is college tuition fees, which will hit you around the same time that you’re in the home stretch of saving for retirement. Your top takeaways:

• Between saving for retirement and saving for college, retirement takes priority. Why? While there are loans for college, there are no loans for retirement.
•  
• You can, however, save for retirement and college at the same time. Create a budget by calculating how much you need to contribute to retirement each month, compared to college contributions.

If you’re expecting, consider taking the Baby on Board Bootcamp to find out how to accommodate your little one financially.

Finally, do this incredibly important thing: get life insurance. Need convincing? Read how life insurance saved this family, and then check out our Life Insurance 101 guide and this checklist.

5. If You’re About to Pay for College …

If your little ones are, well, big, then you need to know how to take out student loans smartly, and how to apply for financial aid. (Review these top student loan mistakes, so your kid gets the right education for the right price. And be aware that private student loans are a bigger financial burden than federal aid.)
Don’t let your child become another statistic in the student loan crisis–or one of the 20-somethings out there with high debt and few employment prospects.

The top things to consider:

• The amount of the loans vs. the earning potential of the student post graduation: Does it make sense to take on $150,000 in debt for a job that maxes out at $35,000 a year
• Should your child start out at a junior college or a community college and then transfer to a four-year university? (Many community colleges also now offer four-year degrees through reciprocal programs with state universities.)
• Can your child work part-time while in school or do a work-study program? Both of these opportunities will teach your kid the value of time management—and offer practical work experience.

Finally, if you’re a little late to the 529 game and wondering if opening one now still makes sense, check out Saving for College 101.

6. If You’re Getting Back Into the Workplace …

After taking a few years off, your top financial priority should be to save for retirement, since you may have some catching up to do. Here are some tips for your re-entry to the workforce:

• Don’t discount experience from outside the workforce. You were likely exercising some skills that would be of interest to a potential employer—whether you coached a team or organized an event for your child’s class. Explain in your résumé or cover letter how these skills could translate to the job opening.
•  
• Evaluate all job offers carefully—even those with low salaries. Generous benefits could make up the difference.
•  
• Negotiate. Brush up on your negotiating skills, learn this interviewing tip and pick up these secrets from hiring managers.
•  
• Excel on the job. Check out these tips from bosses, and learn what steps you should take to get set up at your new job.

7. If You’re Starting to Take Care of Your Parents …

Make sure that you have all of the financial, medical and legal information you need, such as:

• their bank accounts and passwords
• the names and contact info for financial professionals, such as attorneys and brokers, along with permission granted for you to speak with these advisors
• insurance policies
• tax returns
• medical records and contact information for primary and specialty physicians
• estate planning documents, including wills, trust documents and powers of attorney
• regular bills that need to be paid, like utilities and newspaper subscriptions

Start accompanying your parents on visits to financial advisors, doctors or attorneys. And be wary of anyone who refuses to let you join—unscrupulous people may try to take advantage of your parents if they think that no one is watching.

If you’re researching long-term care options for your parents to cover medical and non-medical needs for long periods of time, be aware that, in most cases, Medicare won’t pay for long-term care—so evaluate other resources, such as veterans’ benefits. If you’ve heard that you need to encourage your parents to “give away” or “hide” resources in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care expenses, consult an attorney who specializes in elder care for proper guidance.

Retirement and Beyond
Now that you’re 40, you may also be thinking about your own needs down the road. While you’re still young and in good health, it may make sense to purchase long-term care insurance. In addition, now is a great time to make sure that your own legal documents are updated, especially if you’ve had kids or if you’ve gotten divorced since you drafted your will. Also, double-check those IRA accounts or you may end up disinheriting your current spouse in favor of your ex!

Remember that your top financial goal as you head into the last half of your working years is to save for retirement, followed by prioritizing for your child’s college education, your parents’ long-term care options and any student loan debt that you still owe.

And remember that every money challenge is temporary and can be handled–the way countless other people have managed it before you.

source: foxbusiness.com

5 Tips for Buying Your Own Private Health Insurance

In the United States, health care insurance is necessary to help offset the medical expenses that continues to climb each year.  The seemingly endless rise in the cost of doctor’s visits, medications and medical procedures makes it impossible for even those with a decent income to afford a major accident or illness.  If you are struggling to make ends meet, a relatively minor illness or injury could devastate your finances and make it impossible to stay out of debt.  For this reason it is important for each person to make every effort possible to find and maintain a health insurance coverage.

Some people are fortunate enough to have group coverage through their employment, but many people (e.g., unemployed and self-employed individuals) do not have the same access and have to use  individual health insurance instead.

The following tips will help you in finding the best private (aka, individual) health insurance coverage at an affordable price.

5 Individual Health Insurance Buying Tips

Compare Policies Carefully

All health insurance polices are not created equally.  While most have the same basic outline, there are variations in coverage and price.  Do not assume that the most expensive policy has the best coverage or vice versa.  It is true that the better the coverage, the higher the premium, however you must closely examine each policy to ensure you are getting the protection for which you are paying.

When you do your comparison shopping, make a grid with critical factors down on the left side, e.g., price, deductible, copay/coninsurance, basic care coverage, urgent care coverage, emergency care coverage, maternity, prescription, and any factor that is critical to you. Across the top, write the plan name and contact information. As you go through each plan, note down the critical information so you can compare everything on one page.

Consider your Individual Needs

This point is worth emphasizing — as mentioned above, we are not all the same and no single plan is the best for everyone. The best plan is not the cheapest plan (e.g., lowest monthly premium), but the plan that will save you the most money for your current and near future needs.

Do you plan on having children in the near future?  Do you have pre-existing conditions?  It is important to pick a plan that meets your individual needs.  Childbirth, ongoing treatment of existing conditions and a host of other issues may require special attention from your insurance provider.  Find out if these situations are covered or if you can purchase additional coverage to ensure your insurance offers the protection you need at the time you need it.

Research the Company

It is not enough to find the best policy if the company backing the policy is not in a position to pay out on claims — or if they

• have a high tendency to reject your claim
• have a slow or troublesome claim process, or
• have a horrible customer service, etc.

You must do your reasearch to see if there are any red flags. It’s very easy to do by doing a few quick searches on the Internet, e.g., “{company} complaint”, “{company} customer service”, “{company} claim”, etc. If there are too many complaints and not enough compliments to balance out the complaints, it is best to cross it off your list.

Group Rates for Individuals

For many self-employed individuals the cost of individual health care insurance is simply too high to fit into a limited budget.  Fortunately in many states, a sole proprietor may qualify for lower group rates as an individual.  Where this is allowed, a single person can be considered as a “group of one” and benefit by having lower rates than other individual health care policies.

It is worth spending a few minutes typing in “{your state} health insurance support” and “{your state} health insurance assistance”, and see what might be available for you.

Some Insurance is Better than No Insurance

Regardless of the research you put into finding affordable individual health insurance, you may find you cannot afford the type of policy that best meets your needs.  If this is the case, remember that some insurance is better than not having any coverage at all.  Consider increasing deductibles or dropping some of the coverage if it helps bring basic coverage within your budget.  Health insurance regardless of where or how you purchase it is costly.  Unfortunately if you become sick or injured and are in need of medical care or hospitalization, the cost of being uninsured becomes much more difficult to manage.

Where to Find Affordable Individual Health Insurance

A friend of mine asked the same question not to long ago. After asking around a bit, the majority of people recommended that he looks at eHealthInsurance first. In addition, you can also check these best places to get insurance price quotes to find more options. Last but not least, ask around amongst your friends and see what they recommend.

source: moolanomy.com

Top Senate Dems urge Obama to take unilateral action on debt ceiling

WASHINGTON –  If President Obama were to break the impasse with Republicans over raising the debt limit by taking unilateral action, such a move would have the potential to set off a firestorm of controversy and spark a protracted legal battle.

Top Senate Democrats say, go for it.

The White House has dismissed talk that Obama would rely on unusual measures to raise the nation's debt limit without Congress' approval, but administration officials also have warned that the country could default on its debt and trigger a new economic crisis if lawmakers don't increase the limit on borrowing.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is among those urging Obama to consider options like invoking the 14th Amendment to the Constitution to find ways around the $16.4 trillion legal cap on government borrowing. The amendment states that the "validity of the public debt of the United States ... shall not be questioned," which some lawmakers believe permits a way out of the debt limit jam.

The government hit the debt limit last month and is juggling the books to buy additional time for Congress to act. But those moves only buy a few weeks of wiggle room, which requires Congress to act -- likely by mid- to late-February -- to avoid a market-quaking default on U.S. obligations.

The White House has said emphatically that it does not believe that the 14th Amendment permits Obama to ignore the debt cap on U.S. borrowing, though it considered the question during the 2011 debt crisis.

"There is no Plan B. There is no backup plan," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday. "There is no alternative to Congress raising the debt ceiling."

A letter to Obama on Friday from Reid and Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., doesn't mention the 14th Amendment, but aides to the senators said that's what they have in mind in urging the president to consider unilateral action.

"We believe you must be willing to take any lawful steps to ensure that America does not break its promises and trigger a global economic crisis -- without congressional approval, if necessary," the letter said.

Battling House and Senate leaders have made virtually no progress on a strategy for legislation to lift the debt cap. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, insists that any debt increase be matched by equivalent spending cuts. Obama, buoyed by his re-election victory, says he won't negotiate as he did in 2011, when he traded a $2.1 trillion debt increase for tight spending limits on agency budgets and automatic, across-the-board spending cuts if a congressional "supercommittee" failed to reach a budget agreement.

"Senate Democrats cannot ignore their responsibilities for political convenience -- and the American people will not tolerate an increase in the debt limit without spending cuts and reforms," said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel.

The impasse has people on both sides scratching their heads over how it will be resolved. The anxiety is such that some on the left are urging Obama to mint a coin worth perhaps $1 trillion to be deposited at the Federal Reserve and drawn upon to meet government obligations.

source: foxnews.com

Green Day to Resume Tour in March

Green Day have rescheduled their canceled 2012 tour dates and postponed 2013 shows and will be kicking off a tour on March 28th at Chicago's Allstate Arena. "We want to thank everyone for hanging in with us for the last few months," the band said in a release. "We are very excited to hit the road and see all of you again, though we regret having to cancel more shows."

 Best Albums of 2012: Green Day, '¡Uno!'


Green Day were forced to cancel and push back tour dates after frontman Billie Joe Armstrong threw a tantrum at the iHeartRadio festival in September and subsequently entered rehab. "Dear friends . . . I just want to thank you all for the love and support you've shown for the past few months. Believe me, it hasn't gone unnoticed and I'm eternally grateful to have such an amazing set of friends and family. I'm getting better everyday," Armstrong said in a release. "So now, without further ado, the show must go on." Full tour dates are listed below.



3/28 Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
3/29 Moline, IL – I Wireless Center
3/31 Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center
4/1 Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena
4/3 Philadelphia, PA – Liacourias Center
4/4 Fairfax, VA – Patriot Center
4/6 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
4/7 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
4/9 Providence, RI – Dunkin Donuts Center
4/11 Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre
4/12 Quebec City, QC – Quebec Colisee

source: rollingstone.com

Effect of Taxes on the Economy

I stumbled upon an interesting tidbit today; 103 US companies have announced special dividend to their shareholders. Obviously these companies are paying out this dividend to their shareholders to avoid imminent tax increase in the capital gains from 15% to 30%.

This news is a precursor to what may happen to the state of our economy if both personal and capital gains taxes go up. This news also reveals the unintended consequences of raising capital gains taxes. Most seniors will end up paying more taxes as a result of the increase in the capital gains tax rate on their dividend income.

The political gridlock in Washington has made it clear that the battle between raising taxes on the upper income families vs spending cut has taken the center stage.

Choice is clear and distinct for those of us who believe that living within your means is far more important than to increase income as no income is suffice for those who live beyond their means.

While political parties are fighting their holy war to avoid the looming fiscal cliff, I decided to explore history to find the effect of taxes on our economy and federal revenue.

It’s apparent that federal revenue has gone up for the past four years despite the great recession of 2008. On the same token, federal budget deficit has gone up from $9 trillion to $16 trillion in the past four years. No one denies that our federal government is in dire need of raising its revenue.




It’s worth knowing that federal revenue went up by 86% between 1964 and 1970 after Congress passed the Kennedy tax cuts. Revenue went up by 57% between 1982 and 1990 after President Reagan slashed the top marginal rate from 70% to 28%, and the history repeated again when President Bush cut taxes in 2001.

Government spending is at 24% of GDP. This shows that while it is important to raise federal revenue, it’s even more important to limit the runaway spending in the midst of the slow economic growth of our economy. That shifts focus back to spur job growth in the private sector.

Time and again, it has been proven that when taxpayers get more tax savings, they make prudent decision about the best way to invest and/or spend their own income.

The biggest folly is to believe and buy into notion that government knows how to spend our money better than we do ourselves.

If you are not convinced that raising revenue(AKA taxes) can do more harm to our economy, I have narrated some interesting thoughts for you to ponder about.

1.  Imagine that you are in debt up to your eyeballs. It’s time for your family to make some tough decisions about your personal finances. You have lot to pay in credit card debt. The good news is that you have some equity in your home. Is it a good idea to pay credit card debt by raiding equity in your home? I don’t think so. Most people who borrow money from their equity line to pay for their credit card debt end up revisiting same painful dilemma by raking up their credit card debt again. Why? They don’t address their Achilles hill — their hedonic spending problem.

In every second of 2011, for example, the government spent $114,253—even though it was only taking in $73,043 in revenue. According to Face the Facts, that means the federal government spent $41,210 every second that it didn’t actually have. – US News

Unless our government can address runaway spending spree, taxing every rich person won’t reduce our national fiscal woes; on the contrary, effect of taxes may cripple our economic growth.

2.  Imagine that you own a small business. You are selling widgets to your local customers. All of sudden, you have a conundrum to solve — your are only 30 days away from losing your business as your business is burning cash at a faster rate than your annual revenue. What would you do as a CEO? I don’t think you would contemplate charging more to your most profitable customers in order to raise your revenue. You would instead take some painful steps to cut spending drastically all the while focusing more on superior service to all of your customers.

Our federal government is one of the largest enterprises on the planet with revenue of $2.2 trillion in 2010. Since President Woodraw Wilson used 16th amendment to enact income taxes in 1913, personal income tax has become major source of government revenue. No private business can survive hundred years with growing revenue without controlling its costs.

3.  Imagine that you are a salesman for a major corporation. You also have a friend who is a stellar salesman in your organization. Obviously, he makes lot more than you with his hard work and skills. Will you gain anything if your boss informs you that your friend has been forced to let go some of his bonus to raise revenue for the corporation? Absolutely not. If anything, it will stop you from working hard to become a stellar salesman.

While our nation is at the brink of facing a daunting task of reducing national deficit, common sense approach would be to foster economic growth by helping small businesses grow — as they are the engine of growth and prosperity for this nation — to create more jobs and thus more revenue for our federal government.

Those of us who have replaced ‘more’ with ‘enough’ in our lexicon, it is time to let our leaders know that — sometimes — even our government has to learn some painful lessons of personal finance. Do you agree?

source: streetsmartfinance.org

Video captures rapid gunfire at Fashion Island mall

Video captured the sounds of gunfire Saturday in the parking lot of Fashion Island in Newport Beach, where police say a man fired at least 50 rounds.

Marcos Gurrola, 42, of Garden Grove, was arrested in the parking lot near the Macy’s department store shortly after allegedly firing the shots about 4:30 p.m., said Kathy Lowe, a spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Police Department. Officers on bike patrol apprehended the man.

Police searched the mall but did not find anyone who had been struck by the gunfire. The shots were apparently fired either into the air or at the ground.

More than 50 rounds were recovered at the scene, said Deputy Chief David McGill. A handgun was recovered at the scene, but police did not reveal any more details about the weapon.

The mall was crowded with holiday shoppers at the time of the shooting.

Shopper Dena Nassef said she and another person were walking toward Macy’s when people started yelling and running.

“With what happened in Connecticut, we were freaking out,” she said. “It was like crazy, people leaving stores.”

Ann Butcher, an employee at Macy’s, said she was on the patio at Whole Foods when people started running and screaming. She said some women left their purses and fled.

“That was very scary,” she said.

Shopper Eric Widmer said he was at the Barnes & Noble bookstore when he saw a mother and daughter rush in crying. He said he heard someone scream, “Shooter!”

He said he managed to exit the bookstore and head to Macy’s, which he could not leave.

“I thought, ‘Great, I get to be scared twice,’” he said. “Lightning strikes twice.”

Someone at the shopping mall parking lot recorded the video and posted it on YouTube. He said in the description that he was not sure at first whether the shots were real.

"Before I left, I saw the him on the ground and surrounded by police, but my daughter was very upset so I left to pick them up and get out of the area," the man wrote. "My wife and daughter were at an ice cream shop in the mall when the shooting happened. They ended up running and screaming with everyone toward the opposite side of the mall."

source: latimes.com

83 billion more reasons for national catastrophic insurance program.

As if the “fiscal cliff” negotiations in Washington weren’t tough enough, there’s a new $83 billion problem.

That’s how much politicians from New York, New Jersey and other states want for damages from Hurricane Sandy. Plus, they want approval by the end of the year. For those who lament the lack of bipartisanship in Congress, Sandy has brought the parties together. In normal times, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., might not agree on where to eat lunch. With Sandy, they are united in their demand for federal money.

President Barack Obama’s opening bid to the Northeast was $50 billion. At this point, no one can be sure of an accurate number. Different pieces of government are compiling damage estimates; mass transit in New York took an especially hard hit. Private insurance will cover some repairs, but some homeowners whose dwellings were washed away may not have had federal flood insurance. A construction trade group pegs the homeowner rebuilding cost at $15 billion to $20 billion. Some money will go not just for rebuilding but for hardening against the next storm.

Whatever the number, the issue will further complicate budget talks that reportedly now are between just President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Whatever the number, the money will come out of the treasury at a particularly bad time.

As we have editorialized many times, it doesn’t have to be this way. Congress could create a national catastrophic insurance program for what the industry calls “uninsurable perils.” In shirtsleeve English, a normal market can’t provide reasonably priced insurance to cover storms like Sandy. A normal market also can’t provide reasonably priced coverage for acts of terrorism, which is why the federal government has a public-private terrorism insurance program. In 2007, President George W. Bush signed an extension through 2014.

Similarly uninsurable perils include an 8.5 earthquake in downtown San Francisco — the earthquake there in 1906 led to a nationwide financial panic — and a Category 5 hurricane striking Miami before moving across the state to Tampa. That’s why former U.S. Rep. Ron Klein sponsored, and the House passed, a national catastrophic insurance plan under which the federal government would underwrite private bonds to pay damages. Those billions would not come out of the treasury.

The plan was designed not by the insurance industry but by wonks at the Congressional Research Service. States would have to first create their own layers of coverage, as Florida has, for lesser storms. The main opposition continues to come from the global, unregulated reinsurance industry, which sells the coverage for those worst-case scenarios. That cost is the main driver of premium increases.

Sandy was a tragedy. Given climate change and weird weather, there will be more. Congress needs no more evidence to justify a national catastrophic insurance program.

source: palmbeachpost.com

The Rolling Stones join 12/12/12 Sandy benefit concert

NEW YORK — The Rolling Stones will join a star-studded lineup at a December 12 concert to benefit victims of megastorm Sandy, organizers said Friday.

Proceeds from the concert, which falls on the date 12/12/12, will be donated to a foundation for those impacted by the late October storm that plowed into the US northeast, including the hard-hit states of New York and New Jersey.

The storm killed more than 110 people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of homes, schools and hospitals.

Already slated to appear at Wednesday’s concert, to be held at Madison Square Garden, are New Jersey hometown favorites Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, and other top names in rock, including Eric Clapton, the Who nad Paul McCartney.

On Saturday, the Stones will also be in New York for the first of three US concerts, as part of a tour celebrating the group’s 50th anniversary.

The tour kicked off in late November in London.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Thanksgiving by the numbers

(CNN) -- 1.5 -- The number of pounds of turkey the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line recommends per guest so that you have plenty left over for sandwiches.

2 -- The ranking of Thanksgiving in the list of America's favorite holidays. Christmas is No. 1.

2 -- The total number of days the FDA suggests keeping a fresh turkey before cooking it.

2.5 -- The number in miles of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

4 -- Americans celebrate Thanksgiving every year on the 4th Thursday of November.

4-5 -- The number of months it takes for a newborn turkey to reach maturity.

4.5-5 -- The number of hours it takes to cook a stuffed 20 to 24 pound turkey in an oven set to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

10-12 -- The number of hours it takes to thaw a frozen 20 to 24 pound turkey in cold water. Compare that to the five to six days it takes to thaw in the refrigerator!

31 -- The number of years between 1981, when the Butterball Talk-Line opened, and Thanksgiving 2012.

36 -- The number of years it took Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Ladies Magazine, to crusade for an annual Thanksgiving holiday. National and local days of thanksgiving had been celebrated over the years, but President Abraham Lincoln finally proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving in 1863.

46 million -- The estimated number of turkeys eaten in the U.S. on Thanksgiving 2011.

50 million -- The approximate number of people who watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on television.

65 -- The number of years between 1947, the very first National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation at the White House, and Thanksgiving 2012.

69 -- The approximate percentage of Thanksgiving Day fires caused by cooking.

71 -- The number of years between the year Congress rules in 1941 that the fourth Thursday in November will be observed as Thanksgiving Day and a federal legal holiday, and Thanksgiving 2012.

88 -- The approximate percentage of Americans who eat Turkey on Thanksgiving Day, according to a National Turkey Federation survey.

88 -- The number of years between 1924, when the very first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade took place, and Thanksgiving 2012. It was called the Macy's Christmas Parade.

91 -- The number of years between the very first NFL Thanksgiving Day games in 1921 and Thanksgiving 2012.

149 -- The number of years between October 3, 1863, when President Lincoln proclaims a national annual Thanksgiving Day, and Thanksgiving 2012.

223 -- The number of years between 1789, when President George Washington issues a proclamation naming November 26 a day of national thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving 2012.

391 -- The number of years between 1621, the year the first Thanksgiving is observed in Plymouth, and Thanksgiving 2012. A good harvest leads Massachusetts Gov. William Bradford to plan a festival to give thanks. Around 90 Native Americans attend.

248.5 million -- The number of turkeys raised in the United States in 2011.

254 million -- The number of turkeys expected to be raised in the United States in 2012. That is up 2% from the number raised during 2011.

12,000 -- The number of calls the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line was braced for Thanksgiving morning 2011.

source:  http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/21/living/thanksgiving-by-the-numbers/index.html?hpt=us_c1