Goal…Can I do it?

        I have one main blogging goal…that is to hit 100,000 visitors by the end of July. That is when I will celebrate my 2 year anniversary of writting this blog. It would be a double celebration to hit the 100,000th visitor and celebrate my anniversary at the same time! Can I do it?  I don’t know; but, I sure am going to do my best to reach my goal.  Of course it is an interactive thing…I write and someone reads.    Hope you are along for the ride to help me celebrate when i make my goal. 

Late last year http://alphainventions.com/ helped bump up my visitors stats. “Meeting” my readers thru the comments is one of the best parts of blogging.  There are so many interesting people out there with wonderful things to say.

It is through the interaction that the joy comes. Finding things to interest both the writer and the reader.  In any case, I just wanted to make my intentions known…so that it sets a standard of accountability.   Are you with me?

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Presidential Dollar Coins-For Collecting or Using?

       Have you heard about the Presidential Dollar Coins?  The US Mint is honoring our Presidents in the order of their service to our country; by producing coins with their likeness on them.  The goal is to honor the Presidents, and to save the country millions in production costs that the paper dollars incur just by the wear and tear that they receive during their use.  The coins are expected to be more indestructible.   By lasting longer than the traditional paper dollar; it will save the United States, a good chunk of change 🙂  Sorry, I just couldn’t resist saying that!

       This year’s coins are:  Presidents, Monroe, Adams, Jackson and Van Buren.  On the back of each coin is an image of the Statue Of Liberty.  Along the edges of the coins are the words, In God We Trust and the year as well as the minting mark.  You can check out their site here:  http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/%241coin/ and there you can find out the release schedule as well as how to direct order the coins and coin boards.  Most banks or credit unions either have the coins or can get them for you as well. 

       I have been seeing television commercials encouraging the use of the Presidential Dollar Coins.  In fact, there seems to be an experiment going on by the US mint to try four test marketing communities.  There are four cities that are being used to test the public’s willingness to use the coins in their daily lives.  Those four cities are:  Austin-Texas, Charlotte- North Carolina, Grand Rapids-Michigan, and Portland-Oregon.  These cities will be urging their citizens to use the coins for everyday tasks; business owners will also be part of the plan of encouragement.  It is hoped that this experiment will increase the demand from other cities to trade paper dollars for coin. 

       I wonder though, if technology will keep up with the experiment.  Will vending machines, automated car washes, pay telephones, parking meters, toll booths, and the like accept the coins, in place of the traditional paper dollar?  Will you be more likely to use the coins, use traditional dollars, or, use the coins for collecting purposes?

       

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Are The Olympics In Beijing China Safe To Attend?

        With recent terrorist attacks on civilians in China; and, a video promising more of the same, up to and during the Olympics; you have to wonder…are the Olympics in Beijing, China safe to attend?  Will the threat of terrorist attacks weaken the support for the games?

         There have been attacks on buses and on a plastics factory, allegedly by the Turkistan Islamic Party…they have claimed to be responsible for the recent attack of the bus bombings.  They are promising to attack Chinese cities by “means that have never been employed” before.  With the whole world watching, the temptation to use violence and fear, to control large numbers of people who would go to support the Olympic games, appears to be irresistible.  The threats must be taken very seriously.

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VBS Memories

         Do you remember going to vacation bible school during the summer when you were a kid?  I remember stories, music, games, puppets; and, one memory in particular of a lady that made music by rubbing the tops of glasses that were filled with different levels of water…she was a talented lady!  She could make those glasses sing so beautifully.

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National Drive 55 Speed Limit?

        Senator John Warner has asked Samuel Bodman the Energy Secretary to review information that would reveal what the ideal speed limit would be that would allow the most efficient use of gasoline in our vehicles today.  With gasoline prices topping $4.15 cents a gallon around the country the timing couldn’t be better to encourage changes in the way that we drive.

         Many Americans have already started to alter aimless driving habits.  I see nothing wrong with that…we all could do better in planning where we go and what we do while we are out and about.  Some people are in denial about the severity of the situation regarding supply and demand as well as all of the damage to our planet that our carelessness has brought.  

         Would the general population get behind a national drive 55 speed limit?  I think it is going to take some convincing as it will be viewed by many as an inconvience after being legally allowed to drive up to 70 mph on some highways.  After all, it will take longer to get where they are going.  I think more people would be willing to do it if they felt that the automakers were doing more to ensure that we were getting more miles to the gallon by the way that they factory set the computers on our vehicles to use the gasoline we spend our hard earned dollars on.

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