“How Safe is Your Kitchen”
via Good Housekeeping

Planning for Retirement in Your Twenties
Three questions twenty-somethings should ask themselves now about their retirement.

“Three Retirement Questions for People in Their Twenties”
via The Simple Dollar

Fee Alert: Airlines Charging for Using Credit Cards
Credit card transaction fees are the latest trend in airline charges. Spirit now charges $4.90 for using a credit card to purchase tickets, while Allegiant charges $14.

“Airlines Could Start Charging Extra for Credit Cards”
via The Consumerist

Portable HDTV and DVD Player Provides Entertainment On-The-Go
The Hammacher Schlemmer Portable HDTV and DVD Player is about the same size as a laptop computer and allows you to enjoy both live broadcasting and DVDs.

“The First Portable HDTV and DVD Player”
via Mobile Mag

Create and Personalize Your Ringtone
Use any song in your personal library to create your personal ringtone.

Make My Ringtone
via Mobicious

scanR lets you use your digital camera, or the camera on your cell phone, to scan, copy, and fax. Take a photo of your important documents, business cards, faxes, receipts, whiteboards, notes, or any other item, and upload it to scanR. From there, scanR will transform your photo into a clean digital copy using advanced image-processing technology to product high-quality results. Once the images have been uploaded, you can save them as text files, PDF files, and more, as well as store, copy, and fax them, from wherever you are. Need to fax a copy of the client’s tax return to the office? No problem. Take a photo of the original return, upload it to scanR, and use their online technology to fax it over. The fax option is available for over 200 countries. Subscription plans are a reasonable $4.99/mo for unlimited use, or $29.99/yr for unlimited use. If you want to see how scanR works before committing to a plan, a free trial is offered.

scanR has received positive reviews from The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and Business Week. To take a tour of scanR, click here.

Innoport

Full service personalized voicemail and fax services are available through Innoport. The service is entirely virtual, so there is no phone or fax machine required on your end. Users receive a toll free number, a local number, or both, depending on the plan. Set your number to voice, fax, or both, and Innoport automatically distinguishes between voice calls and fax signals. For voice mail calls, you can opt to receive them via email, FTP, or via phone by dialing in, wherever you are. Advanced and business features include:

• personalized greeting
• no busy signals
• auto attendant
• multiple voice mail boxes
• call screening
• call forwarding and transfer
• custom music on hold
• dial by name directory
• and more

There is no software to install, and several plans available. Personal service plans include the Signature, Marquee, Omni, and Toll-Free. They are best if you only require a single phone number. Business plans include Jump Start and Standard Corporate, and provide for high volume discounts. All plans allow you to choose if you will use your number solely as a voice number, fax, or both, and how you will receive messages.

Personal service plans are $3.95-$7.95/mo with the first month free and no activation or set-up fees, and no term commitment. Usage charges, however, do apply after your minute allowance, and additional storage is available for $5/mo. The Jump Start Business plan has a base fee of $9.95/mo, while the Standard Corporate plans starts at $24.90/mo. For more information on subscription plans, visit Innoport’s website.

Print Me

Sign up for EFI Print Me, and you’ll be able to print anywhere, 24/7, without software, hardware, cables, or print drivers, through any internet enabled device. It’s the perfect solution for business travelers who are constantly traveling from location to location. Users go to www.Printme.com and browse or upload what they wish to print, and enter the required member information. They are given a receipt number, or DocID, which they then use to retrieve their items at an EFI site printer. PrintMe’s “Auto Discovery” feature automatically displays the print station nearest the user, and the materials remain confidential. PrintMe is compatible with most document formats, including Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, HTML, JPEG, and PDF. The print technology can handle up to 2,000 color pages per minute, and is even available in wide format. For information on pricing and how to sign up, visit EFI’s How-to Buy site.

More Articles You Might Find of Interest:

“Portable Gadgets for the Mobile Office”

“Mobile Office Tools for iPhone and iPod Touch Devices”

“Five Free Office Applications to Aid Computer Users”

“Web-based Computing Tools for Your Mobile Lifestyle”

“New Google Voicemail Works with Your Number”
via Unplggd

Stay Energized by Sitting Up Straight
If you’re a sloucher, your body is taking in 30% less oxygen than what it would with good posture.

“Better Posture Means More Energy at Work”
via Lifehacker

How-to Make a DIY Ice Pack from Everyday Ingredients
Got dish soap on hand? How about vodka or rubbing alcohol?

“Quick Easy Homemade Ice Packs”
via Tipnut

Top 100 Tech Products of 2009
This list from PC World includes hardware, software, sites, and services.

“The PC World 100: Best Products of 2009″
via PC World

Where to Find Active and Challenging Games Online
Do you like to games that are challenging to your mind as well as require you to be physically involved? Here are 3 sites where you can find classic games that work out your body and mind.

“Top 3 Sites for Games That Involve Your Hands”
via Make Use Of

Traditional-ish
Try roasting a different bird. Smaller birds are a great alternative if you’re cooking for less than a crowd, want dinner done more quickly, or simply want to try something new. Smaller birds include:

• quail
• pheasant
• Cornish game hens
• chicken

Though often roasted for Christmas, goose is another alternative for Thanksgiving, especially if you like darker, richer meat and want to create an elegant atmosphere.

Rabbit is also gaining in popularity. It’s a mild tasting meat similar to turkey or chicken. For information on how to roast a rabbit, check out this video from MetaCafe for Roasted Rabbit with Chanterelle Mushrooms.

Roasted Rabbit Chanterelle Mushrooms By Chef Luciano Pellegrini - Funny videos are here

Regional Fare
Using foods native to your region of the country is fun, educational, and often environmentally friendly, as food has fewer miles to travel to reach your dinner table.

Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is well-known for:

• hazelnuts
• berries, including cranberries
• apples
• pears
• potatoes
• mushrooms, including Chanterelle and Morel
• salmon

Fiddlehead ferns are also a local delicacy, and Washington and Oregon are both top producers of fine wine. Try serving an Oregon Pinot Noir with salmon, or a Washington Merlot with a darker meat, such as goose.

Recipe Ideas:

“Cedar Planked Salmon with Spiced Cranberry Relish”
via CD Kitchen

“Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and Pear Brandy Cream Sauce”
via Epicurious

“Chocolate Hazelnut Torte”
via Food Network

New England
Coastal New England is well-known known for its seafood. How about some Maine lobster or clams for Thanksgiving dinner? Other local staples include maple syrup, Vermont cheddar cheese, baked beans, brown bread, and ice cream.

For information on how to buy and prepare lobster, as well as a large collection of lobster recipes, head to LobsterofMaine.com.

Brown Bread, commonly known as Boston Brown Bread, uses plenty of molasses, and dried currants or raisins for sweetness. Click here for a recipe from Epicurious.

“Boston Baked Beans”
via All Recipes

Southern
Southern cuisine combines influences from France, Spain, Africa, Native Americans, and other cultures. Southern food varies by region, but includes “Soul Food,” Creole/Cajun, and Barbeque. Common foods found in Southern culture include:

• crawfish
• collard greens
• grits
• cornbread
• okra
• black-eyed peas
• Virginia ham
• peaches
• soft shell crab
• Vidalia onions

Recipe Ideas:

“Southern Style Baked Ham with Coca Cola”
via Cooks

Jambalaya Recipes

Paula Deen’s Southern Barbeque Menu

Southwestern
Southwestern cuisine is primarily influenced by Spanish, Mexican, and Native American cultures. It’s well-known for its use of chiles. A common saying in the southwest is “green or red”? In addition to the ubiquitous use of chiles, southwestern cuisine also uses large cuts of meat, beans, corn, and squash.

Recipe Ideas:

“Authentic Mexican Pozole”
via Recipezaar

“Menudo”
via Food Network

For dessert, try a Mexican spiced hot chocolate and/or Flan, a Latin American style custard.

Cultural Influences
If you don’t live in a region of the country that has a dominant cuisine, or you’d like to cook something that is culturally significant to you and your family, look up recipes and traditional holiday meals of your chosen culture. Cultures with distinct cuisines that might be fun for you to try include:

• Italian
• German
• Japanese
• Indian
• Mediterranean

Vegetarian Alternatives
As vegetarianism and veganism gains in popularity, more and more people are looking for meatless alternatives. If you’re among the ranks, but still want to create a fantastic Thanksgiving feast, the following ideas and recipes will help guide and satisfy you.

“Ina Garten’s Roasted Vegetable Torte”
via Recipezaar

“Spinach Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms”
via Yum Sugar

“Roasted Corn Pudding in Acorn Squash”
via 101 Cookbooks

101 Cookbooks Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

Meatless lasagnas and other pasta dishes, soups, chowders, wild rice, cheese fondue, and salads are also great accompaniments to a meatless meal.

Further Reading

“10 Alternatives to Turkey”
via Reader’s Digest

“5 Great Alternatives to Turkey on Thanksgiving Day”
via Associated Content

“The Geek Atlas”
via Cool Tools

How-to Eat Steak on a Budget
Yes, you can enjoy steak even if you’re broke! Check out these tips for preparing steak at home, and what cuts to choose to give you the most bang for your buck.

“How to Eat Steak on a Budget”
via How Stuff Works

Netflix Watch Instantly Added to Windows 7 Media Player
Microsoft is introducing an upgraded watch instantly interface to its Windows 7 Media Center for Netflix users.

“Netflix Update Comes to Windows 7 Media Center, Looks Excellent”
via Lifehacker

Mobivalet: A Smarter Place for Your Gadgets
The Mobivalet is a slim leather case that you attach to your car’s center consul. Use it to hold cell phones, PDA, music players, or other small gadgets.

“Mobivalet: A Safe Place For You to Put Your Phone”
via Gear Diary

Fog Free Shower Mirror Plays Tunes
The $70 Sharper Image Fog Free Shower Mirror acts as wireless speakers for your MP3 player.

“Shower Mirror Plays Tunes Stays Fog Free”
via Mobile Mag