The Blue World

Don't let the insurance company keep the diminished value of your car!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:48:00 +0000

When someone has a car accident, the most important thing is that everyone’s okay. Of course after that you start to think about your car and the damage it’s sustained. In many instances, if not most, a car accident will decrease a car’s value to the point that it’s barely salable. While this isn’t always the case, any car accident will result in your vehicle having what called diminished value. What most people don’t know is that you have the right to the value that has been lost via the third party of the person at fault. Advocate Auto Claims is a service that will help you get the diminished value that you deserve back from the others’ insurance company because while you can’t make your car brand new again, you can certainly gain back some piece of mind.

Ski Magazine Countdown Begins!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:34:00 +0000

Nope, I'm not just talking about Ski magazine, but in about a month the first issues of all the major ski magazines will begin to arrive in the mail. Some will start off with the annual buyer's guide while others will start with their resort ratings, but regardless, I just can't wait till that first glossy cover arrives and the taste of ski season will begin to take over. Not that I'm excited or anything...

Clarke Howard chimes in on Zenni Optical

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:06:00 +0000

At dinner this evening, my parents and I were watching the evening news while there was a story about eye care in the United States and the growing importance of medical coverage. While eye care coverage can and usually is separate, there are many plans that cover eye care, but rarely, if ever, cover the cost of the prescription glasses and frames. I know that at my last visit I paid a ton for a pair of designer glasses because my optometrist thought it would be good for me to wear them when reading or driving. I’m not going to lie when I say that I haven’t a clue as to where those glasses are, but you can bet that if I needed corrective eye care all the time, it would be more paramount to me. That being said, my dad wanted to know about my mother’s prescriptions and her contacts. This made me curious because it seems that a very large portion of the people I know where either glasses or contact lenses. So much so that it made me think of how much of a powerful industry it is and why companies really need to charge so much for eyeglasses. Zenni Opitcal is different from many of these companies and routinely offers a wide selection of glasses that are at or around $8.00 a pair. They do this by making them in house and selling them directly to you, which cuts out the middleman. Additionally, you won’t see high-priced advertising on the television. These two factors allow them to pass the savings along the consumer, you. Whether you need a pair of reading glasses, progressive lenses, or prescription sunglasses lenses, you needn’t look any further. See what the Clarke Howard show has to say about these great glasses.

Chondola base structure is taking shape

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:51:00 +0000

For those unable to get up to Sunday River to see the construction first hand, I've obviously been doing my own supplement to the Chondalog right here. Now don't get me wrong, I encourage you to visit Sunday River's site as it's full of fabulous information about the lift and the technology, but that being said, writing about it here keeps me excited for the winter and the opening of this monumental lift at the River. From today's update, here is a video of Rohn Stilson talking about the pouring of the base and summit structures and their importance.

Need some items for the office?

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:19:00 +0000

It’s sometimes hard to imagine worrying about office furniture when you spend your days in an office cubicle, but the corporate ladder is what it is and some of us have to pay our dues in the trenches, so to speak. That being said, I have a couple family members whop own their own businesses and often talk about office furniture. To be honest, it would be pretty cool to have enough space for some of these desks, but as they say; all things in time.

Happenings at Sugarloaf???

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:51:00 +0000

More rumors are coming out of the western Maine resort of Sugarloaf. During the past couple of months there have been some odd happenings. It started with two truck loads of CWA Omega I cabins being shipped in from Big Sky Montana. While it was said that these may be used in the future, it’s hard to imagine that anyone would want to spend the money on gas to ship all those cabins to a location that is only about 40 miles from the Canadian border. Nonetheless, the cabins were dumped in some bushes and thus lending credence to the notion that Big Sky wanted them out and they had to go somewhere. That being said, some pictures surfaced recently of stakes in several spots around the resort and one in particular that is situated right outside of Bullwinkle’s. On the stake it says, “Top bull wheel,” but heck, that could mean anything, right…

Talk about creature comforts!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:25:00 +0000

I don’t have much of a clue as to how massages work, but I know that having a high-stress job, I get knots and tension that need to be released. Going to a massage therapist is an option that many love, but those costs can really add up. The same can be said for going to a chiropractor, but thanks to Takemi, you can get the benefits of both, right in your own home. The Takemi Jade Vista 5000 Massage Bed works to relieve back problems and chronic posture related symptoms by reducing muscle spasms and promoting correct vertebrae alignment. Technically, I haven’t much of a clue as to what that means, but as long as it relaxes me, it’s all good.

Doppelmayr vs. Poma

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:19:00 +0000

Perhaps not as particular as people are about brands of skis, I have found that skiers and riders are very opinionated when it comes to lift brands. While there were dozens of lift manufacturers up till the mid-80's or so, that number has dropped off to a handful. Most of those dozens either folded or merged with today's leaders; Doppelmayr and Poma, and yes, they have other names and if really depends or where you are and what you buy. I'm trying to be simple about it and refer to them by one name. Regardless, these two companies do pretty much every high-speed installation in North America now and also much of the refitting of older lifts. As for my favorite or the two, I am a Doppelmary fan through and through. Yes, I love the concept of the double-loading system that Poma came up with, but I find their lifts to be slower on the line. All that being said, this is specifically related to high-speed lifts and fixed grips is another story altogether.

Zenni's prices keep more of your money in your pocket

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:49:00 +0000

While having a middleman in business can be advantageous, it means higher costs. Those costs are more often than not, passed on to the consumer. This is particularly evident with the cost of prescription eyeglasses. Zenni Optical has not only set out to change this, but have been successful by producing their own Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni. This has eliminated the middleman and by not taking out high-priced advertising campaigns, they been able to really keep the cost to you low. This approach has caught the eye of the public and Zenni Optical was on FOX news! So if you want to save on prescription eyeglasses, check out Zenni Optical $8 Rx Eyeglasses.

What could have been for Mineral King Valley, CA

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:38:00 +0000

Back in the 1970’s, a man by the name of Walt Disney had a unique vision for a southern California valley that while destined for failure, was ahead of its’ time, like so many of his creations. And yet this was different in that Disney had eyes on a parcel of land called Mineral King Valley for a major southern California ski resort that would attract thousands of skiers from greater Los Angeles and south. While located on Forest Service land, Disney wanted to create a European style resort in that he planned a car-free village with use of the now famous monorails that had been installed in his two original parks as well as Seattle. Despite the environmental efforts, Disney’s and other developers’ bids were ultimately all denied and this steep-walled valley remains untouched.

Is your computer protected from unwanted guests?

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:38:00 +0000

I guess there probably are some people who could care less about what comes across their computer screens and indeed others who would prefer to have pornography and other images pop up on their computer because someone has created a program that allows this, but I’m certainly not one of these people and I know that most of you aren’t either. When we use our computers online and transfer information, there are others out there that want to get a free ride into your system. So now you’ve secured your computer and your family is safe from sites that have pornography and other things you don’t want them to access, but how protected is your computer. Kids are smart and they know how to get around things if you just put in a filter, but SurfRecon is a tool that is specifically designed for porn detection and specifically designed to keep your family safe from these things.

Summit Terminal Work Continues at Sunday River

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:32:00 +0000

For those of you following the ongoing saga that is the installation of the Sunday River Chondola, or as I like to call it, The Viking Express, the resort has taken some major steps in preparing for the Doppelmayr parts to arrive next month. Check out the Chondola Page at Sunday River for tons of info and the latest pics, which show a lot of blasting needed for the top terminal. Perhaps I'm even steal a picture from the site and post it on here as long as AK and co dont' sue me!

More than just cufflinks

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:23:00 +0000

When you shop at a speciality store, you can easily overlook some of the other great products that they may carry. This is surely the case with Cuff Daddy. While their inventory and selection of exclusive and unique cufflinks is extensive, I found many other items of interest that would be good for business gifts or wedding party gifts. One of these is a Slim Chrome Pen and Pencil set. It’s simple and affordable and fabulous for an office gift. For men’s wedding gift ideas, I went right to the money clip section ‘cause I just don’t like to carry bulky wallets. Though they have some unique styles to choose form, my favorite is the Rippled Stainless Steel money clip, Check them out for yourself.

Helping trace skiings visions

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:05:00 +0000

While we can easily take a journey into skiing’s history and see where rope tows used to incline and old Hall or Heron chairlifts used to swing, we don’t often look at what could have been. If we research through sites like NELSAP we find scores of little and medium sized hills that couldn’t make it for one reason or several others, but what about proposed ski areas and resorts. Earlier in this blog I talked about Lake Catamount near Steamboat Springs and to date that it one of the more famous of these failed or stalled proposals. And while lifts were never erected and base lodges never built, the history behind these proposals is really interesting and many have sketches. An easy way to learn some of this for your self is to head of to Colorado Ski History and look in their dedicated section. Maybe there’s some real estate you’d be interested in.

Are you financially savvy?

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:06:00 +0000

I’ve come to a time in my life where securing my financial future is as important, if not more so, as have a solid grasp on my present economic situation. Like anyone, there are always lessons I learn from friends and especially family and try to learn from any mistakes I make in the financial world. Of course there are some things I need to improve and with that in mind, I was curious about the health of my financial thinking and planning. As I was taking the test on Bills IQ, I knew that there were some answers that obviously would have raised my score, but at the same time I wanted to be as accurate as possible. I think this test was great because it asked some unique questions about my finances and planning that made me think and I hope that others who take it do the same. Sure, I said that my finances cause me stress and it’s true, but it’s not because I’m not doing well with them, but rather, it’s because I worry about things like that. I think that it’s human nature and if I were to say that I’m totally relaxed and secure about my finances and financial future, it may be indicative of me being complacent, which in my opinion, can be dangerous. Like many others who will take this test, I’m one who has student loans, which constitute my only real amounts of dept, but not to the point where I need any Debt consolidation. Thankfully I have my finances in a position where I can afford to concentrate on my retirement savings and the purchase of my first home, but a lot of people will take this test and realize that they need Debt relief, but don’t know where to go to find it. It’s a tough time for most American’s right now and people seeking Debt help is at near record levels. It is for all the reasons above that I urge you to take this test and make sure that you know what’s going on with your money and your future.

Has the online forum replaced the bar stool?

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0000

We've all been in situations where we've been in a bar and some yahoo is rambling on and on about how epic his ski day was. Heck, maybe you're on of the guys or gals that has done this. It's surely all in good fun. If you're full of crap you're full of crap. Skiers can generally tell what someone is talking a big game. Does this get them the label of a gaper? Perhaps, but even the best of skiers can be a gaper depending on which meaning you choose. Regardless, we know that these situation will never go away and we don't want them to. It can be rather amusing, but with the increasing use of internet chat forums, skiers and riders can now talk all the garbage they want and never have to back it up. It's a funny phenomenon that I see often and like those talkers in the bar, it's easy to get a sense of who is really full of it and who truly has soul.

Win an iPod for $1 with uBid.com

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:17:00 +0000

As a business owner, you can budget and plan over and over, but there are surely times when you are caught with excess inventory. Sometimes this is fine because your supplier can take back some items, but if another or newer model is coming out, you can be stuck with a lot of products with decreased value. This recently happened with a company that was selling iPod Touches and iPod Nanos, but instead of panicking, they knew exactly what to do, and quite frankly it could be of benefit to you, the consumer. With over 1000 extra units of inventory, the company went to uBid.com for help. As a business to consumer site, uBid only works with reputable and business and trusted brands. Like others, they auction off items in situations like these, but the best part is that their auctions have 100% fraud guarantees so as a consumer, you can rest assured that you’ll get exactly what you expect to. Another great feature is that many of their auctions start at $1, including this iPod Auction. Yes, that means that if you act quickly, you could be the owner of one of these fabulous iPods for a buck. Not a bad deal no matter how you look at it.

Saddleback goes ahead with summit quad

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:11:00 +0000

It seems that while I was trying to write some accurate information about this summers new lift installations, I forgot one that is hugely important to New England and Maine skiing. While the lift installation falls into the same category as Killington in that the new lift is replacing an old, it's a little more of an upgrade for the good folks at Saddleback, Maine. For the first time ever, the summit will be accessible by a chairlift as the Kennebego T-bar is being replaced with a fixed grip quad. While the t-bar was great in allowing access to the mountain's expert terrain on many cold and windy days, the steep liftline also served as a natural deterrent to folks who should avoid the upper mountain terrain. The lift is part of the resort's 10-year master plan.

Heard any bad pick-up lines lately

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:48:00 +0000

I was a watching a movie the other night where a guy actually got a girl to act favorably to him after he’d use a pick up line. Granted, it may have been somewhat out of pity, but who knows? I know that the line itself didn’t get her attention, but the fact that if was so stupid had a lot more to do with it. Even before I got engaged, I was never someone who liked to use pick-up lines, but agree that a lot of them are so stupid they are funny. If I were to choose one that I think is really bad, it would be where the guy or gal walks up to the other and asks, “Did it hurt?” Of course the person answers, “Did what hurt?” and then the one flirting drops the punch line; “When you fell from heaven ‘cause you must be an angel.” Regardless, I know that some people do use these lines and some of them are successful. If you see them in the morning you’ll probably notice that they have Victory Hair. There are also folks who use these tacky lines and come up with them as if they are playing a game. If you’re like this, you should check out a fun game VO5 has going on called the VO5 Extreme Style Ultimate Flirting Championship. Log on today and see if you’ve got Extreme Style by VO5.

Have you checked up on the Peak to Peak?

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:46:00 +0000

The world's more extensive and expensive ski lift installation is again going full steam ahead with the two massive towers in place and both terminal stations being fitted with the drives, brakes, conveyors, and extensive sheave trains. Watch some great videos and see tons and tons of photos on Whistler/Blackcomb's Peak 2 Peak site!

The best chalets at some of the world's best ski resorts!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:06:00 +0000

My teenage years were extremely memorable for me as they relate to my skiing experiences. Having lived in London, it was not only easy to hop a flight to Geneva or Zurich for a ski vacation, but it was commonplace. Everyone I the European skiing community knows that Britons love their luxury ski holidays and will spend more on booking some of the best chalets than anything else. Okay, so maybe some more money on ski lessons would help, but that’s neither here nor there. Every years the British flock to resorts like Courchevel, France, Verbiew, Switzerland, and St. Anton, Austria, to name a few. And they are looking to book a luxury chalet in Meribel, they turn to the experts in ski destination bookings, Supertravel. They’ll set you up with a chalet in Val d’Isere, Aspen, or any of Lake Tahoe’s resorts.

Remembering the Lake Catamount proposal!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:46:00 +0000

If you’re old enough to remember this illustration, you’ve been skiing at least as long as I have, but technically the resort in question, on the shore of Lake Catamount is still pending approval. Sure, the original financers back out decades ago and permits would still need to be renewed, but this controversial resort that was planned for development in the 1980s could still happen. Only miles from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, residents and locals thought the idea of a second major resort to the area would help with the economy and bring diversity to the area that hosts only Steamboat Resort. Unfortunately, in the planning and permit process, nearby wetlands along the shores of the lakes caused and environmentalist stir, but in the end (Or the middle, depending on how full your glass is) it was the financial aspect that held the project up. Along with a proposed 14 lifts, the proposal also called for a railroad connection between Catamount and Steamboat Springs. A couple years after the last major financial backers of the original 1970s plan withdrew their names, the powerhouse couple of Tim and Diana Mueller submitted their own proposal for a resort on the mountain. While the proposal was accepted, this nice sketch is still all that’s ever come of the plan.

YoNaturals is helping make schools healthier

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:43:00 +0000

There has long been a debate about the nutritional value of food and beverages available to children in our schools. While much of the focus has been on school lunches and trying to get rid of fried and fatty foods, there is a also a consensus that too many schools allow vending machines with things like candy and potato chips that add to the childhood obesity problem. With distributors in over 60 US markets currently, YoNaturals Vending is aimed at getting healthy snacks and beverages to students everywhere.

Summer Sucks!

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:36:00 +0000

Have you ever noticed that a lot of skiers and riders don't handle summer very well at all. Aside from the desire to be on the slopes, we are mostly a breed that doesn't like heat. Me, I don't really want it over the mid-70 range and I hate humidity. While many skiers and riders spend time hiking in the summer, a lot of those hikes come early or late in the season, but not so much when summer is at its' muggiest. Thankfully I have the outlet to be able to sail and live on the coast, but I can't imagine living in the mountains in the summer unless it was a place like Lake Tahoe. People have this perception that Maine is always this cold place, but in the summer our inland areas get as hot if not hotter than most parts of the country and we get black flies. Yikes!

What's your "Look?"

noreply@blogger.com (Jerry Graffam) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Some people think that when you get engaged or married, that flirting ends, but this is far from the truth. It would be silly to say that couples don’t flirt with each other. How else would we keep that spark in our relationships and end up with Victory Hair? Some say that they have a certain “look” they give others when they are flirting – a certain non-verbal communication. I think that a lot of us do this unconsciously, but regardless, we do it to grab the attention of a particular person. At AO5, they love flirting; so much so that they want you to log on and compete in VO5's Ultimate Flirting Championship as a way to promote their Extreme Style. Of course I must be honest that when I’m flirting with my fiancee it usually involves more verbal communication ‘cause that’s just how I am, but then again maybe there are things that I do that I’m not aware of. Who knows? The fact is that my sense of humor is so dry that people don’t know when I’m being serious so flirting has never been a strong suit for me. How about you? Do you have a certain look you give others to perk their attention. Check out VO5 and strut your Extreme Style by VO5.