Halloween is creeping (oooh spooky) up on us pretty quickly so it’s time once again to start thinking about popular Halloween costume ideas.

If you don’t remember last year’s list, let me give you just a taste. It included things such as Rob & Big’s Bobby Light Costume, the diaper wearing astronaut psycho Lisa Nowak, and the ever popular Dick in a Box costume. Anyone who actually dressed up as any of these characters can tell you… they were a big hit.

So without any further ado, let’s list some popular 2008 Halloween Costume Ideas.

Sarah Palin Costume

I figured we would start off with the obvious… politics. Now if you are going a couples costume you could obviously go with either Sarah Palin and John McCain or you could go with Sarah Palin and Barack Obama. Either would work out fine.
But… if you wanted to be a little different you could go as Tina Fey dressed as Sarah Palin.

Amy Winehouse Costume

Ahhh, Amy Winehouse. She brought us tons of entertainment this year. It’s only fit that we honor her by dressing up as her on Halloween and mocking the tragedy that is her life.

There are two different versions of the Amy Winehouse costume that you could do and both would be completely acceptable.

Blonde Amy Winehouse Costume – For this version of the Amy Winehouse costume you will need a bleach blond wig that has the texture of straw. You’ll need heavy eyeliner that flares out into wings on either side of your eyes. You’ll also need a crackpipe and… no that’s it.
Classic Amy Winehouse Costume (missing tooth and all) – Classic Amy Winehouse Costume – you’ll want to go with the dark haired bouffant style that we have all come to identify with Amy. You’ll need to simulate a missing front tooth. You’ll also need a crackpip and… no that’s it.

Messing With Sasquatch, Sasquatch costume

It’s not very often that TV commercials are both enjoyable and funny but Jack Link’s Beef Jerky has blessed us with some this year. They are called “Messin With Sasquatch”.

Enough said.

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia costumes

For anyone who is a fan of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, they know that this show is just busting with possible Halloween Costumes.

Day Man Dennis and Charlie Costume – this costume is going to require some work. You’ll need to find clothes similar to what Ziggy Stardust (David Bowey) wore. Not easy but so worth it. Along with dressing like a femmed out rock star you’ll also get to spend the night singing the Day Man lyrics which, let’s face it, are genius.

The McPoyle’s – This costume is very easy, and might I say, comfy. You will need a bathrobe, tighty whiteys, and a glass of milk. You’ll also want to make yourself look as sweaty as possible. Those are all the ingredients you’ll need for the perfect McPoyle’s costume.

2008 Movie Halloween Costume Ideas

Although there were tons of great movies to pick from this year, I figured I would list the most popular and the easiest.

The Joker costume – Now you could either go for the classic Joker look which would include a purple blazer or you could go for the updated Joker look… nurse joker. This would be based on the hospital scene in this year’s Dark Night Movie. You would keep the Joker face going but your clothes would be a nurse’s uniform. Either way, the Joker costume is very easy and very recognizable.

Hancock costume – I know you’re saying “where and I supposed to get a spandex superhero costume?”. My answer… “you’re not”. You’re going to go for the Hancock in the beginning of the movie. You’ll need some bummy clothes, kit hat, sunglasses and… alcohol. Perfect.

So there you have it, just some of the possible 2008 Halloween costume ideas that would be both easy and recognizable. Have fun, be creative and most of all… be safe.

2008 Popular Halloween Costume Ideas

Heat stroke is the most dangerous kind of heat illness. Unlike heat exhaustion and heat cramps, heat stroke is a medical emergency that can become deadly unless it is quickly treated.

Normally, the body produces sweat to regulate body temperature. It can dissipate heat through the evaporation of sweat or radiation of heat through the skin. But in certain instances such as high humidity and intense heat, the body temperature can sometimes rise to 41.1°C and sometimes even higher.

Usually, heat stroke is the result of a lengthy, intense exposure to the sun. Here, a person can no longer produce enough sweat to lower the body temperature. Another reason why heat stroke occurs is dehydration. A dehydrated person will not be able to sweat quickly enough to lower body heat. Thus, the body temperature can reach dangerous levels. The elderly, infants, outdoor athletes, and individuals on certain medications are most prone to heat strokes. It develops quickly and requires prompt treatment.

Signs of Heat Stroke or Heat Exhaustion

There are many signs of heat strokes. Take note that individuals might experience these symptoms differently. The following are its symptoms:

* Disorientation
* Dizziness
* Hallucinations
* Headache
* Loss of consciousness
* Fatigue
* Hot, dry skin (flushed but not perspiring)
* High body temperature
* Rapid heart beat

Treating Heat Stroke

If a person is already suffering from heat stroke, the first thing that should be done is to put them in a shade. Ideally, they should be placed in a cool environment with a temperature of 15 to 18°C. If the patient’s body temperature reaches 39.5°C and there is still very light sweating, they should be showered or placed in a bath of cool water.

Take note that the temperature can’t be cooler than 15°C because it can do more harm than good. Temperatures above that level will make the blood vessels contract and thus, it will stop the loss of excess heat. Massaging the skin is also recommended because it will improve circulation.

Another way to lower body heat would be to cover the patient with wet towels and change it often. Using an electric fan is also a good idea because it can help lower the body temperature further. And of course, bringing the patient to the hospital s always recommended. Hospitals are better equipped to deal with heat stroke than ordinary homes.

Preventing Heat Stroke

Certain preventive measures can help prevent the adverse effects of heat strokes. Some tips include:

* Drink water before going outdoors this summer. Sports drinks and even juice are also recommended. Liquids that should be avoided include coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol because it can cause dehydration.
* Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothes this summer preferably in light colors
* Gradually spend more time outdoors if you think you will be doing a lot of outdoor activity in the near future. This will help your body adjust to the heat.
* Schedule active sports at cooler times of the day
* Wear a hat and sunglasses. Use umbrella whenever possible
* Take breaks and spray yourself with cooling formulations or water to keep from being dehydrated
* Try to spend your time indoors during excessively hot and humid days.

Heat Exhaustion in Children and Pets

Heat stroke can happen to children and pets too. In most cases, pets suffer from heat stroke when they are left alone in the car. It is important to take note that heat build-up can occur quickly inside a vehicle especially under direct sunlight. Dogs, in particular, are at an extreme disadvantage because they need to inhale cooler air than their normal body temperature. Inhaling 80-degree air temperature for them is already dangerous. It might only take ten minutes for your pet to be near death. Animals will die from hemorrhaging, intravascular clotting, kidney failure, and cerebral edema because of heat stroke.

Treating and Preventing Heat Stroke This Summer

As we get older… and we are getting older, there are certain brain functions that could benefit from a brain sharpening exercise game. What? Now I have to have an exercise routine for my brain?

It doesn’t involve heavy lifting don’t worry. Thanks to brain improvement sites you can play fun games that will give you all the brain sharpening exercise and cognitive fitness that you need.

Great so I can play some online brain improvement games and I’ll get smarter? No. Brain sharpening exercise games won’t make you any smarter than what you are right now. Poo. But what they will do is improve your brain function which begins to slow down as early as the age of 30.

Ok so where do you go to play these brain sharpening exercise games?

I’m really interested in all of the brain training type games that are out there today but they are not all equal. I found the Lumosity site and it’s the best one that I’ve tried so far.

Lumosity offers games that give you a full brain sharpening exercise routine in as little as 10 minutes (although you’ll end up wanting to play for longer). Their brain sharpening exercise games have been designed to do a few things:

• Elevate your mood
• Give you clearer and quicker thinking
• improve your concentration at work or even while driving (you know you zone out)
• Make you more alert and aware
• Improve your memory for things like number, names, directions, etc.

What I like about Lumosity is it’s free and that they aren’t trying to make any claims about what their brain games can do for your intelligence. Their tag line is “Lumosity – Reclaim your brain” meaning make your brain function like it did when it was at it’s best. That is what Lumosity Brain Games will do for you.

Also, Lumosity offers a free trial period which lasts 7 days. In this 7 day free trial period you will go through a basic training course for your brain. This basic training course includes:

• 30 sessions of guided brain sharpening exercises
• Focused brain sharpening exercises on 4 different brain areas: memory, attention, cognitive control, and processing speed
• Bootcamp for your brain
• Feedback and tracking of your brain improvement

After your Lumosity 7 day free trial of brain sharpening exercises you then have the option of joining Lumosity for a monthly fee. This monthly fee gives you access to all of the brain courses that Lumosity offers, which includes advanced brain sharpening exercise games. They are always adding additional brain exercises, games and features to keep their site entertaining and engaging.

You can either pay Lumosity $9.95/month or $79.95/year, whichever way you feel more comfortable with. I have a very strong feeling that once you try the Lumosity free trial offer you are going to be hooked. You will see the importance and benefit of making brain fitness an integral part of your healthy lifestyle… try it.

Brain Performance Exercise Games Make You Smarter… Kinda

As the United States Postal Service, weighed down by a crippling multibillion-dollar deficit, shrinks its operations, post offices across the country are on the chopping block. Each year, hundreds of postal operations shutter, but this coming fall could be the single biggest consolidation in Postal Service history.

Over the next three months, more than 3,200 post offices and retail outlets out of 34,000 will be reviewed for possible closure or consolidation.

Downsizing is a business imperative, says Linda Welch, acting vice president of delivery and post office operations at the Postal Service. “Revenues have declined, and mail volume continues to decline,” she says.

Can We Get A List Of The Post Offices That Are Closing?

If you know of any other post offices that are closing because of this please contact me.
Partial list that I have got so far:

Kansas
New Albany, KS, Post Office, 101 2nd Street, New Albany, KS, 66759

Louisiana
Cameron Post Office (70631) is closed. Residents can pick their mail up at the Lake Charles Drew Station.

New York
The South Kortright, NY, Post Office 10675 County Highway 18, 13842 is temporarily closed. The mail is being redirected to Hobart, NY 13788 located at 698 Main St, Suite #1

Ohio
Birmingham, OH, Post Office 44816 is closed. All customers will be serviced at Wakeman Post Office, 16 W Main St. Wakeman, OH 44889

Are These Post Offices Closing Because of the Recession?

Not only have e-mail and electronic bill paying made for a skinnier mail stream, but the recession has caused a sharp pullback in advertising mail that has hurt the Postal Service even more.

In March, Postmaster General John Potter asked Congress for the right to reduce the mail week from six days to five, for a savings of $3.5 billion. Shutting down post offices will have similar cost-saving effects. And most Americans say they’re OK with the cutbacks, as long as they don’t have to pay more to send mail. A recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that more Americans would rather the Postal Service curtail services than seek a bailout or raise stamp prices.

At least, that’s what everyone says until it’s their beloved post office at stake. For various reasons, people tend to react with great fervor when their local offices are endangered.

Consider the case of the Hawleyville Post Office. After years of negotiations, the Postal Service in January notified the Connecticut community that its 166-year-old post office would close Feb. 14. An article in the local newspaper poignantly noted, “The long love affair between the Hawleyville post office and its loyal customers will come to an end on, of all days, Valentine’s Day.”

Its post office was rickety, but the community embraced it as a gathering place. One resident told the Newtown Bee, “The Hawleyville Post Office is like Cheers in Hawleyville.”

In fear of losing its precious haunt, the community mobilized. A Web site and online petition drive were created. Members got Congress involved. And lo and behold, the community won approval for a new post office, to be opened this summer.

Every time a post office is slated for closure or consolidation, the Postal Service is legally obligated to inform its customers well in advance. “There’s a very long process that they have to go through,” says Mario Principe, the post office continuance consultant at the National League of Postmasters. That gives the communities plenty of time, usually at least two months, to stage a rescue.

Your Post Office is Closing. Get Used to It

The Postal Service will typically send out a survey or host a town hall meeting before an endangered office closes. Perhaps the closing of a post office means too many lost jobs for an already-hurting community. The office might house the bulletin board that posts important community announcements. Or the next-closest post office may be really far away. If customers alert officials to such concerns, there’s a better chance that their office will be spared. Appealing the closure decision to the Postal Regulatory Commission often works, too, though it’s a step many communities don’t know to take.

It’s also important to check out why a post office is on the chopping block in the first place. Those under review this summer are mostly metropolitan branches or stations. But in the case of small post offices, federal law states that the reason can’t be just that the office isn’t bringing in enough revenue. If that’s the only explanation given, then the Postal Service can’t legally shut it down.

Oftentimes, post offices face closure because their leases expire. That’s the case in Deer Harbor, Wash. After attempts to find a new location for the post office failed, the community decided “in desperation” to buy the property just to keep it in business. If the community can raise the $250,000 purchase price by the June 30, the Postal Service says it will continue operations there.

The Postal Service seems willing to negotiate, and it’s not really bothered by the protests. “It actually it makes us very proud to know that we are a valuable member of the community,” says Welch. She says that the Postal Service appreciates the great lengths that some communities will go to just to ensure that their services continue.

What the Postal Service would appreciate even more: If those people would show their appreciation by taking the simple step of sending more mail. Oddly enough, that seems to be the unthinkable last resort.

Local Post Offices Are Closing. Is Yours on the List?

As early as 4,000 years ago, archaeological evidence shows that tea was already being cultivated and drank in China because of its health benefits. These benefits are being rediscovered today. Tea is getting its popularity back, especially in the Western world. Black tea, green teas, and organic teas are all being consumed in homes, restaurants, and even coffee shops.

Now, the question is what is the healthiest tea available? Some experts claim that green tea provides the most benefits because of its high levels of antioxidants. Upon closer inspection though, it becomes easily apparent that black tea, organic tea, and oolong are not getting the type of recognition it deserves. Recent research reveals that oolong and black tea may provide the same benefits.

Difference between Black, Oolong, and Green Tea

Green tea, oolong tea, and black tea all came from the plan, Camellia sinensis. The only difference is how the tea leaves are processed. Here are their preparation techniques: Green tea (unfermented), oolong (semi-fermented), and black team (fermented). Essentially, green teas are first withered before it is steamed while oolong and black tea undergoes a fermenting process.

Polyphenols

All teas derived from the camellia plant have high levels of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant. According to cancer researcher Dr. John Weisburger, green and black tea has 8-10 times more polyphenols compared to fruits and vegetables. This antioxidant scavenges for free radicals and detoxifies them from the body.

Flavanoids

Other antioxidants found in green and black tea include thearubigins, epicatechins, and catechins; all three are categorized as flavanoids.

Health Benefits of Green and Black Tea

Dr. Weisburger said that since green and black tea has the same amount of polyphenols, it has an equal capability to stop DNA damage from chemicals and tobacco. This helps tea-drinkers lessen their risk of cancer and heart disease. In heavy tea-drinking counties such as China and Japan, there is “less heart disease and (they) don’t have certain cancers that we in the Western world suffer”. It has also been discovered that the total LDL (bad cholesterol) levels will become lower by drinking tea.

Even people who suffered from heart attacks can benefit greatly from drinking tea. It will help them recover faster. Another researcher, Jeffrey Blumberg, revealed that another antioxidant found on green and black tea, flavonoids, has detoxifying effects. Since it protects the cells from free radicals, cancer, blood clots, and atherosclerosis can be avoided.

Meanwhile, tea can be beneficial in other areas as well. For example, recent laboratory tests show that tea boosts metabolism. This capability makes it an ideal cure for bad breath, obesity, and Parkinson’s disease. It also slows down the growth of tumors, improves the skin, protects bones, and aids in weight loss. The onset of diabetes can also be delayed because of tea’s antioxidants.

So what is the best tea after knowing all this? Well, according to Dr. Weisburger, the exact benefits of herbal tea are still unclear because more studies need to be made. There are many testimonials from herbal tea-drinkers though so it may be safe to conclude that it provides positive benefits. For now, Dr. Weisburger recommends drinking around six to ten cups of green or black tea per day.

What is the Healthiest Tea to Drink?

Earlier today, I went to downtown Seattle to Gnomedex 5.0, and stood up in front of 300 tech influentials, enthusiasts and leaders to talk about some really exciting things that we’ve been working on for the past several months.

The main thing I talked about is the deep platform support for RSS that we’re building into the next version of Windows codenamed “Windows Longhorn.”

We think that the RSS functionality in Longhorn will make it easy for users to discover, view and subscribe to RSS feeds, as well as make it simple for developers to incorporate the rich capabilities of RSS into their applications.

We’re integrating RSS features throughout Longhorn to enable a broader group of users and developers to more easily take advantage of RSS. For instance, while browsing the web, you’ll be able to easily discover RSS feeds through an illuminated icon, as well as read the feed while still in IE. Once you find a feed you’re interested in, you’ll be able to subscribe to an RSS feed as easily as adding a favorite.

The RSS features in the Windows Longhorn platform will also enable application developers to easily build RSS support into their applications.

For example, a business user about to attend a conference could subscribe to the conference’s event calendar. He can then use a Longhorn RSS-enabled calendar application to view the events in the RSS feed from within his calendar app. Or an IT worker can subscribe to sales data that notifies them via a line-of-business application when new deals have been closed.

Amar Gandhi (Group Program Manager for the Longhorn RSS platform) and I showed a few great demos of how application developers can integrate with the platform. We did the same demos for a Channel 9 video which you can see at http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=80533.

But that’s not all.

I also announced some enhancements to RSS, which we call the Simple List Extensions. The Simple List Extensions can be used to enable websites to publish lists such as photo albums, music playlists and Top 10 lists as RSS feeds. RSS can be used to publish lists like these today, but our extensions really enhance the experience that users can have when subscribing to these kinds of lists. We’re very excited about the great scenarios that these extensions can enable.

One scenario I’m particularly excited about is the idea of being able to subscribe to my wife’s Amazon.com wish-list – we’ve been talking to the great folks at Amazon.com about using these extensions, and, at Gnomedex, Amar and I showed a prototype application working live against Amazon.com wish lists built using Amazon Web Services (built with the invaluable help of the Amazon.com Web Services team). You can see that on the Channel 9 video as well – it’s the best way to understand why this is so useful and interesting.

The best part is that we’re showing a deep commitment to the RSS community by making the specification for these extensions available under the Creative Commons license, the same license under which the RSS 2.0 specification was released. You can read the Simple List Extension specification on the MSDN site linked below. In layman’s terms, we’re saying that anyone can implement these extensions on their site or in their application. Lawrence Lessig, founder of Creative Commons had some nice things to say about this announcement http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/002978.shtml.

This is has been a great day, and we’re going to have lots more to say about RSS support in Longhorn at PDC ’05 in September http://www.developerpowered.com. Stay tuned.

You can read all about what we said today in detail from the MSDN Longhorn RSS page: http://msdn.microsoft.com/longhorn/understanding/rss/default.aspx

Windows Loves RSS

I was thinking of redoing the basement and building a multimedia wall and office together. One side my desk and chair with the computers I needed. The other side the TV, stereo, DVR and stuff. Just gotta get rid of all that damn water!!

The TV I like:

Sony’s new KD-34XS955 34” FD Trinitron® WEGA® Hi-Scan® TV produces visuals like no other. Featuring a Super Fine Pitch CRT, Hi-Scan 1080iâ„¢ Display, and Cinemotionâ„¢ Reverse 3-2 Pulldown Technology, the KD-34XS955 brings you a visual that is brighter and more vivid than ever before.

The KD-34XS955 also features an ATSC Integrated Tuner and is Digital Cable Ready with a CableCARDâ„¢ Slot. ClearEdge VMâ„¢ (Wideband Velocity Modulation Scanning), and an HDMI/HDCP Interface separate this television from others. Be sure to wow your friends and family by displaying your photos onscreen while listening to MP3 audio with its built-in Enhanced Memory Stick Media slot.

Nice work Brandon. When you gonna redo my basement?

DIY home stereo ideas.

So the other day I’m sitting in my home office and the GPU fan in my PC decides to start doing the dry-bearing death rattle. Just great, more noise. With the bad GPU fan, the inefficient CPU fan, PSU fan and two case fans the thing sounds like a garbage disposal ingesting a hand full of TTL logic chips.

Oh, and the external chassis for the pair of SCSI changers I use for CD ripping has it’s own really loud fan.

About this same time, I acquired an old DELL PowerEdge 4200 server which came in a huge double wide case that could hold all of my drives plus some. But what to do with the empty half? A second motherboard? No! Water cooling! But not just water cooling, there’s plenty of room so let’s see if we can water cool an Athlon 2400+ with no fans and no pumps, let’s see how quiet a PC can be.

Now, I’m a cheap bastard so I’m not going to pay for a bunch of fancy-ass water cooling swag from Koolance or Zalman or some such. Nope! I’m off to the plumbing section at Home Depot!

Silent Convective Water Cooled PC

Cool Your PC With Parts From Home Depot

Since when did wanting a nice, sunny afternoon to work in the garden become a Seasonal Absence Syndrome?

With the arrival of summer, 30% of employees may call in sick this summer to enjoy a day off. Sunny skies and warmer temperatures also brings Seasonal Absence Syndrome (SAS), which will plague organizations in epic portions this summer season. If you have ever felt like calling in sick on a warm summer day, you are not alone.

read more | digg story

Employees Calling In Sick With Seasonal Absence Syndrome SAS

The final chapter of the Star Wars series hits the theatres this month but just to give fans a sneak peak of what to expect George Lucas has released the novel of Revenge of the Sith two weeks before the movie.

Based on the screenplay of the movie, written by Lucas, Matthew Stover pens Episode III as it follows the path of Anakin Skywalker becoming the evil Darth Vader.

Reading a book two weeks before the movie comes out is a weird predicament.

Being a keen Star Wars fan (I had an Empire Strikes Back pillowcase when I was a youngster) it was quite a dilemma to read the book knowing full well that it would, in some way, ruin the movie.

That is why I recommend you read it after you see the film.

Why you ask? There are plenty of parts in the book that won’t be in the film, mainly back-stories of major characters which provide some interesting information.

Without giving too much away Revenge of the Sith is a brilliant finale to one of the most popular saga’s in cinema history.

The transformation from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader is an extremely dark one with some chilling moments while the newest member of the dark side, General Grievous, comes off as one of the greatest villains in history (behind Darth Vader of course).

The gaps left open between Episode II and Episode IV are filled in nicely as the final chapter of the series ties all the loose ends.

The book can be a tough read at times especially during the fight scenes when you try to put together in your head just what is happening. There is no doubt my version of events will look totally different on the big screen.

It’s a fair assumption that this average book will make a great movie.

Review of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith