1. Less worry, less fatigue
A lot of flight fatigue comes from unconsciously (and often consciously) worrying about things that might occur during flight - where your passport is, can you get your connecting flight and so forth. Much of this worry can be alleviated by keeping all flight essentials in one place so you know where they are at all times. One tip which helps is to keep a special over-the-shoulder bag which only gets worn on flights - your mind automatically comes to associate this storage place with flying, and you easily form the habit of returning your passport or tickets there every time they are handed back to you.

2. Arrive in plenty of time.
Those looking to make the most of every moment might try to time arriving with minutes to spare, but with experience, you soon come to know that the aggravation and worry that comes from standing in a check-in queue wondering if you will get there before it closes just isn’t worth it. You can easily think of something productive to do once you are safely relaxing in the departure lounge.

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#10 - HELPLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE
“We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine and a whole multicolored collection of uppers, downers, laughers, screamers . . . Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge and I knew we’d get into that rotten stuff pretty soon . . .”
—Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 1971
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Following the recent announcement prior to CES that Warner Brothers would exclusively release next-gen DVD movies on the Blue-ray format, hope is springing eternal that finally this stupid format war will end. Come on, giant corporate conglomerates! I’m willing to upgrade! Just let one format win and lets be done with it.

Blue-ray Partisans

• 20th Century Fox
• Disney
• Lionsgate
• New Line
• Sony
• Warner Bros.

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Read about the Darwin Awards here.

RUNNER UP # FIVE:
THE LAPTOP STILL WORKS (Confirmed True by Darwin)

“Driving is not a time to be practicing your multitasking skills,” remarked CHP spokesman Tom Marshall, commenting on a 29-year-old computer tutor’s decision to drive along Highway 99 in California while working on his laptop. He drifted over the center line, and was killed by oncoming traffic. CHP officers found Oscar’s computer still running, plugged into the Honda Accord’s cigarette lighter.

REFERENCES: http://DarwinAwards.com/darwin/darwin2007-12.html

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This page provides a list of items that can cause (or contribute to) liability under the alternative minimum tax. The list isn’t complete — there are other items that can contribute to AMT liability. Based on our experience, the items described below are likely to affect more people than other items.

1. Exemptions
   Believe it or not, exemptions contribute to AMT liability. The exemptions you claim for yourself, your spouse and your dependents are not allowed when calculating alternative minimum tax. It’s pretty rare (though not impossible) to see a tax return where someone had to pay AMT solely because of their exemptions, but the more exemptions you claim, the more likely it is that you’ll have AMT liability when all is said and done. Read the rest of this entry »

1. Pay off your debts.
Clean up your finances before you invest. You are guaranteed to save money on interest when you pay off your bad debt — i.e., using the 7 steps debt elimination plan. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that your investment will make money; especially when you are new at it.
2. Do your homework.
Do not trade until you understand the market and what it has to offer. Learn about investing and the different kinds of investment before you jump in.
3. Know yourself.
Understand your risk tolerance and formulate your investment strategy based on your risk profile, goals, and time horizon.
4. Have a solid strategy.
Did you do 1, 2, and 3 above? Always remain true to your plan and follow the style that works best for you.

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Rumors abound that Will Smith has now become a Scientologist. Need a scorecard to remember which of your favorite stars have join Tom Cruise’s little club? Here ya go:

• Tom Cruise
• John Travolta
• Nancy Cartwright
• Kirstie Alley
• Jason Lee
• Leah Remini
• Giovanni Ribisi
• Beck
• Priscilla Presley
• Greta Van Susteren Read the rest of this entry »

1. Always maintain a calm, collected tone
Keep your voice even, keep your tone low, and do not lose your temper. If you find yourself getting upset, place the person on hold for a moment, take a slow, deep breath, and pick the phone back up. If they have hung up on you, mention it when you call back.

2 . Before you call, outline the situation for yourself, and decide how you want it solved
Write down several options you would be willing to accept, and keep the page in front of you when you call.

3. Always get the name of the person who answered the phone, even if you speak to them for only a moment
Write the name down, as well as any other person you connect to. Keep notes of who said what.
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