Trivia Galaxy

Archive for May, 2009

The Panasonic TH46PZ80U is a 1080P 16:9 format TV and has a native resolution of 20,000 to 1. This HDTV creates deep, robust blacks and copies scenes with a fine balance of shadow and light. The super-wide viewing range is extremely remarkable. Image colors look rich from almost any angle. The built-in speakers provide a realistic audio class. You can blend it in a home theatre system for a more stimulating movie experience. The menu system is easy to navigate, with a nice remote and thumb-friendly button layout. The HDTV comes with 3 HDMI inputs and 2 additional Component Video inputs.

The picture quality of the Panasonic TH46PZ85U does not handle noise reduction and color accuracy well as compared to other HDTVs. However, the impressive aspect of this TV is that it has an amazing black-level performance which produces really deep shades of blacks. The deep blacks adds detail to the lighter shades. The anti-reflective screen makes it even more reliable for watching scenes with dark elements. One of the features of the Panasonic TH46PZ85U is the alternative of setting up to five aspect ratio controls for HD sources. The “Surf Mode” feature adds some spirit by allowing users to limit some of the TV tuning options.

The Panasonic TH46PZ800U has a set of pleasantly systematized controls and inputs including an HDMI input, SD card slot, S-video port, and the rest of the common inputs. It also displays accurate colors and vivid visuals. One of the many features that is very outstanding in terms of color performance is the full THX certification in the TH46PZ800U. THX allows home entertainment products to deliver stunning sound and visual performances. The black levels are controlled well and users can take pleasure in dark themed scenes on the Panasonic TH46PZ800U. The TH46PZ800U is clearly one of the best performing HDTVs available and should be worth the investment.

Website Ideas

Introduction

There may be some confusion about the term Solar Power because there are a number of systems that have been established for many years using the sun to heat water, heat ovens to cook food or heat your home either directly or indirectly. But what we are really interested in is the idea of producing electricity from the sun. That electricity can then be used for different purposes not just for heating water or rooms. Technically Solar Power is any system which is powered by the sun to produce useable energy.

Making electricity really isn’t that hard so I am told. The technology is now available to convert the sun’s light into electricity using Photovoltaic cells. One company I know has developed large scale photovoltaic plants in Southern Spain, where of course there is plenty of sunshine. Panels made up of photovoltaic cells can be fixed on the roof or placed anywhere they will capture the sun. They are then connected to the electrical supply in the home and used to run the everyday appliances we depend on.

What Does Photovoltaic Mean?

Photovoltaic literally means light and electricity and the technology has been developed to convert solar energy into usable power. Basically the sun produces white light, which is just a different kind of energy; as I understand it, photovoltaic cells trap this light and turn the wavelengths into electricity. They do not need bright sunlight to operate so even on cloudy days electricity can be produced due to the reflection of sunlight, and on days of light cloud energy yields are higher than in bright sunshine.

How Photovoltaic Cells Work

To make these cells produce energy you need two layers of semi-conductor material which has been adapted, so that one is positively charged and the other negatively charged. When light shines on the semi-conductor, electrons are released to produce electricity. The greater the power of light the more electricity is produced. The electrical field across the junctions between the layers causes electricity to flow as (DC) Direct Current. Photovoltaic cells are then joined together to make panels which are positioned strategically to capture as much sunlight as possible on or around the designated building. Once the photovoltaic cells are joined together they officially become Solar Panels.

Where to Install the Solar Panels

Once you decide to have solar panels then positioning them for optimum light and sunlight is a serious consideration. If you have a good roof space high enough and not shaded by trees, preferably facing south or south west, then you will probably have the ideal location. Because we live a bungalow there is a huge roof facing south on one side. Looking at the design of the roof we concluded we could have several panels facing South East, South and South West thereby capturing sunlight throughout the whole day.

Solar panels can be mounted on frames on a flat roof or the ground or even on the side of buildings. I would think the main criteria are that they are safe and stable so they won’t fall over or blow away in high winds. The solar panel we have fitted for hot water is securely mounted on our roof with strong metal fixings.

Solar panels are produced in many shapes and sizes, some are even made as roof tiles, and there is some new technology on the horizon enabling solar panels to be incorporated into actual windows. Smaller portable solar panels can be taken on holiday when you go camping or caravanning.

A variety of sizes are used for solar panels as well as different shapes.

Why Would You Want to Install Your Own Solar Power System?

Green Energy – Well firstly there is the issue of ‘going green’ and avoiding using carbon producing energy. There has never been a better time to do your bit to save the planet. Carbon emissions are contributing to the erosion of the glaciers which provide much of the world with drinking water. Global warming is a huge concern and if a large percentage of the world population reduce their carbon footprint then the hope is that global warming will slow to its natural cycle in the evolution of the earth.

Cost – Then there is the cost of electricity today. Utility companies are charging far too much for services and today I read in the paper that one company is not going to reduce the bills now that the price or raw materials has gone down. They plan to use the profits for re-investment! So in fact we are paying twice for the cost of re-investment.

Prices in the UK have trebled in the last year and even with less sunlight in the UK than many other countries solar power is still worthwhile to reduce the bills. During this financial crisis anything that can be done to reduce costs is of benefit. Once your solar system is up and running any excess electricity you produce can be sold back to the national grid. So instead of bills you get paid by the electrical companies for producing more than you can use.

Freedom – When I am showering using the water from my solar heating system, I have this wonderful sense of it being free hot water. I know it is not really free because we have already paid for its installation. But now it is done, it looks after itself and on sunny days there is an abundance of hot water. It does not need electricity to make the water flow through the pipes so if there is a power cut we can still get hot water.

My policy over the last few years has been to put in systems that free us from the tyranny of the electricity companies and the oil barons. Without independent systems we have no choices if the powerful companies decide to put up prices or cut us off.

The most persuasive argument for me was when Russia decided to cut off gas supplies to the customers when they had a deal in place so that the people of those countries had no fuel to keep them warm during the coldest winter months. From my perspective is seemed it was all because ‘the powers that be’ wanted to flex their power muscles and increase prices to line their own pockets. None of us want to be in that position.

DIY Solar Panels and Installation

Now that we have a solar hot water heating system installed we are keen to get started on producing our own electricity. We use a great deal of electricity running 5 computers for our home based business and overheads have gone through the roof this year.

Building your own solar panels making use of solar panel kits can be rewarding and there are number of e-books with instructions on how to build your own power unit. with the results.

So why would you want to make your own solar panels and then install them yourself? Wind and Solar power systems have been on the market for years but the costs are virtually prohibitive. The cost of commercial panels makes nonsense out of the whole idea of recovering the outlay within a few years. Then there is the satisfaction of producing something essential to maintain our way of life with your own hands.(Rather like growing your own vegetables)

As well as making these panels for yourself and when you have become more skillful at making them, there is the possibility of a lucrative business producing and installing solar systems starting with your friends and neighbours. Once they start telling their friends about the savings they are making you will find you have more orders than you can handle.

Future for our Children and Grandchildren

The ways we have used and misused our natural resources are creating a legacy for our children and grandchildren which will be, to say the least, challenging. The fossil fuels will run out in the next century and as resources become scarce and population increases there will be intense competition for what is left. I don’t think the world is going to be an easy place to live in and our descendents will have to adapt to a life that could in many ways, be similar to the Middle Ages in Britain or the early settler days in the US.

I won’t dwell on the possibilities of what could be, but I do think anything we can do to help establish a system using renewable energy will be the best legacy we can bestow on future generations.

A wonderful example of natural resources running out is on Easter Island. From study and research of this uninhabited island it would seem there was once plenty of trees. In fact it was completely covered in forest. The inhabitants cut down these trees as a source of fuel but also for carving images which you can still see on the island. However when the trees became scarce, instead of planting and nurturing their valuable resource, they continued to cut down the trees until there were none left. Because there was no more wood they had used up their means of survival so they all died out or possibly left. To this day it is an uninhabited island with no trees. (In New Zealand there is an oral history of the Maori people canoeing from the pacific islands to find their new land of the long white cloud. They could well have been the ones from Easter Island)

Storing Electricity or Selling Back to the Grid.

Just having solar panels is not sufficient to provide you with electricity for your requirements. Once electricity is produced there has to be a system to convey the correct power to the appliances. For the most basic system after the solar panel, you will need a charge controller which regulates the flow of electricity to the battery. A battery is an essential item to maintain the supply when it is dark and an inverter which is essential to convert the direct current (DC) generated by the solar panel to alternating current (AC) for use with all appliances. However by DIY the system could pay for itself within a couple of months.

Once your solar power system is up and running you could decide to just provide electricity for your own use and store any excess in deep cycle batteries. You may however prefer to sell the excess back to the national grid to offset any usage you might need over and above the production of the solar panels installed.

Solar power kits are a wonderful way of getting a solar energy system up and running so you can generate electricity for your own use and store any excess in deep cycle batteries.

Apparently there are ways of getting deep storage batteries for free in which to store electricity that you have produced, over and above your current consumption. A charge controller is advisable to monitor and control the charging of the battery and prevent it being overcharged. Careful use of the battery will extend its life and save having to change it so often.

Selling electricity back to the national grid will require installation of several more items than the basic system uses and is a little more complicated to install. But if it offsets the cost of the electricity you do need, it might be a better system .

Will it work in the UK?

Although sunlight hours are fewer in the UK than in other more sunny climates photovoltaic cells work with light, and as mentioned earlier, they work particularly well on partially cloudy days of which there are many. We already have several solar units in the garden and I have never known them to not have enough light to work, even in winter.

Will we run out of Raw Materials?

The semi-conductor material used in the construction of the solar cells is mostly silicon. Silicon is basically derived from sand and sand is the second most abundant material in the Earth’s mass. So I think it is unlikely we shall run out of raw materials.

Conclusion

Hot water powered by the sun has been in use for many years in countries where there is a plentiful supply of sun and is known as passive energy. However the development of new technology whereby light can be converted to electricity is a important step in the evolution of civilisation.

What I don’t understand is why Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain don’t make more use of this technology as it is sunny there most of the time and the land is mainly sand. Now that oil supplies are dwindling maybe they will turn their attention to other forms of electricity production and use their vast wealth to invest further in the solar and wind technology. They could even be the ones who ultimately end up dominating the industry. I did read that there are plans to turn parts of the Sahara into solar power farms, and that the plan is to export a fair amount of the power produced, into Europe. This could be an excellent export opportunity for Africa.

To be completely free of electricity from the grid would be a huge bonus for me and there seems to be a small revolution going on with a ground swell of public opinion demanding the use of renewable sources to produce energy. People are getting fed up with being hostage to energy companies and are looking for ways to challenge the system.

It is a fact that solar power is one of the safest, easiest and cheapest ways to create electricity for our homes. In an ever increasingly energy hungry planet, currently only 0.2% of energy comes from renewable sources and 93% comes from sources that will eventually run out. So now is the time to look for an alternative in the form of wind and solar energy to provide a very moral and ethical gift for the generations to come

Home Based Business

How often have you been assigned to or started a considerable task, simply to get overwhelmed at the sheer enormity of time necessary to full fill the chore? If that’s so, do not fuss, you will be pleased to hear that you are not alone – coping with extensive, long-term tasks can be a challenging prospect, even for skilled task handlers. Now think about grappling with 6 or maybe more tasks at one time – this is a overwhelming rospect for most people.

Still, if you glance around your place of work, you will more than likely find some people who totally seem to shine at it and actually do it exceptionally well. And while these individuals may not appear to be more intelligent or hardworking than you, yet it looks simply for some curious reason they embrace the opportunity yet you pull back from the chance.

The key distinction between yourself and these people is merely this – they completely grasp and utilise a very simple concept of Project Task Management.

Regardless the amount of effort entailed or the time frame called for for closing, they know that each chore can be separated into secondary, easily run undertakings, that are readily completed in the short-term. Whenever each minor task is accomplished, they add to the closing of the larger task, in due course.

Normally, each single job can then be separated into a set plan, allowing you to steadily and systematically work on them over a set amount of time. Based on the kind of task, it might well be feasible to work at many chores concurrently, by putting aside a relatively small amount of time on each project, every day.

The secrets of Task and Project Management are diligence and regularity, however tempered with flexibility. Several projects might have to be put on hold if it is held back by other unfinished jobs or an unexpected issue shows up. With flexible scheduling and a readiness to adjust to these surprise road blocks, the overall task can continue because you explore solutions to resolving them.

The men and women who excel at Task and Project Management do so principally because they handle undertakings in such a manner that they make some level advancement daily on at least one of the projects involved. This may mean putting aside merely 10 or 30 minutes per day or occasionally hours on every task. At any point within a given project, the amount of time committed each day will definitely fluctuate.

Consequently, because of this, project task managers are frequently able to manage multiple jobs concurrently yet not get bogged down with the task demands. Dealing with a whole host of projects at a time may break the boredom of working on one single job at any point in time. This gives a way for the task manager to pull back from each task for a little bit and then restart the following day with a clear head.

Though we should never lose sight of the complete task, by concentrating on Project Task Management, precise planning and consistency in how we set about our daily jobs, we can easily grow our personal development without overly tormenting ourselves or getting stressed with our workload.

Work At Home Opportunities

Direct Mailing is one of the basic components that every small business should include in their marketing plan. Direct Mailing is thought to be one of the most effective and practical methods to give your services enough promotion and exposure in the industry stream and to bear the fruits of the fast results, even in a limited section of time.

Often, companies choose to use big mail marketing methods to apply direct mailing to new client prospects and are shocked by the amount of planning and expenses involved. All the huge businesses do direct mailing this way but for the smaller businesses it is a good idea to choose small business marketing. Marketing for a small business would only require you to begin your mail marketing with just a small list of around 10 to one hundred leads each week, rather than sending mail to about 10 thousand in one shot. When you are using small business marketing, then you need to bear in mind that your budget has its limitations.

When doing mail marketing there are 2 vital points to consider in order to achieved success through an increase in the effectiveness of your advertising campaign. The starting step and the most vital step is to apply mail marketing to a list of precise targets that you think would be interested in your services. Mail marketing won’t do you any good even if you mail out to thousands of people if only a small percentage of that audience would be interested in what you are offering. Secondly, your small business marketing shouldn’t be just limited to a single mail out and instead carry out the approach 6 to ten times. After this sort of frequency, you can have an improved chance of gaining the attention of a potential customer.

General Blogging

Death Records is one of the key records conventionally deemed as vital records. Like other records, its primary purpose is to keep tabs of both government and community although the subjects here are quite presumably no longer around. Variations on accessibility and restriction of Free Death Records exist from states to states but they are ultimately public records on legal count and are readily available in both free and fee-based versions.

There are different ways of accessing Public Death Records. One can write in, walk in, telephone, fax, or log in online to the respective government offices or commercial information providers. Expectedly, the most widely employed method is by logging in online via the internet. It is fast, easy and convenient, the information age being largely propelled by digitization, so why not?

With patience, time and the right attitude, reasonably good free public death record compilation is possible without having to pay for it. The local cognizant government agency is a good starting point if you know where the death occurred. After all, they hold the most original and updated information and are in fact referenced by higher government and commercial information brokers. The problem with free public death records from government offices is that they tend to be raw and non-standardized, far from user-friendly. Be prepared for some degree of further work if they are intended for a functional purpose.

A great deal of information can be derived from Obituaries Records and pubic death notices. Beside family and other personal reasons, they are also used in Genealogy research and other form of historical studies. Personal particulars pertaining to the deceased, spouse, family and parents are generally listed. The deceased’s birth records are even part of the death records. If there are associated obituaries, they will most likely be attached too. Death Certificate is another key document in death records. They will show up in death record searches although certified copies or originals may need to be separately requested.

Death Records Search are nothing new. They have become so much more prominent recently because of the internet. Hundreds of websites are found on all major search engines offering them. While it’s generally not a favorite pastime, there are situations when people are compelled to engage public death records.

http://www.givemeashot.org/

Green living is no longer the sole concern of environmentalists. It is now a welcome lifestyle that individuals, families and companies are choosing to ensure that the things they do and the products they use have as little an impact on the environment as possible.

Green Living is any practical way you can make better ecological choices that are compatible with your normal life such as tree houses . From decreasing your water and energy use, to increasing your recycling and composting, and from buying earth-friendlier products, to investing in socially responsible companies, opportunities for Green Living can be found in many aspects of your daily life.

Green living is about finding a lifestyle which causes no permanent damage to the planet. It’s about finding sustainable answers to our needs and desires. Green living is no longer a vague term known only by environmentalists. One of the ways we know that an important social trend has hit the big time is when major consumer providers adopt the term. Green living is healthier and happier for you, your family and the global community.

Green Living is printed on unbleached, unchlorinated, recycled newsprint. This is an entirely low-tech process. Green living is really about sustainability, and sustainability creates resiliency in communities. It brings back true relationships with your neighbors, imbuing interdependency at a human level. Green living is extremely important to us. The hardest part is figuring out how to do it with ease.

Green living is most simply defined as a lifestyle that minimizes negative impact, and whenever possible, increases positive impact on the environment, especially when it comes to tree houses . Misconceptions about green products, which use less energy, provide cleaner air and water, and protect the environment, and the people who purchase them are common. Green living is starting to look more like a fashion statement than a genuine, beneficial effort to support environmental issues.

Despite the current good intentions of the business community and consumers to promote green, serious ecoresults will depend on making products and processes more sustainable without consumers even noticing it, and, if necessary, not leaving much room for consumers and companies to opt for less sustainable alternatives.

Green living can be as simple as installing low water use toilets to complete construction plans. Green living can be as simple as a tweak in your homes design. Design can influence our overall impact on the environment and home. Green living can be money saving depending on how you approach and stuff so make sure that to you look at the overall cost savings of things.

Green living can be gorgeous! From flooring to restoring, remodeling to recycling, to solar panels , find smart and stylish ideas for turning your home into an earth-friendly oasis. Green living can be as easy as using 10 less plastic bags a month!

Citizen Advice

Dyslexia is a neurological disorder for which the symptoms are that the brain seems to be unable to properly interpret the signals it processes from the eyes and earswhich results in differences in what is being perceived. Dyslexia usually shows itself as problems with reading, spelling and converting written symbols (letters) into words and sounds. The condition is quite widespread with as much as 10% having to deal with some form of dyslexia.

In recent times we have learned a great deal about dyslexia, especially in the last 15 years. Dyslexia in children is now routinely screened for and detected in elementary school and before. We now know that children with dyslexia learn differently and need special coaching to get around the difficulties they might otherwise experience.

Those of us who finished grade school more than 15 years ago had a rougher go of it. Most dyslexics got branded as “slow learners” or “underachievers” and were stygmatized by this type of label. They felt shame and embarrassment and developed elaborate defense mechanisms to hide the fact that they were different.

It is estimated that almost 95% of adult dyslexics remain unaware of their condition. A simple easy-to-take dyslexia test could identify their condition and set them on the road to overcoming their dyslexia problem(s).

Dyslexia symptoms in adults include problems with reading, a reluctance to read anything aloud, difficulties in transcribing messages received by phone and being employed in positions below what their intelligence and experience would seem to warrant, these, among a longish list of other related symptoms.

Most of what has been learned about dyslexia comes from clinical studies, focussing on the problems of dyslexia. However, there is a positive side to dyslexia too. Dyslexic people seem to learn to think in different ways from non-dyslexics. They learn to visualize the whole picture rather than the details of the parts. Many excel in fields where this is important, fields such as architecture, graphic arts, acting and business.

This phenomenon is so common and the trend is so pronounced that such people are said to be “blessed with dyslexia”! There are many, many famous people with dyslexia. Notable and famous dyslexics include Whoopi Goldberg, actress and comedienne, Cher, singer and actress, and her daughter, Chastity Bono, Jackie Stewart, racing driver and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

If you, or anyone you know, has any symptoms that might indicate dyslexia, by all means get tested at once. A competent, detailed test is available online, takes half an hour, can be taken from anywhere you have an Internet connection and costs less than dinner for two at a medium-priced restaurant!

Disclaimer: The information given here is taken from public information printed and distributed in medical and educational journals and articles in newspapers. This is not and there is nothing here that is intended to be, pretends to be or should be taken as any type of medical advice. The reader is referred to his or her physician or other qualified medical specialist for any medical opinion or advice needed or sought after.

By – John R. Olsen

http://www.viralmarketing.12niche.com/

It’s already Spring time, which means the Parvo season is upon us already, and there is an infinitely more aggressive strain of the Parvovirus that is killing dogs at an alarming rate. The 2c Strain can kill both adult dogs and puppies within 6-12 hours after symptoms first appear, even though they may be fully-vaccinated and up-to-date with all their shots.

To see whether you’re current with the latest Parvo situation, we’ve put together the following short quiz. These are all True/False questions:

1. Parvo is a puppy disease and my adult dogs are safe.
2. All of my dogs are up-to-date on their shots, therefore they are protected.
3. I’m worried that my cat can get infected from my Parvo puppy, should I be?
4. Foul-smelling dog diarrhea mainly comes from eating junk food.
5. Canine Parvovirus is not contagious to humans.
6. My vet quoted $750+ for Parvo treatments for my dog, I heard this is low?
7. Parvo cannot survive snow and desert-heat temperatures.
8. Parvo can only be spread via infected dog feces.
9. Parvo can incubate from 3-15 days before symptoms appear.
10. Parvo tests at the vet are always accurate.

People seem to have many misconceptions about the Parvovirus. There’s one thing for certain, it will attack your pet and can take his life if you do not get on top of the situation swiftly. Many times, people are taken by surprise and just have no idea what to look for. Parvo symptoms can appear from absolutely nowhere – one minute your dog is playing and the next minute he is moping around and looking very depressed.

The typical symptoms of Parvo can mislead you at first. You may assume your dog has just eaten something that disagreed with him, when indeed he may already be infected and very ill with the scourge of the Earth, Canine Parvo virus.

This is why we wrote Parvo Treatment 101, which is a FREE eBook that will help you learn much more about Parvo and what are the dog Parvo symptoms to watch out for. We also talk about exactly what is an effective Parvo treatment. You will undoubtedly run across many different treatments for Parvo, and we can help you understand their advantages and disadvantages, as we’ve done tons of research into this issue.

We hope that you found this information both useful and interesting and once you download your free copy of our eBook, that should clear up many issues about Parvo.

And finally, how did you do on our little Parvo Quiz? You’ll want to score at least 9 … Well, we can help you out. If you visit our Parvo Emergency Treatment Blog we will have all of the answers to this quiz and maybe other questions you may have on your mind.

Reviews

How can one even look at a stout shiny dining or kitchen chair without wishing to make it more comfortable with cushioning, yet the choosing of kitchen chair seat cushions which don’t dominate your kitchen decor is not a simple matter. Although you can purchase a set of chair cushions for $5 at the local dollar store, they may not match your room’s decor or complement your style. Cheap chair pads are filled with thin, durable fabric and poor quality work.

You will be rewarded with a set that lasts longer and is far more comfortable if you take the trouble to choose well-made, quality decorative seat cushions. When choosing chair cushions for wooden chairs, take these things into account. Select the appropriate size of the seats – if the mattress is too tiny, it will be uncomfortable. If it’s too large, it will look bulky – and the edges of the chair seat will add to the wear on the fabric and cut the life of your cushions.

Make sure that any ties are sewn into the seam of the cushion. When people sit and stand, chair ties take a lot of pulling and tugging. If the ties are sewn into the seam, they’re far more likely to stay attached.

Your purchase of country chair cushions will actually help to keep your room tidy as stain guard treatment will rest stains. If you find the perfect cushions and they’re not stain resistant, invest in a can of stain resist or stain guard to make it easier to keep them looking fresh and new. Your kids eat here in the kitchen, I am assuming. Choose washable chair cushions – or one with removable, washable covers. Some spills are going to soak in even with stain guard. The convenience of being able to throw your chair cushions in the laundry will simplify your life. Be sure to pick cushions in a durable fabric, that is able to stand up to the wear of lots of seating.

Corduroy, denim, chintz, canvas and duck are all good choices for fabric that wears like iron. Firmly sewn into the seam between the top and bottom of the cushion should be rolled edges, piping and ruffles. Check the seam closely for breaks or gaps, giving a tug on the ruffle or piping to be certain it won’t easily loosen. Cushions that are tufted look attractive, however, they aren’t that comfortable for sitting on for a long time. If you do choose tufted cushions, make sure that any buttons are sewn on through all layers of the chair cushion to avoid losing buttons to wriggling bottoms.

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Even though the economy is bad, we still need a little vacation now and then. I spent some time doing research to see if I can arrange a nice trip while saving money in the process. There are a bunch of major travel websites offering nice travel deals to a lot of destinations.

The choice of travel website should not only include finding the lowest price for car, hotel and air travel, you also want a company with a reputation for arranging a vacation without problems.  I can look for the best prices on airfare and hotel rooms, but if I find a travel destination where I can drive my own car, it might save me even more. One obvious choice is Southern California.

A lot of vacation ideas are provided at the SoCal Vacation Guru site.  It presently places most of its attention on Los Angeles and Orange County, with a modest but growing emphasis on San Diego County and San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. In addition to information and insight related to the beaches, Disneyland, shopping, dining, hotel options and other attractions, there is good coverage on Universal Studios at the SoCal Vacation Guru site.

The SoCal theme parks include Disneyland (with Disney’s California Adventure), Knott’s, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld and Legoland. Of course visiting all of those would not be particularly cheap, but you could fit a lot of vacation fun into a short period of time. If your budget allows in this slow economy, you can probably find some great hotel deals, with many hotel operators and other vacation businesses really looking for your patronage.

You might also get better deals now for tickets to theme parks, museums and other activities. Despite increases and fluctuations in gasoline prices, a driving trip to So Cal might well be a cheaper vacation option for many Americans than flying to another vacation destination.