Tips to Save Money During a Vacation

Vacations Cost Money

Any vacation worth its salt costs money. It can confidently be said that this is not a big deal as vacations are supposed to cost money. Others may not be that fortunate to take vacations every year, while many people are. Please bear in mind that vacations cost money, without regard to your position. The people who take regular vacations have some ideas they can share and help you save some money. The vacations they had taken would have given them these ideas. If you want to save some money while on a vacation, these tips will be useful.

Take a Trip During the Off Season
If you want to take a vacation, there is no reason why you should do it during the prime tourist season. Costs of everything you want to do will be higher during this time. Tourist destinations are known to over-charge consumers during this time. Vacations taken during the off season will be beneficial to you in many ways. Ask for any offers that may be available when making your reservations early. Small towns that are tourist attractions have less hotels located in the area, therefore be prepared for the eventuality. Local people in these places are looking out to rent accommodations for tourists. With a little effort these places can be found. These places have plenty of parking spaces available if you are driving your car. Your expenditure on parking charges will thus be reduced.

Meals While on Vacation
Food is a necessary expense that everyone has, whether they spend a lot or a little on it. Attempting to eat out for the entire duration of your vacation will leave you with a hole in your pocket. Therefore, try to find places that will allow you to cook your own meals. You will end up saving money that you would have to pay at a restaurant. You can look online and be able to find recipes, how to articles, and other resources to help you while on vacation if you are not a master chef.

Two's Company and Three's a Crowd
If you are a serious believer in the above adage, we suggest you leave it in cold storage for the duration of your vacation. Huge group discounts and rates will be at your disposal, when you have more people with you in the group. You will have to manage things for a while with a bigger set of people in the group. You will be having a great time while making a lot of friends. There are plenty of promotions and offers in the off season. Research the destination you have in mind well, until you have all the required information. Finally, do not forget to plan your vacation well in advance. Things tend to be less expensive when planned in advance than at the last minute. Give some of these ideas a try and you may well end up saving some money on your next vacation.

Tips to Repair and Maintain Autos

This is Just The Beginning

If you have an auto, you just cannot rest, thinking that it will run all the time. Auto repair and maintenance are the two important things you should always follow. Your car should always be kept in good shape. This in no way means that you should visit a repair shop only when your car breaks down. By that time it may be too late for you to lower your costs. If you want your car to remain in good working order get them maintained regularly at a reputed workshop. This will also help you avoid mishaps when you least expect it. You life will perhaps be made easier by some of the tips mentioned here in keeping your car in good working order.

Shop Around

If you have a repair shop that you do business with on a regular basis, you have your work cut out for you. However, if you don't, you will have to look around and find one. Your car can be driven for maintenance into many of the repair shops that can be found. What you will need is a shop, which you can trust that will understand the problems you face and take care of them. You just cannot afford to change repair shops and mechanics every time you face a problem. This proves very expensive in the long run. Dealing with one repair shop or mechanic will give you an advantage in terms of better prices. You will get better attention from the people you are dealing with as you will be treated as a loyal customer.

Get Quotes and Talk to the Mechanic

If you are looking to go into a repair shop for the first time, make sure you get a quote from a certified mechanic. The maintenance of your car depends on the quotes you receive, so this is one of the most important things you need to do. Talk to different repair shops without hesitation before you finally settle on one. All costs such as those for parts and labor should be included in all quotes. If a problem is minor, take a quote for that particular job. It is necessary that you make the mechanic understand what you are trying to explain by talking to him. Also, make sure that you both understand what is happening. A two way communication should be developed to help either of you.

Choose the Best Repair Shop

As you will be looking to establish a long term relationship, you will need to find a company that is considered the best and is within your budget. Let the shop have your requirements after establishing what you need first. Get a monthly maintenance contract complete with prices of parts and labor, if that is what you are looking for. Choose a repair shop that has an unmatched reputation in the market. These costs may well be justified if the services offered are above industry standards, even though they may appear more upfront. If the job is not done properly you will end up paying more money.

Buy a Car for the First Time

Things everyone should know

Cars can cost a lot of money out of your wallet. It is really unwise to buy a car with a loan as so many young people do. I have a few tips for those of you who want to do this.

Tip Number One

Avoiding buying a new car is my first tip. A couple thousand dollars is lost just by driving off the lot. When you buy a car a few years old, you will save a lot of money. It will be more expensive and less practical to buy a new car for your first car.

Tip Number Two

The next suggestions I have for you is that you buy an old car. You are likely to rid yourself of your first car quickly. The idea is that you don't want to keep your first car very long. A good way to save money is to buy a car from the nineties instead of buying one from this year. Cars significantly drop in price when there is something wrong with it so that's what you should look for. A few years of work or college should be about how long you'll need the car to work.

The Third Tip

Remember to pay for the car in cash. Just to avoid a hassle, they will give you a bargain if you show up with cash. This will work with everything you buy. People are much more likely to sell things to you for a lower price if you have cash in your hands. Get a receipt or contract when you pay with cash. You will be protected if you can show proof of purchase.

The Fourth Thing To Do

The next tip I have is for you to save instead of taking out a loan for the car. Think about trying to take out a very small loan for the car if you take one out at all. Two things will happen for you; you will appreciate your car more and save a lot of money. It might seem ridiculously hard to try and pay back a car loan since it costs so much money. To buy your first car you need to take out as little loan as possible.

The Fifth Thing To Do

Take care of this car that you just put all this money into. Your car will probably run longer than a couple of years if you treat it right. It would be wise to change the oil and check the engine regularly. Try to keep yourself from going on too many long trips with the car. You need to keep the car clean on both the outside of it and the inside of it. All of these things will help you to have a nice, inexpensive first car that will run for a long time.

Blair offers justification for Iraq war (AP)

AP - An unrepentant Tony Blair defended his decision to join the United States in attacking Iraq, arguing Friday before a panel investigating the war that the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks made the threat of weapons of mass destruction impossible to ignore.

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Can going green bring consumers the fast cash they need?

Going green doesn’t have to be life-changing

Fast cash is hard to come by, and people looking to go green may think they won't be able to save themselves and the environment simultaneously. The environment is a top concern these days with the focus on global warming and recycling. Many consumers are laboring under the daunting task of installing solar panels on their roofs, building green homes from the ground up, and buying hybrid vehicles. Experts are saying that it isn't that big a task and consumers are thinking too big when it comes to the environment.

Change is in the small things

Michael Silvers, of GoGreen.com, said, "Going green doesn't have to mean changing the whole house from the top down. By far it's the little things consumers do in mass numbers that are going to change the world." Silvers is referring to focusing on homes and making small consistent changes. Here are some of the changes he suggests.

• Light bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs are one of the simplest ways to cut back on energy. It will cost more up-front to make the purchase, but over time it will save. Using a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulk instead of a standard 60-watt light bulb can save $30 over a bulb's lifetime. Considering most consumers have numerous bulbs in their home, it can add up to substantial savings and cut back on energy costs.

• Insulation. Another simple way to go green is to close up energy drains in a house, and insulation is the primary way to do it. Whether that's using weather stripping, caulking or insulation in an attic, any way consumers can cut back on loses of cold air in the summer or hot air in winter, they can save energy. It also will reduce monthly energy costs. The local government normally offers some low or no-cost programs that help consumers insulate their homes. A representative will come out and give tips on where the energy leaks are and how to seal them up. The savings can be put into an emergency money fund for fast cash needs. … click here to read the rest of the article t! itled “Can going green bring consumers the fast cash they need?“

Apple's Jobs unveils 'intimate' $499 iPad tablet (AP)

AP - Apple Inc. will sell the newly unveiled tablet-style iPad starting at $499, a price tag far below the $1,000 that some analysts were expecting.

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I hate it when my birthday falls on the important date of something else.

I know that my birthday is going to fall on the same day as an important meeting I have to go to this year in a different city. It is really sad. I have to go by myself to this other city where I won't get to see or talk to my family all day.

The business meeting is going to be dreadful. Birthdays aren't exciting anymore once you hit twenty five anyway. They just seem like pointless ways of reminding yourself that you are really old. I guess I will have to go out and do something fun that night by myself.

Do you write lists for everything?

I have a list for everything. I even have a list of what lists I have. I keep them all in a binder. I used to write them on everything everywhere I went: napkins, backs of receipts, papers, even toilet paper. But then I would lose a list.

When I lost a list, guess what would happen? I would have nothing to do. And important stuff would not get done. I would miss appointments. I would forget to pick up a child. So now I keep all of my lists in the lists binder. On the front page is a list of all the lists I have in the binder. Sounds crazy but it works for me.

Drink Great Wine on a Budget

Unless you’re a real wine aficionado, you probably lack the confidence to know which of those bottles of wine on-sale at the local BevMo are a bargain and which deserve the appellation, two-buck-chuck. That’s why we’ve asked two Master Sommeliers to suggest some wines that can stand-in for more well-known (and expensive) bottles. With the right attitude and our handy chart, you’ll upgrade your wine cred, impress your guests, and save money.

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<a href="http://www.mint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wine-3.jpg"><img src="http://www.mint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/wine-3.jpg" alt="wine-3" width="1323" height="794" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8301" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.mint.com/">budget planner</a> – Mint.com

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To Obama's Pile of Woes, Add a Failing Iran Policy

President Obama hoped to curb Iran’s nuclear program through a combination of engagement and sanctions. But he has little to show for his efforts on either front

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4 Steps to Planning a Vacation

Why Take a Vacation?

A vacation is supposed to be relaxing and an occasion to spend some quality time with family or friends. A vacation should be relaxing, and where you spend time with family and friends. Vacations should relax and rejuvenate you so that you face the future refreshed. Putting all your time into work can make it hard to find time for yourself or your family, so take a vacation. Relationships benefit greatly from the bonding time that comes from vacations. A good vacation may require you to take out a cash advance loan.

Plan for Pet Care

There are many things that you need to consider before going on a vacation if you want to enjoy it. If you have pets, be sure to make arrangements for their care while you are on vacation. You will want to find a place that is suitable for them to taken care of. You will find a number of places where these services are offered at a price. Proper care of your pets requires that you check them out before making the arrangements. Now you can be free to enjoy your vacation.

Vacation Plans

Now that you have made arrangements for pet care, it is time to get down to some serious planning. Smart trip planning will help you avoid chaos. Any children involved, makes the planning even more essential. A general agreement about your vacation destination should be reached before going further. After all, they want to have a good time with you, so take their suggestions without dismissing them as unwanted. Not listening to their suggestions will start out your vacation on the wrong foot. A fun vacation starts with this most important step.

Vacation Preparations

Now that you know where you are going to go, and everyone agrees, you need to start looking for the best deals that you can get. Planning early will help you find package deals, leaving you with more money and less cash advance loans. When companies have early reservations, they can depend on making more money, which is why they give great travel packages to those who book early. You may be able to find the best deals online. Listen to any friends who have been to the same place and get knowledge from their tips. Collect information you need to prepare you for any issues you come across. Saving up money for your trip, as well as for emergencies, you will have less of a need for a cash advance. Create a list of all the essentials you will need on your vacation and buy them now. Tourist spots are notorious for charging more money for the essential items.

Enjoy Your Trip

Before leaving, make sure you are carrying all the travel documents you need for every member of your family. Traveler's checks may make your life easier than cash should something happen to your wallet. You may need to resort to taking out a payday loan if your cash is stolen. A vacation is not for working, but for spending time with your family. You vacation is not for working, so do not even plan to do so.

You can be generous even during a financial fast

I thought it was a simple challenge, albeit a hard one.

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Outlook is Bleak for the Unemployed

A Grim Picture is what the Numbers Paint

We are all aware that money is tight for a lot of people these days, but somehow when the actual statistics come out it can still be quite shocking. A recent Associated Press article is reporting that more than 20 million Americans received unemployment payments over the course of 2009. The unemployment rate for the year hit 10 percent. It is easy to see why sales of many products are way down when one in every 10 people is out of a job.

It has been a Drawn out Struggle for Some

While there are not as many workers being laid off or let go as there were in recent months, many employers are still reluctant to re-hire until they see a dramatic upturn in the economy. Some of the people who have lost their jobs have been fortunate enough to find work elsewhere, even if their new jobs are not optimal. Lifestyle adjustments are often required, and people who have taken on casual jobs just to stay employed should feel lucky to find work at all. Among those without a job, 5.8 million have been unemployed for over six months. Circumstances like this can take a toll on the wallet, and also on the psyche.

The Vicious Cycle

With so many people out of work or working low paying jobs, there is little money being spent. Businesses relying on sales of some sort are struggling to get customers. They cannot take on extra employees because they are not making enough money to keep them, or at the very least, they are wary of what the economy has in store for us in the upcoming months and years. Also, the government stimuli are beginning to run out, so there is less money for businesses to work with. Consumers are unable to spend, and companies are unable to hire, which makes the economic crisis geared for a longer period of time.

How Long is the Crisis Going to Last?

The unemployment rate is starting to decline, but not fast enough. Experts are estimating that within a year's time the rate will be above 9 percent, slightly down from the current 10 percent. Since the job market has been so scarce, the government has had to extend the length of time a person can get unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks several times in 2009, and it appears they will have to keep doing so.

Job Competition is Fierce

If you are one of the many Americans who is unemployed and looking for work the odds are definitely not great. It’s estimated that for every job opening there are six candidates that are unemployed. There obviously are other people to consider. This number does not include the many employed people who are searching for full time or higher paying opportunities.

Try to Remain Positive

It can be tough to stay optimistic is such trying times. Taking a casual job can be humbling, but you can take pride in the fact that you have beaten the odds. Also, try thinking outside the box. If you have skills that would allow you to take on freelance work, this can be a great time to use them. Companies are far more likely to offer freelancers work than regular employees in tougher times. The internet has a lot of opportunities open online.

Rescues adds glimmer of hope to Haiti's grief (AP)

AP - Two people emerged from beneath the rubble of the stricken Haiti capital a stunning 10 days after its devastating earthquake, reviving fading belief that others may have survived.

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How to Make and Keep a Budget

First Things First

The first thing to do is get a piece of paper or program on the computer such as Microsoft Office. You should make categories personal to you that identify where your money will be spent. You shouldn’t put anything in a miscellaneous category. A rent or house payment should be a category. A utilities category should be made with electricity, water, cable, etc. Kids should have their own category. It is a good idea to keep your groceries separate from your restaurant money. There should be two categories for you and your spouse. All of your car expenses should be in a category with all the personal items in a separate category. The categories you made should help you to see where your money is.

Next Thing

Go through and make sure you know what amount is going to go to bills that can't be altered in any way. This is a place you might but things such as phone bills or rent. The amounts should be unchangeable so as to help your budget. This teaches you what money goes where in your budget. Once done with that you should then place amounts into each category that is what you normally spend. You can live a month and carefully record your spending to see what you are spending all of your money on. Each area of money will surprise you in how much you spent.

Last Thing on the List

The Last thing you have to do is make sure the budget balances out with the amount of money you are going to be making. This may be accomplished by subtracting from other funds such as personal funds. At the end of each month there should be some extra money to put into savings. You must stick to the budget. If you decide you want to go to a really expensive restaurant but don't have the money in the budget then you can't go. In the end the saving rather than spending will be worth it.

My experience

When I was in college, I struggled just like everyone else. I felt like there was no hope that I could pay for everything. My tuition, books, rent, electric, and other bills had to be worked out and paid. I thought I wouldn’t have any money left for things like food after paying it all. Each category had as little money as possible to be budgeted out to it so I could afford everything. I decided to start a new program for my money. It worked wonders for us. I was someone able to figure out how to pay the bills with a little amount of money. This program is still beneficial and used often in my family.

Pat Robertson Haiti Quotes

Anyone who has not heard the Pat Robertson Haiti quotes yet is lucky to have protected themselves from such remarks. Human beings really should have evolved beyond making such devastating statements so hurtful to fellow humans.

The quake news from Haiti continues to roll in, but sporadically and uncertainly and without verification. The Haiti death tolls that are being guesstimated are all over the map, ranging from the very broad hundreds of thousands, to one hundred thousand and now down to fifty thousand. The only good news in all of this is that the statistics are trending lower. Do lower death tolls signify a weakening correlation with the influence of the devil? Pat Robertson would have to be consulted about that. Even Rush Limbaugh might have some insight.

It is interesting that the more that is reported from Haiti and the more that is uncovered regarding the historic aspects of Robertson's remarks, the more solid the evidence that his statements were not only hurtful and demeaning, but they were simply wrong and not founded on truth. One would think that an individual who holds himself to be a leader of the Christian religion would be much more careful about checking his facts in order to make untruthful statements.

Voodoo, with all of its notoriety and apparently false reputation for being an evil religion does not have the power to be so hurtful as a few statements from a self appointed leader of the “good” Christian faith. Let’s all endeavor to change the channels and quickly flip the pages whenever we hear Pat Robertson’s name mentioned.

Haiti Death Tolls Rise

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The quake news from Haiti continues to roll in, but sporadically and uncertainly and without verification. The Haiti death tolls that are being guesstimated are all over the map, ranging from the very broad hundreds of thousands, to one hundred thousand and then down to fifty thousand. The only good news in all of this is that the statistics are trending lower. The latest news however is that the tolls are expected to rise. It is not clear whether this is due to uncertainty of the previous trend or to the concern over possibly deaths occurring due to unsanitary conditions. Do lower tolls signify a weakening correlation with the influence of the devil? Pat Robertson would have to be consulted about that. Even Rush Limbaugh might have some insight.

In unsanitary conditions, death can lead to further death. If bodies are not isolated and cremated or buried, they become unhealthful and can contaminate water sources with disease. As Haiti death tolls rise, death becomes more of a possibility for the population.

Injuries are only being guessed at, and unfortunately many injuries will turn into fatalities, especially if the pace of the relief effort does not pick up. It would seem that the number of injuries, ranging from critical to superficial, would be many times greater than the number of deaths. Injuries too will continue to rise as the heroic individuals performing dangerous rescue operations become victims themselves.

It seems that the number of homeless and displaced will be counted in the millions. In the long run, sheltering these victims will be the largest part of this relief effort. It may have to continue for years before Haiti gets back to normal. At least the weather is cooperating with the efforts of so many to help out Haiti and so many of its citizens.

Hayden's Dating Who?

“Heroes” starlet Hayden Panettiere has a new beau. The 20 year old was seen at the Miami airport yesterday with new boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko, a Ukrainian boxing champ 13 years her senior. It’s not the first time she’s been linked to an older man; she has also dated “Heroes” co-star Milo Ventimiglia and Viper Room owner Harry Morton. Is a 10+ year age difference too much?

Amy Fisher is making a comeback in more ways than one. Ex-’Long Island Lolita’ is set to do her part for victims of the Haiti earthquake by stripping. Amy will be donating tips from her upcoming topless dancing shows to a Haitian relief charity. If you’d like to make a more traditional donation to the earthquake victims, you can give to one of these charities; Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders.

For more on today’s hottest stories, check out our top searched list. What other big stories happened to! day? Let us know! Come back for tomorrow’s Hot Searches and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates.

Hot Searches From January 22, 2010
1. Betty Broderick - San Diego Socialite denied parole
2. Amy Fisher - Ex-’Long Island Lolita’ takes it off for Haiti
3. Toyota R! ecall - Vehicles recalled due to sticky gas pedal
4. Jon Cryer - Receives death threats
5. Hayden Panettiere - Dating 33 year old boxing champ?
6. Prince - Records fight song for Minnesota Vikings
7. Air America- Radio network shuts down and files for bankruptcy
8. Sean Salisbury - NFL quarterback finally comes clean
9. OctoMom - Shows off her bikini bod on magazine cover
10. Claire Danes - See through dress causes a stir

Also Try: used car, car rental, car dealer, car companies, car insurance, cheapest cars, car quotes, luxury cars, sports cars, auto insurance quotes

 

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Diane von Furstenberg's business branches out

Diane von Furstenberg goes into furniture

Diane von Furstenberg image from Flickr.

Diane von Furstenberg is one of the most highly recognized names in the fashion world, like Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani and Vera Wang. Now, here name will also be recognized in the world of home goods. In partnership with Springs home furnishing company, Diane von Furstenberg will release an international line of furniture, bedding, tablecloths. and bath accessories next year in January.

If this move sounds familiar, it’s probably because Vera Wang is also first and foremost a high fashion designer, but she also has a line of home goods. I haven’t yet found information on the price range for these new von Furstenberg goods, but if it’s anything like the price range on her clothing, I’d need more than a cash ’til payday loan to afford it.

Diane von Furstenberg’s career

This move into home furnishings and other goods expands Diane von Furstenberg’s already sizable empire. Diane von Furstenberg has worked with several different industries. In 1985 she founded a publishing house.  She started a cosmetics and home-shopping line in 1991. A few years ago she designed a Sidekick smartphone with T-Mobile.

And, of course, she has been a judge on “Project Runway” several times. (How do you think I heard of her?) Other fun facts about Diane von Furstenberg include: She was born Diane Simone Michelle Halfin. At age 18, she married a German prince, Egon of Furstenberg. Officially, that made her a princess. However, the two got divorced after having two children. In 2001, Diane von Furstenberg married Barry Diller, an American media mogul. Talk about a couple of power couples! Regarding her upcoming line of home goods, Diane von Furstenberg said: … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Diane von Furstenberg's business branches out“

Getting Quick Cash can open the Door for Skimming

What is skimming?

Anyone who has run to an ATM for quick cash has put themselves at risk for skimming. Skimming is a new type of thievery in the 21st century. Thieves set up electronic equipment that captures magnetic stripes on your ATM card. It stores your PIN number and then thieves use the information to withdraw money from your account. The technique is used at gas pumps, restaurants, ATM machine kiosks and retailers. Skimming is a growing security concern in 2010.

Avivah Litan, an analyst specializing in fraud detection and prevention at Gartner Research, said, "As economic conditions have worsened, there's been a noticeable increase in all types of card fraud. But ATM and debit-card fraud is the top area of concern we are hearing about from banks all over the world." Now that debit card spending is growing, the door is open for more fraud and consumers are warned to be careful with what locations they use to withdraw money and pay for items.

Gas stations the number one security risk

The number one location where skimming is prevalent is at the gas pump. Too many people get their gas on the fly. They pull up and use their cards as a debit card - inputting their PIN number. The problem is that when that PIN is entered, anyone who may have breached security at that location has access to your account. Litan said, "Gas pumps are notorious for skimming because they are produced by only a couple of different manufacturers, and if someone gets the key to one from a disgruntled employee, they can insert a skimming device inside the pump where it can't be seen." The safest thing to do is to use a bank card as a credit card when getting gas at a pump. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Getting Quick Cash can open the Door for ! Skimming“

Will Prince's Vikings song inspire Minnesota to victory?

Or will the Saints march all over Favre and send him back into retirement?

If I had written the Prince Vikings song, I would wear incognito glasses, too. (Photo: Wikipedia.org)

Prince is a Minnesota Vikings fan; of this there can be no doubt. There could be no other flash of insanity that would inspire such a rousingly swishy ditty like the one you hear in the video below. Will payday loans be enough for me to purchase industrial-strength noise cancelling headgear, like those used by the Tokyo sonic shock troops in Godzilla movies?

[youtube url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCPhNg_t9ZE"]

Fight on, Favre – or they might stop paying attention to you!

The Chicago Sun Times was gracious enough to include the lyrics to the Prince Vikings song, for your enjoyment. I may have altered it slightly for my own enjoyment, as I’ll be rooting for New Orleans in these NFL Playoffs. And why wouldn’t I, with former San Diego Charger Drew Brees and Kim Kardashian’s athletic action figure ready to go?

“I saw the future, said Prince.

the canopy of the baby carriage draws open
the mewling wail of Favre assaults our ears
he is the one who has soiled
and cried “Aft torpedoes, fire!”
he could use the throne
but he’d much rather lie prone … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Will Prince's Vikings song inspire Minnesota to victory?“