Marc's Blog: 05/01/2004

Finally I found Heart's new website! It used to be www.annandnancy.com. Heart-Music.com

Did Michelangelo Have Autism?
Aloof, Obsessed, Self-Absorbed -- Yet One of History's Greatest Artists

By Jeanie Lerche Davis

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Wednesday, May 26, 2004
WebMD Medical News

May 26, 2004 -- Classic tortured genius: The great artist Michelangelo may have suffered from autism, new research shows.

The report, which appears in the Journal of Medical Biography, provides a synthesis of new evidence about the famous 16th century artist, renowned for painting the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

"He was a loner, self-absorbed, and gave his undivided attention to his masterpieces -- a feature of autism," writes lead researcher Muhammad Arshad, PhD, a psychiatrist at Five Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust in Great Britain.

"Michelangelo met the criteria for Asperger's disorder, or high-functioning autism," Arshad adds.

In his report, Arshad outlines research into the great artist -- taken from numerous works, including notes from the artist's assistant and his family. It all points to high-functioning autism, he says.

Autism is a complex disorder that does not affect intelligence. But it does impact how people perceive and process information. Difficulty communicating, social isolation, a need for control, and obsession with very specific interests are hallmarks of autism. For some people, all this makes daily functioning quite difficult. Others get along fairly well, even attend regular schools.

Michelangelo likely suffered from high-functioning autism, called Asperger's syndrome, says Arshad. Some of his evidence:

The men in Michelangelo's family "displayed autistic traits" and mood disturbances. His family described him as "erratic" and "had trouble applying himself to anything." As a child and young man, he did not get along with his family and suffered physical abuse.

The artist was aloof and a loner. The artist's mentor described Michelangelo as being unable to make friends or to maintain any relationship. He did not attend his brother's funeral, which underlined "his inability to show emotion," writes Arshad.

He was obsessed with work and controlling everything in his life -- family, money, time. Loss of control caused him great frustration. He was able to generate, in a short time, many hundreds of sketches for the Sistine ceiling -- no two alike, nor any pose similar. He gave his undivided attention to his masterpieces.

He had difficulty holding up his end of a conversation, often walking away in the middle of an exchange, writes Arshad. He had a short temper, a sarcastic wit, and was paranoid at times. He was bad-tempered and had angry outbursts.

He rarely bathed, and often slept in his clothes including his boots. "He has sometimes gone so long without taking them off that then the skin came away, like a snake's, with the boots," wrote the artist's assistant.

"Michelangelo's single-minded work routine, unusual lifestyle, limited interests, poor social and communication skills, and various issues of life control appear to be features of high-functioning autism," Arshad concludes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOURCES: Arshad, M. Journal of Medical Biography, June 2004: vol 12, pp 115-120. WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise, "What is autism?"

Did Michelangelo Have Autism? - Trustworthy, Physician-Reviewed Information from WebMD

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COMPUTING
Google mail looks promising as a select few try it out
By DWIGHT SILVERMAN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

The quickest way to get people to want your product is to tell most of them they can't have it. Give it to just a handful of "special" folks, then stand back and watch the riot begin.

The view of the melee must be sweet to the honchos at Google, who have created a stampede of desire among the digirati for Gmail, a free e-mail service not yet available to mere mortals.

Since its beta test began — Google will only say its current user base is in the "thousands" — Gmail accounts have become hot commodities on eBay, and at least one Web site (www.gmailswap.com) has been created as an online bazaar where accounts can be traded for goods and services.

Google won't say when Gmail will be open to everyone, which only adds to the allure.

It's not all marketing magic, however. Gmail really is different and already better than its competition in many ways. I suspect that, the exclusivity play notwithstanding, it will be a big hit once it's open to everyone.

One of Google's many smart moves in testing Gmail was to give accounts to technology reporters and columnists, who've since been writing paeans of geek love in its honor. I'm one of the chosen few, and I'll also sing its praises. But for those of you suddenly experiencing the ugly flush of envy — one of the seven deadly sins, mind you — let me give you some relief:

It really is just an e-mail account. Honest.

But you can't have mine!

There are three features that make Gmail unique:

• Users have a gigabyte of e-mail storage space, far more than any other free service offers. For example, Yahoo offers only 4 megabytes (though Yahoo officials announced this week it would bump that up to 100 megabytes, still only a 10th of Gmail's storage).

• Rather than sorting e-mail into folders, Gmail encourages its users to rely on Google's renowned search capabilities to find specific items.

• Gmail is free because its costs are covered by advertising. Ads appear on the right side of Gmail's viewing window and change based on the content of the e-mail being read at the time.

This last item has raised concern among privacy advocates, who worry about confidentiality. California's Senate this week even approved a bill that would limit how Google could implement Gmail. But having used Gmail since late April, I think these fears are unfounded and, frankly, based on ignorance.

No humans — except for the sender and recipient, of course — read users' e-mail. Google uses the same technique for generating the ads that it employs on Web sites that sign up for its context-sensitive advertising program. The text is scanned by a computer, which finds key words and displays advertisements associated with them.

For example, if you get mail from Mom raving about a new restaurant, you might see ads for that kind of eatery. I found many of my e-mails don't generate ads at all. I'm just too boring, I guess ...

In fact, Google's ads are less intrusive than those found at other e-mail sites. No ads are imbedded in e-mails you send from Gmail to others. The Gmail site has no banner or pop-up ads. In fact, the ads are less apparent than the minimalist, text-only ones you see on the right side of Google's search engine results pages.

Gmail's layout is simple and clean, and it is almost completely text-based. (To see a screen shot of Gmail's interface, visit the online version of this story at www.chron.com/technology.) That means it loads quickly, even on the slowest computers and Internet connections. The inbox is dynamic, so mail appears immediately upon arrival — no need to refresh the page to see new items, which is required with many Web-based e-mail services.

However, e-mail sometimes can take a while to show up. E-mail sent to a Hotmail account and Gmail invariably shows up in Hotmail much sooner. This could be a function of the beta test, if Google is using a limited number of servers to process mail.

As mail comes in, it is automatically sorted into what Gmail calls "conversations." Both outgoing and incoming items are grouped together under common subject lines, so you can quickly see a complete thread. Because most e-mail services and software place outgoing mail in a "Sent Items" folder, this may take some getting used to, but it's very convenient.

Once you're done reading a conversation, you clear it out of the inbox by clicking the Archive button. This hides older mail but leaves it open to Google's search feature, Gmail's strongest feature. I was able to find every piece of mail I was looking for on the first try, which sure beats combing through folders. The process was as fast as Google's Web searches, with results popping up instantly.

For those who can't shake loose of the folder metaphor, Gmail offers an alternative. You can label e-mail items, then sort by that label. The difference here is that you can apply multiple labels to each e-mail. For example, you could label Mom's e-mail about the restaurant as being about food and being from a family member.

With a gigabyte of storage, Gmail's operators encourage users not to delete anything. In fact, if you move something to Gmail's trash, then delete that item from the trash, you'll get this message: "No conversations in the trash. Who needs to delete when you have 1,000 MB of storage?!"

(As is the case with most of Google's products, a gentle, almost impish sense of humor prevails. When you clean out the inbox by archiving and thus hiding its contents, you'll see this message: "No new mail! There's always Google News if you're looking for something to read.")

Gmail has other features you'd expect to find in a Web-based e-mail service — including behind-the-scenes spam filtering as well as filters you can set up yourself — though it lacks others. You can't add an automated signature to the bottom of each e-mail, for example, nor can you access standards-based e-mail accounts, such as POP3, from Gmail.

However, Gmail is far from finished. What I'm testing now may be quite different from what the masses see when Google finally throws open the gates to the public.

HoustonChronicle.com - Computing: Google mail looks promising

The HEART Gallery

Audio clips of Heart's new album being released on June 22, 2004. Barnes & Noble.com - Jupiter's Darling

ETonline.com Newslink: Newslinks#l5#l5#l5: "Heart Rocks On 'Jupiter'
May 28, 2004

Rock star sisters ANN and NANCY WILSON strutted their stuff at a launch party last night to celebrate the June 22nd release of their new HEART CD, Jupiter's Darling. It's the first new studio album in nearly 10 years for the band. The girls and their band will kick off a European tour June 3rd in Dublin and make their way to the U.S. July 22nd."

Perspective from a veteran gamer and MMORPG newbie WolverineJon - Am I Addicted Yet?

VirtualDub download (at SourceForge) - virtualdub.org

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Enter a contest, runs to May 31. MSN Entertainment - Spider-Man 2

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Blogging this without looking at it first. Smoke Kills

This man is a drunken idiot, he's an embarrassment and a disgrace to this country just like Bill Clinton was, I can't wait until he retires. I hope he takes Shiela Jackson Lee and Hillary Clinton with him when does.Ted Kennedy on the Issues

E! Online News - "Angel" Calls It a Night

"Angel" Calls It a Night

by Kimberly Potts
May 18, 2004, 4:15 PM PT

No matter how Angel ends its five-year run Wednesday night, fans of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff aren't going to be happy.

But the devoted viewers, who were so distraught when the WB announced that this season would be the show's last that they raised thousands of dollars to rent a billboard truck that blasted their support of the show, wrote thousands of letters, protested outside the WB offices and sent "Save Angel" chocolate bars to anyone and everyone connected with the show, may be shocked and even more distressed by the violent way 250-year-old vampire Angel and his cohorts end their prime-time run.

As Whedon told the Calgary Sun, "The cancellation was a horrible blow. It was much more emotional than I thought it was going to be.

"[And] the pain of loss when they canceled the show? I'm going to share."

Translation (that means SPOILERS AHEAD): In the episode, titled "Not Fade Away," there's no return of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), as had been long-rumored; one major character meets a grisly end; and another engages in a betrayal after deciding the whole good-vs.-evil fight isn't necessarily worth it.

In other words, those rumored Angel miniseries, TV movies and big-screen adventures depend not only on the WB's decision on whether or not to continue the Angel universe in any form, but on who's still standing at the end of the series finale.

The cancellation of Angel comes just one season after Buffy wrapped its run--with a decidedly more upbeat ending that the Wolfram & Hart gang will see--on UPN.

Despite the demise of its sister series, the WB's decision to slay the David Boreanaz drama was somewhat surprising. Most fans and critics agreed that the show had experienced a creative spark this season, thanks to the addition of Buffy alum James Marsters as cheeky bad boy Spike and to juicy storylines like Angel and crew finally taking control of the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart and the deaths of main characters Cordelia (Playboy cover girl Charisma Carpenter) and Fred (Amy Acker). The show has averaged more than 3.9 million viewers this season, up from 3.7 million last year.

But even a ratings boost for first-run Angel airings wasn't enough to offset the network's unhappiness with the dismal ratings for repeats--the WB loves its "second-view" repeats of its drama series--and that, along with what Whedon says is Angel's failure to fit into the network's big picture for financial success, did the show in.

"We were staring at a brick wall, which is the financial model the WB operates by," Whedon said. "This is a really bad time for television and for television drama. I just felt we didn't have a shot, or I would have been outside the WB with a placard and bullhorn myself.

"Ultimately, [Buffy and Angel] were cult shows. We didn't make Friends. No one is going to use us as a financial model. If I had invented reality TV, I would have had a greater impact. But then I would have to kill myself."

As for the future plans of cast and crew, at least two of the Angel-ites are already busy with other projects.

Whedon is beginning production on Serenity, the big-screen continuation of his failed Fox series Firefly.

And Marsters, who shaved his head and auctioned off his blond Spike locks for charity after the Angel finale was shot, will next continue his tour of the U.S. and Europe as lead singer of his rock band, Ghost of the Robot, but has been mentioned as the star of another potential Buffy spinoff.

"I have no idea what's in the future, but what I do know is that I play a vampire and the clock is ticking on how long this face can be believably exactly the same as when we met [Spike]," Marsters told the Associated Press. "If they want to do something, let's not wait too long."

Meanwhile, Angel star Boreanaz, who recently told TV Guide Online that he's looking forward to having some time off, is the cast member most reluctant to revisit the series.

"I don't think I will, no," Boreanaz said when asked if he would come back to the character. "The only way I would do any kind of loose-end wrapping up would be if the pieces were right, and if they decided to do it on a different, higher level, like a film...If they decided to do that with Angel and if the pieces were right, fine. But you never know where everyone is in their lives at that moment."

Boreanaz did say he is content with the way Whedon decided to end Angel's TV life.

"I'm comfortable with the way they're ending it. It's very open-ended. The title of the episode is 'Not Fade Away,' which I dig [because it's] a Grateful Dead tune. It goes out fighting, which I think is great."

E! Online News - "Angel" Signs Off...Or Does He?

"Angel" Signs Off...Or Does He?

by Jennifer Godwin
May 21, 2004, 9:15 AM PT

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's finale launched a thousand Slayers; Angel's finale launched a thousand...fanfics? After five years on his own show, and eight years on the small screen, Angel's swan song left fans more than a little uncertain about his fate.

The WB's Angel ended without finally telling viewers exactly why Powers That Be picked Angel to help the helpless, if he got the girl in the end, or even if he managed to slay that pesky fire-breathing dragon. (He's a champion--of course, there's a dragon, silly!)

So what do we know for sure? Well...

Angel (David Boreanaz) signed away his Shanshu prophecy, leading fanboys and girls everywhere to worry that this meant he'd lost his chance to become human and marry Bridezilla, er, Buffy. In response, other fanboys and girls pointed out that in the Angelverse it's actually very hard avoid to your prophesized fate.
Angel's kid Connor came back, and Angel told him that so long as he survived, Angel would survive. (One way or another.) So, Connor scampered off to carry on the family name--what exactly that family name is, we may never know...
Wesley died a good death.
Lindsey died a bad death.
Cordelia, Fred and Doyle stayed dead.
Lorne retired from Angel's army of darkness fighters. (He's more of a lover, you see...)
Buffy castmembers Buffy, Willow and Giles were nowhere to be seen.
Spike went to a poetry slam. (No, seriously, he did.)
Harmony betrayed them all, but got a smashing letter of recommendation anyway. (Apparently it's all part of the evil benefits package.)
In the midst of all these character developments, things blew up and demons threatened armadeddon-ish stuff, and in the end, Angel, Spike, Illyria (the artist formerly known as Fred) and a mortally wounded Gunn did some loin-girding for a big ol' battle (complete with dragons). And then the credits rolled, and they probably all died heroic and violent deaths. (Or did they?)
The uncertainty left behind by the finale drew mixed reaction from fans. One Web poster wrote, "Well, that was the best first half of a season finale ever...what happened to part two?" Another wrote, "Enough loose ends to keep the fic writers busy for, oh, the next 50 years, and that's the important part." Others didn't dwell on the details and just mourned the loss of their favorite Wednesday evening entertainment: "Damn it, damn it, damn it. No more show. Show gone."

Whatever the fates of his characters, Joss Whedon and his cast won't be MIA for long.

In two weeks, Whedon begins shooting Serenity--his big-screen directorial debut and celluloid rendition of his short-lived space opera Firefly. And after that? As E! Online TV columnist Kristin Veitch reported, the WB might try to compensate fans for the sudden cancellation of their cult-favorite show with a TV movie or two.

It's all still in the rumor stage, but after the finale's broadcast Whedon wrote to fans, "I don't know if the Buffyverse is going to return to TV, but I hope so, and I know we'll be putting something out there. Maybe on HBO, 'cause I like me some cussin'."

As for the actor who played the lunky, lurky hero? When asked if he would be interested in an Angel TV movie, Boreanaz said in interview with DarkCommandos.com, "No. I'm interested in a feature film, and it would have to be done right, it would have to be done with a higher bar. I've always thought this could be done really well as a feature film with the characters."

Movies, TV or otherwise, aside, the Buffy-Angel franchise should continue for ages with videogames, comic books and the upcoming Buffy: The Animated Series. Meanwhile, you can catch Boreanaz later this year as a slightly different dark avenger in Wicked Prayer, the fourth installment of The Crow series. While Charisma Carpenter's TV pilot Cats and Dogs didn't get a nod for the fall season from UPN, you can still get a glimpse of her on the cover of this month's Playboy. And Andy Hallett brings his green genes (and hearty pipes) to a computer-animated feature called Geppetto's Secret--he'll be voicing the Cricket.

As for immediate future, fans and fanfic writers of the world, there's a cue for you in the final words of Angel's final installment: "Let's go to work."

Metromix.com: Touched by 'Angel':

From the Chicago Tribune
TELEVISION

Touched by 'Angel'
A fond farewell to the small but superb show that proved vampires are people, too

By Maureen Ryan, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune staff reporters Maureen Ryan and Raoul Mowatt contributed to this story

Their bad.

The evil weasels at the WB canceled "Angel," and the show's final episode aired May 19. If there was a hell dimension handy, we'd toss the meanies that run the WB network into it.

Yes, "Angel" was a cult show on a smaller network (this season an average of about 2.8 million households tuned in each Wednesday, according to Nielsen Media Research). Yes, it was a lowly spinoff from another cult show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." And unlike your average network drama, it showcased a brooding, soulful vampire with a complicated hairstyle (David Boreanaz as the title character), who was surrounded by a gang of wisecracking, apocalyptic evil-combating sidekicks.

Not exactly "CSI: Los Angeles," was it?

But that's one of the things that made it so great -- you certainly couldn't accuse "Angel" of being a copycat show. And once Joss Whedon, who co-created "Angel" with David Greenwalt, and the show's writing crew really hit their stride, "Angel" actually topped the much-praised "Buffy" in terms of character development, visuals and spectacularly involving plots.

Too bad the love the show inspired in its fans -- who swamped WB execs with letters, cards and even a "save our show" billboard or two when "Angel's" cancellation was announced in February -- never translated to high ratings. Well, the WB's loss is . . . er, our loss too. At least we may have (according to news reports) future "Angel" TV movies to look forward to -- and for latecomers to the party, the entire series is in the midst of being reissued on DVD.

But until then, we're looking back on all the things that made "Angel" such a savior to fans of quality television -- and recalling the show's valuable educational components, as well.

5 CHARACTERS WE LOVED

1. Wesley Wyndam-Pryce (Alexis Denisof): No character on the show (aside from Gunn) changed more; he went from prissy, bookish uber-Brit to tough yet melancholy butt-kicker.

2. Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter): We didn't know how much this spitfire brought to the show until the departed Cordy (who spent a long time off-camera in a "coma") came back for one episode during Season 5.

3. Lilah Morgan (Stephanie Romanov): This evil (or not so evil?) lawyer's relationship with Wesley was layered with heaping spoonfuls of love, hate, disgust and attraction. Delicious.

4. Daniel Holtz (Keith Szarabajka): Angel murdered his family (back when Angel was bad). This made Holtz very, very mad. And it made him the most compelling nemesis Angel's fang gang ever had.

5. The Groosalugg (Mark Lutz): "Groo," a character from Lorne's wacky home dimension, was a courtly, winning hero who won fair Cordelia's hand (for a time, anyway).

5 CHARACTERS WE DIDN'T LOVE

1. Lindsey McDonald (Christian Kane): This Wolfram & Hart lawyer bugged us at first, but he was slightly less annoying as time went on. Just slightly.

2. Eve (Sarah Thompson): The insipid "liaison to the senior partners" of the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart didn't impress us much. Especially when she started liaising with the oily Lindsey McDonald. Ick.

3. Darla (Julie Benz): Lots of people love Angel's fellow vamp, but we don't. Her breathy voice and hammy acting made her a pain in the neck.

4. Spike (James Marsters): Love the actor, love the character, but eventually he was given too much screen time on "Buffy" and then on "Angel," where too much Spike-osity almost ruined the ensemble nature of the show.

5. Kate Lockley (Elizabeth Rohm): If you see the first couple of seasons of "Angel" on DVD, trust us -- just close your eyes and hum loudly whenever this character, an L.A. cop who keeps crossing paths with Angel, comes on the screen. You'll thank us.

LESSONS I LEARNED FROM WATCHING 'ANGEL'

1. Friends stay friends, no matter what: So you've ascended to a higher plane of existence, as Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) mysteriously did during the third season -- don't worry, your friends will be there for you when you return to Earth. If you happen to be transformed into a powerful, probably not-so-nice, godlike entity, as Fred (Amy Acker) did this season, no matter. Your friends will stick with you, if only, as in Fred's case, to mourn who you used to be. The point is, friends stick together, weathering each other's ups and downs, even if those "ups" include trips to heaven and the "downs" drag everyone into hell.

2. But you do pay a price for your questionable actions, even among friends: Let's say, for example, one friend -- with only the best intentions -- kidnaps another friend's only begotten child (these things happen, right?). When just that scenario went down between Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and Angel, the consequences were severe: After Angel's son was dragged into a hell dimension by a bad guy, Angel and his fang gang angrily (but temporarily) exiled well-intentioned kidnapper Wesley from the gang. And when Fred and Gunn (J. August Richards) paid a call on the man who had sent Fred to yet another hell dimension (on this show, hell dimensions are more common than convenience stores), the complications that ensued drove the couple apart. So, your friends will usually stick by you, but please try to keep hell dimensions out of the picture.

3. Equal opportunity applies to bloodsuckers too: The rules of vampire life have become much more flexible (and management friendly). Specially treated glass for office buildings and cars allows for a 24-hour workday -- no more skulking back to the coffin at dawn. Any other obstacles are no match for the staff of L.A. law firm Wolfram & Hart, which Angel and Co. took over during Season 5. In fact, with an ample supply of pig's blood on hand, being a vampire is nothing more than another lifestyle choice!

4. Being bad doesn't mean you can't be redeemed: At one point, Angel reverted to his super-bad-guy status (being happy for a single moment turns Angel into a scary hell-dude). But his friends did all they could to restore him to his formerly cuddly (yet broody) state. And though Fred has turned into one heck of an angry (and overly talkative) she-goddess named Illyria (above), her friends still love her, or what she used to be. That's devotion, since remaining in Fred/Illyria's general area could be kind of unsafe.

5. Even if your life revolves around doing good, repenting, saving the world and the time-consuming application of hair gel, you don't have to be super-serious all the time: For an episode midway through Season 5, Angel was turned into a pint-size puppet (above), and one of the series' high points had to be his rendition of "Mandy" at a demon-infested karaoke bar. Can that vampire vamp or what?

3 MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

1. Where did the Lorne (right) love go? The comic delivery of Andy Hallett, who played the green lounge-lizard/demon Lorne always had us in stitches, and any guy who survives his own beheading gets props from us. But in Season 5 he got just a few lines per episode, much to our chagrin, and Season 4's "Lorne in Vegas" episode had potential but it just didn't click. Is it unrealistic to hope that Lorne gets his own spinoff variety show?

2. Fred and Wesley's sad story: Because Joss Whedon is a sadist, when this obvious couple finally got together (after years of mutual attraction), their budding relationship was cut short by Fred's transformation into the vengeful goddess Illyria. Bummer.

3. Angel and Cordelia's sad story (below): The writers were clearly hinting that these two were going to get together, and we're not quite sure why they didn't (actress Charisma Carpenter's mysterious disappearance from the show during the middle of Season 3 didn't help). Then all of a sudden, Angel's son Connor (Vincent Kartheiser) got snuggly with Cordy and . . . uggggh.

1 OPPORTUNITY WE WISH THEY HAD MISSED

The whole Connor-Cordelia affair: Anytime a grown woman takes up with the son of her best friend (and almost-boyfriend), well, that's a whole lotta uggggh. We realize it was the only way to incorporate Charisma Carpenter's pregnancy into the plot (actually, we could think of other story lines that would have done the trick), but still. Did we mention uggggh?

Test to see if e-mail post works and to see if new comments appear.

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Supposed facts (I haven't read this yet to see if it slants one way or the other.) Social Security

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Give your name a ruggedly rusty look in Photoshop.
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Popular Photoshop questions deserve answers and today we dish them out.
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Goodnight!!! Several users of the search engine's Gmail Web-based e-mail service noticed Tuesday that their storage limits had quietly been raised to 1 million megabytes, or 1 terabyte. That's four times the typical capacity of a new high-end PC's hard drive. Google tests waters with terabyte e-mail limit | CNET News.com

Up until now portable external hard drive controllers were only for pc 3.5" hard drives. Now you can easily transport your laptop hard drives with the new 2.5" Aluminum Mobile Disk External Data Storage. With the ease of simple wire management this product is ideal for travel. The external enclosure is powered through a USB port and connect to your system through another USB port. This USB 2.0 compatible product is designed to operate with Windows 98 and above and Mac 8.6/9.X/XP. This plug and play Mobile Disk External Data Storage is all you need to transport one laptop's files to another system without undergoing the tedious procedure of ghosting a system or transferring data on disks.
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More kids medicated for behavior disorders

By LINDA A. JOHNSON
Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. -- As more children take pills for attention-deficit and other behavior disorders, new figures show that spending on those drugs has for the first time edged above the cost of antibiotics and asthma medications for kids.

A 49 percent rise in the use of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs by children younger than 5 in the last three years contributed to a 23 percent increase in usage for all children, according to an annual analysis of drug-use trends by Medco Health Solutions Inc.

"Behavioral medicines have eclipsed the other categories this year," said Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco's chief medical officer. "It certainly reflects the concern of parents that their children do as well as they can."

Antibiotics still top the list of the most commonly used children's drugs, but parents are paying more for behavioral drugs, such as stimulants or antidepressants, according to the analysis of drug use among 300,000 children younger than 19.

Medco, the nation's largest prescription benefit manager, was to release the data culled from its customers' usage today.

The most startling change was a 369 percent increase in spending on attention-deficit drugs for children younger than 5. That's in part because of the popularity of newer, long-acting medicines under patent, compared with twice-a-day Ritalin and generic versions available for years.

The use of other behavioral drugs also jumped in the last three years. Antidepressant use rose 21 percent, and use of drugs for autism and other behavior disorders jumped 71 percent, compared with a 4.3 percent rise in antibiotics.

Epstein said 17 percent of total drug spending last year for children younger than 19 was for behavioral medicines, compared with 16 percent each for antibiotics and asthma drugs, 11 percent for skin conditions and 6 percent for allergy medicines.

Use of such behavior medicines has been controversial, with some experts questioning whether parents and school officials are too eager to medicate disruptive children.

But other experts say no.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing that these medicines are being used more," said Dr. James McGough, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles' Neuropsychiatric Institute.

McGough said kids on attention-deficit drugs tend to avoid substance abuse and other problems and do better in school.

However, McGough said rising use of antidepressants among adolescents is a concern, because there's little proof they work in young people and evidence has surfaced that they may increase suicidal tendencies.

Overall, 5.3 percent of children took some type of behavioral medicine in 2003, including 3.4 percent on attention-deficit medicines and 2.3 percent on antidepressants, according to the study. Some children are on both types of drugs. That compares with 44 percent who used antibiotics at some point, 13 percent on asthma medicines and 11 percent who used allergy drugs.

Use of asthma medicines increased 15 percent from 2000 to 2003, and use of medicines for gastrointestinal problems jumped 28 percent, mainly because of new drugs for the stomach gas that gives babies colic.

Dr. Richard L. Gorman, director of the American Academy of Pediatrics' drugs committee, said that while there may be "initial overprescribing" of attention-deficit disorders, children are typically taken off the drugs if they don't work.

HoustonChronicle.com - More kids medicated for behavior disorders

Riders of Stormwind (Powered by Invision Power Board)

MSN Careers - Top Secrets of Resume Writing - Career Advice Article

Angel taken from MSN.

Just because the wry vampire drama "Angel" is over doesn't mean it's the end of the world ... even if the final episode does include an appearance by the Apocalypse.

"Angel" creator Joss Whedon— whose efforts to remake the show this year boosted ratings and garnered continued critical acclaim, only to see it canceled by the WB network regardless — says the theme of the closing installment is "keep on fighting."

That goes for the title hero himself, a youthful-looking 250-year-old vampire, played by David Boreanaz, who is trying to redeem past decades of undead wickedness by helping the hopeless amid the supernatural evildoers of Los Angeles.

"Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal down dirty way," Whedon told The Associated Press.

"Some of our characters lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it."

"Keep on fighting" also applies, Whedon added, to the thousands of fervent fans who, in a desperate bid to keep "Angel" around for one more season, protested, petitioned, wrote letters and even mailed out free chocolate bars to anyone remotely associated with the fate of the program.

They want more, more, more and are bitterly angry at the WB for dropping the show, which lagged in repeats. The WB, which in the meantime is exploring a different vampire drama with a remake of the supernatural soap opera "Dark Shadows," has responded to "Angel" fan lobbying by proposing a return to the show with occasional TV movies or a miniseries.

Nothing is on the slate yet, according to Whedon. It's up to fans to maintain the pressure.

"Part of me is still thinking about TV movies," he said. "The WB did propose the idea of doing something ... but it was kind of offhand. There was interest in that, but I haven't heard anybody really pursuing it."

One of the people the fans will have to persuade is Boreanaz. "As far as returning to the show for a reunion, I could probably put that to bed now: I have no interest in doing that," he said, adding that he would, however, be open to a theatrical movie. "It would have to be a bigger challenge rather than going back to something."

After the cancellation, there were some hurt feelings among the cast and crew that manifested itself in the finale.

"We put a lot of that heartbreak into the script, into the show, so it would hurt as much to watch as it did to have it taken away from us," Whedon said. "I would not have been as brutal about the ending had we had another season."

The last episode of "Angel," titled "Not Fade Away," is considerably less upbeat than the conclusion to its sister show, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which ended last year with the heroine and her friends successfully closing a major gateway to Hell.

"Angel" finishes with a less victorious tone, and the show's admirers may be surprised by its brutality.

At least one major character meets a grisly death. Another decides fighting the good fight is no longer worth it. By the time the show is broadcast on May 19, fans may find there aren't enough survivors for a reunion special.

The show's admirers developed a special relationship with the cast of supernatural-fightin g misfits: Wesley, a bookwormish occult expert whose comic-relief role devolved into tragedy and betrayal; Lorne (Andy Hallett), a green-skinned, two-horned do-gooder demon who can read minds by listening to a person sing; Gunn (J. August Richards), a streetfighter who sold some of his righteousness for mystical intelligence; and Spike (James Marsters) a rival vampire-with-a-soul whose bad attitude brought a welcome dose of pragmatism.

Marsters, who was brought over in this fifth and final season after being a regular on "Buffy," said the closing scenes of "Angel" represent a dark moral: "Being a hero doesn't mean you succeed in saving the day. It just means you tried."

Already this past season, they saw two major characters meet their deaths. Charisma Carpenter, who played Angel's sarcastic sometimes-love-interest Cordelia, returned from the dead in spirit form to guide her friends on a final quest. Then Fred, the winsome scientist played by Amy Acker, died when her body became possessed by an ancient malevolent spirit.

There remain a lot of loose ends to tie up, but they all come down to one thing: the end of the world. All through the show, evil powers have conspired to manipulate Angel into triggering Armageddon, clearing the way for ghouls, ghosts and other creatures to reclaim the Earth.

Angel's immortal soul — the thing that makes him ache over past wrongs, unlike his soulless vampire brethren — hangs in the balance, and he could find himself cursed through eternity.

If his character survives the finale for a return to the "Angel" universe, Marsters said he'd be game to revisit the bloodsucker Spike.

"I have no idea what's in the future — but what I do know is that I play a vampire and the clock is ticking on how long this face can be believably exactly the same as when we met him (seven years ago on `Buffy')," Marsters said, laughing. "If they want to do something, let's not wait too long."

MSN Entertainment - News - 'Angel' Ends With Fans in Mourning

Download free keylogger - "Perfect Key Logger" - invisible (stealth) keylogger. Download freeware keystroke recorder!

TechTV | Free File: Perfect Keylogger Lite: "Keep an eye on what your family members do on the computer."

Jewel Bridie, father Jack Bridie

Fun game. Warthog Launch

I think I have blogged this before and if I have, oh well, probably won't be the first or last time. "Free courses! Try one today - they're fast, easy, and fun." HP online courses

Interesting. Wi-Fi open to jamming attack - ZDNet UK News

This is BS! You CANNOT catch and shoot the ball in .4 seconds! The Spurs were robbed! HoustonChronicle.com - Fisher's buzzer-beater trumps Duncan, Spurs: "Kobe Bryant was pleading for the referees to put more time back on the clock after the ball fell through the basket. But there was just enough. According to the rules, at 0.3, all the Lakers could have done was tap the ball toward the basket. They would not have been permitted to catch it and shoot. "

World of Warcraft Beta Gameplay Discussion - Diablo-ing the items. (Blizz)

HoustonChronicle.com - Woman had to wait months to have skull replaced: "MIDVALE, Utah -- After a lot of red tape, Briana Lane has her skull back in one piece.
The 22-year-old woman was injured in an auto accident in January, and doctors temporarily removed nearly half her skull to save her life.
But for nearly four months afterward, the piece of bone lay in a hospital freezer across town -- and Lane had to wear a plastic street hockey helmet -- because of a standoff with Medicaid and the hospital over who would cover the surgery to make her whole again.
The surgery finally came through after an excruciating wait, during which she suffered extreme pain just bending down and would wake up in the morning to find that her brain had shifted to one side during the night.
'When you think of weird things happening to people you don't think of that,' Lane said. 'It's like taking out someone's heart -- you need that!'
Sonya Schwartz, a health policy analyst for Families USA, a consumer health care group, said insurance horror stories happen every day. But 'this particular story is outlandish.'
On Jan. 10, Lane's car rolled over on an icy canyon road above Salt Lake City. Lane, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown through the windshield. (She was later charged with driving under the influence and not having a driver's license.)
Doctors at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center in Salt Lake City removed the left side of her skull to treat bleeding on her brain. Lane's doctor originally scheduled the replacement surgery for mid-March, a month after her release from the hospital, said her mother, Margaret McKinney, a nurse who works in another division of the medical center.
But the operation was canceled the night before because the hospital was waiting to see whether Medicaid would cove"

Something Awful - The Internet Makes You Stupid

PCWorld.com - Who Knew Your...PC, Software, Camera, Printer, Network, Drive, Handheld...Could Do That?: "...You could share files without using e-mail or FTP? Have you ever wished you could move files to a folder on your PC and have your friends see them on their PCs almost instantly? Well, wish no longer. FolderShare--a free, secure peer-to-peer file-sharing program--is so convenient that I use it almost daily. Here's how it works: Start by inviting one or more people to share a specific library. The invitation asks them to download a small application that will let them 'connect' to the library. They then associate a folder on their computer with the library and download any of the library's files to their local machine via drag-and-drop in Windows Explorer. The free version of FolderShare allows you to queue up to three files for download. You can work with as many as 100 libraries, each of which may hold up to 3000 files (the maximum size of any single file is 2GB). For $4.50 per month, you gain the ability to automatically sync files. FolderShare is an ideal way to bypass e-mail and FTP servers when you want to share big files. Registration is required for the download. And read my Home Office column from last July, 'Move Big Files Without Breaking a Sweat.'
Bonus tip: Still moving your files the old-fashioned way? Download HJSplit, a free utility that lets you span big files across several CDs, floppies, or other media."

PCWorld.com - Who Knew Your...PC, Software, Camera, Printer, Network, Drive, Handheld...Could Do That?

PCWorld.com - Free Tools: DVD-Copying, Spyware-Free File Sharing

TechTV | Free File: Storyboard Tools: "Know what video footage you want to capture before you let the camera roll."

LOL World of Warcraft Beta Gameplay Discussion - Lakeshire Griffon Master

ESPN.com: Page 2 - Pee is only a wee bit gross

Unbelievable. Who cares who wins now? MSNBC - Another Idol shocker: La Toya London ejected

TechTV | Free File: CutePDF Writer: "Print PDF documents with ease using today's free download."

Get Back in Shape! Fitness on MSN : Exercise & Train

I can't believe I haven't written about...

(Obviously in no particular order or degree of importance.)

* The Rockets making the playoffs and the individual games and their exit in the first round and the rest of the playoffs.

* The Astros and how well they are doing this spring.

* My trip to New Orleans back in February and my first Mardi Gras.

* My ex-manager Dena Johnson and her demotion and then termination. I'll miss you Dena.

* Videos I have seen and my review of them.

* How much I have enjoyed playing the World of Warcraft Beta

* My kids.

OoooooK Subservient Chicken

Leoville

Leo Laporte's site The Laporte Report

TechTV lays off San Francisco staff | CNET News.com

Damnit!! TechTV lays off San Francisco staff | CNET News.com

How To Build the Ultimate Gaming System on a Budget, Step by Step, Part 1

MSN House & Home - America's Best (and Worst) Cities for Dating

The 'O' Files: 13 Unsolved Outdoor Mysteries Fitness on MSN : Outdoors

World of Warcraft Beta Gameplay Discussion - Who's that woman in the SW bank?

FTD NFO Lookup

MSN Entertainment - Summer Movie Guide

Hmmm great idea! I'll have to check this out. TechTV | Bootable Windows CD: "When your hard drive craps out, there's still hope for recovery."

I changed my e-mail link to my new Gmail account. TechTV | Cat's Clicks: Gmail Mania: "The dirt and the daisies on Google's new webmail service."

TechTV | Cat's Clicks: Your Virtual Host: "Hire a virtual host to greet visitors at your website with this innovative tool."

The Weather Pixie:

TheFreeSite.com is the best place to find freebies, freeware, free stuff, samples, downloads, email, games, free software, fonts, Webmaster freebies, MP3s, sweepstakes, contests, coupons, catalogs, free food

TechTV | Free File: VDMSound: "Download a must-have app for any hard-core DOS gamer running Windows NT, 2000, or XP."

TechTV | Free File: 'Grand Theft Auto': "Tap into your inner gangster with this Rockstar Games classic."

This is an interesting topic. I like mangasutra's ideas on the first page.World of Warcraft Beta Gameplay Discussion - Poll - Is there an Economy?

Wagon - STFUYWLB! World of Warcraft Beta Gameplay Discussion - Welcome to 39! Destination: Purgatory

A blurb about WoW from Gamespot -

Sure enough, though, Blizzard Entertainment saw fit to get in on the excitement of last week by suddenly unleashing the World of Warcraft beta. Soon as I got that email, I dropped what I was doing and initiated the two gigabyte download. That same night, I posted my first impressions of the game based on several of hours of feverish play. We also posted dozens of new screenshots lifted directly from the beta, which feature a wide breadth of content from the game, so be sure to check them out.

I spent an undue amount of time continuing to play World of Warcraft this weekend and remain thoroughly impressed with what I've seen so far. The raw talent possessed by the artists, programmers, and designers at Blizzard really shines through in this product, especially when you compare it directly against any similar games out there. To reiterate a point from my impressions, one of the things that really blows me away about the game is that it has virtually no loading time at any point. If you've ever played any other online RPG, then you know it can take several long minutes just to start playing, and that lengthy interruptions often occur during transitions between gameplay areas. Not in World of Warcraft. The game already runs smoothly and looks and feels like it's practically done. Many online RPGs have been released in a much less polished state than this beta, so one can only wonder how Blizzard will improve the game from here on out, leading up to the release. My guess is we'll be playing World of Warcraft this July, on the anniversary of Blizzard's last two major game releases.

Falling in Love -- a Gender-Bending Experience
May 6, 10:28 am ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Falling in love -- that crazy, blissful feeling -- causes gender-bender changes in men and women's testosterone levels.
A study by an Italian researcher shows that when couples fall in love their testosterone levels alter. It falls in men and rises in women so they become more like each other.

"Men who were in love had lower levels of the male sex hormone testosterone -- linked to aggression and sex drive -- than other men," New Scientist magazine said Wednesday.

"Love-struck women, in contrast, had higher levels of testosterone than their counterparts."

Donatella Marazziti, a scientist at the University of Pisa in Italy, made the discovery after studying 24 people in love.

"It's as if nature wants to eliminate what can be different in men and women, because it's important to survive at this stage," she said.

Not all scientists agree with Marazziti's interpretation of the results and some say changing testosterone levels could be a result of increased sexual activity.

But whatever the reason it doesn't last long.

Two years later, when the same people were tested again and were no longer madly in love, their testosterone levels were back to normal.
Excite - News

aMotionPerfect

ImagesPro.com Top: Software: Search for 'make avi'

CNN.com - CDs, DVDs not so immortal - May 6, 2004: "Dan Koster was unpacking some of his more than 2,000 CDs after a move when he noticed something strange. Some of the discs, which he always took good care of, wouldn't play properly."

link2u.tk - BitTorrent Links Site

TechTV | Cat's Clicks: Andale: "Learn about the products you're buying and selling before you post your bid."

TechTV | Photoshop Tip: Fix Red-Eye in Photos: "Make sure the people in your pictures don't look possessed."

TechTV | Free File: 123 Password Recovery: "Reveal passwords that have been misplaced by your short-term memory."

E-Eeasy.Com - GetMail Hotmail Forwarding Made Easy

as I live the questions: Importing Hotmail to Gmail: An Easy Solution Using GetMail

TechTV | Call for Help Archive

Woohoo! My blog finally shows up on Google!

If you use the search phrase - Marc's Blog All my life's a circle - it should be the second one down.

MSN 36 Hours

PetNet Reports - PetNet Reports

TechTV | Sub-$500 Gaming PC, Vol. 3: "Find out which parts brought the Norton 500 to life."

TechTV | Sasser Worm Strikes: "Latest worm is slow moving and doesn't use email to spread."

TechTV | Free File: IconArt: "Create custom icons and cursors from scratch."

Fitness on MSN : Exercise & Train

MSN Entertainment - News - Spike Gets Shorn

World of Warcraft Beta Gameplay Discussion - Level 39 Druid thoughts

Make a mint on eBay

eBay has become the most popular auction site in the world. There are great bargains to be had and it's also a vehicle for sellers to make a buck or two. But can you really make a living as an eBay seller? And can that living actually make you rich? Joining us today are Stephanie Bass with Cotton Tales Consignment and Tina and Todd Quattlebaum wtih EZBayer.

Moderator:
Thanks for your participation in our chat tonight. We'll begin at 7pm Central time.

Moderator:
During our chat, make sure to hit 'Show New Messages' to view the most recent posts.

sue

hello,
i win some bids on ebay and love it but i want to sell some stuff myself. is it easy and do you make a good amount of money? thanks, sue

Moderator:
Our chat is now beginning.

sue

hello,
i win some bids on ebay and love it but i want to sell some stuff myself. is it easy and do you make a good amount of money? thanks, sue

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
it is more complex and there is a learning curve, however, ebay offers a lot of information on their site to learn from. Also ebay Live is happening in New Orleans in June so that is a great opportunity to network. Good luck!

Amanda

How do you get started? Where do you get stuff to sell?

Stephanie Bass:
Started to sell once my twins started outgrowing their clothing. I specialize in kids clothing since they outgrown so fast, it is easy to get repeat business. I get the items from major chain stores (on sale), garage sales and from friends/family.

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
out of your house, just your time an eBay fees. To open a store, start up cost and lease committment which can be up to $50,000 plus depending on space, equipment, employees, etc.

Joseph

How many hours a week do you spend listing and completing the auctions that are posted? What income range can be achieved with a full-time effort and with what types of products?

Stephanie Bass:
I spend Wednesdays from 9-5 doing various things Ie: post office, emails, etc. Saturdays, 7am-noon shopping and picture croping, and sundays 2pm-10pm listings. Full-time depends on value of items, you can quit your day job. But you will be working more like 60-80 or more hours. You can sell anything on ebay.

CajunGirl

Are there any places in the Houston area to get wholesale items at real wholesale prices?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
it is very limited to obtain true wholesale, however, many people buy items from Sams, Costco, etc. and resale on eBay. Keep in mind not everyone has a Sam's, Costco to access. Also, be careful what you purchase to resale as it is all about supply and demand.

Michelle Harland

I am interested in doing dutch auctions on ebay. Does that work out well if you have many quantities of one product.

Stephanie Bass:
I have not found dutch auctions not be very profitable unless it is a HOT item. If you have a lot of items in the same auction, it reduces your selling value.

ron

is ebay seller bound to any taxes

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
yes, you must pay states taxes for the state you live when you sell to people in that state and you income is subject to IRS tax

Tom

What is the one thing everyone should know?

Stephanie Bass:
Can't just have one thing: you need a catchy title, well crop and sharp pictures, and detailed description

Phil413

I have sold some items on ebay before, but the problem I tend to have is with customers items getting lost in the mail. What is your solution to this problem?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
Hi Phil - use delivery confirmation on everything through the USPS and tracking with others, also insurance will proctect you - if something happens they can file the claim

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
Visit the eBay Home page to Register. To buy, a short form will get you started. To sell, it is just a few more questions including a credit card will be required.

ERIC

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO START AN EBAY ACCOUNT

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
Visit the eBay Home page to Register. To buy, a short form will get you started. To sell, it is just a few more questions including a credit card will be required.

TexChoctaw

Tina & Todd- where is your shop located? What is your Web address?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
Hi-we are at 6505 S Rice in Bellaire (corner of Bissonet & S. Rice). Our eBay seller id is EZBAYERTX and our web address is www.ezbayer.com Come by and see us!!!

Christine

Do you use PayPal and do you ever have problems with it?

Stephanie Bass:
I do use paypal. I have not had any problems. As soon as I received payment, I send it directly to my bank account. I don't recommend leaving money in your paypal account.

SweetDsMom

What are the hottest selling items on ebay?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
designer and name brands sell the best. something that is unique to be able to search (i.e. they don't search for a purse, they sell for a COACH purse). Electronics also sell well, again a name brand

Kevin

I bought a lot of clearance electronics from a major department store locally. (mainly 35mm cameras) What has been your experience with that type of products?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
if they are new in the box and a name (i.e. Sony), they will do okay. Digital does better, but they will do well

Tim

Is it necessary to get a small business license?

Stephanie Bass:
Not necessary, but you should have a sales tax id.

nikkie

If you don't deserve a bad message, how do have it remove?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
Square Trade (www.squaretrade) will assist, however, it is a process of proof, etc. If you don't go that route, you may also just respond to the bad feedback, but it will still show as a negative

Brendi

What made you all decide to open an Ebay drop off store?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
it requires a store front to take it to the next level. It is limited as to what you can do out of your home (space, shipping, etc.!) It also gives people a comfort level when they are leaving their items

Eddie J.

Hi, I'm a stay at home mom and my 7 year old out grows his clothes quickly. Would his clothes be something I could sell on ebay? Where do you find ideas about what to sell on ebay?

Stephanie Bass:
I sell children's clothing very successfully, althought I have done my most profit on 0-4T items. If you do want to sell higher sizes, I recommed selling in lots. Make sure there are no stains and name brands. That sells the best.
Ideas are best found by going to the completed auction pages of items you are thinking of selling. See what they started theirs at and be competative.

Chuck

Why don't you leave money in your paypal account is that a problem? It seems easier if you are buying on e-bay to have money in that account. whats your thoughts.
Thanks
Chuck

Stephanie Bass:
I have had friends a long time ago have problems w/ money dissappearing from their paypal accounts. It has never happened to me and I have not heard about it since ebay took over paypal, but I feel safer. When I buy on ebay, it just comes from my personal checking account. I can better keep track from my own bank account

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
for a normal auction (7 day listing, no reserver or minimum bid) we charge a $5 listing fee and 20% commission for items that sell for $50+. Items under $50 are the same $5 listing fee and 25%. It is very competitive as most are 35%-45% plus the eBay fees. Our fees cover all ebay fees and there are no other charges to you.

timrd518

When you sale on e-bay by consignment, what percentage do you take?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
for a normal auction (7 day listing, no reserver or minimum bid) we charge a $5 listing fee and 20% commission for items that sell for $50+. Items under $50 are the same $5 listing fee and 25%. It is very competitive as most are 35%-45% plus the eBay fees. Our fees cover all ebay fees and there are no other charges to you.

chad

What's the best time frame for auctions. Is it best to leave it as long as possible (9day auction). Is there a rule of thumb?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
We use the 7 day auction the most and start auctions Sunday-Wednesday night. On some items we will start them on Thursday and run a 10 day. 6-10pm for the auction to end is generally the best time of day, although some items do better ending during the day.

Leah

Stephanie- what is your user id? Do you have an ebay online store?

Stephanie Bass:
cotton_tales. I currently don't have an online store, but looking into it. I am one of those that has started slow and growing monthly. I list new items every Sunday.

Carol

Isn't it risky to sell with no reserve or minimum?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
in general reserves are discouraged as it will usually impact the bidding and interest. People perceive that the reserve protects your interest, however, if the item is valuable, people will bid and it will exceed any reserve that may have put on it

Barbara

Are sales slower during the summer months? If so, what do you recommend selling during that time.

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
summers months are good for summer related activities - sporting goods (golf clubs, etc.)

Joe

What kind of collectibles sell the best? I have some that I'd like to sell to get started.

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
things that were made as a collectible do not do that well (Hummels, etc. that were made in mass quantity). Nostalga and vintage toys do well - things that are hard to find in good condition

Judy

What procedure is followed once you sell your item?

Stephanie Bass:
Send an invoice, followup w/ a personal email. Reiterate your payment policy.

DentalHistorian

Is there a market on eBay for historical dental office items from the 1800's?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
yes definately! especially if it is good condition. Go on to the eBay Home page and do a search for vintage antique dental items - you will see current items, on the left hand side you will see a box that you can check that says completed items, click on that and you will see the selling prices of the most recent items. Good luck!

Dianeofhouston

Could you tell me about the listing service that allows me to list a lot of items then "List"? So I don't have to be on line all of the time.

Is there more than one service? do you have to buy the program?

Diane

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
there are a few good ones - Turbo lister is great for starting out as it is free (check it out on Seller Services from the eBay site). We use Andale which is a great program as you expand, however, there is a fee

donna

How do craft iteams do? Things you hand make

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
they don't do very well unfortunately. In general, a brand (i.e. Disney, Sony, etc.). Sometimes handmade clothing for children will do well like a pair of overalls dolled up with lace, fringe, etc.

timrd518

do you use any price research tools when determining your asking price?

Stephanie Bass:
I use the completed auction page on ebay, free! You can purchase software such as Andale.

will-and-mary

What is the one item or one category you all would advise getting into?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
there is really so many - in general what you know about is the best to sell. Knowledge is invaluable!

Jen

I am trying to slowly start a business on ebay. I know it is important to build your seller reputation with feedback, but sometimes I can not get my buyers to leave any feedback at all. Any suggestions?

Stephanie Bass:
You can do several things: simply send an email asking for feedback after you have left feedback for them. I send a note in the shipment asking for feedback and I also send the buyers an email when I have shipped to inform them it is on its way and that "I would appreciate positive feedback to help my business grow".

eBayStrategy

How do bidders go in at the last second and win the auction? Is there software out there to do this for a person?

Stephanie Bass:
They use a software that you can purchase off the internet that "snipes" the auction. Just search under auction snipe or sniping and see what you come up with.
Some even sit at the computer and wait till the last second as well.

tina

are there any books that you would recomend for more info?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
Jim Griffeth wrote a great book - A-Z on how to sell on ebay. It is around $99 and gives great advice, describes pitfalls etc. Get it from the eBay store on the eBay site

John

Could you give a few details about how you utilize photos on your ebay listings?

Stephanie Bass:
Take pics from many angles, close up and far away. If there are any details, highlight it. If there are any flaws, show that as well.

Kathy

Are there any other ideas about where to get items besides garage sales, estate sales, flea markets and auctions?

Stephanie Bass:
Wholesale clubs like Sam's and Costco you can get a great price! Also, Discount chains like Ross, TJMaxx, and Marshalls already have the items at 50% off, then they clearance and you can get it for 75%-95% off.
Don't forget about Outlet stores, Chico's, Talbots and Off Saks 5th Ave!

Joseph

Hi,
I've seen these eBay Live events. Are they a good way of finding sources for products?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
WONDERFUL ways to network and view selling products. Senior management of eBay also attend so it is a great way to provide them feedback. There is one in June in New Orleans

Joseph

Hi,
I've seen these eBay Live events. Are they a good way of finding sources for products?

Moderator:
We've extended the chat until 8:30 because there have been so many good questions. Keep posting questions...it's not too late. See more on this chat tonight on Eyewitness News Tonight at 10pm.

Kevin

There are so many "wholesale Lists" or "Bulk Lot" listings, are these worth risking time and money to check into?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
They are, just be careful as they will put in one name item and the rest will be no name or old items. Again, research and education and reputation. Be very careful of fraud!

Butler

Is there a way to get your website listed in your eBay listing? I have heard it is a good way to start getting traffic to check out your web site. What are the no-no's?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
you can type in in your description but it cannot be linked. Technically, it is a no-no. It is best to put it in your About Me page

chuck

Why is it best to sell items during the week isntead of on the weekend?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
in general people are occupied with other things (i.e. baseball games, kids activities, etc.)

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:

Mary

At what point do you have to make before the income you make becomes taxable? I don't have an ebay store and would probably just sell some of my kids stuff.

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
that is not taxable as it is something you have already paid tax on and will probably sell for less than what you paid

Jen

Do you find it to your advantage to start your listings, extremely low, say one cent - or is this a bad idea?

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Jen

Do you find it to your advantage to start your listings, extremely low, say one cent - or is this a bad idea?

Stephanie Bass:
Selling mostly clothing, I find that if someone wants it they will pay one cent or 5 dollars. I have actually felt like I have lost money by selling too low because it gives your item less value. Buyers may think to not look at it becuase it is flawed in some way. Just list for the lowest you would be happy with.

Max

Do you offer workshops?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
it is something we are considering. eBay also offers a weekly chat that is helpful to learn about eBay

jaw44

Do you ship many items to non-USA buyers and do you charge an additional fee for shipping to non-USA buyers?

Stephanie Bass:
Yes, I ship internationally. USPS has a great website that is you know what the item weights you can figure out the cost before going to the post office. I usually charge $3.50 handling due to paypal cost higher for international payments. The profit is the same for US or NON-US buyers. We do not discreminate. :)

jkendrick

Do you see a lot of sales with the Buy it now or do most of your items go to full auction?

Tina and Todd Quattlebaum:
less than 5% of our auctions are buy it now and a lot of times the auction process will exceed the buy it now price. Some items will do well with a Buy it now.