Hi HOSS, I've not been visiting the forum as much a sI usually do over the past several months and realized i'd not seen any new posts from you. missing them.

I have not been receiving the newsletter that gives me my sites of the month so it looks like I won't be posting any for the foreseeable future. :(

I was impressed by the snowmen. They had some good ones and the directions were very good.

Thanks HOSS, keep em coming.

Smart Year-End Tax Moves

http://www.bankrate.com/
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/video/taxes/end-of-year-tax-moves-to-make.aspx – Before you ring in the New Year, set aside some time to see if there are tax moves you should make before the end of 2014. This site covers 10 such moves including deferring your income, being generous to charities, and adding to your 401(k).

Holiday Gifts From Your Kitchen

http://www.sunset.com/
http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/holidays-occasions/gifts-from-kitchen-recipes – Food always makes a welcome gift and when it comes from your kitchen, it's even more meaningful. Take a peek at these 16 delicious recipes, ranging from Salted Chocolate-Pecan Toffee to Peppermint Stick Cocoa in a jar.

Escape To A Calming Oasis

http://www.calm.com/ – (I had a hard time trying to set anything)-- When the hectic holiday pace leaves you feeling frazzled, this site offers soothing images and music. You can use the timer to set the number of minutes you'd like to enjoy the scene or choose a timed "guided calm," which offers a voice-guided relaxation session.

Creative Ideas For A Snowman

http://www.hallmark.com/
http://www.hallmark.com/winter/ideas/how-to-make-a-snowman/ – Want to make a snowman packed with personality that will capture the attention of your neighbors? Browse around this site and get ready to impress. You'll find a list of handy tools, inspiring photos, and step-by-step instructions.

Not good enough, hold your hand out for a smack, lol. :) As always, thanks HOSS. :)

I realized I missed September so I added it after I posted October... Dadburnit anyway!!

Whoops! A little out of order this time. ;)

Is Your Fireplace Ready for Fall?

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ – With temperatures dropping, you may be in the mood to start a fire in your fireplace or woodstove. Before you do, take a quick look at this site. It offers reminders on the importance of inspections and cleaning, using the proper wood, and more.

Recipes for a Better Morning

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/healthy-breakfast-recipes – September is Better Breakfast Month and a great time to try some quick and healthy breakfast recipes. Take a look at delicious options including Blueberry Power Muffins, Greek Yogurt Parfaits, and Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese.

Understanding Ebola

http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/ – The recent West African outbreak of Ebola has captured headlines and understandably raised concerns. This site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a great resource for learning about transmission, signs and symptoms, risk of exposure, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Rake Up New Craft Ideas

http://www.bhg.com/halloween/crafts/fall-crafts-with-leaves/#page=2 – Those gorgeous fall leaves in your yard can be showcased in your home, thanks to this collection of simple craft projects. Use leaves as ornaments. Frame them like artwork. Or turn them into a wreath. The options are "tree-mendous."

Has Your Vehicle Been Recalled?

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration makes it easy to check whether any vehicle recalls apply to you. Simply enter the model year, make, and model and do a quick search. You can also enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to get more detailed repair information.

Sweet And Savory Pumpkin Recipes

http://allrecipes.com/howto/pumpkin-recipes/
– Pumpkin is the "in" ingredient this time of year, so join the fun by browsing through this collection of pumpkin recipes. You'll find Harvest Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Turkey Chili, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake, and more.

Easy Halloween Costumes For Kids

http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/easy-homemade-halloween-costumes-for-kids/pictures/index.html – If you haven't yet figured out what your kids will be for Halloween, you should be able to scare up some great ideas at this site. The costumes are adorable and can be put together pretty easily, even if you aren't the crafty type.

Advice That's Right On The Money

http://www.smartaboutmoney.org/ – It pays to know as much as you can about money and you can learn a lot here. This site offers financial advice and information for all stages of life including calculators, quizzes, articles on hot topics, and an extensive resource library.

fixed it. the dash was adjacent to the forward slash; I placed a space and it now works. :)

HOSS, the last link doesn't work. HERE it is. :)

Thanks HOSS, a couple of this months links look interesting to me. :)

W.r.t.memory, I purchased a memory and concentration course back in the early 70's (cost me the equivalent of £600). The gist of the course used memory hooks, chaining and associations to improve memory.

for example creating memory hooks enabled you to create lists of words, actions etc, an example of a memory hook word list would be

1 = stick
2 = swan
3 = camel humps
4 = sailing boat
5 = fatman
6 = golf club
7 = cliff
8 = race track
9 = monocle
0 = puddle
11 = 2 sticks
12 = stick hitting a swan
13 = stick hitting a camel

for example, say I needed to create a shopping list, each item of the shopping list would be associated with one of the memory hooks, e.g I wanted to buy a laptop. I associate this with the fourth memory hook. Then I'd imagine the laptop falling off the sailing boat. The funnier I make the association, the easier it becomes to remember the association. Once you've mastered the memory hooks (I created around 500 memory hooks when I first tried this method), you then start the process of chaining to create more complex memory hooks.

Enjoy Fair Food At Home

http://www.food.com/summer-grilling/state-fair-food/package – August is a busy month for state fairs across the U.S. If you just can't get enough of iconic fair food, check out this fairly spectacular recipe collection. It features favorites such as chocolate bacon, fried Twinkies, corn dogs, blue-ribbon pies, and more.

Learn Fast And Have Fun

http://www.memrise.com/ – If back-to-school season has inspired you to learn something new, you may want to check out this education site. There are thousands of free courses — from languages to history to trivia — all using science-based learning techniques to improve your memory and increase your fun.

How Well Do You Know The World?

https://geoguessr.com/ – You don't need to head to the airport to embark on a journey. GeoGuessor's games take you from desolate roads in Australia to the bustling streets of New York City and many places in between. To play, simply look at a photo and guess its location; the closer you are in miles, the more points you earn

Enter Your Birthdate For Cool Statistics

http://you.regettingold.com/ – We're all getting older. But thanks to this site, we can also get wiser. Enter your birthdate to see all kinds of factoids including how many birthday candles have been on your cakes so far, approximately how many breaths you've taken in total, and major news headlines from each phase of your life.

Thanks HOSS, as always, much appreciated for keeping this thread alive. :)

Learn To Be Safe In The Sun

http://www.foh.hhs.gov/Calendar/july.html – July is UV Safety Month. How much do you know about the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays and how to protect yourself from them? Take the Sun Safety Quiz here and find out. Be sure to review the tips provided on clothing, shade, sunscreen, and more.

Watch The World’s Wind

http://earth.nullschool.net/ – Thanks to supercomputers and weather satellites, the Wind Map team has come up with a global map of the wind. Click and drag to rotate the globe or double click to zoom in. Click once to see what the wind is doing at any point in the world.

Discover Your Inner Artist

http://weavesilk.com/ – This interactive site helps you create works of art using just your mouse or touchpad. Click on "Draw something" to begin the process, then let the spirit move you. Everything you draw will automatically be duplicated to make a symmetrical image.

Try New Recipes Featuring Summer Produce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/ – Summer fruits and vegetables are a rainbow of deliciousness. So whether you get them from your backyard, a farmers' market, or the grocery store, make the most of them with this crop of Food Network recipes including Watermelon Cucumber Salad and Fresh Peach Cake.

Blockbuster Or Bomb?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ – Summer is the blockbuster movie season and you'll have plenty of choices at the movie theater. Before you turn over your hard-earned money for tickets, however, check and see what reviewers and audiences are saying at this site. It will help you pick better flicks.

Support During A Health Crisis

http://www.caringbridge.org/ – CaringBridge is a site that supports private pages dedicated to those in a health crisis. Instead of flooding Facebook with sensitive information, you can create a CaringBridge page and invite family and friends to visit. While there, they can get patient updates and share good wishes.

Find Best Airfare Bargains

http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/ – By using this site, you can take a vacation from the hard work of trying to find the best airfare deals. Just enter where you want to go, and its "Dealhounds" will watch for the lowest prices on flights to that city and alert you of them. It's a doggone easy way to find a travel bargain.

Plan The Perfect Picnic

http://www.mrfood.com/ – International Picnic Day is June 18. To get ready for the celebration, check out these recipes. You'll find all kinds of delicious foods to go in your picnic basket or cooler including Crisp Cucumber Salad, BLT Burritos, Iced Green Tea, and Lime Margarita Bars.

thanks HOSS :)

Thanks, Hoss.

The "If the Moon were only One Pixel" was interesting.

If The Moon Were Only One Pixel

http://joshworth.com/dev/pixelspace/pixelspace_solarsystem.html – Just how vast is the solar system? It's difficult to wrap your head around it so this site does its best to explain. It uses a scale model based on "if the moon were only one pixel." To explore, scroll through using your keyboard's right arrow key. Please be patient; you have many miles to cover!

Dive Into Delicious Distractions

http://foodgawker.com/ – In a nutshell, this is like Pinterest just for foodies. What you'll find is photo after photo of the most amazing food, from appetizers to main dishes to desserts. We warn you: This site is guaranteed to make you hungry, so think twice about visiting if you're on a diet!

Stay Home And Visit The British Museum

http://www.britishmuseum.org/ – For the 36th year, the worldwide community of museums will celebrate International Museum Day around May 18. In honor of this, take a look at many online tours offered by The British Museum. Its collection is dedicated to human history and culture, and is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence.

Looking For Government Benefits? (U.S.)

http://www.benefits.gov/ – Many Americans receive government benefits at some point during their lives, from career development assistance to Medicaid/Medicare to Social Security. This site features the Benefit Finder, a questionnaire to make it easier to find out which benefits you may be eligible to receive.

Thanks HOSS

- Sorry.. I missed March somehow. :(

Unearth Earth Day Ideas

http://www.epa.gov/earthday/ – Each year, Earth Day — April 22 — marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. If you'd like to join the celebration, take a look at this site. You'll find ideas on how you can take "greener" actions at home, work, school, and stores as well as when you're on the road.

Get Cracking With Egg Recipes

http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/holidays-occasions/healthy-easter-recipes-00412000074863/ – Eggs take center stage during the Easter season so don't scramble to come up with new recipes at the last minute. Instead, check out these top-rated egg dishes from Cooking Light. They include Mediterranean-Style Poached Eggs, Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese, and Double Vanilla Meringues.

Go Outside and Play

http://www.backyardsimple.com/ – Are you experiencing spring fever? The best treatment may be to throw an outdoor party for family and friends. This site is brimming with fresh ideas for backyard entertaining including easy Mason jar lights, grilling tips, serving sizes for a crowd, budget-friendly food, lawn games, and more.

Mystery of the Hope Diamond

http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/sc/web/show/136360/mystery-of-the-hope-diamond – April's birthstone is the diamond and there's no more famous one than the huge, blue-gray Hope diamond. Take a sneak peak here at the Smithsonian Channel's documentary about the world's most celebrated jewel and learn about the legendary curse that's plagued its owners. (Check out the rest of the site also.. very interesting stuff)

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And I had to include a video of the month. It's about a surprising find in the ruble after a tornado strikes an older woman's house in Oklahoma (USA).

http://www.enewsletterhome.com/_eNewsletter/2014/1404_VIDEO_A.htm

Danke Hoss, as always, much appreciated. :)

Celebrate Black History Month

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history-month/videos#bet-you-didnt-know-rosa-parks – Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of the achievements and contributions of black Americans. This site features videos on Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, and more as well as an interactive Black History Timeline.

The Almost Invisible Man

http://www.kleinsungallery.com/artist/Liu_Bolin/works/4122/# – You have to see this to believe it. Liu Bolin is an artist who painstakingly paints his face and clothing in order to blend into the background. Check out this gallery of his work and see him virtually disappear in a grocery aisle, in front of a statue, in a forest, and in assorted other scenes.

Mingle With The Stars

http://oscar.go.com/ – The Oscars will be broadcast on March 2, 2014, and if you're a movie buff, it's must-see television. Get prepared in February by visiting this star-studded site. Check out the Oscar buzz, relive the 2013 red carpet, test your knowledge of Oscar trivia, see a preview of the coming Academy Museum, and much more.

Thanks HOSS

love your monthly lists

Happy New Year

Thanks HOSS.

Happy New Year.

Go For The Gold!

http://www.teamusa.org/ – Join Team USA on the Road to the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. Get to know the athletes by reading their bios, watching video interviews, and checking out their blogs. You can also browse around the Team USA Shop to pick up clothing to show your support for the team.

Recipes For A Healthier 2014

http://www.eatingwell.com/ – If you're making a New Year's resolution to eat better in 2014, this site can make it easier for you to be successful. You'll find all kinds of recipes that are healthy and delicious including Breakfasts to Grab & Go, Quick 5-Ingredient Dinners, and 26 Soups to Help You Lose Weight.

It Pays To Be Smart About Money

http://www.smartaboutmoney.org/ – Smart About Money (SAM) is a program of the National Endowment for Financial Education — an independent, nonprofit foundation. This site's many tools and resources include calculators to help with budgeting and debt management, a LifeValues quiz, worksheets, and more.

Take a Free Personality Test

http://www.learnmyself.com/ – What's more fascinating than learning about yourself? This site offers a free personality test that shows the five main aspects of your personality as well as a breakdown of 30 traits like kindness, anger, imagination, and intellect. One user described it as eerily accurate! Nine other free tests are also available.

Thanks HOSS. Merry Christmas. hope you have a good one and an even better new year.

Reclaim Forgotten Assets

http://www.unclaimed.org/ – The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators has created this site to help you reclaim property you may have forgotten about including bank accounts, stocks, trust distributions, CDs, safe deposit box contents, and more. Just click on the map to search by your name in your state. (U.S. including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands also British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec.)

101 Holiday Cookies

http://www.foodnetwork.com/12-days-of-cookies/package/index.html – For gifts, entertaining, or just for fun, check out this mouth-watering cookie gallery. View photos and get recipes for a wide variety of types (bars, sandwiches, dipped), flavors (chocolate, cinnamon, fruit), and shapes (crescent, swirled, candy cane). Use the social media buttons to share with friends.

Temporary Email Addresses

http://maildrop.cc/ – MailDrop offers free, disposable, receive-only email addresses to use instead of your real email address. A MailDrop inbox holds up to 10 messages and is cleared if it doesn't receive a message within 24 hours. Use it to receive e-commerce receipts without signing up for retailers' "latest offers."

Holiday Lights Around the World

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com – From Japan to Copenhagen to Sweden to the U.S., this site shows the best places in the world to see holiday lights. Check out the beautiful variety of decorations hung on shops, in gardens, at amusement parks, and other creative places. Plus, learn about the displays and the traditions they represent. **(you will be asked to start a new free account)

Thanks HOSS

Time To Talk Turkey

http://www.butterball.com/ – Enter the "turkeysphere" to learn everything you need to know about choosing, preparing, and serving your Thanksgiving turkey. Helpful videos and text walk you through thawing, stuffing, roasting, the ever-popular deep-frying, and, of course, carving. For post-holiday meals and snacks, check out the recipe section for ideas on using leftovers.

What To Do To Beat The Flu

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ – Fall brings colder weather, the holidays ... and unfortunately, the flu. But you don't have to let flu get the best of you this year. Check out this website for valuable information including flu basics, how flu spreads, where to get a flu shot, and other things you can do to help avoid getting sick.

A-door-able Fall Adornments

http://www.bhg.com/ – Visit this gallery to get inspiration for decorating with wreaths and other fall décor for your door, gate, or mantel. You'll find pretty and creative embellishments made with seeds, leaves, twigs, fruit, flowers, and much more. The site makes it easy to save, print, share, or pin your favorites!

Shop Safely Online During The Holidays

http://staysafeonline.org/ – It's always important to protect yourself online, and even more so during the holiday shopping season. The tips on this site may seem like common sense but you may not remember, for example, to print transaction details. It's worth a visit so you can stay safe while getting your shopping done.

And a Video of the Month

See what happens when money does grow on trees.
http://www.enewsletterhome.com/_eNewsletter/2013/1311_VIDEO_B.htm