Why should it take 5 minutes to skip 1 minute on Netflix's "Watch Now" movie viewer?

So I've played a game online before called "Diner Dash", which is an addicting java game. In the full version you start a hole-in-the-wall restaurant and use money you make to buy a jukebox, a latte machine, more tables, a faster cook, etc.

So I found a website that allows you to play for free or compete for cash. I've been playing for free, but then a chat window appeared with someone trying to sell me a membership - If I contributed $20, they'd give me $20 worth of credits. I immediately withdrew the $20 I put in, and still had the credits to play with. You can't withdraw credits, but you can use them toward games and if you win you'll get money that you can actually withdraw.

I've got $17 that I can withdraw just from playing several games after work today.

Did this just cease to become a waste of time, and become a money-making hobby?

Reading an article headlined "Climate facts to warm to" (evidently, since 1998 - for the last 10 years - global temperature patterns have plateaued or even dropped), I came across this quote:

"It is tempting to the layman to embrace with enthusiasm the latest bleak scenario because it fits the darkness of our soul, the prevailing cultural pessimism....Pessimism is intellectually delicious, even thrilling, but the matter before us is too serious for mere self-pleasuring. It would be self-defeating if the environmental movement degenerated into a religion of gloomy faith." - source.

Whatever you think about politics or this political cycle in particular, I think this political primary has said great things about America.

Some time ago I read an article stating that there are very few people who could become president. It came down to having the right last, and a privileged lifestyle, the right position, and a few other factors.

In this race many candidates brought something unique to the table. In the final few candidates we have had:

• A woman
• A black man
• A Mormon
• A poorer man (Huckabee was the first male in his family to graduate High School!)

What I take away from this primary is this: Anyone - anyone born on American territory - can become the president of the United States.

"No one is capable of judging their own actions." - Rep Capuano (D-MA) today in CSPAN interview on why his new ethics bill should pass in Washington.

Free is always a good price for the buyer. So when you're the buyer, why not get it for free?

Craig's List
Craig's List (free online classifieds) has a free section for every city, so you can give away stuff, or pick up stuff that other's are giving away. We gave away our old fridge for free on Craig's List, and I got 3 emails about it within 10 minutes, and it was picked up that night.

I'm currently keeping an eye out for free bricks for a landscaping/curb appeal project for this summer, but there's all kinds of free stuff. The Denver Free stuff is here.

Free After Rebate
I've forgotten to send in the majority of rebate items I've purchased, but it's really worth it if you can take the time to address, stamp, and stuff an envelope. You fill out a form with your name and address, a copy of the receipt, and the UPC cut out from the item, and 8 weeks later you'll receive a check in the mail.

Freeafterrebate.info is the best site I've found for rebates. Everything on this site is $5 or less after rebate, and there's some nice stuff on there. Mostly tech stuff, but if you need some writable DVDs, a new keyboard, or a variety of other things, it's worth a look.