Have some time on your hands this weekend?

OK. OK. I know that I said that I would never join a fantasy football league. I lied. I have a friend that I have never seen (he reads this blog) that has bugged me for a month to join their league. You see, He knew by my last name that I'm Dutch and theirs is a league of the same. Due to the sarcastic nature of their wit (?), they don't want mere mortals (thin skins) to participate. They needed 12 teams to get granted their own league. (because no other league will have them?) As of opening day of the NFL, they had 10 teams. After enduring a few emails of blistering invitations, I agreed that I would sign on (it's free of course, I mean, they are Dutch) if they got an 11the team and couldn't dredge up a 12th. So last week, I got the email that I was hoping to not get. They had 11. So I agreed, only if I don't have to read up on players, do anything on a timely basis, cheer for the Cowboys or Raiders OR participate in the drafting of the players. I gave him permission to run my draft and I would accept any players I got. I was informed that my conditions were granted and that the draft was automatic. I just had to sign up, pick a team name, look at draft options and check any players that I knew that I would like to have. Or not.

I signed on (up) and created the "Pumas". Our league is "Dutch Treat". I clicked on everything automatic. Then I went to the automatic draft and looked at how they had the names listed (ranked). I selected JT O'Sullivan because he is inexperienced in the league and is GROSSLY underrated. I like Kurt Warner 'cause he is old and reliable. I like Roethlisberger 'cause his name is harder to spell than mine. They became my 1st, 2nd and 3rd picks for quarterbacks. I don't like either of the Manning brothers and Tony Roma is a Cowboy. So let them fight over them. I like Favre, but in and out of retirement is goofy. I picked Frank Gore for running back and Larry Fitzgerald for Wide Receiver and the Steelers defense. The rest, I don't know or care much about. As long as Dallas and Oakland lose, I'm good. Hopefully the 49ers and Redskins win.

So. All set up for week 3, I turned on the telly and fired up the laptop. I was hoping to figure out how one wins or loses at this. Scoring at this is interesting to say the least. How do you cheer when the running back you have is plowing up the defense team that you have?? Hope that he runs for 110 yards but then drops the ball so that your defense can recover the fumble?? How schizophrenic can one be?? So... you have to gather points from all of the players from all of the teams that you have listed as "active". I had 9 players on 9 different teams. So you don't watch all of your players. (well, I guess that some nuts do) I watched the Niners, 'cause I like them and kept the laptop on my "game" against the other team. cool. You can "chat" with the other team "owners" during the games over the website. Which means "verbal abuse" in this league. No wonder that they don't let "sensitive" races into this league. My game was give and take through the first quarter. I was losing. Then in the 2nd quarter, he lost his best runner/receiver/scorer to injury. I was leading at the half. Then in the second half, the Pumas really got down to business. At the close of Sundays games, I was done for the week with a score of 109 !!!!! The Footballiers (English as a second language?) were at 55 points and only had his kicker for Monday Night Football. No way can a kicker get close to 54 points. So now they want to find a new owner for my team. Typical Dutchmen.

New Business Internet Phone

After watching the fiasco with VOIP (internet) phones, I finally heard of one that seems to appeal to the prudent buyer. Vonage has such a bad reputation here for poor voice quality and dropping calls, Skype is similar and is expensive. Both of them require you to buy their equipment. AT&T now has VOIP here that comes under the U-Verse label. But it is still internet iffy and is $40.00 per month. However, it looks better than paying for every call on a landline. And most businesses have some kind of broadband internet service already.

Enter MagicJack. 1. it is sooooo simple. plug a USB jack into your desktop OR LAPTOP. It installs its own software phone and gets you to the setup menu where you get your new phone number. 2, It uses ANY regular phone. no special phone gear to buy. Therefore, better clarity of sound, and you can use your existing phones! 3. $40 for the USB device AND your 1st YEAR of local and long distance calling. 1st YEAR. Every year after that, it will cost you $20.00 PER YEAR. As with any internet phone, you should have a Uninterruptible Power Source. Of course, for a business, you should have your computers hooked up to one anyway.

This is worth trying out. I had read both good and bad about the service. Most of the bad was lack of customer service. I can't figure out what you need customer service for. I've installed it and used it for a month now. I can't figure out what they were calling customer service for.?. The sound is great. Setup couldn't be simpler. You are limited as the area code prefix's. I have area code 916 like all of our other phones, but prefix 222 ??? Where is Michigan Bar, Ca?? I will have to look on a map.....

So even when you close up your business for the day or weekend (or vacation), You can bring all of your calls with you. I have the software installed on both the store computer and my laptop. I carry a small flip phone in the laptop case for when I'm anywhere that there is wireless internet. Home, coffee shops, book stores, hotels, etc. Yes, I carry a cell phone, and I have unlimited calls to Verizon customers and more minutes than needed for the rest of you guys, but this is a phone that can be shared by everyone AND if I am away from home, the same calls get through. Oh, the $20 per year includes call forwarding and voicemail and ,,,,,,,,well, other stuff too.

Check it out. magicjack.com