Handicapping the Oscars

The Oscar nominations have been announced and, as usual, there were surprises- no Best Picture nomination for Dreamgirls- and sure things- a Best Actress nomination for Helen Mirren in The Queen. But now that the dust has settled, who has the best shot of taking home the coveted trophy?

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Tax Tips for Freelancers

You’ve finally done it. You’ve taken the plunge and sold your writing to magazines and other content distributors. The money has allowed you to take a vacation, remodel your home,or if you’re lucky, quit your day job. But your dream can turn into a nightmare come tax time.

As a freelance writer, you are self-employed. If you receive any wage statements, they will be in the form of a 1099, but don’t count on receiving them from all of your jobs. That’s where your good records keeping skills come in. You did keep good records, didn’t you? You must account for each job and all money you receive from each client. Make note of each payment you receive and total your payments for your gross income. If you kept bank statements, check stubs and invoices, this step should be painless. You may even find yourself pleasantly surprised by the amount of money you brought in.

Genetic Genealogy

The search for our roots is as old as mankind. With the advent of the internet, the world of genealogy has been opened up to thousands of people, but even with the online access to thousands of records, most people will eventually hit brick walls in their research. In genealogy, a brick wall is a point in your research where you are unable to go forward due to a lack of records and other information. The recent availability of genetic genealogy has enabled many people to break through their brick walls.

Genetic genealogy is an outgrowth of the dropping prices of DNA technology. To participate, a person provides a DNA sample, usually a cheek swab, to a genetic genealogy company along with a copy of their family tree. The company analyzes the DNA, compares it to other samples in the database, and if a match is found, notifies the participants.

The advantage to this procedure is the ability to connect with others who share a common ancestor. This enables genealogists to share research and fill in gaps in their family tree. It also allows family historians to verify their own research. Genetic genealogy also makes it possible to track genetic disorders and diseases. Most genetic genealogy testing is done by analyzing the Y chromosome,which is passed from father to son in the same way as a surname. Mitochondrial testing,which analyzes DNA passed from the maternal line is much less common.

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A Trip to Arkansas Wine Country

When you think of a vacation in wine country, chances are your mind calls up visions of warm California sun and gently rolling hills. You probably don’t think of Arkansas, but with a history stretching back over 100 years, the vineyards of the Natural State are one of the hidden treasures of middle America.

Nestled in the valley between the Ozarks and the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas wine country is home to a wide variety of vineyards offering the wine lover a glimpse into the wine making process and the chance to sample award winning wines, including vintages made from strawberries, blueberries and muscadine.

Everyday Minerals vs. Bare Minerals

There is no denying that mineral make-up is experiencing a surge in popularity. Women are finally discovering that they don’t need to coat their faces in harmful chemicals to look beautiful. With their infomercials and placement in Sephora Boutiques, Bare Minerals by idMinerals is the undisputed market leader in mineral make-up. However Bare Minerals is only one of many companies that offer mineral based products. One of the newer companies to create a buzz on the Internet is Everyday Minerals.

Everyday Minerals claims to have high quality products, but are they really comparable to the larger boutique brands? A quick look at the ingredient label on Bare Minerals shows that its foundation contains only five ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica, iron oxide and bismuth oxychloride. Everyday Minerals contains titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica, iron oxide. It does not contain bismuth oxychloride. For women with sensitive skin, this is important to note. Bismuth Oxychloride is a by-product of lead mining and can cause skin irritation in some women. Many women who think they can’t wear mineral make-up because of itching and breakouts are reacting to bismuth oxychloride. Bismuth Oxychloride is also what gives Bare Minerals foundations their characteristic sheen. The finishing powders of both brands contain zea mays, which can cause itching. Everyday Minerals offers zea mays-free balancing powder and 100% silk powder as alternatives to those who are sensitive to zea mays.

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