For maximum effect of balloons:

1)  Attach balloons to car

2)  Drive down the road like a bat out of hell

3)  Watch people freak out

Car Balloons!

Don't think it's much of a big deal to our non-North American listeners but today is *the* non-religious, Guy's Holiday Day! :)

I just picked up a sandwich plate from the Honey Baked Ham Company, got a plate of veggies (I even cut up the cucumber myself.....mmmmm.....cucumber....), bought a German Chocolate Cake, laid in a mess of beer and am just sitting here, waiting for friends to come over.

So...what are your plans for the Super Bowl?

Or does anyone else find these things silly?

"Three stands for the new Mac Mini".

Jan. 24 is the worst day of the year, with bad weather, debt, fading Christmas memories, failed resolutions and a lack of motivation combining to depress people, according to Cliff Arnalls, a part-time university tutor in Wales, UK.

The Cardiff university instructor has come up with a formula to measure the winter-time blues.

Today is the Worst Day of Year!

But funny as all get out. Don't watch if you are easily offended.....

Oh...this is *SO* Wrong...

We announced last month that all monies collected from the Your Mac Life audience for the month of January will be donated to the relief efforts for the people affected by this horrible disaster.

Thanks to Heather B., Takeshi S., A. Nonymous, Loren F., Leslie H. & Neema S. for their direct Tsunami Relief Fund donations and to all of you who shopped at ThinkGeek, Amazon, the iTMS and the Apple Store through the YML site.

Together we raised $1200.00 which will be donated in the name of Your Mac Life listeners!

Maybe the "$500 Headless iMac" isn't an iMac at all.....

Maybe it's a Tivo-like Set Top Box.....

Maybe it's this?

Here is video.

Apple is offering the iTunes New Music Sample (Universal Motown Edition free of charge from the iTMS. Check it out and let us know what you think.

So...I get up this morning.....check the forums....and there are a dozen For Sale ads from a "representative" of a company called MagnetMedia Films.

All of the "ads" are for Commercial Training Products - not something we usually see in our For Sale Forums. It looks like SPAM so I start deleting it.

I then go to delete the user name associated with the SPAM. "[email protected]". Wha....? I check out the web site. Oh....look....a phone number (877.606.5012). I call and ask the nice secretary who would use that email address. "Aaron Wallinsky (I hope that's the correct spelling of your name, Aaron. I told you I wanted to get it right)? Thank you ma'am. Is Aaron in? May I speak to him?"

"Hello Aaron. This is Shawn King from Your Mac Life. Do you know why I'm calling? You have no idea? Well, you joined our forums last night and proceeded to SPAM them with Ads for your company. What? You don't think they're SPAM? Just because they are relevant?"

We then proceed to have a fairly pointed argument. Aaron feels that, just because we have a For Sale section, he can post anything he feels is "relevant". I make the point that, even if the rules don't explicitly say it, that forum is obviously for listener to listener sales, not for commercial companies or products.

As we talk, I'm checking out his web site. I notice that the products they sell *might* be of interest to Mac users so, I make him an offer. Apologize, leave a link to his company's web site in his post and we'll be good.

He says he won't apologize. He's a PC user and understands that Mac users are different but he posted a legitimate For Sale item in a For Sale forum.

I told him that I was trying to work with him to lessen the impact of what he did. I said the kinds of ads he was posting would be better served on the Your Mac Life show or the full Your Mac Life site. He said, "What's Your Mac Life?"

OK....that did it. I told him he should check the site in a few mins because I was going to post about this so...Hi Aaron!

BTW, I notice he has since posted that apology.

Hi! Remember me?

Well, you wouldn't to see me. While I appreciate the weight loss, the flu is *not* the best way to drop those Christmas pounds.

Thanks to everyone for the kind thoughts and iCards (over 750 so far!!!). I'm feeling better and looking forward to this week's show!