Reese Witherspoon

I really like her because she seems to be very down to earth and maybe because she is a southerner.
I was reading a very informative magazine, Entertainment Weekly and she said something that I think we both believe for ourselves and children. She said that her favorite quote is from Martha Stewart - "I have a short memory for painful things", while I don't particularly care for Martha personally I like her quote. Reese says, "I have one of those incredible memories where I just erase painful things. Maybe that's really unhealthy, and I probably need to see a therapist. But I don't dwell. You keep going forward. Also, I have kids. What are you going to do? Are you going to teach them to be one of those people who keep looking in the rear-view mirror, or are you going to teach them to be one those people who go, "Tomorrow's another day"?"

I tend not to dwell on too much. Don't get me wrong I do for a bit then I just let it go. Life is too short to dwell on anything. Of course, if you mess with my kids - I will dwell all day long on you. LOL

But, really there is too much that I have been through to worry about. I have kids to raise and maybe one day I will worry about me and the effects of it but until then - Tomorrow is another day.

Thank you Reese for your comments it made my week. I am glad I am not alone in my thinking.

Zombieland

Time to Nut Up or Shut Up.
This is one of my favorite movies.
Love the Soundtrack. When I looked it up on Amazon all they had was the orchestral soundtrack. Ehhh no thank you, give me the MUSIC baby.


Zombieland Soundtrack (Songs) – Track-Listing
1. For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica
2. Feels So Good – Chuck Mangione
3. You’re a Wolf – Sea Wolf
4. No-one’s Gonna Love You – Band of Horses
5. Duelin’ Banjos – Arthur Smith
6. Gold Guns Girls – Metric
7. Everybody Wants Some!! – Van Halen
8. Puppy Love – Paul Anka
9. Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ – Velvet Underground
10. The Marriage of Figaro – London Philharmonic Orchestra
11. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – Willie Nelson
12. It’s Only Wednesday – Crash Kings
13. Hard to Come Back – Success
14. Death Prayer in Heaven’s Orchard – Howlin’ Rain
15. Moonlight Kiss – Raul Malo
16. Popular – Kristen Chenoweth
17. Kingdom of Rust – Doves
18. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.
19. Don’t Fear the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
20. I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry – Hank Williams
21. Feel Good About It – Marching Band
22. Vienna Blood – Vienna State Orchestra
23. Your Touch – Black Keys
24. Salute Your Solution – The Raconteurs

Gift Idea

We had a gift exchange today at work and I made this for the person that I had picked. Does that make sense? Oh well if it doesn't - LOL

Here are the pix:

It was super easy to make. 

I think that she was really happy to have received my interesting gift.

Cast Iron

I used a pan similar to this skillet ($12.99) when I was growing up, it was my mom's and IT WAS AWESOME. I found an inexpensive one at Ross one day and again it is AWESOME. I used it to make Migas for breakfast. Which were AWESOME. I am sure you knew that was coming.  The skillet was made by Lodge and of course the more you use cast iron the easier it is to clean. You have to season it first with well oiled meals. 

I also bought this one because it is reversible - griddle on one side and lined griddle on the other. Again, cheaply found at Ross it was $14.99. Great to warm up those flour tortilla's or make delicious banana pancakes. I can't wait to use the lined side to make panini sandwiches. YUM!

10 Heart Attack Symptoms You're Most Likely to Ignore

10 Heart Attack Symptoms You’re Most Likely to Ignore

Christmas time again....

I love the season and everything it brings. My family together again. I love those moments.

We put our tree up a couple of days after Thanksgiving. The guido's helped me - the little one more than anyone. He has a blast helping out.

I bought a cute Sock Monkey ornament from Cracker Barrel. OMG it is so adorable. I've always wanted a Sock Monkey and am so glad I waited - this one is small and compact and I can put it on my tree every year. I can also put it on a shelf for the rest of the year. WOO-HOO. I'll have to take a close up picture of it so you can see the cuteness. 

Here are a few more ornaments that I just bought from the Disney Store:

I'm not sure if you know it or not, but I LOVE DISNEY! These were 30% off. They were pretty much outta there at the Disney Store. I bought a couple more boxes of sets that are just beautiful. Again, I will have to take some pix to share.

Here are a couple of plush that I bought too - . Yet another Christmas addition to add 

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!!

Flex Your Freedom with These Flexible Careers - Yahoo! Education

Flex Your Freedom with These Flexible Careers - Yahoo! Education

Joel Burns tells gay teens "it gets better"

What an awesome speech. I hope that it reaches those that need it. It is so true about those people from high school - you never have to see them again if you don't want to - after you graduate. So, glad there is place for these teens to turn to - they just need to hear about it.

10-10-10

Um....just had to post, because of the date. That is all. Thx

My watch

If you know me, you know how much I adore Jack Skellington. Well, I saw this at the Disney Store and had to have it. I even paid full price - UGH.
It is making me happy today, and that is all that matters. <squee>

Brrrrrr!

K' got my boots on. It's freakin' cold out. Had some cute sandals on, but they had to go. Now I am nice and cozy. Hurray!

Friday Movie Madness

Our movie last night was Ironman 2.
You know how much I love my Netflix, but when I saw that dreadful - long wait response in my queue, I had to go to the old stand-by Redbox. Of course they had it - YAY! Made my hubby's day.
Loved the movie and can't wait for The Avengers.

Flower

My other pretty flower.

Color Quiz

I thought this was interesting and had to share.
Take the Color Quiz - click here

Here are my results:
( It wouldn't let me cut and paste my results so, I typed them up. I didn't type the whole description.)

Earth types – solid, grounded thinkers – like to surround themselves with deep blues, black, grays, and browns. Earth personalities are honest and loyal; it’s no coincidence that we describe steadfast companions as “true blue.” If you choose blues and grays, you’re likely a little more reticent and self-conscious and you can seem reserved, even standoffish.

·         Blue represents spirituality, authority, and high aspirations.

·         Research indicates that people are more productive in blue rooms.

·         A mid-tone gray in a warmer range is very relaxing. You can use so many colors with gray: soft preach, dusky pinks, softer yellows."

I

Grandmother

World English Dictionary

grandmother  (ˈɡrænˌmʌðə, ˈɡrænd-)
— n
1.	the mother of one's father or mother
2.	( often plural ) a female ancestor
3.	( often capital ) a familiar term of address for an old woman
4.	teach one's grandmother to suck eggs  See egg

 

OMG this had me cracking up. I was going to do a serious post, but now it is going to have to wait.

WTH wrote this description and are they still working for dictionary.com.

Sorry, I am off to call my mom and tell her my kid's will be teaching her #4 soon.

I will be revisiting this topic soon. I am laughing way to hard at the moment.

 

 

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"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

by Kathy Kristof
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The whole social networking phenomenon has millions of Americans sharing their photos, favorite songs and details about their class reunions on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and dozens of similar sites. But there are a handful of personal details that you should never say if you don't want criminals — cyber or otherwise — to rob you blind, according to Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

 

The folks at Insure.com also say that ill-advised Facebook postings increasingly can get your insurance cancelled or cause you to pay dramatically more for everything from auto to life insurance coverage. By now almost everybody knows that those drunken party photos could cost you a job, too.

 

You can certainly enjoy networking and sharing photos, but you should know that sharing some information puts you at risk. What should you never say on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site?

Your Birth Date and Place

Sure, you can say what day you were born, but if you provide the year and where you were born too, you've just given identity thieves a key to stealing your financial life, said Givens. A study done by Carnegie Mellon showed that a date and place of birth could be used to predict most — and sometimes all — of the numbers in your Social Security number, she said.

Vacation Plans

There may be a better way to say "Rob me, please" than posting something along the lines of: "Count-down to Maui! Two days and Ritz Carlton, here we come!" on Twitter. But it's hard to think of one. Post the photos on Facebook when you return, if you like. But don't invite criminals in by telling them specifically when you'll be gone.

[See Burglars Picked Houses Based on Facebook Updates]

Home Address

Do I have to elaborate? A study recently released by the Ponemon Institute found that users of Social Media sites were at greater risk of physical and identity theft because of the information they were sharing. Some 40% listed their home address on the sites; 65% didn't even attempt to block out strangers with privacy settings. And 60% said they weren't confident that their "friends" were really just people they know.

Confessionals

You may hate your job; lie on your taxes; or be a recreational user of illicit drugs, but this is no place to confess. Employers commonly peruse social networking sites to determine who to hire — and, sometimes, who to fire. Need proof? In just the past few weeks, an emergency dispatcher was fired in Wisconsin for revealing drug use; a waitress got canned for complaining about customers and the Pittsburgh Pirate's mascot was dumped for bashing the team on Facebook. One study done last year estimated that 8% of companies fired someone for "misuse" of social media.

Password Clues

If you've got online accounts, you've probably answered a dozen different security questions, telling your bank or brokerage firm your Mom's maiden name; the church you were married in; or the name of your favorite song. Got that same stuff on the information page of your Facebook profile? You're giving crooks an easy way to guess your passwords.

Risky Behaviors

You take your classic Camaro out for street racing, soar above the hills in a hang glider, or smoke like a chimney? Insurers are increasingly turning to the web to figure out whether their applicants and customers are putting their lives or property at risk, according to Insure.com. So far, there's no efficient way to collect the data, so cancellations and rate hikes are rare. But the technology is fast evolving, according to a paper written by Celent, a financial services research and consulting firm.

 http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/110674/6-things-you-should-never-reveal-on-facebook

 

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"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

Prepare to be amazed...

K, so my daughter drew this - isn't it Awesome.
I bought all the stuff for her to do it - paint, canvas, brushes, etc. She was going to make a different Nintendo or Zelda themed one for every letter of her brothers name for his birthday. We were so excited. So far this is all there is - all lonely.
Beautiful though isn't it.

Roses

I love love love roses!
Just don't ever buy me any. I think they are a waste of money and then they DIE. Unless, of course you buy me a rose bush, then I can enjoy them all the time.
My daughter's boyfriend bought these for me not knowing about my crazy stipulation. I forgave him because HELLO they are Mickey themed. He even wanted to complete the design by trying to get black roses. No honey, then those would have been dead. Sweet thought though.
What a great guy!
Enjoy my roses with me.

Traditions

I believe in Traditions and like to pass them on to my kids.
I really wished I could remember most of them so, we could do it more than once. Oh well - my kids probably like it better when I don't remember.
This is one that my parents had us do until we turned 18, then my sister and I said - that is all folks; taking a picture with Santa. Yep, my parents have 18 pictures of each of us, that they would display every year. I must admit I do not do that, but only because I do not have them all in one place. Hell yeah I would do the same thing every year if they were all together - it's called torture I mean tradition folks. Come on keep up.
Recap (if you have followed my ramblings so far) :
Yes, I make them do it every year and they will continue until they are 18.
And I love them for letting me put them through it. Of course, they have no choice - that's a tradition too. : - )

Mario

I believe Mario celebrated his 30th Birthday the other day.
I ran across these pix and thought of him < you know because he is real >.
Happy Birthday!
< I wonder if he would want a Pineapple Upside Down Cake - lol >.

EW exclusive: 'Disney Epic Mickey' trailer!

EW exclusive: 'Disney Epic Mickey' trailer!

More dishes please

SO, I went into the grocery store just going into to buy a dessert.
AND I came out with these:

AND these:

They are so me.

Now what to do with the other white dishes I bought because, I didn't want any that had images on them. lol
Who the heck was I kidding.
Love them!

The Bunny...the bunny...

Oh we love the bunny.

Ok, so this isn't the bunny and what exactly did I take a picture of that bunny doing. 

Here is the real bunny:

Such a cutie!
Now give me my salad.  < stomping bunny foot >

Errr....pretty

I wish I could write something poetic or create a fancy Haiku like my baby girl. But, I can't .... So instead I just say - pretty and then point at what God has created.
Really the picture doesn't even do it justice.
Pretty...durh.

Credit card.....denial

Ok, so my baby girl was telling me that she was going to get a credit card with a picture of her pet on it. I thought way cute  - I want one too. You know because I am 3.
Anyway, I mentioned to her that I had thought about it before but figured she wouldn't want her and her brothers gracing my card. Why, I don't know. She mentioned something like, "That's so creepy MOM - ewwwww!!!" Or something to that effect.

Anyway, I chose this photo and after waiting patiently and visualizing it in my hands....I was denied.
Bastards.
Oh well. No hard feelings or anything.

Now to think of a way to incorporate them into a family photo.
Hmmmmmmmmm......

Yumminess

I really really love Pineapple Upside Down Cake. The recipe I use is super dee duper easy too. It is a Pampered Chef recipe.

My kids frequently ask me to make it for their birthdays. I really should make it more often. It is delish.

Drool with me, thx.

Vinylmation

I would love these! But, I will settle for a picture of someone else's collection. Because logistically I have no room for them. Boo!

Ahhh the cuteness of it all.

Removable Tote Organizer

Removable Tote Organizer

Recipe I would like to try...

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1182092&SPShared=TRUE
 

 

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"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." -  ºoº Walt Disney ºoº  

 

I'm Taking Action - Michael Berry of KTRH.com / 950KPRC.com

Michael Berry Why Democrats Must Go (part 1 of 2)

Letterman Knocks Obama For Latest Vacation « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

Letterman Knocks Obama For Latest Vacation « CBS New York- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of NY

Library Kit

Library Kit - "Must have"
I think this is required in your at home library shelf. I have books that I don't loan. Why cuz THEY are my babies. DUH!  I may have to buy this & maybe then I will consider loaning my books out. :biting fingernails: Maybe?!?!?!?

Fels Naptha - the miracle soap

http://www.felsnaptha.com/

OMG OMG!!! I love this soap. It takes out cooking oil from your clothes. IT is just awesome. You wet the spot  that has that horrible stain - that you created because you came home from work & started cooking ASAP and didn't change your shirt because you were on a quest to feed your family. Note to me - change your dang shirt. DUH!!!  So after throwing away or donating those numerous shirts - you can now eradicate that nasty spot from your current lovely T's. Ok, so like I was saying - just wet the area on your shirt & wet a portion of the soap & rub rub rub it into your shirt. Put the soap aside & now just rub the treated area together using your hands. Wash as normal. I normally do not throw the shirts (yes, I mean multiples - remember the duh moment - it takes me awhile to catch on sometimes) in the dryer until I see that the spots have disappeared. I then do a happy dance because it works EVERYTIME, even with shirts that have previously been thrown in the dryer.

I was reading that it is also good to use for removing poison ivy resin from your clothes. That is good to know because my husband always comes across poison ivy in the yard.

The soap is under $2 bucks, go & give it a try. You can't beat that price. Now you found a good savior for your clothes. Let me know how it works out for ya.

Top 40 iPhone Apps

I thought this article was interesting. The ones that I highlighted in purple or fuchsia are the ones that I have &  like. The one in blue is questionable w/their EULA. The ones that are highlighted yellow - I have, but I haven't tried them out yet.

The Top 40 Free iPhone Apps 2010
ARTICLE DATE:  07.14.10

By  Sean Ludwig

We gathered our 40 favorite free apps from Apple's App Store to help make your iPhone and iPod touch shine.

Thanks to the Apple iPhone 4, it seems as if the iPhone and its iOS-powered compatriots, the iPad and iPod touch, will continue to set the standard for a great third-party app ecosystem for some time. Apple's App Store hosts a range of terrific, powerful apps that consumers are willing to shell out millions of dollars to acquire.

The iTunes App Store now carries more than 225,000 apps, with an average app price of $2.80, according to148apps.biz. But with the economy still in a giant lull, justifying a few pricey app purchases might be hard to do. That's where the beauty of free apps comes in. We've handpicked 40 of our favorite free apps that add value to your phone. Whether it's an original game, an e-book reader, a photo editor, or a shopping assistant, at least a few of these apps will appeal to just about every iPhone owner.

A list of 40 apps only scratches the surface of what's available in the iTunes store, of course, and we imagine that you have your own picks for great apps as well. Please suggest more apps in the Comments section below!

Note: This list focuses on free apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. All of these apps will work on the iPad, but not terribly well unless they have been optimized. For a list of great iPad apps, read our 25 Best iPad Apps story.

1. Apple iBooks 1.1
Apple Inc., www.apple.com
Apple's iBooks isn't just an e-book reader; it's also an excellent PDF reader. The app uses an attractive bookshelf metaphor to arrange your virtual books and PDFs, and Apple makes quite a few older books available for free through its online store. As with many Apple apps, iBooks becomes more useful if you have more Apple devices; you can sync your bookmarks and notations with your iPhones, iPod Touch, and iPad. 

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2. AT&T myWireless 1.3.2
AT&T Services Inc., www.att.com
AT&T's myWireless app tells you if you're coming close to your monthly 200MB or 2GB data limit, how many minutes you've used, and when your next bill is due. It also allows you to upgrade your plan if you're using your iPhone much more than you expected. Checking this app periodically is the best way to protect yourself from unexpected AT&T charges. 

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3. Bing 1.2
Microsoft Corp., www.bing.com
On the desktop I prefer Google, but on the iPhone I prefer Bing. Why? Because Bing offers more than just simple search. This app provides a scrolling photo search, voice search, and local shopping searches; it even has a bar code scanner to look up prices on goods in stores. The Social tool lets you connect to Facebook and Twitter and search your results from friends. Search engines might be a matter of preference but Bing actually makes search look fun. 

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4. CNBC Real-Time 1.3
NBC Universal Inc., www.cnbc.com
One of the best business news sites has one of the best free business apps on the iPhone. CNBC's app starts with business news alerts, but we really like it because of its detailed stock portfolio tracker. Plus, we dig its well-rendered graphics. 

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5. Cube Runner 1.5
Andy Qua, andyqua.co.uk/CubeRunner/Welcome.html
This diabolically simple and addictive game lets you control an arrow that flies through rows of digital cubes. The point of the game is to avoid the cubes and fly for as long as you can. In the background, fun electronic music jams along as you pilot your arrow. Sure, the graphics look like a 1983-era arcade game, but that's what you get for zero dollars, and some older iPhone users might enjoy the resemblance to the Atari games of yesteryear. Another decent free game in a similar vein is Alpha Runner. 

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6. Dragon Dictation 1.3.4
Nuance Communications, Inc., www.nuance.com
Ever wanted to dictate a long series of notes and then e-mail or text them? Dragon Dictation can do that for you. Just load up the app, tap the red button, and dictate for a one minute at a time. One downside: Some users have complained that Nuance goes through your contacts to ensure accuracy when you speak names. It's a breach of privacy, but is it any worse than Facebook? Probably not. And we'd rather have the names spelled correctly. 

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7. Dropbox 1.2.2
Evenflow, Inc., www.dropbox.com
I assume you have a lot of gadgets and computers. Dropbox lets you access your personal files on any of them. Dropbox gives you 2GB of file storage that can be accessed from any computer. On iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, the app allows you to view documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and some videos and photos that you've put into your personal file space. Occasionally, we've seen some instances where it simply won't work, but it's useful enough that we're willing to overlook a few glitches. 

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8. eBay Mobile 1.7.0
eBay Inc., www.ebay.com
Have you been losing eBay auctions because you weren't in front of your PC? Pick up eBay Mobile, and you'll be able to swoop in at the last second from anywhere with an Internet connection. The app lets users search, bid on items, update their info, check bids on items being sold, and much more. Power sellers and frequent bidders should consider this an essential tool for keeping up with auctions. 

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9. eBuddy Messenger 3.6.0
eBuddy B.V., www.ebuddy.com
Instant messaging may not have the buzz of Twitter and Facebook, but many people (and businesses) rely on it. Nowadays, people use many instant-messaging clients, so it's important to have a multiplatform solution. eBuddy is the best free app we've found on the iPhone. It lets you log in to multiple services at once, including AIM, Yahoo, Facebook, Google Talk, ICQ, MySpace, and MSN. It will push you notification of new instant messages even when it isn't running, and you can tell it to log out automatically after a set period of time. 

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10. Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List 2.1
Condé Nast, www.epicurious.com
If you're a foodie, you probably know about Epicurious and its more than 100,000 recipes. The site's iPhone app lets you turn your favorite recipes into a shopping list that you check off. If you miss flipping through food-stained pages, you can turn your favorite recipes into a paginated cookbook. There are a few ads here that can be annoying, but we're willing to put up with them for a free app. Epicurious is also a very good iPad app. 

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11. ESPN ScoreCenter 1.5.3
ESPN Inc.,www.espn.go.com 
Sports fanatics with iPhones should download ESPN Scorecenter. It allows you to keep track of your favorite sports teams on a single page, read the latest analyses from ESPN, and provides push notifications when games start or teams score. Sportacular is also a smart sports app with similar score-tracking abilities, but we think ESPN's design is a little cleaner. 

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12. Evernote 3.3.5
Evernote Corporation, www.evernote.com
If you've got a memory that's more emu than elephant, then Evernote can help you out. The app provides you with several ways to keep notes—including text, voice, and photos—and it gives you a way to access them from any desktop or phone with Evernote's software. The simple interface makes it easy to write down important to-dos, locations, phone numbers, or just about anything you might need to reference at any time. 

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13. Facebook 3.1.4
Facebook, www.facebook.com
If you're an active social networker, you're probably on Facebook. And if you have an iPhone as well, there's no reason you shouldn't be using this well-designed app. The home screen is a 3-by-3 grid that gives you access to almost everything Facebook has to offer. The app also integrates with the iPhone's own features well, allowing you to call or text any friend who has publicly posted their number. This is a must-have app for iPhone users on Facebook. 

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14. Fandango 3.2.2
Fandango, www.fandango.com
Looking for movie times on the go? Fandango is your friend. It can show you movie times, help you buy tickets, and show you user reviews of the latest blockbusters and indie flicks. Since some theaters sell tickets through competitor Moviefone, you should also download Moviefone's app if you want to be able to buy tickets anywhere you go. 

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15. Flashlight. 2.1.1
John Haney Software, www.johnhaney.com/software
As simple (or dumb) as it sounds, having a flashlight app on your iPhone or iPod touch is never a bad thing. Turn up the iPhone screen's brightness and you can use it as a reading light, or even as a backup on a camping trip. If you feel like starting a party on the go, the app can display a strobe light or other light effects. 

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16. Foursquare 1.9.0
Foursquare, foursquare.com
Any modern social networker with an iPhone should be on Foursquare. It's a hip, fun app where you check in to places you go physically and earn badges when you accomplish various things. It sounds a bit silly (and maybe it is), but there are rewards—being the person who checks in the most (called the "mayor") at a restaurant can earn you a free meal, drink, or dessert. 

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17. Google Earth 3.0.0
Google, earth.google.com
Google Maps is fine and dandy, but Google Earth ups the ante and takes you to wherever you want in the world. You can digitally climb mountains, browse geo-tagged photos all over the word, check out city info with Google Local Search, and search in many languages. The latest version of Google Earth for iPhone includes road layers and native support for the iPad (which makes the app even cooler). 

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18. Groupon 1.1.0
Groupon, www.groupon.com
Groupon offers decent-to-great coupons on stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in 65 cities. There's one deal a day and if not enough people sign up, the deal is cancelled (hence the name Groupon). It's a smart system that makes sure users and businesses alike get something from the deal. It even has a little green cred because with it you no longer have to print out coupons. 

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19. Kindle 2.1.1
Amazon.com, Inc., www.amazon.com
While Apple's iBooks app might be slightly flashier, Amazon Kindle's library has been around longer, has more titles, and works with more devices. For those who want to read on the cheap, Kindle also has a lot more free books for download. The app allows users to read the beginning of any e-book, making it a good shopping tool. 

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20. Mint.com Personal Finance 1.3
Mint.com, www.mint.com
Users of Mint.com know the site can help you keep detailed account of your finances. If you are new, just sign up and begin tracking your expenses. The iPhone app extends the experience, so users can keep track of their spending while on the go. Just enter a few data points in the iPhone, and you'll be able to see your spending patterns as an easy-to-read chart. However, if your bank account is anemic, cool-looking animations probably won't make you feel much better about it. 

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21. NYTimes 2.3.3
The New York Times Company, www.nytimes.com
So you're wondering why a news app would be included in a list of a top apps when you can just go to the Web site? Simple: It allows you to save stories for reading when you don't have an Internet connection. (Thanks AT&T!) Plus, The New York Times has depth of content—even as newspapers across the country are cutting back, the Times still has niche sections like Technology, Health, Books, Travel, Fashion, and Dining. 

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22. OpenTable 3.0.2
OpenTable, Inc., www.opentable.com
You're out on a date that's going better than expected, but you didn't make dinner reservations. What to do? Time to bust out the OpenTable app for iPhone and make a reservation for a nearby restaurant. OpenTable makes the process so fast and easy that you might be able to do it while your date isn't looking. 

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23. Opera Mini Web Browser 5.0.2
Opera Software ASA; www.opera.com
Many in the tech community (including us) were surprised when Apple approved Opera Mini for the iPhone. Since the beginning of the App Store, Apple had never approved a real alternative Web browser because it wanted iPhone users to use Safari. However, lousy connections on AT&T prompted Apple to approve Opera Mini, which uses less data and can sometimes eke out a complete Web page when Safari can't. We like Safari better overall, but Opera Mini is good to keep around for the times when your network connection isn't optimal. 

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24. Pandora Radio 3.1.1
Pandora Media, Inc., www.pandora.com
For most of its existence, Pandora has been a smart, reliable choice for customized streaming radio. Pandora creates custom stations based on artists or songs you like. It uses elements from the song itself and the user's preferences to pick new songs to listen to. You're likely to hear some unfamiliar bands mixed in with a lot of bands you already know and like. Plus, if you use Pandora on your desktop, the iPhone account will sync your thumbs up or down on song selections. 

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25. Photoshop.com Mobile 1.2.2
Adobe Systems, Inc., www.adobe.com
With the new iPhone 4's 5-megapixel camera and better photo capabilities, there's a good chance more users are going to use the iPhone's camera. Naturally, they will need a photo editor if they want to maximize their photos. Photoshop.com Mobile doesn't do everything, but it does allow you to crop, rotate, change exposure, and apply other effects to your iPhone photos. When you're done editing your photos, you can upload your work to an account on Photoshop.com. 

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26. Remote 1.3.3
Apple Inc., www.apple.com
Apple's Remote app turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a remote control for music on your computer or Apple TV. While music is playing, album artwork is displayed on your phone and you can even edit playlists. The app only works over your home Wi-Fi connection, so you don't have to worry about anyone else controlling your tunes—except other people in your house, of course. 

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27. ShopSavvy Barcode Scanner 1.5
Big in Japan, www.biggu.com
Have you ever wanted to do a global price check on item at the store? There's an app for that, and it's called ShopSavvy. All you do is load up the app and then take a photo of any bar code to find out prices from online and local retailers. If you think a product is overpriced, you can simply buy it from someone else. If ShopSavvy doesn't find what you need, check out pic2shop, another accurate barcode scanner. 

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28. Siri Assistant 1.1.1
Siri, www.siri.com
Siri's smart search app is so compelling that Apple bought the company. Will this app be folded into iOS 5? We're not sure, but downloading it now will let you see what Steve Jobs thinks is worth spending money on. Siri Assistant is a smart search app with learning A.I. built in. As you use Siri, it begins to remember your preferences and locations, which means more accurate search results. The most recent version added the ability to post to Twitter and do math problems. Let's just hope Siri doesn't become Skynet and use the data in its computer systems to take over the world. 

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29. Skype 2.0.0
Skpye Software S.a.r.l, 
While the iPhone version of Skype doesn't yet do video calls (you'll have to stick to FaceTime on the iPhone 4 to do that), it finally does 3G VoIP voice calls, Wi-Fi Skype-to-Skype calls, and paid Skype-to-landline calls. Skype's international rates are much lower than AT&T's, and this app can be a real boon if you use it in a Wi-Fi zone while traveling. Skype promises to run in the background on iOS 4 devices soon, which will make it much easier to receive calls when you aren't expecting them. 

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30. Slacker Radio 2.1
Slacker, Inc., www.slacker.com
Want to listen to professionally programmed radio stations on your phone? Then meet Slacker, which never slacks in finding you great music. If you enter an artist, it finds similar music you might like and you can ban or like songs to help the system fine-tune your listening experience. Like Pandora, the more you use it, the better the app works. 

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31. Surfacer 1.0.0
Lexis Numérique, www.lexis-games.com/
Half digital art project, half addictive game, Surfacer takes a very simple concept and makes it an enchanting showcase for arcade-like game design. The game is easy: Cover as much surface as you can with circles without hitting any of the moving balls. As you complete levels, more moving balls are added and it becomes harder to cover the surfaces with the allotted amount of circles. The fuzzy, sparse electronic music in the background works extremely well as a soundtrack. 

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32. Tap Tap Revenge 3.5
Tapulous, tapulous.com
It might not be the most innovative game, but at this point, Tap Tap Revenge is an undeniable touchstone in the iPhone app canon. For the uninitiated, TTR is a music-based game that has its users tap their fingers along with the beat of popular songs. Think of it as Guitar Hero for Dummies. TTR developer Tapulous has a bright future ahead of it because it was acquired by Disney in early July, so we're hoping to see a lot more add-on packs and music for TTR in the future. 

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33. TripIt 1.6.1
TripIt, www.tripit.com
Mobile Managing Editor Sascha Segan—who's also a travel writer—never hits the road without loading his information into TripIt. The app helps you keep track of all those annoying little confirmation numbers and flight statuses. It might seem like a simple thing, but when your flight is cancelled, it can save you precious minutes rebooking. On a related note, the similar app TripCaseisn't as good at importing your data, but it's even better than TripIt at giving you updated gate and alternate flight information. 

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34. Trundle 1.2.1
Mobile Bros LLC, mobile-bros.com/
This frustrating but rewarding platform game will keep you entertained and puzzled for hours. You control a gear (yes, a piece of metal) that's trying to get from one side of a level to another. You move the iPhone side to side to control your gear and tap the screen to jump. It's harder than it sounds, especially once you start having to master the game's smart physics. Plus, the graphics and ambient music are unusually good for a free game. 

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35. TweetDeck for iPhone 1.3
Iain Dodsworth, www.tweetdeck.com
There is an unending debate about which free iPhone Twitter client is the best. Among TweetDeck, Twitteriffic, Twitter (formally Tweetie), and Echofon, our favorite is TweetDeck. You can sync to your TweetDeck account on the desktop and it has a depth of features (including multiple accounts) that's unmatched by other free clients. 

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36. The Weather Channel 2.82
The Weather Channel Interactive, www.weather.com
Just like Twitter clients, there are many, many free weather apps for the iPhone. The Weather Channel's iPhone app is our favorite for its rich range of options. It displays current and extended forecasts, maps, severe weather alerts, pollen counts, videos, and more. 

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37. Wi-Fi Finder 2.0.1
JiWire Inc., www.jiwire.com/iphone
Ever needed to find a good Wi-Fi connection in a hurry because your data plan or AT&T's signal wasn't cutting it? Wi-Fi Finder by JiWire helps you find a good connection nearby. You can download a complete directory of free Wi-Fi spots in the U.S., and it even works without a data connection. The app works best in populated cities, but that's where you're more likely to find free (and paid) Wi-Fi connections. 

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38. Words With Friends Free 3.0.9
Newtoy, newtoyinc.com/wp/
Digital Scrabble has become a bit of a national pastime, with thousands of people playing on Facebook and the iPhone. Words With Friends is basically a generic version of Scrabble that you play iPhone to iPhone. It has push notifications to see when someone else has played a word, and a very simple interface to keep track of your games. Couple this with the free "Dictionary?" app and you might be unbeatable. 

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39. Yellow Pages 2.9.3
Avantar LLC, www.avantar.us/
Have you ever used Google Maps to look up an address and then gone to that location only to find the store is closed? It's happened to me, and it's very frustrating. While it isn't the sharpest looking app, the latest version of Yellow Pages can help you solve that problem. Being tied to the extensive (and mostly accurate) Yellow Pages database for business queries means few wrong numbers or addresses. In our tests, we found Yellow Pages to be more accurate and complete than the competing YPMobile app. 

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40. Yelp 4.3.0
Yelp, Inc., www.yelp.com
Looking for a good new restaurant in your neighborhood? Look no further than Yelp, which has an extensive database of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, movie theaters, and shops. The best part of Yelp is, arguably, the unusually high number of user reviews by average people. Thanks to Yelp's large community, a consensus forms around the best places in each neighborhood, which can help keep you from not-so-great places. Yelp community members can use the iPhone app to write their own review or offer a tip about a venue. The competing Urbanspoon app, which features professional reviews, is also a fun addition if you're a foodie on the lookout for good restaurants.