Social Mindfield

New Year, New Post

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 01:15:00 +0000

As you may have noticed, I have been away from my blog and writing for way too long. I was on a very long hiatus, some of it by choice, some of it not by choice and most of it just by circumstances. Most of it was due to personal things going on in my life and not knowing wether it was appropriate or not to write about it, the other part of it was worrying wether it would be used against me for telling my story and the other part was just life keeping me away with kids, school and working, that pretty much filled up my days, as you can imagine. Then all the personal bits of going through a long divorce, helping my kids through it, repairing and rebuilding my life.

I have decided that with the New Year here, this is my opportunity to jump back into something that is positive, is good for me and something that I enjoy doing. I know that I am supposed to be doing this and have made it a priority because there have been too many times where I happen to have free time and just sitting down and wondering what to do or on the computer thinking I should be writing about that particular topic. I didn't because I thought it was too late to jump back in. I also want to get back into writing for freelance jobs.

That's the thing about our mindsets. Once it is made up, there is no changing it. Until the next wave of circumstances happen to wash over us. Then we rise above it and are renewed with different thoughts than what we once had. This is me, all the time.

I know that I have a lot to share and offer. I have my opinions and thoughts about stuff and I have ideas and resources to share. It is my hope that you will help support me in my endeavor by being engaged with me on here by adding your comments, sharing things you find worthy and suggest other things, as well. I know you get the point, so I will stop right there.

It is my goal to post something every day but we know that is not always realistic and possible, so at a minimum of once a week.

It is my intention to post from my heart and mind, my own speaking. I hope that I will have the ability and sense to know just how much to write or post is enough and not too much.

I also want to post and share other links and articles that I feel are worthy of sharing on here.

I know that everything may not be of interest to you and that is okay, it is here to help me, too. This is a daily work in progress.

I am ready and I am doing this, right now!

Currently, while on school break, I am in the process of cleaning out the paper clutter in my office and also making a Vision Board to help me make a good running start to a successful new year. I will be posting my Vision Board, as it comes along. I will be posting tips, tricks and ideas that I am doing to help the process with the paper clutter. I am also trying to grow my photography business in between going to school for a dual degree in Photography and also Graphic Design, which should go nicely with my current degree in Computer Information Technology.

I have not decided how much personal things I want to be writing about. I have been thinking about this for a long, long time now. We all know there are people on Social Media who do not know the boundaries of posting personal information, however at the same time, it could help someone. So what do you suggest? Do you have rules or recommendations on how much is too much? Does a blog have different rules than on Social Media?

Happy New Year! Let's make it a successful, positive and prosperous one!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Lowes holds free kids Build and Grow clinics once a month on Saturday at 10 am until 11 am. They just wrapped up the last two clinics for 2015. November was a Pullback Racecar and December was a Holiday Train.

The Lowe's Build and Grow calendar will show you the next two clinics and allow you to register your child for them.

If you'd like to see the clinics coming up after the next two, you'll need to visit the Lowe's Build and Grow calendar after the first one on the list is over.

Lowes Build and Grow Clinic Schedule

We have not been able to get our family to one yet but this year is the year to do exactly that. I went to their website and currently, they are in the process of performing some maintenance, as the site informs.

“In the next few weeks, we will be launching an all new Build and Grow website! Check back soon to see the new look and features! Please note that once the site goes live you will need to create a new account to register for the upcoming projects." SamiCone.com's website says.

I was unable to find that information and instead, encountered a friendly image telling me that they are performing some maintenance and will be back soon.

Lowes Build and Grow Clinic

Personalized Letter from Santa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 23:18:00 +0000

Personalize your child's Christmas and send them a personalized letter from Santa and an autographed photo.

This reminds me of a time when I was younger, somewhere around 8 to 10 years old and my parents had called me into the room to tell me that I had a phone call. I was surprised because I never got phone calls. When I took the call, it was Santa on the other end of the phone. It was just a recording but at that age, it really was magical for me.

This really is a nice way to personalize a child's Christmas and I am sure that they will remember it years from now.

Turley Publications is sending this personalized gift for $9.95. Just cut out the coupon, fill in your information and enclose your payment. They do warn that quantities are limited.

Merry Christmas and Enjoy!

PMC Paceline

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 00:08:00 +0000

Jessica will be riding her second PMC in August. The reasons why she does the PMC yearly are plentiful. A few reasons are because the money raised by the PMC and donated to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute helped save the life of someone she is very close with and loves, also, she still has family members and friends fighting cancer and they deserve the best care from the latest clinical trials and compassionate doctors. Lastly, because Cancer sucks and as long as she lives she wants to help fight against it in hopes that future generations don't have to.

I am personally asking you to please join her in the fight against cancer. Make a donation to support her ride.
‪#‎pmc2015‬

PMC Paceline

Colossal Groove - Mistress @ The Webster, Hartford, CT

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 03:43:00 +0000

A short video of Colossal Groove playing in the Battle of the Bands at The Webster in Hartford, CT on Saturday, March 15. I was taking this video for the band and was not able to record the full song or anymore after that because I was unaware that they did not want anyone recording. After one of the security guards came over tell me that, I had to turn it off. Plans are in the works to get more videos for Colossal Groove. In the meantime, enjoy this video.

Mistress - Colossal Groove - 3/15/2014 - The Webster - Hartford,... http://t.co/A6IshcuT2H
— Jeanne T. (@tooheymomster) March 18, 2014

USAA - taking pride in Excellence in Customer Service

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 20:36:00 +0000

A recent experience as a customer was with my car insurance company, USAA. I have been a customer with them for over five years and recommend them to everyone. USAA is your one stop shop for many things like car insurance, home and renter's insurance, bank accounts, loans and stocks. They also have car buying and home buying services and financial planners that work with you to help you make a budget and plan for your future. USAA's services are for military members and their families and they pride themselves on customer service. As a customer with USAA for over five years, I really do believe that they are serious and sincere when they say that they pride themselves on customer service. Through the years, they have always been able to assist me with my problems, issues and concerns. Not only were able to assist me but successfully resolved the problems, issues and concerns to my satisfaction. They handled the matters professionally, courteously and quickly. They have a toll free number that they answer and every customer service associate is in the United States which makes communicating less frustrating. They have made my customer service experience with them so easy and convenient not only by having a toll free number but also with the ease and access of technology like their website and mobile app. With their website and mobile app, you are able to view your accounts and bills. You are able to change your insurance policies, yourself and pay your bills with ease. When you call their toll free number, if there is a queue, it will tell you how long the wait is, how many customers are in front of you and offer you the option for a USAA customer service representative to call you back by pressing 1 and they really do call you back. I really believe that USAA and their customer service is a true example of outstanding customer service and I hope that other companies can learn what it takes to make customers happy, help them feel valued and bring back the lost art of excelling in customer service.

My wish for Facebook Likes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 16:57:00 +0000

My email inbox needs to have some TLC. It is overwhelming to check emails at the moment. This is mainly because I have signed up for newsletters almost everywhere I had read something that I liked. This was mostly because most of these entities had not joined the Facebook wagon yet. But now that it has grown so much, I am taking the opportunity to like them on Facebook and choosing to unsubscribe to their emails. Although, I am wondering if it would be easier, quicker and more effective for me to just set up filters and send them directly to the trash automatically. The only problem with that is that the initial time that I set up the filter, I will have to select every single email to get it out of my inbox.

It has abruptly come to my attention that I am unable to like any more pages on Facebook because you are allowed up to 5,000. Somehow, I am over my quota. I went to do maintenance on my likes and found that when you search all the results, it does not offer you the option to filter it by how many current likes the page has or list the pages you liked with that search term first. This would make un-liking pages much easier for me while allowing me to accomplish my goal without making it into a several day project.

Pot Luck: Inside a Beverly Hills Cannabis Club Dinner Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 06:00:00 +0000

Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.

20/20: Pot Luck: Inside a Beverly Hills Cannabis Club Dinner Party

I was watching 20/20 tonight and the show was called: I escaped my life. One of the segments was about a 53 year old woman and mom of two girls who also runs a public relations firm, is a medical marijuana user, founded the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club and is an activist to legalize cannabis in this country.

The moms of this club have battled cancer, chronic pain and crippling anxiety. They say that what got them feeling normal and healthy again wasn't prescription drugs but marijuana did.

They say that they do it to take the edge off and to remain functional and checked in as parents, not to get baked out of their minds. They feel that just as other parents might choose how much to drink around their kids, they are the only ones who can judge what the line between being stoned and buzzed is. They say that they struggle with how to best educate their children on the subject of drug use, just like any parent.

The moms say they try to be responsible and healthy by choosing to vaporize the marijuana. Using small mechanical devices which look like cigarettes, it heats the cannabis just enough to make the THC active and doesn't produce as much harmful smoke.

At the parties, they create edibles, consisting of fettuccine and chicken with marinara sauce made from cannabis infused olive oil and strawberry shortcake.

So, I was not surprised to hear about this because of the fact that Marijuana is becoming legal in more and more states, nor about the fact that they mentioned how happy they felt and how it took them out of depression. I was glad that they mentioned how they were like zombies and checked out when they were using prescription drugs. This is something that seems to get overlooked quite frequently, in my opinion. Prescription drugs are being abused and I have heard of parents taking and even abusing them. They are laid up in bed all day and it becomes more of an excuse, unfortunately, to the kids expense.

I do worry for these parents for the fact that they are doing this in front of their kids. Vaporizer or not, I don't feel that is ever a good idea. Although, I don't know why it would be any more appropriate or okay for someone to smoke or drink in front of or around kids. But, I guess we do it and that is okay. There is still a big stigma in this country about marijuana use. It will be interesting to see what comes of this in the years to come.

Watch the video and let me know what you think or have to say about this topic. Do you think it can make you a better parent?

Personality is half the battle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 19:53:00 +0000

I had an interview for an entry level C# programmer position and had to fill out some sort of personality sheet, also called a PI. The Predictive Index or PI is a scientifically validated behavioral assessment that accurately predicts workplace behaviors.

The PI offers a clear understanding of the unique behavioral needs and drives that make people work. The Predictive Index/PI assessment is administered in the form of an adjective checklist and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The results provide managers with detailed information into the behavioral drives of people.

Predictive Index is a a proven management tool used to improve performance and productivity of people at all levels of the organizations. PI gives you the power and knowledge to better motivate, lead and utilize your people to achieve your company's goals. Predictive Index or PI is a scientifically validated assessment that accurately predicts workplace behaviors and tendencies. It is a companion instrument that allows managers to identify the behavioral requirements of any position.

These are my results:

Click to enlarge Personality Index

After feeling uncomfortable and out of my element for some time because I kept doubting myself, this is a good way to end the interview. This was a very special way for me because not only did I know these things about myself, but this test reaffirmed to me what I already knew about myself. I also loved how beautifully it was written and put these in such a good light because sometimes, when people say these things to me or about me, I take interpret it in a more negative light.I am taking this information to heart because these are things my parents always said about me. They are passed away now and as I was reading the PI, I could hear my parents voices saying it. It was like they were right there with me.

I absolutely love the idea. It can be used to motivate employees or gain insight about a potential employee. The way that it was written did motivate me.
What do you think about Predictive Indexes?

Technological Terrorism?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 04:58:00 +0000

It seems that the more that I try to "get with it" technologically speaking, the further away from it I really get. I have a Kodak Office Hero 6.1 wireless all in one printer, Motorola Droid Bionic cell phone, Canon Rebel T3i Digital SLR camera and Verizon DSL internet. Just to top that off, a degree in Computer Information Technology. You may be asking what is the big deal then?

Verizon High Speed DSL Internet

The big deal is that if it is not the internet randomly losing connection, causing me to spend many days, weeks and months on the phone with Verizon and many technicians coming out to my place, then it is the cell phone rebooting on its own randomly, lagging significantly, making it great as a paperweight only or losing battery like crazy.

There have been times in the past where my phone rings but it does not show the answer button on the screen. Other times, I have not received my emails or it randomly sent an email later on. Not a good scenario when you are communicating with your ex about the kids through email. There have been times when I went to make a phone call and it just lags and you have to try several times to make the phone call. You would think that the most basic thing a "smart" cell phone should be able to do is make and receive phone calls because in the end, no matter what the other things it can do, in the end, it is still a phone.
My printer has already been replaced through the warranty once already and now it does this thing where when it "prints" it sucks the stack of paper in the bottom tray through the printer and gets jammed.

I love my camera. It takes beautiful pictures and is the one technological thing that I own that has never caused me grief. It takes such beautiful, perfect pictures that I can't even edit the pictures.

On the flip side of that, my SD card finally "bit the dust." I had an 8gb SanDisk Ultra SD card that I was using with my camera and I don't know if it was from taking it in and out of the camera to transfer the pictures to my laptop or what, but it finally cracked on the top where the gold, metal chips are. I was surprised by this because to my knowledge, SanDisk has a great reputation for their products. I was worried about my card but it still was able to read the information and took pictures...until today, that is.
Even Charith mentioned having the same problem on Yahoo! Answers and this has me wondering if this is becoming an pandemic.

Last night, I took the most beautiful pictures of the sunset and the moon. The sky was pink and orange with the clouds all around and the moon was half full. It was so beautiful that I had to take pictures to share with everyone. I remember last night looking through the pictures on my camera and didn't feel like transferring the pictures off my SD card to put on my computer because I was too busy and tired. So I went to do that today to show my family. When I put the card in my laptop, the Camera Wizard never came up. I thought that was a little weird but thought I had too much going on my computer at the time. Finally, I rebooted my computer and put the card back in my laptop, again. Same thing, the Wizard never came up. I took the SD card out and went to put it back in my camera and the camera could not read the card. Now I was really getting concerned and confused.

Thinking that I now had lost all my pictures, I started to think outside the box and think about how else could I get these pictures. So I put the card in my printer. My printer can see the pictures. So I was thinking everything is okay, as long as I can get the pictures off the card. My printer is wireless and I thought that I could just transfer the pictures to my laptop using the built in menu on the printer, but this was not the case. Apparently, it only allows you to transfer the pictures using a USB cable. So, back to the drawing board. I went into the Kodak All In One Software that is installed in my computer and put my log in information to Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa and Google Docs, thinking that I could just send my pictures to one or any of these accounts and everything would be alright. But that did not happen, either. After reading the documentation on Kodak's website, you have to have the pictures selected from the camera to send there. Again, this is not any help for me and my situation.

The only thing that I can do now is find my USB 2.0 Printer Cable A to B (Google Affiliate Ad) anto my printer and hook it up to my laptop to transfer the pictures. But, I have no idea where it is because I have never had the USB cord hooked up because I had always used the "wireless feature."

I guess my main point is that I went to school and got my degree in computers so I can help others fix their technological problems and I can't even fix my own. I guess the other thing is that it really isn't that I can't fix my own technological problems, it is that the hardware can't completely do what I thought it could do and apparently, my imagination is bigger than what they actually put out on the market. Right now, because of the current situation, I feel terrorized by technology.

Do you know a way that I can get my pictures off of my SD card? I would love to hear what else you can do.

Brown's Outdoor Retail: Winter Safety Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 05:06:00 +0000

I have been hearing quite a bit on the news lately about winter safety tips regarding the ice. Usually, around this time of year, the ice would be fine to go on, but with the winters becoming shorter and warmer, this is not the case. The ice is not safe to be on right now and there are signs to look for to know if it is safe.

Never go on the ice alone or without telling someone.
Avoid being in the same are with a group of people.
Always wear a life jacket.
Look for large cracks or in the ice.
Clear ice is the strongest. Ice formed by melted and refrozen snow appears milky, is very porous and very weak. Ice covered by snow should always be presumed unsafe.
Four inches of ice will generally hold an average-sized person on foot. Snowmobiles and ORVs need at least eight inches of solid, consistent ice.

Brown's Outdoor Retail: Winter Safety Tips: Winter Safety Tips Don't let children play outside in the snow for more than 3-4 hours at a time and monitor them. Don't over exert your...

Free 1 HR Diagnostic - Save $25 - Laptop/Desktop Repairs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:10:00 +0000

FYI: My FB friend, Kris Bray is doing Laptop and Desktop repairs. You name it, he does it. For the Holiday season, now until Dec 20th, he is offering FREE 1hr diagnostic! Save $25. If you have a computer in need of work message him or reply to his post, or this post. (413) 250-0160 call or text to set something up.

Small Town Tradition - 20th Annual White Christmas in West Brookfield, MA

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:10:00 +0000

20th Annual White Christmas, West Brookfield, MA.

Sunday, December 2, 2012. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Come enjoy the old-fashioned atmosphere in this beautiful historic town. The clip-clop of the horse drawn hayrides, carolers singing and the sparkling white lights throughout the town combine to make a Christmas celebration to remember. Many open houses at shops, businesses, churches and the library offer refreshments, live music, craft demonstrations and free raffles from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free hayrides, hot cocoa, cider and more on the Common. Puppet shows at the Town Hall, the "Sugar and Spice" Gingerbread House Contest at the Senior Center and find 9 elves hiding at shops to win a prize in the Elf Hunt.The highlight of the day's festivities, the beautiful spruce tree will be lit at 5:45 p.m, with the Christmas Concert to follow at the Great Hall, 2nd floor of the Town Hall at 6:15 p.m.

A Bowl Full Of Lemons works with all Browsers, except Internet Explorer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 15:46:00 +0000

While doing my surfing on Pinterest today, I found a post from a friend about organization, which led me to the a bowl full of lemons website. With organization being one of my top favorite subjects to read and learn about, I had to go to their website. I absolutely love that they disclose in big red font that their blog works best with all browsers, except Internet Explorer.
First of all, I am not a fan of anyone being proprietary. Internet Explorer is the browser we all love to hate. It doesn't conform to standards for coding or rendering. However, with that said, Internet Explorer is known to be the best browser to acquire viruses with and is the best browser to download another browser with. I am a Chrome and Firefox fan and use them whenever possible. I say that because I have found that some websites have not been cross compatible with all browsers and will only work with IE, still forcing you to use their browser.
I love the idea and think this is a good way to show your loyalty for the browsers that actually deserve to be shown some love.

If you put it on Facebook, then it's up for discussion.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:01:00 +0000

If you are going to express an opinion, then expect the facts. Yes, some or many people may agree with you, but not always, and that's alright. Isn't it?
It's not my fault that you can't handle the truth. But don't try to bully me into silence with you and all your friends. I will stand up for what's right, even if it means being the only one to speak up. Not once did I get an answer to the question. But instead for the sake of avoiding answering, making personal attacks to my character. Again, proving my point, even further. If you put it on Facebook, then it's up for discussion. Don't tell me not to comment. I'm not going to sit there and say you're right when in fact you're not. If those are the kind of friends you need in your life, then I pity you. It is even clearer to me that we are not meant to be friends because I won't pacify you, nor will I be bullied into silence. Just because you're having a bad day or a hard time with life, doesn't mean you get to take it out on or belittle others. Sorry for your life choices.
What would you do? Do you keep the friend because it's okay to have a diffidence of opinion or do you delete the friend because you realize that their values are different than yours?

ATM Tip

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:45:00 +0000

This to is great to know and makers sense, if you are being robbed. I have not tried this, so I do not know if it is true or works. How about you? Have you or do you know someone that this had happened to? Tell us about it.

Road Side Margaritas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Road Side Margaritas

by Jeanné M. Tatro

On my way home from school yesterday, I was thinking of waiting until I got closer to my town to get an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts, but the weather was so nice and I was thirsty and couldn't wait. While driving, I was thinking that I would stop at the first Convenience store and buy a Root Beer. After finally making that decision, there was an ice cream cart on the side of the road set up in the Juncos and Cavey resteraunt parking lot. I was going to drive past it, but while sitting at the red light, I noticed a sign that said Pina Coladas. Suddenly, I couldn't resist it and was curious. So I decided to stop by and get one.

While talking to the person on duty, I found out that it was Alvin Woods, from Alvin's All-Natural Ice Cream which was developed at STCC's Technology park back in late 1999, early 2000. They were able to develop it and get it into some area supermarkets like BigY and Stop and Shop. He tried to compete with some major brands and it was unsuccessful, so in 2007, they tried the Open Air Ice Cream Concept in the Springfield Area, since the market was open for that idea.

“We just opened another location in Forest Park at the X. We now have 2 locations. We sell fresh pina coladas, tropical sorbets and all-Natural Ice Cream. Everything is made from scratch. Everything is basically organic, it just doesn't have the organic label. Hopefully we can penetrate the market and establish a home base here in Springfield and continue STCC's Entrepeneurial Institute's success rate.” said Alvin.

“Being in the service community, selling a world class product, speaks for itself. Once they taste it, they love it. The price is family-friendly, especially in this particular neighborhood. I think we have a successful model that we can grow on.” Alvin added.

Odaliz Breton has been aware of Alvin's Ice Cream for about three or four weeks now and was at the location ordering when he told me that he likes it because “it's addictive. It keeps him coming back. It's feels natural, it feels like a natural taste. It's local.”

Proposed Law Will Exempt More IT Employees from Overtime Pay

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:57:00 +0000

A bill introduced to congress would define more IT job descriptions that are exempt from overtime pay.

[Ars Technica]

A bill recently introduced in Congress would greatly expand the exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act for IT employees, ending overtime benefits for many more types of workers, including network, database and security specialists.

Among other things, the FLSA mandates that employees get time-and-a-half overtime pay for working more than 40 hours in a week, unless they are executives or specifically exempted from the law's protection. There are already many exemptions, and the current text related to IT workers exempts "any employee who is a computer systems analyst, computer programmer, software engineer, or other similarly skilled worker," whose primary duties fall under categories including "systems analysis techniques and procedures," and "design, documentation, testing, creation, or modification of computer programs."

But a bill sponsored by Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), titled the "Computer Professionals Update Act," takes the exemption's 131-word text and bumps it up to 205, adding job classes such as database and network specialists and security professionals along the way. The proposed text exempts "any employee working in a computer or information technology occupation (including, but not limited to, work related to computers, information systems, components, networks, software, hardware, databases, security, internet, intranet, or websites) as an analyst, programmer, engineer, designer, developer, administrator, or other similarly skilled worker," with primary duties including "the application of systems, network or database analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users, to determine or modify hardware, software, network, database, or system functional specifications."

The bill would also label all employees listed in the exemption as part of the "bona fide executive, administrative, or professional" class exempt from overtime and minimum wage laws. However, the proposed modification keeps the exemption's current text limiting affected employees to those who are on salary or make at least $27.63 an hour.

An IT administrator who blogged about the bill notes that "I think that I may have originally underestimated the importance of this bill to us SysAdmins in the United States…see, I was under the impression that we were almost all salaried and exempt—in other words, that overtime wasn’t an option anyway. I’ve been informed by a couple of friends of mine that this isn’t the case at all, and that there are a lot of hourly SysAdmins who get overtime."

According to Govtrack.us, Hagan's bill was referred to the Committee on Health Education, Labor, and Pensions, on Oct. 20, helpfully noting that "the majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee." But if you want to tell Sen. Kagan what you think about limiting overtime pay for IT pros, a contact form is on the senator's website.

OMG: 33 Years Old!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:41:00 +0000

I am wondering why google hasn’t changed its logo as it is my birthday today... :) lol :)

For my birthday, I would love it if my friends shared a memory of me or of us. I know that this is asking for it, but this should be fun.

FDA Examines Level Of Arsenic In Apple Juice

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0000

NPR: FDA Examines Level Of Arsenic In Apple Juice

The Food and Drug Administration is considering tightening restrictions for the levels of arsenic allowed in apple juice after consumer groups pushed the agency to crack down on the contaminant.

Studies show that apple juice has generally low levels of arsenic, and the government says it is safe to drink. But consumer advocates say the FDA is allowing too much of the chemical — which is sometimes natural, sometimes man made — into apple juices favored by thirsty kids.

There is little consensus on whether these low levels could eventually be harmful, especially to children. Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, said Wednesday the agency has already stepped up testing and research on arsenic in apple and other juices and is seriously considering lowering the FDA's so-called "level of concern" for the contaminant.

"We continue to think that apple juice is generally safe based on the fact that the vast majority of samples are very low," Taylor said. "But we want to minimize these exposures as much as we possibly can."

Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in the two forms — organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic — the type found in pesticides — can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.

The FDA uses 23 parts per billion as a guide to judge whether apple juice is contaminated. The agency has the authority to seize apple juice that exceeds those levels, though it has never done so.

Consumer groups say the FDA's level is too high and isn't enforced with enough urgency. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, released a study on Wednesday calling for the levels to be as low as 3 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency has set levels for drinking water — it's consumed at much greater quantities than apple juice — at 10 parts per billion.

The Consumer Reports study showed that nine of 88 samples of apple juice taken from grocery stores had more arsenic than the EPA's standard for drinking water. But none of the samples exceeded the FDA's standards for inorganic, or man-made, arsenic.

Urvashi Rangan of the Consumers Union says the group has been in talks with the FDA on the issue and is encouraged by the discussion. Another advocacy group, Food and Water Watch, has lobbied the agency on the issue, and Dr. Mehmet Oz has highlighted the issue on his nationally syndicated daytime show.

"We look at apple and grape juice as a poster child for arsenic in the food supply in general," Rangan said. "Chronic low-level exposure of carcinogen is something we should be concerned about."

Molly Kile, a professor at Oregon State University who has studied arsenic for a decade, says more research is needed to determine whether arsenic levels in juice are a problem.

"It is unclear at this point whether or not the arsenic found in apple juice is safe or unsafe," she said. "And really the question is what do these low levels exposure of arsenic mean in terms of health and children's health?"

So what is the parent of a juice-drinking toddler to do?

All of the experts — including the government and the consumer advocates — agree that drinking small amounts of apple juice isn't harmful. The concern is over the effects of drinking large amounts of juice over long periods of time. Parents with a real concern about arsenic should try to diversify the brands of juice they buy in case one brand tends to have more chemical exposure, Consumers Union says.

Another point of agreement is that children under 6 shouldn't be drinking much juice anyway because it's high in calories. Health experts say children under 6 shouldn't drink any more than 6 ounces of juice a day — about the size of a juice box. Infants under 6 months shouldn't drink any juice at all.

Gail Charnley of the Juice Products Association says the industry regularly tests arsenic levels and will follow the FDA's lead.

"Of course parents have concerns but they should know that the juice producers are committed to safety," she said. "Producers have children who drink juice too."

Oz has said he would still serve juice to his own children, though he strongly believes the government isn't doing enough.

"The absolute safest level for arsenic in your food is zero," he said Wednesday while acknowledging "that is impossible to achieve."

LOL! - Have a very Merry Tampax :)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:44:00 +0000

TAMPAX announced today that they will be taking the string off their tampons and replacing it with tinsel. This is for the Christmas period only! You have your choice of pine scent, merry mint, or cinnamon bun.

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3 Common Car Dealer Tactics Hitting Consumers Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

A car often can be one of the biggest purchases a person will ever make, and consumer groups say buyers are easily taken advantage of by unscrupulous car dealers.

That's why they are pushing for more regulations, and the Federal Trade Commission is hosting an all-day meeting on the topic on Thursday.

A car dealer's tactics can start the moment a driver pulls up at the dealership, according to Ray Lopez, who was a car salesman for 35 years.

"It's all a matter of the psychological games that we play," he said.

1. Yo-Yo Financing

One of the biggest games is "yo-yo financing," which occurs when a dealer is so eager to close the sale that he sends a buyer home with the car before the financing is secured.

"The person's already been driving the car, has already fallen in love with the car," Lopez told ABC News. "But when the financing falls through, the dealer calls back with bad news: Pay more money or return the car."

Lakeeta Johnson, a single mom from St. Louis, said it happened to her. Three weeks after a dealer handed her the keys to a Jeep Liberty, he called and demanded it back.

The dealer kept the car Johnson traded in and her deposit.

"I walked through the door with $2,500 and a truck to trade-in," she said. "I ended up with nothing."

Johnson is now suing the dealership to get back her old truck and the $2,500 deposit.

Cases like Johnson's may not be uncommon. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, one in eight buyers making less than $40,000 a year has been a victim of yo-yo financing. For people making less than $25,000, it's one in four.

"It's outrageous and shouldn't be done," said Jack Fitzgerald, a long-time auto dealer. He told ABC News that buyers should never leave with a car unless the deal is final.

"Don't take delivery of a car if you don't have a signed contract," said Fitzgerald.

2. Interest Rate Markups
Another one of the car dealer tactics is what critics call a hidden markup. That's when a dealer jacks up the interest rate on a car loan, without telling the buyer they have raised the rate quoted by the lender.

It's perfectly legal, and dealers argue that's markup covers their costs related to security and servicing the loan.

But the Center for Responsible Lending says interest-rate markups cost consumers nearly 26 billion dollars a year in "unneeded, excessive charges."

Consumers are advised to shop around for a loan, they may be able to get a better deal from a bank or credit union.

3. Add-Ons
Another trick car salesman use is selling expensive add-ons such as line paint sealant or fabric protection.

"All new cars come from the factory with paint sealant and fabric protection," Lopez said. "So, if you hear that, walk away."

The bottom line is that consumers need to do their homework before they walk into a dealership. They also need to be prepared to walk out and never look back.

"The moment you turn around, ca-ching, they know they've got you now," Lopez said.

Tips from the National Automobile Dealers Association:

Top 4 things to do before going to the dealership:
      1. Based on your needs and budget, determine a realistic price range for the vehicle you are considering to buy.
      2. Know the difference between financing and leasing.
      3. Know your credit record.
      4. Compare annual percentage rates (APR) from other lending sources such as banks, finance companies and credit unions.

Top 4 things to do while visiting the dealership:
      1. Stay within the price range you can afford.
      2. Negotiate your finance arrangements and terms.
      3. Understand the value and cost of optional products such as extended service contracts, credit insurance or guaranteed auto protection. If you don't want these products, don't sign for them.
      4. Read the sales contract carefully before you sign it.

Tax Deductions to Remember When Buying a Home

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

by BILL GASSETT on MARCH 8, 2010 · 24 COMMENTS

When you are getting a mortgage to purchase a home, there are certain deductions that the IRS allows that are well worth remembering come tax time in April. The following is a list of some of the deductions that many people forget about when buying a home:

POINTS

Points on a home loan are tax deductible if they are used to bring down the mortgage interest rate. For those that don’t know a point is 1% of the loan amount. On a $300,000 mortgage a point would equal $3000.00. You would only want to pay points on a loan if you knew your were going to be in the home for a while and the cost of such points would be less than taking a higher interest rate.

In order to understand if paying points makes sense you need to calculate the mortgage payment amount with and without points. By looking at the spread between those amounts you can determine how long you would need to be in the house before it would pay off for you. For a complete explanation see when to pay points on a mortgage.

Points or origination fees paid when you purchase a home are generally tax deductible in full in the year that you pay them. It should be noted that origination charges from the lender that constitute a “service fee” are not tax deductible.

Another alternative you could choose is to amortize the points over the term of your mortgage. This choice is usually made only when your itemized deductions are less than the standard deduction for the year you bought the home.

As a side note when you refinance a mortgage the points must be deducted over the term of the loan. If you deduct points over the term of the loan and sell the home or refinance it again before the loan expires, you can deduct in the year of the sale or refinancing any points that you didn’t previously deduct. Keep in mind that you will be able to get the best mortgage interest rates when you have a great FICO Credit Score.

PRO RATED MORTGAGE INTEREST

When you are buying a home, depending on when in the month the home sale closes, the buyers pay either a small or large amount of pro-rated mortgage interest for the particular month they close. Whether the amount is large or small, a home buyer can write that amount off. The Final Closing/Settlement Statement will show just how much the buyer is due.

PRO RATED REAL ESTATE TAXES

Often times a seller will send the local tax collector’s office a check for Real Estate taxes prior to the closing. In many circumstances, however, the buyer will pay a pro-rated portion of the taxes for the year at closing. This tax deduction is one that is forgotten quite often.

NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION LOAN INTEREST

As long as the construction period doesn’t last more than two years before you make the new home your “principal residence,” you can write off the interest for that new construction loan.

PRE-PAYMENT PENALTIES

Although it is rare that a home loan today will have a pre-payment penalties on a few rare occasions you will still find one. If your mortgage does include a pre-payment penalty and you pay off the loan early, these penalties are tax deductible.

MORTGAGE INSURANCE

If you got a mortgage in either 2007, 2008, 0r 2009 and got the loan through the Federal Housing Agency (FHA), Veterans Administration (VA) or the Rural Housing Agency (USDA loan) you may be able to deduct private mortgage insurance (as defined in section 2 of the Home Protection Act of 1998 as in effect Dec. 20, 2006). Prepaid mortgage insurance premiums usually must be deducted over the period to which they apply.

MORTGAGE INTEREST TAX DEDUCTION

One of the beauties of owning a home is the fact you can deduct the mortgage loan interest every year on your tax return. This is one of the best tax breaks afforded to homeowners.

Mortgage interest is tax deductible on mortgages of up to 1 million dollars ($500,000 if married and you are filing separately) as long as you use the money to buy, build or improve on your property and the mortgage is secured by your home.

In addition, the interest you pay on loans secured by your home and used for a purpose other than to buy, build or improve your home is tax deductible for loans up to $100,000 ($50,000 Married Filing Separately). In other words if you used a home equity line of credit to purchase a car the interest on this 2nd mortgage would be tax deductible.

_________________________________________________________________

About the author: The above Real Estate information on Tax deductions when buying a home was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 24+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Hopedale, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Upton, Grafton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, and Douglas.