blindican’s posterous

Good afternoon

Today Charlie and I are going shoppin in my mall.

Hey! Before you begin to do your shopping online take a moment to  read this very informative article that I found yesterday about safe shopping online.

I  feel that this article should have been    written earlier in the  start of the  holiday shopping season.

Since there are lots of people still doing their  shopping online yeah! Including me heres  some great tips we all could learn

Keys to Safe Holiday Shopping Online

by

StaffTechAlert

The holiday season is upon us — and with it comes the sales! However, more and more

people are avoiding crowded stores and parking lots and doing their holiday shopping

on the Web — online sales are expected to reach $32 billion this holiday season.

So how do you shop online without risking identity theft or being ripped off?

Before giving out any personal information on the Internet, be sure that the organization

you are giving it to is the only one who receives it. Your credit card number may

pass through several states or even countries on its way to the store’s Web site.

If it is not encrypted along the way, clever criminals can tap into your information

and record everything they need to make a fraudulent purchase in your name. In Firefox

3, look for the encryption padlock in the bottom right of the browser window, in

the status bar; with Internet Explorer 7, the lock is directly to the right of the

URL bar. Encryption is possible because the Web site owner has obtained an SSL certificate

to use on the site. An added bonus is that the Web site owner needs to show some

level of proof that they own the domain name when they purchase the certificate.

This helps ensure that you are dealing with the real company, not a criminal impersonating

that site.

Sometimes buying online leads to a much simpler problem – the item you expected is

not what you received. This will always be a possibility when you cannot see the

product prior to purchasing.  Items such as CDs, DVDs and books are the same no matter

where you buy them, but others may not be so simple. The toy in the picture may look

big and turn out to be only a few inches tall, the towels you purchased look completely

different in person than they did online, etc. When buying anything of significant

value, always check the return policy of the store. Be aware of how long you have

to return your products, as well as how much time you have left to buy a replacement

gift if necessary!

If you run into problems after a purchase and the merchant cannot or will not help,

you need to be aware of your options. One of the best ways to resolve an issue is

to use your credit card. Some cards will cover items that merchants refuse to take

back. This can be invaluable when you are buying without seeing the product in person.

In addition, many cover any fraudulent charges if your card number is stolen.

Education and being aware of your options can reduce your risk and increase your

chances of a successful online shopping experience.  Be informed and be safe!

Web Source courtesy of

https://www.godaddyconnections.com/ResourceView.aspx?resourceid=849&isc=gdp1217e

The pressure is on.  Theres just 4 days until Christmas.  Have you done your shopping yet?   

Every year i make a promise to myself that i will do all my Christmas shopping on time,   but i  broke that promise  once again .

 Its like a carbon copy of last years scenario. 

I am all stressed out, and i'm working against the clock. I have so much things to do.

Will i ever learn?

Heres how i will spend my rainy Sunday afternoon.

First I will put on the radio and hear all the WONDERFUL Christmas tunes.

There playing Jose Felicianos Feliz Navidad!

I already made some yummie hot coco topped with thick whip  cream. Would you like some?

My computer is up and running, and Charlie is ready to go shopping with me.

The best thing about shopping on my mall is that  I will save lots of money and at the same time make money too!

Now with the economy the way it is  we need  even more to empower ourselves.

 I always save on gas, and I don’t need to deal with  the crowds. Having a My Power Mall  is the best thing around.

My  friends it really pays to shop in My Power Mall.

You should check it out!

http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/155776

Have a happy Sunday

Good afternoon

How is everyone doing today?

I really didn’t want to start off this way, but this is our reality  that we are  facing now in our lives.

As I read the newspapers and hear the news on the radio many are predicting that things are going to get harder as the new year rolls in  .

Yesterday I came across a very interesting article in the Daily News , and it was very important for me to bring this valuable information to   those living in the New York City area. 

For all my friends from the N.Y.C. area  you only have until this Friday to  take advantage of this free service.

Take the time to call them if you have any financial questions.  I have provided the number for you here.

 Hey! Let us get pro-active in our lives. 

Remember that knowledge is power.

The formula is to work together   for success.

I believe that we all can do it so today lets do it!

Blind Blog is sponsored by MPM/ Together We Can Change The World.

Create your own M-Power circle group  today! Learn how you can   build    financial freedom for yourself as well as for your community.

http://www.mypowermall.com/Biz/Home/155776

Be a World Changer today!   If you have any questions please feel free to call me ask for Jacqueline 1 206*333*4084  Leave  voice mail with answering service if not available.

Thousands get advice on Daily News financial helpline

BY LORE CROGHAN

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, with CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein, his left,

and New York Daily News Publisher and Chairman Mortimer B. Zuckerman, right, at the

Your Money Helpline Kickoff.

Mayor Bloomberg even took a call from a citizen seeking financial advice.

Most of the financial advice, though, came from one of the largest groups of financial

experts that ever worked a helpline.

Blank_page The calls poured in to Your Money Helpline on Monday - from the moment the phone lines opened at 9 a.m.

More than 2,000 New Yorkers with financial worries got free advice from a team of

volunteers from the City of New York  the City University of New York

 and the Daily News.

It was one of the largest groups of financial experts that has ever worked a helpline.

The voices of the early-morning crew answering the 48 phones in the helpline rooms

at The News' W. 33rd St. headquarters were so loud they nearly drowned out

Mayor Bloomberg,who came to kick off the five-day effort.

"The noise in the background is a bunch of people busy helping other people - so

we don’t want them to stop their noise," he said. "As a matter of fact, we want to

hear more of it."  The personal-finance counselors mostly spoke in English and Spanish - though some also spoke French, Dutch, German, Arabic or Mandarin.

Their advice could be a lifesaver for New Yorkers struggling to control debt, protect

their savings and maintain their livelihoods.

"What often makes things worse is that a lot of people just don't know what to do

or who to turn to - and that only increases the odds that they will make the worst

financial decisions at the worst possible time," the mayor said.

Daily News Chairman and Publisher Mortimer B. Zuckerman

 predicted the recession will get worse before it gets better.

"We are happy to provide this service," he said. "It's one of the functions we feel

is appropriate for a city newspaper that seeks to be helpful to its readers."

Many callers were in trouble because they've lost their jobs. Unemployment drove

some who spoke to Dan Olson, who owns a financial planning firm in

Forest Hills, Queens, into arrears on their rent.

"There was a lot of anguish," said Cathie Mahon, executive director of the city

Office of Financial Empowerment.

She fielded calls on a Spanish-speaking line from people who had worked at "informal"

jobs - their former employers hadn't paid payroll taxes or unemployment insurance

for them, so they can't get unemployment checks.

Mahon

 told them to get help from Workforce 1 Centers, which offer job training and placement.

Your Money Helpline continues through Friday, with phone lines open from 9 a.m. to

7 p.m. Besides employment, advice topics include credit card debt, pensions, 401(k)

plans, health care, mortgages and foreclosure, savings and money planning.

"Take the first step," urged

Millard Owens, a senior deputy director at the Office of Financial Empowerment. "Sort through your financial challenges."

One caller he spoke with Monday lost a bundle on her stock portfolio. Another had

unpaid student loans from 10 years ago. Owens directed them to neighborhood-based

nonprofit counselors.

"People can make substantial improvement in their financial situations," he said.

The mayor, who picked up two helpline calls, said New Yorkers should be conservative

with their investments - especially if they’re near retirement age - and seek immediate

help for their financial problems.

"There are going to be tough times, but you still have a future," he said. "You can't

just throw your hands up."

Tel: 212* 330* 6505

Web  Source courtesy of

http://www.nydailynews.com/index.html

Please check out todays audio post.

I hope that you enjoy this motivational story done by Ginny Dye, and  the music is by Jordan Sparks.

Audio design by J Fernandez

Hello!

The Legend of The Christmas Poinsettia

A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present

the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services.  As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel

with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.

"I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable

in His eyes," said Pedro consolingly.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful

of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet.  Looking at the scraggly bunch

of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her

offering.  She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro's kind words:

"Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes."

  She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity

scene.

Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw

them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their

eyes.

From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena,

or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

~ Author Unknown ~

Web Source  courtesy of

http://our.homewithgod.com/mkcathy/MerryChristmas/stories.html

Here are some books you and your family can enjoy during the holidays.

1. The Legend of the Poinsettia (Unabridged)

 Author: Tomie De Paola

2. Miracle of the Poinsettia

By: Brian Cavanaugh

Click on todays audio post to learn more about the  Poinsettia.

Web Source courtesy of

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2005-

12/2005-12-13-voa2.cfm

Good day!

Do you know what is the traditional Christmas plant of the holidays?

Well today I would like to share with you an interesting story  about the poinsettia.  

December 12 is  poinsettia day

how I miss so much seeing the wonderful brite red colores of the  poinsettia. 

This was a Christmas tradition in our family to always have this wonderful plant in our home . As a center piece on our table, and around the christmas tree.

The  poinsettia would bring like a magical feeling  that  Christmas was near, and for those that came to  visi filled there hearts with cheer.

Today I sprinkle you with some   Christmas dust and wish you all a fabulous day.

The history of the poinsettia

The plant we know today as the poinsettia has a long and interesting history. The

fact is, that lovely plant you place in your home during the holidays was once used

as a fever medicine!

Native to Central America, the plant flourished in an area of Southern Mexico known

as Taxco del Alarcon. The ancient Aztecs had a name for this plant found blooming

in the tropical highlands during the short days of winter:

cuetlaxochitl

. Not merely decorative, the Aztecs put the plant to practical use. From its bracts

they extracted a purplish dye for use in textiles and cosmetics. The milky white

sap, today called latex, was made into a preparation to treat fevers.

Joel Roberts Poinsett

Joel Roberts Poinsett

The poinsettia may have remained a regional plant for many years to come had it not

been for the efforts of Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779 - 1851). The son of a French

physician, Poinsett was appointed as the first United States Ambassador to Mexico

(1825 - 1829) by President Madison. Poinsett had attended medical school himself,

but his real love in the scientific field was botany. (Mr. Poinsett later founded

the institution which we know today as the Smithsonian Institution).

Poinsett maintained his own hothouses on his Greenville, South Carolina plantations,

and while visiting the Taxco area in 1828, he became enchanted by the brilliant red

blooms he saw there. He immediately sent some of the plants back to South Carolina,

where he began propagating the plants and sending them to friends and botanical gardens.

Among the recipients of Poinsett's work was John Bartram of Philadelphia, who in

turn gave the plant over to another friend, Robert Buist, a Pennsylvania nurseryman.

Mr. Buist is thought to be the first person to have sold the plant under its botanical

name,

Euphorbia pulcherrima

 (literally, "the most beautiful Euphorbia"). Though it is thought to have become

known by its more popular name of poinsettia around 1836, the

origin of the name is certainly clear!

Web Source: http://www.ecke.com/HTML/h_corp/corp_joelp.html

MPM wants to help you during these hard times.

7 Rules to Follow If You're Laid Off

Joanna Ossinger

FOXBusiness

Practically every day, there's more news about layoffs. It's 500 here, 10,000 there

-- adding up fast -- and every one of those is a real-live person whose life is probably

deeply affected.

Hopefully you won’t become one of those statistics, but if it happens to you, keeping

a few simple rules in mind can help.

1) Stay calm.

When you get your layoff notice, no matter whether it's expected or not, or how it's

done, remain calm. Don't get riled up, and think before you say or do anything. If

you're agitated or upset, you may do something unadvisable.

"You've been laid off -- it's not a happy moment," said Peter Post, director of the

Emily Post Institute and author of Etiquette: Advantage in Business. "At the same

time, recognize that your boss, your company and the people you work with are people

you might encounter again… If you can keep your emotions in check, that's probably

a good thing."

"You always want to leave in a professional way," said Barbara Barra, vice president

at management consulting firm Lee Hecht Harrison. "That company will be part of your

referencing whether you want it to be or not."

2) Use your ex-employer as much as you can.

The company that laid you off is likely going to offer something in terms of severance,

and perhaps other benefits such as retraining, an employee assistance program and

more. Take advantage of -- or at least leave the option open to use -- everything

that you can. Your situation could be in flux for some time, and it never hurts to

have as many resources as possible at your disposal.

"It's so tempting to walk out and be frustrated, but before you walk out, make sure

you have everyone's contact information and recommendations," said Irene Koehler,

a human resources consultant and Almostsavvy.com blogger.

Barra suggested that people talk to the company about "what will be communicated

internally and externally about your departure." She gave the example that if someone

is forced into retirement but wants to look for a new job, it might not be best for

that person to have to say he's retired as he looks for a new job. "There's more

flexibility around that than people would think," she said.

3) Get professional advice and/or ask for more, if warranted.

If you're being asked to sign a severance agreement, you may want to have an expert

look it over before you put your name to it.

"Nobody should go this alone," said Murray Schwartz, senior partner at employment

law firm Schwartz & Perry. A severance agreement "is usually prepared by an attorney

and the human resources department is involved, and the employee should not be there

alone."

"Sometimes there is room to negotiate the severance package," Barra said. "That's

typically not the case with mass layoffs because consistency is the norm, but especially

if you're one or two people, it never hurts to go back and see if there's the chance

of getting a little more." She recommended considering going to an attorney when

a company asks you to sign a release saying the agreement is "fair and reasonable."

4) Take this opportunity to reassess your career path.

Being out of work is almost never a good thing, but it can offer a chance for you

to take a step back and see whether you want to try something different, such as

a new type of job or a new sector. You might have the opportunity to use your skills

for something different, or use skills you hadn’t really thought about using before.

Also, don’t hesitate to try some volunteer work, which can keep you active, keep

your skills fresh and give you some new contacts.

"Take the time to understand what your next best options are," Barra said. "Look

at what options are out there and what you can do for another organization."

5) Look at your financial situation.

A layoff almost always is followed by a big change in income and financial situation,

so get on top of that as soon as possible.

Figure out what's coming to you in terms of residual payments and severance, look

at your savings, and calculate how much time you have before you really need a job.

That might also affect your job search in terms of what type of job you'll take –

if you have a big financial cushion, you might be able to afford to wait a little

longer to get the "right" next job, whereas if you don't have much savings, you might

need to be less picky.

Don't forget to sign up for COBRA if needed. That's the Consolidated Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act, which guarantees under certain situations that you can get a

temporary continuation of health care at group rates (but since employers usually

subsidize health-insurance costs, it'll probably still be a big bump in premiums).

6) Contact your contacts.

Many people hesitate to reach out to their friends, family members and associates,

fearing that people will see this as an imposition. Don’t hesitate. People want to

help you -- wouldn’t you do the same for people you know?

Reach out through your personal contacts, and use Internet sites like LinkedIn and

Facebook. Social networking has gotten much more powerful in recent years, and it

can only be helpful.

"Use your network wisely," Barra said. "There are people we can go to a million times,

and there are others we can approach only once," so she advises being strategic about

how you approach people.

7) Remain active and reach out to others.

It may be hard to stay in the swing of things without a regular work schedule --

and the job search can be discouraging, particularly if it continues for a number

of weeks or months.

For your own good, try to stick to a regular routine, remain active, keep looking

for a job and maintain your friendships. It’ll help you feel better.

Besides, being around people who care about you -- and continuing to have fun --

will help provide a little balance in your life as you decide what’s next career-wise.

Web Source courtesy of

www.foxnews.com

The economy is in a rough patch right now. Unemployment is up. The stock market is

down. Banks are struggling. And no one seems to know what to do.

We've been through hard economic times before. And we'll make it through this one.

But right now, everyone's wallet is feeling the squeeze. We all need to find ways

to save. You may even want to earn some extra cash. But how do you do that?

The computer you're using right now may be your best tool.

Want to know how its done? Click here

www.buy2helponline.com

 Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions

1 206 333*4084

Ask for Jacqueline

MPM brings you some great web sites to learn more about the history of Pearl Harbor.

  Remembering Pearl Harbor @ nationalgeographic.com

Remembering Pearl Harbor. Multimedia Map and Time Line: Photos, footage,

firsthand accounts, and narration bring the attack to life-moment by moment, ...

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/

Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941

This page features a historical overview and special image selection on the

Pearl Harbor raid by the Japanese, 7 December 1941.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/pearlhbr.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor

Click on audio post about Pearl Harbor.

Courtesy of New York 1 News.

Good morning

Wow! The party was on and popping last night in mid town manhattan  for this years Christmas lighting at  Rockefeller Center.

All were invited  to the Christmas lighting last night in New York, but for those that missed it today I have a little something that should get you in the Christmas spirit.

Charlie and I share with you today the best of this grand event. We both had lots of fun last night, but we totally forgot that we had to work the next day. What a bummer!

Click the audio postings  for today. I do hope you enjoy them.

Sound design produced by J Fernandez courtesy of nbc holiday special

The Christmas Tree story

 A Mississippi family who lost their home in Hurricane Katrina -- and got a new

house partly built with last year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree -- was among

the throng attending this year's lighting ceremony Wednesday.

An eight-ton, 72-foot Norway spruce was to be illuminated at 8:58 p.m. Wednesday

in the center's plaza near the skating rink and the gilded statue depicting Prometheus

bringing fire to mankind.

Tony Bennett, Harry Connick Jr., Faith Hill and the Jonas Brothers were among the

entertainers who performed for television audiences and thousands of onlookers packed

in to the streets surrounding the midtown Manhattan complex.

The guests include Tracey Davison, 40, an assistant teacher from Pascagoula, Miss.,

and her four young daughters.

The family had moved into an apartment just two days before the storm ravaged their

neighborhood near the Gulf Coast. Fleeing with just a few suitcases in tow, they

lived temporarily with a friend, at her brother's, in a docked cruise ship and a

Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer.

Davison and Ashunti, 10, Nylah, 9, Majsa, 8, and Karly, 4, were chosen to receive

a new Habitat for Humanity home that former President Jimmy Carter, among others,

helped build. The three-bedroom, baby blue home was finished in September and the

family moved in a couple of weeks ago.

Lumber from last year's tree was used to make two-by-fours that were placed in the

walls and floors of their living room.

``It's kinda like Christmas before Christmas,'' said Davison. ``It was a dream come

true. We're very, very excited to be in the house.''

This year's tree has been decorated with 30,000 energy-efficient LED lights on 5

miles of wire, topped with a massive crystal star. It was donated by the Varanyak

family in Hamilton Township, N.J. The family owns a nursery in Mercer County.

While the first official lighting was in 1933, the first Rockefeller Center Christmas

tree was put up two years earlier during the Depression by workers building the Art

Deco complex.

In past years, the tree has been recycled after the holiday season in a variety of

ways, including making toys for animals at the Bronx Zoo and being mulched for hiking

trails.

Web Source courtesy of

www.1010wins.com

An Al Jones report