Zacks Investment Research: Review & Promotion Code

Zacks Investment Research Company has been around since 1978 helping those who manage their own stock portfolio with stock research information.  I looked into Zacks many years ago, and found this website to be a valuable tool in helping to make decisions on purchasing stocks.

There are 3 levels for their services.  The free service offers limited information to anyone who registers; there is a Premium service that costs $199 per year, and a…Read More:  Zacks Investment Research: Review & Promotion Code.

The Power of the Vote

One thing that Americans should have learned from Tuesdays election is that your vote does count.  If you don’t vote you have no voice in what is going on in your government.

When government doesn’t listen to the majority of people, then the only voice the people have is their vote.  Politicians seem to get caught up in the ideology of their respective parties.   That ideology could cause a politician to be part of enacting legislation that their constituents might not agree with.   When this happens there...Read More: The Power of the Vote

Tips on Teaching Your Demanding Little Toddler Discipline

Your sweet little infant who was entirely dependent on you has now become a little toddler. He or she is walking; feeding themselves, learning to be potty trained, and is trying to figure out all sorts of things. Your toddler is developing as an independent individual. This can be a trying time for both you and your toddler. Are you up to the task of teaching limits and boundaries to your little charmer?

You will need to be patient. First of all, remember that you are the adult and try not to lose control of the situation. You will need to dig deep on some days when you have told them N... From: Tips on Teaching Your Demanding Little Toddler Discipline

How to Avoid the Christmas Shopping Madness - Shop Online

Some people enjoy getting out in the Christmas rush. Others prefer to keep their sanity and find less stressful ways to get their Christmas shopping done. Shopping online has become increasingly popular, but in order to take advantage of online shopping you will need to do it a little earlier than traditional store shopping.

The earlier that you start planning what you are going to purchase for your friends and family the easier it is to avoid the crowds. Online shopping has become increasingly popular for all types of shopping. If you happen to procrastinate, never fear as there are stil... From: How to Avoid the Christmas Shopping Madness - Shop Online

Grandma Emma and "The Screaming Skull"

When I was a youngster, probably around ten years old, Grandma Emma used to live with us. Mom and Dad both worked so Grandma took care of the house, cooked the meals, and looked after my brother and myself.

Grandma Emma loved to go to the movies. Mom worked at a fishing tackle plant during the week. On the weekends is the time when we would go to the movies or out for Sunday dinner. Dad was either working ....Read more: Grandma Emma and "The Screaming Skull".

A Comparison of Cabronite and CrashPlan Online Computer Backup Services

I came across two companies that provide online backup services. One was Carbonite and the other was CrashPlan. Everyone probably knows about Carbonite as they have been doing a lot of advertising on television these days. The other company, CrashPlan, is a company I stumbled on because of a Twitter conversation. There are other companies, but these are the two that ...Read More: A Comparison of Carbonite and CrashPlan Online Comuter Backup Services

Financial Planning How to Plan for a Secure Future

You will hear all your life that you need to plan for retirement. The baby boomers who have begun to retire have also heard that you shouldn't count on social security to help you out with your retirement planning. Social security was never meant to be a persons only means of retirement. Nor should we rely on the government to provide us with a meaningful source of retirement funds.

Most people know how important it is to save money. My grandmother told me you need to save for a rainy day. I was pretty young when she imparted these pearls of wisdom. I didn't quite know what she me... From: Financial Planning How to Plan for a Secure Future



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A Comparison of AVG Versus McAfee Antivirus Software

Both AVG and McAfee are popular products. I have used both of these products off and on for many years. The biggest difference between these two antivirus products is that AVG is absolutely free. I have installed many different antivirus programs because I thought there might be something better out there. I have found that both AVG and McAfee run well on my computers.

Recently I installed the newest version of AVG on my computer (version 9) and found that there have been some improvements...From: A Comparison of AVG Versus McAfee Antivirus Software

Fall Care of Chrysanthemums or Mums

The Chrysanthemum (I’ll call them Mums from now on) is a beautiful blooming perennial. A perennial is a plant that will come back year after year. Those are exactly the kinds of plants that I love. Not exactly plant and forget, as all flowers take a certain amount of care.

Mums come in a variety of beautiful colors. Mums are an extremely hardy plant, and are especially easy for beginning gardeners to grow. I have had Mums in every yard of the homes where I have lived. The plants will normally grow from…read more here:  Fall Care of Chrysanthemums or Mums

Could You Become a Victim of Fraud?

If you aren’t vigilant about guarding your personal information; then, yes, you could become a victim of fraud. In fact, if you think about it, you probably know someone in your family that has been a victim of fraud.

Scams are found everywhere. How many times have you received a phishing email? This is an email that may misrepresent a bank, credit card company, or even a government agency. You know that you never access your bank unless you go to their site yourself. You wouldn’t open your account by clicking on an email link. Most of the time these types of scams are prett... From: Could You Become a Victim of Fraud?

A Review of Restaurant.com a Website to Save Money with Restaurant Discounts

Restaurant.com is a website that registered users can purchase some substantial discounts at restaurants in their local areas.

I am a big internet user for many things. I'm always looking for ways to save money. Any time I'm getting ready to make a purchase, I will do an internet search for a discount or a coupon that may be available for what I'm planning on purchasing.

Several years ago I came across an internet site called Restaurant.com. I had a friend that used it quite regularly. This site specializes in selling discount coupons to restaurants. At certain times of the month they o... From: A Review of Restaurant.com a Website to Save Money with Restaurant Discounts

One of the Best San Francisco Attractions - The Golden Gate Bridge

If you’ve ever visited the San Francisco Bay Area in California, nine times out of ten you’ve visited the Golden Gate Bridge. It is the most fascinating bridge for many reasons.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous suspension bridges that connects the city of San Francisco to Marin County. It’s one of the first things that I saw when I first visited San Francisco. Since that first viewing of the Golden Gate I was totally enthralled. I have been to the Golden Gate Bridge many times and have always felt a thrill each time I visited.

One thing I have never do... From: One of the Best San Francisco Attractions - The Golden Gate Bridge

Minor Traffic Violations Cost More Than Just a Fine

If you get stopped for a traffic violation, you will pay more than just a fine to your State or Local Government. When you receive a fine it will go on your driving record. 

Auto Insurance companies check your driving record and base their insurance premiums partially on that record. So, if you have any driving violation, that means your rate will increase. It happened to my husband recently.  He was driving in an unfamiliar area and unfortunately was speeding. The officer gave him a ticket. The ticket cost was...  From: Minor Traffic Violations Cost More Than Just a Fine

Ten Tips for Keeping Your Information Safe and Secure on the Internet

There seem to be a lot of people around these days who are interested in stealing information and causing mischief. That's why it has become more and more important that we protect ourselves and our information. It's always better to be safe than sorry.


Don't Be Too Trusting

I can't stress this too much. It's okay to interact with strangers, but you also don't want to give them too much information. It's not a good idea to give out cell phone numbers or addresses. Most people will not ask you for this information. Never make arrangements to meet a stranger, or if you do, don't do so without telling someone what is going on. I limit who can talk to me..From:  Ten Tips for Keeping Your Information Safe and Secure on the Internet

Naming Your Baby a Unique Name

I made a comment on an article about naming baby in which I said, "Naming a baby should take thought. I hate when parents choose stupid names for their kids. Think of what your child has to go through all their lives.  Being a curious kind of person (curious in nature not in looks), I decided to look for what is called "alternative" names for babies. 

The article I am referring to was written by another Associated Content writer. Her name is Judy Kaelin and here's a link to her article How to Choose the Best Name for Your Baby. Now, she makes a lot of sense to me. She mentions that you should think carefully about what you name your baby. From:  Naming Your Baby a Unique Name

A Beginners Guide to Pricing eBay Items

It’s really not a mystery about pricing your item on eBay. There are several factors that you need to consider in determining what to price your eBay items. You need to consider how much you paid for your item, what your eBay and PayPal fees are going to be, shipping costs, how much of a profit you want to make, and what other items like yours are selling for on eBay.

First thing to do is determine how much profit you want to get from the sale of an item. This can be a little tricky especially for someone who is new to selling on eBay. One of the first things you need to do is determ... From: A Beginners Guide to Pricing eBay Items

A Look at the Stanley Steamer a Steam Engine Powered Automobile

The Stanley Steamer automobile, not to be confused with Stanley Steamer Carpet Cleaners, was a steam engine powered automobile that was manufactured in the early 1900s. The company founders were two twin brothers, Francis and Freelan Stanley. Francis Stanley was the actual inventor of the Stanley automobile, and Freenlan partnered with Francis to manufacture the automobile.

The Stanley automobile was powered by a steam engine. The Stanley Steamer engine boasted only 15 moving parts in the Stanley Steamer automobile. However, it took about 25 minutes to bring the car up to full power. Thi... From: A Look at the Stanley Steamer a Steam Engine Powered Automobile

How to Change the Drive Letter of a Device or Drive on Your Computer

Windows automatically assigns drive letters that are attached to your computer. For instance, if you plug in an external hard drive, windows will assign a drive letter to it. The hard drive from which your operating system boots from is always named drive C and does not change. Note: windows will not allow you to change the drive letter on your C drive.

Other devices will be assigned different letters as needed. If you have a DVD drive it will normally be assigned as the D drive. If you add an external drive, it will be assigned the next available letter and so on. I have a netbook ... From: How to Change the Drive Letter of a Device or Drive on Your Computer

Don’t Let Credit Card Debt be One of Your Must Have Life Experiences

For most people credit cards are not a good idea. They aren’t a good idea unless you know how to use them correctly and pay them off each month. The credit card trap is one that many people unwittingly fall into. A person may use it for an emergency or in times of financial trouble. Once you get thousands of dollars charged on the account you may find that getting it paid off becomes a financial burden that wasn’t planned for, and leads to even deeper financial troubles.

Know what the Fees are on Your Credit Card
By law, credit card companies must inform you of certain things... From: Don't Let Credit Card Debt Be One of Your Must Have Life Experiences

Nick Saban, Head Coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, Continues the Legacy

Nick Saban, head coach of the Alabama University football team, took his team, after only three years, not only to win an SEC Championship, but also the BCS National Championship.  My family have been Alabama fans for a lot of years and were really happy when Nick Saban came to coach the Crimson Tide.  


College football season will be arriving in a few weeks and we are excited to see what this season has in store for football fans.... From:  Nick Saban, Head Coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, Continues the Legacy

Photo credit: mitchlee83 from morguefile.com

A First Time Dog Owner Needs to Know, Is My Dog Bad or Bored?

I have had dogs and pets most of my life. I usually give my dog a lot of attention. This is one reason why I don't have behavioral problems with my dog.

It usually can't be helped when we have to leave our beloved dog home alone for periods of time on a daily basis. Have you ever had a dog that was completely bad when left alone? There are many bad behaviors that .....From: A First Time Dog Owner Needs to Know, Is My Dog Bad or Bored

A Review of the Showtime Series Dexter

Showtime has had a television series, called Dexter, that is going into it's fifth season starting in September.  It's a rather morbid television show as the star, Dexter, who is played by Michael C. Hall is a serial killer.  I had never seen the actor Michael Hall until I first started watching this television series.  Dexter is a serial killer with a twist. He only kills bad people. People who have managed to escape from the law.  He pursues these people and administers his own form of justice by killing them in as painful a way as possible.
I have to say that I was... From: A Review of the Showtime Series Dexter

Bea the Yorkshire Terrier goes on Vacation

Bea the Yorkshire Terrier goes on Vacation
See Vacation through the eyes of a Yorkshire Terrier
Read More
I usually take my pet with me on vacation.  She is little and it is easy to take her on trips.  Click on Read More in order to see a  little slideshow that is a view of what it is that Bea enjoys when we are away.

Changing Your Blogger Theme is Easier Than Changing Wordpress Themes

At first I didn't like my Blogger blog as much as I did my Wordpress blog. The only reason was because of the limited theme choices that are available within the Blogger site.
I discovered how easy it is to use templates that are available for free out on the internet for Blogger. I find that changing themes is much easier to do on Blogger than on Wordpress. There are a lot of free themes that are available for Blogger. I'm definitely into free. Although, if I really like something and use it a lot, I will send a payment to a software author. I think it's only fair to do this. A little moneta... From: Changing Your Blogger Theme is Easier Than Changing Wordpress Themes

What to Expect From Your Retirement? It May Not Be What You Planned: Part 1

 All too often retirement will creep up on us. We may end up, because of circumstances beyond our control, retiring before we are quite ready. This happens much more often than you might think.
With this in mind, you need to make decisions and preparations well in advance. You would probably be better off if you could plan on an early retirement. It would be a good idea if you are finding that you are a little lax on saving for retirement that you should think about accelerating your savings program. I believe that you should have most of the money you want to use in retirement well... From: What to Expect From Your Retirement? It May Not Be What You Planned: Part 1

What Should You Do If You Discover a Virus on Your Computer?

 It happens to the best of us. All of a sudden your antivirus program reports that you have a virus and your computer begins to act in strange ways such as unexplained boots, unusual messages popping up, and your computer runs slowly.
These are all signs that you have a virus on your computer. There are several things you should do in order to protect your information. Make sure that you have a good backup. If you are unable to clean the virus from your computer, there is the possibility that you will have to reformat.
If you suspect you have a virus you need to exercise precaution.... From: What Should You Do If You Discover a Virus on Your Computer?

I Don't have Unlimited Means to Bail Out the World

I read an article called, The Incredible Shrinking Food and Other Ways They've Got Their Hands in Our Wallets.  This really made me think about all the things that have gone on in the past few years in relation to my own situation.  The author of the previously mentioned article, John Myers, is absolutely right.  


Because of this recession, my husband lost his job, we were forced to retire early, and we can't sell our home because of the lousy economy. Our health insurance premiums have sky rocketed, and every time we turn around someone has their hand out.  The President of the United States thinks that we should sacrifice more.  He wants us to bail out everyone and his brother.  Switch to a green economy without being prepared for it.  


Obama's healthcare plan has done nothing for me.  In fact because of it, I worry that the company that has my retiree healthcare plan will drop the plan, or the coverage become so expensive that I can no longer afford it.  I can't get insurance, and the way this healthcare plan is set up I may be without insurance until the provisions that make insurance companies cover preexisting conditions goes into effect in 2014.  Believe me I'm not the only person in this situation, but if you're a union member I'm sure the government will help you out.


Government and business know that many baby boomers have saved for their retirement and think they should still have a share of the hard earned retirement money that this generation has acquired.  They want a transference of wealth even before boomers draw their last breaths. 


What happened to the principals that I was taught when I was a child.  We saved pennies.  I get really mad when I hear that the so called baby boomers are a spoiled generation, and are at fault for everything that has gone wrong with this economy.  I beg to differ.  I and my husband have been working since we were 15 and 16 years old.  No one gave us anything.  We have never been bailed out, and have always paid our taxes and bills.  


It infuriates me when I hear some idiot on television say that my generation is going to bankrupt the country because of entitlement programs that are too generous.  Excuse me, I've been paying into those programs most of my life.  Where the hell is my money!


Our country's deficit is now over the  trillion dollar mark, and congress continues blithely along spending like there's no tomorrow.   Keep it up boys and girls and there will be no tomorrow.  We will spend ourselves into oblivion. Am I worried about my grandchild's future?  Oh yes, and so should we all be worried.  Let your voice be heard during the next elections.  Send our legislators a strong signal.  Fire the ones in office and hire a new batch.  Choose people who believe in fiscal responsibility, who know how to solve problems, and are not liars.

How to Avoid the Airlines Extra Charges - Nickel and Dime Operation

It's quite interesting how the airlines have come up with their current pricing structure.  You can find decent ticket prices, but the services have greatly diminished.

US Airways is one example of an airline that has charging for extras down to a fine science.  If you get the super deluxe cheap rate, you will generally get the worse seats on the plane.  Now, let's just say you would like a better seat.  You can still do that, but at a cost.  On the smaller jets the cost of a better seat is around $5.00 each.  You can choose to upgrade your seat at the time of online check-in.  On the bigger planes the cost of changing to a better seat is $15.00 per seat.  If  you carry on your bag, there is still no charge.  For checked luggage it's another story.  The first bag you check is $23 if you do it during online check-in.  At the airport it's a bit more expensive at $25.  The second checked bag is $32 or $35.  The prices for this airline's checked baggage have been steadily climbing.  I'm guessing it's the same with the other airlines.

Most airlines no longer give any kind of a snack.  You can purchase one if you want.  They do still give drinks.  Some flights only give you a little plastic cup filled mostly with ice.  Occasionally you'll get a full can of coke, but that doesn't happen very often any more.

I used to check baggage in the days before the charges, but not anymore.  If I can't carry it with me on the plane, it stays home.  I'm guessing that most people do the same thing.  I'm getting good at packing for several weeks using a  carry on bag.  I no longer take any liquids with me as I don't want any added chance for a hassle.  I am determined to travel the cheapest way possible.  If that means things are not quite so convenient for me, then so be it.  I don't mind taking a little snack with me from home.  I usually buy a bottle of water after I go through security so that I have something to drink.  I now travel on the red eye, but that's not so bad.  Whatever I can do to keep more money in my pocket I will do.

Before you book your flight, check exactly what is extra.  Plan to avoid those costs by bringing your own food and carrying on your own bags.  It could be in the future that airlines will charge for carry on luggage as well.  Spirit Airlines is going to start doing that in August.  I don't know what I will do to counter act that greediness.  Check out my article on Factoidz about, Will Airlines Start Charging for Carry on Luggage.  This is pretty outrageous.  We'll just have to see what happens in the future.  Could be that some of these airlines will price themselves out of business.

I also wrote an article on Associated Content about, Flying is no Longer Fun.  If you've got a second click on the link to read it.  Thanks for reading my blog.

Politicians are Ordinary People

Politicians are ordinary people being asked to do extraordinary things.  We expect our politicians to be honest, ethical, and smart.  They are people, and as such they do make mistakes.  So how much slack should we cut them?  I say not too much.  This is a career that they have chosen.  They know going in what is expected of them.

What truly amazes me, though, is the audacity of some of these people who have chosen public office.  Politicians have a reputation these days of being corrupt, greedy, and immoral.  It's sad, but unfortunately true.  Who in their right mind would want to be a politician.

On the other hand, you have our brave men and women who serve in our armed forces and defend our country. They go to foreign lands to fight as our leaders command.  They endure hardships, being away from loved ones, and even die.  They deserve more from their government than they have been getting lately.

If you are a politician no matter what level of government, think of what this country means to millions of individuals.  Governing is not for the benefit of the special interests.  The laws of our nation need to be upheld and not ignored.  We depend on our government to protect us.  Lately it seems that it has been falling short of the job.

Think of what you do everyday.  Make what you decide for the good of all the people.  Don't follow blindly as sheep because of ideology.  Open your eyes and really look around, and listen.  To do anything less makes a mockery of the sacrifices that so many Americans have made for this country.

As Americans We Should Not Lose Sight of What Makes the United States a Great Nation

Many of our lawmakers have lost sight as to what makes this nation one of the greatest nations on earth.  In fact some of our elected officials want to downplay the success this country has had.


It seems that not all Americans think that this is the best nation to live in.  They want to change it beyond recognition.  Our laws are not good enough and they want to change those laws or ignore them.  Many of our public officials are condemning Arizona for, of all things, trying to uphold federal law.


We have allowed a foreign leader to become a political pawn of the current administration.  Sometimes I am extremely disappointed by the things that I see and hear.  I am, however, proud of what Congressman Tom McClintock of California had to say.......

What is this Nonsense about Boycotting Arizona?

Divide and conquer. That's what's happening here, and we as Americans are letting it happen. Arizona did something that the Federal Government is supposed to be doing, but won't. If you want to boycott someone, maybe it should be the Federal Government.

It's a sad state of affairs when we as Americans are tearing each other down. This kind of behavior hurts our economy as a whole. Let's get real people. You are all acting like a bunch of petulant children. I don't intend to boycott anyone. It's silly and childish. What do you suppose the rest of the world is thinking about us right now?

This is what Sheila Jackson, the President of the San Diego School Board, had to say, “It’s sad that people would cancel their plans to come here in reaction to that, but I still think we did the right thing,” Jackson told the Union-Tribune. “Certainly, we know how important tourism is to San Diego, and it wasn’t my intent to impact the tourism trade.”

Hello, it's okay for your state or city to boycott Arizona, but not for anyone to boycott your state because of your actions. This is getting out of hand and ridiculous. We are all Americans and we should act like it. Our laws need to be upheld. Otherwise we have chaos. Is that what you want? Not me.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/17/san-diego-faces-medicine-arizona-residents-cancel-travel-following-boycott/?test=latestnews

Enforcing Immigration Laws

Could someone please tell me why it would be wrong to enforce United States law?

If a police officer stops a traffic violator, and they don't speak English, is that not significant cause to ask that they show their papers?  By federal law all immigrants are required to have their papers showing that they are here legally with them.  It doesn't matter what nationality the person might be.

The Arizona law has brought illegal immigration to the front of the stage.  Also the incident on Cinco de Mayo, in California has catapulted this social issue to everyone's attention. The school in California was wrong when it asked the young students, with flags on their shirts, to turn their shirts inside out.  It's wonderful to have pride in your heritage, but we are Americans.   I, as an American, believe in the law.  Not just for some people, but for all people.

I don't claim to know what's going on in that school.  It's possible that there have been ongoing problems between the Hispanic students and the other students.  The parents and community leaders need to find a way to teach all of their children tolerance for others.

I'm not suggesting that we make people who are not legal immigrants at this time be sent out of the United States.  What I am suggesting is that we do something to control illegal immigration into this country.  I don't think that what Arizona has done will do anything to solve the problem.  Until there is effective control of our borders, there is no solution.

In this particular instance the Federal Government has failed to do it's job.  This is something that all modern day administrations have ignored.  The security of our borders is a national issue and putting our heads in the sand will not make this problem disappear.

Arizona's New Immigration Laws - Fair?

There has been much attention focused on Arizona now that they have an enacted a new immigration law. Protesters have been marching in the streets, the current federal administration has condemned the new law, and many say that it is racial injustice.

If nothing else, Arizona has forced the federal government to pay attention to the problems of illegal immigration in the United States. If a police officer stops someone and they barely speak English, is that enough reason to ask for their papers? By law a person who is a permanent resident of the United States must carry their Green Card, work visa, or whatever form of proper identification they might have with them at all times. This isn't something that Arizona invented. I've read news reports that Arizona is requiring this. This is already a federal law.

We have millions of illegal immigrants in the U.S. If we aren't going to effectively control immigration let's get rid of the federal government departments that are involved. I'm being sarcastic of course. For those individuals who follow the law and are here legally, let's make things fair. Let's stop the flow of illegals into the country and do something about the people who are already here.

Send individuals with criminal records back to the countries they belong to. Any other individual who wants to stay in this country should be required to go through a process to become legal residents or citizens of this country.

If we can manage to piss off half the country over Healthcare, then let's go ahead and piss off the other half over effective immigration reform.

Is Our Economy Improving?

Whether the economy is improving or not is debatable. We hear that car manufacturers are no longer on the brink of bankruptcy, that banks are paying back TARP money, and things seem to be stabilizing. The question remains, though, will the economy begin to grow again?

I don't think you can say that we are in a real recovery until unemployment begins to bounce back. With all the government intervention how do you judge. We still don't know what the results of what Obama's vision for the country will result in. Wouldn't it be nice to have a look at the future?

There are too many unanswered questions. Now we think we're on the road to recovery. Isn't it amazing how fast it can all turn around? One day everything seems to be going along just fine and then the bubble bursts. What are us poor little ole people supposed to do? It looks as if big government has come to our rescue. Hmmmm.....

Forced Early Retirement

Early retirement has become a very common occurrence in this particular economic downturn. We are seeing the greatest loss of jobs for people over 55 . This Blog is intended to be a place for discussion and tips to help people in this situation.

Hopefully as the economy improves so will the job opportunities for this age group of individuals who have, at least for now, been forced to retire. Some of us may be able to continue in retirement. Others will need to find employment to help replenish depleted retirement funds that have been hit by the wild stock market fluctuations and the fact that people may have had to tap into these funds in lieu of their income.

Thanks for stopping by and your comments are always appreciated.

I have written several articles on this specific subject on eHow and Associated Content. You will find links to these articles below.

See my article on Factoidz about

How to Decide if You can Retire Early

and on Associated Content about

Forced Early Retirement Causes Change in Habits