Massachusetts Vote

I don’t often comment on politics, because I believe a persons politics are their own business. I do sometimes eschew that people exercise their right to vote.

There is a special election coming up on Tuesday, January 19, in Massachusetts. I urge those of you living there to vote, to exercise your right to self determination. To often we feel there is nothing one person can to do change things for the better, myself included.

More importantly, today those in government forget they work for you and me, not the other way around — You can make a difference!

We make all kinds of excuses for not participating, but voting is one of your fundamental rights in a free county like ours. Please, don’t let it go to waste! I don’t.

I’m not sure if all states support permanent absentee ballots but California does and I take advantage of it. My ballots are mailed to me which makes for a much easier process. But if I want to vote ‘in person’ and take advantage of the community of people one finds there, I can hand carry my ballot to my polling place. It’s the best of both worlds. Consider doing  absentee ballots if it makes your life easier.

Earthquake In Haiti

As you know there has a been a major disaster in Haiti in the form of a massive earthquake. A massive aid operation, involving the World Community, is under way to help the people in Haiti.

Having lived in Northern California since 1957, I’ve been through quite a few temblors and know how devastating they can be. An earthquake takes a toll on infrastructures, but the biggest toll is on the people and their psychological well being. A feeling of ‘absolutely no control’ over your well being occurs during an earthquake. A quake isn’t predictable like a hurricane or tornado where you can seek safety or shelter.

In 1989, I was several blocks from home, driving on a city street, when the Loma Prieta quake hit and had no control over what my vehicle did until the shaking stopped. After the shaker the neighborhood spent several nights ‘camping’ on the front lawns, due to safety concerns.

My heart goes out to the people in Haiti as I look at the pictures coming from there, with their basic life needs unfulfilled. I believe, that with what they have been through over the last few years, the people have the capacity to rebound and come back better than ever – with the help of the International Community!

Having been in search and rescue for some 30 years in my local community, I also know some of the frustrations the rescue people feel with the delays. I know that everyone wants to help in whatever way they can. The people of the United States are the most generous in the world when it comes to help their fellow World Citizens in time of need.

The best thing you can do right now is to send a money donation. Please act with caution though, as at times like these scam artists will try to take advantage of a horrible situation. I have already received email solicitations from unrecognized folks. Send your donations, marked for Haiti relief, only to agencies you know are legitimate.

The below links may be of some help but I am sure you can find many local agencies to assist in this tragedy.

http://www.imcworldwide.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

http://www.haitianhealthfoundation.org/

http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/Home.aspx

http://www.opusa.org/

http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/

Related articles by Zemanta

• A Mini Marshall Plan Is Needed for a True Resurrection of Haiti (dailyfinance.com)
• Obama Pledges $100M Aid to Haiti (time.com)

Thanksgiving – Turkey Day

Unlike Christmas, which is a day of giving, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate that which we hold
dear – Our Families, Our Friends and our surroundings!

It is hard today to find things to be thankful for but family and friends will always be reasons for
Thankfullness, for they give us their unconditional love.

I sincerely wish everyone a Happy and Blessing Filled Thanksgiving!

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Anne Frank: “I do not think of all the misery, but of the glory that remains. Go outside into the fields, nature and the sun, go out and seek happiness in yourself and in God. Think of the beauty that again and again discharges itself within and without you and be happy.”

Special Election Day – Tuesday

Tuesday is an important day in a number of states.

When I look at recent election fraud in foriegn nations, it makes me appreciate the fact that we have an election process in this country which allows us to make choices. Despite the faults in our system we are The One Nation many others look to and would like to become more like. I take pride in that.

We are a nation that  can correct those faults through our actions, including voting. We are a ‘Work In Progress‘!

Yes, like it or not we – individuals, nations, religions, corporations, etc. – all make missteps. The trick is to realize, acknowledge and correct them so as not make them again.

There are times when I see things not going the way I feel they should in our great county and yes, become ‘less than enthusiastic’.

Whether I am enthusiastic or not one thing I always do and that is I Always Vote! In my local, state and national elections.

In New York, New Jersey, Virginia and California you have a chance to make a difference. It matters not to me what your political leanings are, I simply urge you to get out and vote – Make A Difference!

Halloween Face Paints Warning

Just in time for halloween, a report on healthfinder.gov – http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=632369 – is expressing some concern about facepaints for kids. Given that many more kids probably use these products at this time of year than at any other time, you may want to check out this report.

If your kids, or you, are planning on using face paints this halloween It’s best to be as knowledgeable as possible about this possible hazard.

Do a search for ‘Naturel Face Paints’ on your favorite search engine and you will find a number of sites on the subject, including this one I found with recipes for making your own paints at home – http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/3-31-2005-67868.asp!

The Best Hosting Ever Has Just Gotten Better!

Be Forewarned – I Like These Guys and today they change

the way we look at web hosting!

Picking a hosting provider is one of the most
critical decisions your customers and clients
will make.

You, your customers and clients need a company that
not only provides the necessary hosting services but
one that cares about the success of all your ventures.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Right Mindset Makes It Easy To Make Blogs Work For Your Business

Blogging has been growing in leaps and bounds! We are blogging about just about anything you can think of. From the daily routine of their cat, to technology reviews, to politics.

Until the blogosphere sorts itself out and matures a bit more, it may be difficult to tell exactly how this new frontier of instant publishing can help you and your business grow. But don’t worry – you’ll start getting a flood of new ideas in the coming months.

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21st Century Blogging: Online Journaling Introduction

Blogging and social networking are inextricably linked in the sense that both contain certain features and certain properties of one another. Both are aimed at creating a wide movement as far as multimedia interaction is concerned. Though it is true that blogs can be regulated and kept very private, the main purpose of them is to reach out to large numbers of people, to have a medium to voice your opinion.

Another similarity is that both these concepts have existed in cyber space for almost a decade now, but in the initial stages both were rather exclusive of one another. Only in the recent times have they been merged, and their similarity in motives truly recognized.
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Are You Using A Free WordPress Theme?

There is a plethora of ‘Free WordPress Themes‘
out there, with most coming from authors who
truly want to help you be successfull at what
ever you are doing.

Here is a link to TAC (Theme Authenticity Checker)
which can help you keep your theme on the straight
and narrow, by finding code that may not always
follow WordPress rules.

Finding such code you can then check with the
theme author as to what it’s use is and determine
if you want to continue using the theme.

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tac/

Hope this helps.

Are You Using Private Label Rights?

One of the easiest ways to get started with content is to use “PLR” (which stands for Private Label Rights).This is content you acquire from someone else and use as is or by updating the material. There is good “PLR” and bad “PLR” but with a little work even bad material can be turned to your advantage.

For me, I sometimes find it hard to start an article. So I take a piece of PLR – good or bad – and begin rewriting it, though it is nice to be able to grab PLR that is good right from the start.

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