I Don't Need ID Theft Protection

I had a space at a bazaar on Saturday and was shocked at how many people who stopped by my table told me they do not need ID Theft Protection!  (One of the products I sell is LifeLock™ Identity Theft Protection.)  Some people had poor credit, and they said, “They can have my ID.”  Others had no credit cards, so they believed they were safe from ID Theft. 

Do they not read or listen to the news?  A report released by Javelin Strategy & Research revealed that identity fraud increased by 13% in 2011.  Over 11 MILLION adults became victims in the United States alone.

This same report found revealed that those who use social media and mobile devices are at higher risk than those who do not and had higher incidents of ID fraud. (The report provides no proof of direct causation.) And, 7% of smart phone users were victims of identity fraud. Although we’ve been warned repeatedly, we are placing too much personal information online. 

You need not own a credit card to have your ID stolen.  A thief can use your personal information and get a credit card in your name.  You may think you are safe, thinking without your social security number, it is not possible. You would be wrong!  Your social security number and all the personal data a thief needs is already in various databases that may be breached at any time. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon.

Lost or stolen wallets, checkbooks or credit card accounts, corrupt businesses or employees and breaches of consumer data are other ways thieves “become you.”

I recently spoke with a woman who was an ID Theft victim in the mid-1990’s.  She is still – today - receiving bills and phone calls from creditors demanding payment for accounts she never opened.

Possibly the worst identity theft, is stolen health records. Without too much difficulty, a thief can acquire your health insurance card number, go to a hospital and have surgery – say having their appendix removed.  Years later, you get appendicitis.  Since your medical records say you have no appendix, they don’t consider appendicitis, possibly endangering your life.  Health-related ID theft is one of the newest and a common form of fraud.

Please, no matter whom you are, where you live, whether or not you have credit cards, sign up for Identity Theft Protection now, today, before you forget!

LifeLock™ has a million dollar guarantee if you become a victim due to their error, and it is rated among the best ID theft protection programs available.  When you purchase LifeLock™ directly from them, you’ll pay $10 per month per person.  With Xpress Healthcare’s Lifestyle Select program for only $19.95 per month per FAMILY, you’ll get LifeLock™ for your entire immediate family, PLUS you’ll receive discounted roadside assistance, reduced pet care costs and legal services and more. 

Feel free to go to http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings to join Lifestyle Select.  Even if you select another ID theft protection program, register today!

I Cannot find the Time

How many times have you said that?  I have said it, and I’m sure nearly everyone has.  We certainly must not be looking in the right place, because “time” has not gone anywhere.

For entrepreneurs, scheduling our days can make the difference between success and failure.  For those who work their business part time, they simply cannot work their business whenever they have a few minutes “to spare.”  For those working a full-time home business, if our time isn’t well organized, we may never get to high-priority tasks.

It is very helpful to have a schedule of what days we plan to work, how many hours we plan to work on those days, and at what time we will start and finish working each day.  In addition, we’ll likely be more productive if we schedule the various tasks we plan for each week.

For example:

Monday, Wednesday Friday – place online ads for one hour, beginning at 4 PM.

Monday through Friday – spend one hour participating on IBOToolbox, beginning at 3 PM.

Daily – Call all prospects received within the past 24 hours, beginning at 5 PM.

If we plan our days, treat our business like a job where we are expected to start and finish at a particular time, we will accomplish more and be more successful.  Many business owners treat their businesses more like a hobby to do whenever they can squeeze in an hour or two.  It is unlikely they will ever succeed with their business.

Time is ours to spend however we wish to do so.  We must “make” the time to do the many tasks required to maintain and grow a business.  If we are really serious about what we are building, we should never be unable to “find the time.”

The West End Fair

I live in a small city, with no other cities of any size within 90 miles. For the first time, I am setting up a display of my business at a local event, The West End Fair. I attended this fair the first year it was held nearly a decade ago when they had only 30 people participating and a very small crowd in attendance.

I sell memberships for different discount plans (dental/health/pet care & more).  I don’t sell a physical product to demonstrate or display.  So, preparation has been interesting.  Although I know there will be nearly 100 “vendors,” I have no idea how many visitors will be attending, and I certainly have no way of knowing how many will stop at my table.

That said, how many brochures shall I bring?  How many flyers shall I print, etc?  I normally work an entirely online business, so I have no idea how local people will even respond to my services.  Not only is this a small city, but it only exists because we have a military base here (who do not need my health services).

I have, therefore, been printing and preparing for three days.  Will 50 flyers be enough?  I hope so, because I’ve decided that’s what I’m bringing, 50 for each of my plans.  

My husband helped me design a really nice tri-fold display board.  I plan to raffle off a couple small prizes, and I will use the entry forms to acquire contact information for interested prospects.

If this event goes well, there are a couple others coming up in the area.  I hope to come home with several referrals.  So, wish me good luck, my friends.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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I Wish I Had Known Benjamin Franklin

Most of us have heard the question, “If you could spend an hour with anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?”  My response would unequivocally be Benjamin Franklin.  Of course, he was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, but besides that, the man was simply brilliant! 

Not everyone knows that Franklin was born in Boston, in what would later become the United States. He accomplished more in his lifetime than 100 “normal” men could have done. 

There are dozens of well-known quotes attributed to Franklin that are still used today, centuries later.  Here are just a few:

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

When you're finished changing, you're finished.”

He that is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else.

Well done is better than well said.

One of my personal favorites is, “Never confuse motion with action.”

We have all used some of these common phrases, perhaps not even knowing that Ben Franklin was the first to do so.

Ben Franklin established the first public library and organized the first volunteer fire department.  He was a writer, publisher, diplomat and philanthropist.  Franklin was the author, publisher and printer of Poor Richard’s Almanack.   He invented bifocals, the lightning rod, the odometer, the wood burning stove and several other items still used today.  Daylight Savings Time was Ben Franklin’s idea as well.

Is it any wonder that I would love to have met and gotten to know such a man?

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A Very Good Day

Ahh… Back to work today, and ready to begin another great week.

I’ve been working too many hours.  This is my choice, but I realized yesterday that my husband and I hadn't gone out to do anything fun together in a while.

So, yesterday morning we packed a picnic lunch, and we took off.  First stop, Ramsey Canyon Preserve.  It is a beautiful area just a few minutes from my home, but it feels much farther due to the totally different flora and fauna.  People come to Ramsey Canyon from throughout the world for “birding.” There are myriad fabulous trees of all types and sizes.  We saw wild turkeys walking along the path.  Because we’ve been in a severe drought, we saw no deer this visit, and the stream was nearly dry.  We walked around breathing in the clean air, enjoying the perfect weather and appreciating our surroundings.  It was a lovely walk.

When we returned to the parking lot, it was lunch time, so we ate our picnic lunch at the preserve before leaving the area.

Then we decided a leisurely drive was in order.  So, with a full tank of gas, we took off.  We drove through various small towns; St. David, where there is a very old monastery, then we stopped for an ice cream sundae and visited an historic cemetery in Benson.  We wanted to stop at a tiny museum in Benson as well, but it was closed. 

When we ran out of small towns along that road, we got on the interstate and drove 20 miles west and exited at Sonoita.  We drove the long windy road through hills, cattle and horse ranches.  Large, beautiful homes were scattered through the hills.  We’ve taken this drive many times, but it is different every time. This time, the grassy hills were hay-colored.  In our area, the rainy season, the monsoons, begins in early July, and the hills will then be deep, lush green.  Because we had a very dry winter, there were few wild flowers in bloom, bit of a disappointment.

After a nearly two-hundred mile drive, we arrived home around dinner time.  We were relaxed and happy to have spent a day away from phones, computers and televisions.  It was a very good day.

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Who Was Haym Solomon?

I cannot verify all the "facts" stated in the following. However, it is such a fascinating story, I wanted to share it with everyone. You can find the story (including pictures) on many websites. Here is just one:  www.targetofopportunity.com/haym_solomon.htm 

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The history of the United States $1 bill is fascinating - and no school ever teaches it in any history class.

On the rear of the One Dollar bill, you will see two circles. Together, they comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took those four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.

If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid.

Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just its infancy. We were just getting started. We had not begun to explore the west or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the Capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man could not do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.
"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency.

The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, 'God has favored our undertaking.' The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, 'a new order has begun.' At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral for 1776. (MDCCLXXVI)

If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most heroes' monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States, and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean.

The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor.

We were coming together as one nation.

In the Eagle's beak you will read, 'E PLURIBUS UNUM' meaning, 'from many - one.'
Above the Eagle, you have the thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one.

Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.

They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this:

• 13 original colonies
• 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence became governors of their respective states
• 13 stripes on our flag
• 13 steps on the Pyramid
• 13 letters in 'Annuit Coeptis'
• 13 letters in 'E Pluribus Unum'
• 13 stars above the Eagle
• 13 bars on that shield
• 13 leaves on the olive branch
• 13 fruits
• 13 arrows

And finally, if you notice the arrangement of the 13 stars in the right-hand circle you will see that they are arranged as a Star of David. This is not something that happened by chance.

This was ordered by George Washington who, when he asked Haym Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, what he would like as a personal reward for his services to the Continental Army, Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself but that he would like something for his people. The Star of David was the result.

What was Haym Solomon's service to the Continental Army?

Haym Solomon (1740 - January 6, 1785) was a Polish Jew who immigrated to New York during the period of the American Revolution. He became a prime financier of the American side during the American Revolutionary War. Haym Solomon gave his own money to financially support the Continental Army, money that was extremely important to win our independence from England.
Sympathetic to the Patriot cause, Haym Solomon joined the New York branch of the Sons of Liberty. In September 1776, he was arrested by the British as a spy but was pardoned after serving only 18 months of his sentence. Being fluent in several languages, in prison he used his position to help prisoners of the British escape and encouraged the Hessians to desert the war effort. In 1778 Solomon was arrested again and sentenced to death, but he managed to escape, whereupon he made his way with his family to the Capital in Philadelphia.

The colonies were battling against an extremely wealthy enemy, the British Empire. The revolutionary cause, in contrast, was in dire financial straits. Keeping the American forces supplied with arms, food, and other supplies, was a daunting task. Solomon came to know many leading figures in Philadelphia during this time, and brokered a loan of $400,000 that gave George Washington, head of the Continental Army, funds to pay his soldiers in 1779.

In August of 1781, the Continental Army had cornered General Charles Cornwallis in the little Virginia coastal town of Yorktown. George Washington and the main army and the Count de Rochambeau with his French army decided to march from the Hudson Highlands to Yorktown and deliver the final blow. But Washington's war chest was completely empty, as was that of Congress. Washington determined that he needed at least $20,000 to finance the campaign. When Morris told him there were no funds and no credit available, Washington gave him a simple but eloquent order: "Send for Haym Solomon". Haym once again came through for the Americans, and the $20,000 was raised. Washington conducted the Yorktown campaign, which proved to be the final battle of the Revolution, thanks to Haym Solomon.

Solomon negotiated the sale of a majority of the war aid from France and Holland, selling bills of exchange to American merchants. Solomon also personally supported various members of the Continental Congress during their stay in Philadelphia, including James Madison and James Wilson. Acting as the patriot he was, he requested below market interest rates, and he never asked for repayment.

The Treaty of Paris signed on 03 September 1783, ended the Revolutionary War but not the financial problems of the newly established nation. It was Haym Solomon who managed, time-after-time, to raise the money to bail out the debt-ridden government. In all, the sum that Solomon advanced to help the war cause was over $658,000. Adjusted for inflation, he gave the sum equivalent to $40 Billion in today's currency.

Today's children are not taught this part of history. Their history teachers do not know this important part of history and what is worse, many do not care. Too many people want to change and rewrite history to fit a certain agenda and important parts of history are deliberately ignored. Often times, what would normally be taught about Haym Solomon are how unfair it was that he should have so much wealth when others have so little.

Too many Americans have given up too much to ever let this and other parts of history fade into oblivion.

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Childhood Memories

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” From the television show “The Wonder Years.”

It is interesting that such a profound statement came from a television show.  Reading it caused my mine to meander on this topic, and thus I’m writing this blog.

Our memories are powerful.  Our character, our personality and so much more that makes us who we are, were formed, at least in part, from our childhood memories.  Whether good memories or bad, they helped to shape the adults we came to be. 

Many of the fears we have as adults are rooted in childhood memories.  Those memories can cause us anxiety as adults, or they can bring us great joy.  Our drive (or lack thereof), our attitude toward life, and our morals and ethics all were planted with the seeds of childhood memories.

I was fortunate to have a fairly “normal” childhood, no abuse or alcoholism, with many wonderful memories.  Sure, there are some not-so-pleasant memories mixed in, but not many.

Fabulous memories my siblings and I share concern our many family trips to Yosemite National Park in California.  Our family visited Yosemite every year for at least 20 years, and we all share a special place in our hearts for those trips. Of course, it wasn’t just the place, but the fact that our family was all together enjoying Yosemite together.  I recently discussed Yosemite with my brother and sister, and we all agreed that we cannot quite describe how precious those memories are to us today.  Rather than simply memories, Yosemite became a part of us.

I have read that a person learns more from birth to age five than he or she learns during the rest of their lives.  Whether or not that is fact, it does make sense when you think what we knew when we entered the world.  I would think that our grammar school years would be of very great importance as well when we consider how much we learned during that time.  It is no wonder our childhood memories so greatly influence the adults we are today.  

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