Monday, February 28, 2011

6 Tips on Enhancing Your Visibility

6 Tips on Enhancing Your Visibility
written by Ellen Freudenheim, MPH                              

“If you build it, they will come,” they say.
A logical networking corollary might be: If you're visible, you will be seen. 
Typically, people who are in a career or job shift are encouraged to network. But why not direct your networking traffic so it flows in both directions, increasing the likelihood that the very people you want to meet will start seeking you out, too?
Here are some tips for enhancing your own public profile as a networking strategy.
TIP #1: Start a personal website and blog. Sure, everyone's doing it. But if you want to establish your credibility, air your views, and establish yourself as someone who's hip to the communications revolution, having a personal website and writing your own blog is a logical (some might say necessary) step. Let people know it exists; use this as a marketing tool.
TIP #2: Take a leadership position in an organization or community you already belong to. There couldn't be a more traditional, time-tested way to showcase yourself than by taking on high visibility volunteer work, such committee chairperson for a major event in your community. Still, it works. Warning: these volunteer positions can sponge up all your spare time—almost as much as a blog does.
TIP #3: Host a political fundraiser. For better or worse, election season is upon us-- and will be until November, 2008. Virtually every candidate running for federal and state office is looking for new people to host a fundraiser or so-called meet-and-greet for even as few as a dozen people in a home setting. Often the campaign will supply names of potential guests as well as provide organizational backup, a speaker and informational material—and help you clean up afterwards. If politics, social change, or public policy issues are part of your personal portfolio, this one-shot investment of your time may prove a good way to meet new people and hob nob with some connected individuals.
TIP #4: Make yourself visible on social networking sites online, for instance, www.boomster.com. On our site, you can find other baby boomers like you who are looking for people they can work or partner with and share experiences and advice.
TIP #5: If you're transitioning to a new line of work, attend professional meetings in whatever field you're thinking of switching to. For example, if you're interested in starting an art gallery, attend every opening you can, and contact the National Association of Art Gallery Owners.
TIP #6: Get published. It doesn't have to be The New York Times. If you have a passion or point of view, especially if it relates to a field of work you are exploring, then write about it. Having a letter to the editor, opinion piece, or essay printed in your local paper, a professional newsletter or church or synagogue bulletin is a good way to get your name in circulation. And if it doesn't get into print, then post it on that new blog.
About the Author: Ellen Freudenheim is author of Looking Forward: An Optimist's Guide To Retirement (Stewart Tabori Chang 2004). www.lookingforward2.com

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Traveling abroad? Tell the US Gov’t when you are going abroad.

Traveling abroad? Tell the US Gov’t when you are going abroad so that the Government can contact you and assist you in an emergency. In addition to giving your family a detailed itinerary when planning a trip abroad, register your plans with the U.S. State Dept's. free Smart Traveler's Enrollment Program (STEP) at:  https://TravelRegistration.state.gov.  

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Don’t fall for Jury Duty scam! They’re after your ID info.

The phone rings, you pick it up, and the caller identifies himself as an officer of the court. He says you failed to report for jury duty and that a warrant is out for your arrest. You say you never received a notice. To clear it up, the caller says he'll need some information for "verification purposes"-your birth date, social security number, maybe even a credit card number.
This is when you should hang up the phone. It's a scam.
Jury scams have been around for years, but have seen a resurgence in recent months. Communities in more than a dozen states have issued public warnings about cold calls from people claiming to be court officials seeking personal information. As a rule, court officers never ask for confidential information over the phone; they generally correspond with prospective jurors via mail.
The scam's bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation.

"They get you scared first," says a special agent in the Minneapolis field office who has heard the complaints. "They get people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I'm not a criminal. What's going on?'" That's when the scammer dangles a solution-a fine, payable by credit card, that will clear up the problem.
With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.
"It seems like a very simple scam," the agent adds. The trick is putting people on the defensive, then reeling them back in with the promise of a clean slate. "It's kind of ingenious. It's social engineering."
In recent months, communities in Florida, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, California, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Hampshire reported scams or posted warnings or press releases on their local websites. In August, the federal court system issued a warning on the scam and urged people to call their local District Court office if they receive suspicious calls. In September, the FBI issued a press release about jury scams and suggested victims also contact their local FBI field office.
In March, USA.gov, the federal government’s information website, posted details about jury scams in their Frequently Asked Questions area. The site reported scores of queries on the subject from website visitors and callers seeking information.
The jury scam is a simple variation of the identity-theft ploys that have proliferated in recent years as personal information and good credit have become thieves' preferred prey, particularly on the Internet. Scammers might tap your information to make a purchase on your credit card, but could just as easily sell your information to the highest bidder on the Internet's black market.
Protecting yourself is the key: Never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.
Resources: 
- Common Fraud Schemes 
- Jury Fraud Press Release (09/28/05)

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Digital devices can pose great danger to you.


Subject: This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.

I didnt research this to see if the story is true or not but it never hurts to think ahead and be careful!

This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.
                                                                                                               
                                                    
GPS

A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had

their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was

parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and

specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included

a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been

prominently mounted on the dashboard.


When the victims got home, they found that their house had been

ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.


The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then

used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain

entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football

game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so

they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would

appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home
address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you
can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know
where you live if your GPS were stolen.

MOBILE PHONES

I never thought of this.......

This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on

her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which

contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet... Etc...was stolen.

20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling

him what had happened, hubby says 'I received your text asking

about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago.'

When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the

money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen

cell phone to text 'hubby' in the contact list and got hold of the pin

number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their

bank account.


Moral of the lesson:

Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in

your contact list.


Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad,

Mom, etc....


And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts,

CONFIRM by calling back.


Also, when you're being text by friends or family to meet them

somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came

from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places

to meet 'family and friends' who text you.



*PLEASE PASS THIS ON

* I never thought about the above!

As of now, I no longer have 'home' listed on my cell phone.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Credit Card theft is skyrocketing. Could you the next victim?

The art of copying debit card data has grown far beyond the days when a dishonest waiter might have used a pocket-size electronic skimming machine to capture your info.

In May, New York police reported that a fraud ring had stolen half a million dollars from hundreds of bank customers' accounts using sophisticated skimming devices attached to ATMs at Sovereign Bank branches in Staten Island. The skimmers even attached cameras to capture victims' keystrokes when they entered their PINs. This practice is being used all over the country to pick-pocket unsuspecting victims that only realize the violation after the damage has been done.

Protect yourself: Only use ATMs at bank branches, not at convenience stores or delis, since bank security cameras can offer evidence that fraudulent withdrawals with your debit card were not made by you. A recent study at various ATM locations revealed that 85 percent of them lacked visible surveillance cameras and less than 4 percent had mirrors to let customers see someone approaching. Bank ATMs should have both types of security devices. It's in your best interest to be over observant when it comes to dollars and sense. 

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Do you know the proper way to peel a banana?


DID YOU KNOW?

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to peel the 'stringy things' off of it.  That' how the primates do it!

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.  If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your open chunks of cheese wrapped in aluminum foil.  It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.  Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.  It will help pull the grease away from the meat when cooking.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and add it at the end if you want a stronger taste of garlic.

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes.  You can double it in size.  You can frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount.  You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

To warm biscuits, pancakes or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water.  The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

When planting plants, wet newspapers and put layers around the plants, overlapping as you go.  Cover with mulch and forget about weeds.  Weeds will get through some gardening plastic, they will not get through wet newspapers.

When picking up broken glass, use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

To keep away mosquitos, place a dryer sheet in your pocket.

To keep squirrels away from your plants, sprinkle cayenne pepper around the plant.  It will keep the squirrels away but won't hurt the plants.

Hate foggy windshields?  Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your vehicle.  When the windows fog, rub with the eraser!  Works better than a cloth!

Ladies, use your hair condition to shave your legs.  It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves you legs really smooth.  It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like it when you tried it in your hair.

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2 inch with apple cider vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid and mix well.  You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants.  They eat it, take it 'home', can't digest it so it kills them.  It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!