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As many of you know, I have lost my close friend, Jamie, recently. 50 years old is far too young to pass on from this life. However, as with anything in life, there is always a lesson behind the pain. I have learned something invaluable I would like to share with everyone.

Jamie gave so much of herself but never realized how much she was truly appreciated. As I sat in the church for her funeral, this morning, I realized that no matter how much, or how beautifully, people spoke of this wonderful young woman, their words were more for us, than for her. I know there are far too many people who would give anything to have just a few more moments with the people they love. 

That is why I am dedicating this space as a living memorial of sorts. Take a moment. Tell that person you love that they are loved, appreciated, or proud of them. Mend a broken heart. Forgive an enemy.  Tell "the one that got away" how you truly feel. Don't let the moment pass by. Say whatever is in your heart. Include a picture, a song, or whatever. Life is far to short. Don't wait until the funeral. Don't live with regret, live with love.

What if you never had to pay another electric bill - EVER?

What if a box ( about the size of a current furnace) made from renewable resources, could power your home 24/7/365 for @$3000 with no other payments? 

It runs on any fuel (gas, oxygen, biofuels, etc) produces more power than solar panels, and leaves no carbon footprint. Sound too good to be true? Its a reality. Its called the Bloom Box and was profiled tonight on 60 minutes. The company is going public on Wednesday and 2 of its current customers (Google & Ebay) say it really works! 

But check it out for yourself here... 

Illegal immigrants, and other day laborers, in Suffolk County, NY were “evicted” Monday morning. Residents of Central America and Mexico, they relied on construction jobs, which, due to the economy, have dried up. Since they could no longer pay rent, they made their way to la montaña, the mountain, for its location on a hillside.

 Due to freezing temps, officials from Huntington, along with social workers, visited the site and posted signs warning that the structures were unsafe and ordering the men to leave or face up to $15,000 in fines, six months in jail, or both. After the visit, the town also ordered the owners of the property, Starlight Building Corporation, to clear it of garbage and debris.

Advocates said that the removal of the tents in Huntington Station underscored how little compassion there was for illegal workers, especially because no viable alternative housing was offered.

Local officials countered that the men were on private property and had been directed to temporary shelters for their own safety during the bitter cold spell. But they could not be given more permanent housing because their immigration status precluded the county from being reimbursed by the state for housing expenses.

“Even though undocumented folks are ineligible for public benefits, we would put them up for a night or two until they could make other arrangements,” said Edward Hernandez, the deputy commissioner for social services in Suffolk County.

 read more

Rather than donate tons of new, unworn clothing and footwear last year that had been seized in raids on counterfeit label operations NYC officials paid to destroy the garments. The lost clothing includes winter jackets, shirts, pants and underwear.

According to police dept spokesman, no one requested the donations this year. Clothing bank operators said they had made numerous requests.

Mayor Bloomberg’s office referred questions to Paul Browne, chief spokesman for the police dept. Browne replied they had received no requests for donations since 2008.

The US border patrol donated $78 million in clothing and shoes last year.

Los Angeles customs gave shoes to Samaritan’s Feet. Similar events occur in: Detroit, El Paso and San Francisco. Customs officials in NY have begun working with World Vision. If trademarks can be removed, they are donated to organizations within the US. Otherwise, they are shipped overseas.

Another organization which receives donations is NYC Clothing Bank – which, ironically, was initiated by former Mayor of NY, Ed Koch.

read the entire story 

College Goal Sunday sponsored by the YMCA is launching its annual event to help student and parents get the financial aid they need for college.

The benefits to attending a College Goal Sunday event:

• Get free on-site professional assistance filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.
• Talk to financial aid professionals about financial aid resources and how to apply.
• Get information regarding state-wide student services, admission requirements, and more!

So, find a location near you now, and remember to bring the things you need!  You also can get answers to your questions and visit other online resources.

how to help the homeless

Here is an article I found on CNN which tells people how to "correctly" assist the homeless during this cold period. Their main concern, of course, is for everyone's "safety" and therefore, all donations should be given to organizations rather then the homeless, themselves.

While I understand their reasoning, I don't necessarily agree with it. I have seen far too many posts from people who go without because the organizations who "KNOW" how to deal with the homeless - like they are some type of disease - turn people away due to lack of funding, or some other idiotic reasoning.By the way how many of these so called "experts" have ever spent a night out in the cold with hungry children?

In my opinion, if you have it to share, then give within reason  - without putting yourself or others in harms way.  Do we need "experts" to explain simple logic like that to us?

If you order soda, or ice water, with your dinner at a restaurant, you may be getting more than you asked for.  The International Journal of Food Microbiology studied restaurant fountains of soda beverages and found these results:

Ninety beverages of three types (sugar sodas, diet sodas and water) were obtained from 20 self-service and 10 personnel-dispensed soda fountains, analyzed for microbial contamination, and evaluated with respect to U.S. drinking water regulations. A follow-up study compared the concentration and composition of microbial populations in 27 beverages collected from 9 soda fountain machines in the morning as well as in the afternoon. Ice dispensed from these machines was also examined for microbial contamination.

·         none of the ice samples exceeded U.S. drinking water standards

·          coliform bacteria was detected in 48% of the beverages

·          20% had a heterotrophic plate count greater than 500 cfu/ml.

Statistical analyses revealed no difference in levels of microbial contamination between beverage types or between those dispensed from self-service and personnel-dispensed soda fountains.

·         More than 11% of the beverages analyzed contained Escherichia coli - Ecoli

·         over 17% contained Chryseobacterium meningosepticum.

·         Other opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms isolated from the beverages included species of Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, Stenotrophomonas, Candida, and Serratia.

·         Most of the identified bacteria showed resistance to one or more of the 11 antibiotics tested.

These findings suggest that soda fountain machines may harbor persistent communities of potentially pathogenic microorganisms which may contribute to episodic gastric distress in the general population and could pose a more significant health risk to immunocompromised individuals. These findings have important public health implications and signal the need for regulations enforcing hygienic practices associated with these beverage dispensers.

coliform bacteria - Coliform bacteria are organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans.

Chryseobacterium meningosepticum - It has generally been reported to cause outbreaks of meningitis predominantly in premature newborns and infants in neonatal intensive care units of underdeveloped countries. Some of the outbreaks have been linked to sources like contaminated lipid stock bottles, contaminated venous catheter lines and nutritional solution, and tap water. It is also a rare cause of nosocomial pneumonia, endocarditis, postoperative bacteremia, and meningitis in immunocompromised adults . Only recently it has also been reported to cause soft tissue infection and sepsis in the immunocompetent^[8] and a case report of a fatal necrotizing fasciitis in a diabetic patient

Escherichia coli  - Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses.

Klebsiella - The most common infection caused by Klebsiella bacteria outside the hospital is pneumonia. Klebsiella ranks second to E. coli for urinary tract infections in older persons. It is also an opportunistic pathogen for patients with chronic pulmonary disease, enteric pathogenicity, nasal mucosa atrophy, and rhinoscleroma. Feces are the most significant source of patient infection, followed by contact with contaminated instruments .

Staphylococcus - Staphylococcal food poisoning is an illness of the bowels that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. It is caused by eating foods contaminated with toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Symptoms usually develop within one to six hours after eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts for one to three days and resolves on its own. Patients with this illness are not contagious, since toxins are not transmitted from one person to another.

Candida -  can cause infections (called candidiasis or thrush) in humans and other animals, especially in immunocompromised patients.

Serratia  -Important as a nocosomial infection; associated with urinary and respiratory tract infections, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septicemia, wound infections, eye infections, meningitis.

NYS is cutting child care funding. That means parents who receive a day care subsidy and day care centers receiving funding from the state will both suffer. Read more about it here.

With cold an flu season here, I know a lot of people are dealing with the misery of stuffiness, congestion, and all that other gunk we get... BTW how do we get so clogged up? I mean where does all that come from? I keep blowing my nose and there is always more! UGH! Disgusting!!!

Anyway,a coworker told me what she does... I thought it was a little strange, but after seeing the doctor and getting all kinds of meds and little relief, I thought it couldn't hurt... so I tried it and let me tell you it worked!!! I felt 100% better today! So what did she suggest? 

VICKs vaporub - BUT - on my feet! weird right?

So I got my vicks ( store brand) and put it all over the soles of my feet, put on a pair of socks for the night, and in the morning.. TA DA!!! For the first time in a week, I could finally breathe again and I am not waking up coughing and choking... My one ear is still plugged , but even that is better than it was... I will do it again tonight and finally get some rest - I hate trying to sleep sitting up!  I HIGHLY recommend this - it works!!!

The doctor diagnosed me with asthmatic bronchitis. I was given prednisone, a breathing treatment, albuterol ( inhaler), Z-pack (antibiotic), and an allergy medicine... I also used the saline solution to clear my sinuses and a vaporizer....and after a week no relief! UNTIL I used the Vicks... I am NOT saying don't see a doctor. I am saying that if you begin to feel stuffy, try the vicks, it MAY clear up your symptoms and prevent you from having to see the doctor... and yes, I am still taking the antibiotic and the inhaler....

So, if you have any  home remedies, you would like to share, please do so. If you try this, let me know if it worked for you! Thanks!

I have read a lot of posts about people paying to get their GED.

           ***THE GED IS FREE!!!!! ***

Here is the OFFICIAL government site to get information on the GED FREE of Charge  - you can take the test locally, practice online, watch lessons on tv, request accomodations, and get all the information you need to finally get your GED. 

Apparently it happens to everyone... 

Salvation Army left short of cash by fake SC check

By BRUCE SMITH, Associated Press Writer Bruce Smith, Associated Press Writer Wed Jan 6, 4:26 pm ET

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Salvation Army thought it had received a grand gift ahead of Christmas — a $25,000 check. But the donation turned out to be an expensive hoax that may force the charity to cut back on winter assistance for the needy.

Investigators said Wednesday that more than a dozen Charleston-area charities received fake checks before Christmas purporting to be gifts from a genuine local company.

None of the other charities cashed theirs, but the Salvation Army deposited its check. It went ahead and spent some of the money on food and toys for about 100 families, counting on the check to clear.

The bank called two days before Christmas to say the check had bounced, and the agency was left with less money than planned to help the needy this cold January.

"It's a matter of counting on that so we would have a cushion," said Kiki Cooper, the director of development for the local chapter. She said the single check represented about 10 percent of what the Salvation Army typically raises during the holiday season.

The check and accompanying letter appeared to come from Force Protection Inc., an armored vehicle manufacturer in Ladson. The letter said the company had enjoyed success and wanted to share with local charities.

Other charities called the company about the unsolicited donations and Force Protection sent out a memo Dec. 17 — the same day the Salvation Army deposited their check — saying it had been the victim of a holiday scam.

Officers were investigating but there had been no arrests in the case as of Wednesday, said Maj. John Clark of the Charleston County Sheriff's Department.

Tommy Pruitt, a spokesman for Force Protection, said the checks were written on a company bank account that had been closed months ago. He said he did not want to speculate on who might be responsible.

Cooper said the check arrived at the busiest time of year for the charity.

"People say why don't you check every check? We have old ladies who send us a dollar and we're talking at this time of year we have anywhere from 500 to 1,000 checks coming in a week," she said.

Cooper said people were already offering to help offset the loss.

"We've actually had a couple of people walking in dropping off $20. We have that at Christmas, never in January," she said.

Nationally, the Salvation Army raises about $500 million each holiday season — about 40 percent of its yearly donations.

Gift checks sometimes bounce or credit card charges get rejected, said Jennifer Byrd, a spokeswoman for the national organization. "But it's so inconsequential in the overall giving we receive."

An unspeakable crime by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

 In Afghanistan, where domestic violence is epidemic, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon reports on a teenager whose in-laws cut off her nose and ears in retaliation for her attempted escape.

I am not posting the entire article because I also want to focus on one of the organizations that assisted this young woman in her recovery and the protection of other Afghan women - Women for Afghan Women. 

We are all aware of the toll this war has taken on our families and our loved ones, but here is another perspective of having our troops in Afghanistan. 

"Women for Afghan Women deeply regrets having a position in favor of maintaining, even increasing troops. We are not advocates for war, and conditions did not have to reach this dire point, but we believe that withdrawing troops means abandoning 15 million women and children to madmen who will sacrifice them to their lust for power. We predict that if Afghanistan falls again to the Taliban, we will once more see on our high definition TV screens, in the comfort of our American homes, women and girls being hauled into the Kabul football stadium to be beaten and executed for having committed acts that would not be considered criminal by any international human rights laws, including those signed by Afghanistan."

Many of us rememner high school as one of the worst ( and sometimes best) times of our lives. Things have changed a lot since then. I have found this new program from Rachel Simmons and PBS which documents the lives of 4 teens. Watch this innovative program about teen girls; what they think, what they do, and what they live with on a daily basis. I think it may open a lot of eyes as to the reality of our daughter's lives.

A Girl's Life 

Now that Christmas is behind us, we can focus on the upcoming new year - 2010. WOW! Who would have thought that 2010 would be upon us so fast? Not Me! I still remember graduating high school!

A lot has changed since then. I have done things I never thought I would do, and I had to leave behind some childhood dreams.  But my question is: Where do I want to go from here? Where do I want to be a year from now? What do I hope to achieve?

I think these are some of the questions we should all be asking ourselves. Not just making resolutions - which we would all forget about by the end of January, but simple, life-altering steps, that will get us on the right path and keep us there.

I plan to post new content on a regular basis to stimulate everyone to achieve some sort of change in their lives in the up coming year.  I've begun by posting some survival strategies I found in the NY times. Check them out. Maybe something will spark your interest and help save you some money!

As always, if you are in need of necessities, check my home page for organizations for help with utilities, food, and other necessities. 

I found this in the NY Times and thought it would apply here. People have listed their ideas on how to survive the hard times that we are all going through.  If you have any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to add them!

• Living within my means
• Bring  lunch from home
• Drink water
• Stop buying expensive cleaning products. Most things can be cleaned with white vinegar, baking soda, coarse salt, or soap & hot water.
• Never go food shopping without a detailed list of the items you need (not want) to purchase. Bring along only those coupons that matter.
• 1. Donate clothes you don't wear to charity. 2. Don't buy anything new. 3. Actually wear the clothes you own (OMG).
• LESS Amazon, Borders & BN and MORE Public Library
• Use the internet to research before buying anything big.
• use freecycle to get free stuff you need!
• Use student clinics - medical, dental, massage, acupuncture, haircuts, etc
• I buy shirts on sale then embellish them to make an original, custom-made item. It saves $$ and fills the time since I gave away the TV.
• Learn to sew so you can replace a button, repair rips, etc. on perfectly good clothes.
• I'm doing my best to focus on my job, but at the same time I'm trying to develop skills that might be useful if I suddenly become unemployed
• downsized to smaller house one year ago; paid off debts; learned to use craigslist, goodwill and freecycle.
• Instead of going shopping, I am hosting seasonal clothing swaps. I provide snacks, guests provide beverages. We all bring clothes.
• I only buy the necessities.
• Volunteer. You'd be amazed... it's entertaining, it's free, it eats time that you'd spend doing expensive things, and it opens doors...
• I quit smoking.
• Always remember no matter how hard you have it, someone has it worse. Count your blessings instead of your sorrows.
• Love my slow cooker. Cheaper cuts of meat become tender. Also great for beans, etc. Uses less energy, cleans up quick, kitchen stays cool.
• No magazine or newspaper subscriptions anymore.
• Ditch sodas and bottled water for regular tap water - improve your health, your pocket and the environment
• I won't use my car for recreational purposes. It's grocery store, the gas station and whatever other trip is absolutely necessary.
• Going back to school to improve my resume and prepare for going back to the job market if our company doesn't make it.
• Use extra cash, if any, to pay off credit cards. Never spend what you don't have to buy what you don't need to impress those you don't know
• We hung out our first clothes line in our adult lives yesterday so the clothes could dry while we planted our first ever vegetable patch.
• Instead of eating out with friends during weekends, we have a rotation in which we make dinner at each other's house like a potluck
• Open your doors to your friends. Share a meal. Share a laugh. Share a tear. What goes around comes around. We are all in this together.
• I spend less money than I make.
• A focus on helping others, with no expectation of return, distracts me from my short-term supposed "struggles".
• My daughter is 3. I buy her clothes in charity stores. Does she care? Nope. Does she look great? Yep. Have I saved a packet? Definitely!!
• Yard sales and church sales sell everything you can imagine and then some. Never buy new!
• B-days, etc., friends pool our money and give a pre-paid credit card as a gift. The getter can spend it on paying bills or not, discretely.
• Reintroduce yourself to the staple foods. Try cooking with more potatoes, cabbage, rice and so on.
• Stop watching negative news forecasts, get involved in service work, curb expenditures, focus on gratitude for what I have.
• I'm cutting my grass with a rotary mower. It replaces a treadmill and gives me exercise, replaces a landscaper, and there is no gas cost!
• I am staying in a job I hate because I know that it will be nearly impossible to find a new job.
• cut out the starbucks or any morning coffee, make home and use a travel mug, 2 dollars a day for hot brown water = $730.00 a year
• $5 Foot-Longs from Subways! Eat half for lunch, the other half for dinner.
• I'm selling things on eBay that I don't use. The money goes into a savings account. $1500 so far and counting!
• If you are not sure if you should buy something or not, don't toss a coin. Just don't buy it, and wait for tomorrow.
• Cut up your credit cards! Use CASH to buy your groceries, gas, etc.
• I cancelled cable and installed Boxee. Now I watch TV for free with programs like Hulu.
• I put my parents on my cell phone plan because it is cheaper to add people to my plan than for them to pay for their own plan.
• Define what my needs and wants are. Make sure my needs are taken care of and to remember that my wants are just wants.....
• Keep an extra $200 in your checking account but don't include it on your checkbook. Works wonders.
• Unplug the cable TV and watch the free channels which are now HD. For movies get DVD's from the library (return them before late fees apply)
• Wash clothes only in cold water. I've done it for 20 years. Clothes get just as clean & you save money.
• Hair care at home. Wife cuts my hair with a clipper and I color her's. Saves several hundreds year. Note: don't cut wife's hair, go to a pro!
• Read a book instead of see a movie! Pass the book along afterward and borrow a new one!

I found this about spousal impoverishment. It discusses how the combined income of couples is considered when one spouse is in a nursing home and how the patient may be medicaid eligible.

Spousal impoverishment

Also remember to check for other programs you may be eligible for through the benefits check up

I found this great article that I thought some may enjoy. It is a conversation with a young man and how he help his father's liquor store grow to a $60 million business using the internet. He gives some great tips and advice for anyone who is interested in helping their business to grow.

How to profit from your passion

Many, many THANKS to Elaine for this link...

Watch Rev Billy and his Stop Shopping Choir inform and enlighten our nation of consumers this Christmas season. The video runs about 1 1/2 hours - but well worth the time! This is a performance group with a strong message for the holiday season. 

WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY?

While chatting with a friend about a previous post, I came up with another idea. I was familiar with the 12 steps - but to me, they were too wishy-washy. While I know they do have their place and work very well for most people, I felt there was something missing. So, I wrote my own version and I think they could apply to anyone in any situation. Let me know what you think and if there should be something added.

Here is a list of Kitchens serving Christmas Dinners in WNY. PLEASE CALL TO VERIFY ALL INFORMATION.

If you have any information to add,or any other dinners to list in your area, please feel free!