Wednesday, October 24, 2007

California fire refuge- places for pets to be taken in

VCA Animal Hospitals Offers Free Boarding for Pets Affected by Southern
California Fires

http://www.ad- hoc-news. de/Aktie/ 127...3/SOUTHERN .html

http://www.ad- hoc-news. de/Aktie/ 12717634/ News/13829613/ SOUTHERN. html

VCA Animal Hospitals announced today that local SOUTHERN California VCA
facilities are offering free boarding for companion animals whose families
have been evacuated or displaced as a result of the current firestorms.
Conveniently located VCA animal hospitals will provide a safe environment
for pets that have been affected by the fires through November 5, 2007, on a
space available basis.

As thousands of families are being evacuated to shelters or facing the loss
of their homes, VCA hopes to ease their burden by offering free boarding for
pets so they can focus on the critical issues with their families and homes,
said Art Antin, Chief Operating Officer of VCA Animal Hospitals.

Boarding assistance for pets is based on space availability at individual
VCA Animal Hospitals throughout Southern California.

Pet owners can Call the following VCA facilities that currently have space
available:

Alhambra VCA Mission Animal Hospital 626-289-3643
Arroyo Grande VCA South County Animal Hospital 805-489-1361
Bellflower VCA Lakewood Animal Hospital 562-633-8126
Big Bear City VCA Lakeside Animal Hospital 909-866-2021
Burbank VCA Animal Hospital (Burbank) 818-845-7246
Canoga Park VCA Companion Animal Hospital 818-340-1569
Cypress VCA College Park - Ana Brook Animal Hospital 714-827-6861
Encinitas VCA North Coast Animal Hospital 760-632-1072
Glendale VCA Arden Animal Hospital 818-246-2478
Hermosa Beach VCA Coast Animal Hospital 310-372-8881
Hesperia VCA Victor Valley Animal Hospital 760-244-8022
La Mesa VCA Grossmont Animal Hospital 619-697-0082
Laguna Niguel VCA Aliso Viejo Animal Hospital 949-643-0437
Lake Forest VCA Saddleback Animal Hospital 949-586-4250
Lake Forest VCA Arroyo Animal Hospital 949-770-1808
Long Beach VCA Los Altos Animal Hospital 562-421-3749
Los Alamitos VCA Rossmoor-El Dorado Animal Hospital 562-598-8621
Los Angeles VCA Miller-Robertson Animal Hospital 310-657-7050
Los Angeles VCA Petville Animal Hospital 310-313-9118
Mission Viejo VCA Mission Viejo Animal Hospital 949-582-1220
Monrovia VCA Santa Anita Animal Hospital 626-359-3281
Palm Springs VCA Desert Animal Hospital 760-778-9999
Pasadena VCA A Breed Apart Animal Hospital 626-795-4444
Rancho Mirage VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital 760-346-6103
Reseda VCA McClave Animal Hospital 818-881-5102
Ridgecrest VCA Crestwood Animal Hospital 760-446-7616
Rolling Hills Estates
VCA Silver Spur Animal Hospital310- 541-3331
San Diego VCA Angel Animal Hospital 619-291-0042
San Diego VCA Hillcrest Animal Hospital 619-299-7387
San Diego VCA Main Street Animal Hospital 619-232-7401
San Diego VCA West Bernardo Animal Hospital 858-485-7570
Santa Fe Springs VCA La Mirada Animal Hospital 562-921-3539
Santa Monica VCA Santa Monica Dog and Cat Hospital 310-453-5459
Santa Monica VCA Wilshire Animal Hospital 310-828-4587
Spring Valley VCA Paradise Valley Animal Hospital 619-475-9770
Temecula VCA El Rancho Animal Hospital 951-296-3898
Torrance VCA Clarmar Animal Hospital 310-371-2474
Torrance VCA Kennel Club Resort & Spa 310-539-2201
Upland VCA Central Animal Hospital 909-981-2855
Venice VCA Marina Animal Hospital 310-306-8707
Victorville VCA Mesa Animal Hospital 760-245-0109
Woodland Hills VCA Parkwood Animal Hospital 818-884-5506

Permission to Cross Post given.

[LAanimalrights] shelters accepting large/small displaced animals
Also from the Times breaking news blog:

http://latimesblogs .latimes. com/breakingnews /

Animal shelters opened

Shelters accepting displaced animals include:

LARGE ANIMALS
Pierce College
6201 Winnetka Avenue
Woodland Hills, CA 91371

Antelope Valley Fair Grounds
2551 West Avenue H
Lancaster, CA 93536

SMALL ANIMALS
Agoura Animal Shelter
29525 Agoura Road
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
818-991-0071

Castaic Animal Shelter
31044 N. Charlie Canyon Road
Castaic, CA 91384

www.AlphaPetProducts.com

www.CartAndSoul.com

www.HealthyPetPlanet.com

www.HelpingRescue.com

www.OnlineVendorWorld.com

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Who wants to learn about podcasting?

Rachel has created a new category at her website specifically for learning about podcasting.
Check it out:
Want to learn more about Podcasting? The WAHStation has a new sectiondedicated to learning more about this great way to get heard and be known. Visit Podcasting at www.WAHStation.com TODAY!http://www.wahstation.com/podcasting.php

Exercise routines for wahms

Sparkpeople.com did it again! 6 routines with video included and it's all free.
If you haven't visited http://www.sparkpeople.com, you really should check it out. They have you covered from healthy recipes, tips to fun exercises and of course motivation:
From their free newsletter:
SparkPeople 30-Minute Workouts Add Variety To Your Routine A stale fitness program is like a stale pair of old shoes--you know how they'll feel and you once loved using them, but you just don't want to go near them anymore. We all need a little variety in our workouts. In fact, an excessively repetitive workout program is a major cause of fitness burnout.If you're looking to mix things up a little bit, try one of these 30-minute options created by SparkPeople Coach Joe D. They should each be preceded and followed by at least a little stretching and warm up. The only equipment you'll need for most of these exercises are small dumbbells, an inflatable stability ball or resistance bands. Many are simple "body weight" exercises with no need for equipment at all.Click here to see all six 30-minute workouts. Read Entire Article

A new place to network

One of my customers who purchased scratch off stickers told me about a new networking place that is great for small businesses. Get to know those that are local to you. Your customers can leave comments and you get free advertising. It's a win/win.
Check it out at http://www.MerchantCircle.com

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Protect yourself online

http://www.Netwise.org- a great refresher course in reminding you to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Beware of the scams going on. Never cash a money order and send partial of it back. That great big order may look very enticing but think about what happens two or three weeks later. The money order comes back as fraudulent, your bank takes the money back out of your account leavintg you with overdrafts and you're out the product that you were shipped. See http://www.fakechecks.org for more varieties of the scam.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Let's say Thanks-an easy way to thank our troops

Xerox is sponsoring free post cards for our soldiers at http://www.letssaythanks.com . Simply stop by, pick out a design, leave your name, city and state and it will be printed and sent to a shoulder. Let's keep our heroes in our hearts.
Terra
http://www.easyscratchoffs.com/internet-tips.html

Monday, June 11, 2007

How to choose a home based business

Recently a friend of mine was inquiring about working from home. She just had a baby and wants to stay home with her. I've been working at home for almost 4 years and she wanted some tips and ideas. I had to go back and remember how I was when I first started, looking for the elusive dream. Many businesses and ideas later, http://www.EasyScratchoffs.com was born.
My mentor said to find your niche and work your business like a business.
Best advice I ever had.
While looking for articles for my friend, I found this article that gives you lots to think about while looking for the perfect business idea

Choosing A Home Based Business!


If you are one of those who are in a quandary about which home based business to choose, take heart, here is some sound advice.
First consider that you need to (1) protect yourself from unwanted intrusions, (2) be able to look without committing, and (3) not have a ton of follow-up communications swamping your e-mail inbox. Get a free e-mail account (like Hotmail or Yahoo) to use while you're "just looking." Once you decide on a business you can give it your primary e-mail address.
1) The first item is a personal one. Do you have an interest in the product(s) being offered? For instance, if you are into health foods, vitamins and minerals, you would probably not be interested in the Chocolate Bar of the Month business. Instead you would want to look for a vitamin and mineral company.
2) Next consider the cost of getting into the business. A home-based business usually has a start-up cost ranging from free to $1,000 or more. Look at your finances and choose wisely.
3) Think about the on-going costs. Many companies require you to purchase a certain amount of product each month to remain qualified for getting paid. Some require you to increase your purchases as you advance through the ranks.
4) Consider the cost of your Web page or pages. Some companies charge you for them on a monthly basis. Others don’t charge anything. Be sure you can afford this cost before joining.
5) Know the requirements needed to begin receiving pay. Many companies require recruiting additional partners before qualifying for pay. So consider this carefully, especially if the cost of getting in is a little high. Will others you enlist be able to afford the start-up or ongoing costs?
6) Does the product lend itself to repeat sales? Is the average person likely to use this product? How much convincing will you have to do in order to get others to buy it from you?
7) Does the company offer training and materials for free or do they charge for them? This all factors into the cost of doing business and must be considered.
8) Will you have a mentor? A mentor will shorten your learning curve tremendously. Is his or her information, such as e-mail address or phone number, readily available to you?
9) Is the parent company at least five years old? This one is a little tricky. Some companies may have launched a new division, but the parent company is an established and trusted firm. This one issue has a plus on both sides of this coin. The plus for an older company is that they are established. The plus for a newly formed company, or division within an older company, is that the market may be wide open and thus the opportunity is excellent.
10) Is the company being hyped as being in pre-launch? If so, look it over carefully. Sometimes this is a ploy to draw in people to get a few quick bucks and then the company "runs for the hills." Other times it is a legitimate opportunity. Just be wary. Be sure the product is valid and one you think will be around a while.
11) Does the company say you have to sign up by a certain date or you will be passed up by others joining below you? This is a ploy to play on your fears, and it usually works. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into joining anything you haven't thoroughly checked out and want to commit to for the long haul. Don’t ever be pressured by any kind of a deadline.
12) If you can speak with a live person, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions. But be prepared to be pressured to join and get started right away. You will have to resist this if you are not entirely convinced yet that this is the company for you.
13) If you look at a company’s pay plan and can’t understand it, maybe it isn’t for you. Most reputable companies today will have a video on the Web site you can check out. These may run anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes long. What is important is that you be able to understand the concept behind the company and know what the pay plan entails. Always remember to look for the “hoops” you will have to jump through to get paid.
This is not an all inclusive list, but it will give you an excellent start in comparing one home based-business to another. You will more than likely come up with points of your own to consider. Don’t be afraid to include them in your own personal checklist. After all, you are the one committing time, effort and possibly money. Remember, they have to satisfy you. If they don’t, keep on looking until you find the one that is right for you.
Author's Bio: Robert Armstrong is currently the Director of Corporate Training for TWCCTW, Inc., a firm which works with over 150,000 non profit organizations. He has over 35 years experience as a leader in the home-based business industry and has lectured on goal setting and taught personal motivation seminars. He is also a retired Doctor of Chiropractic. His web site is http://www.NoCatchIPromise.com.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Signs of a sick computer, tip to fix it

Is your computer running slow? Sluggish?
Do you have to wait for the pages to load or does your homepage suddenly change to something else?
You may have unknowingly been affected by a virus or spyware.
A free online scan program is http://www.trendmicro.com Click on housecall and it will do a free scan for you. Be prepared to wait, 20 minutes up to a few hours, depending on your connection speed.

I've successfuly used housecall when my computer was sick.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

To Plug or not to plug, it's really not an option



My mother's day was a bit eventful. Here's a picture to give you a hint.


It started out with breakfast in bed fixed by my oh so adorable children. Pancakes with just a bit of egg shell, sticky cup and gooey cookies. Yum! All was going great, when we got THE CALL...


Our soon to be boat was ready for us to test drive. We hurriedly packed all of our children and headed down to Table Rock Lake in Branson. We met the current boat owners and saw the boat.


We had decided to get a used boat, because we both were NEW boat owners and owning a boat has responsibiities, that we would later learn.. The deal was made. They let us take the boat home, so we loaded it out of the water, hooked it up to the trailer and we were on our way home.


and then the question...


"Dad", asked on of the sweet innocent children. "When can we take the boat out?" This was followed by the other innocent children getting excited and wanting to know too. so, the question we would learn to regret, ponder, question and later laugh about. I looked at "the man"- love of my life and said, sure let's go find a spot and we'll go on our first boat ride..."


What was I thinking? I was nervous, but our kids can swim. We had life jackets. What could possibly go wrong?..


We find a spot, pay $5 for the priviledge and go to the "staging area". (Note: staging area is where you prepare the boat for the water, taking off harnesses etc.)


We take off the hooks, wraps, etc and then Dh asks me if I'm going to drive the boat or the truck? Hmm. 4 wheel drive truck that I've NEVER driven or a boat that I've never sat in or driven. Choices...


I chose choice number 1.. Me in the boat..


So I climb up into the boat, get positioned and tell Dh I don't know how to drive a boat..


He says it will be fine, "just turn the key." Um, Okay... (said sarcastically)


So we're backing up downhill straight into the water. We make it.. So far so good.


Kids are excited. Dh unlatched boat from trailer. Ugh oh.. I still don't know how to drive a boat.. I tell Dh I don't know how. His response "just turn the key". I turn the key, it won't start... I try for 5 minutes, slowly drifting farther out.
He has to move the truck with the kids, out of loading area, so I'm stuck out on the lake, in a boat that won't go. It's okay.. I'll be fine..
His parting words to me are "go over there to the docks, reach and grab"..
Okay.. the dock is at least 20 feet away. Not exactly an arm's reach. So I'm sitting out in our new boat that won't start wondering how I'm going to get "over there' to the dock..Rest assured, Dh takes care of us, so of course he jumps in the lake, wading out to the boat to push me "over there". I'm laughing saying I hope you get wet. I can't believe you put me out here. I don't know how to drive a boat!
Meanwhile he's up to his head in his non lake clothing attire ;o) He pushes me and the boat "over there" to the dock. I turn the key, turn the key, turn the key. Nothing.
He gets in the boat probably thinking he can turn the key better than me ...it wont' do anything..
About this time, he notices water in the back of the boat. Hmmmm
He gets out of the boat and tries pushing me and the boat back to the unloading,, it won't go, becase I've tied us off."let go of the boat, I've got to go get the plug"...Okay, so he pushes over there. By this time my oldest daughter leaped into the boat with daddy long legs and says dad, there's water in the storage compartment... Dad comes back with "the plug". It turns out that the plug is what you use to drain the water when getting the boat out of the water, so if you don't put the plug in.. Um. your boat takes on a lot of water and you could sink.....Well we put the boat in without a Plug! A definite new boat owner mistake. We almost sunk our boat that we had bought an hour before... DH gets the plug put in and then it's time to load up the boat. Ever tried loading up a boat onto a trailer that won't start with two people and one not knowing what to do? This must be when it becomes a "1 Man Show".I try to help but he won't tell me what to do, just does it. By this time, he's frustrated, a little tired from him improptu swim and has to break the news to me what really happened and why the silly boat wouldn't start...We load up, go back to the staging area, and he releases the plug and water flows and flows and flows.We've been boating with friends and normally it takes a minute, maybe 2. It ran for 20 minutes and it wasn't done.We're laughing now and he's telling everyone about his boat experience with a smile. We weren't smiling on Sunday.
The kids will remember this Mother's Day for awhile. LOL So my tip for the day is "Don't forget the plug!"By the way, "just turning the key" will not drive a boat. You have to turn the key to start the engine and push the throttle- and there are no brakes!

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Child Safe Kids Browser




I used to cringe when my kids would ask to the
use the computer to do research or play a game. It usually meant I would either have
to stand over their shoulder making sure they didn't type anything into the search engines Or I would end up with spyware on my computer from the "harmless, free kids games". Now I don't have to worry about it.

We also tried password protecting the computer so they could only go to approved
sites. This didn't work out so well because the older kids wanted to go to different sites and every 5 minutes they were asking me to type in the password and approve each page.

After much searching, we heard about
http://www.ChildrensEducationalNetwork.com
who offers a free kids safe web browser, My kids love Tuki. It has age appropriate content
and is a browser that I feel safe letting my children use. Each child has their own log in, so they're preferences are saved. The developer and owner believes in keeping kids safe while allowing them the opportunity to learn.
He has launched a campaign to give away his free kid safe browser, no strings attached. Our family loves it. Best of all there are different levels you can choose, from the free version to the Premium paid version.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Busy Mom's Chicken Cacciatore

I believe in quick cooking any chance I get.
Here's a recipe that involves the crock pot, chicken, and spaghetti sauce.

3 frozen chicken breasts- could use other chicken
1 can of spaghetti sauce- I doctor mine up with garlic and a bit of brown sugar
1 can of tomato sauce
Put all 3 in crock pot and cook for 4 hours. Stir and break up chicken into bite size chunks.
Boil noodles/spaghetti and add cooked noodles to crock pot. (I’ve done it in the CP but lately haven’t had luck with noodles in CP, so I precooked them.
Add noodles to Crock Pot, stir all together and sprinkle cheese over the top. Turn Crock Pot to low and let melt for 10-15 minutes.
My family loved this.

National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Don't forget that Saturday, May 12th is National Stamp out Food Hunger day.
Leave your non-perishable food items like canned meats, soups, cereal, rice, pasta, and vegetables by your mailbox in an easy to carry sack.

Your donation will be taken to your local food pantry.
Let's all join together and make a difference.

Visit http://www.HelpStampOutHunger.com for more information on what you can do.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Feed The Hungry

http://www.SpreadTheSharing.com
Click and tell them a story. They will donate one meal to a needy family.
A great way to feed the hungry.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Mother's Day Contest-Enter to win!

http://www.TwomomsInABlog.com is hosting a Mother's Day Contest and all you have to do is write a tribute to your mom.
Enter now at http://www.twomomsinablog.com/?p=1224

Free Online Virtual Classes

If you are a resident of Missouri, you can sign up for free online virtual classes at
http://www.dese.mo.gov. Sign up is limited to the first 2500 that sign up. Registration starts today.
Elementry curriculum and high school curriculum, including Latin and Trigonomety courses are available.

Working From Home Can be Rewarding and Exhausting

Working from home can be very rewarding, however it can be exhausting too. I've found that incorporating daily exercise into my routine helps motivate and give me energy. http://www.sparkpeople.com sends out a daily newsletter with great information including exercises you can do from home. They even include a small video of how to do the exercise of the day. Best of all, becoming a member is free!

Being a work at home professional, I spend "quite a few hours" working from home running my scratch-off business. I've realized I need to move more and take breaks through out the day. Rebounding has become my exercise of choice. It's great for my ankles, burns calories, moves my system and motivates me to move more. Rebounding has helped me get rid of the lethargy that would hit me around 2 in the afternoon after working all day on the computer. I highly recommend this exercise for others that work at home.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Ice storm in Missouri

My tip: Don't use all electric. Get a generator. We were without power for 2 1/2 weeks and came back to a lot of broken pipes and challenges.
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