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For some reason freshly-sharpened pencils, blank notebooks and new underwear say New Year to me far more than a ball dropping in Times Square.
I have always loved the beginning of a new school year, and it feels like a fresh start for mom, as well as for the kids. It's time to get organized and be a better person.
I have spent the whole weekend cleaning and organizing the house. I went through all the kids' drawers and closets pulling sizes that don't fit, either to be passed down or given away. Then I organized all their remaining clothes. I cleaned out and reorganized the basement and have a car load of baby accoutrement to take to the St. Vincent de Paul Society! I cleaned bathrooms (even under the sinks) and washed clothes. There is much more to do, and I'm on a roll.
I am feeling inspired by the kids' new school year and have created my own New (School) Year Resolutions! The list is not in order of importance, just in order of how they logically lead to one another.
A Mom's TOP 10 New (School) Year Resolutions
1. Clean the house more frequently and better - I've had a housekeeper come twice monthly since Walsh was born and Rose was 2. It was too hard with a baby and a toddler to do all that deep cleaning myself. Now that the kids are older we want them to take responsibility for the house with us so we have given up that service.
So how will we make sure the house gets cleaned and this isn't a broken resolution? Sunday afternoons have become our dedicated day for the whole family to work together to clean the house. I have cut back my work hours some for the blog so I have more time to clean during the week as well. I've also noticed that since I know no one is coming to clean for me I'm taking care of small problems before they get bigger.
2. Stay organized – This is a super tough one for me and for most moms. I think with the whole family cleaning together there will be less clutter, and it will be easier to stay organized. I've created dedicated space in wire Elfa baskets in the laundry room to store Rose and Walsh's school work. I also have hung dedicated bulletin boards for each child to organize notices. I am working on cleaning out two slots on my desk for things I need to remember to do for them.
3. Use more coupons - I don't have a plan yet for this and would love some ideas on how to make coupon usage a reality. Also I would like advice on how to use coupons to buy the things I want not just what I have coupons for.
4. Eat better - I am currently fatter than I have ever been and not been pregnant! Since getting back from our trip I have been working hard at making better food choices, working out and tracking my calories and workouts. I found a great free Web site, Livestrong.com, where you can figure out how many calories you can eat and lose your goal amount each week. The site lets you input your foods and it pulls up the calories for you. You also input your workouts, and it subtracts those calories and tells you what you have left to eat that day and still reach your goal. It also lets you track water. The nice thing is since it's on the Internet you can fill it out at work or at home.
5. Use my Crock Pot more – This is a small goal in the scheme of things. However, I think it would help me have a calmer day to have my dinner already prepared before the crunch hours of 5 to 7 p.m. when the kids are cranky and homework has to be done, and we have no Daddy around to help.
6. Don't over-schedule myself - I am very good about not over scheduling the children and always respecting my baby's nap time. However, I tend to over schedule myself. There's a project I want to do for our school, but I'm going to wait until I see how much time I really have to devote to it before I commit.
7. Work during the day so I can spend more time with my husband at night - Cutting back my hours on the blog means I really can get my work done during the baby's nap time so I can actually spend the nighttime with Michael. Usually it's me at the computer in the living room listening to him laugh at the TV in the den. Very depressing.
8. Read more books, watch less TV - I have trying for about four months to convince myself to give up my DVR in our bedroom. (It would save $25 a month on our cable bill!!) I haven't quite been able to do it and Michael let me off the hook saying he can't get the TV in High-Def without it (I can't tell a difference so not really a reason for me to keep it.) However, I have been making a big effort to check out books from the library and read at night. I finished three books on vacation and have three novels on bedside table now, plus three cookbooks I wanted to peruse.
8A. Corollary resolution - To only use my library card instead of Michael's because I finally got hooked up with the Library Elf system so no more late books and no more late fees! The system emails you when your books are due and gives you a list so you won't forget to turn them in. the service is free in Gwinnett and may be in other counties.
9. Get to bed earlier every night - When I watch TV before I go to bed, I just can't turn it off. I just think about all the shows I want to catch up on and how I'm finally getting to watch something I want to watch instead of what the 2-year-old wants to watch. So I end up staying up way too late. Books lull me to sleep, hence I fall asleep earlier.
10. Exercise 5 days a week at least one hour a day- In theory if I'm going to bed earlier, I won't wake up dragging and could actually walk before getting the kids off to school and/or will have a better workout at the gym. Which should in turn lead to feeling better about myself, having more energy and getting all the things above done.
Do you feel you like the new school year is a fresh start for you too? What are your New School Year Resolutions?
August 9th, 2009
10:31 pm
[...] A Mom's TOP 10 New School Year Resolutions! Atlanta Journal Constitution I have always loved the beginning of a new school year, and it feels like a fresh start for mom, as well as for the kids. It's time to get organized and be … See all stories on this topic [...]
August 9th, 2009
11:07 pm
as the wise quote – \"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.\" (Booker T. Washington)!
August 10th, 2009
4:13 am
Congratulations Theresa on your basement clean-out. I love that 'I-just-decluttered' feeling!
If you're looking for some accountability and company for your 'stay organized' resolution, you might like the free ★52 Organizing Missions★ program. You can check it out here:
Have a great school year!
Michele :-)
August 10th, 2009
4:15 am
Congratulations Theresa on your basement clean-out. I love that 'I-just-decluttered' feeling!
If you're looking for some accountability and company for your 'stay organized' resolution, you might like the free ★52 Organizing Missions★ program. You can check it out here:
Have a great school year!
Michele :-)
August 10th, 2009
7:23 am
The summer is a BIG clean out time for us. When we moved here 12 years ago, we had an empty basement….now it is full. We tend to drag stuff down there that we do not use. Since my son is home for a bit, he is living in the finished area, so we had to clear out those closets and it felt good.
We also just finished putting in hard woods floors and thus had to clean everything out in that area.
I am hoping to put in new carpet in our upstairs, so I am tackling the clean out job in the next 2 weeks. Since I am out of town usually 24 weekends per year, I tend to let big projects slide.
This is the perfect time for me to get busy.
BTW…if you live near the Mall of Ga and get a chance, the BOOKS FOR LESS is a great place to trade in books and save some money. They also have one near the Methodist church in Snellville.
You get credit for books you bring in, towards those you purchase. I have over $500 in credits now…YES, I read a LOT of books.
Re: coupons, I do one BIG coupon shop per month and save $50 at least. We frequently use coupons for eating out and save at least $15 per week…in a year, that is over $1000.
I will admit that I am bad about over scheduling…I cannot seem to master that one. When I am off
( like now) I feel somewhat lost…I am just used to being busy. If I am not working, I am volunteering or getting groups of friends together for lunch or dinner…I just enjoy socializing and have friends who are interesting and fun.
August 10th, 2009
7:29 am
Don't know about your cable system (my parents live in Gwinnett -Lawrenceville – and have Charter Cable) but with Comcast (our provider in Forsyth County) we have 2 HD boxes without DVR and one HD box with DVR – so Michael's point on that issue may be moot!
August 10th, 2009
7:37 am
lakerat I will have to check on that.
August 10th, 2009
7:59 am
Boy do I have suggestions for you……
Coupons. I sit down every Sunday a.m. with the Sunday Paper. I look at the Publix flyer and see what's on sale. I make a list of meals for the week. I clip my coupons and keep them in an envelope in my purse. When I make my list, I have all the coupons with me, so I write "coupon" next to the item on my list. I don't have to stand in each aisle, wondering if I have a coupon not. Also, if it's not on the list, I don't buy it. When I get home, I look at what I saved, then I get online, and transfer that amount from my checking account, to my savings account. ($5.73 may not be much at one time, but it does add up……)
As for tv shows you might miss, get a DVR. I only pay $5.00 a month. I am usually asleep by 10, and a lot of good shows are on then, so I set the DVR. I catch up on everything when there is nothing on, or the weekends.
Cleaning out our house this year has been different. My daughter took over the guest bedroom for a "dressing" room. She moved out of that room yesterday, and I reclaimed the room. She leaves next weekend, and my first project is to convert the room back into a guest room/office, and I'm bringing the computer upstairs. My goal is one level living……
It was very strange for me to get up and see the kids at the bus stop, knowing mine is off to college next week. It was very weird not having a child in the car with me this a.m. But, on a good note, I got to sleep until 6:30. I didn't have to get up at 5:30, get my daughter up, and do all that morning stuff……..
August 10th, 2009
8:28 am
People don't change because they want to…. People change because they have to.
August 10th, 2009
8:33 am
Another way you can organize coupons is to place them in separate envelopes based on what department/aisle at the store they would be in(canned goods, health and beauty/pharmacy, bread, cereal, baking needs, etc.). When you make up your grocery list, check each envelope to see if you have a coupon for the items you need. For example, when you go to write "toothpaste for kids" on the list, check the envelope marked "HBA/Pharmacy" (or however you want to label it…I'd probably do it as "personal hygiene – kids"), and see if you have a coupon for the toothpaste the kids usually use, or any kids' toothpaste. If you do, then pull it out and perhaps do what someone else suggested earlier, put "coupon" or "C" next to the item on your list, to remind yourself to use that coupon.
It's always best to try to organize your list based on the categories or aisles the items are located in the store. This way you're not wondering down the aisles and searching your list a million times for each item you put in the cart, to see if you actually need that item, or to see if you need something from that aisle. This way it takes less time to get the shopping done, which gives you more time to do other things. Like cleaning out the basement or attic or other cluttered areas of the house.
August 10th, 2009
9:08 am
I am trying to get into the coupon habit myself. Coupon Mom is a great resource and they have restaurant coupons that are fabulous. Anyone with great coupon organization habits, please post them. I am still learning to be a wife, a part time mom, work full time, and have a few minutes for me. I know we can save lots with coupons, but I have not developed a system yet and I am a bit overwhelmed.
August 10th, 2009
9:10 am
PS. THe other thing I have begun doing is when I am grocery shopping and I go under my weekly budget, I get a gift card to finish out that budgeted amount. Then when I do go over, I use the "banked gift card" and I am not blowing the budget. That has really helped us and allows us to splurge occasionally. It was my brother and sis-n-law's idea and it is a great way that I have found to stay on budget.
August 10th, 2009
9:24 am
She recommends the baby step method. She is fantastic for just what your talking about.
This fly got swatted a few weeks back (along with the B & E) so I am still recovering.
Several BTS bags contents are on the floor of the living room.
One of these years I am going to remember to take 1st day of school off. Like Theresa I count years from BTS to Summer break.
August 10th, 2009
9:42 am
I am trying not to put LOL in my comments, as I was criticized for doing this too much ( last week).
It made me think. The reason I do it is because I do laugh out loud a lot. A lady ( at my meeting in Memphis) told me this last week , "I'll bet it is a riot to live at your house…you are fun to be with…."
NOT ALWAYS….but I do enjoy fun. I am sorry if it is perturbing those who read my posts. I apologize for the redundancy. Have fun…
August 10th, 2009
9:50 am
I second FCM's recommendation about flylady.com! As for coupons, I bought a small coupon organizer at Office Depot several years ago. Now, once I make a week's menu and grocery list, I go through the coupon book and pull the coupons that it looks like I'll need based on my shopping list. I stuff them in the front of the coupon book with the list and put it in my purse, and go! I find that I usually save much more this way than if I pull the coupons from the book while I'm in the store.
August 10th, 2009
10:36 am
Stop worring about what random trolls on this blog say to you. Just be yourself. I normally enjoy reading you and if I don't happen to like what you say, then that is MY problem and not yours.
On coupons:
I find that since I buy almost all generic and very few brand items, that coupons don't really save me all that much. Am I wrong in this assumption? I haven't really done the math on it so I may be. Coupon mom's site is too confusing for me and I don't like signing up for mailing lists which seems to be what really drives her site. I'll have to look at the flylady site again.
I need to create a book of meals I cook regularly and a list of ingredents to go with it. I think I only have about 8 things in my regular rotation so this wouldn't be that hard.
August 10th, 2009
10:47 am
MJG I second Stan. I usually love to read your stuff. Ok sometimes I skim it but then I can be accused of skimming anything including the notes home from the school.
August 10th, 2009
11:08 am
Publix had a great buy one, get one free on 12 pack Nabisco snacks. I had a coupon for 75 cents off two……I ended up with a freebie, and and extra 75 cents in my wallet…..I never use the "get XX off when you buy two" unless they are on sale or BOGO……
August 10th, 2009
11:13 am
Stan, I also buy a lot of generics and often times the coupons don't help me too much either. I do shop for good deals and stock up when Kroger has big sales.
August 10th, 2009
11:25 am
I, too, have always thought of the new school year as the REAL start of the new year. Even before I had kids and even now, though they're not in school yet. It's been years since I was in school myself, but there is always an excitement in the air… fall clothes in the stores, fresh boxes of crayons, hearing the school buses in the mornings, hearing the drums of the marching band in the afternoons… And it all makes me want to get organized and clean up my act, too! I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels like this, haha!
August 10th, 2009
11:32 am
haha, I just had a thought. The new school year can be compared to business' "new fiscal year". It really kinda works too. In the summer you tend to burn through the rest of your yearly budget with vacation and back to school supplies just like managers burn through the rest of their budget to justify getting the same or more budget for next year.
August 10th, 2009
11:42 am
Thanks FCM and Stan for your comments.
Things were rough last week and those who popped in to be ultra critical ( towards me) were blog names I did not recognize. It seems a shame, when you know something is absolutely true, not to share it and help others BUT some folks do not want to hear it and I just have to learn to let it go.
This is hard for me to do, as I meet tons of people who tell me things that are insightful and I want to pass along. Last week, I mentioned that Montana is the only state I have not been in and was told ( by a teacher) that lots of people who are hiding from the government live there…really? Am I the only one who did not know this?
I have been telling my son to be sure to wear his seatbelt ( for years). He got a seatbelt ticket a few weeks ago as he said, " I just hopped in the car for a minute and did not want to mess up my dry cleaned shirt…" Live and learn.
JJ I did go to Publix this last week and shopped the buy one get ones. AWESOME.
I do not have a set budget each week for groceries, as I usually do one or two BIG shops per month and buy whatever we need that is a good buy…then spread it out….a monthly expense. One or two trips @ 90-120 minutes ( drive out to drive in) is more efficient for me. Does anyone else HATE to put the groceries away?
We also have 2 side by sides and that allows me a LOT of flexibility of buying in bulk. I noticed milk has REALLY come down but I do not freeze milk…some do. I typically buy most of my meat at Costco but Publix has many deals that I could not pass up. In the summer, I love to go to the produce stands and get fresh produce. Last week, at BIG LOTS they had Pepperidge Farm breads BOGO…so guess what we have?
With my son home, I am rethinking the food quantity again….do not know how long that will last. We also watch our neighbor's son and he eats dinner with us at least once per week. Just easier for his mom not to have to deal with it when she walks in the door at 6:00. She knows he has had dinner with us and she can just kick back a minute. We love to have him as he is cute and interesting, adding variety to our dinner together.
August 10th, 2009
12:33 pm
You remind of my wife in some ways. She is a very giving person and is not happy unless she is making someone else happy. I've always fought this in her as I don't think it healthy. I've told her that she is not responsible for my happiness, I am. She also tends to give way more information to me in a discussion than I really need which is frustrating at times, but I still love her.
At the end of the day if you want to share ssomething with the group and some shumck gives you crap about it, just let it go. They are trolls and you responding to them is like feeding them. They get attention so they keep going after you. Don't let them bother you. If it's a name you normally see they are absolutly trolls. And if it is a name you do normally see and they are being esp mean to you, they are trolls that took a regulars name on here. Don't repond to them either.
I read enough here to know that JJ is a nice person and would not say anything intentionally mean. Same is true of you, FCM, Nurse&Mother, Lakerat and all the regulars.
Just look in the mirror and say, "I'm smart enough. I'm good enough. and gosh darn it, people like me!"
August 10th, 2009
12:57 pm
The two year old watches TV?!
August 10th, 2009
1:13 pm
Whoa, Stan – those two words, "nice person", and my name have never been mentioned together – you must have me confused with someone else. Even MJGoose might agree with me on this one!
But, thanks for the thought!
August 10th, 2009
1:21 pm
I wouldn't let a two year old dictate what you watch on tv. You are the adult, it's your tv, she's two!!!!
August 10th, 2009
1:45 pm
I'm confused about the $25/month for a DVR (I guess it's a HD converter +DVR?). If HD isn't an issue for you, can't you buy a DVR for between $200 and $300 (would pay for itself in savings in 8-12 months)? I don't have one myself, so is there something I'm missing here?
August 10th, 2009
2:01 pm
Me too, seeing how I only pay $5.00/month for my DVR….
August 10th, 2009
2:15 pm
Stan – Just had to comment on what you said to MJG ("Just look in the mirror and say, "I'm smart enough. I'm good enough. and gosh darn it, people like me!"). Growing up, my dad would always tell me that I was good enough, smart enough and he and my mom would always love me – very similar to what you said – I hadn't thought about it in awhile and it brought a smile to my face. :)
August 10th, 2009
2:53 pm
Theresa, good luck with following any(or all) of these resolutions..
1..I clean house (some) every day..I just need to get rid of a lot of junk..
2..I'm not sure if it's in my genes to be organized..Wish it was..
3..I use coupons all of the time..
4..Working on this, hard to do..
5..I use mine a good bit already..
6..Not a big problem with me..
8..I read all of the time..I keep one book in the car, one book at my desk and one book by the bed..Drives my husband crazy for me to read and watch TV at the same time..
9..No big issue..I'm usually in bed by 10ish..I do watch TV in bed though..We don't have a DVR and don't use our DVD player that much..
10..We are working on this..Have been riding our bikes a lot..My husband more so than me because his work schedule is more flexible..Also, he will ride alone where I won't..
JJ, I like to try something different or new each week from the grocery store..For this reason, I clip a coupon for things that I wouldn't normally buy, then if it's on sale, I'll try it..
August 10th, 2009
3:00 pm
Stan…THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE it means a lot to me. It is a good thing folks some like me or I would be unemployed, since they all hire me for what I know. Keeping my fingers crossed here!
lakerat, YES YOU ARE MOST LIKELY A NICE PERSON….I am over the insect critique, since my son is heading to ________. Want to have lunch? Theresa knows where to find me.
catlady…my son did watch Sesame Street in the early 90's and I usually watched it with him….I was too busy/tired after teaching Kinder to squeeze in any shows of my own and even now rarely watch TV. I watched Barney with my daughter. Want to join lakerat and myself…haha?
@Katherine….growing up, my dad always said, EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER.
Thus, I try to share the lessons I have learned through my experiences. Some simply would rather have their own.
Currently, I am trying to remind my son that keeping a FEW bucks in his wallet is good. He asked me if I put a $10 bill in there today. He thinks that if he has a debit and credit card…cash is obscure….perhaps it is. Maybe I am way too old fashioned. Hugging him goodbye today ( he is at his new job) was interesting…I will miss him when he moves on but at least he won't be across the country…..just ITP….oh no!
August 10th, 2009
3:05 pm
Becky…I enjoy reading your posts BUT if everyone here followed suit ( sp?) on the numbers thing that you used in your post today, IT WOULD DRIVE ME CRAZY. Hugs to you and maybe I AM nuts or quickly heading in that direction.
August 10th, 2009
3:34 pm
MotherJane – tell your son to carry cash at all times. I NEVER spend my change, and throw it into a jar at home, every night. Once a year, right before Christmas, I dump my change at Coinstar. Last year, I cashed out $275.00!!! Just by saving my change every day.
I prefer cash over a debit card. I get to actually SEE my money.
Also, have him sign up for "Keep the change" at Bank of America. They round up every purchase to the next dollar, and put the change in a savings account. They will match like 10% the first year. Wachovia offers something like that too, but they will take a dollar out of your checking account and put it in your savings account every time you use the debit card (on line bill pay, etc).
But I still like plain old cash!!!! I hit the back every Sunday after the grocery store, and get enough cash for lunches and gas in the car for a week.
August 10th, 2009
3:35 pm
Oops, I hit the Bank, not back……sorry, got going too fast.
August 10th, 2009
4:01 pm
Hi MJG, does that book place actually give you money for used books, or just credit to buy more? We have stacks of books we'd love to sell and get some 'cash-money' for, but I'm trying to not bring home anymore to live here permanently (we use the library lots…and well, that doesn't include books for our daughter(s), which I don't mind a big library!) I'm not opposed to donating them too, for a tax-deduction, but whenever we sell anything (via garage sale, etc.) we will deposit that money in our daughter's college account. Just an easy way to sock some extra money there for her and it's a good motivator to keep things cleaned out.
One other thought–you might want to try to redeem all that book credit, these days you never know who will go out of business and there goes any credit you have there. Sad but true!
August 10th, 2009
4:08 pm
Thanks JJ…we too have a change bucket and cash it in several times per year….usually $60 or so.
I do not own a debit card…cash or credit for me.
My son is a pretty good saver. He has saved good bit of money and also profit sharing. My daughter has almost $3000 and she is only 17.
I am over Bank of America and about to give them the boot. I have banked with them for 20 years…started when they were Bank South here. I have 2 accounts with them. I use several branches and the service is mediocre at best. I wanted to make a deposit at the one on Old Peachtree last week ( as I was heading to the airport and had the endorsed checks from Wyomingin my purse). There were 2 tellers…one regular and one merchant. I observed over a dozen people in the merchant line and thought this was odd. I asked several ( at the back of the line) if they were merchants…they gave me strange looks and said NO. Finally, the teller overheard me and said, "Oh we are not honoring this as a merchant teller line right now…even though the sign says so…" REALLY? I have an account with you and want to PUT MONEY IN the back so others can take it out…do you want it or not? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN.
DB…just a question, as you must know WAY more about finances than me….
Do merchants typically have more money in the bank than regular customers or is that my false assumption?
On the flip side… I LOVE PEOPLES BANK in Gwinnett County. Wish they were national.
August 10th, 2009
4:09 pm
motherjanegoose, sorry about driving you crazy, that wasn't my intention..I too enjoy most of what everyone on here has to say and I learn a lot..
I also think that lakerat is probably a very nice guy..So if y'all do meet up for lunch, I'm sure that it would be a fun time for both..
August 10th, 2009
4:12 pm
@newmom…only credit and I would rather have that than the books lying around here…as I mentioned, we did a major clean out here. They just moved ( last fall) into the new location at the MOG and they are bustling. Nice folks too!
I could actually have my own store here if I wanted to! It usually ends up costing me less than $5 for a current paperback and less than $10 for the hardback plus I trade them back in and that will give me 50% credit…$2.50 for pb and $5 for hb….worth it to me!
thanks for your input.
August 10th, 2009
4:32 pm
As far as coupons and saving money, I'm in agreement with a number of folks here. I use coupons all the time and find that Kroger's Plus card sends me so many great coupons, it really helps me save money. However I also buy MANY generic/store-brand items. I started experimenting a few years ago with these, and I love how much money I'm saving! It does pain me to think of how much money I wasted for years! Just an FYI some may find helpful as far as what I've found regarding store brands vs. name brands:
Baby formula -soy or milk-based -it is EXACTLY the same. My 2nd has used Kroger Comforts brand (a GREAT store brand for baby products) and is doing wonderfully at 10 months. The FDA makes all formulas comply with certain mandates ingredient-wise, so compare the labels out there -it's literally 1/2 the price of Similac and Enfamil!
Baby diapers -again the Comforts brand and Target's Up and Up brand work wonderfully and are also very cute! They fit and don't leak.
Tampons and pads -I know it's personal, but I can't tell any difference in Kroger or Target brand and Tampax, and I was a loyal Tampax user for over 20 years. Same with pads from Target.
OTC meds -ibuprofen, acetominophen, and aspirin. The one difference I have found is in children's Tylenol or Motrin -you can get the name brands dye free, but Kroger's brand has red dye in it.
Most stores also have a policy where they will take back any store brand you're not satisfied with and refund your money or give you the name brand equivalent. Costco is good about this too and I love Kirkland garbage bags, paper towels, toilet paper and laundry detergent. They unfortunately don't sell soy baby formula!
JJ is also right about keeping track of change. I keep an old wipes dispenser on the dryer and empty all loose change from my husband's pockets and any I find around the house or in my bags into it. When it gets full and we're headed to a music festival or the holidays are near I usually get a few hundred bucks out of it! It's basically a piggy bank for mom!
Theresa -call your cable company and find out why the DVR is $25 a month?!?! Ours is free! I find having no tv in the bedroom brings much tranquility and solace to that area as well. You get back to actually REALLY relaxing -reading, sleeping and other things intended for bedrooms…;-)
August 10th, 2009
4:45 pm
Thanks MJG! I think I'll go the goodwill route and get the tax deduction. :)
Theresa, I'm with you on the crockpot. I love using it, but know I should use it more! Part of the problem is, I keep it put away in a cabinet as I HATE having stuff out on the countertops, so it's 'out of sight, out of mind'. I also really like the liners, but the are kinda pricy for a box of 4 (don't remember how much each box is) but they are great for keeping bad messes off the bowl…I usually use a liner, then put the stoneware bowl in the dishwasher at night, usually there is very little to scrub.
August 10th, 2009
5:01 pm
newmom, if there isn't an actual Goodwill near you, I think most any thrift store will give you a tax deduction slip to use at the end of the year..I know Value Village thrift stores will..
August 10th, 2009
6:09 pm
After my son left for college last week, I decided I had enough of diverting my gaze as I passed his room, no more closed bedroom door. First thing, I "stripped" his bed. I pulled back the comforter, underneath just mattress. WTH? I found the pad, fitted and top sheet all rolled up at the corner, still partially tucked in. He had been sleeping on the comforter. Yuk. Took care of business there, did laundry into the next day, and then hit his closet, floor only. I pulled out backpacks that had to have dated back to middle school. He was good about keeping up with his clothes, but I found shoes on the floor in his closet that he had outgrown years ago. I did this Monday and Tuesday of last week. Still feeling inspired…will hit the gameroom next with the two big closets.
I realized today that I did not appreciate my summer commute with the lighter traffic. Took me almost 1/2 hour to get to work today…6 miles away.
August 10th, 2009
7:56 pm
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August 10th, 2009
7:58 pm
MJG, I allowed my children to watch Electric Company (the best show! But for adults as well as kids)–you are right–when we could get it. No cable here till my children were out of college. Of course, during the school year we rarely saw it, and in the summer it took up an hour a day. There were too many other things for them to do! NEVER at night, and on the weekends they got 1/2 hour each (they could combine their time or not). For part of my time in grad school–I think 3 years of it–no tv at all. Turned it to face the wall.
Some of my children's parents park the baby in front of the TV in the bouncie seat!
August 10th, 2009
8:31 pm
I DO remember Electric Company and also almost forgot that we did not always have cable.
I think my son was in 3rd or 4th grade and whining that everyone else had cable and he had no idea what was on the shows they watched. SO…we caved.
We were so loyal to the Lilburn library that about 4 years ago, I was at Brownlee's Furniture in Lawrenceville and about to buy a couch when I spotted 2 ladies who were gazing at me. I excuse myself from the salesperson and walked over to introduce myself. The ladies said, " Aren't you ___________'s Mom? We were librarians at the library and remember him reading entire books at FOUR." Yes, and I told them that he had was heading to college….fond memories!
I am with you on your last line…my sister actually had a 5 day a week NO TV for her boys once, when they were in HS. I thought that was a BIT extreme but admire her stance.
August 11th, 2009
12:10 am
Oh, goodness — everyone seems to have the back-to-school clean-up fever! Let me put in another vote for flylady.net! It can be a rather intimidating website, at first, but if you just take it step by step, it does give you a marvelous structure that you can adapt as needed to your own situation. Marla Cilley ("Flylady") and I hung out on a home organization website at the same time about 10 years ago — she was always generous with her ideas and enthusiasm, and after answering a lot of the same questions over and over again from newbies, she started her own website, which really took off and has become a booming business! ("Flylady" is because she is an avid fly fisherman. She lives near Asheville, and is a real pistol!) Her favorite mantra is "it didn't become this way in a day, and it won't be fixed in a day", along with some rather astringent observations on how perfectionism throttles many people's efforts. My problem is sheer laziness — I'm a quick reader, I'll read four or five books a week (never mind TV, blech, except for NCIS and House!) and happily ignore the bathroom . . .
I'll think about fall cleaning when I get everyone back to school. Dropped my daughter off today — she is so excited! Once my son goes back next week, then I'll have a lot of time to do some major excavating. fk, you're a braver woman than I — the idea of cleaning out my son's bedroom is overwhelming! Unfortunately, he inherited my pack-rat tendencies. My daughter is much less sentimental about things — she tosses with abandon, so her room is relatively clear. It might be nice to see the floor of my bedroom, again, some day. We're not even going to discuss the basement until my husband gets rid of about 35 bankers boxes of case files . . . !
MJG, I think it would depend on the merchant, as to who kept bigger balances in the bank. Certainly, most merchants visit the bank far more often than I do — I remember, working part-time at a little store, the owners seemed to be forever going to the bank! (And if you're handing out invitations to lunch . . . AHEM!!)
August 11th, 2009
8:20 am
Thanks DB…Yes, I would love to do lunch. Glad you might be interested. After last week, I thought I may have to switch to another blog. Theresa, if DB contacts you please give HER my e-mail!
I am home for the next 3 weeks except for one day of work and one day of a very important ceremony with my son…then I am on the road. I am afraid that we may have to invite my husband as he LOVES NCIS and HOUSE. NAAAAA…..
catlady…FYI my husband corrected me in that we got cable when my son was in MIDDLE school.
August 11th, 2009
9:37 am
I also send emails to various manufacturers regarding their product. I get a lot of FREE coupons.
Lately, I have been firing off letters to McDonalds, Chick FilA, etc about service at several locations. You get coupons too when you complain or write KUDOS……especially if corporate finds out, then the actual manager will contact you. I got two free McDonalds Value Meal coupons, and two for Chick Fil A…..We eat for free about once or twice a month!!!
August 11th, 2009
10:22 am
JJ, I once fired off a complaint letter to Wendy's corporate office about spectacularly abysmal service at a location in North Carolina (when I tried to talk to the manager at the store at the time, I was told that "there are no managers here today.") . I was shocked when the manager of the store called me, because the letter had been forwarded to the district office, and the district manager had called the store manager in for a conference about it! She was extremely apologetic, and we received several coupons for that particular store (which we never used, but only because we lost them long before we were ever in the area again!)
MJG, Theresa has my email and is welcome to forward it to you!
Theresa: How is your brother doing?
August 11th, 2009
1:13 pm
DB…here is a funny story about complaints…
I was at a Holiday Inn Select and was upgraded to a suite. I stayed two nights. The first night, I was so tired, that I went right to bed. The second night, I opened a armoire drawer to find a phone book and observed a pile of dirty clothes. I walked over to the phone near the window and just past the sofa to find a pair of men's DIRTY boxers on the floor next on the side of the sofa….eeew. They had been there a while.
Yes, I complained and was offered FREE breakfast , FREE points ( which I took) and a FREE night
which I did not take. NOW I check everything in the room when I arrive…lots of things lurk under beds! Even fancy hotels have housekeepers that do not do a good job.
I hope to hear from Theresa…she has not answered my recent e-mail…too busy probably.
JJ you can keep the Mc Donald's coupons….I ate there WAY too much in college. I do love Chik Fil A…they have the best sweet tea. Good suggestion…I try to praise those who deserve it and complain when they need it too.


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It's time to stock up on your favorite Girl Scout cookies, and Naperville Patch plans to make it deliciously easy for you.
Get news in your inbox. Sign up for the Patch newsletter.
Like Naperville Patch on Facebook.
We're making a list of any local troops who can deal a sugary fix of your favorite variety.
Here's a handy list of local troops, leaders and their contact information. They're ready and waiting to deliver the cookies you crave.
Can't remember which variety you like best? When in doubt, buy a bunch—or check out the Cookie Guide.
The Sales Girls
Troop 50-438
Contact troop leader Claudia at 630-544-9288 or email@example.com.
Troop 1155
Contact Gina at 708.525.2734 or email@example.com.
Troop 51148 (South Naperville)
Contact Suzy at 630-544-0362 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Troop 51192 (Prairie Elementary)
Contact Liz at email@example.com.
Troop 50293 (Spring Brook Elementary)
Contact Colleen at 630-904-6097, mobile: 847-815-6460 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Troop 50822 (Highland Elementary)
Contact Jill at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Troop 50035 and Troop 50996 (Kingsley Elementary)
Contact Sue at 630-753-9050 or email@example.com.
Troop 50585
Contact Gail at 630-983-7894.
Troop 51337 (Scullen Middle School)
Contact Peg at email@example.com.
Troop 50893 (Peterson Elementary School)
Contact Peg at
Oh no! Did we miss your troop? Let us know by emailing email@example.com.
And just in case you were wondering...
just where all that cookie money goes,we did our homework. According to the Girl Scouts of America, all of the revenue earned from cookie activities stays with the local Girl Scout council that sponsors the sale. This includes the portion that goes directly to the group selling cookies. Councils use their cookie revenue to supply essential services to troops, groups, and individual girls, such as providing program resources and communication support, training adult volunteers, and conducting special events.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You remember all those billboard wars Audi and BMW were into about a year and some change ago? In a constant game of one-upsmanship between the two brands, deciding which one is better shouldn't be tasked on billboards, commercials, or whatever marketing propaganda they can think of. There's only one place to settle a rivalry like this and the crew from Motor Sport Magazine found the perfect site to do so: the race track.
Taking a BMW 1M Coupe and an Audi TT RS , Motor Sport Magazine brought in the two German sports coupes for a match-up that die hard fans of the two brands have been waiting for. The tale of the tape suggests a slight advantage in horsepower for the 1M Coupe against the TT RS - 340 ponies to 335 - but the Audi sportster certainly makes up for it thanks to its four-wheel drive system.
So who takes the cake in this battle? It's relative depending on how you see it, really. Motor Sport Magazine actually didn't race the two fender-to-fender against each other, but the video still makes for good viewing simply because you are able watch these two sports cars in their natural habitat.


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As of this moment, Paulo Coelho, the Brazilian author of such novels as "Aleph'' and "The Alchemist'' is ranked on Amazon.com as one of its top sellers in literary fiction, religion, and spirituality, historical fiction, literary fiction, and self-help. Though assessing authors on the basis of their book sales is a method more suited to an industry reporter than a critic, the wide array of categories represented here provides insight into one of the reasons behind Coelho's success.
Like Raul Seixas, a rock star for whom Coelho once wrote song lyrics, he is a crossover artist; he purveys spiritual enlightenment in the guise of literary parables, attempting to do the work of Kahlil Gibran and Jorge Luis Borges simultaneously. Though some might titter at his T-shirt ready aphorisms, the fact that the brilliant translator of his books is Margaret Jull Costa — who has also translated the works of Jose Saramago, Javier Marias, and Fernando Pessoa — suggests that Coelho should be taken somewhat seriously. To update a line about Elvis, 10,552,144 likes on Coelho's Facebook page can't be all wrong.


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Q: I recently purchased some very nice vanilla beans at a new market in my area. What is the best way to store them? The last ones I purchased were fairly stiff before I got a chance to use them.
Andrew Maselli, Chicago
A: I posed your question to Craig Nielsen, chief executive officer of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas in Waukegan, Ill. He says a really stiff bean is one that is starting to dry out and has lost some of its essential oils —those oils that convey flavor and fragrance.
"Gourmet vanilla beans should be pliable enough so you can tie it into a knot," he says.
Nielsen recommends storing vanilla beans in a tightly sealed container, either a glass jar or double bagged in plastic bags. Keep the bean away from light or heat — a dark cabinet at room temperature is best. Do not refrigerate the beans, he says, because they can get moldy.
Vanilla flavor can be found in both the bean and the seeds inside it. To use the seeds, split the bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrap out the seeds with the back of the knife. The bean pod can be simmered to flavor a liquid, such as milk for a custard. But don't discard the bean, advises Nielsen-Massey's website (nielsenmassey.com): "As long as the bean still possesses its characteristic aroma and is moist and pliable, you can rinse, dry and use it again."
Nielsen says the average vanilla bean can be used two or three times. After that, he recommends cutting up the bean and sticking it in some sugar. Let it sit for a couple of weeks to flavor and perfume the sugar.


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-- Robert Preidt
TUESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Electronic health records
have so far done little to improve the quality of health care in
the United States, a new study states.
Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine
analyzed data on use of electronic records from 2005 through 2007.
The data came from a nationwide physician survey that encompassed
nearly 250,000 outpatient visits.
Electronic health records (EHR) were used in 30 percent of those
visits, with clinical decision support software, which provides
treatment advice, in place for 17 percent of all visits.
The study, published online Jan. 24 in the
Archives of Internal Medicine, also found that electronic health records were more likely to be used in western states and in group and hospital-affiliated practices than in smaller practices.
"Most studies before ours focused on how single EHR systems work in a few premier academic medical centers, and some of those studies have found significant benefits," study co-author Max Romano said in a Stanford news release.
"Our study takes a different approach: We looked at all non-federal outpatient settings in the United States, from solo private practices to community health centers, to see whether EHRs were having any noticeable impacts in the real world, and we found no significant differences in care quality," said Romano, a former Stanford undergraduate student who is now a medical student at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Randall Stafford, an associate professor of medicine at the
Stanford Prevention Research Center and the study's senior author,
said in the news release that electronic health records did not
lead to better care because they are "complicated systems used by
individuals who have received little formal training, at least
until recently."
As a result of this complexity and lack of training, doctors may
not have made full use of electronic record-keeping.
"We've shown that electronic health records and clinical decision support don't by themselves improve quality," Stafford said. "If we want improved quality, we have to look at the whole range of issues that affect quality of care and not put all of our hopes on a single technology."
Other factors that have been shown to affect quality of care, he
indicated, include patients' access to health care, their health
knowledge, doctors' communication skills, the pressures of
outpatient practice and whether the payment physicians receive
rewards good quality care.
The U.S. government's decision to invest in health-care
technology needs to focus more on quality than on simply getting
the technology into the marketplace quickly, Stafford said.
More information
The American Health Information Management Association has more
personal health records.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


text:
The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center opened May 1, 2012. Take a look inside at what families and visitors can expect.Virtual Tour
Congenital CMV Infections
Dr. Boger's laboratory is working on the identification
and development of novel anti-Cytomegalovirus
compounds. Her studies also focus on understanding the mechanisms of CMV
inhibition by newly-identified anti-CMV compounds. She is a member of the collaborative
anti-viral study group and is a site principal investigator for clinical trials
of congenital Cytomegalovirus infection.
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Will anti-Mormon voters flock to Mitt? Lee: end 'monetary morphine.' DNC head blasts Hatch.
Happy Thursday. Now that Mitt Romney is on track to clinch the Republican nomination and become the first major presidential candidate who is Mormon, the question becomes what happens to all those voters out there who align with the GOP but say they won't back a Mormon candidate? Do they stay home? Do they embrace Mitt? Mother Jones' Tim Murphy explores the idea in a piece titled "Anti-Mormons for Mitt?" [MotherJones]
Topping the news: Sen. Orrin Hatch, former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist and Rep. Chris Herrod have their first senatorial debate and Hatch's longtime Senate experience is a key issue. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13] [Herald] [AP]. A video recap of the U.S. Senate debate: [DNews].
-> The head of the Democratic Party blasts Hatch for claiming that President Barack Obama will use Mitt Romney's Mormon faith against him this fall. [Trib] [ABC4] [AP] [Politico]
-> Sen. Mike Lee wants to end the "monetary morphine" at the Federal Reserve. [RedState]
Tweet of the day: @daveweigel: "If Yahoo! is firing people, the least they could do is get rid of the exclamation point."
Happy birthday: To Karen Crompton and Jim Urquhart.
Happening tomorrow: An open "meet and greet" for Republican state and county delegates to get to know the candidates running for office in Utah. The event is from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Old Historic Courthouse in Logan (199 N Main).
In other news: Rep. Jim Matheson has gone 6-0 against Republican challengers, leading this year's crop to say that they're not going to let the Utah Democrat label them as extreme or let him frame the debate. [DNews]
-> Pat Bagley offers his take on Wall Street's involvement the recent economic upturn. [Trib]
-> Bob Bernick compares congressional candidate Chris Stewart's bid to the 1992 run by author Richard Eyre. [UtahPolicy]
-> Hatch predicts Republicans will gain enough seats to hold a one-vote margin in the Senate next session, though he adds that he hopes it's a stronger margin. [Politico]
-> A proposed rule change at the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention could affect whether candidates face a primary or not. [UtahPolicy]
-> A Utah entrepeneur is expected to attend a White House bill signing. [DNews]
-> A Pew research study looks at the preferred words used for self-identification of ethnicity, finding a majority prefer the word "Hispanic" over "Latino." [Trib] [ABC4]
2012 Watch: Mitt Romney keeps photographers at a 150-foot distance -- at a newspaper association convention. [WaPost]
-> If Romney's 2002 gubernatorial bid is any hint, don't expect the candidate to embrace the "warm and fuzzy" persona this fall. Instead, look for him to go on the attack. [AP]
-> A Romney-Paul Ryan ticket? Some voters think its the perfect pairing. [WaPost]
-> Despite his hope to win his native state, Rick Santorum is slipping behind Romney in Pennsylvania polls [HuffPost], and is pleading with voters for their support. [LATimes]
-> Newt Gingrich, vowing to stay in the race, plans to gain traction with wins in North Carolina and Delaware coming into the convention. [WWAY]
-> Ron Paul's campaign went dark for 18 days last month and has only held one event this month, but he's not planning on dropping out of the race yet. [FoxNews]
-> Slate's David Weigel explains why he cast his ballot in D.C. for Jon Huntsman, a candidate who has been out of the race for three months. [Slate]
Where are they?
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at email@example.com.
-- Thomas Burr and Laura Schmitz


text:
South Carolina ETV
Super Brain with Dr. Rudy Tanzi
SUPER BRAIN is a program exploring new discoveries in neuroscience that maximize the potential of the human brain in practical and actionable ways. The field of neuroscience has been exploding with new findings by the day. Ever since it became possible to view the human brain as it lights up with activity, researchers have had to change long-held assumptions about an organ that has been called "the three-pound universe." Dr. Tanzi is introduced by his co-author Dr. Deepak Chopra. In his new program, SUPER BRAIN, Harvard Medical School professor Rudy Tanzi takes advantage of cutting-edge research to show the way we all can maximize our brain's potential.
Become a member today! Call (800) 256-8535 during your favorite program, or pledge online right now by clicking here.


text:
Anonymous said: Reasons I hate my small town. Out with a girl and someone you know says "oh...you're with her?" in that tone that makes me want to punch them in their soul. It's cool if you don't like the person. Let me get to know them and find out if they're all fucked in the head or not and don't judge.
move, mayne.


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Bought one today. 96 proof. A bit expensive, but for a good cause.
Bought one today. 96 proof. A bit expensive, but for a good cause.
just ordered a 2nd bottle. I really like it.
"A man can take a little bourbon without getting drunk, but if you hold his mouth open and pour in a quart, he's going to get sick on it."
I just picked another one up this weekend. I now have a couple in reserve which is good because they tend to go fast once opened.
Now the 4R 125th, well, that stuff is magic and IMHO several steps above the Parker Hope bourbon. You know that in every step, nose, color and most importantly taste.
I'd rather donate $20 bucks and save the rest for a bottle of EWSB, EC12, and FRSB. I won't even donate the $20 dollars because I audit alot of non-profits and I know where alot of the money goes...
Out of 4 Parker's I've been luck enough to sample (27 year, Wheated, Blended Mashbill were the others), Promise of Hope is my favorite. Stumbled across two bottles. Or was it after two bottles?
Just found another one in the Minneapolis area for $89. They were also having a sale on some bourbons so I picked up a bottle of Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare 10 y/o store barrel selections.


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How to survive a winter breakdown
Guidelines to live by — seriously!
According to the Automobile Association of America, 5 million drivers will be stranded this holiday travel season. More than 800,000 of those will be stuck in ice or snow.
A few wrong decisions, a little bad luck and a forecast calling for snow — a recipe for disaster, if there ever was one. What starts as a routine holiday drive — over the river and through the woods to visit grandma — can quickly become a struggle for survival.
Consider the terrible case of former CNET senior editor James Kim and his family, who became stranded on a remote, unpaved logging road in the Pacific Northwest on Nov. 26, 2006. Driving home to San Francisco after spending Thanksgiving in Seattle, the Kims had missed a turnoff from Interstate 5 to Oregon Route 42, a main route to the Oregon coast. Instead of returning to the exit, they consulted a map and chose an alternative route through the Wild Rogue Wilderness, a remote area in the southwestern part of the state, and kept driving in the rain and snow after dark.
Lost, low on fuel and exhausted, the couple and their two daughters, Penelope and Sabine, stopped for the night. By morning, the family was snowbound in their Saab station wagon 20 miles from civilization, with no cell phone reception. A week later, searchers found Kati Kim and her two young daughters alive in the car. James Kim had set out on foot to get help two days earlier. His body was discovered Dec. 6 not far from the vehicle.
The plight of the Kim family may be an extreme situation, but the Automobile Association of America predicts that 5 million drivers will be stranded this holiday travel season, and that more than 800,000 of those will be stuck in ice or snow. And you don't need to be in the mountains to get into winter-driving peril. Just last year, a driver in rural Wisconsin died after he left the safety of his stranded car and tried to walk to a farm just a mile across a snowy field on a subzero night. He made just half the distance before succumbing to exposure.
Don't let this happen to you. To help, here are some guidelines to follow when stranded in the cold.
Bing: Real-Time Road Conditions
The best place to be when Mr. Freeze is messing with the weather is safe and sound at home, not out on the road.
Be smart
The easy way to avoid getting stranded on winter roads is to just stay home. And sometimes that's exactly the correct decision, says Howard Paul, a spokesman for the National Association of Search and Rescue, a nonprofit devoted to educating and training search and rescue personnel.
"With the Internet and today's cell phones, almost everyone has instant access to weather reports," says Paul, a 20-year veteran of search and rescue operations who lives in Denver and leads a team that covers three counties in Colorado's Front Range. "Often the best decision is just not to head out in the first place, or to turn around while you can. Too often people keep driving, thinking that certainly the road will get better, or the snow will let up soon. And 100 yards later, they are stuck."
Paul also cites an overreliance on 4-wheel drive, "which just gets you stuck further from the road," and on technology such as cell phones and GPS as factors causing drivers becoming lost and eventually stranded.
In January 2010, The Associated Press reported that Jeramie Griffin and his fiancée followed a GPS "shortest route" from their Willamette Valley, Ore., home across the Cascade Mountains, hoping to save 40 minutes on the trip. Following GPS, the couple became stuck on local roads, out of cell-service range and short on formula for their 11-month-old daughter. Three days later, all were rescued safely, but the incident left local law enforcement perplexed. It was the third time in a month that drivers had become stranded in the area while trusting navigation to GPS.
"You simply can't use GPS navigation without also looking at a map, especially in bad weather," Paul says. "In many parts of the country, there are roads that are only open seasonally and might not be plowed or patrolled in the winter. The GPS unit just sees a road. And if you only focus on the screen, you won't have a big-picture notion of where you are headed."
Must-See on MSN
as some one who has lived in remote mountains i ca n tell u this, dont forget
to keep a gun of some sort with you,not everyone who comes along is there
to help you, and u are obviously vulnerable in a stranded vehicle...people act
different when you are isolated,not everybody but some people.....
I am from a state that gets allot of snow and cold weather. First off, don't leave your car to walk back to safety. You have a better chance of rescue and survival staying put and with your vehicle(if you do leave stay on the road don't cross country or take shortcuts they are usually bad ideas, even worse ideas then leaving your vehicle).
The following is a list of a few things to keep in your car for these fun moments (this list by all means is NOT all inclusive but is a START feel free to add onto what I have forgotten): spare change of warm cloths(put wet cloths or rain gear on for work outside then change back to dry cloths when you get back into your car), a shovel (small enough to get under your car with, but bigger than a garden trowel), non perishable Food(preferably that does not need cooked), drinking water and small pan (you must put a small amount of water in the bottom of the pan before you attempt to melt snow over a fire or you potentially can ruin your pan), fire/ignition source for a fire (like earlier comment suggested burn your spare tire for heat and smoke signal) candles (they burn/last longer if cold so feel free to freeze them), gas from car or lighter fluid will be useful as well, flares (slow burning and a way to keep them higher than the accumulated snow), gun/firearm (not necessarily for hunting but to make noise with for rescue as after 1-2 days without water you will not be able to yell or make more than a hoarse whisper; if you don't like bullets bring blanks although bullets are multi-purpose, not much worse than seeing help but not able to communicate with them), mirror (for signaling), blankets (mylar/space blankets work best for warmth and visibility), basic medical kit and spare medications (not just for winter...), knife and a hatchet (for wood and cutting other things), string/rope and a tarp (for shelter, water collection, keeping dry, and many other uses), phone and charger, chains for tires (take them off before driving highway speeds or you will ruin your car), Basic tools and car necessities(electrical tape jumper cables pliers screwdrivers hammer etc.) Window defrost solution (beats having to scrape windshields, can defrost frozen doors, and is also flammable a great buy for $2-3) I know this list is missing quite a few items, but this is a start and will solve most minor issues. I often learn new things from replies so whether it is something i already know, or you think is obvious or not please feel free to reply or add onto the post.
If you find yourself getting frustrated or irrational a survival tip is to do something routine such as untying and tying your shoes or cleaning your gun as it helps your mind focus, brings in order clarity reason and logic and helps get back in touch with reality. (seriously this sounds odd but is proven and taught as a way to assist in getting/maintaining cognitive clarity in stressful situations)
Stay safe, be responsible, and try to prevent this type of situation through planning prevention and thinking ahead. Hope all of your travels are safe.
If we are actually planning a trip out into the wild we add to this. It all pretty much fits into a large rubbermaid tote. Conditions can change quickly up here and/or be very localized, so it is a good idea to always be prepared. We have a slightly modified kit for summer, leaving out the extreme cold weather gear, of course.
We always suggest everyone have something of this sort available, tailor it to your environment and your individual and family needs. And even if it doesn't go with you every day to work, if you're going more then 50 miles, you should take it, esp if there is a chance for the weather to turn.
Driving to visit my daughter studying in Ohio I missed the turn and found myself stuck on several inches of snow so, with the help of several highway workers, we tried and tried to move the car but to no avail....until I got an idea.
Instead of pushing the car that's floating on thick snow, I asked them to climb up the hood to increase the load so that the wheels can touch the hard surface of the road. It worked like a magic.
More on MSN Autos
Rare and expensive vehicles and the stories behind their discovery.


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[Resolved] How to hide the text "Viewing member"?
Hi, I just wonder: How do I hide the text, "Viewing member,"? I don't want it to show, Viewing member 1 – 20 (of 211 active members) to none-logged in users, but if the users are logged in then they can see this text. Please see my site for the issue I'm talking about, http://buddygalaxy.com/members/.
Beforehand Thanks to anyone who could help me sort it out.
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Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
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polar cadence
Cadence is the rate at which you crank the pedals, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm), and is a central factor in improving cycling performance. A higher cadence reduces the force needed for each pedal stroke, and thus improves overall performance.
Experienced cyclists are more efficient at higher pedal rates, and tend to ride at a cadence above 90 rpm, whereas recreational or novice cyclists usually keep to lower rates. Like speed, cadence is commonly lower during uphill stretches than during long flat roads. Body weight also plays a role. Lighter cyclists tend to have faster pedal speeds than heavier cyclists.
Cadence is normally kept above average levels during cadence technique training sessions and at a much lower level during sport-specific strength training.
In experienced cyclists, increasing pedal cadence encourages recruitment of type I muscle fibers (slow-twitch), minimizing type II fiber (fast-twitch) recruitment. Individuals with a higher percentage of type I muscle fibers tend to be more efficient cyclists.
During long sessions, cyclists can forget to monitor cadence. Using a monitoring instrument to set value limits enables cyclists to easily keep track of cadence goals.


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AUBURN HILLS (WKZO) -- The next generation minivan from Chrysler is well on its way to becoming a reality but officials will not say whether the vehicle will carry a Dodge or Chrysler name plate.
CEO Sergio Marchionne earlier announced the automaker would just produce one minivan going forward. Sales of the Dodge Grand Caravan continue to remain strong and it is still the nation's best-selling minivan.
Chrysler first introduced the minivan in 1983 with the Plymouth Voyager. Automakers have sold over one-million minivans each year for the past 12 years with Chrysler selling the majority of those vans.


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'Fast Money' Recap: S&P, Jobs Report Were Higher Than Expected
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The S&P 500 closed higher and the November nonfarm payrolls report came in stronger than expected.
Guy Adami, managing director of stockmonster.com, said he was surprised the market didn't fall on the positive news since it now increases the likelihood of tapering from the Federal Reserve.
Stuart Frankel & Company's Steve Grasso said no one has been selling yet, and the seasonality is probably helping.
Tim Seymour, managing partner of Triogem Asset Management, said market participants like certainty. Once investors know for sure about tapering, they might even respond favorably to it.Dan Nathan, co-founder and editor of riskreversal.com, questioned how long the rally in equities could last. He added that the 10-year Treasury yield could jump to 3.5% when tapering begins, which may weigh on equity prices.
Adami said Apple (AAPL) is finally pulling back and looks likely to retest the $550 level. Jon Hilsenrath, chief economics correspondent at the Wall Street Journal, was a guest on the show who said November's nonfarm payrolls report increases the odds the Fed could taper its asset purchases in December. He added that the economy is doing much better than just a few months ago and this report confirms it. He concluded that the Fed's 2014 estimates look okay now. Nathan said he would stick with cyclical stocks such as industrials and avoid staple stocks, which have gotten overvalued. He likes General Motors (GM). Adami likes Prudential Financial (PRU) and the insurance sector in general. Seymour said investors could look to emerging markets through the iShares MSCI Mexico Capped ETF (EWW) and iShares MSCI South Korea Capped ETF (EWY), because of the region's industrial output and strengthening currencies.
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SOURCE Siftit
ATLANTA, June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Siftit, a mobile restaurant ordering platform, announced today it would use part of a $4.0 million Series A round of venture capital funding to expand to new markets, including Dallas. The round was led by TechOperators.
Atlanta-based Siftit was founded by Mark Haidet, Alon Goren, and John Heyman, part of the same core executive team that grew Radiant Systems into a $400 million restaurant and retail technology company, acquired by NCR for $1.4 billion in 2011. They have assembled a team of restaurant and technology veterans to build Siftit into a national restaurant supply-chain technology company.
Siftit's mobile platform puts independent restaurants in full control of their ordering and spend-management process. Siftit automates a very disjointed process and creates insightful information, helping both the restaurants and their suppliers operate more efficiently and intelligently.
"The industry needs to better leverage technology to enhance the relationship between independent restaurants and their suppliers," said Mark Haidet, co-founder and CEO of Siftit. "Our patent pending technology and process dramatically improves both the efficiency and data flow for all parties. This is critical for an industry where food costs are rising and already thin margins risk compression."
Said Mohammadioun Managing Partner of TechOperators, will join the board of Siftit. "We are investing in a great team, addressing a big opportunity in a market sector they know very well," Mohammadioun said.
New markets Siftit is entering include Dallas and New Orleans. The Siftit leadership is familiar with the Dallas market, since Radiant's Hospitality Division was headquartered there.
"Our experience in the market combined with the vibrant restaurant scene made it a natural area for us to focus our expansion efforts," Haidet said. "We are actively building a local team of industry veterans to grow our Dallas-Fort Worth presence and plan to grow throughout the state from there."
Siftit provides restaurants with the insights and knowledge to better manage food cost, save time, and gain control of their process while intelligently ordering their preferred products from their preferred suppliers. Through its mobile platform, Siftit keeps chefs out of the back office and keeps them focused on delivering great food at a great margin.
About Siftit:
Siftit provides a mobile technology platform for restaurants and suppliers to connect more efficiently in the ordering process. The Siftit mobile ordering platform provides a drastic difference in the way independent restaurants manage their food and supplies; reducing time, saving on food cost, and providing valuable data insights. For more information, visit www.siftit.com.
About TechOperators:
An early-stage venture capital firm, TechOperators was founded on the premise that proven operators make the best partners for technology entrepreneurs. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the firm is led by a team of partners with decades of hard-fought operating success and experience in starting building and running world-class venture backed software companies. For more information, visit www.techoperators.com.
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Club Mobile, you are spamming liars.. Not!
According to this page, Since 11 December 2003 it is unlawful to send an unsolicited SMS marketing message to an individual.
I'm an individual. I got a spam text from Club Mobile offering a phone upgrade. How did they get my number? "Similar to one we'd sold a phone to," said the woman at customer service.
In other words, generated randomly by a computer.
"This is illegal," I said to her, quoting the TPS site.
"No, if we have an opt-out, it isn't," she said. "Our lawyers have gone over it."
I do believe I'll call the TPS in the morning. This is just too annoying. Spamming *and* claiming it's legal? Sanford Wallace should be alive now. Oh dammit, he is.
Update Weds 15:37: Called the TPS. Indeed, my mobile phone number is one there - registered July 7 2003. Asked them if it's legal to text someone if you have an opt-out. No, they said: text spamming is illegal. . And can the TPS (an arm, it turns out of the Direct Marketing Association) take any action? Ah, no. That would be the Information Commissioner's job. Righty-ho, off to the website.
Update Thurs 11 Nov: subsequently, have discovered that Club Mobile were absolutely right - even though I received text spam which came from them. They did take note of the TPS database. More explanation here.
- These posts might be related (the database thinks..):
- ...and a last word (for now) on link spamming (1 February 2005; score: 40.99%)
- Ho hum, more spammer collateral damage: trackbacks are off (1 February 2005; score: 36.26%)
- Wild about wild cards; aahh., Fight Club.. (19 February 2006; score: 33.91%)
6 Responses to "Club Mobile, you are spamming liars.. Not!"
Azeem Says:
August 5th, 2004 at 8:15 am
Good on you. My jfax is full of spam faxes–all of which have premium rate numbers for you to call back on. Perhaps something I'll take to Icstis.
Charles on... anything that comes along » Getting text spam? It might be to your "data" number Says:
November 11th, 2004 at 11:29 am
[…] 12:29 pm Getting text spam? It might be to your "data" number Back here, I wrote about getting text spam from a company despite having put my phone number onto the Tel […]
Mark Says:
March 13th, 2005 at 1:37 pm
Glad I came accross your web site, I got cold called from club mobile and thought the offer seemed to good to be true.They are suppose to be calling back, if they do I can tell them to get lost. Cheers Mark
Sid Says:
April 29th, 2005 at 9:34 am
You are quite right I answered a spam text of theirs. I ended up with a phone that I did not want that was sold to me under false pretenses.
The spam said that I could get a phone for 4.99 a month which was not ntrue as You had to take out a contract to pay 35 pounds a momth.
These people must be stopped.
Chris Isbell Says:
May 31st, 2005 at 1:10 pm
I have also received an unsolicited text followed by an unsolicited call from Club Mobile. As a result, and thanks to you for providing their contact details, I have sent them the following e-mail. This should hopefully curtail their activities.
Dear Sirs,
I have recently received an unsolicited text message from your organisation in contravention of the TPS rules. This was followed by an unsolicited telephone call, again in breach of the TPS rules. The content of this call falsly implied that I had placed an order with you.
Please be advised than any further contact by your organisation or any affiliated organisation will be subject to a fifty pound service charge per communication. Making any such communication will be deemed to be acceptance of this condition.
Please also be advised that any unsolicited goods, services, etc. received from you will be held for collection at your expense for the minimum statutory period and then disposed of.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Isbell.
Whosearmy Says:
January 19th, 2006 at 11:10 am
I just got a spam call from them "… calling on behalf of orange. can you confirm you have a pay-as-you-go contract?"
Well if they were from orange they'd know the answer to that already. My response was "no". You mean you're not on PAYG? "I didn't say that". End of call. Call woke me up but I wish I'd been sharp enough to use this idea - heard a great thing on radio yesterday - some dutch man has a crib sheet for dealing with cold calls. He keeps asking them questions. Do you like your job? I'd like to work in a call centre, how much do you get paid? etc. Then when they get irritated with constant questions the finale - don't you like people you don't know asking you questions about yourself over the phone? made me laugh.


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I have never addressed the concept of farms using "social media" as a marketing tool on this blog, partly because I am still not sure how much sense it makes. The social media includes sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.
If the word "social media" makes you shiver in fright and run for your tractor to do some real work, I appreciate that response; it is probably a very rational approach. If, however, you are still reading this post, you may be interested in this social media primer.
My thoughts are that social marketing can work for the farm, but I think this quote sums up why it will not work for most farmers:
The main characteristic [social media marketers] need to have is a genuine curiosity/interest in social media, particularly on how it influences human relationships and business practices. This is not just standard required job skills but rather a deep interest that pervades one's day to day life. One needs to constantly be informed of the latest technologies while striving always to learn and improve one's knowledge levels. In order to do well when marketing, one should have tactical knowledge and ideally, first-hand experience of the specific social media platform. [link]
One new Small Farm Central farm, Three Springs Fruit Farm told me that they have had success with marketing through Facebook and MySpace. Here is their MySpace page:
They have 161 friends, a blog, and video of vegetable orchestra. It seems to be working for them, but I would be interested in hearing how this translates into people coming to physically buy goods from the farm.
Maybe we can spend a few weeks exploring different social media platforms if people show some interest.
Has your farm used social marketing? What kinds of successes/failures have you had?
[Photo by Gary Hayes]
In case you haven't heard, the Obamas are planting a vegetable garden in the White House lawn. What could be a better symbol of our times?
I can't help but notice that arugula will be grown in this garden. Do you remember one slur for Obama during the primary campaign was that he is an "arugula eater"? I guess this charge was true!
Here is another premium template mock-up.
The designer says, "This template is a little less literal for Small Farm Central users, in terms of its depiction of their actual farms. What it does do though, is invoke a certain historical / cultural feel that I think will really appeal to users of the farm sites."
I would be interested to hear if you have any thoughts; leave them in comments.
Update #2 Yugma is not the platform for us, since it is not possible to share voice through the Internet -- they wanted us to call through a regular phone line to voice chat. Strange. I'll look around for another software package and we'll try again next week. Send a message if you would like updates about future web conferences.
Updated, Wednesday 3/18 12:30pm EST: Click the following link to access the conference after you have downloaded the software: https://www.yugma.com/app/loading.php?user=&role=0&collsession=307729831
After last week's post, I heard back from a number of people that thought a weekly open forum for farm web topics would be a useful.
So, let's do the first one this week.
1pm EST, Wednesday March 18th 2009
Physically, anywhere. Digitally, the Yugma conference network
Download the Software
If you are waiting for Obama's rural broadband stimulus, you may want to sit these meetings out for now. I think it will require a higher speed connection. We can explore the possibility of "calling in" via a normal phone next week.
We will be using Yugma, which requires a download. Visit https://www.yugma.com/download/allproducts-jvm.php and choose the product that suits your operating system. This was about a 34 MB download, so it does take some time to download and install. You may want to do this ahead of time.
Email if Interested
If you are interested in this web meeting, please email me a quick note with your interest and email address. I will send you an invite about half an hour before the meeting starts with an invite link and we'll go from there.
Bring questions, your ideas, and a critical eye for other farm websites and marketing plans. Let's see how this develops!
Hearing some of the great questions during the Web Session that I helped give at the Organicology conference gave me the idea of setting up a weekly web meeting/conference on web marketing issues for farmers.
There is a lot of interest in how the web can be used for farm marketing and communication between farms, but there are so many tools and the web is a confusing place.
There is low-cost software that we can use to stream video and voice to many participants right through your friendly web browser. We can talk about anything you like at the intersection of the web and farms:
Talk among yourselves, ask me questions, or we'll look at your website and give you suggestions. This should not necessarily focus on Small Farm Central (there a lot of tools out there) nor does it have to be directed by me. I would just like to provide a forum for discussion where web marketing concerns agriculture.
So I am thinking about scheduling an hour a week to talk on a regular basis - stop by once to chat about a specific issue or put it on your weekly calendar. No cost, just communication.
Is this something you would be interested in? Please leave your thoughts in comments. Hopefully there is enough interest to make it worth starting up something like this!
I posted a blog entry a few weeks ago about our new premium templates. The first one is ready for your consumption -- take a look at the sample site and check it out.
The design team really look it up a notch -- you'll definitely be proud to show off your farm with this new template. We plan to have a new template out every 4-6 weeks throughout the Spring and early Summer until we have 6-8 premium templates.
Contact us for information on how to get started with this premium template.
Most farmers I talk to are already convinced that the web is an important part of their marketing. This is part self-selection (staunch Luddite farmers will just ignore me) and part osmosis from hearing about the importantance of the web at farming conferences and from other farmers.
I can think of three reasons why the web is important to farmers as a marketing tool. Perhaps you can think of others? Leave them in comments.
Though the web is a perfect medium for marketing a farm, it is not in any way automatic. A good website takes time and energy and the results will not be paid back in a few weeks or months -- it will likely take years of consistent effort to build a good readership on a farm website. In this way, it is no different than building soil, refining herd genetics, or reducing weed load. It may take only a few seconds to send an email, but don't let that fool you: web marketing is as slow as anything else you do for your farm or your business.
Good luck with your farm website this Spring. We are seeing lots of new sign-ups and farmers with existing sites are excited about energizing their web presence.
Can you think of any other reasons to add to three above? Leave them in comments.
Our design team has been busy working on new templates for Small Farm Central. These templates will be designated as "premium" meaning they will have more distinctive designs and will be limited in distribution, so only a set number of farms can claim each template.
Here is a mockup of the first template:
Each premium template will still have the customization options to make it look like your own. Don't think only goat farms can use this template!
We hope to have the first premium template out by the middle of March and then a new template every 4-6 weeks throughout the summer.
That's a lot of new looks for your farm website!
What do you think of this first premium template?
On my way back to Pittsburgh from Chattanooga, I stopped in on a Small Farm Central farm, Broadened Horizons Organic Farm, in Rockwood, Tennessee. I have gotten to know Leaf and Cielo quite well since they started a website with us.
Leaf and Cielo run this small farm with the ideal of teaching their rural corner of Tennessee how to live more sustainably from rain-water collection to solar cooking to less obvious steps, such as using a gas range instead of electric for cooking. Over the last five years the farm has blossomed into a community resource of not just eggs, honey, and summer veggies, but also of learning. The workshops Leaf puts on are becoming increasingly popular.
With the state of the macro-economy, Leaf expects an markedly increased attendance to his organic gardening workshops this Spring. The goal of this farm is not to produce all the food for the community, but to help the community produce for itself. I know this is a tough row to hoe and it is not an ideal that many more production-oriented farms have, but it is a very worthy goal.
Leaf keeps a meticulous website that records monthly rainwater totals, an extensive weekly blog, and much more. Cielo is the farm photographer and keeps the photo gallery well stocked. She also creates beautiful farm-inspired postcards and has them for order at the website. They credit their work on the website to their on-going "mind-share" growth in their local community. I think it has given them a voice, a way to talk about their farm, and a confidence in their mission at that same time as they have reached out to their customers.
Leaf writes, "The website has been a successful outreach tool beyond what I had imagined it could do. A lot of the ideas we are presenting to the community are fresh, bold and innovative. Living in a rural area where people are socially reserved, the website gives people an opportunity to initially check us out from a safe and discreet distance. We have been pleasantly surprised and quite gratified by the numbers of people viewing our website content and then spreading the word by posting links to our site."
This is a great farm website and a perfect example of how these techniques work in the long term rather than the short term. Their website has been up and consistently updated for almost two years and now they are really starting to see the long-term impacts of increased readership and awareness. This is not something that happened magically or overnight for Leaf and Cielo.
I enjoy watching their farm vision grow and I think they have enjoyed watching Small Farm Central grow along with them.
Photos in farm blogs and websites are very important in making that visual connection to your customers. Your visitors skim text that finely worded web-prose you wrote; photos help break text up into more manageable and memorable chunks. This is a concept that most farmers I work with understand already.
The next step is taking engaging photos. I think a big part of the trick is simply having a camera around during photo worthy moments. I have suggested some strategies in the past such as:
All of these are still valid, but one farmer I was talking to a few weeks ago suggested using the cell phone as the camera of choice for farm photography. City folk think farmers are behind-the-times as far as technology is concerned, but most farmers I know are constantly on their cell phones even if it is to "holler" down to the other end of the field.
So, if you have a cell-phone in the field, you probably also have a camera. The photos that all semi-modern cell phones take are suitable quality for the web. The barrier here may be getting the photo from your cell phone to your computer, but I am sure a quick look at help files or a Google search will help you with that problem.
So, now that you have a camera with you everywhere you go, what kind of photos will you take and what story will those photos tell on your farm website?
But don't get too tied to your cell phone or you might end up like this poor soul:


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The New Year means it's time to perform or go out of business for some longtime brands.
The Wall Street Journal says that unless they get their act together, there are some stores that may not be around in another year. The report says Best Buy in particular faces a difficult year, now that holiday shopping rush is over. Best Buy : The report says Best Buy is losing business due to "showrooming," where people visit the store, then shop online. JCPenney : The Journal says Penney's has been unable to bring back shoppers since its revamping. It has spent millions on a makeover, only to see falling sales. Radio Shack : Another store in trouble: Radio Shack, whose move into cell phones "backfired," according to the Journal. Sears :Also Sears, which the report says has been unable to turn itself around, and is keeping investors happy only by selling off stores and parking lots, according to the Wall Street Journal. Other Brands in Trouble according to the Journal include :
-American Airlines, which could be bought up by US Airways. -Research in Motion, the maker of the Blackberry. Remember when everyone wanted a Blackberry? -Pacific Sunwear, a mall store that used to be cool and popular, until shoppers moved elsewhere. -Talbots, see Pac Sunwear, above. -Avon, with declining sales and stock price.
You can hear the Wall Street Joournal This Morning Monday Thru Saturday at 5 AM On NewsTalk 98.5 WIBQ Listen Live On Line here http://wibqfm.com/listen-live/


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By dotCore
via braintreepayments.com
Published: Mar 10 2013 / 07:39
When you're processing credit card payments, PCI compliance can be a drag. Even if you're not storing credit card data in your system (which you shouldn't), you'll still be subject to a large amount of PCI scope if raw credit card data passes through your system at all. This can mean audits, fees and other undesireable things.


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Silvia Salguero's 12-year nightmare got a little dreamier when she awoke Friday morning.
During those years, the 29-year-old student at the University of Utah had scraped together money for tuition, was raising an 8-year-old son and hoped to graduate with a degree in business administration.
Hot lines set up starting Monday
Information is available at following websites:
|Join the Discussion
|Post a Comment
But because she was brought to the country illegally from Mexico when she was 13, there were no scholarships and no loans to help her and she had no chance of working legally to pay the bills.
Then came President Barack Obama's executive order Friday that directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to stop deportations of those who would be eligible to participate in the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act — commonly dubbed the Dream Act.
Salguero wept when she heard the news.
"It's a miracle," she said. "It's hard to believe."
She sat with dozens either directly affected by the executive order or those who knew people that would be impacted — an audience gathered around the soft glow of a tiny laptop broadcasting Obama's big words Friday at Centro Civico headquarters in Salt Lake City.
"And as long as I'm president, I will not give up on this issue, not only because it's the right thing to do for our economy — and CEOs agree with me — not just because it's the right thing to do for our security, but because it's the right thing to do, period," Obama's voice echoed in the nonprofit's darkened gymnasium.
The order will give those who qualify a two-year deferred action — meaning they won't be deported — and they can apply for work authorization. They also can apply for renewal after the second year.
USCIS and ICE have 60 days to put the order into effect. Hot lines to assist students will launch Monday.
For eligibility under the order, the person must have come to the United States before age 16 and be under age 30. They must have lived continuously here for five years and have no felonies or significant misdemeanors. They also must be in school or have a high school diploma.
Obama's decree hews closely to the failed attempt by Congress to pass Dream Act legislation in 2010.
That bill — originally co-sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, more than a decade ago — fell short in the Senate. Hatch wasn't present for that vote, but has publicly denounced it as a "distorted" version of what he initially pitched. No member of Utah's congressional delegation voted for the Dream Act in 2010.
Some anti-illegal-immigration hard-liners were quick to criticize Obama's move.
Dan Stein, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, called it a "brazen usurpation" of congressional authority.
"Over the past 10 years, Congress has repeatedly rejected the Dream Act," Stein said. "Now, five months before the presidential election, the Obama administration is unilaterally rewriting our immigration laws, defying congressional authority and threatening our constitutional framework."
Utah conservative activist Candace Salima — who agrees with "parts" of the Dream Act — accused Obama of pandering to Latino voters and "overreaching" by issuing the executive order.
In neighboring swing states such as Nevada and Colorado, Latinos proved to be a vital bloc in 2008, when Obama carried 76 percent and 61 percent, respectively, of those voters to capture those states.
Itza Hernandez, a 20-year-old who was brought to the country illegally from Mexico when she was 4, lamented many children who might have benefited from the executive order have already been deported.
The Midvale resident also said the parameters for qualifying remained too narrow.
"So many parents and uncles who don't meet the age criteria can be removed," Hernandez said. "And people aren't perfect. What if somebody didn't graduate or doesn't want to continue their college education? Does that make them deserving of deportation? And what about the Dreamers who have already been deported? This doesn't help them either."Next Page >
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