KidsFirstInternet.com - kids furniture, bedding, toys, baby gear and more

paid advertisement

KidsFirstInternet.com has re-launched its Web site. They now have new technology that they feel assures parents the lowest prices on high quality products for babies and children.

Evan Strauss, President of KidsFirstInternet.com, says -“If we don’t sell the products you’re looking for we’ll show you where to find them online – for the best possible price.”

KidsFirstInternet.com has a strategic partnership with PriceGrabber.com, the industry innovator in online comparison shopping. KidsFirstInternet.com has committed to help busy parents instantly find and compare thousands of unique products for babies and kids for the lowest price on the Internet. KidsFirstInternet.com is a great resource for parents looking for the highest quality and lowest prices for kids furniture, bedding, toys, baby gear and more.

“We know how busy today’s parents are. They don’t have time to run all over town looking for that special bedding – and they don’t want to pay too much for that new safety-enhanced stroller,” Strauss said. “We’ll search through 400 related merchants and 250,000 products in one click, so your fingers can literally do the walking.”

And KidsFirstInternet.com is so much more than just a comparison shopper tool, it also includes parental forums, expert advice and timely articles to make it truly an interactive community for the busy parents trying to shop for their children.

“Most price comparison shopping services are too broad. KidsFirstInternet.com won’t bog down your results with irrelevant items because we focus exclusively on the merchandise that matters to parents,” Strauss said. “We do the heavy lifting with our search platform so parents can spend their time on more important things – like their children.”

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The preceding is a paid advertisement

Why can't I just get two hours sleep?

I managed to make it to bed around midnight last night, but that was only because I informed my mom that I had just fallen asleep at the computer and would be crawling into bed instead.

That didn't last long. About 30 minutes later, just as I was drifting off and finding my way into a dream, my nephew (who had promised to help my dad to bed for me) knocked on my door and said I was needed.

I crawl tiredly out of bed and go in to see what I was needed for. You can guess where this is headed so I'll skip the details and get right to the - after I helped dad into bed and got him settled down I went back to my own bed. By then it was somewhere around a bit after 1:30 a.m. - my alarm was set for 5 a.m. ::cringe::

At 5 I obviously told my alarm clock what it could go do to itself, but at 5:30 my dad hit the door bell and got me out of bed anyway.

I went ahead and stayed up after that, even though he went back to sleep. No sense in messing with a chance to start waking up early just for mental and physical health of needed sleep - right? ::shakes head:: tonight I plan to sleep by 10 p.m.

Radio Guide - digital, portable, clock.... what to buy for your needs

If you read my other blogs, then you have no doubt seen me comment on my main blog (Phantascene.com's Journal) about things I overhear on my dad's radio. He likes to listen to the radio, it has kind of taken over his reading of books since he can't read after that stroke he had several years back. At night, when he goes to bed, he likes to have his radio turned on, which means that me and mom have to listen to it. Tried earphones, they don't work that great for me because he tends to turn them up ALL the way so I can hear them in the next room. Not good for his already bad hearing.

He likes to listen to the News Radio the most (650 am), but it's out of Kenai and the reception here is not that great. It's the only station I have found that carries Art Bell though, so what else can we do?

I've considered getting him a new radio, one that might get better reception, but I am not the sort that listens to music so I know little about radios. And there is where a new guide I found comes in.

Radio Guide understands that not everyone has a PHD in radio technology, that some of us just want to figure out what matches our needs without all the sorting through of techno-babble to understand it all when buying a Digital Radio. They explain the different types of radio, how to choose and buy a radio, and point you in the right direction for where to buy one. A price search lets you compare prices from across the Internet.

I don't know about you all, but anything that helps me make shopping a bit less of a hassle, particularly this time of the year, is a lifesaver.

::meanders off to look for information on what radios have the best range so I can get rid of that infernal BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz sound plaguing 650 when you listen to it from the Mat-Su Valley:::

Separate meal times - a caregiver necessity

I love my father, I really do, but I can't eat at the same time he does. In order to be able to have something to eat, and not have the ....................... (pause as I go see what my dad needs me for)..... hot food get cold or cereal get soggy or ice cream melt... you get the idea. It's not at all easy to coordinate eating and caregiving since the care recipient may eat faster than the caregiver and want coffee after they eat.

Add in things such as the person wanting to have more of something when you are only just starting to eat, their coughing on food or their drink, their not telling you for 15 minutes that you forgot to bring them their dentures, their staring at a plate and not eating because they don't see the fork laying on the left side of the plate... the list goes on and every thing added is just another reason why it is neigh impossible for a caregiver to manage to eat a proper meal.

It's no wonder I put on 85 pounds from the time I started being a caregiver to the start of my serious efforts at dieting a few months ago - and have only lost 20 pounds of that weight gain over the past few months.

Caregivers are constantly on the go. Rushing to get a napkin, refilling a glass of milk, finding the pepper, .......................(another pause as I go see what my dad needs again)............ Anyway, there's always some reason why you can't eat properly and other reasons why you can't eat at the same table as the care recipient. Try eating across from someone that wants to take out their dentures now that they're through with their dinner and you're just starting to enjoy your own.

Night before last I had to make mom deal with dad's choking because I was afraid I would create a bigger mess from the nausea gag reflexes I was experiencing as I tried to help him. I ran off to hide in my room. :-/

So, I've been eating my food separate of when my dad eats, which means I have to miss out on mom's wonderful cooking most nights. At least by eating a hour or so before or two or three hours after my dad eats I only have to worry about him needing something my mom can't take care of for him.

Food still gets cold, but at least I can eat it.

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Note: the pauses are not for effect, those actually are points where I had to take off for 5 to 10 minutes to see what my dad needed - leaving my eggs and toast sitting here by the computer. Thankfully my weirdo cat don't like people food, so the eggs are safe.

................(Add in another pause before I could post - this time it was because my mom needed me for something)

Hill-Burton Free or Reduced-Cost Care

Now this is interesting. A shame the only place that has a Hill-Burton obligation is in Cordova. Might help some of you others out there though.

"In 1946, Congress passed a law that gave hospitals, nursing homes and other health facilities grants and loans for construction and modernization. In return, they agreed to provide a reasonable volume of services to persons unable to pay and to make their services available to all persons residing in the facility’s area. The program stopped providing funds in 1997, but about 300 health care facilities nationwide are still obligated to provide free or reduced-cost care."

You can find out what facilities are still obligated by visiting the Hill-Burton Obligated Facility page. For more about this check out Hill-Burton Information at the HRSA website.

Think they'll approve me?

The other day I posted about a Credit Card Search Engine website (click here for the post) - I talked about one of the cards you can find through their site - the Wired Plastic PrePaid Visa Card. Well, I went earlier and looked the information on the card over again and decided what the heck, I applied for one. I have to mail some stuff in to them but if approved I should have my card a few days later.

I spend more on my savings account's fees for having under $100 balance than this card wants for a monthly fee, so with luck it'll all go okay and I'll be able to start building my credit back up - finally.

Wish me luck.

National Payday - cash loans and advances on your paycheck

As a family caregiver I am always interested in information on how to get the money I need when I need it rather than having to wait for it to get here. When I saw things on those Advance Till Payday loan deals recently I did some looking into them for another of my blogs. Of course the first place I looked was the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) website, the guys that preserve and promote public confidence in the U.S. financial system by insuring deposits in banks and thrift institutions.

The FDIC explains how a payday loan works:
"In return for the small loan - usually less than $500 (See Chart 1) - the borrower provides the lender with a check or debit authorization for the amount of the loan plus the finance charge. The lender agrees to defer presentment of the check until the customer's next payday. At the next payday, the customer may redeem the check by paying the loan amount plus the finance charge, or the lender may cash the check. In some cases, the borrower may extend the loan by paying only the finance charge and writing a new check."

The short term payday loans are made in small-dollar amounts, usually less than $500, that are unsecured. A cash advance against a regular paycheck that the borrower simply promises to pay the lender back, plus finance charges, from their next paycheck.

In 2001 the average loan amount was between $201 and $300. The typical borrower is someone that has cash flow difficulties and few alternatives. They are also often repeat customers. According to the FDIC website, "the prevailing underwriting criteria of most payday lenders require that consumers need proof only of a documented regular income stream, a personal checking account, and valid personal identification to receive a payday loan." This makes it a very easy loan to get for short term emergency needs and therefore very appealing, despite the cost, to many people with few alternative borrowing options.

If this sounds like something that you might want to look into more, you can do so online. National Payday provides payday loans and cash advances both quickly and securely at competitive rates.

GASP! She gets PAID =-o OH NO!

Yes, that is a smart-assed title. I feel that such serious subject matter deserves a little humor somewhere.

I feel that the answer I gave this fellow deserves to be easily seen by anyone that has a question similar to his, so I am moving it from the comments into a post of it's very own.

Sandra
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Derek Gerry said...

Is this a paid post? Why are you selling your integrity?

11:17 AM

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My reply to him-


Selling my integrity? I am a writer, I get paid to write about products information and whatever catches my attention. I am also a full-time family caregiver, which means that I am not paid to spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year on constant call to assist the person I care for in every day tasks such as walking from their bed to a chair, comprehending how to change the channel on the television when their hand-eye coordination is so bad they can't aim the remote at the TV, empty urinals, clean up vomit, provide daily barber services, assist in bathing, prepare meals, clean house... I could go on, but every caregiver out there can tell you that it gets a bit gross after the urinals.

The point is, I perform ten times the work any nurse you will know performs, right down to being in full charge of knowing the person's medical history, seeing that they get the proper pills, being a dietitian, offering occupational therapy and physical therapy, putting up with depression in the care recipient, ducking steel urinals thrown at my head, getting screamed at over things as piddly and stupid as having not been in the room to hear a request for coffee being warmed up. I work harder than anyone else you will probably ever meet in your life, and struggle daily not to drop back into my own depression.

I suffer from constant fatigue because I can not get a proper night's sleep. I have no social life outside of three ladies that I talk to a few hours a day on instant messenger. I can not get outside and walk like I want to for exercise because I can not be out of running distance back to the house should something happen that I am needed here for. This is not some kind of "no one else can do this job" kick, this is cold hard fact. My older brothers and sisters have TRIED to do my job and all have failed MISERABLY. The only one that made it past a couple hours made it two weeks then screamed that she could not take it, had no idea how I managed and demanded that my mother and I immediately take over the task ourselves once again.

I work damn hard to keep as much of the stress off my mom as I can, because she has her own health troubles and it is killing her to watch my father, who she has been married to since she was 16, go downhill as he is.

You ask me why I let someone pay me for giving my honest opinion on their products? Why should I *not*? I researched it. The Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau both clearly state that there is no need to identify any written material - including that posted online - as being paid for or sponsored in any manner *UNLESS* the person that is posting that information is a recognized authority in their field and someone that the average person might look up to as having a credible enough stance that they might influence that person's decision on a purchase or other activity based on the endorsement of the product/service/whatever by the person.

I'm a nobody. I'm a overweight single white woman that can't even get medical help from the local public assistance office that tells me to come back and see them when I am "Hispanic and pregnant" (the woman's exact words).

You want to get annoyed at me for making a little money to help pay for heating my parents home when the average temperature outside at night is -30 F? You want to complain about my suggesting someone look into maybe giving a caregiver that sacrifices their entire life for another a gift basket? Maybe you want to cry foul that I have made another few cents toward buying my father the powered wheel chair that Geneva Woods Medical is jerking him around about for the past year? The chair that his doctor says is vital for his sense of personal worth. When you can show me where I am hurting another, then I will stop my wicked ways and never post a advertisement for someone. When you can show me where the Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005 (H.R. 175) has been passed by Congress so family caregivers can be paid as a nurse, THEN I will stop looking for ways I can make a few cents when I can not get a job outside the home. Until then, I have medical bills of my own to pay, a $1,200 monthly fuel oil bill to help my mother find the money to cover, and a future that is about to consist of a cardboard box behind Macy's as I sort through the trash bin behind Goodwill.

Any more questions?

Numismatist - Silver coins from Monex Deposit Company

Do you have fond memories of sorting through your father's pocket change looking for the shiniest coins? Maybe your father was a numismatist? (coin collector).

Coin collecting goes well beyond the desire to horde wealth that drove Ebenezer Scrooge, the numismatist perceives coins as tiny pieces of art to be collected and displayed. Tiny cherished masterpieces that represent some of the finest craftsmanship a society can produce.

Coins carry histories and legacies. They are something that can evoke a sense of wonder in old and young alike.

Silver coins are available from Monex Deposit Company and are ready for immediate personal delivery. Coins have a currency value or they are defined as actual ingots. And, with the above ground stockpiles of silver bullion shrinking, there may never be a better time to make an investment in silver coins.

Whether you want to give a gift to a loved one that has spent a lifetime cherishing the art of coins, or you wish to help your parent pass down to your child the passion of a numismatist, silver coins are a perfect choice.

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The preceding post was a paid advertisement

Them COLD Alaskan Nights

Okay, it's getting warmer in the house now. Late last night we ran out of heating fuel and the temperature started to plummet. By 6 a.m. I was turning the oven on and opening the door on it because it was 60 degrees in the house, and well below zero outside (-30 F based on the thermometer on the porch). At a quarter to seven I was talking to my friend in GA on AIM and agreed to trade with her:

Her: How's you?
Me: Cold and sleepy
Her: I'll trade ya for the hot and sleepy here
Me: DEAL!!!!! it's -28 below F outside on the front porch right now and we're outta heating fuel, after 30 min of oven being on it's 65 degrees in the hallway
Me: Prolly broke the deal on the disclosure of what yer gettin', huh?

She was a good sport though and said I hadn't broke the deal. Later on I was able to get some fuel and get it poured in, now the house is starting to get back up into the 70's.

Thankfully dad has an electric blanket and mom a BIG fluffy comforter - so they just stayed snuggled warm in their beds to wait out the chill being pushed back.

Credit Card Search Engine - website to compare and apply for credit cards

I had my doubts about whether or not I could discuss CreditCardSearchEngine.com in an honest manner and still present a favorable view on them. It just seems like a shady thing to me, a place that helps you find Credit Cards? After looking at the site, however, I have to say that I am impressed.

Being a caregiver I have had one thing after another happen that has caused me to get behind in things and effectively messed up my credit to the point that I figured credit cards were past my ability to obtain unless I went and dropped massive amounts on them in fees and high interest rates and so forth. The Credit Card Search Engine has changed that perception. I looked into their credit cards for bad credit and found two very promising looking cards - a Visa and a Master Card.

The Wired Plastic PrePaid Visa Card has a low upfront payment of just $9.95 and a very low monthly payment of just $3.95. Offering free direct deposit, a points program to help you pay your wireless phone bill, and easy debit, credit, or ATM access to your money.

Alternatively there is the First Vineyard MasterCard Card. This card has no annual fee, a one-time processing fee of $39.95, and a Monthly fee of $6.95. This card has a unique tiered compensation system where when your friends and family sign up under your referral, you get compensations.

Check out CreditCardSearchEngine.com, whether you need to rebuild credit or just want a card that fits your needs better. There are credit cards for people with all credit types. Categories at the site include: Low Interest, Cash Back, Rewards, Airline miles, student, business, and credit cards for bad credit.

I'm back after firewall locked me out.

Due to a foul up with my firewall that left my computer deciding I did not need to be surfing around the internet, I was unable to get online to post about my Thanksgiving day activities. I got online now though, so I will be compining the information and getting pictures of the table arrangement I made uploaded to the blog.

Gift Baskets for the Holidays, or as a special thank you for Family Caregivers

Gift baskets make the perfect gift for families, allowing you to please everyone without having to shop individually for a gift for each. At DelightfulDeliveries.com you can get wonderful selections that will delight anyone on your holiday list.

Whether you are looking for a sweet selection like the Lindt® Holiday Collection (a gift box filled with over 3 pounds of famous Lindt® chocolates) or a surefire party favorite such as the Party Mix & Munch (a divided basket filled with ten sweet and savory party favorites such as Honey Roasted Peanuts, Butter Toffee Peanuts, Corn Nuts, Cashews, and Cinnamon-covered Almonds) you can find it at Delightful Deliveries.

And as an Alaskan, I have to comment on the Wild Alaskan King Salmon Steaks. If you love seafood, but have never tried Alaskan King Salmon, you are in for a real treat. Alaskan Salmon is known for coming from the cleanest oceans (I know, I used to write the AK Seafood Newsletter for a local seafood distributor), and has many wonderfully healthy benefits in addition to being tasty. And they are BIG. When one of my nephews caught his first King years ago it was as long as he is tall (I'll have to find that picture somewhere and get it up), and made him a lifelong fisherman.

Anyway, ramble on salmon aside, gift baskets are the perfect way to make your gift giving money go as far as possible, and you can have them sent directly to the recipient. So check out America's #1 Gift Basket Website, DelightfulDeliveries.com.

Just a small sa mple of two of the many wonderful looking baskets you can send to friends and family:

Is your brother or sister a family caregiver? November is National Family Caregiver Month. Surprise them with a gift basket as a thank you for their unending sacrifice to make life better for your mom or dad.

Family Crest Thanksgiving Decoration

This morning I was fumbling my way through the house on my way to put on coffee and overheard a great idea on the radio my dad was listening to. A local sign maker, Broadway Signs, had a blurb on the radio about their business and one of their suggestions for why people might want a sign was to start off a new Thanksgiving tradition of displaying your family crest.

This sounded like a great idea to me, and is something that I figured other family caregivers might be interested in hearing about as well.

I've found family caregivers to as a rule be very proud of their families and heritage, so what better way to give thanks for the family we have than by displaying a family crest. Either by looking up the traditional crest of your family or by designing your family a crest now (this could be a great arts and crafts as well as history project for any home schooling families).

I'd have included a link to Broadway Signs' website if I could have found it, but the closest I can get is a listing in a local business directory - so, as thanks to them for the great idea, here's where you can find Broadway signs in Alaska:

Broadway Signs
(907) 562-0404
5861 Arctic Blvd # A
Anchorage, AK

Mobility Scooters

You've no doubt heard the term "mobility scooter", these are those nifty little devices used by people that have difficulty walking due to health issues such as arthritis, stroke or a heart condition. There are a wide range of these things available, so how do you know what electric mobility scooter is right for you or your loved one?

Dependable-Mobility-Scooter.com has a brief article designed to help you choose between the choice of a 3- or 4-wheel medical scooter, and another brief article on scooter ramps.

Many people would be unable to carry out many tasks that the able bodied take for granted, such as walking their dog or doing a simple errand, if they did not have access to an electric mobility scooter. Scooters can not only add to the quality of life, but can give back self confidence and feelings of self-worth to those who may feel left out of life because of a disability.

Thanksgiving Prayers and Bristol Elder Services gives meals to caregivers

I looked around for things on Family Caregivers and Thanksgiving, and found this - A family Caregiver's Thanksgiving Day Prayer

"Despite the trials and tribulations of being a family caregiver for a loved one, I am sure that each of you has many things to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day. I know that I do.

Being a 24-hour-per-day, seven-day-per-week spousal family caregiver for my wife of more than 55 years...."




And - Bristol Elder Services, in southeastern Massachusetts, is presenting three family caregivers with a fully cooked Thanksgiving meal to serve eight. "Case managers and Councils on Aging have been invited to nominate a caregiver in need, and the meals will be delivered the day prior to Thanksgiving." I think this is a wonderful way to say thanks to family caregivers and to help reduce the loads of stress they face. Thank you Bristol!

Christmas Eve - 1980

In 1980 we were out of money and out of gas and trying to make our way back home to Alaska. Broke and broke down in a small town in North Central Washingon, mom and dad decided to settle in there until we could finish the trip to Alaska. Mom found property for no money down and we proceeded to use what money we did have to buy building supplies.

I remember that year's Christmas fondly. We had run low on money and time building the house and Christmas eve saw us moving into the half finished building thanks to some hard working Christmas Elves (my mom and dad) who put up two visqueen walls and a visqueen ceiling to shelter in the wood stove and Christmas tree.

The tree was not very fancy, cut in the mountains by my older brother and my dad and decorated with strings of popcorn and handmade decorations, rosettes and sugar cookies, but it was the warmest and best Christmas I had ever had up to that point and is still a cherished memory even today.

This year, as we have for so many years, I plan to make popcorn stings and gingerbread cookies to decorate the tree, as I do periodically, and we always have fried cookies on the tree. A tradition in my family dating back to well before I was born.

Pick Pack Logistics shipment fulfillment

If you have been considering the idea of starting a home based business selling merchandise over the internet to help make extra money, then one of your major dilemmas may be where to store the products that you will need to ship. Pick Pack Logistics specializes in breaking down pallets of cases for shipment of individual cases; picking individual items (packs or inner packs) from cases for order fulfillment.

Customers store their product in the fulfillment warehouse. Then when a customer places an order on a web site, that order is sent directly to the fulfillment house where the right products are picked, packed in a box and mailed to the customer. “The customer never knows that Pick Pack Logistics exists, and that’s the way we operate.” says owner and manager Jeff Pickett, “no matter how small a retailer is, with our services they can act just like the big guys.”

In addition to its pick/pack services, Nexus also offers a variety of other value added services in conjunction including:
Product Labeling
Kitting & Assembly
Polybagging & Shrinkwrapping
Co-packing

Pick Pack Logistics is headquartered at 14675 Titus St, Van Nuys, Ca 91402. Their new Bay Area Location is located at 2114 Adams Ave. San Leandro, CA 94577. They can be reached at 818 997-0866 or 510 562-6130.

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The preceding post is a paid advertisement

CallMiner wants to know why I would switch

I was asked by CallMiner, a site that offers products to help companies identify customers likely to Churn so they can retain customers, about the last time I called a company and threatened to switch providers - that would have been American West Airlines back in early October.

People that read my blog probably know the story. I was flying back from Atlanta after going down there for the Keith Urban concert and the plane had trouble with the fuel tanks not having enough fuel in them so they were getting overheated on the runway. Well, we went back to the gates and they began to shuffle people to other planes and that wasn't a problem for me. They sent my group to Las Vegas and I was met at the gate by a gal as I got off the plane, she handed me a voucher for a hotel and told me to go catch the shuttle. Okay, I went as fast as my little legs could take me to the other end of the airport where the shuttle stop for the motel busses was at and began to wait for the 24 hour shuttle she told me was going to be there. It was to run every hour. Three hours later I have a notebook full of what shuttles stopped and picked people up - no shuttle for my hotel. Someone else came out and got to talking to me and found out how long I had been sitting there and he went looking for information - came back and told me he was told the shuttle had just gone through. I asked who told him that, went to see them, they swore it had just been there and finally when I was adamant about it had not they called the hotel - nope, no shuttle for hours and no they would NOT send one out to pick up the girl waiting to catch one.

Back into the airport for me to find help. Airport closed down and no one but security, sleeping peoples and cleaning crews there. I called the airline and tried to get help from them, no luck, all she did was awwwed about how much it sucked. She moved my seat to a window seat, but did nothing to help me get into a hotel that was still running shuttles. I had no money for cab fare. I was stuck at the airport.

I determined when I saw they had sometimes three needle deposits in the women's bathrooms that I really did not wanna be sleeping in the airport (I have this small fear of other humans), so I ended up staying awake all night waiting for the folks to get there at 5am to please help me out. I could not even get food because only the bar was open and they would not take the food voucher I had.

So, tired and hungry and highly annoyed I sat in the airport and waited. Next morning I asked to talk to the manager - the kid would not get me a manager and after *repeated* requests by me for one all he did was move my seat to over the wing. That is the WORST place to try to see out a window from. I left the counter annoyed all to hell and back. When someone at a booth asked if I wanted frequent flyer miles I told her no way and at her surprised look explained what had happened. She told me to go see someone in the office and directed me toward it. I tried to find it, asked two gals where it was, they wanted to know why I needed it - I explained. One said to her friend "I'll handle this" and she took me to a ticket counter where she gave me a $5 voucher and put me in the first row behind1st class. A row that has MISERABLE view of the movies played and is USELESS for the extra room when the passenger is 5'2" and has more room than they know what to do with in a normal seat.

I was again refused to be let see a manager. Their service is lousy when they mess up, they give you the runaround and blame you for not having known the shuttle stopped running. I can't count how many times I was on the verge of or even in tears that night and day. The only savings was it was at the end of my vacation so I at least got to see my friends, but it ruined the relaxation that I had saved up for 3 years to be able to get and sent me back to care giving more stressed out and tired than I had been before I left.

Calling America West was, all in all, totally useless. I'm sticking with Alaskan or another carrier from now on that might actually have the ability to change hotels on stuck passengers from over the phone. Leaving me locked in the airport was completely unnecessary but the customer service call number was a joke.

New Family C.A.R.E. bookstore

Family C.A.R.E. now has a Amazon.com bookstore for family caregivers. It is still in the beginning stages, but you can preview it here

This bookstore will focus on eldercare issues with separate sections for issues such as Alzheimer's, Stroke, Heart Disease, and other concerns of caregivers taking care of seniors.

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November is National Family Caregiver Month
This is the perfect time to learn more about H.R. 175 - Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005

Need to buy baby gifts?

Need to buy baby gifts as part of your holiday gift shopping? The Nest Baby Shop has Keepsake Ornaments and Keepsake Baby's First Hanukkah cups. And, right now they have an adorable baby bath robe with free personalization on sale for $29.99, a great gift for baby's first Christmas.

You can discover cute, creative gifts for babies, siblings, and even moms at The Nest Baby Shop. Many items come with free personalization.

Or maybe you are planning a baby shower? The Nest Baby Shop also all the shower supplies you need including favors, games and invitations, all at a price you’ll love

And, sign up for their special offers to get a coupon for 10% off your order.

The preceding Post is a paid advertisement

family caregivers' services worth $306 billion annually

In this month's issue of the National Family Caregiver's newsletter Take Care! it says that Peter Arno, Ph.D., a medical economist and professor of the Department f Epidemiology and Population Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine estimated the family caregivers' services to be worth $306 billion annually (that is three hundred and six billion dollars a year).

Why is it that the government has no problem with large corporations cheating them out of billions in Medicare fraud, but they will not pass H.R. 175 - Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005, that would allow for family caregivers to be paid as though they were nurses? I know of three states that will pay family caregivers *if* the care recipient receives Medicaid. There is nothing for family caregivers who's care recipient does not qualify for Medicaid and although caregivers can get a little in food stamps, they can not get Medicaid for themselves.

Nursing Home Abuse forum at Lawyers.com

Laywers.com has a message board community for information on Nursing Home Abuse. This is something that I find to hit very close to home because when my dad was forced to be in rehabilitation and nursing homes after his stroke he was in one of the best rehabilitation centers in the country and was allowed to get so dehydrated that on him and my mom's wedding anniversary he had a heart attack and was rushed back to the hospital.

In separate instances he was left to fend for himself by the nursing staff of both that place and the next place he was at. I finally got him two way radios so he could call me for help when he had to have someone.

Stories occasionally surface about old ladies that were beaten for messing their depends as they slept, or of men that were allowed to become so dehydrated they suffered heart attacks. Occasionally you hear of large scale abuse such as what occurred during hurricane Katrina, or of easily prevented neglect such as the gentleman that recently drank a poisonous cleaner found under the counter in the assisted living facility he was at.

The awful truth is that abuse and neglect is more common in nursing homes and assisted living facilities than people want to believe, with a large number of the cases going unreported. The news was reporting that in only 24 states does there have to be a nurse on staff at an assisted living facility. Only 32 states require workers to know CPR. Only Alabama requires a physician be in charge.

One assisted living facility has as its only rule for workers "patients should be awake and dressed". Anyone age 18 and over can work in the facilities without experience in caring for others.

Lovers Planet - advertisement

This post is a paid advertisement. Money made from this post goes directly toward the purchase of a powered wheel chair for my father who is a retired veteran that spent over 20 years in the Army.

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I don't know about other family caregivers, but for me the idea of walking down to the corner and finding love at the local bar just don't work. Online dating is looking more and more appealing. It sort of goes back to the old "mail order bride" days when lonely men ordered wives through the mail - which still happens all the time at sites like Lovers Planet.

Lovers Planet is a Russian dating and personals agency that focuses on single russian women
seeking men for marriage and romance. For most of these women dating implies marriage and family. Their dating service offers profiles and photos of single Russian and Ukraine women, as well as ladies from other countries of Eastern Europe.

Lovers Planet says that they understand it takes time for a relationship to grow into marriage. Most Russian brides prefer to get to know a person before creating a more serious bond or marriage since they are looking for a life partner on this site. Lovers Planet claims that each year millions of men from US, Canada and Australia meet, marry and admire brides from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of Eastern Europe. They also state that many couples eventually create successful families and raise beautiful and intelligent children, and that marriages to Russian brides have a proven track record of success. You can find Russian women profiles or post your own ad for free.

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The preceding post was a paid advertisement. Money made from this post goes directly toward the purchase of a powered wheel chair for my father.

Special considerations for bathing a person with Alzheimer's Disease

The following advice is from the National Institute on Aging Caregiver Guide for family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease. I present it here because I think it can be of use to anyone working as a caregiver and to give those not working as caregivers a better undserstanding of what it means to be a caregiver.

Bathing
While some people with AD don't mind bathing, for others it is a frightening, confusing experience. Advance planning can help make bath time better for both of you.

• Plan the bath or shower for the time of day when the person is most calm and agreeable. Be consistent. Try to develop a routine.
• Respect the fact that bathing is scary and uncomfortable for some people with AD. Be gentle and respectful. Be patient and calm.
• Tell the person what you are going to do, step by step, and allow him or her to do as much as possible.
• Prepare in advance. Make sure you have everything you need ready and in the bathroom before beginning. Draw the bath ahead of time.
• Be sensitive to the temperature. Warm up the room beforehand if necessary and keep extra towels and a robe nearby. Test the water temperature before beginning the bath or shower.
• Minimize safety risks by using a handheld showerhead, shower bench, grab bars, and nonskid bath mats. Never leave the person alone in the bath or shower.
• Try a sponge bath. Bathing may not be necessary every day. A sponge bath can be effective between showers or baths.

10 Tips to Keep a Family Caregiver from Losing Their Mind

Caring full time for a loved one can be a challenging task, and it takes a special person to get the job done right. Patience and compassion are the two top qualities a caregiver must possess in order to be successful. Caring for someone who suffers from Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia can be an uphill battle at times. This requires planning on behalf of the caregiver in order to keep from burning out. The following are useful tips on how to remain a hardworking caregiver while maintaining your sanity:

1. Maintain hobbies or interests. Find time to do the things you enjoy. You'll find that life outside of care giving has a lot to offer. By taking the time to enjoy your interests, you'll feel motivated to keep caring for your loved one.

2. Join a support group. There are many online and community support groups that offer assistance and a place where you can express your frustrations and concerns. You can find support groups at your local Alzheimer's Association or other organizations.

3. Respite Services. Take advantage of respite help made available by local nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Sometimes getting away for a short weekend helps rejuvenate your soul.

4. Get plenty of exercise. Even if walking the dog on a daily basis is all you have time for, every bit of physical activity helps reduce stress.

5. Just say "No". Be aware of your limits and don't be afraid to say "no" when feel you can't take on the extra responsibility outside of your care giving duties. You'll thank yourself in the end.

6. Keep a journal. It's important to express yourself. Keep track of your thoughts and your goals. It also helps to read and ponder past entries to see how far you've come.

7. Maintain a healthy diet. Don't skip meals and don't consume foods that may cause irritability such as caffeine. You need all the brain power you can get, and by maintaining healthy eating habits, you'll be a better caregiver and a healthier person as a result.

8. Have a support system in place. It's important to have family members available for respite care. It's equally important to connect with friends that you're able to communicate your feelings with.

9. Take frequent breaks. It is important to prevent both physical and emotional burn-out. Take frequent breaks with the help of your support system and community services such as hospice and home health care agencies.

10. Become an educated caregiver. It's important to understand the disease or condition your loved one is faced with. Having an awareness of the techniques and strategies designed solely for specific diseases will make your care giving experience less stressful. Be aware of the community services available as well as the benefits through Medicare.

---------------------------------------------------------------

You have permission to use this article as long as the author's full bio is present as well as any hyperlinks to author's website.

Torey Farnsworth has over 12 years of experience working with seniors. Ms. Farnsworth's vast expertise encompasses a wide variety of senior issues ranging from adult care to elder law. Most recently, Torey served as Elder Law Director and Paralegal for a Phoenix based law firm where she provided assistance in a variety of areas including long term care planning, estate planning, ALTCS eligibility and Medicaid planning. Ms. Farnsworth is also a certified caregiver with the State of Arizona as well as a Certified Senior Advisor. Ms. Farnsworth has spent her career in senior care as her family owns and operates assisted living homes.

Ms. Farnsworth owns and operates a senior care placement business in Arizona called Horizon Senior Care Referral. Her placement services are free to seniors and their families. For information on placement services in Arizona, visit "http://adultcarecentral.com/

Blog marketing for websites

Have a website you want to share with the world? Perhaps your trying to make a home business take off so that you can earn money from home while still providing the care your loved one needs?

How do you get the word out about that site? There is a lot to be said about receiving 1,000 links from different websites as opposed to receiving 100 links from different websites with a good Page Rank.

Nobody can tell you the exact difference in the quality of one over the other but in the experience of US Web 1,000 links from different websites with low levels of Page Rank work better in increasing your rankings within the organic results of Google.

Blogs are filled with content that search engines crave, they also naturally link to other websites. Blog marketing sites such as Blogitive were created to help with link popularity. Through these blog marketing sites you can submit a web release (mini press release) to Bloggers and they will write about your release and link to your website

The preceding Post is a paid advertisement

Organized Solutions - Keep Tabs On Caregiving

Organized Solutions has an organizer designed specifically for family caregivers. Keep Tabs On Caregiving is "designed for people who are currently caring for a loved one or who want to prepare for that time when a loved one may need assistance."

The site says that the organizer was designed from personal experience: " As caregivers for our parents, we had little guidance. We felt overwhelmed searching for resources and personal information. We collected a lot of notes and literature, but had no system to organize them. When we needed this information, we often couldn't find it."

The price seems to be -

"Keep Tabs on Caregiving
Part Number: 303
Retail Price: $49.95"

You can find out more at Organized Solutions at the link above.

National Family Caregiver Support Program

The Administration on Aging (AoA), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says in their Caregiver Tip Sheet:

"Taking care of our caregivers: November
is National Family Caregivers Month.
During this month we recognize the nearly
44 million Americans who care for their
relatives, friends, and neighbors."

Depression is twice as common among caregivers compared to noncaregivers." - AoA

For more information visit the AoA's National Family Caregiver Support Program website.

Please help support family caregivers this month - we don't get paid for the hard work we do and we sacrifice so much that others may have the quality of life we all deserve.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - Insurance Damage Estimates

Progressive Direct has teamed up with Universal Studios Home Entertainment to insert a running tally of vehicle damage estimates into the recent HD DVD release of "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." The digital gauge, called the "Progressive Direct: Insurance Damage Estimates", displays in a small window and keeps track of things such as: "Roof repair: $209, taillights: $451, fender: $618."

Viewers must choose to turn the feature on, but once they have they are presented with a feature many movie goers find themselves interested in at one time or another - "Just how much did it cost him to get *that* fixed?"

This post has been sponsored by CarInsurance.com - where you can get a cheap car insurance quote from many insurance companies any time online. CarInsurance.com's online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online.

The preceding Post is a paid advertisement

Take time this November to say Thanks to a family caregiver

Not only is November a time for celebrating Thanksgiving, it is also a time to recognize the importance of family caregivers. Please take the time this month to say a special thank you to anyone you know that goes above and beyond the call of duty toward their loved ones to take on the unpaid and high stress role of a family caregiver.

These are wives and husbands, daughters and sons, sisters and brothers or anyone else that provides care for a family member that can not see to their own needs of everyday life that many take for granted - such as shopping, housekeeping, cooking, mobility, or perhaps even personal hygene or dressing.

Attention Comment SPAMmers

I have gone through my blogs and checked all of them for SPAM posts in the comments. I have also set them all to require word verification.

I prefer to leave them set for anyone to be able to comment on them, however, if I continue to be SPAMed by people posting anonymous posts for get rich quick sites I will be forced to restrict comments to registered users only.

Comments such as the following will be unmercifully removed from my blogs:

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Anonymous said...

Hey,nice blog!!! I found a place where you can make an extra $800 or more a month. I do it part time and make a lot more than that. It is definitely worth a visit! You can do it in your spare time and make good cash. Make Extra Cash
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I am not opposed to your purchasing a brief post that is very clearly marked as an advertisement if you wish for me to post a link to a get rich quick site - this would be as follows:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PAID ADVERTISEMENT
I found a place where you can make an extra $800 or more a month. I do it part time and make a lot more than that. It is definitely worth a visit! You can do it in your spare time and make good cash. Make Extra Cash

__________________________________

The preceding post is a paid advertisement - the owner of this blog has been paid for this space by the person posting this information. The blog owner does not endorse or support the information or websites presented in this post.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

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Rates for such advertisements start at $20 for a post and go up based on what you desire to have in the posting and if there is more work than simply posting it on the site involved for me.

Q. Why such blatant markings that it is a paid advertisement?

A. Quite simple really - I screen advertising on this site based on if my readership might be interested. I'm willing to accept advertisements for postings that may not meet my standards, but my readership will know which advertisements I have not hand selected as being of interest to them.

Q. What is the price for getting a post that is not marked as an advertisement?

A. You can't pay me enough to pass a paid post off as being endorsed by me. And, indeed, it is against FTC regulations. When someone is indicating their individual preference there is no requirement for disclosure of either the amount or existence of compensation - when that person is asked to provide a favorable view, or the impression of such, then the FTC guidelines for print media (which covers Internet advertising) specify that there should be disclosure of the information as being an advertisement.

Put simply - if I am being honest I don't have to tell you I was paid, if I am asked to be favorable it effects my ability to be honest so your advertisement will be marked as being an advertisement. If I can not present a favorable post without lying through my teeth then your advertisement will most definitely be marked very clearly as being a PAID ADVERTISEMENT.

Q. Can I pay you after posting?

A. No. Payment will be made before I post the advertisement. I accept PayPal and any PayPal accepted credit cards.

Q. But my site is not a get rich quick site, does it still have to be marked as an advertisement?

A. That depends on the site and rather I am allowed to be honest about endorsing it to my readership or not. Honesty is very important to me. For more information see the question above titled: What is the price for getting a post that is not marked as an advertisement?

Q. How do I ask a question not covered here?

A. Make a comment to this post - if I think others might be interested in the answer I will add it to the above Q&A segment.

If, after having my advertising policies made clear, you would like such a posting please post a comment with a request to this post. If you would not like such a posting, then I politely ask that you please do not post such advertisements in the comments sections of any of my blogs - particularly not posts flanked by my complaints about comment SPAMmers. Thank you.

All proceeds from such advertising goes to pay hosting costs for my Family C.A.R.E. website and to assist in the purchase of my father's powered wheelchair.

Sandra
~~~~~~

MS in Human Services - Capella University

Anyone that has spent a few years working as a full-time family caregiver knows that it is on the job training for a career in health care. But what do you do when you are no longer providing care to your loved one?

One option is to take some time to study online for a career. Capella University is an accredited* online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelors degree programs in business and information technology.

Capella University was founded in 1993 and is a national leader in online education. Just one of the many courses online they offer is the Master of Science (MS) in Human Services, Health Care Administration Specialization.

Their website says this about the course:
In this master's degree specialization, you will learn the fundamentals of health care management, helping you to successfully guide and strengthen the delivery of services to consumers. This program is designed to prepare human services professionals—including administrators, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, caregivers, and researchers—to successfully manage and lead health care organizations.

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*Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, located at 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, (312) 263-0456, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.

Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit www.capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).


The preceding post is a paid advertisement for Capella University.

November - National Family Caregivers Month, 2006

National Family Caregivers Month, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Our country is blessed to have millions of compassionate citizens who bring love and support to family members and friends who are chronically ill, elderly, or disabled. During National Family Caregivers Month, we recognize these kind individuals who give of their hearts, resources, and energy to assist loved ones in need.

Family caregivers exemplify the true spirit of compassion by providing support to their loved ones and assisting with their everyday activities and special needs. These selfless people must often make great personal sacrifices to maintain the care and support their family and friends require. Their assistance provides those who may be ill, aging, or disabled an opportunity to stay in familiar surroundings and remain a part of their community.

My Administration is committed to supporting family caregivers and their vital role in our Nation's communities. The National Family Caregiver Support Program continues to provide information, counseling, and services and encourages cooperation among agencies and other providers that work with caregivers. These efforts assist caregivers and help ensure that all Americans receive the care they need.

As we observe National Family Caregivers Month, we honor family caregivers who take time out of their lives to improve the lives of family and friends. Their efforts demonstrate the best of the American spirit.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2006 as National Family Caregivers Month. I encourage all Americans to honor the selfless service of caregivers who support their loved ones in need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

H.R. 175 - Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005

The Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005 seeks to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the use of qualified family caregivers in the provision of home health aide services under the Medicare Program.

The bill summary as of it's January 1st, 2005 introduction:

Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for the use of qualified family caregivers in the provision of home health aide services under Medicare.

Declares that nothing in such title shall be construed as authorizing the exclusion of coverage of skilled nursing services for an individual 75 years of age or older as part of home health services solely on the basis of the individual's refusal of physical therapy services during rehabilitation, regardless of whether such physical therapy services are part of the individual's plan of care.

The sponsor for this bill:
Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita [CA-37]

Cosponsors (3):
Rep Owens, Major R. [NY-11] - 4/14/2005
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 4/14/2005
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 4/14/2005

The latest major action taken on this bill was on February 4, 2005 when it was referred to House subcommittee.

ALL ACTIONS:

1/4/2005:
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
1/4/2005:
Referred to House Ways and Means
1/25/2005:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
1/4/2005:
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
2/4/2005:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.

Letter from Santa - Storybook Castle Fundraiser

You spend a lot of your time caring for your loved one, often more time than you spend providing care for your children.

Want to give your children something special for Christmas? Consider a letter from Santa.

Storybook Castle is having their once a year fundraiser Letter From Santa to raise enough money to keep the website ads to a minimum through the rest of the year. Over the next year they hope to add many more colored picture books and coloring books, the funding for which will hopefully come from this year's Santa Letter sales.

You can also opt to receive a free e-mail from Santa - The following information if from their website:

"We even offer free letters from Santa, though due to the cost of mailing actual letters, the free letters can only be sent by email. You are able to send as many email letters as you'd like at no cost. We do have a donate feature for people wishing to send email letters but still wishing to help us out."

If you buy a Letter From Santa to help keep their site going, then you can get a free optional gift of stickers with the letter. Letters come in a wide variety of letter variations and papers. The low price ($6 for the first letter $5 for each additional letter) makes it easy to afford and allows you to feel good about supporting a project such as Storybook Castle, which offers access to things such as: Aesop's Fables, Fairy Tales, Clip Art, Picture Books, and Coloring Books.

Special considerations for winter travel

It's winter time now, which means that special consicerations should be made for winter travel with your care recipient.

My mom found a 12 volt car heater the other day, something to help in our older car that does not have a very good heater in it. Other things to consider include:

Cane and Walker Safety:

Cleets - They make small cleets that you can attatch to the base of a cane. These cleets can swing up out of the way when not needed (indoors or on dry pavement), and swing down and lock into place for icy conditions.

Wheelchair Additions:

Cup Holders - You can get cupholders that mount to the side of wheel chair arm rests so you can carry a travel mug on the wheel chair.

Thermos - Maybe consider if there is somewhere you can attatch a thermos to the wheelchair, I once had a fire extinguisher holder that perfectly latched around a thermos we had so the thermos could be held in place inside a motorhome cabinet.

Chair Pad - In the winter time, we place a chair cushion on my dad's wheelchair to give some added warmth to the seat for him.

Car Safety:

Glove Warmers - We carry glove warmers in the glove box, so that if something happens we can open them up and they will provide warmth. If your loved one has poor circulation on one side be sure that you carry enough to keep them warm along that side.

Blankets - Carry extra blankets, and pillows, in the winter time so that your loved one can fight off any unexpected chills or wrap up in them if something unexpected happens.

Space Blanket - these are those little silver things they sell in the outdoors section of large stores like Wal Mart and Fred Meyer or outdoors specialty places like REI. They reflect the body heat back so you stay warmer. We always carry a few in the glove box.

Additional Considerations:

There are a lot of other things that can be considered, such as finding a good hand miosturizer to keep with your loved one, always carrying a ChapStick. Making sure that your loved one has a hearty meal before going out so they have a good boost of energy. I always carry a Boost for my dad.

Other things to consider are year round considerations such as carrying at least a day worth of medications, just in case. Always carry water. Keep emergency contact numbers close to your loved one such as in their purse or wallet. Etc.

Have a fun and safe winter.

Get music for talking about your doctor

Check out Vimo, a website where you can comparison shop for healthcare.

They want to hear from people about their doctors, and for every doctor that is reviewed, they will send the person doing the reviewing a code good for five (5) free songs on emusic.com. This is totallly free: no credit card needed, no "automatically starts billing you after a month" scam. Just five free songs. Best part: they're MP3s so they play on iPods, whatever.

I went to their site to check this offer out and found it to look like an overall good resource, however I will admit to being a little puzzled when I saw the following review:

Dr Death (New York, AL) – November 7, 2006
This doctor is nice and friendly, and gives me a warm fuzzy feeling everytime I visit. Gives out lollipos too.

A little further looking showed the doctor names to be further to the left (thank God!) and that is for Herbert A Roedling M.D. - I LOVE it that when I clicked the doctor's name there was a link to Google maps that showed me where the doctor works. I like this site. I may just have to check them out the next time my dad has to see a doctor I don't know much about.

Voting for Disabled

I went earlier and got a Absentee Voting by Personal Representative ballot for my dad, where I sign to get his ballot, bring it home, read the options for him (his partial blindness makes it very hard for him to read since he keeps forgetting to look all the way to the left) and marked his choices. I'll be taking it back up the voting place for him after while when me and my mom go to vote.

This is such a wonderful thing because it means that my dad can still vote without spending half the day with getting ready and then fighting the ice in his wheel chair and trying to figure the ballot out up at the polling place and then coming back home. When I told him that my getting his ballot for him was still an option he thought that was a great idea.

I had not known I could, me and my mom had meant to get him an absentee ballot, but never got it for him, then I called to make sure that they had handicapped access at the voting place and the lady there told me that I could still get a ballot for my dad, take it home for him and just had to have it back by the time the place closed.

So, that's what we're up to. Just thought others might like to know that you can get the ballot for a disabled voter on election day. I know it's too late this voting period, but good to know for next time.

Drag Racing Clips courtesy of SpeedTV

Remember racing for PINKS? Or maybe you heard about it from your parents? Perhaps you have at least seen it in a movie?

Well, SpeedTV is going to have an all day marathon of PINKS followed by premiere of PINKS All Out on Speedtv on November 23rd. Watch the below video to get an idea of what the Drag Racing Clips are all about -





This post sponsored by Speedtv.com

132 years old and waiting for the game

A South African woman may just hold the record in age, if the Guinness Record Book will get off their tailbones and do some hard work to confirm her age.

And that's what 132-year-old Moloko Temo claims is her secret to a long life. She told Reuters: "We would walk very far to fetch firewood. We would make very big clay pots and use them to collect water from a hole or river, and carry them back on our heads."

The excercise of these daily tasks in the farmlands of Mamohwibidu, a remote village in the far reaches of South Africa's northern Limpopo province, combined with a diet of fresh foods is her secret fountain of youth.

Despite now being blind, the widowed mother of 6 (only two of which still live), is an avid sports fan who hopes to live to see the 2010 Soccer World Cup, which is being hosted in South Africa.

Reuters: Key to life?

Online loans from real people

I just encountered something interesting. I have not done a lot of looking at this place past what I have here, but it looks like a intersting concept for online loans at least. Zopa is already opperational in the UK, and is planning expansion into the US soon. They are a peer to peer investment/loan system that allows members of the network to lend money to or borrow money from the other members of the network.

The first thing that I thought of when I saw the description of this site was the possibilities for someone to borrow money for needed home improvements or to replace something such as a wheelchair van or... I'm sure that the caregivers out there can all fill in at least a dozen reasons to need a little help now and then.

A check of their website shows them to be "a member of the Finance and Leasing Association and is also a member of CIFAS and National Hunter – the UK’s two leading anti-fraud associations, and we are registered with the Office of the Information Commissioner (No. 2879078)." They are located in London.

Their site also states: "Zopa Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority only in respect of its insurance mediation activities relating to Zopa Repayment Protection insurance, although Zopa must also comply with the “Higher Level Standards” that apply to all firms authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority"

Their brief guide to how lending works explains that the lenders set their terms, then borrowers apply for a loan. Zopa will approve the deal and match the borrower requests to lender offers to make the process as safe as possible.

Here is a link to their page explaining who they are: About Zopa

I checked out their link to their "borrowing" page and got the following information:

• 5.2% typical APR (based on £5,000
  over 3 years in the A* market)
• Repay early at no extra cost
• Deal with Zopa lenders
  rather than banks
• Other loan sizes and
  lengths available

And... "Zopa is backed by the same investors that backed eBay, Betfair and Skype"

I'm deffinately going to be watching these folks to see just when they launch in the US and take a much closer look at them at that time.

Disclosure Policy

You can now find the Disclosure Policy for all of my blogs on Phantascene.com's Journal. I am working to get all of my blogs set up with links to this disclosure policy made at DisclosurePolicy.org as soon as possible as a midterm solution until I have crafted a more specific disclosure policy for my blogs.

Please note that although I include inline advertising in my posts, I do filter the ads and strive to always provide only links to websites/resources/products/services that I genuinely believe that my readers would have some interest in. If you feel that any of my posts are of questionable reason I encourage you to leave me feedback with an explanation of your perspective. I receive feedback alerts on my cell phone so will in many cases respond to feedback within only a few minutes of receiving it.

Despite the upset of many about in-content advertisements or being paid for posting information, I stand by my belief that my readers are a lot smarter than some people tend to give them credit for. You are fully able to decide if you want to look into something more, there is no reason for me to have to write "advertisement" across a post in crayon. Paid or unpaid, I stand behind my posts and do not post anything that I do not feel confident recommending to my friends and family.


Thank you

Sandra
~~~~~