Road Rage and Driver Friendly Texas

Taking a vacation to visit relatives is always fun and can be a surprising adventure when one is open to discovering all that the local culture has to offer. Each locale always has something unique that one wishes they could take back home. So it was in the Lone Star state of Texas.

Texas offers some great historical sites. We visited The Alamo, President Johnson's birthplace and the Ranch where he is laid to rest. I even listened to telephone recordings between President Johnson and his top political advisers. Fascinating! It was just like being on the phone with him as he discussed the Viet Nam War, Bobby Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King's civil rights movement.

Also not to be missed is San Antonio's River Walk. This is especially true at night when it is magically lit up. There are riverside restaurants and slow boat rides that make it a memorable site to see. But, I digress. The real purpose of this article is the lesson I learned about how to handle "road rage."

During our driving along central Texas highways, me at the wheel, I discovered the solution to road rage. It was something I had never thought of, something I had never experienced.

We were traveling down a two-lane highway, going to church, when I came upon a vehicle traveling the speed limit. Well, I like to go a "little over", you know? This was a no-passing zone too. Grrr!

Well, the driver in front of me pulled over on the berm and let me by. As I went by he waved at me. I did not give it much thought except I was glad to be able to continue rolling down the highway. Then, another mile or so, I came upon a pickup truck. This guy had the proverbial rifles in the back window so I reasoned that caution was advised. Again, this guy was doing the speed limit. And, to my utter disbelief, he pulled over to let me by.

I expressed my amazement out loud and one of our Texas relatives said - "This is driver-friendly Texas, Jim."

Huh? "What are you talking about?" I wanted to know.

Apparently, in some parts of Texas, drivers do this courtesy regularly as a way to reduce road rage incidents and, apparently, it has done just that.

A few minutes later a vehicle came up on my rear, obviously in a big hurry, so I pulled onto the berm and he went by with a toot of his horn to thank me. Cool! This happened several times along our route and it was a fun game to play. Sometimes they yielded and sometimes I did.

When we got back home, I decided to try to be driver-friendly. Now, we live in the Northeast U.S.A. where road rage is a major problem. I witness it nearly every day. In fact, where we live there have been two shooting incidents in the past year over road rage. Do you understand why I was particularly cautious about the Texan with guns in his back window?

I must admit, driver-friendly has not worked well here in Northwest Pennsylvania. I am doing all the yielding. No one has yet yielded to me. This does have a positive effect, however. I feel good about myself and I no longer get aggravated by tailgater’s. I simply let them go by and proceed safely to my destination. More important is: No one is shooting at me!

Maybe we should start a movement. We can call it: "Driver Friendly U.S.A." It could only take a few of us to start passing it on. Who knows where it could lead?

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A 2 Million Dollar End to WalMart Door Buster Sales!

The dangerous and deadly practice by American retailers called "door buster sales" may soon be over, at least the way they have been run in the past. America's #1 retailer, WalMart, is paying a huge fine in a agreement to change the way it handles customer stampedes in those crazy 5 am holiday sales.

Wal-Mart will pay nearly $2 million and develop a safety plan but, for now, it will only apply to its 92 New York stores. The Nassau County prosecutor hammered out a deal that keeps WalMart from being hauled into court on criminal charges for the senseless death of a temporary WalMart worker. A Grand Jury apparently had enough evidence to prove negligence but the most the corporate giant faced was a $10,000 fine and, of course, millions of dollars in bad publicity.

For now, WalMart, in a out-of-court settlement, will develop and implement a crowd-management plan for post-Thanksgiving Day sales, set up a $400,000 victims' compensation and remuneration fund, and give a $1.5 million grant to Nassau County social services programs and nonprofit groups.

The agreement allows Wal-Mart to get off the hook, cheaply I might add, by not admitting any guilt and paying only $2 million.

This may be small consolation to the family of Jdimytai Damour, the temporary employee who was suffocated when a crowd estimated at 2,000 broke down the Valley Stream, NY store's doors and literally penned him in the foyer. Eleven other bargain hungry shoppers, including a pregnant mother were injured in the stampede.

The Damour family may still file a civil suit against WalMart, against the county for not regulating such sales, and anyone else remotely connected. This could raise the stakes for all retailers should the Damour family get a huge financial verdict.

One can only hope that this sends a strong message to all retailers who capitalize on the need of shoppers to get a bargain around holidays.

Is it really worth injuring or killing people for the sake of profits?

Stronger crowd control measures should be made law and the financial penalties extreme, including jail time for corporate big wigs. Maybe then one can still get a bargain without risking life and limb.

Jim DeSantis
Editor
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Important update! Test your computer for Conficker - Now!

by Paul Myers
TalkBiz News

Conficker, considered to be potentially one of the nastiest worms to hit the Internet in quite a while, has finally woken up. It's downloading updates, which security analysts suspect to be keyloggers or other code designed to steal information from infected machines.

To see if your machine is infected, go to.......

http://www.talkbiz.com/confickertest

It's an extremely simple test. Load the page and see if you get all 6 pictures. If you do, you're unlikely to be infected. The explanation is VERY short, and included on the page.

Feel free to pass that URL around to anyone you like. The more people know if their systems are infected, the better.

If you find that you're are likely to have the worm on your machine, immediately disconnect from the Internet. Find a machine that isn't infected, and get a copy of Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove

Do not reconnect to the Internet until you've run that on the infected machine.

Okay. That was the important part. Assuming your machine isn't infected, it's back to normal stuff.

If you missed the issue I sent out the other day, check it out at

http://www.talkbiz.com/tbn040609.php

You can pick up one of my more important products there, along with reading a rant that's gotten quite a bit of attention and feedback.

And don't forget to test your machine, and pass that URL around.

This is not a gag.

Paul

Find this useful? Buy me a beer! http://www.buy-paul-a-beer.com

To tell your friends about us. Send them to...Talk Biz News

Copyright 2009 TalkBiz, Inc.
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You Are A Banker And A U.S. Automaker

Yes, friends, if you pay taxes here in the United States, you are now a major stockholder in U.S. Banks and Detroit.

Our Board of Directors - Congress, and our Chairman of the Board - President Obama have purchased billions of dollars in stock in our names and without our consent. They have decided they know what's best for us just as the former Congress and former President Bush decided when they authorized the first massive stimulus bill. The new stimulus will not work any better than the first stimulus package.

What are we to do?

We can do nothing except remember, at the next election, just who voted to put us and our heredity into hock and who voted against it.

We are propping up bad banks; people who foolishly gambled on adjustable mortgages and the thieves who sold them; automakers and their unions who cannot face the fact that their heyday is over (like it was for the steel industry); Wall Street wheeler-dealers and admitted crooks like Madoff. The list goes on.

While it is a bitter pill to have to face one's bad decisions and that such decisions impact innocent people, it is a pill that must be swallowed by those who created our current economic mess. We need to weed them out like the crabgrass they are.

Some banks must fail and be reorganized. Some automakers must fail and be reorganized. Some people must lose homes. Some people must go to jail and pay heavy fines for their mismanagement and outright theft.

Billions of dollars more will not overcome the simple fact that our economy is a "false economy." It is built on extending credit to people who insist on living beyond their means. Getting banks to resume lending is the focus of the new stimulus packages. In other words, more debt for Americans who just cannot resist buying what they do not need.

In an old Hollywood movie, actor Burgess Meredith's character said he invented - "conspicuous consumption". This is what we have become and this is at the heart of our economic disease - conspicuous consumption without regard for the consequences.

Billions of dollars more will not cure this disease, it will only postpone major economic surgery that our progeny will have to face in the future.

Jim DeSantis
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Video: The Obama Education Vision

Today, President Obama may have created an enemy of a friend, the teachers union.

He unveiled his Education Plan today that calls for accountability for teachers, among other things that the teachers union, the National Education Association, will lobby against. In addition to promoting Charter Schools, the President said:

"We need to make sure our students have the teacher they need to be successful. That means states and school districts taking steps to move bad teachers out of the classroom. Let me be clear: if a teacher is given a chance but still does not improve, there is no excuse for that person to continue teaching."

You'll see much news coverage and debate about today's announcement so we offer this recent YouTube video in which President Obama laid out his view of our current education system.



Comments are always welcome.
Jim DeSantis
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Join The Illuminati and Help Control the Economy

Grab my free ebook: How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft - here!

The idea of a secret cabal of mysterious forces that make up the Illuminati has (for some) a "romantic" appeal. Granted that appeal may be filled with fear but it's a concept they hold onto in spite of reason.

The newest Illuminati scheme is the engineering and manipulation of the current economic crisis in order to get their greedy hands on government money in nearly every country on the planet especially President Obama's Stimulus money. Here are 12 ways to become an Illuminati member.

Most of the Paranoid Conspiracy Theorists (PCT) have a habit of jumping to conclusions based on faulty evidence and reasoning. They are so good at it they could be finalists in the Olympic Conclusion Jumping Event. One of the common errors they make is that of constantly referencing each others works without going further back to find original source material.

So, let us suppose that, in spite of reason and logic, an Illuminati does exist and you were one of the rare people who wanted to join it. By joining the Illuminati you could build an empire that increased your personal holdings while further subjugating the uninformed masses of humanity.

Let us further assume that you were not born into the so-called "blood lines of the Illuminati" to whom access is most easily granted.

There must be a way to get "in".

Here are 12 things you can do to increase your chances of becoming a part of the Illuminati.

1) Take the long view of things. Be patient. The Illuminati is, if nothing else, patient with their goal of world domination. For the Illuminati nothing is "win or lose". It's a process, a game about collecting more power, money, security and influence.

2) Start your own form of Illuminati group that models everything you know about the so-called "real" Illuminati. Your members should want nothing less than more power, money, control and domination while at the same time making their influence appear invisible.

3) Study up on what the PCT say about The Illuminati and learn as much as you can.

4) Get a degree from Harvard. While there make it your intent to join the Skull and Bones Society or the Pen and Quill.

5) Subtly incorporate Illuminati symbolism in everything that you do. This will include The Pyramid with the All Seeing Eye, the snake swallowing it's tail, the ankh and any variations to them.

6) Join the Masons and aspire up the hierarchy of degrees. As you progress up the Masonic Degree system be on alert for those who might be hiding their secret ambition for world domination.

7) Join any other occult group that has a hierarchy like the Rosicrucian's and work up the degree system within it.

8) Study the "mystery religions" and occult practices.

9) Form a coven or magical group.

10) Strategically find your way into the social circles of the elite. This may be done by joining various boards of directors or volunteer groups. Or by finding people who are 'connected' and working into their social circle.

11) While in these groups cautiously demonstrate your ambition and your inclination toward the occult.

12) Build a group of "slaves". For legal reasons it's best that these relationships be consensual and from the Dominance/submission community.

Get the point? Of course you do but, just to be on the safe side, grab my free ebook: "How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft." Click the book....



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A Gang of Twitter Followers in 30 Days on Autopilot?

I just found this free on line tool that shows you a way of getting 1000's of new legit followers on Twitter.com on autopilot. I just started using it myself and it's starting to work already. I got several new followers within a couple of hours of using this free service. Best of all, you don't have to follow back unless you want to.

Why do this? Traffic, of course! And, you can use it for quick comments on any subject, comments that are not moderated.

Check it out now - here!

If you "tweet", this definitely will interest you.

Jim DeSantis

P.S. - Go to Twitter.com and get your free account. Log into your account and search for my username: JimDeSantis and "Follow" me and I will "Follow" you.

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Global HIV Aids Crisis: A New Solution!

The World Health Organization estimates 40% of all injections given in developing countries are unsafe, with 1 child in 100 facing premature death due to an HIV or hepatitis infection passed through a used needle. This year, scientists expect over 20 million new cases of hepatitis and HIV at a cost of 1.3 million lives and $500 million dollars.

My brother in Christ, Ray Zimmerman, has established Needles for Life™. (N4L) provides local missions and clinics around the world with sterile needles along with the latest in sharps disposal technology free to those who qualify.

Watch this short video....



Quick Links:

Needles for Life™ Home Page.

Needles for Life™ Donate Here!.

Needles for Life™ Apply for Free needles & sharps technology Here!

Jim DeSantis
Editor

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Automakers Get Bush Bailout With Strings Attached

President Bush has thrown General Motors and Chrysler a financial lifeline that is designed to force them to either restructure voluntarily or do so under "organized bankruptcy."

In essence, automakers and the union have three months to get their act together. If they don't, the fed will force repayment of $17.4 billion in government loans and force the companies into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

At an announcement this morning (Dec. 19, 2008) President Bush said: "The American people want the auto companies to succeed and so do I." He cited the failure of the Senate to pass a bill before going on recess as the reason for the administration stepping in to provide emergency money to Chrysler and GM that will tide them over for the next three months. Ford Motor has said they do not need financial help.

The move hands the crisis to incoming President Obama but gives auto companies and the union time to work out reforms that will save them from total collapse. However, in the recent past, the autoworkers union refused to offer wage and benefits concessions demanded by some members of congress in exchange for a loan package. It's unclear today what impact the president's demands will have on the union.

The bottom line is this: Chrysler, GM, and the union will have to show the fed that they are restructuring to become more profitable and viable or be forced into bankruptcy and reorganization under federal control.

Here is the story and video from YahooNews: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_bi_ge/meltdown_autos

Jim DeSantis
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Tainted Chinese Toys Might Be Sold In Local Thrift Shops

A multi million dollar settlement between toy maker Mattel and 39 states leaves open a question as to what happens to the millions of potentially tainted toys still in homes across America. Will those toys be found at a yard sale or thrift shop near you?

Toy maker Mattel Inc. has agreed to pay millions of dollars to 39 states for not being more quality control conscious. The toy giant trusted Chinese manufacturers to make toys that, it turns out, were tainted with dangerous levels of lead or hazardous magnets. Overlooked in all this is the danger of those toys resurfacing and endangering more children.

Mattel will pay $12 million to 39 states to settle investigations launched by State Attorneys General in the United States over alleged dangerously constructed toys made in China for Mattel and shipped to the U.S. in 2007.

Mattel, through its Fisher Price branch was forced to recall more than 21 million Chinese-made toys beginning in August 2007 when it became known that many of the toys may have been poisoned with lead paint or had tiny magnets that children could accidentally swallow.

While all the affected toys were pulled off shelves by December 2007, many of the toys may still be in circulation and could possibly resurface in communities around the country through backyard and garage sales or at thrift stores that are so popular in America. Cash strapped families often turn to second hand stores and garage sales to purchase toys because the price is right and because their children may only use the toys briefly.

Why sell tainted toys?

Families need the extra money so they sell the toys rather than give them to non-profit oganizations or thrift stores. Is this you? Have you checked to see if your toys are on the recall list? You can find out on line at the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

As part of the agreement with the states, Mattel will lower the acceptable level of lead in toys shipped to the states with lead levels that are far lower than federal standards. Previously, toys that were being imported contained contaminants or parts that were outside the maximum federal guidelines.

The case has prompted federal regulators to tighten the guidelines even further and Congress is considering new laws that will demand even stricter quality control standards.

At a news conference, the spokesperson for the Attorneys General, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley told reporters: "We are pleased this agreement with Mattel and Fisher Price will result in much safer standards."

States taking part in the settlement are: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Some of the dollar amounts are: Massachusetts will receive $625,000 as part of the settlement. The state plans to use $500,000 of the money for a grant program funding organizations that foster awareness of the dangers of lead paint and $125,000 will cover legal costs, Coakley said.

Vermont will get almost $450,000, Wisconsin will receive $234,700, New Jersey will get $259,000 and Delaware will receive $197,000.

In a written statement, Mattel officials stated: "Mattel has demonstrated its commitment to children's safety by pledging to meet standards even more stringent than those currently required. Mattel also has taken steps that go beyond current requirements to give parents greater confidence that the Mattel toys that they buy this holiday season will be the safest ever."

Mattel is not the only toy maker paying up. California also took part in negotiations, but reached a separate agreement under its Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act. California officials held out for a larger portion of the settlement. Nine toy companies, including Mattel, will pay California $1.8 million over lead-tainted toys.

Industry analyst Sean McGowan was quoted as saying the settlement had been anticipated because of heavy legal costs faced by the States that would have been required to continue a lawsuit and the risk to the toy companies of even greater financial damages.

McGowan told reporters: "Anything that would put to rest this question (of toy safety) is a net positive, as long as it's not terribly crippling, and $12 million is pretty good to put to rest state-level actions."

But, the settlement is not the end of potential legal and punitive damages faced by the toy companies. There are still class-action suits from consumers that are pending.

The tainted toy scandal has created fear among consumers. Toys with "Made in China" branding are being avoided by U.S. consumers, where possible, but, toys with "Made in America" branding are difficult to find as manufacturers continue to outsource to countries with cheap labor costs.

A final word to the wise - Before you buy that second hand toy, ask questions of the seller.

Do they know where the toy came from? Has it been checked against the federal recall list? If you cannot get answers, don't buy the toy. Your child's safety is at stake. And, for consumer reviews of the top selling toys in America, visit http://www.jdanswers.com/toyindex.php Toy Reviews, a website created by Jim DeSantis, Your Internet Reporter, the author of this article.
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"Democrats: Obama needs hands-on economic approach" No! He Doesn't!

The Democrat leadership in the House and Senate are pretty shrewd, at least they think they are. They don't have the votes to bail out automakers, they couldn't goad President Bush into doing it, and, now.....

Now they are trying to get President-elect Obama to act "presidential" before he is even sworn in. They hope he will take the bait. So far he is more shrewd that they.

What they really want is to get off the hook. Like Pontius Pilate, wash their hands of any responsibility for the economic mess they created by blocking just about every sensible proposal that might have made President Bush and the Republicans look good before the November election.

Well, it has backfired. They fear risking the wrath of voters in the mid-term elections.

A majority of Americans do not want the automakers to be bailed out with taxpayer dollars. "Where do we stop?" they ask. $700 Billion for banks and mortgages and now another $34 Billion for Detroit? People are also angry about autoworkers earning more than $70.00 an hour (with benefits) while their Union officials point the finger at management.

Detroit has obviously tried to get the money from the bankers and the bankers have said - No! They know a bad credit risk when they see one. Right now the automakers are a bad risk by any standards so they expect we, the taxpayers, to take yet another bill upon ourselves for something we had nothing to do with.

President-elect Obama is wisely allowing President Bush and the current Congress to dance to this particular fiddler until he is sworn in as the next President of the United States.

Jim DeSantis
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The Color of President Obama

America has elected the first "black" President of the United States but is this just more media spin? Are we missing the whole point?

Media have portrayed President-elect Obama as being "black" but, the fact is, he owes much of his values to his white Mother and Grandmother. This is by his own admission. They were responsible for his upbringing, not his father.

Media has played down the fact that our new President is half-black or half-white, depending on your view. Is the glass half-empty or half-full?

The idea that America has elected our first "black" President continues to perpetuate racism in America. Media sees him more black than white, more history making than former Presidents. Why?

It's true, racism cannot be ignored. It is the elephant in the room. But, to portray our new President as "only" black by emphasizing his "blackness" for the sake of historical argument, merely exacerbates the problem. And, it totally ignores that he is half-white.

It is an insult to every black American to portray President Obama as a black man who has overcome prejudice. His history does not support such an argument. President Obama is successful because he is both black and white, because he truly represents what a man or woman can accomplish through sheer determination and intelligence. It has nothing whatever to do with color or gender.

Someday, I hope in my lifetime, we will not emphasize the superficial labels of race, religion, or gender and we will see each other as fellow humans, created equal. This is what the founding fathers had in mind, what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about constantly, a fact that media refuses to acknowledge in order to perpetuate division in our nation. Division always makes for better headlines and ratings.

I, for one, am color-blind, gender-blind, and religion-blind. I want the best President we can get to lead us to a greater today and tomorrow. This is all we should be concerned about. Then, and only then, will we become the America we are destined to be.

Jim DeSantis
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Self Esteem Magic for Average People

I thought long and hard before deciding it's time to reveal a secret about me that, I believe, will help you if you suffer from low self-esteem. If you read my profile here or my post on News Scoops here, you know I am a retired TV News Anchor and News Director.

The secret is....

I was a High School drop out with a genetic hearing loss and working in a factory before I began my successful broadcasting career. All the odds were against me having a highly visible and successful career in anything, let alone broadcasting the evening News. As far as many people were concerned I was considered below average. Most people I knew while growing up didn't think I would amount to much.

The secret that gave me the ability to take advantage of the opportunity to have a broadcast news career is ... high self esteem. I didn't have it in my youth. I had to learn it as an adult.

I learned techniques that gave me the confidence to audition and to persuade the News Director, Station Manager, and the Owner of the #1 local radio station to give me a shot. And, as they say: "The rest is history."

I believe I can accomplish just about anything when I have the information required. All it takes is persistence and high self esteem to apply that information for a successful outcome. I have proven this over and over.

I've compiled these techniques into an ebook (at my wife's urging!). It's available at a special price for my blog readers. My blogs are the only place you will see it promoted. This is because I also offer some personal mentoring to owners of the ebook and I need to limit the number of people I can help just because my time is limited.

I am so sure that these techniques will work for you that you have my personal 90-day 100% Money Back Guarantee that these techniques will change your life.

Click the box for more details....


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Thank You President Bush and Congress!

This is a Thank You to President Bush who proposed the Stimulus checks and to the Congress members who voted for the Stimulus package. You gave us a great vacation!

Our vacation included traveling by car from Erie, Pennsylvania to Newark, Delaware for one day - two nights of sightseeing; to Wilmington, DE for sightseeing and on to Philadelphia for sightseeing; back to Newark to sleep; on to Washington, DC for two days - three nights of sightseeing; on to Penn's Cave near State College, Pennsylvania for sightseeing and on to home.

If you fear gasoline prices, get this: All this traveling cost a total of $165.00 with three-quarters of a tank left over. That's a five-and-a-half-day trip for about $130.00 in real gas use for the trip. Now, I should mention, we got a $50.00 free gas card from Expedia.com for booking the three nights in DC. Deduct that $50.00 from the $130.00 so our final out-of-pocket gasoline cost was actually $80.00.

Just about every tourist we talked with voiced the same sentiment - Ignore media and go on vacation! I also want to point out that there were thousands of tourists from all over the USA and the world there and it was during the week of June 23rd, 2008.

So, what did we see? The list of historic sites we visited is long. The highlights include: Old Historic New Castle, DE; Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin's burial site, Betsy Ross House, and Christ's Church in Philly; The Capital Building in DC, Supreme Court, National Archives, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Washington Monument, tour of the White House, Air and Space Museum (including two Imax movies), Smithsonian Castle, Natural History Museum (including Hope Diamond - WOW!), Spy Museum, and much more!

By the way, don't miss eating in the cafeteria in the Supreme Court building. It's a plush dining area but the cost is very reasonable and the food is excellent! My wife and I had breakfast, freshly cooked, including coffee and orange juice, for a total of $11.45. They also serve a lunch menu, equally fresh and equally reasonably priced.

We paid $122.00 for the Old Town Trolley to get around DC for two days. This is a hop-on-hop-off trolley with stops at all the key sights. You just get off where you want and get back on where you want anytime between 9-am and 4:30-pm. This is a must and an easy way to get around because on street parking is nearly impossible.

Special Thanks to our Congressman, Phil English, and his staff for a private tour of the Capitol Building and getting us tickets for the White House tour. The private Capitol building tour was unexpected. Intern Greg did a great job taking us through the areas not generally open to the public. Staff Assistant Kathleen got us the White House tour even after we were first rejected because we had not made our request far enough in advance. You need to apply for White House tour tickets at least four months in advance if you want access. They are free but in limited supply.

So, what did our trip cost?

Gas, tolls, food, lodging, tours, parking in DC ($17.00), and sightseeing, totaled less than $1,100.00 for my wife and I. Our Stimulus check was for $1,200.00 with a $100.00 left over to spend here at home. Not bad at all.

We had planned to stay very close to home this Summer due to media scaremongers and then the Stimulus package was proposed by the President and Congress followed through, for once, to give us something back instead of squandering our tax dollars on "pork". This time we are the "pork" and the money is not squandered.

Take your Stimulus check and give your loved ones a great vacation!

Jim DeSantis
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Jim DeSantis is a member of the Online Business Alliance. If you think you have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to start a business with excellent profit potential, think again!

When you purchase one of Online Business Alliance's original ebooks for a total cost of just $5... (yes, that's five dollars)... you get the ebook you bought (of course) PLUS resale rights to that ebook (with 100% commissions on every sale) PLUS every other ebook in our Digital Products Catalog PLUS resale rights to those items as well (with 100% commissions on every sale) PLUS a complete business that's ready to start making money for you TODAY!

It can't get much better than that... can it? Keep reading!

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Free eBook - "How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft!"

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. Every day thousands of people suffer immediate financial hardship and long-term difficulty because their personal information has been compromised. But there are free steps you can take to protect yourself.

For the seventh straight year, the Federal Trade Commission says identity theft is the largest consumer complaint and the fastest growing crime in America. In 2007, the FBI reported that identity theft affected 9.91 million Americans. There are probably many more cases that went unreported. It accounted for $52,600,000,000 (billion) in losses in 2007.

In a way we can thank the U.S. Congress for the increase in identity theft. Congressionally-mandated use of the Social Security number as an identifier facilitates the horrendous crime of identity theft. Thanks to Congress, an unscrupulous person may simply obtain some one's Social Security number in order to access that person's bank accounts, credit cards, and other financial assets. Many Americans have lost their life savings and had their credit destroyed as a result of identity theft. Yet the federal government continues to encourage such crimes by mandating use of the Social Security number as a uniform ID!

In the rush to respond to identity fraud, too often organizations believe that credit monitoring is the beginning and end of the solution. The fact is that credit monitoring is only one of the necessary elements. Credit reports only inform you AFTER fraud has occurred. Because of their commitment to safeguarding the financial security of working families, labor unions are now advocating that their members place identity theft protection high on their priority lists. Effective identity theft protection for union members should include a wide array of proactive and responsive components.

Identity thieves and hackers target home computers because they know families often do not maintain adequate security protection on their PCs. This makes these family users easy, lucrative sources. Many hackers access your personal information in order to steal your money and your identity or use your home computer as a shield to mask their identity as they steal from others.

Credit reports contain all the information any thief would need to steal existing accounts, or to swipe your identity completely and cause major financial harm. There are several ways those in the credit reporting industry manage to balance the need for accurate account information to issue credit ratings, while keeping enough information hidden to protect you from theft. But, not all systems are hacker proof. Data security standards are extremely high, and audits are frequent but not all systems are hacker proof.

Group identity theft has also become a major problem for consumers. A thief gains access to a place that keeps records for many people. Targets have included stores, fitness centers, car dealers, schools, hospitals, and even credit bureaus. Thieves may either use the stolen identities themselves or sell them to other criminals.

One of the most used scams is called "Pretexting". The identity thief poses as a legitimate representative of a survey firm, bank, Internet service provider, employer, landlord, or even a government agency. The thief contacts you through the mail, telephone, or e-mail, and attempts to get you to reveal your information, usually by asking you to "verify" some data.

They usually ask for your full name, social security number, and date of birth. Then, they want bank and credit card numbers and expiration dates, any financial records they can get you to reveal.

They are many ways to protect yourself. Most of all, never give your information to a stranger, especially via email or telephone, and always contact the institution they claim to represent to check legitimacy.

Jim DeSantis

Jim DeSantis is a retired broadcast journalist. For his free report - How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft - visit Jim's website at Gifts from Jim DeSantis. It's a direct download. No email or signup is required to get this free ebook.

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