BEWARE OF HOME INVASIONS....BY KIDS

Summer time is here. Kids are out of school. Roads are less crowded because no school buses are parked for the summer. So, what now?

When you thought that summertime would come with stress free days and no traffic, you would have never have thought of the negative aspects that come with this long break for kids. Now children are turner to burglary as a pass-time during those long summer days of nothing to do. That's just great. First, we have to worry about people stealing oil from our cars because gas prices have increased so quickly. Yes, people are stealing gas out of parked cars. So with that piece of horrible news it is just sad to know that those who leave their homes daily now have to worry about the neighborhood kids robbing them.

You may be wondering where this is coming from. Well, today my best friends house got robbed while she was out of town. The assailants broke into the house yesterday but took nothing. They came back this morning and attempted to steal....drum roll please....... A VIDEO GAME CONSOLE. They also tried to take the television, but I guess they needed that in order to play the video games.

Thankfully, a neighbor saw the kids through the open front door that they had kicked in. She quickly called the police and they were able to arrive at the crime scene fast enough to arrest all four intruders. The sad part...they ranged from ages 10 to 14. So, they have caused hundreds of dollars in damage, taken away the safety of the home, and gotten away with nothing. They did all of this for a video game console. WOW.

Now, a few things bother me at this point:

A. Why were these kids out at 11pm and 7am? What ever happened to a bed time and Saturday morning cartoons?

B. Where were their parents? It's a weekend and a holiday, so shouldn't your kids be accounted for?

C. Why did they do all of this to steal a video game console? (Sidenote: I'm glad that was one of the only things they were after.)

I am greatly bothered by this because these kids will all be out of jail today. Also, they will be out of school for the entire summer. So, they have plenty of time on their hands. What can be done to prevent matters from getting worse? What can be done to prevent this from happening to someone else.

After today's happenings, I've done some research on how to safeguard your house from theft. This house had an alarm system and was still broken in to, so what can be done when the alarm can save you from a thief:

1. Invest in secure locks and deadbolts. Get the locks with bump guards to protect yourself from thieves who can bump locks.

2. Get a lock and door reinforcer from a store like Home Depot, Lowe's or Wal-Mart. The reinforcer helps to prevent theives from being able to kick your door in.

3. Make sure your door frame is secure and withstand the kick of a thief.

4. Burglar bars. This is an old school approach, but effective nevertheless. Just be careful in the event of a house fire.

5. Keep your lights on and let your presence be known (even if you are not at home). Thieves are smart. They have lookouts. Their lookouts could even be one of your neighbors, so just be mindful that thieves pay attention to everything.

There are so many things that can be done to protect your home. Just be mindful and aware that thieves are always out lurking for new places to steal from. Don't let your home be the next. The economy is not doing to well right now. In this case, kids lack home training and just don't care about the consequences of their actions...unless they get caught. So, protect yourself.

*Picture from Doug Jones Art

The Dating Chronicles of Cheré (Ch.12): CSI

Okay, okay. I know. I have the power to make good decisions, but I just like to laugh. So, sometimes I have to take one for the team. I should have learned a while ago not to let people blindly hook me up with friends, but I just can't. Blind dates and setup relationships are what give me my funniest stories.

I trust my friends, sometimes too much. I allowed the same friend who set me up with My Funny Valentine to set me up again. This time the guy was a lot worse. I met this guy when it was cool to have a phone relationship and nothing more. Today, I still do not know what this guy looks like because I never met him in person. We spoke everyday on the phone for a month but never had a chance to meet.

It all started when my friend called me on the phone 3-way with my blind phone date. We all talked and joked for a few minutes. He and I then exchanged numbers. He called me later and we talked for a while. This went on for a few weeks smoothly, then one day my father started to listen in on my calls with him. When I found this out, the rebellious teenager came out of me and I talked to the guy more often.

During one conversation he commented that I probably smelled like strawberries. Though he never met me, he somehow just knew that I smelled like strawberries. I didn't really know what that meant at the time, but I was flattered nevertheless. Sadly, my father understood his comment and was on the phone listening to the comment in real time. How horrible!!! I was so embarrassed that my father had heard this guy talking to me intimately, but I was angry. So I kept talking to the guy until.....

One day I received a call from an investigator. The investigator was really vague at first. She first said that my phone boyfriend was in an accident and I was the last call on his cell phone. I immediately got worried and asked how he was. She didn't really answer. Instead she kept asking me questions. She asked me if I had seen him that day and if he had a gun. I had never seen him so I quickly said "no". She then asked if I knew of his whereabouts. "?" Didn't you just tell me that he was in an accident and was injured? How do you not know where he is?

I was confused and there were more questions. I explained that I only knew him over the phone. I had never met him, and that I don't know what could have happened. She then explained that he had just committed a crime, fled the scene and left his phone there. Now that was hilarious, and that was time I dealt with him. He called a few times but there was no need to answer. I was young, but I did know that being affiliated with criminals is not good.

The Dating Chronicles of Cheré (Ch.11): Mr. Thug'n Love

I was young. I was dumb. I'm willing to admit the truth.

Mr. Thug'n Love was my first true love. Just kidding. He was the first guy to kiss my hand and tell me how beautiful I was. It was love at first sight. I loved his compliments and he loved the way I looked. It was a match made in the land of make believe, when all that matters in life are good looks and smooth words. So, you already know this was going no where.

I met this guy through one of his relatives and we hit it off at first. He was always very polite. He was older than me. I was in high school and he was a little over 20. So, I felt grown when he called me. I would soon find out that I was more mature than him in many ways. Older does not mean wiser.

We met during the summer and we spent a lot of time together. We would go out on dates and just enjoy our time together. Then I found out the big news that he had kept from me for a while. He had a child. Okay, I can deal with that. It's not like we're getting married. So, one day I went by the house of one of his family members who I knew. When I got to the house, everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. I couldn't understand what was going on. Why was everyone looking at me like I had just come out of the loony bin. Well, I was taken to the side and told that his child's mother who was also pregnant with his baby was in the house.

Using my sense, I called him to ask what was going on. He could have told me this pertinent piece of information. We talked for a few minutes and we came to an understanding that I would not be going out with him again out of respect of his "GIRLFRIEND". So, I didn't not hear from him for a while.

He called me one day just to hear my voice and told me that he missed me and couldn't understand why I hadn't called him anymore. I didn't understand where this was coming from, so I just talked to him for a second. I was a little flattered, young, and foolish. While we were talking, it sounding like a commotion was going on. I asked what was happening and he told me that someone was trying to steal his car. If someone is stealing your car then why are you on the phone. I just didn't understand, so I got off of the phone.

I didn't speak to him again for about a month. He called me at work to see how I was doing. Did I mention that he was in jail at the time. Why? I don't know. More importantly, why are you calling me at work from jail? I saw this person a few times hear and there because he is related to one of my friends, but only in passing. It is weird, because every time I see him I just wonder why? Why did he call me from jail? Why did he not tell me that he had a girlfriend with a baby on the way? Why was he on the phone with me when his car was getting stolen? So many questions but no way to get them answered. I can only characterize this as FOOLISHNESS.

The Impact of Blogging On Job and College Recruiting: Can Your Blog Help or Hurt You?

Recently, I had conversations with a few of my friends and colleagues regarding the impact of blogging on one's ability to get a job or get into a college. In the past, I have often wondered what would happen if my manager or college recruiter were to find my Myspace or Facebook pages. What would they think of me? Why are they looking for me on these Websites? What should I do to either prevent them from seeing my pages or manage my pages in a way to make them presentable to anyone?

First, let's tackle the concept that blogging can impact your odds of getting a job and getting into school. Many will not say this, but blogs are looked at by recruiters. Recruiters are just like any other person. Many of them probably have blogs and they look people up on a regular basis in their regular lives. So, what would stop them from looking you up when considering you as a candidate for a job or educational program? Absolutely nothing. When I was in school, I would check out some of my classmates' Myspace and Facebook pages just to get an idea of who they were.

Though these web pages and blogs do not make a person, it gives you a little peak into their character and you can sometimes find out some useful information about these individuals. For instance, it would not be a good idea to promote drug use on your website or blog if you are applying for jobs. Why? For starters, this lets your potential employer know that you might be a junkie. Secondly, you might be a junkie and now your potential employers knows it.

Another thing that people do not consider is the content of your blog and the personal information that is provided by you. The example I will use is that of a college student who is applying to several graduate school programs. As I have mentioned already, people do not realize who really views your Myspace, Facebook and blog pages. So, if you are a potential graduate school student who is applying to several universities but has already accepted an offer to a particular school, be cognisant that the other schools you are applying to may have seen your blog and will not reject your application because you have stated on your blog that you will be attending another school. Even if you were willing to opt not to go to the school that you accepted an offer to because in your heart you are waiting for your favorite school to respond, you still should not put all of this information on your blog(s). Some information should be more discrete.

Part of life's journey is making choices, and part of making choices with regards to your interaction with people is making good first impressions. First impressions really do count. Sometimes an applicant's first impression is their blog because they have not had an interview with the recruiter as of yet. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you make good choices in how you present yourself in all aspects of life. Now, I'm not saying that blogs should be the sole determinant of whether or not you get a job or get into school, but we have to be realistic here. People read blogs and sometimes the people who read blogs may have an influence on our lives and personal growth. So, be smart.

Here are a few tips that I consider when handling my blog, Myspace, and Facebook pages:

1. Use a pseudonym (fake name).

2. Do not use your real personal information when filling out address information on blog websites.

3. Create an alternate email address that can not be linked back to your personal email addresses.

4. Keep a clean, reader friendly blog and/or web page.

5. Be careful of what you blog about.

6. Be conscious of the fact that recruiters have access to the web just like you and I.

7. Put a block on your pages that will only allow your friends to view your Myspace and Facebook pages. (This will keep unwanted people from viewing your pages).

8. DO NOT PROMOTE DRUG, ALCOHOL, OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MEDIA AND/OR CHARACTERS ON YOUR WEBSITES. (You do not want to give off the wrong vibes to recruiters.)

Show Me the Money: Where Is My Money?

Many of you who filed taxes this year may have already noticed that the tax refund checks and electronic deposits sent rather quickly by the IRSthis year. But for those who should receive a rebate and have not as of yet, where are the rebate checks?

I have heard this question almost every day for the past few weeks. I know individuals who even filed their taxes in January and February of 2008 but have not yet received their rebate. Many have received their rebates already, but there are still several tax payers who have not yet received the money. Why? I found a very interesting article today entitled "Where's My Tax Rebate Check?" on Aol.com that addressed this issue.

Well, the tax refunds were mailed out quickly, but that had no impact on the speed that the rebates were sent out. The rebates are still on the scheduled timeline. The refund checks are being mailed out on a schedule that is based on the last 2 digits of your Social Security number:

For those who will receive a rebate check (paper check) the dates are as follows:

00-09 May 16
10-18 May 23
19-25 May 30
26-38 June 6
39-51 June 13
52-63 June 20
64-75 June 27
76-87 July 4
88-99 July 11

For those receiving funds through direct deposit, most of the 45 million electronic rebates have already been deposited. The last round of direct deposit rebates will be placed in accounts no later than May 16, 2008. The final set of deposit will be for those direct deposit tax payers whose Social Security numbers end in 76 through 99.

If you do not receive your rebate by May 16th and you electronically filed or if you do not receive the paper check on the scheduled dates listed above then what is the next step. If you have not received your paper check a week after you were scheduled to receive it, then check the IRS's Where's My Stimulus Payment tool. This nifty tool actually gives you the date you should receive payment and the amount of your rebate. The tool even specifies a date that you should contact the IRS if you do not receive your payment. To use the tool, you must have your Social Security #, filing status, and total number of exemptions handy. These are the only 3 items you will have to fill out.

In the event that you do not receive your rebate at all this year, don't worry:

You'll get your money when you file your 2008 return next Spring. Remember, the rebate is really a prepayment of a tax credit on 2008 returns. Taxpayers who don't get their money this year will collect next spring. Aol.com

For those of you who are still unsure as to whether are not you will receive a check, these are the items that will keep you from receiving the rebate:

1. If you are a dependent

2. If you are single and make more than $75,000 or a married couple and make more than $150,000

3. If your spouse lacks a Social Security number

4. If you do not file on time (*You can still get a rebate but you will either get it extremely late or next year when you file your 2008 taxes)

So, there you have it. Your money is on the way. You just have to be a little more patient. Checking your account balance every morning and evening and running to your mailbox every day will not make the rebate come any faster. So sit still, be patient, and know that your rebate is on its way. If it does not come a week after its scheduled time, then contact the IRS as soon as possible to get the matter resolved. Let's think positively. This just gives you a little more time to plan how you will spend or save the money.

Tropical Cyclone NARGIS Kills Over 20,000 People in Myanmar (Burma)

For those of you not aware of the multiple natural disasters that have occurred recently, I would like to take the time to update everyone on what has happened around the world.

Map shows areas impacted by the cyclone that devasted Myanmar. (Source: ITHACA)

On April 27, 2008, a tropical cyclone began in the north Indian Ocean and quickly progressed to 65 knot winds by April 28th. The cyclone, given the name Nargis, quickly moved along India's coast, strengthening day by day. As stated by the Pacific Data Center, the storm took aim at highly populated areas. The storm traveled further inland, only bringing devasting winds, high surf, and a large storm surge. As the storm lost its strength, it was quickly followed by heavy rainfall, flash flooding and mudslides. The storm reaped havoc from Myanmar to Thailand.

Map shows more areas devasted by Tropical Cyclone Nargis. (Source: ITHACA)

As of May 6, 2008, CTV Ottawa reported that the death toll was up to 22,400 people according to state-run media. 41,000 people are reported as missing, and many fear that the death will quickly climb based on the number missing. Because of the level of devastation from this storm, many are in need of feed, clothing, medicine, and monetary aid. The population of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is believed to be 49 million. Of that population, it is estimated that 1 million people are now left homeless.

Picture shows distruction of Tropical Cyclone Nargis to inhabitants. (Source: BBC News)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7384111.stm

For those of you who would like to make donations to the American Red Cross for the Disaster Relief and International Response Funds, please do so by visiting the American Red Cross website. There are other wasy to donate:

Via Telephone

Call1-800-HELP-NOW(1-800-435-7669)English speaking
Call1-800-257-7575Spanish Speaking
Call1-800-220-4095For TDD Operator

Mail

American Red CrossPO Box 37295

Washington, DC 20013

Attn: J. Porter

Other options are located on the American Redcross Website.

The Dating Chronicles of Cheré (Ch.10): Mr. Hobby

One person's hobby is another person's addiction. But there are some people out there who are unaware of the difference between a hobby and an addition.

One day I was eating at a restaurant and a waitress handed me a business card sent from another patron. At first I thought that the gesture was flattering and respectful. I say respectful because I was eating with colleagues and I do not deem it appropriate to approach me when I'm out with colleagues. I only say this because you don't want everyone in your business with regards to whom you are dating.

With that being said, the business card was handed to me and the guy passed by a couple of times to let me visibily see who he was. Okay...I had a visual and he appeared to be well-kept. I called him that day to acknowledge that I received the card, and we spoke for a few minutes. He had to call me back, but I didn't hear back from him until the next day.

I did notice that on the next day he was careful to call me before 6pm. I missed his call and called back, but received no answer. This happened again the following day, and he then began to text me but not call after 6pm. WARNING SIGN #1: HE MIGHT BE IN A RELATIONSHIP.

We finally stopped playing phone tag and set up a lunch date. We met at a fast food restaurant, which was a slight problem because this was somewhat of a date. So, the intimacy of the date was lost due to the lunch crowd. I ignored this issue because I had a feeling others would quickly present themselves.

As we ate, he started to talk about his job and how he has been impacted by the economy. When then talked about ourselves. He asked me what my hobbies were. I quickly replied that enjoy shopping, dancing, trying new things, writing, etc. I then asked him about his hobbies, and he replied that he enjoys spending time on the Internet. At first, I didn't understand how that was considered a hobby because he was not clear about what he was doing online. Does he sell items on eBay as a hobby? Does he collect items? Does he collect music? What does he blog? What does he do online to make it a hobby?

Well, he quickly clarified that he enjoys porn. Really?! I just did not know that looking at pornography online was considered to be a hobby rather than an addiction (depending on how often you look at it). Now, I know that there are men out there who enjoy an occasional boob or dirty image on some porn sites. Some women enjoy it too. However, this guy explained to me that he spent countless hours online enjoying his porn. That's one of those things that you don't really tell a person on the first date, but that shows how important it was to him. WARNING SIGN #2: HE DOESN'T REALIZE HE'S ADDICTED TO PORN.

I understand why he told me these things on the first date, because he was prepping me for his expectations. He explained that he is utterly amazed at what porn stars are capable of and that he would like that in a relationship. Good, but why are we discussing this on a first date in a fast food joint.

Next, I asked him what his other hobbies are. He replied that his only other hobby was being around "several" beautiful women. Then he began to give me a nasty look...as in sexually nasty. Great. WARNING SIGN #3: DUDE IS POSSIBLY A WOMANIZER.

Finally, we started to discuss more personal information. Once you've discussed porn for 15 minutes, the relationship is pretty much open. So, he went on to explain that he had 3 kids who were ages 5, 7, and 9, and all were by the same woman. WARNING SIGN #4: DUDE IS MARRIED. I then asked where the mother is, and he explained..."Oh....I live with my babies' mama. We have been having issues, and I'm moving on."

At this point, I reached clarity. I was done with my food, so I could now leave knowing what I knew about this guy:

A. YOU ARE ADDICTED TO PORN
B. YOU ARE A WOMANIZER
C. YOU ARE MARRIED!!! My name is not Boo Boo The Fool, so just because you call a woman your babies' mama does not mean I do not realize that you are married. What in the world?!?!?!?!?! You have a planned family. You live with a woman who is your wife but you won't admit it. Even if she is not your wife, I consider you common law at this point because your oldest child with her is 9 which means you have been together for at least 10 years. If you are so broken up and not married, why can't you call me past 6pm? Exactly!!! YOU ARE MARRIED. NO THANK YOU. In addition, you are addicted to porn and a womanizer. Plain and simple foolishness yet again. But at least I got a free meal and a new story. The price I pay to please you people with this blog.