Posts By: DR2
Quote(s) Of The Day – For the week of December 29, 2019
Quote(s) Of The Day – For the week of December 29, 2019
December 29, 2019
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A person who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” – Twain
December 30, 2019
“There are no accidents…there is only some purpose that we haven’t yet understood.” – Chopra
December 31, 2019
“You can because you think you can.” – Virgil
January 1, 2020
“There are those who dream and wish and there are those who dream and work.” – McIntire
January 2, 2020
“No person is a failure who is enjoying life.” – Feather
January 3, 2020
“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” – Dyer
January 4, 2020
“Happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think.” – Carnegie
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Word(s) Of The Day – For The Week Of December 22, 2019
Word(s) Of The Day – For The Week Of December 22, 2019
December 22, 2019
Reconnoiter – v. – spy out, examine, explore
December 23, 2019
Niggardly – adj. – stingy, miserly, penny pinching
December 24, 2019
Imbroglio – n. – tangled confusion, complicated misunderstanding, embroilment
December 25, 2019
Condign – adj. – fit, deserved, merited
December 26, 2019
Amalgamate – v. – joined, combined, consolidated
December 27, 2019
Bovine – adj. – sluggish, slow as an ox, stolid
December 28, 2019
Diurnal – adj. – daily, regular, day-time, during daylight hours
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Thought(s) Of The Day – For the Week of December 22, 2019
Thought(s) Of The Day – For the Week of December 22, 2019
December 22, 2019
Remember to be a nice person even during rough times.
December 23, 2019
If you don’t take advantage of an opportunity, be sure someone else will.
December 24, 2019
Responding well in conversation is just as important as listening well.
December 25, 2019
Appreciate yourself.
December 26, 2019
Love your neighbor.
December 27, 2019
Imagination rules the world.
December 28, 2019
Always do the ground work.
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Quote(s) Of The Day – For the week of December 22, 2019
Quote(s) Of The Day – For the week of December 22, 2019
December 22, 2019
“Men are born to succeed, not fail.” – Thoreau
December 23, 2019
“Every human has four endowments – self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to shoose, to respond, to change.” – Covey
December 24, 2019
“All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination.” – Hill
December 25, 2019
“There is just one life for each of us: our own.” – Eurpides
December 26, 2019
“If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities.” – Carnegie
December 27, 2019
“There is no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day.” – Woolicott
December 28, 2019
“All successful pople are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be and then they work every day toward thier distant vision, that goal or purpose.” – Tracy
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So, Let's consider: How can you have a safe online shopping experience during the holidays and the rest of the year?
So, Let’s consider: How can you have a safe online shopping experience during the holidays and the rest of the year?
So, once again, we find ourselves in the last week or 2 before xmas and it’s time to hit the internet and see what we need to buy. Or, you could be one of the smart ones that is doing their shopping earlier to make sure that things actually arrive when they’re supposed to… Then again, you could be shopping in the middle of April for some items that you need and you want to make sure you’re not going to get snookered (yes it’s a word!) online by some nepharious website, pricing scheme, or some other schemer that isn’t in your best interest.
So, What are a few things we can do to having a fighting chance on the wild world web? Let’s take a look at a few:
Watch out for false advertising.
Does it sound too good of a deal to be true? It just might be. Also be aware of look alike web pages that are designed to look just like the real thing. Watch for subtle differences like name changes or misspellings and always be careful for being redirected to another web page when you think you’re buying from something authentic.
Look over the website carefully.
Only shop on secure websites.
By secure websites, I mean sites that don’t send all your information in the clear for everyone to monitor. A secure site’s url will begin with HTTPS:// ….not just HTTP://…. And, NEVER use your credit card on a site that isn’t using a HTTPS page nor give any of your personal information on a page that’s not HTTPS protected. If you’re not familiar with a site that you want to use, checkout their BBB profile at BBB.org.
Is your antivirus current?
If your antivirus protection isn’t current don’t even think of shopping on the net until it is. By not protecting yourself you leave yourself open to all kinds of problems from non-secured sites and those sites that love to go phishing for your personal information.
What are the return policies?
Frankly, there are those that will buy anything and everything on the net. Frankly, I’m a bit more picky. Especially for clothing, if I can’t see it and feel it and know that it’s going to fit I don’t want to buy it. This is one of the reasons I like JC Penney brick and mortar stores over anyone’s web page. And when I buy cloths or other things over the net, it’s because I know what I’m buying and it’s what I’m looking for.
BUT, not everyone is that hard core when it comes to buying stuff on the net and, face it, there’s going to be times when you either get the wrong stuff, wrong size, wrong colour shades, etc., or you just don’t like the damn thing and want to send it back! Make sure you can and how you can BEFORE you buy. Many major chains with a web presence will let you bring a return into the local store for return or exchange. Frankly, I really like this option. Yet for some others, you’re going to have to call their return center is some 3rd world country to get a return authorization and instructions…and hope you can understand what they’re saying.
Always pay by credit card!
Many issues and problems with returns can be easily dealt with if you paid with a major credit card. If the vendor isn’t responsive to your issues, just call the card company and talk to them about the transaction. It’s amazing how fast a vendor will return your call when they get a complaint from a credit card company, especially when they realize that their transaction is being canceled. Also, a credit card protects you from other fraud potential issues, currency exchange manipulations if what you’re buying is in a different currency than your own, etc. And I said CREDIT CARD….do NOT use a debit card or wire someone funds unless you REALLY know and trust the target. Getting problems fixed with those types of transactions can be a lot harder to do…at least to do to your satisfaction.
What’s the price and are there any special promotions going on?
Everyone’s going to claim they have the best price of the item because they want your sale. Do your own research. That’s what Google’s for! Further, it’s normal and regular for vendors to have seasonal sales, loyalty awards bonuses, etc. Look for them. When they exist, avail yourself of them!
Watch out for phishing scams.
These generally come in the form of unwanted or unsolicited emails sending you to a website that you may have never heard of. Caveat emptor! And, in a big way! Some of these may claim to have something free just for you, or have just what you’re looking for. BE CAREFUL. Search engines and web trafficking monitors can and do keep track of what you’re searching for and buying. This information is available for a price and it can and will be used in marketing schemes against you.
Be careful about unwanted phone calls from high pressure people that have exactly what you’re wanting. Especially if you’ve never heard of them and more so if they’re calling from off shore on a poor quality phone connection. Chances are their name’s NOT Joe and they don’t work for State Farm!
Those emotional appeals for donations.
Well, I’ve covered this before, but, be prepared for all those phone calls and the tonnes of junk mail from every worthy cause that thinks you should be donating to them. Frankly, I have my own list of charities that I support each year and I’m not opposed to adding to them if and when I find something I want to support. And, neither should you. However there’s a few things to be aware of:
Watch out for the hyper emotional appeals. These are intentional and designed to maximize your wallet emptying.
Does the charity disclose how it’s using your donations? If not, then don’t give them anything.
Watch out for charities that may sound like a well known and trusted one, but aren’t. Name similarities abound like apples in the summer, make sure you aren’t getting one with a worm in it. The BBB’s wise giving alliance (www.give.org) is one of many good places to start looking to verify a group you may not be familiar with.
Fortunately, the world is generally full of good people wanting to do good business and help their fellow man, regardless of the time of the year. Yet following that old Reagan adage of “Trust but verify” is always a good policy to have.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.
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Word(s) Of The Day – For The Week Of December 15, 2019
Word(s) Of The Day – For The Week Of December 15, 2019
December 15, 2019
Affinity – adj. – mutual attraction, magnetism, instictive liking
December 16, 2019
Debauch – v. – led asray, seducted, corrupted
December 17, 2019
Impolitic – adj. – unwise, injudicious, ill advised
December 18, 2019
Officious – adj. – impertinent, fussy, meddlesome
December 19, 2019
Schism – n. – division, disunion or a difference of opinion
December 20, 2019
Voracious – adj. – all devouring, greedy, ravenous
December 21, 2019
Reprobation – n. – disapproval, censure, rejection
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Thought(s) Of The Day – For the Week of December 15, 2019
Thought(s) Of The Day – For the Week of December 15, 2019
December 15, 2019
Love is the way to capture meaning in life.
December 16, 2019
Sometimes not getting what you want is a stroke of good fortune.
December 17, 2019
Your inner self needs external nourishment. May I recommend a good pizza.
December 18, 2019
It’s easier to remember the name of a person that has power than someone that does not.
December 19, 2019
Conceit is the most incurable disease known to man.
December 20, 2019
Feel free to show and share your inner beauty.
December 21, 2019
Truly believing in yourself is a skill.
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Quote(s) Of The Day – For the week of December 15, 2019
Quote(s) Of The Day – For the week of December 15, 2019
December 15, 2019
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did.” – Twain
December 16, 2019
“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” – Clarke
December 17, 2019
“It is hard to fail, bit it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” – Roosevelt
December 18, 2019
“Fortune favors the brave.” – Terence
December 19, 2019
“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” – Browing
December 20, 2019
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neithr does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Ziglar
December 21, 2019
“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. WHen they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.” – Peale
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Word(s) Of The Day – For The Week Of December 8, 2019
Word(s) Of The Day – For The Week Of December 8, 2019
December 8, 2019
Corroboration – adj. – confirmation, without making certain
December 9, 2019
Flamboyant – adj. – showy, flowery, bombastic
December 10, 2019
Concomitant – n. – accompanying, involved, attendant
December 11, 2019
Salubrious – n. – health giving, wholesome, salutary
December 12, 2019
Coterie – n. – set, social group, clique
December 13, 2019
Abort – v. – failed, came for nothing, miscarried
December 14, 2019
Nuance – n. – shades of difference, subtle variations
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Thought(s) Of The Day – For the Week of December 8, 2019
Thought(s) Of The Day – For the Week of December 8, 2019
December 8, 2019
Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.
December 9, 2019
Find meaning in leisure.
December 10, 2019
Even the happiest people have down days.
December 11, 2019
Appreciate the question as much as the answer.
December 12, 2019
Don’t do anything just to say you did it.
December 13, 2019
It’s OK to change your mind.
December 14, 2019
The best successes come after failures.
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About Me
Don Rima
Don Rima is an Information Systems consultant with over 30 years experience in Information Systems. His roles of responsibility have included programming, systems management and IT department management. He's also a technical editor and writer, does regular product reviews, is a very good cook, gardener and avid reader and writer. His sports interest include: the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Orioles, Clemson Tigers and Chelsea Football teams. The articles on this site are written to be correct, informative, laconic, provoke progressive thought, informative and sometimes make you laugh. They're not designed to be the writing of just another politically correct drone.