Past issues
Mindconnection eNL, 2003-07-07
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In this issue:
- Brainpower tip
- Time tip
- Finance tip
- Security tips
- Health tip/Fitness tips
- Thought for the day
1. Brainpower tip
Many people are willingly led down the path
of stupidity, because they don't look past the surface. Don't let this happen to
you!
Here's an example. In the 2000 election
campaign, Hillary Clinton endorsed Al Gore. She said Gore was going to create
jobs, while Gore said he was going to bring higher taxes and more stringent EPA
regulations (which would simply make more employers take their jobs outside our
borders). She said Gore was going to make America safer, while he said he was
going to disarm law-abiding citizens (which simply gives criminals the
advantage--thus the high murder rates in disarmed places like Japan, Chicago,
Los Angeles, and four jetliners on September 11 while the 33 states with
"right to carry" laws have all seen a precipitous drop in violent
crime).
You can see the problem, here. The goal and
the means contradict each other. This is one of the reasons con artists succeed.
"I am going to make you rich" should beg such questions as, "Why
do you need me?"
Always look past the surface to the how and
why. Making this your Standard Operating Practice will serve you well.
2. Time tip
You can save time by ruthlessly stocking your shopping
cart at the grocery store. By eliminating all products with highly refined
grains, you will save enormous amounts of time visiting doctors and taking
medications. Plus, you will have more energy and clearer thought processes for
engaging in meaningful activities.
Make a list before you go to the store. Note what's on
your list--any sauces, mixes, packaged foods, instant anything, reduced fat
anything, soups, dressings? These are probably all loaded with sugar, corn
starch, hydrogenated oil, and other toxic wastes that merely slow you down and/or
sicken you.
3. Finance tip
Make a list of durable goods and non-grocery
items you would like to buy. This includes such things as sheets, blankets,
small appliances, major appliances, clothes, consumer electronics, personal
grooming supplies, and paper towels. Rather than wait until you need these
items, look for them to go on sale. Sales are quite common these days, as
retailers struggle to survive. Then, buy a year's supply of whatever is on sale.
Now, you may be thinking that's a hit to your cash flow. But, if it's a 20%
discount where else will you make 20% per year? Note: If you buy a six-month
supply, you are making only 10% per year on that purchase with a 20%
discount.
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4. Security tip
This came to me, via e-mail. Saved me from
writing one!
Subject: An Attorney's Advice
Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A corporate attorney sent
the following out to the employees in his company:
*The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of
first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your check book,
he will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your
first name but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
* When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO
NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line.
Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows
the rest of the number and anyone who might be handling your check as it
passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to
it.
* Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If
you have a PO Box use that instead of your home. Never have your SS#
printed on your checks (DUH!) you can add it if it is necessary. But if
you have it printed, anyone can get it.
* Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both
sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in
your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and
cancel.
* Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my
passport when I travel either here or abroad.
* We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in
stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards, etc.
Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet
was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive
monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit
line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV
to change my driving record information online, and more.
But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this
happens to you or someone you know: We have been told we should cancel
our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free
numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those
where you can find them easily.
* File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was
stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a
first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never even thought to do
this). Call the three national credit reporting organizations
immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security
number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that
called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet
in my name.
The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your
information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to
authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost two
weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done.
There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves'
purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since
then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my
wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have
stopped them in their
tracks.
The numbers are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271 |
5. Health tip/Fitness tips
Is your fitness routine stuck? Here are some
ways to unstick it:
If you are using weight machines, stop.
Those do not simulate the kind of work that stimulates muscle growth and
conditioning beyond a baseline minimum. They do lead to injury, especially
of the connective tissue. It's OK to mix them into your program, but only as
a minor part. Go to K-Mart (they need your business).
Buy a 40-lb bag of dirt (or if you aren't very strong, buy a smaller bag).
Use this bag the rest of this summer to get some real gains. Simply lift it
up off the ground. Carry it up a hill, up some steps, or some challenging
distance. Set it down. Rest for one minute. Repeat this process for the next
30 minutes or until you feel like you shouldn't do any more. Do this twice a
week, if you are doing no other exercise and once a week if you are. This
exercise will do more for you than the typical 3X/Wk gym-rat routines with
machines. You will burn more fat on this routine than if you ran a treadmill
every day for an hour. Do ladders. This is a training schedule
item, not an equipment description. It works great with pushups and
pull-ups, and you can also try it with that bag of dirt. It works like this.
Do as many repetitions as you can. Rest for a minute. Then, do those
repetitions again, minus 10%. So, it would look like this:
Pushups: 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5.
Pullups: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
After you get to zero, start back up the "ladder." Again:
Pushups: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30.....
Pullups: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6....
Do not do this with sit-ups. The sit-up exercise is a dangerous and useless
exercise that people do for reasons I can't fathom. Take up a new sport, or just try it out.
For example, take a climbing class at a climbing gym. There are no unfit
climbers. Try something invigorating to boost your
sense of physical being. My sister recently went skydiving--this does make
you very aware of physical being! The point here is to break out of your
mental rut so you break out of your physical training rut.
6. Thought for the Day
Every moment you are alive is an opportunity.
Wishing you the best,
Mark Lamendola
Mindconnection
Authorship
The views expressed in this e-newsletter are generally not shared by criminals, zombies, or brainwashed individuals.
Except where noted, this e-newsletter is entirely the work of Mark Lamendola. Anything presented as fact can be independently verified. Often, sources are given; but where not given, they are readily available to anyone who makes the effort.
Mark provides information from either research or his own areas of established expertise. Sometimes, what appears to be a personal opinion is the only possibility when applying sound logic--reason it out before judging! (That said, some personal opinions do appear on occasion).
The purpose of this publication is to inform and empower its readers (and save you money!).
Personal note from Mark: I value each and every one of you, and I hope that shows in the diligent effort I put into writing this e-newsletter. Thank you for being a faithful reader.
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