I Don't Like 'Like'

If you are not a Facebook user then you are not familiar with the Like symbol. If you read something about a place/person/company and, often, to get more information the simplest way to do it is to click the Like button. That takes you to your Facebook log in page. Once you log in and Like the place/person/company, you are now attached to it.

That means every time there is a comment made on that site, it shows up on your Home page. What a great way to clutter up my Home page!!!!!

Yes, I know I can Unlike them. But I find that annoying to. It's kind of like (actually it is exactly like) getting a free sample for only shipping and handling and then they keep sending you product, and billing your credit card, unless you call and tell them to stop.

I guess it is a great marketing tool for most companies. For me, if I have to Like a company to get the information I want, I simply don't.

Credit Card Denied on Technology Purchase?

Whenever we travel internationally we call the banks of any credit cards we will be taking with us. We inform them of our travel dates and the countries we will be visiting.

We do not do this when we travel domestically and with all of our travels throughout the United States we have never had a problem.

Then we were talking with friends who visited Florida and needed to buy a laptop. While at Best Buy, their credit card was denied. It immediately hit me that the problem arose because they were buying an expensive piece of technology.

They tried another card and that was also denied. A friend with them tried his card and that too was denied.

Apparently, once a purchase gets flagged, any credit card used to try and make the purchase will be denied. All three banks had to be called to free up the cards.

Moral:
If a credit card is denied on a purchase, call the card bank immediately. Do not try other cards and put those out-of-order also.
And maybe it's just not such a bad idea to call the card bank whenever you travel out of your home area.....

Online Security Questions - Do You Remember All The Answers?

Friend of mine was in Australia and went to get onto her gmail account. Gmail asked for the answers to her security questions because she was signing on from a different country. She appreciated the added security and had no problem accessing her account.

But how many of us remember the answers to our security questions. I was born in New York City. I never remember if I answer the question Where Were You Born as New York, New York City or NYC. So I ran into problems a few times until I was casually speaking with a representative of my credit union.

She said (duh!) it doesn't matter what I give as the answers to my three security questions. The only point is that if I am asked for the answers, I enter the same text as I entered when first setting it up. In fact, the answers to all three questions could be the same word(s).

I have now chosen one easy-to-remember word. It is the answer to all of my security questions. Not very secure? I guess. But at least this way I know I can get into an account if/when I have to.

The Ultimate Gift for Valentine’s Day

With red the color of Valentine’s Day what could be a better gift for your best girl than the ghd Scarlet Collection. This is a new and limited edition of the ghd Gold Classic styler, transformed with bold red accents and celebrating the glamour and glitz of the 1920s – this winter’s alluring and enchanting trend. Inspired by the loud and wild roaring 20’s, the new slick ghd flat irons styler offers women the opportunity to create the most alluring look of the decade and is available as two luxurious gift set options.

Available for a limited time, the two limited editions are presented in an indulgent art deco gift set. The Scarlet Collection includes a beautiful heat resistant red satin styler roll bag, holding perfectly the limited edition red plated stylers, 2 sectioning clips and a protective plate guard.

For the frequent traveler, the Scarlet Collection Deluxe includes a compact ghd travel hair dryer and styler clutch bag, both encased in a deep red vanity case – definitely making it a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your girl on the go.

A Caring Valentine's Day Gift

It can be hard finding the perfect Valentine's Day gift, especially if you have been with your special other for a long time. So instead of that box of candy or bouquet of flowers, consider a caring gift such as Valentine’s Day glasses. Zenni Optical has beautiful glasses that can be perfect for a Valentine’s Day gift. A gift of eyeglasses is not only thoughtful and caring but also something your loved one can use every day.

At Zenni Optical you can find the perfect pair that is both stylish and affordable. As the #1 online eyeglass site, Zenni Optical offers $6.95 prescription eyeglasses. These high quality glasses are made available at unbelievably low prices. One of Zenni Optical’s sources of pride is being able to provide these extremely high quality glasses at prices anyone can afford.

Included in the price of all Zenni Optical glasses are anti-scratch coating, full UV protection, a protective case and a microfiber cleaning cloth. Shipping for entire order is only $4.95 and is free for orders over $50.00. Progressives are available from $28.90 and bifocals from $23.95. Both premium anti-glare and sunglass tint are only $4.95 each.

With an easy to use website and quick turnaround time, think about Zenni Optical this Valentine’s Day.

Customize a Family Cookbook

I think this is such a cool idea. Do you have a bunch of recipes that are family favorites, recipes you'd like to be able to pass along to other family members? Well, here's your chance to do it in a beautiful published cookbook format. What a great gift this would make!

50% Discount on Pexagon Technology

Looking for personalized technology and technology accessories? How about your own unique iPhone case? Flash drives with your company's logo on it? If you are looking to customize your school, company or government office technology, Pexagon Technology is the place to shop.

Express Scripts Inc. Nixes Walgreens

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Just been made aware that  Walgreens and Express Scripts have gone separate ways and through no fault of Walgreens. I decided to read a bit deeper into what occurred because my dad was a veteran and during his last years I was handling his legal paperwork, including medical claims. As a veteran he had TriCare, the defense department’s pharmacy benefit. This was administered by Express Scripts which meant I had personal dealings with them.



Based upon what I read, our current military personnel, plus our veterans, will no longer be able to use Walgreens to fill their prescriptions. So how did this happen? Digging deeper I found that Express Scripts wanted a contract that not only gave it more control over defining what is and is not a generic but would also reimburse Walgreens at a lower rate than the national average.



If you have been a Walgreens and Express Scripts client and want to be able to still use Walgreens to fill your prescriptions, make your voice heard. Contact your local media. Support Walgreens by liking  Walgreens on Facebook and follow Walgreens on Twitter. In the meantime, save money on your prescriptions by taking advantage of a special annual membership discount on the  Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens .

Movie Sword-Fight Master

I just read the obituary of Bob Anderson who was the master of many movie sword fights. He was 89 and had been an Olympian and movie sword master, not only staging many sword duels but sometimes stepping into the roll.

Who knew that he became Darth Vader? Apparently not very many people. He worked for over five decades, with actors from Errol Flynn to Antonio Banderas.

He was 89 when he died and seems like he will sorely be missed.

(For the full story, click the link above.)

Review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I went to see the American version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I have read all the books in the series. Rented through Netflix, I've also watched all three of the Swedish movies.

I thought the Swedish movies were fantastic. We watched it with English subtitles rather than the dubbed version. (I tend to find dubbed versions distracting as I watch the movie and the words don't match the lips.) Watching it on DVD at home gave us the ability, of course, to go back if we missed a few words. Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace are fantastic. Noomi, in my opinion, became Lisbeth. The movies closely followed the books and, I expected, would be a tough act to follow.

So I went to see TGWTDT with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara and, in my opinion, it did not live up to the hype. Side stories that were ignored in the Swedish version, such as Mikael's relationship with his editor, were given time in this version and, to me, distracted from the main plot. The ending was changed in the search for the missing Harriet, an ending I thought was particularly touching in the book and, of course, the Swedish version.

BTW, if you go to see this new version, be prepared for extremely 'dark' titles. Certainly meant to set the tone of the movie, I found them unsettling and closed my eyes until the movie started. Might seem strange considering what goes on in the plot. That gives you an idea how dark it really is.

Long story, short version: If you loved the books, watch the Swedish movies and skip the Craig/Mara version.