Handy Halloween and Harvest Celebration Hints and Helps

Photo by Kerry A. Adamo
With Halloween just around the corner, it seems fitting to do a post about some great, fun, and unique Halloween and Harvest (Non-Halloween) ideas.

RECIPES and PARTY IDEAS
Fun, creative, and original recipes and ideas for a fun Halloween Party or Trunk-or-Treat event.

Recipes From Betty Crocker Online

Recipes From Better Homes and Gardens Online

Halloween Entertaining

Party Ideas

Trunk or Treat Ideas

Planning a Trunk or Treat Event

COSTUMES
Homemade costume ideas for kids, adults, and pets which are quick, cheap, easy, and creative.

Cheap, Easy, and Quick Homemade Costume Ideas

Indexed Gallery with TONS of Homemade Costume Ideas (photos)

Fun Kids Costumes with Instructions

DECORATING
Fun ideas for clever indoor and outdoor decorating.

Outdoor Halloween Decorating Ideas

Decorating with Landscaping and Natural Elements

Decorating Basics

Make Realistic Looking Tombstones

Make Creepy Dummy Props

How to Make ‘Shrunken Heads’

Guides to ‘FOG’

Guides to multiple decorating props and ideas

Spook Alley Special Effects

HALLOWEEN SAFETY
Safety first! Or, as is commonly quoted, “It’s all fun and games ‘til someone loses an eye”. Let’s be careful out there, folks! (to paraphrase Hill Street Blues)

LA Fire Dept. Safety Tip List

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Safety Tips

American Red Cross Safety Tips

US Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Tips and Warnings

MISCELLANEOUS
An assortment of other Halloween ideas, helps, and tips.

Free Animated Halloween Ecards: Customizable. Can use pre-recorded message or record your own.

Pumpkin Carving Ideas, Tips, Helps

Free Printable Pumpkin Carving Patterns/Stencils

Pumpkin Decorating

Crafts

History Channel: Origins of Halloween and More

ALTERNATIVES TO HALLOWEEN (for the Anti-Halloween Crowd)
There is much debate amongst many Christians over the propriety of celebrating what began as a Pagan ritual. With so much focus being on things dark and evil in nature, a movement is in progress to find alternatives to traditional Halloween festivities and themes.

Alternatives ideas for Halloween: Celebrate Fall

Five Fun Alternatives for Halloween

Harvest Celebrations Instead of Halloween (Ideas)

European Alternatives

Christian Celebrating Ideas (NOTE: I am in no way affiliated with this site)

Whatever you decide to do or not do, please be safe and have fun!

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Texting is NOT Safer

Photo by Chance Agrella
Texting is NOT safer than talking on a cellular phone while driving.

You may ask,'Do we really need to tell people this?'

The answer is a clear and resounding 'YES' based upon an experience I recently had. For about one mile I was driving behind a young man who was, indeed, texting while (instead of, really) driving.

Clearly, he felt one hand on the steering wheel and one foot switching spontaneously between hard on the gas and hard on the brake was all he needed in order to drive.

His head was pointed downward, as he looked at his cell phone while he used his other hand to simultaneously hold the cell phone and type out text messages.

He made sure to explore every inch of the road with his car along the way. Hey, that oncoming lane must have looked really good to him, too, because it got a good portion of his wheel wear-n-tear.

Sudden stops in the middle of the road, random sharp swerving, and sudden full-gas peel-outs were only part of the entertainment the rest of us on the road got to endure. . .I mean, enjoy. . . along the way.

The fact it would not be safe to text and drive should be a matter of common sense. However, don't take my word for it. This KCTV-5 video report with a demonstration illustrates the dangers.

Want more proof? Try these reports about accidents, most of which include fatalities:

Santa Maria Crash - 63 yr old injured

Colorado Crash - Bicyclist Killed

Teen Driver and 4 Passengers Killed in New York: Was Texting to Blame?

64 year old killed - 19 year old sent to prison

Two Killed in Arizona Crash: Teens Weigh In

What can be done about it:

States Seek Ban on Texting and Driving

Consumer Reports Poll, Data, and State Bans

Teen Driving Seminars -Suggestions for Parents

Since it has not eliminated people talking on their cell phones while driving, I wonder how much good it will do to pass such a law. I think it is a good move, but I think parents taking more control over their teens, cell phones, and driving privileges is needed to work in conjunction with such laws.

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Which Presidential Candidate is Compatible with Your Beliefs?

Photo by Chance Agrella
Once again an online test has been constructed which is supposed to help users quickly determine which presidential candidate is most compatible with their own views and beliefs. This is based upon the user’s answer selections and the candidates stated views, which may vary widely from their actual voting or practice behaviors/track record.

At the very least, with it narrowed down, it will be easier to focus on one or two candidates and research the real deal behind their campaign before actually voting for them.

15 questions are presented and users rate them by importance according to their own belief system.

To take the test from Minnesota Public Radio, click HERE

I took the test myself, and while many of the candidates were unknown to me, the major players ended up in the actual order in which I had already personally ranked them. That was comforting to me, in some weird way.

While I don’t think those lesser known ones have a real chance of winning, I am now interested in learning more about them, as several of them beat out all of the major players, in my results.

Want some unbiased info about the candidates? Here are some links to check out:

Your Next President

Person Not Party

Vote Smart (click on the candidate’s name, then their bio or voting record, etc. This site is a work in progress)

On The Issues (click on the candidate's name to get the scoop on their stand on various issues)

Open Congress (you can track issues, congressional voting records, and more)

Most importantly, please learn the issues, the real deal about the candidates, and vote. We have no right to complain when we have done nothing to improve things for ourselves. Every vote can make a difference, as previous elections have shown.

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Where to Find Business Grants

Photo by Chance Agrella
People have made a living off selling supposed ‘secret’ information on where to find money from the government. The books I once bought on the subject were a joke. Much of the information was outdated and/or too vague to be of any help.

The technology available to the average consumer today allows for individuals to find their own grant money information with relatively little effort.

Small Business Grants and Information
One of the first places to look is at the US government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) website. They do not give out grants, but they do give great information and links regarding how to locate funding for business. They offer a limited number of special purpose loans to businesses for things such as disaster recovery. Their Grants page is loaded with links to extensive grant information, grant sources, and grant writing tips.

Individual States offer programs designed to help promote business growth and revenue for their state. About.Com’s USGOV Info/Resources section offers a state-by-state listing of where to find business grants and resources. I don’t know how often the links are checked or updated, but a quick email to the guide for that section should elicit further help.

Also in that same section is a page dedicated to sources of funding which is not a government grant. The statement is made that most people don’t really need a grant, but other available assistance. A link if available to a page which explains what is involved in obtaining Federal Grant money . . . and the reasoning behind their statement that most would be better served with other forms of assistance.

The Small Business Center has a lot of information and links about various loan and grant programs, along with tips for applying.

General information about small business grants is also available in a different section of about.com: in their small business section.

The Idea Café website has a link for more information about grants, and also offers some grants of their own for small businesses. A wide variety of other business information is also available from their site.

Specialty Grants: Business Grants for Women
There are multiple sources of grant monies for women. A few links regarding such are:

Home Biz Tools.Com

Web Momz.Com

Women’s Business Grants

Woman Owned.Com

Specialty Grants: Business Grants for Other Groups

Grants for Disabled, Veterans, Single Moms, Ethnic Groups

Grants and Loans for Minorities

Your local state vocational rehabilitation program or welfare program may also have limited funds available to help those in need begin or expand their business, under certain circumstances. Call them for more information.

For information about how to start your own business, click HERE.

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Shame on You Mutts and Moms: An Open Letter

Dear Mutts and Moms;

While I applaud your vision of placing unwanted dogs into good homes, I most seriously question not only your judgment, but also where your true commitment lies.

When Ms. DeGeneres adopted Iggy, she did indeed sign an agreement to return the animal should she at some point in time no longer be able to keep him. It is understandable in this day and age that while consumers are strongly and repeatedly urged to carefully read everything before they sign, they do not . . .or they simply forget all of the fine print which they have agreed to, especially when a plethora of forms and contracts are being thrust at them regularly.

Due to conflicts between Iggy and her current animals, Ms. DeGeneres found a loving home for Iggy. I am sure she did not realize at the time she was in violation of her agreement with you, and felt she was acting in the best interest of Iggy; which was, in the spirit and nature of the agreement she signed with you, what she had agreed to do.

When you called about Iggy, she honestly told you the responsible action she had taken to provide a good and loving home for the animal. At this point you had several options. You chose the most inhumane and bureaucratically flawed one.

You could have explained to her the situation, and reminded her of the agreement. You could have asked, if the new family agreed to it, to screen them as you do all prospective adoptive families, while Iggy remained with them. As a consequence for her failure to follow the agreement she signed with you, you could have asked her to pay for all associated costs of the additional paperwork, time, and adoption fees/screening involved with approving the new family. They were innocent in all this and took the animal at no cost to themselves: why should they be hit with the expense? Plus, facing that or the alternative, I am quite sure Ms. Degeneres would have happily paid the costs.

In addition, not only would Iggy be with the family he was happy with; not only would 'justice' have been satisfied by Ms. DeGeneres paying the costs; but the family you have now placed Iggy with would have been free to adopt another animal. The result would be TWO animals having good homes, not just one.

You would have also gathered all the necessary paperwork to satisfy your rules about screening families for the animals. This would protect you from any false claims of favoritism for celebrities, breaking your own rules, etc. It would have shown you as humane and more concerned with the welfare of the animal than technicalities.

What you have done instead is shot yourself in your own foot. So caught up in your own bureaucratic red tape have you become, that you have totally lost sight of your original vision of placing ALL these dogs in your care with good families. Isn't that the spirit of your rules and fine print: to ensure the animals good homes?

You have added to Iggy's stress which is NOT what an 'animal protection' agency is supposed to do. You have cost an animal in need of a home, a slot in a good home by filling the one Iggy is in with Iggy, instead of another animal. You have broken the hearts of a great family who were providing a great home for Iggy, and you have elicited much negative press for yourselves. The new family which has Iggy now also has stress and potential heartbreak looming as well.

It would have been so simple to act in the best interest of the animal and create a win-win situation for everyone, which is what my above suggestion was. You would have been completely following the spirit of your own guidelines. Everyone would have walked away happy and satisfied; and I am sure that approach would have elicited some great word of mouth publicity for you, at the very least.

Instead, your ignorance and bureaucracy have shamed you and all you supposedly stand for.

Now, by virtue of all of this, you have most likely cost yourselves some future support, and cost the animals in your care some future good homes. You had the chance and the choice to do right by everyone involved. You chose not to.

Shame, shame, shame on you.

Sincerely,

Daniella Nicole: animal lover and disgusted bystander.

**NOTE: I have every intention of getting this letter delivered to Mutts and Moms by whatever means I am able to. Their website and email has been temporarily shut-down due to the overwhelming outpouring of communication this issue has generated.

However, I was able to refer this letter to Ms DeGeneres via her show website contact form.

SOURCES:

"Ellen's Plea for Iggy" The Baltimore Sun

Statement from Petfinder.Com regarding Mutts and Moms contact website/email.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show (updates)



The Ellen DeGeneres Show Video Clip with Her Tearful Plea:
Video from Youtube user Kristinaxo

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“The Right to Food” World Food Day 2007

Photo by Kerry A. Adamo
Each year, October 16th is celebrated as World Food Day. The history of this day is revealed in the United Nations (UN) website:

“World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945.”

The 2007 World Food Day theme is ‘The Right to Food’. The Food and Agriculture Organization website explains this choice as follows:

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 first recognized the right to food as a human right. It was then incorporated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 11) adopted in 1966 and ratified by 156 states, which are today legally bound by its provisions.”

In honor of World Food Day, a teleconference will be conducted from noon to three pm, eastern time (USA), in which the environment and its role in world hunger will be discussed, along with ideas for change. More information may be obtained at the USA version of the world food day website.

For more information and background, please check the following links:

World Food Day official organization website

World Food Day official USA website

Glabalicious World Food Day Video

UNICEF world food day (2006) Video

video from Youtube user environmentalist21

What do YOU think can be done to end world hunger?

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Thank you.

Want to Start Your Own Business?

Photo by Heather Shelley
As an entrepreneur, I can say with some authority that there is a LOT to know before jumping into the world of self-employment/business ownership. However, this is a good thing.

Being prepared, and doing this advance planning and research helps prevent costly mistakes, and increases your chances for success. Most businesses fail within the first year of startup. If you want to avoid being another of those statistics, take some time to get all your facts and figures in order.

A few basic things to do before starting a business:

1-Write a business plan. It doesn't have to be extensive or lengthy, but going through the process of completing one will help you to think of things you had not, and will set you up to be largely prepared should you need to apply for financial aid (loans or grants). The things you need to know to complete a business plan are also the things you need to know in order to obtain financing.

2-Licensing and Laws. It cannot be stressed enough that you must check all local, state, and federal licensing and tax laws which apply to you and your particular business venture. Be sure to strictly adhere to them all or be prepared to face hefty fines and penalties. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse they will look mercifully upon or will accept.

3-Know your market. Knowing who your particular market is will help you determine how to advertise, and what your odds for success are. The market may already be flooded with a similar product or service. What will you do to make your business stand out from the rest and be more desirable to your customers or client-base? Be prepared to refine your plan or come up with a new one should this be the case.

4-Resume, Cover Letter, Credentials. Update your resume and credentials. Learn how to write a killer resume and cover letter. You will need these as part of your business plan, and for any application for financing. Also, if you are providing a service, you may need these in order to obtain clients.

5-'It takes money to make money'. Yup, it does. It may not need to take a lot of money, but there will most definitely have to be some capital invested in order to start a business. Advertising and licensing are just two of the costs involved.

6-Blood, Sweat, and Tears. It takes a lot of long hours and a great deal of work to make a success of a business. Starting your own business commonly requires a much larger commitment than a typical 9-to-5 or 40-hour work week would. Learning to find balance with work and your personal life will be crucial so you don't burn yourself out. Also, learning how to say 'no' in business and in your personal life will be a skill you will want to master quickly, so others do not burn you out.

The following links are just a few of the sources available that may offer some great information to start with in your quest to be a business owner:

This page on The Denver Channel 7 News website offers many links to articles, resources, and videos all related to starting your own business.

The Small Business Administration is a governmental agency set up specifically to help small businesses. A plethora of information may be found at this website and through this free governmental service. One section is all about business plans.

The business section of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website can offer a great deal of needed info regarding starting and running your business. A toll-free number is available if you need more help and information.

Entrepreneur.com has a lot of great information, articles, forums, and resources for starting a running a business. Great place to get info about the latest trends in business and business technology.

MyOwnBusiness.Org is a non-profit entity which offers many free services and information. Some, such as certification and their textbook is available for a small fee. However, it is free to take the course, which is helpful in guiding you through the business start-up process. Writing business plans is covered in the free coursework. The costs involved with utilizing the paid features of this site may be tax-deductible. Consult your tax professional for more information.

This site is mostly about selling the software which has many features and information you can find for free online and from other sources. It does have free information and interactive features on the site you may need to write your business plan and start your business. One is a cost calculator for determining your start up costs.

Nolo.com is renowned for offering great legal information, and has a section devoted to starting a business. Also on their site is information about patent law and other laws business owners may need.

An article about the home office deduction may be found here. Claiming the home office deduction may not be the best idea for everyone or in every situation.

One Final Thought:

Be sure to do online searches for forums and websites specifically for your particular business or product. For example, someone offering virtual assisting services would search for virtual assistant job boards to get clients and projects; and also search out other sites offering information for that particular business.

Want some leads for where to find business grants? Click HERE.

Good luck! And please let me know how this information worked for you. Please add any additional information or resource links which you have found helpful.

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