Saturday, May 30, 2009

Mystery Shopper Tips

Mystery Shoppers Tips


During times of economic stress, many of us are looking for opportunities to make extra money online. One of my good friends, who has been out of work for several months, called me a few days ago to tell me that she had just started as a mystery shopper in our area. My first response was one of concern as I proceeded to lecture her on the pitfalls of the countless scams surrounding mystery shopping. I couldn’t help but pop off a long list of questions. Are you paying anything upfront? Did you get a check for $4134 in the mail? Are you spending your own money? If she hadn’t been talking to me on the phone, she may have slapped me up side the head.

No, she assured me that she had done her research. Being the most organized of all of my friends, she calmly told me that she had found an organization that was legitimate and very highly regarded. Apparently, there is an association online called the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). From the website:

The MSPA is the largest professional trade association dedicated to improving service quality using anonymous resources. With over 150 member companies worldwide, our diverse membership includes marketing research and merchandising companies, private investigation firms, training organizations and companies that specialize in providing mystery shopping services. Our member companies work with their clients to establish mechanisms to measure and improve levels of service.

Mystery shopping is a valuable tool used by some of the largest retailers, restaurants and banks to understand and enhance the experience they provide to customers. However, it is not a quick and easy way to make a large sum of money and receive “freebies.” The MSPA has developed the following tips for those interested in becoming a mystery shopper:

  • Prospective shoppers do not have to pay a fee to become a mystery shopper. Shoppers should be extremely wary of any mystery shopping offer that requests a fee.
  • Visit the MSPA Web site (www.mysteryshop.org/shoppers) for a list of reputable mystery shopping companies and opportunities. Contact the companies directly, not the MSPA, for more information on how to become a shopper.
  • Be patient. It takes time, sometimes months or even longer, to be contacted with an offer to conduct a shopping assignment.
  • Be cautious of opportunities that offer large sums of money for simple tasks like cashing a check or wiring money. A typical mystery shopping evaluation will earn about $8 to $20. If an assignment sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

My friend has been very pleased with the process so far and has agreed to an interview about her experiences which I will post in the near future.

This company requires you to pay for a GOLD MEMBER SPONSOR after you sign up for free - as they claim that the only good jobs are offered to Gold Level - so now instead of that - they have made a DVD for you to become gold level for $99.00 plus s&h.
If you don’t put in for gold status - there are very few jobs. I thought there was a company that did not require you to pay?


Friday, May 29, 2009

Dog Pack Attacks Gator in Florida


Dog Pack Attacks Gator In Florida

At times nature can be cruel, but there is also a raw beauty, and even a certain justice manifested within that cruelty.

The alligator, one of the oldest and ultimate predators, normally considered the "apex predator", can still fall victim to implemented 'team work' strategy, made possible due to the tight knit social structure and "survival of the pack mentality" bred into the canines.

See the remarkable photograph below courtesy of Nature Magazine.




Note that the Alpha dog has a muzzle hold on the gator preventing it from breathing, while another dog has a hold on the tail to keep it from thrashing. The third dog attacks the soft underbelly of the gator.




Not for the squeamish






Laughter is good for the soul. Have a Great Day!





Smile I see you....













Scam letters contain Spyware and Trojan horses

Scam letters contain Spyware and Trojan horses.

Spyware reads all your files, including the files your browsers keep on your hard drive. That means all your files and all your internet activity.

Trojan horses open doors in your firewall, allowing scammers to watch your screen on their computer in real time.

Your passwords, your user names, your entire identity is sold to men and women who pretend to be you to avoid arrest.

Your passwords, your user names, your entire identity is sold over and over and over again around the world to bad, bad people.

They set up accounts in your name. They commit crimes using your name. They establish credit using your name. They enter countries illegally using your name.

They cheat, they steal, they run drugs, they sell guns, they commit fraud, they leave huge debts,

ALL UNDER YOUR NAME.

I urge you to run your anti-spyware and anti-virus programs every day.

Your anti-virus software and spyware program cannot tell ahead of time what malicious devices are going to be created, they can only deal with them AFTER they have hit the Internet and they've had time to develop an eliminator.

I urge you to erase all records of your Internet activity from your hard drive.

Until you do, nothing you do on the Internet is safe from strangers. They know where you go, what you look at, what you say in chat rooms, where and how you log-in to secure sites.

Believe me when I say this:

Being a fraud victim is terrifying!

This has been a message from Annie McGuire, CEO & Founder, Fraud Aid

__________________

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Government Sponsored Free Cell Phones

Free Cell Phones from the government.

Check out this site to see if you qualify for a Free Cell Phone and phone service..
the government is giving these out to those who qualify so check it out.


https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Blackberry Curve Polishes off Apples iPhone sales




Blackberry Curve Polishes Off Apple's iPhone in Sales

in Messaging and Collaboration


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The RIM smartphone overtook the iPhone for the first time in consumer market in the first quarter, slowing Apple’s sales momentum. Curve’s newfound popularity may help solution providers by opening sales and support opportunities.Cisco Systems adds Blackberry support for its unified communications platform.

The shine may have finally come off the Apple iPhone. According to a new report by market research firm NPD, Research In Motion’s Blackberry Curve outsold the iPhone in the consumer market for the first time in the first quarter of 2009.

NPD credits the Curve win with a “buy-one-get-one” promotion by Verizon Wireless, the premier partner for distribution and carrier service. RIM holds three of the top five best selling smartphones, with its Storm placing third and Pearl placing fourth. The T-Mobile G1 is the fifth best seller.

"The more familiar, and less expensive, Curve benefited from these giveaways and was able to leapfrog the iPhone, due to its broader availability on the four major U.S. national carriers," said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis at NPD, in a news release.
The news of outpacing the iPhone is good news for RIM and its partners, since many are expecting Apple to release an enterprise version of the iPhone with its next generation launch expected in July.

Resource Library:

The Curve win and the gaining momentum of RIM’s products is good news for solution and solution providers, who are being courted by cellphone manufacturers to develop new applications to support their devices and end users seeking implementation and support services for smartphones.

In the Channel Insider 2009 Market Pulse Report, solution providers reported that smartphone sales and support were the highest product and service demanded by their customers. End users often don’t have the skills to implement and support multi-user smartphone services, particularly for application management and digital communications such as email.

Today, Cisco Systems announced it was adding Blackberry Mobile Voice System Server (Blackberry MVS) to its Unified Communication Manager, which will give greater management capabilities to enterprise users and extend connectivity to smartphone users.

"BlackBerry Mobile Voice System and Cisco Unified Communications Manager together with BlackBerry Enterprise Server are a powerful combination for unified communications," said Laurent Philonenko, vice president and general manager, Cisco Unified Communications business unit, in a statement. "The integrated solution now enables IT professionals to manage mobile costs by extending corporate voice policy to their mobile devices, while offering BlackBerry users a rich set of familiar enterprise features through the same elegant, user interface of the BlackBerry Smartphone."

The RIM first quarter win may only be temporary, since Apple and Palm are both expected to release new, next generation products this summer. Some analysts and early reviewers have called the Palm Pre an “iPhone killer.” Some observers have said the iPhone will continue to hold consumer attention, but is endanger of being overtaken by rivals’ innovations.

Smartphones continue to gain momentum in the enterprise and consumer markets. According to NPD, 25 percent of the cellular devices in circulation are smartphones, up from 17 percent just a year ago. The increasing demand for smartphones will likely translate into increase sales and support opportunities for solution providers.

Scentsy: The Hottest New Thing in Candles

Need A Candle or Two or a new Decorating Idea check out-

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“Makes Perfect Scents”.
They are pioneering the move away from the smoky, sooty candles of today to safe, healthy, fun and creative ways to bring the scents that make us happy into our lives. They offer over 80 high quality fragrances delivered in a variety of ways. Our flagship product is the Authentic Scentsy Bar, an impressively fragrant wickless candle bar that is warmed in a warmer rather than burned with a flame.

You can buy products, Join the team for extra money, Host a party and have fun..Check it out. ****