Like This? Some People Kept Apart on Facebook, Others Get an Easier Way to Say …
August 3, 2011 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
Image by birgerking via Flickr Dang, social networking has sure changed how we relate to each other doesn’t it? Facebook users, take note. In one state, there’s a kind of friendship that is verboten, but parents-to-be all over the globe can tell their friends the big news in just one convenient click.
In Missouri, a new law rules out students “friending” or following their teachers, and vice versa, on social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, that allow for private communication.
The law makes sense to many, who believe it will help keep the line between the two camps clear, but to some who cite the recent tornadoes in Joplin, for example, the sites can help open the lines of communication. Some of California’s (nanny) state senators might wind up being inspired my Missouri to help us from ourselves online, too…you never know.
Speaking of communicating, if you use Facebook to share with friends, relatives, co-workers, and acquaintances details of your life like who your family members are, you can now use that same profile feature to tell everyone you know (on Facebook) that you are about to be a mom or a dad–and you can even plug in the baby-to-be’s name. “The social networking site recently added ‘Expected: Child’ to its list of friends and family tags,” explains the L.A. Times.
So is this tacky? It’s certainly one way to get the news out, and if you use Facebook and are of a certain age and demographic, you might find more and more friends using the site to post “we’re expecting!” statuses or updating their profile photo to that of an ultrasound.
The drawbacks to posting about a pregnancy are multifold, particularly for some women, who may suffer complications or miscarriage, and for friends who might be a little miffed you didn’t pick up the phone or meet them for (decaf) coffee to share the news in a more intimate way. Having seen some friends go through the loss of a pregnancy, though, some may take comfort in having the built-in support network the site can provide.
The fact that you can use a tool built-in to the site to share the news of the impending pitter patter of little feet isn’t such an offensive concept, but, as PC World points out, the grammar is:
Why the colon? The usage of a colon in that context usually means you get another blank spot to fill in more information, like “Expected: Hangover” or “Expected: Cat named Professor Wiggles.”
However, they add, this could be a catalyst for more progressive profile-ing ahead:
If Facebook goes full-throttle and allows users to customize their profiles in that fashion — like they added civil unions and domestic partnerships to their relationship statuses — maybe it will truly be a better place to meet friends and self-express.
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Police Offer Tips To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
August 3, 2011 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
Identity theft and fraud incidents are increasing in the area, according to Newtown Township police.
“The cases of identity theft are increasing all the time,” said Sgt. Christopher Lunn. “It is a crime that is very difficult to prosecute because most of the time it is done over a computer or in a different state than where the victim lives.”
According to Lunn, the police department has received several complaints in the last few weeks from residents who were reporting incidents of identity theft.
Lunn said those incidents have included bank accounts being accessed and money withdrawn by unauthorized people and credit cards accounts being accessed and used to make unauthorized purchases.
“The residents who reported their credit card accounts being accessed also reported that they were still in possession of their credit cards,” said Lunn.
Follow some of these simple steps that Lunn offers to help protect yourself against identity theft:
1. Secure birth certificates, social security cards, passports, and credit cards (when not in use) in a safe deposit box or in a safe hidden at home.
2. Beware of seemingly innocent personal facts that you post online. For example, never list your full date of birth or even correct date of birth on Facebook or any other social networking website. And don’t list your home address or telephone number on any website you use for personal or business reasons, including job search sites.
3. Follow your credit card billing cycles closely. Check your statements for suspicious charges. Watch for charges of less than a dollar or two from unfamiliar companies or individuals. These could be “test” charges to make sure the account is active before a theft makes a large charge on your account. If a credit card or other bill hasn’t arrived, it may mean that an identity theft has gotten hold of your account and changed your billing address.
4. If an ATM or store terminal looks funny, don’t use it. As a general rule, the mouth of a card receptacle on an ATM machine should be flush with the machine or have a very slight lip. If it looks or feels different when you swipe your card, or has an extra piece of plastic sticking out from the card slot, it may be a skimmer, an electronic device placed there by thieves that captures your credit card information when you swipe your card.
5. Check your credit report annually. You are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report. To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5281.