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JMark Afghans' Website Forms
Dear Readers:
I need your help.
As I have mentioned before, we changed webhosts and had some problems with our forms. I believed that everything was fixed - the subscription form works and the information request form works. (I know, because someone has been regularly spamming both forms!)
However, there is another form that may not be working. I've been getting blank messages, supposedly sent from a form on the website.
We offer a
Reminder Service ~~ give us a list of your most-often-forgotten occasions and we'll send you timely reminders, along with (if you like) appropriate gift suggestions. This, being the only other form I can think of on the site, may be the one that has a problem. And I am looking into it.
If you use this form - or any of our forms - and don't receive a confirmation email from me, would you please
let me know?
Thank you for your help.
And - to the spammers - please get a life!
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Blog Photos
As an active blogger, sometimes I really need a picture to break up the stream-of-consciousness writing in a post. You know what I mean - the perfect
blog photo to create or enhance a mood or a thought.
Until recently, I had to already have the picture or stop what I was doing to hunt down what I wanted, save it to my computer, modify the size or quality, and upload it to my website. Then, I could - finally - add it to my post. Only to find out that the site where I found it didn't have the legal right to distribute the image and it had to come down.
At that point, the entire thought process was interrupted, at best; totally lost, at worst. Not even remotely a practical way to work. (And, make no mistake, some days blogging is a lot of work.)
Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels the need to streamline this process, because there is a site that has done all of the hard work for us happy bloggers. Just find the picture you want, copy, and paste. Voila!
Just look at these pictures! Aren't they amazing!? Even if I could take images of this quality - I don't exactly have access to polar bears in Arizona. Nor am I guaranteed flamboyant sunsets when I need them. Why try to do it all myself, when I can take advantage of someone else's skills?
I just did a quick browse on topics that I like - landscapes and animals - found the pictures that appealed to me; selected the alignment I wanted (left or right); picked an appropriate size; and clicked for the code. A quick Ctrl-V and the photo was added to this post.
Now, without further ado, I have three great pictures! And . . . it actually took less time to do it than it did to describe it.
Need great pictures for your site, blog, or webpage?
Acobox.com has them!
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Veterinary Emergency Fund Mission
As a pet owner, okay as a person owned by a pet, I live in fear that my baby will have an emergency that I cannot afford. (Given that I can only occasionally afford food, this is a pretty safe assumption.)
Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission
If your pet had an emergency, would you be able to pay for it? Veterinary emergency care can be very costly and most emergency hospitals require payment up front. Lack of sufficient funds can leave an owner faced with euthanasia for a beloved companion. The Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission (VEFM) helps locate these funds.
A
'friend' of mine, with years of veterinary experience, understands the fear that many of us face. In 2004, our cat 'Bear' developed a bowel blockage that eventually, painfully, killed him. If we had been able to have him fixed, we would have reduced the probability that he would develop this condition.
If you need help - or if you can help - please visit
VEFM.org.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Research Diet Pills
Recently, I posted about websites touting diet pills and the questionable information that some of them offer. If you missed the post, my biggest gripe - and major concern - is the sites that say "you should take diet pills" without also recommending consultation with a physician.
I'd like to tell you about a site that discusses safety, testimonials, money-back guarantees, weight loss potential, and overall value. There's a
best diet pill page that covers all of these issues, by product. It is better than a number of other sites. But . . .
Like many people, I have an issue with any item that has a name similar to
Anorexia or that contains any of the
phen... ingredients. The links to product sites provide rather frightening claims and statistics.
One claims that a user lost 12 pounds in 72 hours - an extremely (if true) unhealthy weight loss. Generally, losses in that range are mostly water, but - given my experience with diuretics - it is still far too much, far too quickly. If the balance isn't right, the body can suffer severe potassium / sodium imbalances.
Another touts its primary ingredient as a mood enhancer and appetite suppressant, that is legal - as of right now. Not the most encouraging recommendation in my book.
Be careful! Five years ago, I almost lost Mark to excessive weight loss due to overprescribed diuretics.
And, please, understand that healthy weight loss - as described by most physicians - does not exceed 2 pounds per week. If you need or want to lose more than that - please consult a physician.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Plantar Fasciitis
If you're like me, the first time you heard of
Plantar Fasciitis was in one of several really odd scenes from
"The In-laws". In a nutshell: To escape a murderous criminal, Albert Brooks' character - a mild-mannered podiatrist - grabs and applies pressure to the heel of the bad guy (who suffers from Plantar Fasciitis), effectively bringing him to his knees in excruciating pain.
Okay, it was a really bad movie; no question. But it did make me curious about this condition. Oddly enough, I think that I had a minor case in my youth - standing for hours on concrete floors for different jobs and wearing extreme heels - I developed an incredibly painful foot condition in the heel and arch area of both feet. Some of the products I've seen online look as though they would have helped me a great deal.
One of the things I had to do, frequently, was hyperextend the front of my foot in order to relieve the tension and pain at the heel. I see that there are a number of splints available that do the exact same thing, allowing the sufferer to relax and sleep. It's difficult to rest when you're trying to keep a foot (or both feet) flexed.
It doesn't really matter where we learn, as long as we learn.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Weight Loss Advice
I've been writing about
weight loss pills quite a bit lately. In the beginning, because I was researching ways to lose weight. More recently, because I found that there are some questionable sites out there, masquerading as help.
My suggestion would be to read - carefully - the information provided on any website. Ideally, it should be objective and unbiased. For me, alarms go off when I read recommendations that people of a certain weight
should take weight loss pills. Many times this advice isn't coming from medical professionals; nor does it include advice to consult with a physician before starting any drastic weight loss program.
The sites that say -
This is what this pill claims. This is what it contains. This is what customers have experienced. These are the known side effects and risks. - give me confidence that they aren't trying to push me in any particular direction.
Any site which states, for example, that
you should take Hoodia - without any additional information on contraindications and the need for medical consultations isn't doing their job. Individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, a bleeding or clotting disorder, or an eating disorder are
strongly advised to see their physician
before taking this supplement.
Any site which insists broadly "our products work" - strikes me as less than honest and reliable. Many items do work, for some people; many items don't work, for some people. If the site that you're exploring doesn't mention that - clearly and plainly - question their motives.
Me? I'm taking a good long look at my diet and activity levels. Still haven't found a pill that doesn't make me a little nervous.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
GoDaddy.com
If you've been following this blog, you know that I recently changed webhosts. There was a brief adjustment period where I had to learn how to make my forms and pages work with the new host. I'm still learning - or should I say, unlearning.
But, minor disconnects notwithstanding, I am much happier with
GoDaddy.com than I was with my previous host.
For a number of reasons:
I don't have to use a stand-alone FTP program to manage my files and folders. GoDaddy provides a good one with my account. And, unlike many other programs, I can move files from Folder A on my hard drive to Folder B on my website, without having to change global settings. Most of the time, I need to upload/download to the same folder name. But when I want to move the files within non-matching folders, I can - easily.
GoDaddy allows me to specify which folders are visible and accessible on the Internet. If someone goes looking at my directories, they can only see what I want them to see. There's even an option to password protect those directories, for further security against outside changes. Gotta love that!
My account email options are huge! I can have a slew of domain-related email addresses
and specify how messages are routed. For example, if someone sends an email to customer_service@jmarkafghans.com, which doesn't actually exist, I can have the email routed to customerservice@jmarkafghans.com
and send an automated response to the sender that alerts them to the correct address. Once it's set up, I don't have to bother with it again.
Another goodie that I just love - Google Webmaster Tools are included. Now, I don't have to use separate software and login to generate sitemaps and update Google on my site content. I'm lazy - this is great!
Probably the best thing about my new webhost is the price and flexible payment options. With my previous host, I couldn't pay early; I couldn't pay for 2 or more months at a time, if I wanted to; and I payed more per month for the inconvenience.
GoDaddy.com has a variety of packages for individuals and businesses, at highly competitive rates. And - right now - you can even save $5.00 !
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Rearranging the 'Furniture'
Well, it's Fall and I've got the urge to rearrange, redo, and clean-up. Since we have absolutely no room to change where the furniture goes, I started looking at webpages.
It all began with a music playlist on
our MySpace page. The silly thing took forever to load and then - much to my dismay - listed the same song 5 times, instead of listing the 5 songs I'd chosen. While I was fixing that problem, I started looking at the format - which hasn't been updated in forever. Unfortunately, I lost the contact tables that I had on the old page. But I do like the new look.
As I was cleaning and sprucing up the MySpace page, I ran across a template for
Random Musings that I'd started a while back, but never implemented because IE doesn't play nice. Flushed with confidence from MySpace, I decided to update this blog format. Foolish, foolish woman!
The Firefox version was, pretty much, a piece of cake. And I was congratulating myself when I realized that IE is never that easy. Sure enough - my little rearranging project turned into a serious remodel. It's done now, but until I develop magical powers - I am not messing with multiple columns . . .
ever, ever again! (lol)
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
It Appears to Be Over
It appears that the West Coast just put Obama into the White House.
MSNBC projects Obama 284 / McCain 146 - at 9:00pm AST (GMT -7:00)
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
New Partners-In-Shopping!
With the holidays approaching, we can all use new ideas for gifts. Whether it's goodies for a new smartphone, those favorite CDs and DVDs, or the latest in inspirational reading ~ we've got it!
Please welcome our newest
'Shopping Partners' ~
Handango, Inc. offers over 75,000 mobile software and game titles ~ including dictionaries, eBooks, GPS utilities, and smartphone software for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm, T-Mobile G1, and Symbian devices.
Simply select your phone and start browsing!
f.y.e. has all of your entertainment needs ~ music, movies, and games. New and used, as well as a variety of media storage. Enter to win a Sony Playstation or autographed guitar. Or get a Backstage Pass for even more savings ~ including 20% off on Your Birthday!
Hay House has what you need, whether you're interested in self-improvement, life inspiration, health and healing, spirituality, astrology, or even feng shui. No time to sit and read? Download your favorites to your iPhone, or any of 500 compatible devices.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Logging On and Off . . .
And on and off . . . and -- Well, you get the idea.
If you've noticed us logging on and off lately, don't worry. We aren't nuts, just limited by our wireless connection.
Our apartment complex supplies our internet service, but there's a lot of noise in the connection. Just when I thought I was cruising along, the signal disappeared.
I always wondered when I saw notices in the lower corner of my screen of friends going online and offline. Now I know.
They have iffy signals, too.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Blog Action Day 08 - Poverty
If you have a blog, this is a wonderful use of your time and energy. I participated last year and am excited about posting again this year.
This is a perfect opportunity to share with your readers - what you know, how you help, and what they can do. There is no single way or perfect answer. Together all things are possible.
One huge misconception is that it takes legislators and laws to make a difference. Another is that it takes huge amounts of money to have an impact. The truth is much simpler.
On October 15th, join thousands of bloggers, and tens of thousands of their readers, in bringing the issue of poverty - in your country and around the world - to the forefront.
Read and write about truths, myths, and ideas. Contribute your energy and, if you can, more.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Wilmington Real Estate
The housing / mortgage crunch notwithstanding, I can't help house-hunting. Some day we will be moving and it's important to know what's available and where and at what price.
With the kids gone, we have the luxury of looking everywhere and anywhere. Today, I found an interesting site for
Wilmington NC real estate. I really liked some of the options.
For example, there is a small community north of Wilmington. The zip code only has about 4,000 people. Just what we've been looking for. And the housing prices are pretty nice, too.
For $112,000, we could get a 1,700+ square feet, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom on 1.2 acres. Now that's affordable!
Granted, we'd have to be closer to a VA hospital and the climate would be seriously hard on Mark's lungs. But I have to admit, it's a good start to the hunt.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Safety Products
During a web search for something totally unrelated, I ran across a website for
self defense products. Honestly? Most of them scare me. Mace, pepper spray, and stun guns - I just don't like the idea.
Not all self-protection items involve pseudo-weapons, though. There are motion sensors, alarmed doorstops, and - my personal favorites - diversion safes.
You've seen them. They look like rocks and soda cans (and more), but they hold cash or other valuables - hiding them in plain sight. What burglar is going to take the time to go through every can in the pantry or refrigerator? Especially if a motion detector started screeching the minute they tried to open the door.
Best of all? The prices are reasonable and, depending on what you order, shipping may be free.
Now, I just have to remember what I was searching for to begin with.
(After I order a couple of safes and a door jam, that is.)
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Tech Support Challenges
"Can you reset the Internet for me? - the title alone made me stop and click on the link.
There was a message floating around the Internet for months, containing a list of oddball customer service and tech support calls. I particularly loved the one from the woman whose computer wouldn't boot and she couldn't find the outlet to confirm that it was actually plugged in - as the power was out. Hysterically funny!
For the price of a computer - anyone can get on the 'Net. I am reminded of a story, told to me by an acquaintance, about the storyteller's mother and email. Mom didn't quite understand typing messages and often resorted to all CAPS, for some reason. After several LOUD emails, the daughter tried explaining that it was just like using a typewriter. That seemed to help.
I can only imagine Mom's interactions with the help desk.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Google Chrome
Have you tried Google
Chrome yet? I do love new stuff - but, as I'm pretty loyal to Firefox, I wasn't too sure I'd like a new browser.
Obviously, there are pros and cons - especially if you're working outside your comfort level. New stuff can be intimidating, and this browser is definitely different from the others that I've used.
For a new release, it doesn't seem to be as 'buggy' as some - can you say
Infernal Exploiter? I downloaded it and immediately started working. The first job was importing all of my Firefox settings: Favorites and Bookmarks, Search Engines, Saved Passwords, and Browsing History. No muss! No fuss!
Not all of the passwords imported properly, which was a bit of a problem. I have so many passwords for so many sites that, short of writing everything down, I'm dependent on that function.
Chrome offers a clean, uncluttered window. Nothing visible that you don't need;
although . . . I miss my toolbars! Presumably, as
Chrome progresses, Google and Alexa, et al, will offer compatible toolbars.
There
is a Bookmark Toolbar - something I never used because it just piled stuff I rarely need at the top of my window. Not with
Chrome! This toolbar lets me keep only the bookmarks I use the most, right up top where I can get to them easily. Pretty cool!
Speaking of cool . . . There are so many great features. (I'm still playing!)
- At start-up: Open your favorite home page, or the pages that were open last, or - and I love this idea - create a list of pages that open each time. When I'm editing, there are several sites that I automatically need. How great to have them open up for me, every time!
- Saved Passwords: Chrome creates a table that shows the sites for which you have a password, as well as your Username. Need to see a password? Not a problem. Select a site from the list and click "Show Password". Rather than expand the table, the password appears right below the button.
- Favorite Sites: Each time you open a new tab, you'll see thumbnails of the sites that you visit most often. Want to access one of those sites? Simply click and drag it to the top of the window! Voila, new tab!
- Instant Bookmarks: No need to go through 12 steps to bookmark a site. Just click on the Star icon, to the left of the address bar, add a title, choose a folder, and you're done.
- Desktop Shortcuts: Have an application or website that you use often, but don't want to hunt through your bookmarks every time? Click on the Page Control Menu in the upper right corner and select "Create application shortcuts..." You can add a shortcut to your desktop, start menu, quick launch bar - or all three (3).
- Crash Protection: Each tab that you open runs separately from the others, so if one application or site crashes it won't take everything else down with it! Love that feature.
There is, for me, one problem: When I close the last open tab, the entire
Chrome browser closes. I'm accustomed to my browser leaving open a blank tab. Maybe I need to look a little closer at the settings; might be missing something.
Obviously, I'm still getting to know
Chrome and, as I tend to be a bit change-resistant, it may take me a while to completely give up other browsers. We'll see. So far, I'm pretty impressed.
Hey Google! Where's my toolbar?
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Odd Posts
It seems that our Internet connection has crashed and burned. It was out the entire time that I was away and, as today was a holiday, will not be up before tomorrow.
So, you'll notice (if you are one of our subscribers) that suddenly there are a bunch of new posts here, dated the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
No, you've not lost your mind. I just had to wait to publish until I had reliable service back.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
Template Issues
My apologies for the current 'state' of this blog.
Apparently, I made a format change a few days ago that, shall we say, altered the way the blog appears. In an attempt to correct that change, I fear that I have made it worse. Which wouldn't be that unforgivable, if my Internet connection was faster and more reliable.
Sadly, it takes quite a long time to upload and test the corrections.
So, please bear with me. I promise - it'll be all 'purty' again.
Ooooh, we're getting close! (I hope) - Cross your fingers?
(drumroll) . . .
Voila!! - the moron {pointing at herself} has finally figured it out. And - no I won't tell you what I did to make the oops; it's just too silly for words.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
News Knowledge
You know, the variety of information and 'fun stuff' that is out there on the Internet never ceases to amaze and thrill me. (Guess that's why I spend so much time wandering the WWW, huh?) I am an unconfirmed news-junkie.
Today I found a blog, which I've added to my 'Friends and Fellow Bloggers' list, that satisfies my never-ending need for current events and interesting reading material. With a twist.
News Knowledge takes the headlines and, as the tagline says, spouts personal
wisdom acquired by reading the headlines.
Please check it out - I think you'll like what you read.
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
New Affiliate Partners
It has been a busy month.
Two (2) of our
Partners-in-Shopping have discontinued their programs. We will miss them very much. But, before we had a chance to mourn our missing associates, we acquired three (3) new Shopping Friends! Very Exciting!
You've read about
CurrentCatalog.com. Now let me introduce our two (2) newest shopping friends:
- Cheryl & Co. ~ "Fresh Baked Cookies, Desserts and Gifts"
From a single cookie store in 1981, Cheryl & Co's has grown to include gifts and desserts along with an expanded dessert line which now includes brownies, cheesecake, pies, and cakes.
- Just Because Baskets
~ "Baskets & Beyond" You decide what goes inside at Just Because Baskets. Build your own or choose from pre-assembled gift baskets; perfect for personal and corporate gifts.
Please stop by our new partners and see what they have to offer. I just know you'll find something to love. I did!
Don't forget to visit
JMark Afghans and
My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on
Squidoo that supports the
Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your
Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!
Jules
