Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Real Writing Jobs



Recently I saw an ad posted on Facebook from Real Writing Jobs.  The ad stated, "I need to earn $200 or I will be homeless".  

Being a freelance writer, I was interested what they had to offer.  As it turns out, I need to pay $68 to join.  

I wonder, how can someone who is about to become homeless afford $68? 

This is the ad.  Part of the text is missing, but you'll get the picture.


URGENT:   DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

SEE HOW YOU CAN START EARNING
MONEY DOING SIMPLE WRITING JOBS!
The worldwide recession has resulted in tens of millions of layoffs with many predicting that the layoffs will only continue in the coming years. Maybe you've already been laid off or you're worried about it possibly happening to you in the future, RealWritingJobs is the perfect solution to help you make money part or full time.
One job industry experiencing **EXPLOSIVE GROWTH** is online writing jobs! Companies NEED your help creating content so they can attract more visitors to their web sites and blogs and we'll show you how people are making TONS of money writing from the comfort of their own home! 

Let's talk about the proof!


This was the first check I received after completing my first writing job. Yes, it is only for $110 and it isn’t going to pay your rent, but this was just the beginning... the next thing I knew, I was writing all the time. I began to make a full-time income from writing jobs right from the comfort of my own home!
Just imagine getting checks like this every single month! Some people are earning in EXCESS OF $100 PER DAY! We can't guarantee you'll make that much, but if you're not making at least $20 / day with this program, then the only excuse you can have is that you're turning down too many writing jobs.
Look at how people are earning a FULL TIME INCOME writing online:
*These are real earnings observed by individuals participating in job freelancing websites

We have positions open right now!!

Here are some examples of past jobs available:

PROOF READERS NEEDED


Looking for online proofreaders to start as soon as possible! Will be working on pieces for corporate communications, ad copy, direct mail, ads and web content. $18/hr to start. Part Time and Full Time positions available.

REVIEW LOCAL RESTAURANTS


We're a new worldwide restaurant review directory and we need reviews for tens of thousands of restaurants worldwide. We will pay $27 for each restaurant review you write for us. 150-200 words per review.

REVIEW WEB SITES FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT


We need to hire 20 people to review web sites for our child protection software. We need you to find sites to block that are not kid friendly. YOU MUST BE 18 OR OLDER. Pay is $20 per hour, it is part time to start with full time potential if you do a good job.
and THOUSANDS of additional jobs!

Calculate how much you can earn per year!


Potential* Weekly Income:$475.00Potential* Monthly Income:$1,900.00
Potential* Yearly Income: $24,700.00

Your earnings are 100% dependent on your skill level and amount of time dedicated*

How is this possible?

The only other "industry" that has this huge of a demand for new "workers" is the military! To get started writing you just need to be 18 and willing to work, no experience required for many cases, although obviously some employers will require experience or a particular area of expertise. Believe me, writing a few articles is not only fun when it is something you are interested in, but it is also a lot easier than going through boot camp!
With content becoming more and more important online, the demand has been surging for people to run company blogs, write short articles and maintain different company facebook/twitter/myspace accounts. This type of work is still new, and MANY PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THESE JOBS or how to find them even if they do.
We have done the hard part for you, and can give you direct access to top employers! There is such a huge demand for online content, that we literally cannot send them enough job candidates!

Exactly who can Join?

We accept members from all countries however we are giving preference to people living in United States of America and offer you instant access to THOUSANDS of available jobs so you can get started right away!

In order to participate in this incredible opportunity, we do have some requirements. Please see below:
  • Must be 18 years or older to join
  • Must have access to the internet
  • Have at least 1 hour a week to dedicate to this
  • The ability to follow directions
  • Complete the writing jobs you are given
  • Some assignments may require previous experience / requirements
If you meet these requirements, you can sign up today and start picking which writing jobs you want to start working on TODAY! We just ask that you are professional to whoever you are doing these easy assignments for. Please don’t make us look bad by not finishing a writing project once you start one.

JOIN TODAY AND GET THIS INCREDIBLE BONUS!

$3780 IN FREE WRITER’S TOOLS!!!

As long as you have at least an 8th grade education, with these incredible tools you can start writing high quality articles and stories quickly and easily which means money in your pocket today!
Here is what you get with this incredible bonus package:

Because we need additional writers immediately in United States of America, we are offering
a 50% off coupon today! Act now because we cannot guarantee this will be available in the future.
Enter the Coupon CodeCoupon Issued:
February 26th, 2013

Enter the coupon code below
to get your HALF OFF
discount for Real Writing Jobs
Select Your Payment Method
A membership to RealWritingJobs.com can be ordered anytime night and day! Even if it is 3 a.m. on a holiday, you can still receive instant access to the members area where you can start doing writing jobs and making money right away!

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Price: $68.00 (before coupon code)One Time Billing. No hidden charges. Safe, Secure and Discreet billing.
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Price: $68.00 (before coupon code)One Time Billing. No hidden charges. Safe, Secure and Discreet billing.
This is a one time fee only. You will never be re-billed. Clickbank sells our products/services - they are a trusted online retailer specializing in digitally delivered products.


  60 Day Money Back Guarantee
Receive instant access to our members' area for 60 full days and if at anytime you are not happy you can receive a 100% full refund on your membership fee!

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Friday, February 15, 2013

If it sounds like a lawyer and acts like a lawyer ...



Parents often complain that their children watch too much TV.  They think this is a waste of time.  I beg to differ.  After learning of my experience of last Wednesday, parents might urge their kids to watch more TV.

I recently walked past a store displaying their spring collection.  I saw turquoise and a salmon colored tops on the mannequin and it was love at first sight.  They looked so fresh and cheerful.

I went inside, found my size and paid. 

A smart person would have tried the tops on, but there was no time for that.  My bowling league started in less than ten minutes and I didn’t have a minute to lose.

Back home I noticed that I should have tried the tops on.  Even though they fitted perfectly, they were so see through I couldn’t possibly wear them in public.  I had no option but to take them back.

When I tried to return the tops, I was in for a surprise … the store didn’t believe in giving me my money back, I could only get store credit.

I didn’t believe in store credit, I wanted to money back and I was going to get it if I had to move heaven and earth.

I asked to speak to the manager, who was just as uncooperative as the sales girl.

“Ma’am, it says so right here on the receipt,” the manager said.  “We do not accept returns.”

Of course, I hadn’t seen that.  I need glasses to see anything that’s printed and I didn’t have my glasses with me at the time.

I was not going to be defeated though.  Time to pull out the big guns.  Years of watching legal shows on TV had thought me that if one speaks with conviction, one is taken seriously.  So I gave it my best shot.

I reminded the store manager that the sales clerk had failed to draw my attention to the fact that items were non-refundable, only exchangeable.

“But it’s printed on the receipt,” the sales manager reminded me.

“But I’m half blind,” I said.  “I can’t see without my glasses.  I can see far, but nothing up close.  As such, this specification should have been verbally communicated to me.”

I went on rattling off a few paragraphs and sections of the law book.  You know … paragraph 28 section 21 states that in the event …” etc etc. 

I sounded like a lawyer, I acted like a lawyer and I did so with aplomb.

Whether the store manager saw my point or he wanted me to shut up I’ll never know, but I walked out of that store with a full refund. 

Who said TV isn’t educational?


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Employment agencies - friend or foe



There’s no denying that the unemployed are having a hard time.  Let’s take Laura as an example.

She spent a considerable amount of time constructing the perfect resume and cover letter, surfed job sites for hours on end, and applied to positions of interest until she was blue in the face.

Some of those applications went out to organizations, some to employment agencies.  The result … a few times she was invited for an interview, but nothing came of it.  Agencies invited her to register with them if she wanted to be considered for upcoming opportunities.

When Laura visited the employment agencies, registration usually took about three hours.  First there was a profile to be created: name, address, contact information, etc.

Next there were a string of tests to do: MS-Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, plus a typing test.

Finally there was the interview. 

Every time Laura left the agency sure in the knowledge that it was only a matter of time before she went back to work.  While some people indeed find work through an employment agency, Laura didn’t.

Options Personnel

The first agency she ever registered with was Options Personnel.  Shortly after registration she was contacted for a three day temporary assignment.  On her way to the company she got struck by a car, nothing major, but enough to keep her from working that day.  She never heard from Options Personnel again.

Adecco

Laura also registered with Adecco.  Three months after registration she responded to an ad online, but was told that her consultant had left the agency.  If she wanted to be considered for future assignments she had to re-register.  Laura did.  Two months later she hadn’t heard from Adecco and called for an update.  Again she was told that her consultant had left the agency, if she wanted to be considered for future assignments she had to re-register.  All in all, Laura registered four time with Adecco.  She was never contacted.

Altis

Laura’s experiences with Altis are much like with Adecco’s.  She registered with the agency, her consultant left and she had to re-register.  She did so three times.

Hays

She registered with Hays about five months ago and hasn’t heard from them since.  She’s emailed her consultant several times and left him voice mail messages, all of which were ignored.

Randstad

Through Randstad, Laura met Michelle.  They were both placed with a laundry detergent company and were actively encouraged by their consultant to cheat on their time sheet, booking more hours than what they actually worked.  If they worked 500 hours, the company had to hire them.  Having no scruples, Michelle did so.  When she worked 35 hours she charged the company 40 hours, every single week.  Laura didn't and booked her hours honestly.  Randstad terminated Laura's assignment and never called her again.

Still, every day Laura scans the job sites and is encouraged when she sees agencies such as ZSA, Cartel, and Bilingual Source posting as much as ten jobs. 

When she registered with them, she was told that they had nothing at the moment. 

“What about all the ads?” she questioned.

“We had one job and ten consultants advertised,” she was told.  “In the meantime that position has been filled.”

Since that time, Laura has never been contacted by either ZSA, Cartel or Bilingual Source.  Questioning an employment agency is career suicide.  If a candidate asks questions, she's seen as a trouble maker.

Part of the reason Laura remains unemployed is that she has to put up with discrimination.  They say that discrimination is against the law, but organizations and agencies have found loopholes.

For instance, organizations can’t say that they’re looking for a young person, so they word it as “Junior assistant required”.

Those who give preference to a Chinese assistant word it as “Must be able to speak Mandarin”.

Is it any wonder that Laura slowly but surely is giving up hope?

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Snow, snow and more snow


If you think it’s hard walking in this much snow, try dragging a bowling bag through it.  Yes, we went bowling this morning and we're going again tomorrow night.  If you think a few snowflakes are going to ground us, think again.  We're die hard bowlers and we let nothing and nobody stand in our way.  

Snowfall on February 8, between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.













Friday, February 8, 2013

Where are the real Canadians?



Years ago, when I was very young, I met a couple who lived in Canada for a few years.  They entertained us with stories and I listen open mouthed. 

It all sounded so wonderful.  Canada sounded beautiful, but forbidding.  A place where men could be men, and women could proof what they were made of.  A land were the strong survived and the weak were send packing.

I knew there and then that I wanted to see and experience that land.  Years later I got the chance and arrived wide eyed and full of wonder in Toronto.

What I heard and saw was not what I expected.  Where were the tough men and women who took a no nonsense attitude to life?

I saw people bundled up from head to toe in a temperature of -3 degrees C (26 degrees F).

I heard that schools closed when a 30 cm (a foot) of snow was expected.

I heard of a record of car accidents because of slush on the roads.

I saw people sanitize their hands after opening a door, afraid of germs.

I saw folks lining up for a flu shot.

Who were these people and where were the tough Canadians?

We just left a hot South Africa and we were better equipped against the cold than people who lived here for years.

These weren’t Canadians. These were wimps.  When I saw a poster on a subway train stating “Citizens of Canada, show new immigrants what we are made of” I thought “What? Fluff?” 

Of course, the Canadians I met weren’t real Canadians, they were imports from other countries.  To find a real Canadian in Toronto you have to search far and wide.  You’ll find immigrants from various parts of Africa, India, the Middle East and South America, but to find a real Canadian (someone 2nd or 3rd generation) … no, no such luck. 

Back in Belgium we had cold winters too.  When I was a child we had no duvets, but had to make do with flannel sheets and blankets and occasionally a hot water bottle.  The bedrooms had no heating and sometimes we woke up to ice flowers on the glass windows.

We had no snow days at school.  No matter how cold it got or how much snow was on the ground, we went to school.  Not in pants and parkas mind you, but in skirts (short skirts) with no leg protection other than knee high socks.

As for snow fall … take your cue from Switzerland and Austria, Canada.  You haven’t seen snow until you’ve been to Zermatt.  Packs and packs of white stuff.  Yet nobody complains.  

Cars and trains drive on mountains with ravines of a few hundred meters (feet) deep, and everybody goes about their business like it’s just another day.

The men might offer you a glass of mulled wine or Jagermeister, while the women cheerfully fling open the windows of their houses to throw bread and nuts for the birds and squirrels.  They go about their business and when given half a chance they strap on their skis and head up the mountains.  Cold?  What cold … it’s winter, isn’t it?




In Canada the country all but comes to a standstill when the temperature drops.  Car and bus drivers turn into clumsy idiots, tacks freeze and trains get stuck, companies close early and schools don’t even open.

What happened to the Canada of my childhood stories?  What happened to all the real Canadians?

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Take a cold shower



A few years ago, the chiller in our condo building packed up, and as a result we had no air-conditioning during a heat wave that had Toronto sweltering in a temperature of 45 degrees C (113 degrees F).

Tempers flared, residents were fainting in their units and a woman with heart problems came close to dying. 
When the temperature dropped to 35 degrees C (95 degrees F) everyone heaved a sigh of relief.  It was still hot, but noticeably cooler than the past three days.

All in all, the building was without air-conditioning for 18 days and when the cool air was finally restored, everyone was so happy they almost organized a party.

For the past four days we’ve had another problem … now the boiler is temperamental.  We have heat in our units, but no hot water.

What comes out of the taps is at best tepid water.  Doing the dishes is not such a problem, we can boil water in a pot and transfer it to the sink to get everything clean and grease free.  

The real problem is showering in the morning.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of cold showers.  Especially not now, in winter.  When that blast of cold water hit me yesterday, I nearly jumped out of my skin and the scream that echoed through the bathroom would have made a soprano jealous.

Later on I looked up if there are any health benefits to a cold shower.  Apparently there are quite a few, but I’ll give you my take on them.

Strengthens Immunity – My immune system is just fine thank you.  And if I get a cold or the flu once a year, that’s beneficial to my body as it gives me antibodies.

Better blood circulation – No problem there.  My blood goes round and round without stopping or even pausing.

Regulates temperature – This makes me feel like I should come with a thermostat.

Promotes Weight Loss / Increases Metabolism – If I lose any more weight, I’m going to resemble an ATM card.

Alleviates Depression – I’m not depressed.  I might feel down from time to time, but not to the point that I would call it a depression.

Deepens Breathing – Just exactly how deep do you want me to breath, down to my toes?

Keeps Skin and Hair Healthy – Washing my hair with cold water gave me a headache, and my skin looked like I was about to sprout feathers. 

Increases Energy and Wellbeing – Please, I have so much energy I resemble a ball in a pinball machine. 

Increases Hormone Production – the writer of the website writes “Cold water showers have the ability to increase hormone production and activity by giving the body’s glands a boost. For example, cold showers can be of great benefit to the reproductive system when trying to conceive a child”.

That’s it, I want my hot water back.  Should I find myself pregnant, this pinball machine is going to go tilt. 

Monday, February 4, 2013

In memory of Zorro

Diane Quinn is my guest blogger today. I hope that a few of you will share the blog post as Diane talks about Zorro, who recently crossed Rainbow Bridge. At the same time she draws attention to the Poppy Foundation, which deserves a lot of exposure.


Every Cloud Can Have a Silver Lining

In Conny’s last blog post, you learned of the passing of our beloved Ragdoll cat, Zorro, who succumbed to a heart condition called FHC (Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy).  This silent killer is common in Ragdoll and Maine Coon cat breeds.  Quality breeders certify that their cats have been tested and do not carry the FHC gene.  Unfortunately, we adopted Zorro when he was a year old from a friend-of-a-friend who was moving, and he was a day away from being deposited at a shelter. 

One expects older pets to die, but not pets that appear to be in perfect health and in the prime of their life.  That was Zorro—so handsome, so loving, and so special.  The shock of losing him at age eight will linger along with our grief.  Our only solace is that he slipped away without pain on our sofa, in his favorite napping position and with his family nearby.

Many believe that every cloud has a silver lining.  That even in the worst of situations good can emerge to neutralize negativity.  I like to believe that is true.  Toward that end, my goal is to introduce the followers of “Under the Toronto Sun” to a worthwhile foundation that my husband and I support and where we made a donation in Zorro’s name after he died.  It’s called
The Poppy Foundation (http://poppyfoundation.org/

The Poppy Foundation is located at the Bonanza Cat Hospital (http://www.lvcatvet.com/) in Las Vegas.  Dr. Linda Steelman is one of those vets unable to turn away a cat in need.  Her hospital is the last stop for unadoptable kitties through the Humane Society and other cat rescue groups.  They are unadoptable because of incurable health conditions or because their injuries have left them so unattractive that no one will adopt them.

Within days after adopting Zorro when he was a year old, I took him for a checkup with Dr. Steelman.  Imagine my surprise when I walked into the hospital’s tiny waiting room and found myself surrounded by cat condo’s filled with snoozing kitties.  Then there were the dozens of others walking around wherever they pleased, even taking advantage of empty laps and head rubs wherever they could find them.  Parents of patients preferred to stand rather than take a chair away from a sleeping feline. The office volunteers often had to remove their furry helpers from the top of the printer, telephone console and sign-in sheets in order to do their jobs.

I admit that my heart skipped a beat the first time I watched three-legged cats limp by, cats with cuts resulting in ugly bald spots on their lovely fur, or who now had to view the world with only one eye.  At one time, when I asked how many cats were in residence, they admitted they had lost count but that they were well over 100. 

I’m happy to report that over a year ago, the Poppy Foundation at the hospital was able to add more space.  There is one large room now dedicated to cages for seriously ill cats (sort of an ICU) and a play area for those kitties that are able and willing. 

I can think of no better way to honor our beloved Zorro than by helping to bring attention to the well run, making a difference, Poppy Foundation.  In addition to money, they are grateful for used cat care items and food donations. 

Even though Conny had never met Zorro (it’s a long way from Toronto and Las Vegas), she came to know him almost as well as one of her own furry gang.  It’s comforting to know that a memorial to him will remain a permanent part of Conny’s “Under the Toronto Sun” blog site.