People

Telemarketing Robocalls

The other day, I got 11 telemarketing calls. I’m on the Do Not Call list, but that doesn’t seem to matter. They call my home phone, then my 800 number. The calls are recordings, urging me to join their program to make “legitimate” & “automated” calls with the promise of earning thousands of dollars a week. What makes them think I would buy their system when they make me pay for their commercial? Because I have an 800 number, it’s free for others to call me, but I pay for every minute.

So, what are they selling? I think most of them are selling the program that makes these robocalls. They’re more than annoying. They’re frustrating! There’s no way to avoid them. And there’s no way to stop them. I’ve checked with Vonage, my land line phone company and my toll free company.

When I posted this on my Facebook wall, it started a discussion of what these calls really are and what we can do about them. I learned about LeadNetPro, an online program that you can buy for $397, plus a monthly charge. I watched a LeadNetPro video. With a few mouse clicks, they can choose a company and narrow it by country, state or city. The program scrapes the Internet and extracts phone numbers, addresses and email addresses. Then, the program robocalls each number and plays a prerecorded message. Now that I know how they’re compiling their lists, I don’t think pressing 9 will help. It’s too easy to just generate another list.

I shouldn’t be getting these calls. I’m on the Federal Trade Commission‘s (FTC) Do Not Call list. According to their site: “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amended the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) to give consumers a choice about whether they want to receive most telemarketing calls. As of October 1, 2003, it is illegal for most telemarketers or sellers to call a number listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.” Telemarketers and sellers are required to register with the FTC and search the Do Not Call Registry every 31 days. They must “drop from their call lists the phone numbers of consumers who have registered.” “Violators could be fined up to $16,000 per incident.”

My Facebook friend, Jennifer Fisher, has taken a proactive approach and shared her system with me. According to Jennifer . . .

I actually listen to the message now, where as I used to just press 9 and hang up. Every second that recorded message plays, they are paying an additional charge. If you’re going to use the system then pay for the privilege of annoying me.

Some of them give a website so I go to that website.

If there is a contact email address down at the bottom, it is usually going to be directed to the owners of the program, not the voice spammer. Sometimes I have to dig through the Terms of Service to find it, but if I do, I send the owners an email suggesting they stop their voice spammer from calling me… give the name of the person, their phone number, time they called, etc…

And I also let them know if they do not STOP the person from abusing our phone numbers, I will report them to the FTC and their Attorney General’s office.

In most cases, what these people are doing is in violation of their contract, they just don’t take the time to read it. And because we don’t take a stand, they just keep doing it and doing it.

If it’s an email spammer, and they’re hocking a Network Marketing Company, I’m forwarding the email to that company with the same message. I don’t know this person, didn’t ask for information… They’re scraping email addresses and phone numbers off the internet. Stop them NOW !

I agree with Jennifer and I’m going to follow her advice. I’ll explain what I’m doing in the next post.

Related posts:
• Do Not Call Registry
• Phishing Scam

SoleMates Socks – A Testimonial

Mar 23rd, 2011

by Marilyn.

8 comments

I love gardening! But as I got older and my feet got drier, all the cracks in my heels were embedded with dirt. I would scrub and scrape and put on lotion and it would look good temporarily, but it always went back to dry skin and cracks. After a while, the cracks were becoming so deep they actually hurt. As I researched this, I found I wasn’t alone.

Diabetics, folks with weight problems, and the elderly, all have major health concerns related to cracks on the sole and heel becoming infected. I read in a 2010 podiatric journal that podiatrists are so stymied as to successfully treating this problem, they actually glue the cracks together. They also recommend wearing plastic bags on your feet to conserve moisture. I tried it once. It actually works, but it felt like my feet were in two miniature saunas. I believed there just had to be a better way!

I was in a nursery looking at gloves when I had the “AHA!” moment. If garden gloves kept the drying effect of dirt off my hands, then a glove for my foot would do the same thing. I used the already proven track record of nitrile coated garden gloves and morphed it into a sock. After a lot of medical advice and testing, it became a sock that created a moisture conserving chamber for the foot, keeping the foot soft, moist and crack free. It also kept dirt outside the sock.

After testing the prototype, my heel cracks disappeared, and have never returned. That was 5 years ago. These socks are not magic. If I don’t routinely wear them a couple of days a week, my skin begins to dry out naturally. But if I do wear them, my heels are baby soft all the time with no effort other than wearing a comfortable sock.

About Bernadette Butz

I never intended to become an entrepreneur at 67, but I am determined to bring this product to people who have the same problems I did, necessity being the mother of SoleMates.

Connect with Bernadette on Facebook and Twitter.

Cuckoo Clock Memory

Jan 14th, 2011

by Marilyn.

No comments yet

I found this cuckoo clock online and decided to add it to my sidebar, at least for a little while. It reminds me of my dad. He was always an entrepreneur. Together with mom, they owned a mom and pop grocery store when they were newlyweds. Then, a hydraulics manufacturing factory with 3 other men. And years later, a motel in Miami, Florida. Their last venture together was an antique shop just north of Miami. Dad was fascinated with clocks. He bought them, often not working, then repaired and restored them. The walls of the shop were lined with clocks of every size and shape, most with their pendulums swinging. You could hear ticking clocks throughout the shop. One of my favorites was the cuckoo clock. Some were rather plain wood and stained a shade of brown. Others were very ornate, with leaves, birds and people. The weights always looked like pine cones and dangled from long chains. To wind the clock, you raised the weights.

Stick around for the hour or any quarter hour and you’ll hear this cuckoo clock chime.

If you’d like to add a clock to your website or blog, there are many clocks, including this cuckoo clock at

Cultivate the Skill That Will Set You Apart: Charisma

Jan 5th, 2011

by Marilyn.

2 comments

(ARA) – You speak well, dress professionally, have impressive experience and can clearly communicate complex information in speech and writing. But thousands of other professionals and job-seekers possess the same qualities. So what sets the movers and shakers apart from the masses? Could it be charisma?

Many people can’t quite put their finger on that exact quality that makes certain professionals more desirable to prospective employers and many people believe charisma simply can’t be taught.

Not so, says Kurt Mortensen, a leading authority on persuasion, motivation and influence. It is possible for virtually anyone to develop a compelling presence. “Charisma is the ability to empower and persuade others to believe in you, trust in you and want to be influenced by you. If there is just one skill to master out of all the tools of persuasion and influence, it is charisma,” Mortensen explains. “It gives you the quickest return on your time and dramatically increases your success and income.”

It is possible to cultivate charisma, adding charm and the power to persuade to your repertoire of professional skills. Mortensen says that in order to develop charisma, you must hone 30 specific skills, traits and attributes. In his new book, “The Laws of Charisma,” Mortensen offers some advice for developing your personal charisma. Here is his insight into seven charismatic qualities and how you can develop them:

Find your passion
“Passion is critical to influencing others and transmitting charisma,” Mortensen says. “Charismatic people radiate heartfelt passion.” Exploring new tasks, topics and social or professional interactions will help you discover what you’re passionate about – and what doesn’t move you. Educating yourself about a particular topic, task or issue is a great way to increase your passion for it.

Know your purpose
When you find your purpose, your life will be easier and more enjoyable, Mortensen says. Ask yourself: “What is my destiny? Where do my interests, gifts and talents lie? What is my mission in life?” People with a purpose ooze charisma and naturally draw others to them. Their purpose inspires others.

Live with integrity
Integrity is consistency between your professed values and your actions. To enhance your charisma and influence others, you must radiate integrity. What do you really believe in? And what are you willing to stand up for?

Tap your creativity
Creativity is the ability to solve a problem by combining old ideas, new ideas and imagination. Tapping your creativity, or inspiring those around you to feel more creative, opens the door to new solutions – and enhances your charisma.

Establish focus
The ability to control impulses, resist distraction and stay focused on the task at hand is an integral element of success. You cannot influence others if you can’t stay focused. Ask yourself: What is the best use of my time right now? Am I wasting time on unimportant things? Do I confuse being busy with getting things done? Am I clear about exactly what I need to achieve?

Listen
“Listening and understanding enhance charisma,” Mortensen writes in “The Laws of Charisma.” When you listen well, you discover everything you need to know to help, change or influence, inspire, motivate and gain trust. “People feel more respected and valued when you listen to what they have to say,” he writes.

Motivate
Charismatic people not only motivate others, they help others motivate themselves, aiding them in visualizing goals and inspiring them to feel they can achieve those goals. Helping others self-motivate allows them to solve their own challenges and make their own decisions, while still feeling part of a larger team.

To nurture your personal charisma, you will need to practice every day, says Mortensen, whose new book is available now in bookstores and online. “I was once stretching in preparation for running a half marathon when I saw a T-shirt that revealed a great truth. It said, ‘The challenge is not finishing; the challenge is starting.’ Make up your mind to start the race, and you will know that you are moving toward your goal of finishing.”

Secrets of the Skinny

Nov 19th, 2010

by Marilyn.

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I’ve been very impressed with The Doctor Oz Show. I like his common sense approach to getting healthy and staying healthy. This morning’s show was no exception. Three women were guests on his show. They each lost over 100 pounds and kept it off. They found the “Secrets of the Skinny” that worked for them. And they’re willing to share those secrets with Doctor Oz and his audience. Here are the secrets . . .

Cravings Killers

Brown rice tortilla, lightly toasted (baked) with salsa or parmesan

Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing with non-fat milk and non-fat yogurt

Chicken Nuggets made with flaxseed and wheat germ

Metabolism Boosters

Cayenne pepper, sprinkle on food or supplements
Vitamin B Complex
Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon a day.

Must Have Meals

Ground Turkey Casserole
Brownies made with black beans
Pizza made with cooked cauliflower crust

Weight Loss Secret Weapons

Learn to grade food.

          A = Fresh green beans out of the garden
          B = Frozen beans changed a little
          C = Canned green beans cooked – A little altered
          D = Processed
          F = Grandma’s green bean casserole

Use cans of food as weights. Lift weights while watching TV

Work out with a weighted vest. The more weight you have on your body, the more calories you burn.

The women had words of wisdom for the audience:

Becky’s advice: “I changed the way I looked at food. Food became nutrition.”
Cari’s advice: “Start slow and stick with it. Make plans and hold yourself accountable. Definitely have support … Have supportive people around you.”
When Doctor Oz asked what kept her motivated, Caroline answered, “There’s no such thing as the impossible.”

Becky’s Story on The Secrets of the Skinny
Cari’s Story on The Secrets of the Skinny
Caroline’s Story on The Secrets of the Skinny

What’s your Secret of the Skinny?

Marilyn Kvasnok