MAKE A NOTE!! -- December 6th, 2000
CIRCULATION - 5,515
WEB SITE VISITORS - 7,971
A Free Twice Monthly (1st and 3d Wednesday of each month) Ezine with (Hopefully) Useful Info on a Wide Variety of Topics
NEXT ISSUE TO BE PUBLISHED ON/ABOUT DECEMBER 20TH, 2000
Previous Issue
| Back To 2000 Back Issues | Next
Issue 
 | Editor's Update |
| Lost Kids/'Tis the Season |
| Operation Dear Abby |
| "Home Comforts" Book |
| DITY Gift Basket Site |
| Recipe: Carol's Goulash |
| "Back Issue Treasure" |
| Final Words |
NOTE: Each entry has a suggested "POST IT..." location at the end. We recommend that you print out the ezine, cut out each entry, & post it in these locations to make it easier for you to find when you need it. And if you like what you read, be sure to pass it on to someone else who can use it.
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Editor's Update
Trying to tweak our format a bit in response to readers' requests. Beginning with this issue, we will feature 4 articles on a variety of subjects, a recipe, a featured back issue (Back Issue Treasure), and then our "Final Words" will have our usual joke, quote, subscription, and sponsorship info. Our readers have requested more recipes & rather than have an issue dedicated to them, we decided to have one in each issue. Regarding the FREE Celebrities and their DOGS calendar, Purina Dog Chow is now offering it on their site at http://www.dogchow.com. Please, please, remember...the Make a Note does not actually provide the Free Wall Calendars mentioned in the last 2 issues, we only point you to the web sites that do provide them. As always, we love hearing from you, so keep those requests, suggestions & comments coming in. We'll do our best to accommodate you.
Sharon, Editor Make-A-Note@worldnet.att.net
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Lost Kids/'Tis the Season
Keep your eyes on this article & imagine your worst nightmare...your children have gone missing. Perhaps you were in a store & turned around for just a second, maybe you were reading a book at a playground while they played. But they are gone now and the police want a description. Do you know how much they weigh, how tall they are, do you have a current photo, have they been taught about strangers & what to do? What are they wearing, do you know what kind of footprint their shoe makes? None of us like to think about these things, but this is the season when predators know that parents can get distracted easily. Have a card in your purse/wallet that you update every couple of months (mark it on your calendar). Facts that should be on the card: color/length hair, height, weight, body shape, & identifying marks (scars, moles, etc). If you are going to be at a mall, amusement park, or big party you might also want to take notice of what clothes they are wearing. Get a professional photo done at least once a year & carry one w/you. Have adults that you know, but your child doesn't, test your child to try to get them to leave the area (common ruses: candy, puppies, money). Teach your children what to do: memorize parents' names/phone numbers, in a store go to the nearest store worker, in a park hug the nearest tree & stay there, yell "STRANGER" or create a disturbance, if necessary. Parents should: Immediately contact store security, managers, workers for help. The National Ctr for Missing & Exploited Children has 2 excellent brochures you can carry in your purse: "Child Protection" and "Just in Case...Parental Guidelines in Case Your Child Might Someday be Missing". Request them at 1-800-THE-LOST . Their web site is http://www.ncmec.org. And if you haven't already, this might be a good time to use our "Links" section on the web site to check out the "Sex Offender Registries" under "S" to see who might be living in your neighborhood. Remember, probably every family it has ever happened to thought it couldn't happen to them. POST IT...in your purse/wallet, on your calendar.
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Operation Dear Abby
Perhaps our citizens stationed overseas with the military have been in the news more than they ever have been, in light of recent election news. So while we are on the subject, here's a way to remind them that you appreciate their sacrifice. You can send cards or letters (no boxes) from now until January 15th, and they will be distributed to the men & women serving our country overseas. Usually the people in charge of distribution will try to make sure they get to those who get little or no mail (unfortunately there are a lot more of those people out there than you might realize). Here are the addresses you can use, APO/FPO's require the same postage as you would use stateside, a 33 cent stamp for letters:
Any Service Member
OPERATION DEAR ABBY
Europe & South West Asia
APO AE 09135
(Same First Two Lines)
Mediterranean Basin
FPO AE 09646
(Same First Two Lines)
Far East
APO AP 96285
(Same First Two Lines)
Pacific Basin
FPO AP 96385
POST IT...with your Christmas card material.
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"Home Comforts" Book
If you are looking for a great gift for a Bridal Shower, house-warming, or Christmas this is it, especially for the ladies out there. "Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House" by Cheryl Mendelson is a fantastic book that covers just about everything imaginable about running a home. Very up to date with info on repairs, maintenance, decorating, safety, cooking, shopping, organizing...I only wish this book had been around when I got married. This would also be a great book for teenagers to learn the ropes ahead of time. Check with your library too, but I think most of you will want a copy to keep on hand. Check it out at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/068481465X/makeanote. A big thank you to Maria for telling me about it. POST IT...on Christmas shopping lists or with your bridal shower cards.
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DITY Gift Basket Site
This is the most fantastic site I have come across for gift ideas. They have 101 ideas for DITY Gift Baskets, including baskets for: Chocolate Lovers, Fitness Fans, Students, Babies, Romantics, Kids, Comedy Lovers, Coffee Lovers, Spicy Food Lovers, and much, much, much more. For example, the Shutterbug basket suggestions are to fill a basket OR camera bag with film, coupons for developing, filters, lens cleaner, frames or albums. A lot of these things will fall into the category of "why didn't I think of that?", but they take all the work out of it for you. Check it out at http://www.craftcentralstation.com/christmas/basket.html. But remember, these ideas can be used ANY time of the year. They also have a section on stocking stuffers & other crafts. POST IT...by your computer & with your greeting cards.
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Recipe: Carol's Goulash
This recipe has been a family favorite for years. A great recipe that whips up fast for those busy holiday times. The original Carol was a neighbor of my Aunt Margaret's down at Moody AFB, GA in the 1970's. So wherever you are Carol, thank you for a delicious & easy dish. Brown 1 pound ground beef (after browning rinse w/hot water in colander to get rid of additional fat/calories, if desired). While browning, boil water in a separate pan, & add 1-2C wide dumpling noodles, cook according to directions on package. To the beef add: 1 medium onion chopped (frozen chopped save time), 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 small can corn. Heat through, then add noodles. Serve with a salad. POST IT...in your recipe box.
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Back Issue Treasure -- ---July 15th, 1997-Personal Safety, People Finder Sites, Lite Cake Mix Recipe, and more. Final Words
This issue has great articles on People Finder sites. You can use the sites to find long lost friends or family, some even have links to other countries. You can also find a recipe for a Lite cake version using boxed mixes (no NOT the apple sauce one, this one has even fewer calories:-). A book recommendation to help you protect yourself & your loved ones more effectively, and a discussion of different kinds of self defense sprays available. So follow the directions below for back issue retrieval. POST IT...by your computer.
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Final Words
JOKE (From the Bob P.)
A very dirty little fellow came in from playing in the yard & asked his mother, "Who am I?" Ready to play the game, she said, "I don't know! Who are you?" "WOW!", cried the child. "Mrs. Johnson was right! She said I was so dirty, my own mother wouldn't recognize me!"
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QUOTE (From Gary F.)
"The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." --Joseph Stalin
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AT&T's Community Port
AT&T has a site about WorldNet members, like us, who have created their own personal web pages. If you think our site deserves to be featured on AT&T's Community Port , send them an e-mail about it, at communities@att.net. Be sure to include the page's URL http://home.att.net/~make-a-note/index.htm and why you think our site is special.
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Thank you to Pastor Wilson & Gary Foreman for all they do for the Make a Note.
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