I was trying to conjure up the start of this post, and when I looked down, I saw these big, yellow, sweet eyes looking up at me. I know I’m not a parent, but I think having Romeo is as close as I can get right now. I absolutely love the feeling that I am needed. Sometimes I complain because he’s constantly whining, trying to get my attention, or is just not giving me enough space - but, 99% of the time, I am completely and utterly in love with this animal. He’s sitting in my lap as I write this. Picture a little black kitty, laying down with his front paws sitting out in front of him on the desk. Every so often, he’ll look up at me - I guess to reaffirm that I’m still around - and it makes me smile every single time. I’ve had Romeo for almost 4 years now, and I thank God everytime I think to for this little creature that I have been so blessed with!

When I first saw the Lifelock commercials right after the first of the year, I was so surprised that someone had given out their social security number on a nationally-aired commercial. However, the message spoke volumes about the service that Lifelock offers.

Experian has recently initiated a lawsuit against the identify theft protection company, alleging that “[Lifelock] engages in fraud by skirting customer protection laws.” What does Experian mean by this, and what exactly is Lifelock doing to protect your credit against identify theft?

Lifelock charges a monthly fee in order to place a fraud alert in credit files that are maintained by Experian and other companies of the same type. What Experian doesn’t like is that the fraud alert created by Lifelock increases the number of steps taken to verify individual’s credit information prior to disclosing the information. According to Experian, Lifelock falsely claims that some paying customers are either already victims of identify theft or will be in the near future.

Experian also questions Lifelock’s integrity by adding that the identity protection services offered by the company may be a detriment to the consumer and society. Lifelock makes it look like an individual must pay for a fraud alert to be placed on their credit information, but this can easily be done by the individual without paying any fees.

All of the above is alleged by Experian, and can be explained much better if Lifelock (and Experian) are researched. According to a recent article, Lifelock and Experian are actually competitors to a certain extent, and the increased verification triggered by Lifelock’s services increases the overhead costs of Experian. That’s why they’re so unhappy. The truth comes out!

It is not recommended that people give out their social security numbers as freely as Lifelock’s CEO Todd Davis did on the commercial. The services provided by Lifelock decrease the ease with which an individual’s identify can be stolen, but doesn’t completely prevent an individual from becoming a victim of fraud. Unfortunately, this even applies to Todd Davis.

The bottom line? Do your research before you decide to sign up for ANY services. And don’t ever give out your personal information (especially social security number!) on the Internet.

Since I had already seen tonight’s Grey’s Anatomy episode on its original air date, I flipped through until I got to Fox News. Usually, The O’Reilly Factor is on around this time, and it’s on, but Laura Ingram is hosting his show tonight. Anyway, one of the stories included in tonight’s broadcast was about 11 year old girls sending nude camera phone pictures to their boyfriends. This absolutely disgusts me and I really want to know what is going through these 11 year olds’ minds to make them want to do something like that. At 11, I was just starting to learn about sex, anatomy, etc. and I can only imagine the lack of information that these girls have when it comes to the subject. Bill O’Reilly did an interview in this particular broadcast with a reporter who said that the parents of the 11 year old girls, for the most part did not seem to be very outraged by the behavior. They chalked it up to the children (and that’s what they are) being “young” and not able to make the best decisions for themselves. What I’d like to know is, why are parents giving 11 year olds cell phones? I didn’t have a cell phone until I was almost driving, and that’s because I earned it by doing chores, being on my best behavior, and getting good grades. I feel bad for the children because they need responsible parents who are going to guide them, not parents who are allowing a free-for-all because they’re too busy being selfish.

I’m not saying that ALL children with cell phones are doing bad things or don’t deserve them. I’m also not saying that all parents are lacking in the parental skill department; but you and I both know they are out there, and the lack of parenting skills is on the rise, as evidenced by all kinds of behaviors by children. Media is also playing a part in this - making sex available to kids through movies, the Internet and TV shows.

When I have children (although I’m sure new technology will be available by then), I’m going to take all of this into consideration. I know you can’t be 110% prepared for these types of situations, but as a parent I really feel that it is their duty to protect these girls instead of giving them whatever they want and letting them roam free at the mere age of 11.

I’ve blogged about online gambling before, but there is one question about online gambling that I’ve always wondered about - how do you know that the specific site you’re on is reliable? Online Casino list will tell you how reliable the online casino is that you’re using. They include information about each online casino, including editor ratings, user ratings, max bonus amounts and payouts. You can also sort the listings in a variety of ways. For example, you can sort the list according to casinos who have the best bonuses (which I’m sure is really popular). If you’re questioning the online casino site that you’re using, you should consider checking for it on the Online Casino List. They’re even helping out beginners to the online gambling world. Visit the beginner’s page to get tips on how to get started and earn the most money you can through online gambling. Good luck!

Have I ever mentioned that Tom loves to hunt?

When we first started dating, I knew absolutely NOTHING about hunting. My (then) future step-father hunted big game, but Tom and his family hunt within Florida - something quite different than hunting for animals like elk and bear. I quickly learned the basics (because he’d never shut up about it!) and have learned to just deal with it ever since. I understand the gist of hunting - at least for deer and hogs in Florida, it’s basically population control. I could never aim a gun at an animal, though, even if I do hate hogs.

Tom’s talking about going to his hunt camp this weekend or next to fill the Deer Feeders on the property. I’ve gone with him before, and being in the woods all day is fun, but I think I’ll leave that up to him this time. You know how men love to do their manly stuff!

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