E! Investigates Bullying.

I love to watch E! Investigates. It is a great show where they feature everything from The Curse of the Lottery to Women Who Kill. I think that it is a very interesting show. Each show has a different subject and the show is an hour long and it is something I am always interested in. I actually will look online at my local cable company’s website to see when it is on. I have seen some of the same episodes more than once and I don’t mind watching them again. I am really interested in the ones about murder and mayhem. I wanted to share with you about the newest episode that will air on Wednesday April 21 at 10 pm ET/PT on E! It is about bullying.

Every day, thousands of kids across the country are afraid to go to school thanks to an epidemic of vicious behavior among American teenagers. It is estimated that 20% of children are victims of bullying. These attacks come in the form of physical and verbal abuse, as well as by newer methods of harassment using cell phones and the internet. Once thought to be just harmless teasing, the real-life effects of bullying can include prolonged depression and even suicide. Recently, according to police, a 15-year-old girl in Massachusetts hung herself after being taunted by a group of girls who posted mocking messages on their Facebook pages. This one-hour episode sheds light on several recent stories and the tragic effects that can result from this all-too-common behavior.

By all accounts, Dylan Theno was a happy, well-adjusted boy in a small Kansas community. But when he entered 7th grade, a few of Dylan’s fellow students began making fun of him. For years the cruel taunts and name-calling continued. The Thenos claim they spoke with school officials on numerous occasions to no avail and they ultimately had to make the tough decision to pull Dylan from the classroom. Also in this episode, E! Investigates interviews students, parents and faculty in Calabasas, CA, to learn what really happened when red-haired kids were suddenly singled out and attacked on the infamous “Kick A Ginger Day.” E! Investigates: Bullying explores theories of what may be causing the increasingly cruel nature of these attacks, explains how the advent of hand-held technology has given bullies powerful new weapons, and shows what schools are and aren’t doing to prevent bullying. Finally, warning signs are identified that parents should look for if they suspect their child has become a bullying victim.

I can’t wait to watch it. Bullying is a serious subject that many children have to deal with growing up. No child deserves to be a victim of bullying in person or on the computer. It is such a difficult thing to go through. Sadly sometimes bullying leads to suicide or murder depending on the severity of the case. I was watching another show on E! about the most horrific crimes committed by children and one of them has stuck out since I watched it. This girl named Shanda was being bullied by a few girls in school for some ridiculous reason and the bullies recruited a couple other high school kids to trick her in to going out with them to a concert to meet another “friend”. They ended up torturing her for hours and she ended up ultimately dying after being beaten over and over with a tire iron, being locked in the trunk for hours and the autopsy revealed that the cause of death was inhaling fumes as she was being burned alive. Other children could lash out and seek revenge on their bullies, and hurt many others in the process.

Bullying is not funny; it is not something that is just kids being kids. It is a crime in my opinion. As parents we need to all stand together and talk to our children and make sure we are aware with what is going on with our kids. We need to make sure our kids are not being bullied or bullying someone else. I hope you will all tune on Wednesday April 21, 2010 and watch E! Investigates Bullying at 10 pm ET/PT on E!

NOVICA Review

When I went to San Diego with my friend for a wedding, we went to the beach. At the beach there was a bar on the beach with some hammock chairs. We sat that for like an hour enjoying the warm weather and the scenery. I immediately fell in love with the hammock chair and from that point on I wanted one for my own. I didn’t really want to leave the hammock chair. I was on a hunt for one when I got back. Every hammock chair I saw was very expensive so I hadn’t got one. So, when I heard about NOVICA which is an online store in association with National Geographic I was intrigued. I also like to help support other countries by purchasing from their local artists; I know I have more than some of them. NOVICA sells all kinds of items from local artists in other countries. Everything is handcrafted. There are some really cool and beautiful items. They even have corporate gifts that would be great for any office to give out for a holiday gift or even as a thank you to a client.

I had the opportunity to try out something from NOVICA. It was really hard to choose. I must have spent an hour trying to figure out what I wanted the most. NOVICA has beautiful jewelry, paintings, apparel, home décor and so much more . There are so many things I would love to receive as gifts. Then there it was a hammock chair. The hammock chair is made in Mexico. I got really excited. I had found one after all this time. It reminded me of San Diego and the memories I had made there. I immediately pictured myself sitting in it in my backyard looking out at the pond enjoying the sounds of the ducks and the fountain. I imagined myself relaxing and just taking in my surroundings. I told Noah about the hammock chair and that we were going to get one. He thought it sounded really cool but he had no idea. I anxiously awaited the arrival of my hammock chair. The day it arrived I was amazed at how gorgeous it was. It is really well made. It was soft and really easy to hang.

When I sat in it for the first time, I was so relaxed. I could feel my stress melt away. It is crazy how just a little relaxing can make all the difference in the world. I have been sitting in it whenever the weather has permitted it. I see myself sitting in it in the summer and drinking a frozen drink. Noah enjoys sitting in it too. He thinks it is his own personal swing. I am always right next to him when he is in it in case he would fall out, but I don’t see that happening because the hammock chair is big and strong.

I hope when you are looking for a great gift you will check out NOVICA and help support local artists in other countries. For more information and to order this hammock chair and other items please visit HERE.

Thank you to NOVICA for sending me a hammock chair to try for my review.

Last Minute Tax Tips from Dunkin' Donuts

Dunkin’ Donuts Retail Coffee

Tax Day Survival Tips

With the tax-filing deadline approaching, don’t panic if you haven’t completed your return. Here are some Tax Day Survival tips to help you avoid stress and enjoy a “delicious” return.

1. Set aside some quality tax time. Brew a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at home, find the materials you need to prepare your taxes, and retire to a quiet spot to get started. You can complete your return manually on paper, with Free File, or commercial software. If you use a tax professional, make sure to gather all your materials before sitting down with him or her.


2. Consider an extension. If, for any reason, you can’t file your income tax return on time, simply request a filing extension by April 15th. This gives you six more months to complete your return and avoid late filing penalties. Use Form 4868, which you can get at IRS.gov. But you still must pay now what tax you’ll owe to avoid late payment penalties.

3. Check out new tax breaks for certain 2009 purchases. If you bought a home, you may qualify for a tax credit. If you bought a new car, you may be able to deduct the sales tax. Find details about these new breaks at IRS.gov.

4. File electronically. To get your tax refund as quickly as possible, file your income tax return electronically and request that the refund be deposited directly in your account. You can have the deposit split among two or three accounts, including bank accounts, IRAs, health savings accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, and a TreasuryDirect® account for I bond purchases.

5. Adjust your tax withholding or estimated taxes. Is it bad to be owed a tax refund? It’s nice to have the extra cash now, but getting a refund means you’ve really made an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam. A better strategy is to adjust your tax withholding or estimated taxes for this year so you pay an amount that is closer to the amount of tax owed; this gives you the use of your own money throughout the year.

6. Contribute to your retirement fund. The tax year is over but it’s not too late to put money in a regular or Roth IRA for 2009. Assuming you’re eligible, a contribution to a traditional IRA made by April 15th is deductible on your 2009 return. If you opt for a Roth IRA contribution, you can’t deduct it but will build up tax-free income for retirement.

7. Reap eco-credits. If you added insulation, energy-efficient windows, or solar panels to your home, you not only reduced energy costs but also may now qualify for a tax credit. The credit limit for installing solar panels and other alternative energy additions is 30% of cost; for other improvements, there’s a $1,500 cap. The tax credit reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar.

8. The standard deduction isn’t standard anymore. If you don’t itemize, you may be able to bulk up your standard deduction by adding amounts for being a senior, paying property taxes on your home or sales tax on a car purchase, or for suffering a loss in a federal disaster. But you’ll have to complete a new form, Schedule L, to total up your standard deduction.

Barbara Weltman is an attorney, prolific author with such titles as J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes, J.K. Lasser’s 1001 Deductions and Tax Breaks, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business, and trusted professional advocate for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She is also the publisher of Idea of the Day® and monthly e-newsletter Big Ideas for Small Business® at www.barbaraweltman.com and host of Build Your Business radio. Follow her on Twitter at BarbaraWeltman.

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