Debit Card Information Stolen While Driving To Another State

Feb. 27, 2015

Dear Cathy:

On my drive moving to another state instead of taking cash with me, I used a debit card to purchase gas as I passed through several states.  When I finally reached my destination after 3 days, my bank contacted me to see if I purchased over $2,000 worth of items from Wal-mart, so obviously somewhere along my route, my bank information was stolen.  The bank did put the funds back into my account but what should I do in the future to make sure this doesn’t happen again?  Risky Traveler, Florida

Dear Risky Traveler:

This is a two-edged sword because when you drive or travel around the U.S., it’s always good to use debit or credit cards in case you come up missing and law enforcement officers can track your moves, however, when you drive to other states, your information can be easily stolen especially today in the world of technology.

Traveling is always risky when you use a debit or credit card so having cash especially to pay for food and other emergencies, might help avoid this situation in the future.  Most hotels will probably prefer debit or credit cards so they can bill you after you leave in case of any additional room costs.

Even when you eat inside of restaurants, visit drive-thru eating places, when paying for gas, or making other purchases, your credit card information can be swiped and stolen especially today.  

Most people should have two debit cards or two credit cards and use one specifically for gas, food and other emergencies. This way any would be criminal won’t have access to the bulk of your funds.  It's also a good idea to check your bank account balances at least once a day, even when traveling, in case you have to report any type of fraud to your bank.

What Businesses Can My Kids Start Around Pets?

Feb. 26, 2015

Dear Cathy:

My family loves pets.  We have always had a dog and cat.  I am unaware of any pet businesses that my boys, 12 and 13, can start.  Are there businesses we can create that deals with animals?  Animal Lover, Midwest

Dear Animal Lover:

Over 60% of all homes have pets so starting a business dealing with pets just makes sense.  There are many businesses that your kids can start dealing with pets.  In Chapter 4 of my business book “The New CEO: 185 Easy-To-Set Up Businesses for Youth and Adult Entrepreneurs,” there is a list of eleven different businesses dealing with animals especially dogs and cats. 

Here is a short list of these businesses with a short description:

-Pet Sitting/Puppy Daycare - Everyone needs a break from their pets so you can run a pet sitting/puppy daycare business out of your home, go into your client’s homes or obtain a facility in the community.

-Pet walking - Many pet owners have to come home at lunch or early in the evening just to walk their animals.  This causes undue stress on people so they would love for you to walk these animals for them.

-Pet Photography - Pet owners will pay you up to $200 or more to take pictures of their animals so buy a camera and get started today.  There are all types of possibilities to merchandise these pictures by putting them on glasses, mugs, calenders, T-shirts, etc.

You can set up any of these businesses dealing with animals for less than $100 within the next two weeks.  This does not include becoming legitimate or putting up a website.   You can conduct more research for each business in libraries, online and ask a vet to mentor your kids.  For a list of each step to take to set up the business, read Chapter 2 of “How To Take Control of Your Own Life: A Self-Help Guide to Starting Your Own Business.” 

How Can My Husband and I Tell If We Are Healthy?

Feb. 25, 2015 

Dear Cathy:

My husband and I are both 50 years old and feel energetic.  We go to a doctor every six months for checkups.  We try to eat right, drink good water, exercise and get plenty of sleep.  We also use natural cleaning products for our home, put natural products on our bodies and engage in regular detoxification programs.  But how can we really tell if we are healthy?  Healthy in Chicago

Dear Healthy:

As long as you are not on any medications and you are keeping your important numbers (cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, triglycerides, waist size (under 40 inches for men and under 35 inches for women, etc.)) in range, then you are fairly healthy. 

Other ways to tell is by visiting a Kinesiologist -- who can look at your ‘dry’ and ‘live’ blood under a microscope called “Live Blood Cell Analysis.”  Because your blood is the pathway to the flesh and tells all, they can look at your blood and tell you what is happening in your body. 

It is really not a diagnostic procedure for any specific diseases but they can tell you if a disease is forming in your body especially diabetes and if you are receiving enough Omega 3s or other nutrients in your diet.  It is best used to help determine the optimal diet and most effective supplementation for enzymes, herbs, antioxidants, etc.

If you can’t afford this procedure then buy pH strips and test your first urine and saliva of the day – but remember that the blood is the most telling of all.  The pH of the blood should be 7.365.  If your blood and body is ‘alkaline’ versus being ‘acidic’ -- then chances are -- you are fairly healthy.

Learn more about how to maintain your health by reading my book “How To Take Control of Your Own Life:A Self-Help Guide to Becoming Healthier Over the Next 30 Days” which will help you maintain your energy and vitality as you age gracefully.

Is My Book Non-fiction If I Use Fictitious Names to Keep from Being Sued? ​

Feb. 24, 2015

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​Dear Cathy:

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I am writing a non-fiction book about the workplace abuse that occurred in my workplace but how do I keep from being sued when I mention people’s names?   If I decide to use fictitious names, will this keep me from being sued and would the book still be non-fiction?  Anonymous in Nebraska

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Dear Anonymous:

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Yes the book will still be a non-fiction book if you use fictitious names for the people in your stories.  Unlike fiction books where you use fictitious characters, in non-fiction books you have the right to refer to the individuals in your book as fictitious characters in order to keep from being sued.

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Many people are afraid to tell their stories in books because of their fear of being sued and this along has kept the world from learning what really happens in many workplaces all over America.  

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Not only can writing a truthful book about your workplace be healing for you but it can be very therapeutic for you and others – so do it.  Writing a book about your life is the best way for others to get to know you -- so it will present other opportunities for you to become a speaker or create your own line of lectures, seminars and workshops.  

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When you write a book about your life, you need to decide if it will be about your entire life or a certain part of your life.  If you are coming from a “specialized industry” such as Banking, Financial, Mortgage, Education, Medical, International Traveling, Law Enforcement, Government, Technology, etc. – an industry that many people have very little knowledge of, there are many opportunities for you to write a book about your life and educate others.  To learn more read the book “How To Write A Book: The Complete Guide to Writing and Selling Your Own Paperback and E-book.”

Do I Need A Degree to Start A Business?

Feb. 23, 2015
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Dear Cathy:
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I have been told by my friends that you need a degree to start a business.  I am finishing up my undergraduate degree at a prominent university so how do I start setting up a business? Looking Forward to Starting a Business, Colorado
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Dear Looking Forward to Starting A Business:
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Many people think people with college degrees are the only ones that can start businesses.  If you had conducted your research, you would have found out that even young people -- as young as 5 years old can become a business owner so no degree is necessary.
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First you need to figure out what is your passion and start a business around your passion.  The first stage of business is the research stage where you need to go out and conduct research.  You might have to spend 6 months to 2 years in this stage. 
The more research you conduct at the front end of your business, the sooner you will be able to open up the doors of your business.
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There are several ways to conduct research including reading books at libraries, community bookstores and online bookstores.  You can also conduct research from the leisure of your own home by using the two largest search websites on the internet -- google.com and yahoo.com.  
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You can get a business mentor which will help you avoid some of the financial mistakes that you will probably make.  Many mentors would be honored to mentor people but are seldom asked so go out there and find a mentor.  
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Being a part of an ethical business group will also be key to keeping you motivated but make sure they are bringing in others to help you grow your business.  For business ideas read the book “The New CEO: 185 Easy-To-Set Up Businesses for Youth and Adult Entrepreneurs” and for a complete check-list to start and build a business read “How To Take Control of Your Own Life: A Self-Help Guiding To Starting Your Own Business.” 

Who is Monsanto and Why Do One Company Own 40% of All U.S. Grown Food Crops?

Feb. 19, 2015

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Dear Cathy:

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I know Monsanto made the chemicals that caused many men from Vietnam to come down with Agent Orange but what else are they up to and why is there a worldwide movement to STOP Monsanto?  Confused in Virginia

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Dear Confused:

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Monsanto is a profit-motivated biotech chemical company created in 1901 in St. Louis to oversee agriculture and plants in the environment.  Michael Taylor was employed at FDA.gov at one time and he was also an attorney with Monsanto as a client.  He then became Monsanto’ Vice President.  Now he is back at FDA.gov as the “U.S. Food Safety Czar” in charge of FDA’s food policies.

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It has been discovered that Monsanto is not only poisoning plants and animals but humans also.  Monsanto has spent over $30 billion in recent years buying numerous U.S. seed companies and now they own up to 90% of all the seed companies in the U.S and 40% of all U.S. crops are now owned by Monsanto.  

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As a result, Monsanto now control the U.S. seed business.  Their motto is “He who owns the seeds -- controls the world‟s food supply.”  They have patented these seeds forcing farmers to buy new seeds every year.  If farmers fail to hang onto a supply of traditional seeds, they will be forced to buy these toxic Genetically Modified (GM) seeds.  

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Besides creating Genetically Modified (GM) foods, Monsanto also created Agent Orange (which caused many men to get cancer from the Vietnam War); PCPs (which are poisons that were leaked from the plant in Anniston, AL into the water system where many people died of cancer); DDTs (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane which is an insecticide, toxic to humans and animals when swallowed or absorbed through the skin, that has been banned in the U.S. since 1972); Bovine Growth Hormone (growth hormone found today in all beef, milk, chicken, eggs, etc.); Aspartame (a sugar substitute that is causing an explosion of brain cancers today); Roundup Ready Weed Killer (poisonous herbicide which is currently being sprayed on play grounds, football, baseball, soccer fields, etc.). 

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A key component of the U.S. Monsanto plan to dominate world agriculture with Genetically Modified (GM) seeds is the “absence of labeling” of Genetically Engineered (GE) foods.  So join the movement to label foods as GMOs at www.ResponsibleTechnology.org, www.Occupy-monsanto.com and www.MillionsAgainstMonsanto.org.  

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What Is The Connection Between Processed Foods and GMOs?

Feb. 17, 2015

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Dear Cathy:

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I grew up on a farm and have always been a healthy eater and avoided processed foods.  It's scary to find out that 90% of all grocery store foods have been contaminated with GMOs.  Can you explain the connection between processed foods and GMOs?  What exactly are GMOs?  Healthy Eater, Georgia

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Dear Healthy Eater:

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GMOs are also referred to as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Genetically Modified (GM) foods, Genetically Engineered (GE) foods, Genetically Altered Foods, and Frankenfoods.  Basically over 90% of all grocery store foods especially processed foods (foods which have been dried, flaked, mixed, frozen, canned, boxed, bottled, packaged or prepared) are referred to as GMOs.  

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Scientists took the DNA of plants and the DNA of animals and mixed it with pesticides and herbicides and bacteria and fungus -- to try to create some type of “superbreed” - a plant or animal that grows faster, bigger, and stronger. 

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They put the pesticides and herbicides into the seeds which grows this toxic food which have no nutritional value -- so there is no way to avoid eating pesticides or herbicides which are heavy metals or neurotoxins which causes the brain to give out.  

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This is why there has been an explosion of brain illnesses such as autism, Alzheimers, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, brain cancer, mental illness, depression, bipolar, brain fog -- along with other multiple illnesses such as food allergies; antibiotic resistant diseases and other new diseases (Morgellon’s disease, etc.); toxins; digestive issues; nutritional issues; organ damage; reproductive disorders; birth effects such as kids born with smaller brains and low birth weight; miscarriages, infertility or lower sperm counts; immune problems; diabetes; high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer; obesity, blindness, accelerated aging – just to name a few.

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These foods have been on the U.S. market for 20 years so it should be everyone's goal to avoid processed foods while they raise their nutritional IQ by eating foods in as natural forms as possible.  You can learn more about GMOs by signing up for the newsletters at www.ResponsibleTechnology.org, www.Occupy-Monsanto.com, and www.MillionsAgainstMonsanto.org or conduct your own research at www.google.com and www.yahoo.com.  

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