Cell Phone: Things You Never Knew Your Cell Could Do

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST:  Emergency

The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND:  Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. (Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.) Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!"

THIRD: Hidden Battery Power

Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

FOURTH: How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digit on your phone: *#06#.  A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card; your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

FIFTH: Telephone directory charge

Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411 or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now. This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it on to your family and friends.

Checks and Credit Card Protection

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED."

3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your checks it passes through all the check-processing channels will not have access to it.

4. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your social security number printed on your checks. You can add it if it is necessary.  However, if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy of your passport when traveling either here or abroad. We have all heard horror stories about fraud that is committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

6. When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys (and they all seem to do that now), do not turn the "keys" in. Take them with you and destroy them. Those little cards have on them all of the information you gave the hotel, including address and credit card numbers and expiration dates. Someone with a card reader, or employee of the hotel, can access all that information with no problem whatsoever.

This info is from an attorney who had first-hand knowledge because his wallet was stolen. Within a week, the thief(ves) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer and received a PIN number from DMV to change his driving record information online.

Here is some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet and contents being stolen: 

Good LUCK!

Drink This.  It May Prevent Alzheimer's

A glass of apple juice a day may keep Alzheimer's away and help fight the devastating effects that aging has on the brain.

According to a study from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, apple juice may boost production of an essential neurotransmitter called acetylcholine that helps nerve cells communicate and are important to brain health and a good memory. This in turn could ward off mind-robbing conditions like Alzheimer's disease, reports Ivanhoe Newswire.

The study: 

The researchers tested the ability of apple juice to improve brain functioning in both younger and older mice, including special mice that were bred as a genetic model for human Alzheimer's. The animals were divided into three groups. The first ate a standard diet, another ate a nutrient deficient diet, and the third also ate a nutrient deficient diet, but drank water laced with apple juice.

The results:

When the investigators ran the mice through a standard maze, those on the apple juice diet outperformed the other two groups. These mice also showed an increase in production of acetylcholine in their brains. Even the genetically engineered mice who were given apple juice had improved acetylcholine levels. Previous research has shown that mental decline associated with Alzheimer's disease can be slowed when the amount of  acetylcholine is increased.

(Source:  Editors at Netscape 02/2007)<http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/applejuice/i/applejuice135.jpg>

Eat This Food - Lower Your Blood Pressure

(Source: Editors at Netscape 02/2007) <http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/lowfatdairyfoods/i/lowfatdairyfoods135.jpg> 

Eat This Now.  Avoid Alzheimer's Later?

How does folate work its magic? Doctors suspect that elevated levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood, which is linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke, may also increase the risk for Alzheimer's disease. Folate is important in the body's processing of homocysteine--therefore, deficiencies in these nutrients increase homocysteine levels and may contribute to cardiovascular disease, stroke and dementia.

The study:

Led by José A. Luchsinger, M.D., the team interviewed and assessed the diets of 965 individuals without dementia between 1992 and 1994 and then followed them for an average of 6.1 years to see if they developed Alzheimer's disease. The participants, 70 percent of whom were women, had an average age of 75 years. This was a multi-ethnic study with 32 percent African-Americans, 45 percent Hispanics and 22 percent whites. During the follow-up period, 192 of the participants developed Alzheimer's disease.

The results:

The risk of developing Alzheimer's was lower for those individuals who had a higher intake of foods and supplements rich in folate. The trick was that both were needed. Neither dietary folate nor supplements alone helped prevent Alzheimer's; it was only when the two were combined that there was a protective effect. Even if folate only delays the onset of Alzheimer's and doesn't outright prevent it from occurring, that alone will significantly reduce the considerable burden it causes to its victims and their families.

(Source: Editors at Netscape 02/2007) 

Evaluate Your Home for Aging-In-Place

First Time Homebuyers

First-time homebuyers fall into many categories… high school or college graduate and a buyer that has not purchased a home in the last three years!  At Heart Of Florida Realty, we fully understand what it means to be a First-Time Homebuyer.  You are embarking on a path that will bring you to the point of making one of the most important decisions in your life, which is to purchase your first home.

Heart Attacks and Drinking Warm Water

Read this... it  could save your life!

Nothing to  lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.  It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal.  However, the  cold  water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will  slow  down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food.  It  will  line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.

• Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.
• Be aware of  intense pain in the jaw line.
• You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart  attack. 
Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep.

Let's be careful and  be  aware.  The more we know, the better chance we could survive.  A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this and sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.  

Look Younger!  This Herb Fights Aging

(Source:  Editors at Netscape 02/2007)

Men:  Eat This.  Live Longer?

(Source: Editors at Netscape 02/2007) <http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/folicacid/i/folicacid135.jpg>

Monitor Your Credit Report and Help Guard Against ID Theft

When it comes to identity theft, you can't entirely control whether you will become a victim. But there are certain steps you can take to minimize your risk.

• Order a copy of your credit report.
• Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, or a series of consecutive numbers.
• Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having work done in your home.
• Ask about information security procedures in your workplace or at businesses, doctor's offices or other institutions that collect your personal information.
• Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact or are sure you know who you're dealing with.
• Confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization before you share any personal information. Check an organization's website by typing its URL in the address line, rather than cutting and pasting it.
• Treat your mail and trash carefully.
• Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, call your post office to request a vacation hold.
• Always shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards, and credit offers you get in the mail.
• Don't carry your Social Security number card; leave it in a secure place. Only give your Social Security number when absolutely necessary.
• Carry only the credit, debit and identification cards that you'll actually need when you go out.
• Be cautious when responding to promotions. Identity thieves may create phony promotional offers to get you to give them your personal information.
• Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work; do the same with copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal information.
• When ordering new checks, pick them up from the bank instead of having them mailed to your home mailbox.

Moral of the Story

If you're going to have a Senior Moment, make it memorable!

Number "1" Sign You'll Develop Dementia Later

The Associated Press and Reuters report that having just one of these risk factors in middle age doubles your chance of developing dementia later. If you have all three, your chances just increased a whopping six fold.

(Source:  Editors at Netscape 02/2007) <http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/developdementia/i/developdementia135.jpg>

Plant that Tree $$$

Money spent sprucing up the yard with trees, shrubs, lighting, and patios is well spent... especially when it comes time to sell the home, a new study says. The report, by Arbor National Mortgage, found that 84 percent of real estate professionals believe a house on a treed lot would fetch at least 20 percent more than one on a lot without trees. Another of the company’s surveys suggested that while shelling out for top-of-the line landscaping may only bring in an additional 4 percent to 5 percent, spending minimal amounts has a penalty. Home with average landscaping sell for 20 percent more than homes with just fair landscaping.

(Source: Orlando Sentinel, Lew Sichelman 6/11/06)

Shocking Way Alzheimer's First Shows Up

For all of you who have forgotten where you put the car keys, the name of that person you ran into unexpectedly at the mall or the details of a recent conversation, we have some alarming news. Those laughable and frustrating "senior moments" could really be one of the first signs of Alzheimer's--despite the fact that the medical community has assured us for years that's not the case.

"There's something about these people that allows them to have large amounts of pathology without obvious memory problems," lead author Dr. David Bennett told AP. "We need to understand why that is."

The study findings were published in Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology's scientific journal. 

(Source:  Editors at Netscape 02/2007)<http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/forgetting/i/forgetting135.jpg>

Severe Burns

Immediately pour pancake syrup all over the burn area and dunk in flour.  Don't ask me why it works, but it does.  The pain is subsided substantially and in general the burn area will not blister. This has worked on hot oil burns, hot pan/stove burns, candle wax burns and chemical burns.  Of course common sense in getting to a doctor must prevail in any situation.   

Speak Spanish to Me

Tax Benefits for Homeowners

For those who rent, the tax savings of ownership go to the landlord, not to the tenants. Wouldn't you rather build equity for yourself every month instead of paying someone else and giving away "your" tax savings? 

Additional Advantages of Homeownership  

Go to State Government Tax Information 

Termites

We want to pass along the newest buzz in pest control efforts to potential homebuyers! A new termite control product, called Termidor, which was researched at the University of Florida has been introduced to the market by Aventis Environmental Science. Company officials say studies show the product demonstrates 100 percent effectiveness in key US markets… including Florida.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 225,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. Known as "the voice of the housing industry," NAHB is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the more than 1.93 million new housing units projected for 2006, making housing one of the largest engines of economic growth in the country.

The Number "1" Reason Women Look Old

Wrinkles, furrows, lines and gray hair are not the only cues that tell others we're aging. You may not realize it, but facial skin color distribution--or skin tone--can add 10 to 12 years to a woman's perceived age, according to researchers from the University of Göttingen in Germany.

The Number 1 cause of uneven skin tone?   Tanning.

Using 3D imaging and morphing software, the researchers removed potential age-defining features, such as wrinkles, lines and facial furrows, from the photographs of various women. That meant the only variable left was skin tone. These photos were then viewed by 430 observers who were asked to estimate each model's age and gauge her health and attractiveness.

The results?

Faces with more even skin tone and luminosity were judged to be younger, as well as more attractive and healthy. The models with uneven, blotchy skin tone were judged to be significantly older.

"Whether a woman is 17 or 70, the contrast of skin tone plays a significant role in the way her age, beauty and health are perceived," says study co-author Dr. Bernhard Fink. "An even skin tone can give visual clues about a person's health and reproductive capability, so it is considered most desirable."

Skin tone variances can be caused by three primary  factors:

1. UV damage from the sun:  freckles, moles and age spots
2. Natural aging:  yellowness and dullness
3. Skin vascularization:  redness

The study findings were published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior. (Source:  Editors at Netscape 02/2007) <http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/skintone/i/skintone135.jpg>

The Real Reason Our Faces Age

The Remodelors™ Council

The NAHB Remodelors™ Council is America's home for professional Remodelors, representing the 14,000 remodeling industry members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Founded in 1982, the Council provides information, education and designation programs to improve the business and construction expertise of its members and to enhance the professional image of the industry. "Remodelor" is the trademarked identifier of NAHB members active in the remodeling industry. The Council's membership incorporates 160 local councils in 43 states. Learn more about remodeling at www.nahb.org/remodel.

Q:  What are the financial benefits of having a home near a body of water?

A: The mere presence of water within 300 feet can increase a home's value by 22%.

Q:  What is the deepest freshwater lake in the world?

1. Lake Baikal
2. Lake Huron
3. Lake Michigan
4. Lake Victoria
5. Loch Ness

A: 1. - Lake Baikal.  Sometimes called "the Galapagos of Russia" because of the unique diversity of its fauna, Lake Baikal contains 20 percent of the world's unfrozen fresh water.

This Spice May Prevent Breast Cancer

Eat your curry!

Curcumin, the main ingredient of turmeric and the compound that gives curry its mustard-yellow color, may stop breast cancer cold and keep it from attacking other organs.

Though the study results are early, researchers found that this nontoxic, natural substance not only repelled progression of the disease to the lungs, but also appeared to reverse the effects of paclitaxel (Taxol), a commonly prescribed chemotherapy for breast cancer that may trigger spread of the disease with use over a long period of time.

Because Taxol is so toxic, it activates a protein that produces an inflammatory response that induces metastasis. Curcumin suppresses this response, making it impossible for the cancer to spread. In fact, researchers found that adding curcumin to Taxol actually enhances its effect. Curcumin breaks down the dose, making the therapy less toxic and just as powerful while delivering the same level of efficacy.

"We are excited about the results of the study and the possible implications for taking the findings into the clinic in the next several years," says Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D., professor of cancer medicine in M.D. Anderson's Department of Experimental Therapeutics. "At this time, advanced breast cancer is a difficult foe to fight with few proven treatments available after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy."

(Source:  Editors at Netscape 02/2007) <http://access.nscpcdn.com/cp/fte/currystopscancer/i/currystopscancer135.jpg>

When selecting a new roof, white is right but with gray you'll pay… according to a study conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center.  In 2003, the company built six identical homes, benefiting Habitat for Humanity, and gave each a different type of roof to study the color's effect on energy costs. 

• White galvanized roofing saved homeowners the maximum amount on their energy bills at 23 percent ($128 per year for a 1,770-square foot home).
• S-shaped cement tiles saved 20 percent ($110); flat white cement saved 17 percent ($96); white shingled roofs saved 4 percent ($24).
• S-shaped terra cotta cement tiles saved 3 percent ($15).