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Dear Friend:
This is a special eNews dedicated to providing some
useful tips for you and your family. Many of my
eNewsletters contain items about conserving water,
recycling your Christmas tree, identity theft and
recycling tips. Readers have found this information
to be useful and I regularly receive requests for
more. So for this issue, I decided to write an eNews
that is devoted exclusively to helpful ideas a
variety of topics. And if you have some suggestions
for other helpful tips I can use in a future eNews,
please send them to me by clicking this email link:
jmadaffer@sandiego.gov
Finding
the Cheapest Gas
There was a time when California had the highest
gasoline prices in the nation. Unfortunately the
rest of the country is catching up. The cost of gas
is very high in San Diego and in many locations it
has passed the $4.00 a gallon mark. I invite you to
check out San Diego’s prices at the
GasBuddy.com web site.
Here is a link to the national gas price map
On a related note, the Utility Consumers Action
Network (UCAN) has teamed up with former Road &
Track writer Chet Cunningham to offer 127 gas-saving
tips to UCAN members and Southern California
consumers for free.
Click here for more information.
Call 411 For Free
You need a phone number and many people simply
call 411. Whether you are on a land line or your
cell phone, you usually pay dearly – anywhere from
50¢ to more than $1.00. Did you know that there is
an alternative? GOOG 411 is available from our
friends at Google - they have created an alternative
and – It’s FREE
You don't need a computer, an Internet
connection, or even the keypad on your phone or
mobile device. GOOG-411 is voice-activated, so you
can access it from any phone (mobile or land line),
in any location, at any time. For free.
Dial (1-800) GOOG-411. Say where.
Say what you're looking for. GOOG-411 will connect
you with the business you choose.
If you are calling from a mobile
device, GOOG-411 can even send you a text message
with more details and a map. Simply say "Text
message" or "Map it." I love the service and use it
all the time.
You can get more details by clicking here.
Real-Time Airline Flight Tracking
Picking up friends and relatives at the airport
always seems to be a guessing game of when the
flight is really coming in – did it leave on time
and are there delays along the way? Well those days
are over. Here is a very useful website I use
regularly to track airline flights. Yes, actually
track where the flight is – just like your own
personal radar.
It’s called
www.FlightView.com – all you
need is the airline and flight number, you can see
exactly where the airplane is at, the speed it is
flying and how long until it arrives.
Click here to see a demo flight link
Enjoy!
How to
keep your latest files with you, no matter which
computer you're using – for Free!
Many of you know me to have a
small interest in technology – and I frequently am
asked for tips on a few things when it comes to
making email and computers work better. Here’s a
tip on how to better organize your files if you use
both a laptop and a computer at home or work.
The issue often becomes where did I save that
file? Is it on my laptop or at home? Or maybe it’s
on my computer at work. And where is the latest
version? The easy solution is to have access to all
your files all the time. And while there are
outstanding commercial services available such as
“GoToMyPC” to access a home or work computer (which
I use all the time), there is another way to
actually synchronize files and folders on both your
laptop and other computers. And for right now the
service is free and from all people – it’s from
Microsoft. It’s called Folder Share.
Here’s how it works. As I’m typing this eNews on
my laptop from out of town, it is stored in a folder
on both on my laptop and on my home computer – the
same file, synchronized in both places. So as I
click save, the exact same copy is saved back home.
Once back home, I can open the same file – just as I
saved it on my laptop. You can even share folders
and the files within them as part of a public or
work group share.
Windows Live FolderShare beta is a
free service that you can use to share files between
your own computers and with other people. You can
also remotely access your computer and all of the
files on your computer from any computer connected
to the Internet. Bottomline is this: Keep your
latest files with you, no matter which computer
you're using.
For more information, visit the Microsoft website by
clicking here
Keep
Your Family Safe
Two years ago I organized a large-scale
presentation called Keep Your Family Safe Expo at
the Allied Gardens SpringFest. There were several
booths with experts on a variety of topics. It was
one-stop-shopping for helping people prepare for any
situation and giving them tools and contacts in
order to keep their family safe. One of the most
popular presentations offered information about
fingerprinting your children as a safety measure.
Vital information such as fingerprints, a current
photo and DNA samples are invaluable in cases of a
lost or missing child.
The National Child Identification Program offers an
identification kit so that parents can collect
finger prints and DNA samples. More then 800,000
children in America are missing each year and the
National Child Identification Program is a community
service initiative dedicated to changing that grim
statistic.
You may want to visit their web site by clicking
here.
Another
important area is Internet Safety
Parents need help crossing the
digital divide. Children need guidance to safely and
responsibly use today’s rapidly changing
technology.
Did you know that children ages 8–18 spend an
average of 44.5 hours per week consuming media
(watching TV, playing video games, instant
messaging, listening to music). The seeming
anonymity of the Internet has opened the door to new
threats. Do you know who your child is talking to
on line? Do you know if your child has been
contacted for sexual exploitation on line? If you
don’t know the answers to these questions, you
should. Check out the
FBI’s Parent's Guide to Internet Safety by clicking
this link.
Another thing you can do is attend
a seminar on digital safety. I put one on at Lewis
Middle school earlier this year and more happen all
the time. One such program is coming up at
Cathedral Catholic High School at 5555 Del Mar
Heights Road. For more information, visit the
San Diego Police Department Foundation’s website by
clicking this link.
Earthquake and Disaster Planning
We talk about planning for wildfires but are you
prepared for a large earthquake? You should be.
This page has excellent links for
Earthquake Planning
Here’s another link that’s worth
visiting as well for disaster planning.
Energy $aving Tips
The City of San Diego’s web site
has some great energy saving tips for you. These
are simple, practical things you can do around your
home to make it more efficient and save you money.
For example, the suggestions include purchasing
items with the U.S. Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR label
that appears on more than 40 product categories.
The ENERGY STAR label designates the more energy
efficient products that can cut energy bills by up
to 30 percent. Other tips include:
• Turn down the thermostat on your water heater
• Use energy efficient light bulbs
• Turn off or unplug unused electrical appliances
• Use ceiling fans to help save energy in winter and
summer months
• Install energy saving methods for your pool and
spa
To find out more detailed
information about these tips and read about other
energy saving tips, click here.
Stop the
Telemarketers
If you are a little too popular and receive
unwanted calls advertising products or soliciting
your business, there is an easy, free way to avoid
this problem. The National Do Not Call Registry
provides a way for you to limit telemarketing calls.
The National Do Not Call Registry was created in
June of 2003 and is managed by the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) which is the nation’s consumer
protection agency.
You register your phone number with the Do Not
Call Registry and then telemarketers covered by the
registry have 31 days to remove you from their list
and stop calling you. After you register, your phone
number will appear on the registry the next day. You
can verify that your number is on the registry
online at
www.donotcall.gov
or by calling the registry’s toll-free number
(1-888-382-1222) and following the prompts for
verifying that your number is on the registry. You
may register your home phone number and your cell
phone number; you may register up to three of your
personal phone numbers at one time. You may have
received an email telling you that your cell phone
is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a
result of a new cell phone number database; however,
that is not the case.
FTC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using
automated dialers to call cell phone numbers.
Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so
most telemarketers don’t call consumers on their
cell phones without their consent. You should know
that the FTC does not allow private companies or
other such third parties to register consumers for
the National Do Not Call Registry. Websites or phone
solicitations that claim they can or will register a
consumer’s name or phone number on the National Do
Not Call Registry — especially those that charge a
fee — are almost certainly a scam. For more
information
or
to register, click here. To visit the
FTC’s web site,
click here.
2-1-1 –
San Diego’s Infoline
Calling 2-1-1 is a great way to get connected and
to get answers. It is a free, confidential dialing
code service in San Diego providing a wide range of
immediate community, health and human service
resources to local families. Callers are connected
with experts who can direct them to public and
private services 24 hours a day every day of the
year. In addition, 2-1-1 serves as the county’s
communication center during regional disasters. The
staff provides evacuation and safety information and
personally answers questions, providing direct
support over the phone.
It used to be known as United
Way’s INFOLINE and then became an independent
non-profit in 2003. The mission of 2-1-1 is to
increase San Diego’s ability to serve people in
crisis by connecting them with services in the
county.
2-1-1 has had a particularly high profile since
the October 2007 wildfires. The service provided
up-to-date information about mandatory evacuation
orders, shelter locations, road closures, relief and
recovery resources, donations and volunteering
opportunities. During the emergency, call center
staff answered an average of 12,000 calls per day.
That was nearly 30 times higher than their budgeted
capacity. Since then, they have experienced almost
double the number of calls. Their goal is to become
the most robust community-based call center in the
nation. They are a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization
that has no specified federal or state funding
source. They currently receive support from local
governments and from contributions. Visit their web
site at
www.211sandiego.org/211
if you would like to find out more or if you want to
make a donation or volunteer your time.
Current
Traffic Information
Want current traffic information before getting on
the road?
Click this link for Real-Time San Diego Area Traffic
Information
Global
Incident Tracking
We regularly hear of incidents that happen around
the world – whether it be an explosion, potential
terrorism, etc – this site is most interesting in
what it offers – a global look at incidents
happening around the world.
Called the “Global Incident Map”, it’s not for the
faint of heart – and something you might only expect
the CIA would have access to.
Check this out and see how crazy things are in the
world we live in.
Mission Times Courier
Lastly, I thought I’d give a plug to our
community newspaper serving Allied Gardens, College
area, Del Cerro, Grantville, San Carlos, Rolando and
parts of La Mesa: the Mission Times Courier. The
website is regularly updated with news and
information in-between when the print edition is
delivered to homes and retail locations in the
area. You can visit the website at
www.MissionTimesCourier.com.
It’s a great resource for
local community news
To things going on
in the community
To a
community events calendar you can post
information to for your school, group or
organization
You can even
read about your neighbors as well
To the ever popular
Friends of Lake Murray column.
Lastly, you can even find out
about the
next candidate’s forum in the race to
succeed me on the San Diego City Council.
Enjoy the community paper – and be
sure to
sign up to get news alerts as new
things come up in the community.
If you have some good tips that you
think readers would be interested in seeing, please
send me an email at
jmadaffer@sandiego.gov – I’d be
pleased to take the best ones and include them in a
future eNewsletter.
Happenings
in the District
From time to time I include a few community
events taking place throughout the District. Here
are a few you may be interested in:
May 1 –
Last day to register for the Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) golf tournament at the
Doubletree Resort. Check in time for the fundraising
event begins at 10:00 a.m. and the shotgun start is
at 12:00 p.m. You will be placed on a team if you
don’t have a foursome. Participation includes a golf
cart, practice area and complimentary dinner as well
as a free round of golf at the Doubletree Resort.
For more information or to register,
click here
or call (619) 787-1563 or email to
rickyboy44@cox.net.
May 2 & 3 – The biggest party in
Allied Gardens will return for the 9th straight
year. The 2008 Allied Gardens SpringFest, a two day
long community fair will once again be held at the
Allied Gardens Community Park and feature music,
food and entertainment for all ages.
For more information visit this link.
May 17 – Explore Mission Trails
Day takes place beginning at 9:00 a.m. There will be
activities throughout the park all day long. For
more information, call the Mission Trails Regional
Park Visitor Center at (619) 668-3275 or visit their
web site at
www.mtrp.org/.
May 17 – The 22nd Annual
Patriots Day Parade and BBQ dinner in Tierrasanta.
Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tierrasanta, the
event includes a parade at 10am, BBQ dinner from
430-8pm with music by Blue Rockit Band and fireworks
at 8:15pm. Call 858-268-0044 for more information.
Reverse
911 - Register Your Cell Phone Too
City of San Diego
residents can register their cellular phones to
receive emergency alerts – such as an evacuation
notice – from the city's Reverse 911 system. Go to
www.sandiego.gov/ohs/reverse911/index.shtml.
Residents will need to provide their cell phone
number, home address and e-mail address.
The County of San
Diego also offers an outstanding webpage on disaster
preparedness. You can visit that page here:
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/
You can sign up
for the County’s Reverse 911 system by visiting this
link. I would suggest you register for both the
City’s and the County’s system.
www.sdcounty.ca.gov/oes/ready/signup.html
Dial 511 For Traffic Updates
 Did
you know that you can now dial 511 for Roadside
Assistance on our roads and highways? If you get
stranded in a non-emergency situation, you may use
your cell phone to dial 511 to be connected to the
Call Box Answer Center for assistance. To find out
more about this, visit SANDAG's 511 web site at
http://www.511sd.com/
Neighborhood E-Watch Keeps You Informed
The City of San Diego's
Neighborhood eWatch provides information about crime
incidents in the City of San Diego to the public for
free via the Internet and is updated every 24 hours.
I introduced this popular service in 2002 and
encourage you to use it. The web site address is:
http://ewatch.sandiego.gov.
Thanks for reading
the eNewsletter
In the meantime, please don't
hesitate to send me your thoughts
on issues by sending email to
jmadaffer@sandiego.gov
and please forward this email to your friends who
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I welcome hearing from you at any
time and rely on your opinion. It is an honor to
serve you on the San Diego City Council.
Jim.
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