Am I Getting Ripped Off?

When I go to get my car worked on – even if it just a simple oil change – my biggest concern is always if I am being ripped off by the service center. While I do my best to put trust in the service people employed by these facilities, I know they work for pretty low wages, it’s hot outside (in AZ) and they have long days – so frustration mounts. It doesn’t take much aggravation before one of these techs is sabotaging your car & leading to additional repairs in the future. Sure, this is an unlikely scenario, but fear is the key here and it affects a lot of people when it comes to their vehicle – one of their largest assets & prized possessions.

Do I Really Need It?

Hmmm… Do you need to eat? How about drinking water?  Yeah, of course you do. Just like you, your car or truck needs a tune-up on a regular basis to avoid breaking down. I’ve heard many horror stories of people who didn’t change (or check) their oil and their engine ended up seizing up on them. Guess what? Most of these same people don’t even bother w/ the expense to replace the engine – they abandon the freaking car altogether. Seems crazy, yes, but I count on two hands the number of people I know that have done this.

Think about this… If you live in a pretty moderate weather location – Prescott, AZ, for instance, then your vehicle may not go thru a lot of wear and tear, but you better believe that a Houston auto repair center w/ all the humidity and heat in that area is (or should be) busier than bees. The cars in that area are constantly being tested by the heat and humidity, both of which wear on the performance and well-being of your vehicle over time.

So How Do you Choose a Facility w/ Confidence?

Hey, you knew I’d get here eventually right? Good guess lmao… Anyway, there are quite a few auto repair review sites that feature real customer testimonials & ratings. Who better to trust than your fellow drivers who have already overcome their fears & serviced their car (on schedule). Aside from simply learning more about your car w/ their encyclopedia, you can run estimates on maintenance & repairs, as well as locate a reputable shop near you. How? Visit RepairPal.com

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

With a ton of ways to communicate online, including Gmail, Yahoo IM, Live Messenger, Blogs and Forums, the need to differentiate yourself and your messages is essential. 

By installing a special toolbar, you can get neat features in all of these programs very easily.  The toolbar is for “SweetIM” and it is surely sweet, and “All About Fun” as they proudly tout.

Check out all the cool features that you get w/ the SweetIM toolbar:

• Special smileys and faces – more detailed than the default icons you get w/ your IM program.
• Winks and animated icons (emoticons).
• Sounds – scare someone, make them laugh or just brighten their day.
• Special nudges – get their attention NOW! lol

And best of all… before you think I’m suggesting you download a spammy toolbar.  SweetIM was rated 100% SAFE by TRUSTe in October – this is one of the highest independent ratings for downloadable software products.

So quit being normal and get your new toolbar to add fun to your conversations!

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

One of the more unique shops to buy gifts from is Spencer Gifts – yes, the same one you see at most local malls.  These guys have all kinds of hip apparel, grunge music and other cool gear for rockers and “good girls” alike.  So what you do, is go to the website, pick out what you want and then you visit a special coupon saving site to get a promotional code or other discount coupon code that you can use during checkout.  For Spencer Gifts coupons, I’ve found some great deals at Savings.com – offers vary, but right now there are 25% off your entire order, plus Free Shipping.  Others offer 10 or 15% off your entire order.  So if you’re buying, why on Earth would you not take advantage of these killer promotion code deals.  They don’t cost anything… just search for them before you buy.

So Spencers Gifts is for the wild and crazy gifts, but having just had a baby girl recently, I have also been using the coupons for Childrens Place as well from Savings.com.  There deals aren’t as good as Spencers (at least right now), but looking for coupons for Childrens Place on a regular basis is strongly recommended.

Give these guys a shot – there’s no investment and you save money.  Can’t beat that!

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

For our first feature, we’d like to highlight a few events occurring on the East Coast over the next few months.

One of the most well-known and popular bands of the 80′s, the New Kids on the Block have re-grouped and are touring with a new album.  I must admit, shamefully, that I was a fan of the group back when I was a kid, but moved on to different music as I grew older.  While I am no longer a dedicated fan, I do enjoy hearing the occasional Step by Step or other New Kids song on the radio.  You may have seen the recent VH1 special featuring the group, as well as their Today Show appearance, but nothing is like seeing them in person – they are sure to put on a good show.  Fortunately for you, they will be performing November 7th at the Borgata Casino in NJ.  If you want to go to the show, be sure to get your Borgata Casino Event Center Tickets early as the show will sellout.

Next stop, is the Dancing w/ the Stars tour in Newark Friday, February 6, 2009.  The tour will feature your favorite celebrities and dancers from the hit ABC show.  Participants are not set in stone, but Warren Sapp and Brooke Burke are just a few of the celebrity dancers that might be there.  Tickets are reasonably priced, but could sellout quickly.  Watching dancing is certainly more fun in person – you really get a stronger feeling of just how hard they are working to perform for you when you’re watching them live.  If you want to attend the Dancing w/ the Stars show on February 6th, be sure to get your Prudential Center Tickets in advance.

Last, but not least, we feature the several concerts at renowned Madison Square Garden, including: Tina Turner (12/1), Michael Buble (12/5) and Neil Young (12/15 & 12/16).  These musical artists are all legends and popular for all ages.  Of the trio, Tina’s concert is likely to be the most fun & energetic, but don’t overlook Michael Buble or Neil Young either…they can certainly put on a show.  For access to these shows, be sure to get your Madison Square Garden Tickets today!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our new feature and come back to read about more new & exciting events in the future.

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

Also, while viewing through their millions of watches available, i came across a definite match for my husband.   I know he’s going to kill me when he finds how much I’ve spent, or will be spending on these a used rolex, but i can’t let this go.   I see celebrities and all the athletic celebrities wearing these awesome watches and I am now officially obsessed with them; especially the  Patek watches.

To defend my obsession, the rolex watches  & other models on this site are great quality.   I have a strange attraction to all the vintage ones. Gonna have to break out the credit card behind my husband’s back, but hey at least i’m thinking of him too. What are wives for anyway, may as well play the part.   Besides, i’m pretty sure he wants me to be happy, and these watches are going to satisfy me! I’m not a celebrity, but i’m going to look like one!

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

This blogging site is part of a community so, when you create your own blog, you already have a head start on an audience, which you don’t get from other blogging sites. That is a big plus in my opinion. When you post, it will be immediately distributed throughout the community. Other users will be able to comment and discuss your juicy posts at any time, without needing to know any html. In addition to the blogging and online journal features, you can visit the Thoughts.com Forums, which are a great place to meet new people and learn how to blog for money (or for fun).

The best part of this site is that it is free! Sure, you could buy a domain, setup hosting and install WordPress on your site like we did at 411LowDown.com, but you can’t beat the free hosted service offered by Thoughts.com!

It also allows you to easily upload photos and videos and more – this is an essential component for celebrity bloggers (yes, I know I need more on our site too). It offers access to anyone from anywhere, so you can read blogs from other countries as well as interact with the writers. This is such a great and innovative new addition to the blogging community, i look forward to seeing how it progresses.

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

Whether you are a fan of the Redbox DVD dispensers at your favorite grocery store, a faithful Blockbuster customer, a Netflix receive/return guy or the type of person who likes to buy all of their DVDs in full, you’ll appreciate the following list of releases:

• Nim’s Island (Kids, PG)
• Never Back Down (Teens, PG-13)
• Doomsday (Adult, R)
• Superhero Movie (Teens, PG-13)
• Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (Adult, R)
• Other DVD releases for this week…

Nim’s Island is certainly the top release for this week, but there are several other movies that will have a cult-type following, including Harold & Kumar, possibly Doomsday and Step Up 2: The Streets.

I haven’t seen any of these movies personally – horrible, I know… I wouldn’t mind seeing Doomsday, 21 (a Vegas card counting scheme) and Never Back Down. For the other movies, I might watch them if I get stuck on a flight, bus ride or have to sit in a doctor’s office, but otherwise will avoid.

Check out the latest DVD releases & let us know which one’s you like.

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.

The star of movies like Planet of the Apes (the original), The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur and others will be remembered as a voice for his generation and a great symbol of mid 20th century American heroism. Heston played numerous heroic film roles, including several with biblical ties (Ten Commandments, The Greatest Story Ever Told, etc.). He was also a champion of human rights, including gun ownership, and headed the National Rifle Association (NRA) for 5 years.

I can’t say that I was a fan of all of his work, but I greatly respect what he did and enjoyed much of it. He will be missed by millions of people worldwide.

God bless…

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. James Brown – Godfather of Soul – Passes Away

Celebrity endorsements are a staple in advertising, with more than 20% of all ads today featuring a famous face, voice or likeness.  The reason is simple: Celebrities sell.  Consumers pay attention to celebrities because they are attracted to the familiar.  Using a celebrity to promote your company can add awareness, credibility and star power to your business.  Three ways a celebrity spokesperson can be used by your business include:

1. Advertising – Celebrities can pitch your product via print, television, radio, etc.
2. Appearances and events – Celebrities can make personal appearances for your business at events ranging from charity fundraisers to grand openings.
3. Media opportunities – Your spokesperson can speak on your behalf on TV talks shows, or at press conferences, trade shows or other media events.

Things to keep in mind when hunting for a celebrity spokesperson include:

Define your objectives

Determine what you expect from your partnership with your spokesperson and how to best utilize their talents.  Clarify your needs and expectations from the get-go.

Get-It-Done: Brooks International and Burns are a couple of many agencies who specialize in booking celebrity and sports talent.  These talent brokers can help you assess your needs.

• Find the right fit

It’s important that the spokesperson you hire is a good match for your product or service.  The clearer the link between your company’s product and your talent, the better the partnership will work. (Think Michael Jordan and Nike!)

Get-It-Done: The Hollywood-Madison Group uses a proprietary database called the “Fame Index” to match businesses with appropriate talent.  The Fame Index contains the names of 10,000 stars and uses 250 categories to match talent to businesses and products.

• Plan well in advance

When deciding on a celebrity spokesperson for your business, start early.  Make your plans at least 6 months in advance.  The bigger the name, the longer the lead time.

Get-It-Done: Celebrity Focus and The Celebrity Source are two talent agencies who can connect your company with talent and help you navigate the celebrity maze.

• Consider the costs

Talent fees and celebrity endorsements run the gamut from a few hundred dollars for a local DJ appearing at a business to literally millions of dollars for an international movie star.  Catherine Zeta-Jones’ long-term endorsement deal with T-Mobile was reportedly worth 20 Million, but T-Mobile’s U.S. sales jumped 25% during the campaign.

Get-It-Done: If you’re looking for major star power, you can go with Hollywood biggies like William Morris or PMK/HBH Public Relations.  On a smaller scale, many local celebrities can be contacted directly or through their management.

• Make contact

Talent agencies, entertainment marketing firms and even speakers bureaus can put you in touch with potential celebrity spokespersons.  Contacting talent can be easier than you might think.

Get-It-Done: In addition to some of the agencies listed above, the Screen Actors Guild provides an actor-locator service.

Other things to keep in mind when shopping for a celebrity spokesperson include:

• Don’t be afraid to ask. Maybe that certain superstar is not out of your reach or budget.
• Consider “B-List” stars who may be more available and less expensive.

Local talent such as home-town athletes may be your best shot.

• Make sure you have an “out” clause in case your celebrity gets negative press or is involved in a scandal. (Sorry Britney!)

Lou Bortone is an award-winning writer, editor and television producer who has spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry, including several years at Fox and E! Entertainment in L.A.  Lou specializes in helping businesses create breakthrough video for the Internet. Email Lou at lou@theonlinevideoguy.com or visit http://www.theonlinevideoguy.com

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

©2012 411Lowdown.com. All Rights Reserved.

No related posts.