New Jersey Baby Boomer

Just down the road from me a few houses, a former neighbor of mine went through an experience that is becoming more and more common, and more and more public…identity theft. It had such an impact on her that she was unable to access her bank accounts, or use credit cards until matters were cleared up, and that doesn’t happen overnight. Ultimately, it upset the finances so much, that she never quite got back on her feet, at least in our neighborhood…and eventually sold her home and moved out of the area. While not everyone may experience such a dramatic affect, this is something we should be taking seriously.

Thankfully, we have many things available to us to protect us from these predators, and whether we take advantage of them or not is determined by how seriously we take the problem. I have been doing some things, like shredding or burning (in our woodstove) papers with personal info on them, being careful about giving out my social security number, and using care when I make a Credit Card Payment online.

People who research identity theft that takes place when you make a purchase online are finding that often employees at the place where you shop online are the guilty parties in stealing identity. This means you need some form of protection when you shop online, something to think seriously about as we approach the holiday season (I do all my Christmas shopping online!).

I visited a very helpful site today, you can get to it through the earlier “live link”, the site is called Shop Shield®, and offers protection by completely hiding your identity when you make a purchase with your credit card online. Your name, address, phone number, credit card numbers, passwords and email addresses are protected through their unique way of replacing that info with anonymous info. Your personal information is never made available to the website where you are shopping.

I’d suggest you visit the site to find out how this works. A few more thoughts:

- Service is FREE when you pay with a checking account.
- Secure Site Registration included with each transaction.
- Shop Shield® is Guaranteed 100% Secure!

As much as I love where I live in New Jersey, there are times when my husband and I get frustrated about certain things…like taxes, and such. We’ve even had moments when we’re ready to put a for sale sign out in front of our little lakefront cabin, but here we stay, so far anyway. It was nice to stumble on this article written by a travel consultant to remind me of the GOOD things about New Jersey.

Why New Jersey is the Best State to Live In

By: Frank Dalotto

Often the butt of jokes from visitors from neighboring states, and negative stereotyping from TV shows like the Sopranos, despite all of that, New Jersey continues to attract people looking for good paying jobs, quality health care and education, awesome leisure activities, and a great place to raise kids.

I am quick to acknowledge that New Jersey is not an inexpensive state to live in. The definition of best does not mean cheap or inexpensive.

While you may be paying more, New Jersey has the nation’s best state and municipal services contributing to an infrastructure that supports a safe environment and a variety of quality of life services.

As a wise old man once told me You get what you pay for.

The Top Five Reasons Why New Jersey is the Best State to Live In.

1. Health Care

By almost any measure, NJ is at the top of any list in states with the best healthcare. Ranked #1 in lowest (best) population under served by primary care physicians and ranked 7th in lowest infant mortality rate in 48 states. Source: AARP. Ranked 8th out of 50 states in number of Physicians/1000. Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2004 2006 Data. And just across the river in NYC and Philadelphia, New Jersey residents have access to some of the best medical institutions and doctors in the world.

2. Low Crime Rate

Ranked 4th in property crime and 13th in violent crime out of 31 states east of the Mississippi River. Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2004 2006 Data. And when you consider that New Jersey has the highest population density in the U.S., New Jersey is a very safe place to live and is a credit to the state and the municipalities in crime protection and law enforcement.

3. Student Education Grades K-12

New Jersey stands tall when it comes to education; New Jersey is Ranked #1 out of 50 states in Grade 8 to High School graduation rates; Source: National Board and Educational Testing Policy and Ranked #4 in the lowest (best) Student/Teacher ratio. Source: IES National Center for Education Statistics.

4. Entertainment

New Jersey is a Mecca for entertainment. Because of the states small size, world class entertainment is in easy reach of most New Jersey residents. There are major entertainment venues throughout the state as well as the hotel casinos, and the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, [Note from site owner: wasn’t too happy when Atlantic City became a Casino haven, a gaudy blemish on the otherwise beautiful Jersey Shore, but that’s just me.] New Jersey is a magnet for world class entertainment. New Jersey also has 2 NFL teams, a NBA team, and a NHL Team. And with New York City and Philadelphia, just across the river with Broadway shows and major entertainment venues, the entertainment options for New Jersey residents are unbeatable.

5. Geographic DiversityWith outstanding beaches like Wildwood [picture below at sunrise] being the best on the East Coast, beautiful hills and mountains in Northwest NJ [the area where we live also pictured], and quaint Victorian towns like Cape May, New Jersey’s diverse geography is easily accessible within an hour s drive from almost any place in the state. National Geographic magazine has called New Jersey America in Miniature.

Author Resource:-> Frank Dalotto is a freelance writer and travel consultant. His specialty is writing articles about New Jersey travel, including attractions, events, and restaurant reviews. Frank is the owner and editor of http://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com/ New Jersey Leisure Guide and a travel consultant for Leisure Travel Mart.

Article From Selling With Articles - Great Site with a Wide Range of Topics