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Bird Talk
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 Dear Bird Talk,
Thank you, CSA members and non-members from Canada and Florida, who recently voted us "Your Favourite Volunteers." When Medipac invited Bob and myself on stage, all we expected was a thank you, some hand-shakes and some hugs; but there was much more a beautiful piece of Canadian memorabilia with special engraving by Artist V. Peltonen. (thanks, Heather, for your part.) We would like to thank the CSA board members for all their support and encouragement for many years, and give special thanks to the Medipac crew for all your help and support. If you haven't renewed your CSA membership, do so now! We need you! Maxine & Bob McEwan Maxine and Bob were the first recipients of the CSA's new President's Award. Two incredible people whose "lives of volunteerism" set a standard for us all.
Dear Bird Talk, Up to now, we have been reluctant to join your group, preferring to stay on the sidelines, but our recent return to Canada has forced a change. We entered Canada at the Coutts, Alberta crossing the morning of April 12th and were dismayed and unhappy with our treatment by Canada Customs. Upon speaking to others, it seems this is the way it is. Rather than being welcomed back as taxpayers and consumers we felt suspect, as if we were trying to enter our own country illegally. Lists and receipts that were acceptable in years past became none of their business, as they grilled us for a verbal declaration. We have no problem with people doing their jobs, however we take exception to people that treat us rude and very short. The examination of our belongings appeared little more than snooping through every nook and cranny. I think these people or their supervisors should realize that our taxes make it possible for them to go to work each day. I would like to think we were the exception, however I believe there are a lot more stories like this. Thank you for letting us vent our frustration. New Members, The CSA is committed to making border crossings more convenient, as we have all had difficulty crossing the border from time to time. Welcome to the CSA and don't forget to tell your friends.
Dear Bird Talk, A SAFETY PRECAUTION A corporate attorney sent this out to the employees in his company. I pass it along, for your information. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed in your name, address, SS#, credit card #, etc. Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happens to be an attorney) have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone, obtained my PIN number from the DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage, in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll-free numbers and your card numbers handy so that you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction in which it was stolen this proves to credit providers that you were diligent and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). But here's what is perhaps most important (I never thought to do this) call the three national credit-reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means that any company checking your credit knows that your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks. The numbers are: We are unsure which CSA member to thank for this excellent advice. Please contact us, so that we can give credit where credit is due. |
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