3 Sneaky New Online Scams to Avoid.

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From the Editors of Every Day Connected

Most of us can recognize a shady email or Facebook post when we see one. I mean, how many of us actually know a Nigerian prince, right?

But hackers are pulling fresh tricks to dupe us into parting with our money or privacy. In the past four months alone, instances of malware on mobile phones have doubled, making smartphones a hotbed for wrongdoers. And according to the Federal Trade Commission, 9 million Americans lose their identity to hackers every year.

Don’t want to become a stat? Here are the three new online scams and how to avoid them:


Online Scam: Your Dating Match Is Actually a Fraud.

The scenario: You’re in search of cuties on Internet dating sites when you meet a handsome U.S. Army serviceman stationed in Iraq. The guy is friendly and open about the war and his post-battle dreams. Best of all, he has a hot mug. What starts as a mere flirtation grows into a deep, personal relationship … in which your new man is comfortable enough to ask you to lend him some money.

How it works: That guy may not be an actual serviceman, but a scammer hoping to work his way from you heart to your wallet. The Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) has been notified of this scam hundreds of times in the past six months. The CID says the scammers assume the identity of real-life soldiers, coupling their names and ranks with photos of other soldiers found online. Sometimes, the scammers paint the Army as a downtrodden entity, in which soldiers need pay for Internet connections, leave papers, medical treatment, special laptops, international telephones or a flight home from Iraq or Afghanistan.

How to steer clear: Army CID spokesperson Chris Grey says that the Army has plenty of support programs for soldiers overseas and that an actual soldier would not be making such monetary requests. The CID warns women to be suspicious of the following:

• Anyone claiming to be a soldier, proposing marriage and asking for financial help early in a new relationship -- especially if it’s someone you haven’t met in person.
• A new soldier boyfriend claiming that the Army won’t allow him to access his bank accounts or credit cards.
• Suspect postal addresses. Soldiers serving overseas usually have an APO or FPO mailing address. Don’t send money to a third party or company.

If you think you’re talking with someone who is impersonating a soldier, report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission.

Online Scam: A Simple Celeb Search Brings You Viruses.

The scenario: You search online for your favorite celebs, whether it’s to get the latest dirt or find out just how they maintain their bikini bods. Harmless, right? Until your screen freezes and your computer gets slow.

How it works: This latest online scam plants viruses on PCs when gossip seekers search for stars online. Heidi Klum is currently the most dicey celebrity to search on the Web. Searches of “free downloads,” “videos” or “screensavers” coupled with her name stand a 1-in-10 chance of installing malware on otherwise clean PCs.

How to steer clear: Install an antivirus and antispyware program on your computer and devices. Limit widespread Google searches for sexy celeb pics. Instead, search within a well-known Hollywood blog, like PerezHilton.com or OMG.Yahoo.com.

Online Scam: Your New Favorite App Isn’t an App at All.

The scenario: You just discovered a new addictive game on your phone or downloaded a beautiful wallpaper. Best of all, it’s free! But then you get your phone bill and … whoosh! There goes $1,000. How did this happen?!

How it works: What you really downloaded was a dangerous program in disguise that sends unauthorized texts from your phone and racks up your phone bill. Equally common is a program with which hackers steal your personal information, compromising your identity. Last year, an estimated 4.6 million Android users downloaded a seemingly innocent Star Wars and My Little Pony branded wallpapers to their phones, which collected and sent user data, like subscriber identification and phone numbers, to a site in China.

How to steer clear: Always download your apps from a trusted source, like the iTunes store or the Android Marketplace. Apple and Google have a tough process for accepting new apps, and they police their stores for malware problems.

Have you ever fallen for an online scam? Share your story in our message board below.


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Essential Winter Beauty Tips.

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Las Fabulosas: Beauty & Style

By Belén Aranda-Alvarado for Las Fabulosas


Longing for the days when the sun lingers on your naturally glowing skin? We are too. Here’s how to keep looking fresh throughout the season.

Don’t Wash Your Face
Skip the water and try a cleansing towelette or a cream cleanser that you remove with a tissue. Follow up with a gentle toner. Note how your skin still feels clean but not tight and parched.

Upgrade Your Moisturizer
Use a winter-ready face cream (don’t forget the SPF). Creams are slightly heavier and create more of a protective barrier against the dry air of winter.

Have a Bedtime Beauty Ritual
If you have oily skin or are prone to breakouts, stick to your regular lotion for daytime and apply creams only at night. This gives your skin the extra soothing it needs -- without the risk of a too-shiny, oil-slicked face at work.

Exfoliate, Still
Dry winter air leaves a layer of ash. Add a gentle exfoliating step to your skin-care routine to slough off the dead cells and keep your skin radiant. Select a creamy, rich exfoliant with fine grains that won’t irritate.

Grab a Body Balm
Not just for lips anymore, balms can be generously applied to your hands, feet, cuticles, elbows and even the ends of your hair -- anywhere you need extra softness. Body balms also come in yummy scents -- like coconut and vanilla -- that bring warmer climes to mind.

Behold the Power of Bronzer
No woman should deny herself this magic wand of the beauty world. If you are a newbie, stick to a matte powder and apply the bronzer in a “3” formation on each side of your face. The top of the “3” shape starts at the side of your forehead, the middle of the “3” comes in under the cheekbone and the bottom curve of the “3” hugs your jawline. Blend well with an angled applicator brush and note the suddenly sunny, slimmed-down you. If you’re more of an expert and want to pump up the effect, try a liquid or cream bronzer with a slight sheen in the formula. Apply after blush to the apples of your cheeks and on your brow bone.


Photo: @iStockphoto.com/gilaxia


Belén Aranda-Alvarado lives in New York City with her husband and 9-year-old daughter. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Washington Post Magazine and Latina magazine. Belen's articles have previously appeared in Las Fabulosas.











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Craving.

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Ok, Thanksgiving passed but I'm still craving the food! Just looking at the pictures makes me salivate, lol. Especially the pernil and the rice. We had a nice dinner and nap that day, lol. We didn't even see the movie we rented. The food turned out delish. See the pictures? So delish I was surprised! I didn't think I had put enough seasoning on the pernil but it turned out great. I kept picking at it while it was cooking. By the time it was dinner time I was a bit full. I also baked brownies (from a box) because I had made some the week before and my son wanted more. They were so tasty and chewy. Friday we had the leftovers. So it was like Thanksgiving day all over again. I'm guessing everyone else's food ran out as well. Next, Christmas dinner!

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Happy Thanksgiving! - Feliz Día De Acción De Gracias!

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! How is your day going? Our pernil has been in the oven since this morning. My apartment smell delish with the smell of garlic. It's coming to come out so juicy, rico! After this post I'm making the potato salad then a bit later to make the rice and the plátanos maduros. Unfortunately, they didn't have pasteles at the Dominican Restaurant yesterday so me quedé con las ganas. We still have Christmas and New Year so I will check if those days they have some. That if I can control my craving until then, lol.

The heat is on so I have two windows open with the window fan on to keep the apartment cool. I get cranky when I'm sweating while I'm cooking, lol. I can hear my neighbors playing Spanish Christmas music. I'm not in a festive mood yet but I will get there little by little. My sore throat is keeping me from singing which is something I like doing when I'm feeling festive. Not that I can sing but I do it anyway! 

Later I'm going to Skype with my daughter for a bit. I love that we can do that. Makes it easier her not being here, I miss my baby. She's coming back on Saturday so far, so we will probably be making a trip to airport. The airport is going to be full that's for sure, but we enjoy taking the trip down there.

Bueno, la cocina is calling me for now. I will take pictures of my pernil if I remember. It's hard to remember to take pictures when you are dying to meterle mano a la comida, lol. Hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving. No coman ni beban mucho!/Don't eat or drink too much! LOL Stay safe, mi gente! Cuidensen!

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I'm So Late - Procrastination.

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Thanksgiving is one day away and I don't have anything ready! I didn't go to the supermarket yesterday like I had planned (was feeling crappy) to so I will be going today in a little while. Haven't been in a very festive mood lately but I'm changing that today si Dios quiere/God willing. Was thinking of just going to the movies instead of staying in but I changed my mind. Unless my son tells me he wants to go out, then we'll go.

My daughter is not here so is just my son, our cat and me. I will be cooking the same thing I always cook. Arroz con gandules, pernil, potato salad and maduros. I'm buying cranberry jellied sauce, pumpkin pie and I'm baking brownies from a box of course, lol. I'm hoping the Dominican restaurant around the corner will have pasteles. Haven't had pasteles in years so I have been craving some. One thing I like about cooking a big dinner is that it last for two days so I won't have to cook the next day!

I'm preparing the pernil today to start cooking it tomorrow very early. The brownies I will do tonight. I'm leaving the potato salad for tomorrow morning and the rest I will cook a bit later in the day. I have to buy the pasteles today, I don't want to have to go out tomorrow to buy anything, no way! The good thing is I don't have to cook in a hurry or get dressed up! Yay for me!!

I don't watch TV on Thanksgiving other than a few movies or some shows on my DVR. This year though Lady Gaga is doing a Thanksgiving show - A Very Gaga Thanksgiving. She has been busy these Holidays! I'm either watching it live or recording it to watch it later in the day. It's on ABC from 9:30 - 11PM. You can see the video below. Looks like it's going to be a great show! What do you watch on Thanksgiving?

On Thanksgiving night, NOVEMBER 24 (9:30 p.m -11:00 p.m., ET), the ABC Television Network will air a 90-minute special, A Very Gaga Thanksgiving. The broadcast, which was conceived and directed by Lady Gaga, offers an intimate look inside the private life of the award-winning artist as she performs eight songs in front of a small audience filled with her close friends and family. Performances include a duet of "The Lady is a Tramp" with Tony Bennett as well as her newest single, "Marry the Night," "You and I," "The Edge of Glory" and the holiday classic "White Christmas," among other hits. 

 image credit: mbxclusive

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Lady Gaga's Holiday Workshop At Barneys!

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By now you probably have heard that Lady Gaga opened a Holiday workshop at Barneys in New York, where you can find all kinds of Gaga stuff. I heard about it just last night when I saw part of the interview on Nightline. It looks very colorful, whimsical and very Lady Gaga! You will find from cosmetics to accessories to cookies/lollipops and toys. I love the stuffed monster set! If you would like to see the merchandise click here. The site is very fun to navigate. You can even make an avatar a la Lady Gaga. 

This stuff is not cheap of course. For instance Gaga's press on nails cost $45. Yes, you heard that right, but if you can afford it why not! I would buy a few things if I could. The most expensive items are some of her jewelry and some of her clothing (Leather jackets). Nice thing is that with every sale of any item from Lady Gaga's workshop, 25% will go to the Lady Gaga's Born this Way Foundation. 

I have never been to Barney's but I might just pass by to go inside Lady Gaga's workshop or at least look at the windows, lol. Yes, I am a FAN of Lady Gaga. No, I'm not embarrassed to say it! Viva, Lady Gaga, coño!

Below you can see videos of the event, a timelapse of the workshop and a message from Lady Gaga for her workshop.

Barneys New York - Gagas Workshop Launch Event Sizzle from Stellarhead on Vimeo.

Barneys New York - Gagas Workshop Timelapse Video from Stellarhead on Vimeo.

Barneys New York - Lady Gaga Message for Gagas Workshop from Stellarhead on Vimeo.







image credit: abc news radio

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SpongeBob Squarepants - 14 Hours Of It!

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If your kids are fans of SpongeBob then you are in luck. Nickelodeon is going to air 14 hours of SpongeBob SquarePants on Friday the 25th. Starting at 7AM to 9PM, with new episodes starting at 8PM! I miss watching Spongebob Squarepants. We no longer have this channel due to budget cuts, lol. We used to watch it on Netflix but we saw all the old episodes already. 

Friday is a day to relax. Well, if you don't have to work of course or if you are not one those people who wake up at the crack of dawn to go shopping or you don't have the house full of relatives. Watching a few episodes with the kids would be a perfect way to unwind. Or you can just let the kids watch it while you have some time "ME" time. SpongeBob SquarePants doesn't mind babysitting, lol. Kidding!




image credit: Sweets Lyrics

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Thanksgiving With a Latino Twist!

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Las Fabulosas: Home & Happiness

By Letisha Marrero for Las Fabulosas




Let’s face it: Unless your mezcla is part Pequot, Canarsee or Wampanoag, the tales of Puritan pilgrim settlers may not resonate. What we can relate to, however, is food and familia.

Still, if you think about it, some of the staple ingredients on a Thanksgiving menu -- corn, potatoes, calabazas -- are all inherently Latin. And the spices -- cinnamon, paprika, cilantro, vanilla and chiles -- all add distinctive sabor. Carolina Buia, co-author of the book Latin Chic, shares some quick tips on how to spice up your Thanksgiving feast, Latin-style.

Decorations
Fill you home with giant Mexican paper flowers, which you can pick up at most craft stores. They don’t just add a pop of festive color; they’re also reusable and will stay beautiful all year long. Use a plain white tablecloth with colorful runners. Check Etsy.com for beautifully handcrafted ideas.

Meal
For the turkey, first brine the pavochón, then add an adobo rub or salsa valentina, a Mexican hot sauce. For a stuffing with mofongo-style dressing, add some green plaintains, garlic, salchicha and nuts to your recipe. Instead of mashed potatoes, serve boiled yucca with garlic mojo sauce. Or, go the rice route with some arroz con gandules and sofrito.

Dessert
Whip up a tres leches cake, which is very festive and kid-approved. Or, substitute a creamy flan de calabazas for pumpkin pie.

Beverages

• Kid-friendly: Make a batch of tropical batidas of either guava, piña or passion fruit. Or, serve Jarritos instead of soda. These yummy Mexican sodas are made with real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.
• Adult beverages: “Latin eggnog,” “coquito” and “ponche crema” are all different names for the same deliciously wicked rum drink. Buia recommends that you serve high-quality rum after dinner.

Kid Activities
Let them celebrate and get their ya-yas out by whacking a piñata that’s filled with Spanish dulces. LatinBag.com sells authentic sweets to cater to all your nostalgic Latin cravings. LatinBag’s Luchador piñata is particularly awesome.

China
Don’t worry about having everything matchy-matchy. If you’re having a large party but don’t have enough plates, places like HomeGoods have plain white everyday dishware for only $1.50 per plate. They’re nicer-looking than plastic or paper, and you can reuse them for the next fiesta!


Letisha Marrero: Letisha Marrero has contributed to Latina, The Source, iVillage.com, ParentsConnect.com and MomsLikeMe.com. She is also a contributing author to Border-line Personalities: A New Generation of Latinas Dishes on Sex, Sass, and Cultural Shifting.





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Long Time No See!

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Sorry I haven't been around lately. I was sick with the flu and it wasn't pretty. First it was my daughter then my son and just when I thought I was safe, I got sick. Since I'm vieja/old I got it worse and it took me longer to get better. I'm getting back to my routine though. My kitchen estaba que daba miedo/was frightening, lol. So I had to take care of that first. One good thing was I didn't have to cook everyday. It was refreshing not to have think about dinner and cook it for 3 days! 

While I was sick I emptied half of my DVR. My DVR was full because I haven't been watching that much TV lately. I even deleted last year's Desperate Housewives season and haven't been watching the new season. I'll watch it on Netflix. Same thing with Brothers & Sisters. I gave up in some shows and picked up a few. That will be another post. I am happy to say my DVR has some recording space and I'm up to date with almost all the shows I watch. I also watched a few good movies streaming in Netflix. Some of you are probably saying, good movies streaming in Netflix? Yes, they do have them. You just have to keep up with what they add. Two good sites to check for what's new in streaming, what's expiring and what's coming: Instantwatcher and Feedfliks. For instance, I didn't know Insidious started streaming today. Just found out through instantwatcher. Was dying to see that movie! My daughter said it is scary. We'll see... 

Anyway, I have to get into the blogging mood again. Had a few posts in my mind but today I can't seem to remember anything of them. Have been distracted by Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Reading on everything I have missed. I have to catch up with the blogs I follow, etc. I'll get into the swing of things soon...

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The App Guide: Pet Apps You’ll Love.

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Every Day Connected: Play

From the Editors of Every Day Connected

If your family includes a member with four legs, you’ll be glad to know your smartphone can help with that part of your life too. We’re not talking about frivolous apps that let you care for virtual pets or make a Facebook profile for your cat. We’re talking about truly useful apps that can help you keep your animal happy and healthy -- and save you precious time.




       
       
Pet App No. 1: Pet First Aid



       
Helps you … Save your pet’s life
They can’t talk, so when your pets are behaving strangely, it’s up to you to diagnose their behavior and figure out whether there’s a problem. This app includes handy videos and step-by-step instructions for identifying and treating common ailments and responding to emergency situations such as poisoning, bleeding and fractures.

You can also record your pet’s vitals and medical history so it’s always handy when you need it. This app is for dogs and cats only.


Available on: iOS and Android  devices.



       
       
Pet App No. 2: Game for Cats

       
Helps you … Keep your cat entertained
This app requires a tablet, so if you have one (along with a feline in the house), spring for it. Game for Cats exploits cats’ natural urge to chase, by displaying a red dot -- or after an in-app purchase, an animated mouse -- that darts around the screen.

When your cat bats at the target and hits it, he racks up points. (Be sure to get a screen protector first so your tablet won’t get scratched.)


Available on: iOS devices. For Android and iPad, try the Friskies apps .



       
       
Pet App No. 3: Pet Dossier



       
Helps you … Track your pet’s life
Pet Dossier is exactly what it sounds like: a virtual dossier of pretty much all the information anyone would need to know about your pet. You can record vital stats, species info, birthday, feeding and medication schedules, vet info, emergency contacts and any kind of notes you want.

It’s a handy app to take to the vet or leave for a pet sitter who needs to know your pets’ quirks. The app works for any pet you love.

Available on: iOS devices. For Android, try Pet Master Pro .



       
       
Pet App No. 4: Dog Park Finder Plus

       
Helps you … Exercise your dog
If you’re away from home and looking for a dog park, fire up this app to find photos and information for nearby parks, directions to get there and reviews from other users.

The app pulls data from DogParkUSA.com, which features more than 5,300 dog parks and dog-friendly beaches and hiking trails.

Available on: iOS devices.

       
       
Pet App No. 5: Petfinder

       
       
Helps you … Fall in love with a new pet
If you’ve ever browsed the Petfinder website to pine for an animal, you’ll be pleased -- or, if your landlord isn’t flexible, distressed -- to hear that the Petfinder app is equally addictive.

You can browse photos of all the adoptable animals in your area, mark your favorites, search pets by criteria like breed and age, and read adoption stories. This app makes it easy to fall in love with your next pet.

Available on: iOS devices. For Android, try TailChaser .


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4 Ways to Protect Your Kids Online.

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Every Day Connected: Play

From the Editors of Every Day Connected



Just this summer, mobile apps developer Broken Thumbs Apps was found guilty of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The company had illegally collected -- without prior parental consent -- and disclosed personal information of tens of thousands of children age 13 and younger.

This isn't an isolated case. With 93 percent of youth online, according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, parents are right to be concerned about their kids’ online privacy. If you’re one of them, here’s what you can do:

1. Get educated and start monitoring.
The facts: Ten percent of online users are children (2 to 11 years), according to Nielsen. But only 32 percent of parents monitor their kids’ online activities, says a SocialShield and comScore study.

What to do: Stay clued in to the latest Facebook privacy setting options to limit your kids’ risk of being tracked down by a perpetrator. (It takes just a few data points, like a name, school or parent’s job to physically locate someone.) Check with your state about its online and privacy programs that help teach adults and kids. Or go to Common Sense Media, which offers online privacy and safety tip sheets (for parents of elementary school, middle school and high school students), along with primers on social networking, gaming and family media management.

Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission has a comprehensive guide to online life, Living Life Online.” It covers privacy issues, sexting and how to share online.

On the mobile front, services like Code9 Mobile allow parents to monitor their kids’ mobile activity by setting curfews for the phone to disable (letting only preapproved callers get through) and by accessing an online report of their kids’ mobile usage, including red flags for privacy violations, like one-sided messages and unknown contacts.

2. School your kids.
The facts: In the past year, 5 million U.S. households have been exposed to some type of abuse thanks to Facebook use, from identity theft to bullying.

What to do: Just because your child needs to be 13 to open a Facebook account doesn’t mean their online privacy education can’t start any earlier. Educate your kids with games like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s “Stop That Post” and “Tad’s Profile Panic.” Aimed at tweens 8 to 12 years old, these games teach kids what information to keep private. Also check out additional games, tools and resources for teens, children, parents and educators.

3. Help manage your kids’ privacy settings.
The facts: An estimated 7.5 million children younger than 13 have illegally opened Facebook accounts, many of which are unsupervised.

What to do: Help your kids set up their Facebook account. About 1 in 5 adult Facebook users say they don’t utilize the network’s privacy controls, according to Consumer Reports. But staying up-to-date with the latest privacy changes is key, as it can prevent your kid from falling prey to identity theft, sex offenders or plain bad judgment when it comes to oversharing.

To start, make sure you and your teen don’t post full birthdays; omit the years you were born to help prevent identity theft. Have your teen “friend” you so you can see what she is posting, and opt out of Instant Personalization, which allows sites to link to your account and share its info with all your friends. To keep up on the latest best practices for managing Facebook privacy settings, search “Manage Facebook settings” and “Privacy.”

4. Reach out to lawmakers.
The facts: An investigation conducted by The Wall Street Journal found that the top 50 children’s websites install 30 percent more tracking technologies than do the top 50 sites for adults.

What to do: Congressmen Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Joe Barton of Texas are working to pass the Do Not Track Kids Act of 2011, which would update COPPA to include technologies, like mobile apps, that didn’t exist when the 1998 bill was signed into law. It would also establish new protection in the collection, use, disclosure and storage of kids’ personal information. For example, it includes creating an “Eraser Button” for parents and children, which would require companies to permit users to eliminate publicly available personal information when “technologically feasible.”




Learn more about the bill at DoNotTrackKids.org . And if you support it, write to your local policymakers and tell them how you’d like your child’s privacy protected online.

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