I removed my graphic because someone informed me they had 'weird things happen' when they hovered their cursor over it, suggesting it had a virus. It was a combined graphic, using the *Santa* from a free clip-art source and combined with my own edited colors, embellishings and photo contributions! I have been trying to use only my own creations these days having practiced through the years making my own and hopefully they would be 'safer' by far than anything 'borrowed', graphically speaking! :o) This one, was an older one though--archived in my Photobucket! My son-inlaw, (the software engineer and all around computer guru and expert) says it is unlikely that the graphic had a virus, but, not TOTALLY impossible! He just emphasized it's highly unlikely. I've had the graphic for several years and have an excellent security system in place so I doubt it, as well! The person, referenced above, also says, that the personal email that I sent out to everyone in my address book, (warning about the bogus email I received) may have caused him to simultaneously have a virus, when he received it. My SIL strongly assures me that is not the case! He had to be 'strong' in his reassuring because I was very concerned that I may have caused you all a serious problem, with my graphic or my emailed 'alert' about the bogus one I received, and discussed in the OP of this thread! He says, the bogus email I received, was a result of my friend having an individual/s successfully hack into her email account and used her account (not a worm or virus) and just accessed all her address book (for their own devious purposes) and therefor there is no virus or worm involved or attached that could be sent along with my emails, from the 'source' of the bogus one! Our SIL (again--our personal computer genuius) told me that how that can happen is, anytime an email address is made public as some do on this forum or any other public way, (within a thread, as some have, as well) individuals can be scanning for them (on any forum, etc.) and either be wickedly clever enough to figure out passwords or they have software (very sophisticated) that can be run to eventually 'unravel' a password for them. Then they just get in there and use your account! So, beware--it's happening at a predigious rate! Be careful what you make public and known through your 'My Page' or in your thread discussions!! Also, be aware, there is a heavy barrage of viruses out there right now, cause it's the 'season' the virus terrorist love to assault us--they hate the JOY of the season and the REASON for it! But--please let me know, if anyone else has experienced any problem with this thread and the graphic I had posted! Just to be safe, I completely deleted the graphic from my Photobucket account--to be absolutely sure! Again, I'd think I'd have some pretty serious things going on, on my end, if it did slip through the heavy-duty security system we have, in place! It sure is handy having a computer wizard in the family. I think I would have ditched my computer long, long ago had he not be available to answer my questions and reformat my computer/s (when they get bogged down with all the things I like to have on mine) through the years!!

Flora, overseas phone calls are an option, however, I'll be damned if I can figure out how to actually do the dialing right on the first try. LOL And if you use a pre purchased card like I do to keep costs down, there is lots of dialing involved. LOL. I have occassionally made some calls to New Zealand, Australia, and England, and I just hate the cost. I know there are some economical phone plans out there but to have to pay a monthly fee when I call maybe three or four times a year, it isn't worth it. The other thing, not everyone I've dealt with speaks english, so.... it's better to do business with the old computer that interprets for you and use the credit card, hence a pre paid credit card. As it is, I always use my office address anyway. My personal info stays personal. However, if you read the posts, you'd see that not everyone is comfortable with putting credit card info with your personal info on the net. Kind of gives me an upleasant feeling anyway...identity theft and all. Not ALL those site are so secure you know. Finding the most cost effect way to do it is key.

Yes, Carfax is accurate and reputable as a source of information that could appear on records associated with a car's title and registration history. A clean Carfax report does not in itself indicate a good car, of course, but it gives you information that's valuable, such as how many owners the car has had, whether it's been in serious accidents, where it's been, etc. It can also help you verify the accuracy of the mileage. Carfax would not usually indicate mechanical problems, of course. Carchex, which is the site you referenced, is a chain that provides 155-point vehicle inspections. You can get a Carfax report through them. I do not have any experience with them, but have no reason to believe they would not do a good job. Other reputable local mechanics would probably also be fine as a way to have a car inspected. Two suggestions for decent low-cost cars that are available with manual transmissions are a Hyundai Accent or a Chevy Cavalier. The Accent is said by Edmunds to have a current retail value of about $3,900 for a 2003, which is pretty reasonable for a car that's only five years old. To get a Cavalier for $4,000 you'd probably have to get a 2002, but that's still not too bad. They're both very serviceable little cars. Cavaliers are probably more common in most areas, so parts may be cheaper and more widely available. Values should be dropping, too, because Chevy replaced it with the Cobalt a few years back. (There are millions out there, so getting parts will never be a problem for as long as you care to keep one.) The Accent might be easier to find with a manual transmission; most Cavaliers seem to have 4-speed automatics.

Something similar happened to me a couple of years ago. It WAS my son calling from where he lives - Las Vegas, stating if I didn't wire him $2,000 by 4 that afternoon, someone was going to hurt him. I said 'let me get back to you'. I immediately called the police, told them about the phone call, gave them his address, where he worked and his phone number. They said they'd check into it. My son called me about 3 that afternoon to say he'd handled it. My point is - it COULD be a relative who is trying to scam you. My son wasn't in trouble - he has a gambling addiction and wanted money to go gamble!