How you get SPAM... To begin with the bad guys send SPAM because that's how they make money, it's their job, it's how they make a living... We're talking millions of dollars here... A lot of spammers are very good at what they do and work extremely hard finding viably e-mail addresses. First off they have programs that search the internet, day and night, 24/7, checking every site and web page for anything that resembles an e-mail address... If you've posted your e-mail anywhere on the internet it's on a SPAM list somewhere... When I say anywhere I mean anywhere, on your own web page, in a Guestbook, on a forum post, MySpace, a blog, anywhere it can be seen it can be grabbed by a spammer. They also have programs that generate names for e-mail addresses, anything that can be found in a dictionary, telephone book, lists of baby names, lists of nick names and such... Anyone who has an internet connection can get a list of all the internet providers in the world... So all they have to do is tell the program to use those names with those providers... Instant SPAM list. Years ago my dial up provider gave their customers FREE web sites... To keep track of all the sites the provider used the customers e-mail addresses as the site names and then posted the list of the sites on the home page... Instant SPAM list.... ( Fortunately they've seen the error of their ways... lol ) Ever sign up for anything FREE on the internet or even registered purchased items and they asked if you wanted to be on their mailing list... Yep, instant SPAM list... Well not all the time but if you don't specify what kind of mail you want from them your address can end up on a SPAM list ( especially the FREE stuff ). Ever get a Forwarded e-mail from a friend with a zillion e-mail addresses in it that tells you to add your name to the list and send it to 10 of your friends... Yep, and if you Forward it, you just created another SPAM list. Ever get mail and you weren't quite sure who it was from or the Subject sounded interesting so you Opened it anyway.. Yep!!! You just added your address to an A #1 golden SPAM list because they know it's a good address and they can sell it to other spammers. Those are a just some of the ways they get your address... So what's the answer... Well, get a new address, pick something no one can guess with lots of letters with numbers mixed in, don't give it out to anyone, create a message rule that sends all your mail to the trash and you MAY stop the SPAM for a week or two... lol Seriously though, never, ever reply to SPAM or click on the links to be removed from their list unless you're absolutely positively sure who sent it... Sometimes reporting them to your internet provider works but after you report the first 100 or so your IP may get a little testy (lol)... Your best bet is to just delete them without opening... Sooner or later they'll slow down... Get a free e-mail account to use for registering for stuff, your internet friends and stuff like that... Only use the e-mail account from your internet provider for family and really close computer savvy friends... BTW, Rules to block e-mail addresses or IP's won't work because they use phony addresses... But, you could make a Rule like this.... Where the from line contains people not in my address book, Delete from Server... But the problem with that is if your friends change their e-mail address before telling you their mail won't get through, same goes for replies from any mail you send out to people not in your address book... Rita

Make sure that you have a way to upkeep the power to your camera and other devices. The residential electrical power varies greatly in the places you mentioned. except for the USA, most of those places uses 50 hz, the US is 60hz. You will need a charger that is compatible with the power source of the country you are in, or use disposable batteries. The voltage of most disposable cells in the US is nominally 1.5 volts. However, many newer camera use Lithium-ion batteries that have a much higher voltage. I don't know if there are disposable cells made in these higher voltages. In this case, one alternative is to carry multiple sets of charged up rechargeable cells, and re-charge any time you get the opportunity. It would be a shame to be at a world heritage site with a dead camera. Naturally, when you are on the cruise ship, that power source will be constant, but do check to see what it is. Do not assume it is the same as state-side power. So click the camera all day and recharge when you return to the ship. When you leave the ship for a day, go with several sets of freshly charged batteries. Below is data from a 1967 booklet. Chinese provinces were not listed because travel restrictions were in place at that time. Hong Cong 50 hz, 200/346 V; 2,3,4 wire Vietnam 50 hz; 230/380 V; 2,4 wire 50 hz; 120/208 V; 2,4 wire 50 hz; 127/220 V; 2,4 wire Thailand 50 hz; 220/380 V; 2,3,4 wire Singapore 50 hz; 230/400 V; 2,4 wire USA 60 hz; 120/240 V; 2,3 wire (3rd wire is safety ground)

Click Bags Supplies needed to make 2 bags: 2 fat quarters 18” x 21/22”, one a print, the other complimentary or solid. (many fat quarters are now 18” x 21’ and that will change the size of your bag and the cutting instructions.) One metal tape measure. I prefer ¾” wide ones. You can use 5/8” wide ones, just make your folds ¾” then 1”. Directions: Cut 18” x 22” fabrics to 9” x 22” (stack them to cut) Cut 4 ½” off the length for the tabs, now your fabrics will be 9” x 17 ½” and 9 ½” 4 ½”. Cut the 9” x 4 ½” to 4 ½” x 4 ½”, you now have 8 squares, 2 of lining and 2 of outside fabric. You will use the lining fabric for the tabs. Fold 2 squares for each bag into a triangle and press. Fold the triangles into half to make smaller triangles and press. You now have made your tabs. Fold purse pieces (9” x 17 ½”) in half, right sides together, sew ½” side seams. Make diagonal corners on lining and outer fabric pieces and stitch across about 1” from point. Turn outer fabric right side out. Tuck lining fabrics into outer fabric, wrong sides together, pin around the top. Fold over top edge to the outside, 3/4” and pin. Fold over top edge again, 1 1/8” and pin. Take 2 triangles (tabs) and tuck one on each side of purse (centered) and pin. This is when you need to have a drop arm on your sewing machine! Stitch around edge to make casing, leaving open about 1 ½” at one of the seams for inserting tape measure. At this point I sew down the one side seam to keep the 2 pieces of tape measure apart when inserted. Open your tape measure ALL THE WAY and using old, crappy scissors cut it away from the case. Cut one end of the tape rounded. Hold the tape up to the bag and see where you need to make the next cut for the length needed (you will need 2 pieces about 8” each for each bag). Cut other end of tape to rounded. Slide tape into casing. Do the same with the other side. Finish sewing the 1 ½” opening (the tape folds easily so you can do this), then sew up and down the last side seam to keep tape from shifting. Warning: when cutting the tape measure, you can get very tiny slivers of metal that are very sharp. Be careful not to get any on the floor. I cut mine while holding it down into a trash bag in a can! Have fun! Kathy G in MI

Kathy - you are so thoughtful to offer these again. I'd love to be included and if I were lucky enough to win - the purple bag caught my eye. What a nice idea to make them for your niece's shower. I hope you post photos of those too,