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This is important, folks! Today, many of your favorite websites have “gone dark” to show what the internet could look like if two pieces of legislation pass into law.
Go to http://americancensorship.org/ RIGHT NOW! Find out more about SOPA and PIPA and then contact your state representatives and senators and tell them to vote NO. Do it right now.
The 2011 Middleborough Holiday Shopping Guide was mailed out this week; did you receive your copy in the mail? If so, then hopefully you saw our advertisement on the third page.
You may have noticed a square barcode in the corner of our advertisement and wondered what it is:
“A QR code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) is a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) first designed for the automotive industry. More recently, the system has become popular outside of the industry due to its fast readability and comparatively large storage capacity. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be made up of any kind of data. (Source: Wikipedia.org)”
In the case of our QR code, it takes you to a very special offer for your holiday shopping convenience. To access the information embedded in the code, you will need a smartphone with a camera, Internet access and a QR code reader app (most of which are free to download from an app store).
If you cannot get the QR code in our advertisement to scan, then you can use your phone’s QR code reader to scan the QR code below. Scan the code, then enter the password that is located in the holiday shopping guide. Once entered, you will be eligible to take advantage of our limited-time holiday special.
We are just one of many local businesses that advertised in this year’s Holiday Shopping Guide. Many of the advertisers have special offers just for the recipients of this mailing. So check your mailbox, flip through the guide and then get shopping.
By supporting the businesses in this guide (see list below) as well as other local shops and services, you are supporting your community and your neighbors…
~ Central Cafe ~
~ Eastern Bank ~
~ The Emporium At Middleborough ~
~ Benny’s ~
~ The Cabin~
~ Middleborough on the Move ~
~ Pushin Ink Tattoo ~
~ Kahians ~
~ Carver Jewelers ~
~ Maria’s Card & Gift Shop ~
Shop early! Shop often! Shop local!
Tags: #smallbizsat, Advertising, Barcodes, guide, holiday, Massachusetts, Middleboro, Middleborough, QR Code, Shopping, specials
Support The Small Businesses That Make Middleboro, Massachusetts Great!
First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, there’s the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day people support small businesses. Pledge to Shop Small(SM) on November 26, 2011. If millions of Americans shop small, it will be huge.
By shopping small and local, you are supporting the “mom and pop” stores and services that help make your community a great place to live and work. A lot of the things that you might be looking for – and would probably head out to the big-box stores to get – can be found in your own community.
American Express wants to help you make a difference. Get a one-time $25 statement credit when you register an eligible American Express® Card and use that Card for a purchase of $25 or more at a small business on Saturday, November 26, 2011. For more information about American Express’ Small Business Saturday campaign, head on over to their Facebook page, located at http://www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday.
To celebrate Small Business Saturday, South Shore Computer Repair, located at 238 Centre Street in the heart of Middleboro, Massachusetts, will be open from 10:00am to 2:00pm. John Neely, a.k.a. “The Computer Guy,” will be on hand to answer your questions about computers and other technologies as well as provide advice and guidance to anyone who has technology on their holiday shopping list. Everyone is invited to stop in for coffee, donuts and great conversation and advice!
Updated Information:
American Express has also partnered with foursquare to offer a whopper of a discount on Saturday, November 26. Foursquare users who check in and spend $25 or more on their American Express cards at participating businesses will receive a $25 credit on their American Express statement.
There are more than 100,000 business participating. You’ll be able to find ones nearby on the 26th by opening your foursquare app, tapping Explore and then tapping specials. Be sure to expand your radius out to 10 miles to be able to see them all. You can also find them on the new foursquare website by looking for the map icons highlighted in orange (now that I think of it, they really need to add filters to that map).
Don’t forget to sync your card with foursquare before next Saturday to be eligible. When you check in at a participating business, tap the “load to card” button on the special screen and pay with your American Express card. You’ll get a notification from foursquare that your request was processed and the credit will show up on your statement around 5 business days later.
More Updated Information:
On Saturday, November 26th, Middleboro is presenting it’s fantastic Christmas Parade. Starting at 1:00 PM, Santa and Miss Massachusetts Molly Whalen will ride aboard the Fire Department ladder truck to lead the 52nd annual Christmas Parade. The theme of the parade is “Once Upon a Christmas.” The marchers will include Scout packs and troops, dancing schools, twirlers and school marching bands. The floats are always popular, and the Middleboro High School student council is entering another huge float as they have done in past years. Santa will lead the parade from the school complex on Mayflower Avenue to Courtland Street, Station Street, down Center Street, to South Main Street, and return to the school.
Tags: #smallbizsat, American Express, Foursquare, Massachusetts, Middleborough, Shop Small, Small Business Saturday
According to a recent article on Kiplinger.com:
“More consumers are expected to do their holiday shopping online this year – about 47% compared with 44% in 2010, according to a National Retail Federation survey. And about half of those surveyed who own smart phones and 70% who own tablets will use their devices to research items and make purchases.
The Internet makes it easy to compare prices, shop quickly and avoid the crowds. But it can also put you at risk of becoming a victim of identity theft if you don’t take the proper precautions.”
Security expert Jon Heimerl suggests that you follow these do’s and don’ts of online shopping to protect your personal information and reduce your risk of becoming a victim of a scam or identity theft:
DO…
DON’T…
Finally, before you log into the internet for the deals… check out your local shops and businesses. They probably have some fantastic deals and you know who you’re dealing with.
Tags: #smallbizsat, Electronic commerce, identity theft, Jon Heimerl, National Retail Federation, Online shopping, Personal identification, shop local, Theft
First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. Now, there’s the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday, the day people support small businesses. Pledge to Shop SmallSM on November 26, 2011. If millions of Americans shop small, it will be huge.
American Express wants to help you make a difference. Get a one-time $25 statement credit when you register an eligible American Express® Card and use that Card for a purchase of $25 or more at a small business on November 26th.
Visit The American Express “Shop Small” page on Facebook to find out how to support your local businesses. Also, be sure to check out our list of some of the fantastic stores and services in the area and get started on your holiday shopping!
Tags: #smallbizsat, American Express, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Retailing, Shop Small, Shopping
We’re here for you! Whether your an individual struggling with virus problems on your computer or a small business looking for help with your IT systems, we can help.
Our shop hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Friday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The easiest way to work with us, though, is to setup an appointment with us. Please give us a call at 508.947.1966 or drop us an email at help@ssc-repair.com to setup a time that works for your hectic schedule.
Tags: 508.947.1966, computer repair, help@ssc-repair.com, IT services, Middleboro, new hours, plymouth county, private appointment, residential, shop hours, small business
In the November 3, 2011 edition of the Middleboro Gazette, Mark Belanger’s “Bumpkin’s Corner” column gave us – South Shore Computer Repair – a terrific shout-out about the computer he recently bought from us. At the time that he bought the computer, we didn’t know he was going to be writing a column that mentioned us but we really appreciate his comments about our service. We had a blast building his new system and we’re hoping he’ll be back once his kids talk him into buying them tablets for Christmas.
More importantly, however, in the article Mark points out the importance of shopping local:
It was a solid system at a very fair price. The price was comparable to what I would pay at Best Buy or on the Internet for a system of lesser quality…
Add in all those hours I spent researching and driving around to look at computers. All that gas and time would have been averted with a 10-minute phone call to my local computer shop…
By shopping local, you are supporting the “mom and pop” stores and services that help make Middleboro a great place to live and work. A lot of the things that you might be looking for – and would probably head out to the big-box stores to get – can be found right here in Middleboro.
Try some of these local shops for everyone on your shopping list:
Everyone has to eat (some of us more than others). Try a gift certificate to one of the many restaurants we have in town…
Pets need things too – and we know from personal experience – they expect gifts for their birthdays and holidays.
Have family coming into town for the holidays? Don’t want them mooching off of you? Point them towards one of Middleboro’s Bed and Breakfasts…
And, finally: Think out of the box with your gift-giving this year…
The above lists are just small samplings of some of the terrific businesses that are right here where you live. Mark Belanger put it best in his column in the Middleboro Gazette:
Consider the cost of driving out of town to buy something. Consider the hassle of returning it. Consider the benefit to the shopkeepers who have invested in our town by having a business here. Consider the jobs that your purchses support…You have nothing to lose by checking out the local offerings and see how they compare with the Walmarts and Amazons of the world.
Spread a little holiday cheer this year by supporting a Middleboro or Lakeville business.
Don’t forget… these businesses are here year-round. Keep them in mind for birthdays, anniversaries and pretty much any other shopping you might need to do throughout the year.
Tags: buy local, holiday shopping, Lakeville, Mark Belanger, Middleboro, Middleboro Gazette, shop local
By now we are all aware – at one level or another – of malware and spyware that invades our computers through a multitude of ways. We have ways of combating, to a certain extent, this never-ending stream of crud that ends up on our computing devices. We use spyware removal programs, keep our antivirus programs up-to-date and are careful about what we click on when scrolling through our friends’ status updates on Facebook.
What seems to be making a comeback, though, are scam artists reverting to our old friend: The telephone. Here are just two examples we’ve heard about in the past couple of weeks.
A local bank has been made aware that customers, as well as non-customers, are receiving automated calls on their cell phones with the following message:
“This is a call from Your Bank. Your MasterCard/Visa/Whatever account has been locked. Please press 1 now to unlock.”
What do you think? Would you fall for the above scam?
The recording then instructs the individual to enter their debit card number. There may also be a variation of this phone call that references other banks or asks the customer to enter their debit card number in order to activate it. Please be advised that these calls are a scam and are not being made by your bank. This is a phishing attempt by criminals to obtain your personal account information. Never provide your debit card number or any other private information in response to an unsolicited phone call or email. Just hang up and do not press 1.
How about this one…
Hi I’m calling from the Windows Service Center. We just received a notification of errors on your computer and think that you might have a virus. We know that your computer is running rather slowly and, looking at your web searching history, we think you’ve downloaded some malware.
Are you in front of your computer right now? Yes? Great. Let’s walk through and clean up your computer so that you won’t be having any more trouble.
Both of the above phone calls sound vaguely reasonable. Your bank certainly knows how to contact you and more than one of us has a little bit of paranoia about what Microsoft knows about us and how we use our computers. The reality, however, is that both of these phone calls are scams. One is aimed at getting your banking information and the other is aimed at gaining access to or control of your computer.
Any time you receive a phone call from someone whom you do not know but they are asking for any kind of information that might identify you, hang up. Do not stop. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Just hang up.
If your mother’s etiquette lessons won’t let you just hang up on them, ask the caller for their name, the name of their company and a telephone number at which you can call them back. This way, you can always call the company the caller claims to be representing – independent of talking to the person making the unsolicited phone call – and find out if it was a legitimate call or not. On the off-chance it is a legitimate phone call, you can then call them back at your leisure.
Stay smart online and offline. As always: If something sounds too good to be true then it probably is.
Related Video:
The “Windows Service Center” scam has been around in Europe for a while but now seems to be coming to America. For an example of how this type of call goes, check out this useful video from Computeractive.co.uk.
Related Information:
Massachusetts’ Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation has issued a warning about the “robo-calling” scam that is seeking to gain access to consumers’ banking and social security information. If you receive one of these robo-calls, Attorney General Martha Coakley urges you to immediately hang up and contact the Attorney General’s consumer hotline at 617-727-8400. Consumers are also encouraged to file a complaint with the office online at www.mass.gov/ago.
Tags: Debit card, Malware, Mobile phone, Phishing, scam, Social engineering, Spyware, Telephone call
Photo courtesy of labeez.org
On Friday, June 17, 2011 South Shore Computer Repair’s Computer Guy and Marketing Chick are going to be at the Middleborough Business Expo and Job Fair. This business expo and job fair will be an excellent way for Middleborough, Massachusetts residents to learn more about the businesses who call Middleborough home and maybe even find a new career opportunity!
Along with South Shore Computer Repair, two of our Middleborough clients – Nicole Jaqcquelyn Photography Studio and Sun River Builders – are also going to be at the expo. Details are as follows:
Date: Friday, June 17, 2011
Time: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Place: Middleborough Town Hall, 2nd Floor, 10 Nickerson Avenue, Middleborough
Details: Light refreshments will be served but more importantly this is your opportunity to find out more about the businesses in town and meet the business owners who are making this town a great place to live and work. This is an opportunity to learn about careers and employment offerings at eight major Middleboro companies. Several have current openings. Residents interested in positions should come prepared with copies of their resumes to present to potential employers. The event takes place in the Town Hall auditorium from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Business Expo will give local businesses of all sizes the opportunity to present their products and services to the community. The general public is invited to attend the Expo to learn more about the availability of goods and services from local companies. The Job Fair and Business Expo is a joint venture of the Middleboro Office of Economic and Community Development and the Middleboro Public Library.
See you there!
Tags: Business Expo, Job Fair, Massachusetts, Middleboro, Middleboro Office of Economic and Community Development, Middleboro Public Library, Middleborough Massachusetts, Middleborough Town Hall, Nicole Jaqcquelyn Photography Studio, Plymouth County Massachusetts
It all started at the mall. Earle MacLeod, 86, of Quincy met up there with his friends, John Martino, 88, of Braintree and Nick Varraso, 84, of Quincy. Nick is a quiet guy with a streak of chivalry. He noticed a group of women having coffee in the food court every Monday and would pull out their chairs for them as they sat down. “Those other guys forgot how to handle women, and I had to show them,” he joked. Soon they all were mall buddies.
“There is always a lot of teasing, and we give each other the business,” MacLeod said.
Retired from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, he always looks for people’s stories and learned that the women had worked together at Sears for years. He also noticed that, “even back then, Eva was cooking for the ladies, bringing them homemade muffins to have with their coffee. Soon it went well beyond that.”
“They all get hot muffins,” says Eva DiBona, 86, of Braintree. ‘‘Very fresh muffins. If they got a wife, they get an extra one to take home. Yes, I don’t want the wives to think I want to take their husband!”
The rest of this article by Sue Scheible for The Patriot Ledger is a fantastic tribute to my amazing grandmother. Of course, now that her secret is out we will probably never get another cheesecake because she’ll be too busy doing Oprah and The View.
Tags: Earle MacLeod, Eva DiBona, John Martino, Nick Varraso, Sue Scheible, The Patriot Ledger
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