How frustrating is it to call for technical assistance of any type and you go through the hoops of an automated system that requires endless option choices, and heaven forbid, only to miss an option and have to start all over again. And that’s not the half of it. What if you get an automated system that is triggered by a voice response? Markdown Mom is still trying to find the best dialect in order to be properly understood by the automaton.

Then if you do get through, you find that your local technician is not a member of this continent and you encounter a new set of translation problems? Or, better they refer you to yet another department and another toll free number to repeat the process? After all that, if you do manage to speak to a living person, and if you do get an answer– two big “ifs”– and you follow their directions, you discover that it does not solve the problem(s) and you have to start all over again! By that time, you are in need of repair because you’ve blown a gasket %#@*!

Well, before you watch your blood pressure skyrocket like a fever thermometer check on twitter.com. Since trouble with a product or service is bad public relations and, therefore, bad for business, companies have been combing this site and other chat sites to find out problems that their customers are having and personally handle them. So, when all else fails share the misery, you may find an answer, at least you will find sympathy and understanding from others with the same or similar predicament.

Be Heard For Free!

Unless you’re postmenopause, or you have opted to try the new meds to limit the monthlies to a few times a year, sanitary pads for women and girls are a part of life.

Kotex® is offering a free sample pack of its’ products including its’ new ultra thin, ultra light pad with wings. Feel funny about “that talk” with your young daughter? This is a perfect opportunity to initiate it with this great freebie packet.

Plus at the site check-out sweepstakes, new product offers, and educational information!

Whether you are a carnivora or vegan, you will admit that eating vegan is healthy and tasty. At Vitalita you can download free vegan recipes including savory desserts, hearty soups, and favorites with an international flare like this Asian Lasagna.

This site has a wonderful variety that is bound to tempt any palate, and you can download the online cookbooks for FREE --perfect for Kindle owners.

Trying to eat healthier? These recipes certainly will make it easier and a culinary voyage for the entire family.

Everyone is on the move and it becomes harder and harder to find someone to share your life with. Entire sitcoms have been devoted to this primal quest Sex and The City even at times, the anal retentive Seinfeld. However, not everybody can partake of the smorgasbord of the large cities. An answer for many has been to turn to the internet. Although MDM does not advocate this alternative and always suggests that you check on any connection thoroughly; nonetheless, we are aware that people will continue to use this media, and who knows you may find Mr. Big or Miss Right. What MDM is looking for in any venue is a bargain, this new site allows you to test the waters for free. Chemistry claims that they will find your inner synergy and match you with up to 5 potentials for FREE based upon criteria on attraction developed by Dr. Helen Fisher. As with any dating service or matchmaker, don’t leave your common sense in a closet, and make sure that this site is only accessed by responsible adults. Having said that, Good Luck!

Mirdle sounds like (1) a flower or (2) a female’s name, but Seinfeld’s gang would know that it’s the current answer to male belly fat. In keeping with the “bro” for man boobs, mirdle is the male equivalent of the girdle. The one difference between the mirdle and the “bro” is that the mirdle is for real! Well, why not…afterall, everyone wants to look her or his best, and sometimes you just have to suck it up! However, it’s hard to hold your breath that long and the mirdle accomplishes the nonsurgical, noninvasive lift to a guy’s midriff and spirits as well.

Plastic surgery, makeup for men, support socks, and now a man’s girdle. Some say “fat chance” that it will take off, but if you really think about it, why not? Many men could benefit from such undergarments not only in the results on their libido, but also to relieve back pain and other health ailments by tummy weight. Spanx® is currently investigating this idea, and others like Go Softwear already have a padded butt brief and is planning a man’s waist eliminator, Andrew Christian Flashback Butt Lifter™,Solidea® men’s contour underwear, Undergear® Body Shapers®, and in Japan there is the Wacoal ex walker.

ScoopNYC ™  is probably more familiar to New Yorkers as a trendy, hot fashion closet with all the latest celeb looks under one roof.  Now you will find stores in major metro cities like Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, Dallas and here’s the real scoop:  soon they will be online!

Specializing in-person customer service/shopper, they now have developed their own trademark fragance named what else? Scoop NYC.  A subtle musk with tones of pear blossom, tangerine zest, white peony, jasmine and pink freesia. 

For Free Sample Click Here→

Get The Latest Scoop in Fashion!

"New York, New York! " and if you are in New York Out On The Town near Times Square how about getting your own 15 minutes of fame for free.  Imagine your face 50 feet high 48 stories above Times Square!  Wow, what a rush!  Raul Enriquez is taking fine art to a whole new digital realm à la Christo.  Plans are to have more than 10,000 people have their faces on the 2500 foot  Lumacom screen.  Thinks it’s cool, and want to join in–yeah, who wouldn’t?  Then stop by and get your photo taken in a booth at the Chashama Gallery located at 112 W. 44th Street, Manhattan.  It only takes 30 seconds for 30 photos.   Enriquez centers on the eye and idiosyncrasies displayed in movements of each participant during the short session to reveal curious parts of their personality.   Photos are taken on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m.  The public art project runs through April 26th.

*photo courtesy of Raul Vincent Enriquez/Durst Organizaton

From Barilla, this great freebie from Mario Batali.  You can download his Italian cookbook for free and when you do a $1 goes to America’s Second Harvest.  How great is that!  Get fabulous recipes from a celebrity chef and help America’s needy.  Win, Win!

P.S. While you are there, consider making a donation if you can.

Okay, 2008 is the year that you’ve promised yourself you are going to change your eating  habits.  No more donuts or danish pastry in the morning.  You don’t care if it’s Quarter Pounder Wednesday!   Just fruits, nuts, and veggies!  But even these take time to fix and what about those mid-morning or late afternoon pick-me-ups?  Afterall, chewing on your pencil is just not going to stave off those hunger pains.  Try the new South Beach Living Foods™ from Kraft with their new Tide Me Over™ Drink Mix, new granola clusters, and $2 worth of coupons.  FREE!

Anime, the Japanese art of animation was first developed in the early 20th century but did not gain world interest until the 1980s and 90s.  Now fans every where enjoy the unique storylines, colorful characters, and facial expressions that differentiates Anime from Western animation.  

Now even those shoppers out there who have never seen an Anime episode before can test drive the New Amazon Unbox Anime Store which is offering FREE episode downloads on top titles such as Natruto, Afro Samurai, Bleach, and Death Note. 

Also, for a limited time you can purchase Anime through Amazon at 30% OFF!

Eyes can haunt you; oftentimes, they can speak to you more than any words.  What are your eyes saying to others?  Or, better yet, what do you want them to say?

If you want to see yourself in a different way and convey your inner being, then FreshLook ® Color Contact Lenses Free Trial Offer is your opportunity to do so.   Now you can try FreshLook Colors online by simply uploading a photo and trying on the newest, hottest colors.  Need a second opinion on what color suits you best?  You can even email your friends with your new eye color–how great is that?  Plus, download an instant coupon for a free trial pair of FreshLook® Color Contact Lenses and take it to your CIBA vision fitter.  Locate one online or take it to Wal*Mart to receive your free trial pair. 

Don’t you just love those ads featuring William Shatner as a World of Warcraft (WoW) shaman?  Somehow ads always speed up during the last few seconds and you miss crucial information, like a website featuring a free trial.  A free 10 day trial can be found on the World of Warcraft site and you can chose the original game or The Burning Crusade.  WoW is a massive multiplayer online role playing game so be prepared to interact with other people.  You choose a character avatar and throughout the game may view the landscape, fight monsters, preform quests, interact with other avatars, and build skills.  If you like the game, you may purchase a subscription to it for $29.99.

For expecting parents for 2008, this freebie is a must have for the new baby.  Babydagny™ is offering a purple frog pacifier ,valued at $16, for free.  Simply fill out the baby gift registry and e-mail it to 10 friends for your free pacifier.   You must be a resident of the United States.  The purple frog pacifier will ship in 2 to 4 weeks.

Sephora, synonymous with the latest and hottest trends in cosmetics and beauty regimes, has come with a special present for its’ loyal customers, but it is only good for December 26th!  

*Qualifiers include (1) you must be a registered Beauty Insider, (2)no purchase required in store only, however, (3) online must include a merchandise purchase. 

Shop online or instore, use Promo Code:  PUCKERUP at checkout. 

Oh, poor Martha, now someone is biting her head off and putting her back in jail, albeit a candy cane/gingerbread jail! 

Watch the making of the gingerbread man Phil Spector, and other infamous celebs like Nicole Richie. Bobby Brown, and Dog.  A spoof on celebrities, will certainly be the talk of any holiday party. 

Now you can download the cookie stencils free to make your own Infamous 5.   Fun, new applications on the gingerbread man theme are these gingerbread celebs. Plus get other recipes and more at Chow, a novel site with member contributions.