Payday Loan Cash Advance Blog

Five are dead and one injured in Yuma shootings

2011-06-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

A 73 year-old man opened fire on June 2, 2011 in a fatal rampage in Yuma, Ariz.. The shooter, Carey Hal Dyess of Yuma, slaughtered five people and injured 1 other before fatally turning his weapon on himself, according to experts.

Local lawyer reportedly slaughtered

It seems there were two shooting locations although it is not clear what the rest of the facts are. Four fatalities happened in Yuma County. One was in Yuma city. One of the victims reportedly is in critical condition and was transported to the Phoenix Hospital. The states also indicate that one of victims slaughtered was Yuma area lawyer Jerrold Shelley.

So far, the other victims’ names were not released. It won’t be long until the names are released. In city limits, a male was slaughtered. He was an adult male, according to law enforcement. He was inside a local business when Dyess entered the building and fired at him.

How Dyess is involves in court cases

There are two civil court cases that stemmed from a divorce. Court records show Dyess was involved. With one of the cases, a judge decided Dyess needed protecting. This protection was ordered in 2006. Motive is unclear right now.

Law enforcement responds to a morning call

Police responded to the first report of gunfire at about 9:30 a.m. Just to take caution, the area schools and court house were locked down. Nobody was injured at the courthouse, and subsequently the lockdown was lifted.

Suicidal shooter

Dyess ended up being found dead from his own rifle shot by the Yuma County Sheriff’s department.

Statement from County judge

Just recently, Judge Andrew Gold made a statement to the Arizona Supreme Court. Gold is the Yuma County Presiding Judge. Even though he is saddened by what takes place, he is still “thankful that those within the courthouse are safe.”

Information from

News Tribune

thenewstribune.com/2011/06/02/1690376/police-5-killed-in-shootings-in.html

CBS

cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20068375-504083.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsCourtWatch+%28CBS+News%3A+Court+Watch%29

WLTX

wltx.com/news/national/article/138854/142/5-Killed-in-Shootings-in-Yuma-AZ

U.S. continues to be in growth recession

2011-06-05T01:44:00.000-07:00

Are you purchasing the hype that we are out of the economic downturn? Don’t get any ideas, suggests Investor’s Business Daily. In this job-starved economy, we are absolutely living a kind of double-dip economic downturn that economists are calling a growth recession.

Information a growth recession has

Sometimes economic growth creates net joblessness because it is so low. A growth recession is just that. Also considered a Growth recession is when job creation potential is very low for growth. Underachievement is also integrated. A country’s GDP is expanding at too slow of a rate with job contraction.

A few signs

Here are just a couple of the signs that a growth recession is here, writes Investor’s Business Daily:

There were 38,000 jobs created in May 2011 in the private sector. This was shown in the ADP Payroll Services report. That is much less than economists anticipated for a growing economy. It needed to be 100,000 jobs more.
Employment consultant company Challenger, Gray & Christmas noted that 37,135 jobs were cut in May, a two percent increase from the previous month.
United States housing prices fell 4.2 percent in the first quarter.
In May’s final week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s mortgage application index went down 4 percent.
The Institute for Supply Management’s factory activity index – an indicator of U.S. manufacturing health – dropped from 60.4 in April to 53.5 in May, the lowest score on the index since September 2009.

Back into tough economy

Most economists believe the May 2.7 percent GDP in the U.S. is not enough to get unemployment back to normal. Match this uninspiring growth with continued frantic borrowing by the U.S. government ($1.5 trillion estimated for 2011), and avoiding a prolonged double-dip economic downturn seems impossible.

According to Michael Pento, senior economist at Euro Pacific Capital, the U.S. is following the wrong formula for economic health.

“Genuine government stimulus comes from low taxes, stable prices, reduced regulation and low debt,” said Pento. “Our economic policymakers have scrupulously avoided such remedies.”

The Indypendent believes that Summer 2011 will seem awfully familiar. The Federal Reserve is backpedaling, spending cuts and tax increases on the city and state level are in progress and federal spending is pointing downward. The United States may soon end up in a depression rather than a growth recession if things don’t turn around.

Growth recession at teatime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIGJy41ekEU

Articles cited

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_recession

The Indypendent

indypendent.org/2011/06/02/the-coming-double-dip-recession/

Investor’s Business Daily

investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/573972/201106011847/President-Plays-Economy-Lists.htm?src=HPLNews

Nearly 60 percent of parents help pay for grownup children

2011-06-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

A brand-new survey reveals that fifty nine percent of United States parents provide financial support for their grown kids. The research covered mothers and fathers of grownup children who are not in college. The study suggests the recession is preventing them from moving away from home. A number of them are becoming so-called “boomerang kids,” by moving away from home and returning again.

Generation of individuals feeling pressured

Ted Beck, president and CEO of NEFE, a nonprofit financial education group, said “Parents are continuing their involvement longer than we expected. The general sentiment is that financial pressures are higher for this generation.”

Parents and the young adults surveyed agreed. Sixty-five percent of the grownup children said their generation faces tougher fiscal strain than their mothers and fathers did. And 32 percent of their parents agreed that they had it easier than their kids do. Further, 43 percent of parents said they were giving assist because they were “legitimately concerned” about the finances of their children. About 37 percent of individuals said they hoped their kids wouldn’t have to struggle financially.

The breakdown

Fifty percent of parental support goes towards housing. About 48 percent of parental financial pay for went towards living expenses. There is also the cost of transportation. That is about 41 percent of aid from mothers and fathers.

About 75 percent of children living at home say they’re helping financially while 42 percent say they do work around the house to help out.

What else to look at

”Face It” author, psychologist Vivian Diller, thinks that this trend has occurred because of the economy. “In the last 20 to 30 years, the family structure has become more child-centered,” she says. “Boomer parents were very willing to make sacrifices for their kids, giving them the sense that it would continue until they were on their feet. Now parents are supporting kids’ lifestyles.”

But, she warns, continued fiscal support could have negative consequences. “Because they have been protected, some children don’t learn reasonable ways to manage money, and they run into trouble.”

What parents are willing to give up

About 30 percent of parents that had grownup children move home gave up privacy to do so. Even worse are the parents that took on debt for their kids to move in. This includes about 26 percent of responders. Then there’s the 7 percent that have had to delay retirement. This is all for their children.

“If parents are going to financially support their adult children, they should first have a serious talk about their kids’ expectations so that everyone protects their financial futures,” Ted Beck says. “We all want to ensure the best for our children. But if you are taking on extra debt or delaying retirement to help your adult child, you could be making a mistake and putting your own financial future in jeopardy.”

Information from

ABC

abcnews.go.com/Business/60-parents-provide-financial-support-adult-children/story?id=13648780

NEFE

nefe.org/NEFENews/PressRoom/PressRelease/ParentsFinanciallySupportingAdultChildren/tabid/1015/Default.aspx

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/27/us-economy-parents-idUSTRE74Q4Y420110527

Completing a bill with an autopen causes conflict

2011-06-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

The President recently renewed certain parts of the controversial Patriot Act. The bill went to the White House from Congress, though the president is currently in France. The president used an autopen to approve the bill, a system which can carefully reproduce a signature.

Government surveillance will be used still

Recently, certain key provisions of the Patriot Act, were set to expire unless a bill was created, passed by Congress and finalized by the president. Three provisions of the domestic security laws that allow for highly controversial surveillance procedures would have expired, according to the Christian Science Monitor, but President Obama finalized the bill at the last moment. Despite the stern objections and try to rally opposition by Senator Paul, the government is still allowed to use roving wiretaps, pull business records and keep tabs on “lone wolves” of interest without a warrant. However, according to CNN, brouhaha in Congress has started as the president used a robotic pen.

How the autopen works

The signature was needed quickly on the document in the president was in France. He used an autopen to sign it. A person’s signature is reproduced with an autopen. It is virtually impossible to tell the difference between a genuine signature and an auto signature. The machines, according to MSNBC, vary in complexity while in simply tracing a template to far more mechanically complex machines. There are two businesses in the U.S. that make them, and a brief interview with Bob Olding, owner of one of those companies, is being reproduced on several news websites. Olding, owner of Damillic Corp., told ABC the autopens his company sells use technology that has barely changed since the 1930s. He does not want Damillic to be known for anything bad. This is why he stresses the business makes sure the ethic use of the products are the right ones.

It isn’t illegal

In the Constitution, it simply states that the president will sign a bill. “He shall sign it” is in there. As long as a signature is directed to be attached to a document, it is valid, according to the Department of Justice. The Justice Department told President Bush that an auto signature was legal in 2005 when looking into using an autopen for this same reason. Vice President Quayle admits that he used an autopen in 1992 while Donald Rumsfeld used one in 2004. This was for the letters he sent to families of troops killed. Thomas Jefferson built a signature and letter duplication machine, or polygraph, in the 19th century. Autopens are frequently used by government officials, astronauts and business executives.

Information from

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0527/Patriot-Act-three-controversial-provisions-that-Congress-voted-to-keep

CNN

whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/27/rise-of-the-machines-autopen-puts-bill-into-law/?hpt=T2

MSNBC

firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/27/6731197-the-great-presidential-autopen-hullabaloo

ABC

blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/05/robama-is-it-ok-for-a-president-to-autopen-a-bill-into-law.html

Damillic Inc

realsig.com/index.htm

Overdraft fee settled by Bank of America to pay $410 million

2011-06-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

Bank of America has arrived at a settlement in a huge suit that consists of most big retail banks in the U.S. Almost a million people are named in the lawsuit against the bank. Bank of America has agreed to pay $410 million to settle the suit. Comparable suits are being filed against other banks.

Lawsuits become more common after fees go up

Overdraft fees and account fees are not popular among consumers, and anger over fee practices has led to major class action lawsuits against some of the largest financial institutions in the United States and Canada. Bank of America has one class action suit with about 1 million people in it along with other banks with comparable suits such as JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo, states Bloomberg. A $410 million settlement was approved for Bank of America. Reuters explained that over 2 dozen banks in the United States. Europe and Canada are being sued for fees like these, all of which were changed to be class action suits. The case is titled In Re: Checking Account Overdraft Litigation.

Bank of America’s overdraft fee issue

In order to create multiple overdraft fees rather than just one or two, Bank of America has been accused of processing largest to smallest transactions so that accounts will go into overdraft over and over rather than in the order they came in. Banks will allow a transaction to go through with overdraft fees but add a charge to the account for the consumer just like short term credit. Fees vary by institution, though fees between $25 and $35 are common. Many consumer supports consider overdraft protections and fees to be abusive to less fortunate customers. Customers have to choose to be in an overdraft program if they want to be in one since banks can’t do it automatically.

Using your phone with Bank of America

Bank of America is unveiling a pilot program involving mobile banking, according to the LA Times. After a transaction has been dropped, the consumer will get a text. This text will ask if the customer wants to get an overdraft fee on the transaction and allow it to go through. The consumer has to deposit the funds then by 8 p.m. that evening to cover the transaction. If they do not, then they will get the $35 charge. The choice would only apply to that transaction. One thing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be working on is the overdraft fee problem. This is after it begins operations soon, states the New York Times. There has been a fight over the director and powers of the bureau in Congress which may stop the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from starting in the near future.

Articles cited

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-23/bank-of-america-410-million-overdraft-fee-accord-wins-tentative-approval.html

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/23/business-us-bankofamerica-overdraft-sett-idUKTRE74M63K20110523?type=companyNews

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/05/bofa-overdraft-text-message.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/05/19/opinion/19thu3.html

Personal loans for for-profit university tuition may be a waste

2011-05-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Universities that are private and for-profit school aren’t all exactly on the level, which is why students should be careful if thinking about one. College often has to be funded with some personal loans of some sort. Private for-profit schools have higher loan default rates and clash with the authorities regularly. Some schools are worth it, but individuals should do their homework before attending.

Donald Trump seeing Indictment in the future as a possibility

Five corporations that work for, for-profit universities will be investigated. The New York Attorney General will be doing the investigation, CNN reports. One of the schools involved is the previous Trump University, the small for-profit college launched by Donald Trump several years back. After the New York Department of Education said that this wasn’t a real school, it was renamed the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative. There are four other schools involved, reports the New York Times. They include Bridgepoint Education, Lincoln Educational Services, the Career Education Corporation and Corinthian Colleges. The corporations and schools are being investigated although there are not yet any charges filed.

Latest brouhaha between colleges and states

Previous scholars are not very happy that state and federal governments have been coming down on for-profit universities. Some scholars say they were misled by the now Trump Entrepreneur Initiative which is why these Californian students are now suing Donald Trump. Reuters reports that Corinthian’s colleges in California, Florida, Georgia and Massachusetts are also under investigation. The Massachusetts Attorney General, according to the Boston Globe, is also investigating Apollo Group, the business that runs the University of Phoenix, as well as the Kaplan Career Institute, which is operated by the Washington Post Company. The corporate parts of smaller private colleges are also typically not very stable. For instance, Alpine College in Spokane, Wash., recently closed its doors permanently in the middle of a term, leaving scholars holding the bag for thousands in personal loans and no degree to show for it.

Payments extremely hard to afford

Cost is something people must consider when choosing which university to go to. It costs a ton of cash to go to a for-profit university. In just one year after graduating from school, 15.2 percent of students who went to a for-profit university defaulted on student loans in 2009. That is almost twice the 7.3 percent rate that public university scholars had, Reuters explains. Private, not-for-profit schools had a default rate of 4.3 percent. Also, for-profit university scholars make up half of loan defaults. That’s a quite high rate. Scholars have not been prepared well enough for the job market after going to for-profit universities, some say. This has made it extremely hard for scholars to meet loan obligations that they have. Schools may not be able to get federal loans for students if they have a default rate over 35 percent if the Department of Education gets its way.

Articles cited

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/05/20/news/companies/trump_university/index.htm

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/05/20/nyregion/trumps-for-profit-school-said-to-be-under-investigation.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=education

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/education-forprofit-idUSN2028820820110520

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/us-education-idUSTRE74J55O20110520

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43130397″>MSNBC

Boston Globe

http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-17/business/29552871_1_college-access-success-college-students-schools”

Worst of floods in Memphis over as Mississippi river crests

2011-05-20T05:04:00.000-07:00

The American south has been under siege by the Mississippi river, which has been flooding. Memphis, Tenn., experienced heavy flooding, however residents of the Music City can start breathing easier, as the river has crested. That area could be safer, as the water will start to recede and flooding will subside. However, there are many other areas still at considerable risk.

Homeless people

More than 1,000 people have been rendered homeless, however some of the greatest landmarks in the state of Tennessee have gone untouched. BBC states that Music City’s Beale Street district was not hurt by floodwaters at all. Elvis Presley’s home in his life until he perished in 1977, Graceland, was not touched once by the Mississippi. According to a Shelby County Emergency Management Agency official where Memphis is, individuals would keep Graceland safe, even if they had to “charge hell with a water pistol.”. Some 1,300 homes have been evacuated, and there is concern, according to CBS, that pending late spring storms could bring further flash floods in the Memphis area. It will take time for the water to recede back to normal.

Mississippi swollen

The Mississippi river has enlarged as a result of the spring thaw, after winter storms buried the East Coast of the United States in near-record amounts of snowfall. Memphis’ floodwaters were just 10 inches lower than the 1937 record hitting 48 feet. The states and cities along the Mississippi river path could have a lot of danger to worry about, although Memphis is quite much past the worst danger. Floodwaters are already coursing through the rest of the Mississippi river system and in the Mississippi river delta, and precautions are being undertaken to be able to ensure the area is safe. Pressure on the New Orleans’ levees should be relieved by the Bonnet Carre Spillway, reports MSNBC. The Army Corps of Engineers just opened it up. Floodwaters are already coursing through the delta, however measures are being taken to further prepare the area for the huge volume of water that is heading in that direction.

Worst flooding in decades

Though the current flood levels are bad, they’re not as bad as the 1927 floods that killed hundreds of individuals and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, according to the Christian Science Monitor. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed finished 2,000 miles of levees. This was because of the flooding that occurred in 1927. The caveat is that every time a spillway has to be opened to keep flooding from becoming too harmful, other areas are flooded as water is diverted from the bulging Mississippi. Floods in Arkansas farmland is expected while the water gets closer to the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, 900,000 acres of farmland are anticipated to flood.

Information from

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13337548

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42973616/ns/us_news-environment/

CBS

cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/09/travel/main20061138.shtml

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0509/Mississippi-River-nears-crest-in-Memphis-but-concern-shifts-south

Mississippi river crests as most severe is finished for Memphis

2011-05-14T00:44:00.000-07:00

For the past few several weeks, the Mississippi river has been flooding and battering the American south. Memphis, Tenn., experienced heavy flooding, however residents of the Music City can start breathing easier, as the river has crested. There are other areas which still face significant danger, though.

Tennessee landmarks just fine

There are finished 1,000 homeless people now. Still, nothing in Tennessee that was considered a landmark was hurt. The historic Beale Street district, a landmark of Music City, was not touched by floodwaters, according to the BBC. Elvis Presley’s home in his life until he died in 1977, Graceland, was not touched once by the Mississippi. According to a Shelby County Emergency Management Agency official where Memphis is, individuals would keep Graceland safe, even if they had to “charge hell with a water pistol.”. CBS states that there have been finished 1,300 homes evacuated in fears that the Memphis area will have more flash floods. It will take time for the water to recede back to normal.

Enlarged Mississippi crests

After the snowfall near record on the East Coast of the U.S., the Mississippi river has gotten very high. There was a 48 feet flood near Memphis though. That is just 10 inches lower than the 1937 record was. Though the most detrimental of the danger is coming to an end in Memphis, there is considerable danger left for the rest of the cities and states along the path of the Mississippi river. There have been difficulties with the flood in the rest of the Mississippi river system and river delta. Still, precautions are still being taken. The Bonnet Carre Spillway was recently opened by the Army Corps of Engineers to be able to relieve pressure from floodwaters on New Orleans’ levees, according to MSNBC. There are already floodwaters flowing through the delta. Still, there are measures being taken in preparation.

Flooding is that bad

A flood in 1927 killed hundreds of people and cost millions to fix. The Christian Science Monitor reports the flood levels aren’t that bad. Due to the 1927 floods, there were over 2,000 miles of levees made by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The problem is that when the spillways are opened with the flooding, the Mississippi water just floods someplace else. As the water gets closer to the Gulf of Mexico and spillways have to open, over 900,000 acres of farmland in Arkansas is expected to flood.

Information from

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13337548

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42973616/ns/us_news-environment/

CBS

cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/09/travel/main20061138.shtml

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0509/Mississippi-River-nears-crest-in-Memphis-but-concern-shifts-south

Home remodeling projects that are worth the money today

2011-04-27T16:24:00.000-07:00

House remodeling has traditionally been as good as found cash when it comes to the resell market. But when the market crashed, it became less of a sure thing. In pockets of the United States where the real estate market is more favorable, remodeling projects can nevertheless provide good value for the cost. SmartMoney has a number of ideas aspiring house remodelers can pursue to get maximum value on their resell. Article resource – Home remodeling projects that are worth the money today by MoneyBlogNewz.

Spending to fix your kitchen

About $12.6 billion goes into kitchen renovating. Since the lowest point of the housing bubble collapse in 2009, homeowners have spent an average of $27,300 on kitchen remodels, states SmartMoney. Compared to the height of the United States housing boom, that’ sonly 8 percent lower states Harvard University’s Center for Housing Studies. There are ways to conserve some cash though.

As demand has decreased during the recession, some cabinet manufacturers have cut out surcharges for custom work, decorative finishes and highest-quality wood. Don’t be afraid to ask, as it could save you 20 to 30 percent. The price of hand-painted tile has not gone down. There is no way to conserve there. Don’t source materials from a manufacturer because it will save you cash, say SmartMoney. You may end up having to pay more to return it or repair it since there is more of a chance of size error increases.

Remodel the bathroom too

Even in a sluggish real estate market, studies indicate that bathroom remodelers recoup 53 percent of costs on average. Since the housing boom, there has been a 50 percent decrease in some of the high-quality granite, mostly due to Asian competition and rock quarries in Brazil. There has also been a huge decrease in the porcelain sink market, Chinese import activity has brought on it to decrease 50 percent also. A project for restroom remodeling is worth it. Try it out.

A bathroom project that makes a lot of sense is a spa shower, suggests SmartMoney. You surely want streams of water. Only one shower hookup is needed to do this. It could be hard though if there are individuals of various heights using the water since the shower tower kits aren’t adjustable.

Spending time in a backyard means something better should come

It might be worth your time and energy to redo your backyard also. This might end up benefiting you with more money after all is said and done. During a recession, every little thing extra will help sell. SmartMoney states it will help to have cabana roofs, wine chillers, warming drawers, refrigerators, pizza ovens and deluxe grills. Experts say that demand hasn’t changed much price. Installation costs are down by as much as 20 percent due to the labor glut, and homeowners have found the recession has made it easier to haggle over landscaping costs.

A “hot tip” SmartMoney offers readers is to consider a gas fire pit rather than a masonry fireplace. Pits are often portable, which offers greater flexibility with décor. It costs thousands of dollars less to simply get the gas pits too.

Articles cited

Oprah

oprah.com/money/How-to-Make-Your-Home-Renovation-Pay

Smart Money

smartmoney.com/spending/for-the-home/3-renovations-worth-the-money-now-1302561618674/

Knowing when renovating your home is worth it

youtube.com/watch?v=zBSeQgJ1ANE

Transocean reacts to bonus backlash with donation

2011-04-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Gulf oil spill cost lives and billions of dollars and for that Transocean execs received safety bonuses in 2010. Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig rests on the bottom of the Gulf, however the business said it set records for safety in 2010. A wave of opprobrium following the announcement of the bonuses motivated Transocean to donate the portion of executive bonuses awarded for safety to families of the workers killed in the explosion.

2010 the safest Transocean year

In 2009, Transocean withheld all executive bonuses after four employees were killed on the job “to underscore the company’s commitment to safety.” This season, Transocean awarded executive safety bonuses on April 2, calling 2010 its best season in history for safety. There were 200 million gallons of oil put, for 86 days, into the Gulf of Mexico while 11 individuals were killed at the Transocean Deepwater Horizon oil rig because of an explosion. Still, Transocean said the bonuses were deserved. There were rationalized: “Notwithstanding the tragic loss of life in the Gulf of Mexico, we achieved an exemplary statistical safety record.” They commented even further with the total rate of incidents and severity. It said, “We recorded the best year in safety performance in our company’s history.” Figuring out safety bonuses involves the accidents per 200,000 employee hours worked in contrast to the severity number. This is how ! Transocean figures out what the safety bonuses should be. In spite of the 2010 Gulf oil spill catastrophe, Transocean’s rate of accidents in dropped 4 percent from the season before.

Response to Transocean bonuses

A few days after Transocean announced the safety bonuses, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was in Mexico City with members of the presidential commission that investigated the British Petroleum oil spill to discuss offshore drilling regulation with Mexican authorities. The 2010 Gulf oil leak might have been avoided. This was declared by the oil leak commission in January. Negligence and errors by BP, Transocean and Halliburton, also as subcontractors and government regulators, contributed to the catastrophe. Due to these three corporations, including Transocean, “the greatest season of pain” in deepwater drilling occurred in 2010. Transocean bonuses were called “embarrassing” by co-chairman of the commission, William K. Reilly. Transocean apologized Monday because of the bonuses securities filing having “insensitive” wording in it, in order to help with PR damage. That did not work well causing a new announcement on Tuesday. The top five! executive bonuses are all going to be donated.

Most of the bonuses stay

According to the securities filing, safety accounted for 25 percent of Transocean’s 2010 executive bonuses. The bonuses were at $898,282 for the top five execs. That is about 45 percent of the performance bonuses the whole year will give. The safety portion of those bonuses totaled more than $250,000, which could be donated to the Deepwater Horizon Memorial Fund. Transocean has used the fund to distribute more than $1.6 million to the 11 families of the workers killed in the catastrophe. About $93,500 of that money originates from Transocean CEO Steven L. Newman. Newman made $6.6 million last year in the form of salary, bonuses, incentives, stocks, options and allowances. There were “long term incentives” that Newman and his executive team will get to keep. On top of this, they will get $650,000 in cash.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703806304576236661289767034.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/04/05/business/05transocean.html?src=busln

Forbes

blogs.forbes.com/jeffmcmahon/2011/04/06/transocean-execs-keep-most-of-their-bonuses/

CNN

cnn.com/2011/US/04/05/gulf.spill.bonuses/index.html?npt=NP1

Credit cards on the decline as more people using cash

2011-04-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

Fewer consumers are using their credit cards. The reason has to do with individuals becoming less willing to go further into debt. Rising interest rates and fees make using credit cards less attractive. Post resource – Credit card use declining as more people turn to cash by MoneyBlogNewz.

Major credit bureau notes decline in charge card use

There weren’t as many credit cards in use noticed, states Daily Finance. Credit bureau TransUnion noticed this taking place. There was a study done by the credit rating bureau. It said that the charge cards banks normally issued have dropped in numbers by 8 million people. Quite a few people don’t use charge cards anymore, states TransUnion. There are over 78 million individuals that are in this group. Also noted by TransUnion was the decrease in credit card delinquencies. In the 3rd quarter of 2010, it went down 9.8 percent. TransUnion is one of three credit rating bureaus. People’s credit scores are put together by the business.

Also noticing less charge card use by the Federal Reserve

TransUnion also noted that consumers were nevertheless using other forms of credit, for instance short term installment loans, in spite of the drop in credit card use. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Reserve noticed that in February 2011, there were nevertheless fewer charge cards being used. Non-revolving credit continued though. Revolving credit use, or bank-extended lines of credit and credit cards, dropped by $2.71 billion during February 2011. Typically revolving credit drops though. Since 2008, it increased just once. Non-revolving credit, or non-mortgage consumer loans such as auto loans or personal loans, increased by more than $10 billion during the month of February. This probably happened due to auto sales. In the last few months, these have been increasing a lot. There has been a decrease in the use of charge cards and other forms of credit just as both the Federal Reserve and TransUnion have noticed.

Interest rates and fees on the rise

The Credit card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD Act) has restricted banks rules. Now, interest rates can’t be changed almost as freely. Interest rates aren’t allowed to change without prior notice. Fox News states that there is no cap on the rates. The fees banks are charging are going up along with the interest rates on credit cards.

Citations

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/2011/04/19/rejecting-their-credit-cards-more-people-choosing-the-cash-only/

TransUnion

newsroom.transunion.com/easyir/customrel.do?easyirid=DC2167C025A9EA04&version=live&prid=690593&releasejsp=custom_144

Wall Street Journal

blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/04/07/consumers-step-up-student-auto-loans-cut-back-on-credit-cards/

Fox News

foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/04/13/does-law-cap-credit-card-rates/

Road to Prosperity depending on supply side misconceptions

2011-04-21T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Republican party, led by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., want Americans to believe they’re about to embark on a “Path to Prosperity”. More revenue and jobs are the benefits conservatives promote with supply side economics, which is located on cutting taxes. Supply side economics were the principle behind the Bush tax cuts of 2001, which gave record profits to corporations while producing the weakest job growth since the Great Depression.

Reducing taxes

Ryan claims reducing spending and taxes will generate an additional $100 billion in tax revenues, spark a brand new housing boom and bring joblessness down to 2.8 percent by 2021. Ryan wrote “Path to Prosperity” with the help of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank formed to advance supply side economics. Ryan put a Heritage Foundation analysis in his plan that showed unemployment falling from 8.8 percent to 6.4 percent in just one year by changing corporate tax rates from 35 to 25 percent while by 2015, it would be down to 4 percent and by 2021 it would be down to 2.8 percent. In four years, an unemployment rate of 4 percent might be reached. This might trigger runaway inflation though. The Federal Reserve would have no other choice but to raise the interest rates. This would be the only way to get things cooled down.

Losing jobs with the plan

The tax cuts will create a ton of jobs booming, the “Path to Prosperity” suggests. Ryan’s plan says next year it will attract an additional $89 billion in housing market investment. The foreclosures backlogged and unsold homes worry many though. This and the falling home prices make many believe the housing market isn’t getting better anytime soon. When it comes to careers and Republican policies in the near-term, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke said the GOP goal of 61 billion in spending cuts would cause a net loss of 200,000 careers by 2012. The GDP would go down 2 percent with these cuts, Goldman Sachs believes. The Ryan “Path to Prosperity” offers only tax and spending cuts that primarily affect the poor, elderly and disabled. The businesses in the United States that are not hiring and sitting on billions were not discussed.

There are the Bush tax cuts to consider

There is one way to tell what will happen with “Path to Wealth.” The past is a good indicator. The 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were signed by Bush. He said that they would cause prosperity and growth in the economy. In reality, from 2001 to 2007 United States millionaires and billionaires got richer while average household income fell for the first time in history, jobs grew at the weakest pace in more than 60 years, the federal deficit rose to record levels, and the financial industry careened to the brink of collapse. While jobs weren’t growing, a brand new bill was passed to give companies a break on taxes. About $362 was lost because of this. Shareholders got most of this money instead of hiring.

Articles cited

Fortune

finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/08/lower-corporate-taxes-wont-create-more-jobs/

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/jake-berliner/the-magical-economy-broug_b_845233.html

National Journal

nationaljournal.com/budget/ryan-plan-pushes-optimism-to-the-outer-limits-20110405

Political Correction

politicalcorrection.org/factcheck/201011190001

Self-employed employees feel the impact of home loan regulation

2011-04-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

In the U.S., brand new regulations on mortgage lending are slowly coming into effect. The latest regulations are focused on limiting the risk of home loans. Getting a mortgage is going to be more difficult with these brand new polices. Self-employed individuals, however, are being disproportionately hit with these new polices. Resource for this article – New regulations make mortgages tougher for the self-employed by MoneyBlogNewz.

Lending rules added

As a way of limiting the amount of risk, mortgage officers are required to disclose the amount of money they will make off a home loan deal. There is another rule added for banks. They must maintain part of the loan that has been underwritten by then, whether or not that is a home loan. Putting down 20 percent or more on the house is essential, even though it is twice the current standard. If this occurs, the risk-retention requirements are avoided by the financial institution. Finally, low-documentation or no-documentation loans would face even stronger underwriting standards. The amount of low-documentation loans would go down drastically because of this. It might also increase the standard down payment to 20 percent.

The low-doc loans

All of the low-documentation loans, or those with no documents, didn’t look good. After the mortgage crisis, they got a bad name. The zero-down mortgages were put together with the “liar’s loans” for several borrowers. This made it simple for borrowers to get a home loan they could not afford. Of all the foreclosures in the mortgage crisis, the zero-downs got hit hard. They were of the first to get taken back. The low-doc loans were not meant for this. All self-employed and non-traditionally employed borrowers were supposed to benefit from the no-doc loans. They were designed to help these individuals get mortgages even with these jobs. It is hard for those who are self-employed to get a home sometimes. Without pay stubs and with full tax documents only filed once a year, proving income can be very tough.

How the self-employed can get a home

The difficulty of getting home loans goes up for self-employed people. Nevertheless, there is funding. Brand new small business lending programs are increasing the amount of funding accessible for entrepreneurs. Companies can get more lending with the Small Business Jobs Act that has increased small company loan guarantees. When these business owners want to purchase a home, however, they will likely end up having to put more on the down payment and pay a higher rate of interest to compensate for the higher risk of lending.

Information from

LA Times

latimes.com/business/la-fi-smallbiz-loan-20110411,0,6478827.story

Market Watch

marketwatch.com/story/bankers-pleased-with-skin-in-the-game-rule-2011-03-29?pagenumber=2

Financial Times

ft.com/cms/s/0/d725254a-5962-11e0-bc39-00144feab49a.html#axzz1JE6vSwFn

Personal loans don't cause poverty

2011-04-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

The cure for poverty is employment. Gainful employment grants motivated, enterprising customers with the means to provide. If it were left up to the Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas, some jobs should actually be forfeit in their crusade. The Dallas Observer states the Dallas coalition is working hard to shut down unsecured loan and installment loan corporations in Texas, as if eliminating thousands of jobs resembles a blow against poverty.

Blazing a trail out of poverty through scorched earth

The coalition is hoping to create ways out of poverty. This is what CitySquare CEO Larry James said in a press release to the media:

“The Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas is a new coalition that seeks to move 250,000 people out of poverty permanently by 2020 by coordinating efforts to keep people from falling into poverty and increasing pathways out of poverty,” writes James.

Keeping individuals from ‘A treadmill of debt’

James says that, individuals fall into poverty in “a treadmill of debt” when getting unsecured loans and personal financing, which is why they’re being attacked. Credit service organizations would no longer include personal loan companies with bills for instance Texas HB410 and SB 253. The zoning ordinances would have to be changed with these. The Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas thinks that putting in a “strong zoning ordinance to decrease the clustering of payday and auto title lending stores” would help the poor quite a bit. Allegedly, there would be no more tears for those who were financially razed, not by bad personal spending habits and the exploitation of Wall Street, however by the so-called evils of payday lending. Without payday loan lenders, there would not be almost as many jobs. Also, Texas customer choice would be limited quite a bit.

Attack should have been played better

There’s a concern that there would be more than just the zoning ordinances mentioned such as HB 410 and SB 253. The 1,000-feet-apart requirement may just be the beginning. When it comes to getting poverty fixed, it doesn’t really make sense to attack personal loan companies with 36 percent APR caps which would end up shutting down the businesses and putting more people out of work.

What “anti-poverty” coalitions really want is not shown in the zoning attacks. Charitable groups like this might find better things to do if they, including the Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas, were only willing to understand the extant independent research that shows higher poverty in communities without short term loans.

Information from

Dallas Observer

blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/04/new_anti-poverty_coalition_to.php

Payday Pundit

paydaypundit.org/2011/04/12/flawed-plan/

Texas HB 410

capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB410

Texas SB 253

capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB253

Texas Secretary of State

sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/faqs2800.shtml

Jobs fight poverty

youtu.be/w0v7OMt3vio

Customers choosing to pay credit cards over mortgages

2011-04-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

Debt payment patterns in the U.S. were changed drastically by the recession, and the shift to paying credits cards first, over mortgages, is a perfect example. It used to be that ignoring a mortgage was unthinkable. Yet when the subprime home loan crisis put many homeowners underwater, addressing credit card debt seemed the more feasible choice, states the Huffington Post.

TransUnion has tracked the disturbing trend

It could be really bad if the housing market considers home loan delinquency acceptable. This is what is starting to happen. TransUnion explained that in 2010's fourth quarter, there were 7.24 percent of homeowners in the United States which were late on mortgages. These homeowners also were on time with credit card payments though. In the previous quarter, it was 7.40 percent, however the drop cannot be viewed as good news, said TransUnion consultant Sean Reardon.

"(It is now) 72 percent higher than it was at the beginning of the Great Recession,” he told the Huffington Post.

By comparison, only 3.03 percent of U.S. customers chose to fall behind on their credit cards to be able to keep up with their upside down mortgages. This category has never been so low. It is the lowest in history.

When the tide turned

Mortgages came second to credit cards starting in 2007 when the financial collapse started. TransUnion figured this out explaining it was not a good thing. Booming unemployment and a poor housing industry submerged scores of subprime borrowers as the country shifted toward an unhealthy dependency upon credit.

The underwater mortgages are staggering right now. By 2010's final quarter, many Americans already had upside down mortgages. CoreLogic reports this incorporated 23 percent of Americans. There was a rise from 2010's 10.8 million residential properties in negative equity to 11.1 million. That was a 22.5 percent increase. Another 2.4 million homeowners have less than 5 percent equity, making the total percentage of negative and near-negative equity mortgages 27.9 percent nationwide. There are others that are avoiding paying mortgages. Reardon says that they instead choose to pay charge cards.

“Initially it was,” he said, “but it spread across all risk segments. It’s now an issue at the national level.”

Articles cited

Corelogic

corelogic.com/About-Us/News/New-CoreLogic-Data-Shows-23-Percent-of-Borrowers-Underwater-with-$750-Billion-Dollars-of-Negative-Equity.aspx

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/americans-credit-cards-mortgages_n_842756.html

Refinance your mortgage and whittle down credit card debt

youtu.be/_8dg3Vkm1I8

Construction market proceeds to restrain more robust recovery

2011-04-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

construction spending lagged seriously behind the rest of the economy in the last quarter. The construction market has been weak and is getting weaker as spending levels in February fell to twelve-year lows. New home construction, dragged down by foreclosures and short sales, was even worse, dropping to the lowest level in recorded history.

February as a bad month for construction

It has been years since the number of projects breaking ground in a month was as low as it was in February. There were fewer homes, apartments and government projects being started. There was a 1.4 percent drop, or third month of drops, in the construction spending in February. The construction annual rate of spending was at its lowest since October 1999 with February spending at $760.8 billion. While other sectors of the United States economy have been showing signs of life, construction has been holding back a more robust economic restoration. The construction market has continued to deal with the recession troubles including fewer businesses wanting buildings, hotels and purchasing centers built. February construction activity fell to about half the $1.5 trillion level economists figure is needed for a healthy construction industry. The housing bubble that brought on the recession won't recover for four more years, according to estimation.

End to housing bubble means end to new homes

From February, the private construction that was residential went down to $228.5 billion, down 3.7 percent. Single-family and multi-family construction both dropped due to a glut of unsold homes and record foreclosure amounts. New home construction won't get any better until the inventory goes back down for homes. There was a 3 percent drop in existing home sales last year with a 28 percent drop in new home sales, reports the National Association of Realtors. The government started keeping track of amounts in 1963. Since then, the biggest drop was in February, 2011, with a 16.9 percent decrease in an annual rate from 301,000 to 250,000.

Getting and building are both down

The Gross Domestic Product bottom line is driven by new home sales in construction. The National Association of Realtors states that right now, purchasing a new home is about 29 percent more costly than an existing home, which isn’t normal. The industry is hurt a lot with foreclosures and short sales. These made up 40 percent of February home sales. The foreclosures have to end while the inventory of new homes needs to go down. Until this occurs, home builders will stop building homes. The recession was hard on the recession. Before it, 80 percent of builders needed financing. The National Association of Home Builders reports that this number dropped quite a bit. Now it’s at 20 percent.

Articles cited

Associated Press

finance.yahoo.com/news/February-construction-apf-1467794995.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=8&asset=&ccode=

Market Watch

marketwatch.com/story/buyers-shun-new-homes-1301521568482

CNN Money

money.cnn.com/2011/03/23/real_estate/new_home_sales/index.htm

Fed discount window details unveils extent of turmoil

2011-04-06T03:04:00.000-07:00

To prevent going belly-up in the course of the financial crisis, anonymous banks lined up at the Federal Reserve’s discount window for cheap loans. Thurs the Fed obeyed an order from the Supreme Court to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request for discount loan details. The Fed’s revelations provide a stark portrait of the catastrophe Wall Street had wrought upon the world. Source for this article – Release of discount window data reveals big European bank bailout by MoneyBlogNewz.

Bailing out financial institutions throughout world

In order for healthy financial institutions to get a little bit of short term help in loans, the Fed crated the discount window. As a result of stigma in financial circles associated having to stand before the Fed with hat in hand, the identities of the borrowers have always been kept secret. But the Fed was forced to make the data public by the Supreme Court after it ruled in support of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Bloomberg and Fox Business. Nobody was worried about the stigma anymore after the report was released Thurs by the Fed. This was because almost every bank in the world through the financial turmoil needed a bit of help. The discount window was used to lend as much as $110 billion in just one day of a peak day in the financial crisis according to over 25,000 documents.

Most borrowing happened in European financial institutions

Wall Street banks have taken most of the flak for government bailouts through the financial turmoil. The discount window financial institutions were mostly European financial institutions though, the data showed. On Oct. 29, 2008, Belgian-French bank Dexia borrowed $26.5 billion and Dublin-based bank Depfa, owned by German mortgage lender Hypo Real Estate, borrowed $24.6 billion. The discount window also made multi-billion-dollar loans to other European banks including Austria’s Erste Group, Bank of Scotland and France’s Societe Generale. A weekend loan was taken out by Washington Mutual on Thursday, September 18, 2008 showing just how bad the financial institution failure was in the United States It was a $2 billion loan. The $2 billion loan could not be paid by Wamu Monday when it was due leaving the financial institution to keep taking out $2 billion overnight loans. This was until Thursday, September 25, 2008 when J.P. Morgan Chase took over.

Turmoil in financial industry not just in United States

When the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 triggered the financial crisis, the global economy went into a tailspin, the financial system froze and banks worldwide begged the Fed for help. Having all the discount window data information out there to see has shown the world just how bad the turmoil was. The way it spread was also found. There was a congressional panel in charge of a discount window investigation where Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke testified in November 2009. In this he said only one financial institution of all those that came for help from the discount window was not at risk to collapse entirely. The Dodd-Frank financial reform bill passed in 2010 removes secrecy from discount window lending, but not until two years have passed from the time the loans are made — about the same period it took the courts to force the Fed to do it this time.

Articles cited

Fox Business

foxbusiness.com/industries/2011/03/31/demystifying-feds-secretive-discount-window/

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576234700412932330.html

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/03/31/usa-fed-lending-idUSN3126104220110331?pageNumber=2

Bailout loans paying out dividends as banks come back from recession

2011-04-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

financial institutions and investment houses that received bailout loans from taxpayers are paying returns to the government. The Troubled Asset Relief Program created relief programs for numerous industries, however financial institutions and other financial institutions have been recovering faster from the recession than other industries, and those loans have managed to turn a profit. Relief programs for the housing industry have not been so successful.

Lending in TARP worked out well

Huge banks and investment firms were able to get installment loans from taxpayers with the Troubled Asset Relief Program. many debated the issue though. However, in accordance with CNN, the Department of the Treasury has reported that loans to financial institutions and other entities in the financial industry have resulted in a $6 billion profit, which may grow to a $20 billion profit by the time all loans are repaid. TARP had $700 billion, and $432 billion has been spent.

Losing the mortgage modification program

The government would have hoped that the federal mortgage modification programs would be very successful, although they weren't. MSNBC states that due to this, there may not be a Home Affordable Modification Program anymore. Even though a bill getting rid of HAMP passed in the House, it might not pass in the Senate while the President himself may not want to sign it off. The program has been deemed a failure, as it has a success rate of less than 50 percent in modifying mortgages. It is unlikely these programs that have failed will be eliminated although other mortgage relief programs have been talked about. Regardless how well the programs do or how much money has to be given to keep the programs running, more than likely the President and Senate won’t be willing to get rid of the program that can help many homeowners.

The Wall Street response

A recent survey, according to Reuters, revealed that CEOs at large corporations were feeling better about the overall economy and were more willing to hire and try to expand their businesses. More than half of the 142 CEOs that responded to the survey said they would hire for next year soon. The survey was done by the Chief Executive Officers at major corporations’ trade organization, Business Roundtable. More hiring at large firms are a good sign for the middle class. It means the middle class will get a little boost.

Information from

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/03/30/news/economy/tarp_program/index.htm

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42339454/ns/business-real_estate/

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-usa-economy-roundtable-idUSTRE72T3JE20110330

Some handy work-from-home ideas

2011-04-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Jobs are still hard to come by, making the act of getting by all the more difficult. Working from home is great path out of the woods. Try some of these suggestions on for size. Article resource – Work-from-home job ideas you can use by MoneyBlogNewz.

Working at home could be a fantastic thing

People need money for expenditures which will lead them to gainful employment. Workers can work at home 50 percent of the time or telecommute, reports the Telework Research Network. By doing this, they’re able to save more than $750 billion per year between United States workers and employers.

Paying for gas causes lots of this cost, that is where the huge savings comes from. Productivity would increase by a projected 6.2 million man-years, which equates to $200 billion worth of labor annually. Companies would reduce spending on real estate and utilities by at least the exact same amount each year, while highway maintenance costs and traffic accidents would drop considerably.

The best option for you to work at home

Unless you occur to have a product that could be delivered without spending much money that every person wants, selling on eBay cannot help many individuals. Luckily, there are lots of work from home opportunities you can research online without having to wade through the many works at home scams that tend to congregate on Craigslist (there are some gems, however they’re hard to find). As Clark Howard claims, if a company states it will find you a work from home career for a large fee upfront, it is most likely a scam. If it is a work from home idea, try to get one without red tape. Companies often will ask for background check fees. This does not mean the company isn’t legitimate.

Everyone can discover a work at home experience

AlpineAccess.com: After paying $45 for the required background check, AlpineAccess.com can match you with a virtual call center job. Positions typically involve consumer service work.
ConvergysWorkatHome.com: In addition to consumer service telephone positions, Convergys can help you discover work from home human resources and billing service opportunities.
Elance.com: Any freelance author that is flexible can use this source. Small Businesses look to Elance for web design, programming, Search Engine Optimization, graphic design and copywriting professionals. On Elance, you bid for the jobs you want. Unless you have lots of experience and are a professional, you may not get the job though, so be careful.
LiveOps.com: Want to work from home as a virtual call center agent for a Fortune 200 business? LiveOps.com can get you there, provided you pay $175 for a more extensive background check than the standard $50 check gets you. LiveOps.com will require a phone line. It should be a landline that is only there for this reason.

Rip-offs for work at home

The Better Business Bureau or Federal Trade Commission websites can help you. You are able to keep away from frauds this way. It can save you time, money and large headaches.

Citations

Better Business Bureau

bbb.org/Alerts/article.asp?ID=436

Clark Howard

clarkhoward.com/news/employment-military/work-home-guide/nFZH/

Dr. Phil

drphil.com/articles/article/494

Federal Trade Commission

ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/invest/workhome.shtm

John Tesh has everything you need to work from home

youtube.com/watch?v=RLSvN6f-nvw

Choosing the CD that is right for you

2011-04-02T04:24:00.000-07:00

Much like a savings account, a certificate of deposit (CD) accrues interest on your personal investment and is federally insured. A CD differs from a savings account in that most CD types do not allow you to take your money out early – unless you don’t mind paying a stiff penalty. If terms are to your liking, read on to learn about some of probably the most popular CD choices. Resource for this article – Choosing the certificate of deposit that is right for you by MoneyBlogNewz.

What a CD is

A traditional certificate of deposit is simple. A term is chosen between three months and five years that a client is willing to part with a fixed amount of money. A rate of interest is determined ahead of time as well. Once the CD comes to maturity, the customer can either cash out the money with interest or roll it into another CD term. Banks and credit unions let clients add to CDs generally. This can be done any time they like. There is an early withdrawal penalty. This usually eliminates interest and is taken from the principal balance. There is federal regulation for minimum penalty levels. There is no maximum level regulation though. Financial institutions can charge more if they want to.

What a bump-up CD is

You will find bump-up certificate of deposits that can be purchased. This adds a higher rate of return. It pays to know the going market interest rate for a CD, so you can tell your bank to give you the bump-up. There is one problem with it though. The traditional CD has a trade-off rate lower than that of a regular CD at first. Every term, only one bump-up is allowed.

How a withdrawal penalty accumulates

A liquid certificate of deposit enables you to withdraw money from your account, so long as the money invested at account inception remains untouched for at least seven days (the federal minimum; banks’ rules vary) and a minimum balance is maintained. A maximum number of withdrawals per term are usually in the rules although there are penalty-free withdrawals typically. Generally, the liquid CD can have a lower rate of interest because of convenience. A traditional one may work better for interest. If you would like the professional management of a liquid CD, try a Brokerage CD. It could have a higher rate of interest than a CD that is standard at banks.

You can do a zero-coupon also

A long-term CD choice is the zero-coupon CD. Typically at least 10 years in term, a zero-coupon CD doesn’t receive direct interest payments during the term. That money is re-invested, then back-loaded at maturity. At 6 percent interest, you may get a 12 year, $100,000 CD, says Bankrate.com. Opening the zero-coupon CD might cost about $50,000. By the end, it will get to $100,000 though.

Even though you don’t have access to any zero-coupon CD funds, you may end up paying phantom tax on it yearly. For the most up-to-date information on the top yields for CDs; check out Bankrate.com.

Citations

Bankrate

bankrate.com/finance/cd/what-type-of-cd-is-best-1.aspx

Bankrate

bankrate.com/cd.aspx

What is a Certificate of Deposit

whatisacertificateofdeposit.com/

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_of_deposit

How to calculate a CD

youtube.com/watch?v=V1kYrm7MgYs

Hundreds of thousands moved their funds from Wall Street banks in 2010

2011-03-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

Millions of Wall Street bank clients in 2010 sought financial services elsewhere. Locally-based banks and credit unions are growing along with public disapproval of the single-minded greed driving Wall Street banks. Wall Street bankers cannot be pleased with the Move Your Money campaign, which tries to influence consumers with promotions and resources for initiating business with local financial institutions. Article source – Millions moved their money away from Wall Street banks in 2010 by MoneyBlogNewz.

banks making cash in other ways

Many of the common practices of getting money out of consumers for Wall Street banks were outlawed with the financial reform. Now, they’re attempting to make up for the money lost in other ways. Every small fee results in being lots of cash. banks hope customers do not notice these fees. Some banks are not any longer allowed to have overdraft fees. They’ll stop free checking to make up for this. Chase changed 8 million free checking accounts into cash making machines with a monthly fee of $10 to $12. The company made about $1 billion in just this change, Carly Fried reported with MoneyWatch. It won't last long though. Just past year, over 4 million accounts were dropped at the largest banks. In 2011, it’s possible that 7 to 9 million accounts will change to be at credit unions and community banks, reports Moebs Services research.

What Move Your Money says to do

You will find some consumers that wonder why checking account fees were added. When asking banks; banks reply that it is due to the government. What they ought to know is that 65 percent of banks in the United States still offer free checking despite the Dodd-Frank bill. It is not hard to find the financial institutions that do this. Moveyourmoneyproject.org is the place to look. Move Your Money is a campaign organized by Arianna Huffington. The Move Your Money site search tool locates the closest local community banks and credit unions simply by typing in a zip code. CNN interviewed Huffington about the site past year. After this interview, about 80,000 individuals used it to discover local institutions. You will find about 45,000 page views every day on moveyourmoneyproject.org for the past year.

Closing a bank account

For consumers thinking about moving their cash, closing a bank account should be done carefully. Open an account at your new financial institution first, then make sure all your checks have cleared. Learn about all bank policies on closing accounts before you go physically to the bank to do it. A fee could be given by some banks during this process. Make sure the staff isn't busy by going on a weekday before 3 p.m. Make sure you’ve a photo I.D. and another form of identification. Do not leave without the balance of your accounts. If possible, funds have to be electronically transferred. Do this if it’s an option. Get a cashier's check or cash otherwise.

Articles cited

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/sara-ackerman/over-4-million-move-their_b_840536.html

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/new-economy/2010/0107/Want-to-protest-bank-bailouts-Move-your-money-a-new-campaign-urges

CBS Money Watch

moneywatch.bnet.com/economic-news/blog/daily-money/new-bank-fees-will-they-make-you-walk/2324/

ehow.com

ehow.com/how_2079777_close-bank-account.html

Job sector held back by companies exploiting unpaid labor

2011-03-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

Several companies are learning that they can get unemployed individuals to work for free in exchange for experience. An oversupply of labor and not enough jobs has created a situation where corporations are increasingly relying on internships for tasks that would normally be performed by paid employees. Companies abusing the practice of unpaid internships could face further scrutiny in a crackdown by the federal government in response to excessive use of unpaid labor.

Get a paid job by working for free

College graduates are not the only ones trying to get unpaid internships right now. For the 14 million unemployed, there are only enough jobs being created in the economy for a sixth of them. Not only that, however unpaid labor is starting to consist of seasonal workers now. You will find statistics accessible on unpaid labor. It is simple to determine people are being taken advantage of by simply checking out Craigslist job listings where several individuals are being asked to do jobs for free. For an employee, the experience and references of the job are sometimes worth it. For the companies though, sometimes it is not worth getting somebody for free who can't do anything you need done. Without careful screening, unpaid workers can be difficult to handle, and some companies might be better off simply paying an employee.

Reforming pay on internships

Illegal unpaid labor has risen quite a bit due to the recession. The federal government is starting to notice this. “Not So Equal Protection — Reforming the Regulation of Student Internships,” is a report issued by the Economic Policy Institute last April. The point of the report was to get unpaid internship regulation on a federal level. To be able to keep a healthy labor sector and stop wages from going down anymore after the 40 years of decrease on top of keeping unpaid workers protected, the unpaid internship regulation has to be reformed, suggests the report. Businesses are encouraged to do more internship instead of hiring workers due to the lack of regulation making it easy to hire unpaid workers.

Unpaid labor regulations

More regulation is what the institute is hoping to get. Still, federal and state rules say that minimum wage and overtime have to be paid legally. Unpaid internships are okay sometimes. Corporations have to follow the Fair labor Standards Act though. An internship can't replace a paid position while benefiting the intern more than the business in accordance with the FLSA. Back pay is required when a company is caught doing this. The company also has to pay $1,100 per violation and all of the damages. The biggest hiring sectors in the U.S., small businesses, don't have to follow FLSA. A small company is one that makes less than $500,000 annually. The FLSA exemption is forfeited by a business if it does interstate commerce as simple as taking credit cards and calling another state.

Citations

Fortune

management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/25/unpaid-jobs-the-new-normal/

Inc.com

inc.com/news/articles/2010/04/what-unpaid-interns-could-cost-you.html

The Hoya

thehoya.com/news/interns-pick-experience-over-pay-1.2124349

Returning to the drawing board for Google book project

2011-03-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

Google’s ambitious plan to digitize the world’s books was derailed by a New York federal judge . Using copyright and antitrust arguments, Google’s opponents successfully overturned a $125 million offer between Google and the publishing industry to complete the project. In the ruling, the judge offered suggestions as to how Google and the authors and publishers can change the negotiation to increase its likelihood of approval.

Paying for Google Books settlement

There was a program called Google Books that was started. The idea of the program is to take all books that have been published and make them available on the internet digitally. The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers sued Google in 2005 over its book-scanning project. Google paid $125 million in 2008 in a negotiation. It agreed to make sure that every time a book was viewed online, a publisher and author would get paid for it. Many groups argued against the settlement such as Amazon, Microsoft, the Justice Department, foreign governments and copyright experts making it go into the legal system. Google Books would be able to have a monopoly and would have the right to, without copyright holder's permission, exploit works in accordance with Manhattan federal court judge Denny Chin in court on Tuesday.

The issue that orphan works brings

Google Books would be able to digitize any book without permission unless the author and publisher opted out of the agreement due to a provision with Judge Chin objected to the most. It would look better, claims Chin, with an "opt in" option instead. The opt-out provision was written due to an issue with so-called “orphan works.”. Anytime a book has a copyright holder that cannot be found or is unknown, it’s an orphan work. An opt-in would make it impossible to use orphan works, Google says. The point of this was for Google Books to be able to contain orphan novels to be available to everyone. Opponents of the settlement said the availability of orphan works is a problem best addressed by Congress, not the settlement of a private lawsuit.

There are antitrust issues to consider

You will find over 130 million novels being put into the database, says Google. It is just trying to "democratize knowledge" with the program. Google would end up having a monopoly though, some say, because of the huge library that it would have which means you will find antitrust issues. Google would be in a position where it would never lose with Google Books having so many novels on the internet. Google has not wasted any time during the fights. About 15 million novels have been scanned by the business already. Novels with expired copyrights can be accessed via Google's Book Search, as well as about 20 percent of copyrighted titles Google has licensed from publishers. On Google, sample texts are accessible for all copyrighted titles. It does not matter if they have been licensed or not.

Articles cited

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/03/23/technology/23google.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Financial Times

ft.com/cms/s/2/f7ee4948-54bf-11e0-b1ed-00144feab49a.html#axzz1HR3IHDr1

PC World

pcworld.com/article/222963/judge_rejects_google_book_deal_over_monopoly_concerns.html

US awaits bankrupt Social Security Disability Insurance fund

2011-03-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

By 2005, the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) fund was cashing checks its tax body could not money. That trend has continued each year – plus the number of Social Security beneficiaries grew by 489,488 in 2010, the highest one-year increase in history. Within 7 years, experts see a bankrupt Social Security Disability Insurance, writes the Wall Street Journal. Post resource – Social Security Disability Insurance may go dry in 4 years by MoneyBlogNewz.

Social Security deficit to get to $22 billion

By 2015, projections indicate that Social Security will spend $153 billion in benefits and other costs. There will be a $22 billion deficit from what is being taken in. Americans will have to deal with this issue. It is anticipated that Medicare will last until 2029. The Social Security retirement fund is anticipated to go much longer to 2040. Government auditors explain that change has to take place. This is the only way that SSDI can be able to last more than seven years.

Social Security applicants over the top

The recession sent a huge wave of new applicants into the Social Security program. Over the past decade, numbers swelled from 6.6 million beneficiaries to 10.2 million. The Social Security Disability Insurance funds are needed by a lot of states and territories the U.S. owns. Texas’ enrollment has reportedly increased by 85 percent over the last 10 years, while New Hampshire’s has grown by 69 over the same span. West Virginia gets more Social Security Disability Insurance than any other state when considering the percentage of total population.

The cause that many suspect is the manual labor related health problems that many states with manufacturing and agriculture are facing. In the last few years, military bases and factories have been closing in U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. That means more people are relying on Social Security there. The highest unemployment is generally reported in these states also. In the case of Puerto Rico, political corruption is also an issue.

Getting doctor's approval for SSDA

Unlike age-based programs like Medicare and Social Security retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance is closely tied to medical opinion. Local medical officials don't have any reasons to stop enrollment since someone else pays for it. In 2009, payments were around $1,064 in SSDI benefits although they could be modest. Social Security Disability Insurance expert David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates that such additional programs amount to an average of $300,000 paid out per person over the lifetime of someone who receives SSDI benefits regularly.

Should we expect higher taxes shortly

Increasing the Social Security fund would be the only way to save Social Security Disability Insurance without increasing taxes. Retirees would lose benefits pretty easily since the retirement fund would be lost. Nancy Altman is in the Social Security Works activist group. She says something has to be done about this.

“This is a program of crucial importance to every working American and his or her family,” she said.

Citations

ssdi, social security, social security disability insurance, social security bankrupt

Soon, SSDI will go bankrupt

By 2005, the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) fund was cashing checks its tax body could not cash. Considering that nearly half a million new Social Security recipients went on the dole last year, the impending problem is magnified. This has led experts to predict that SSDI will exhaust surplus funds in 4 to 7 years, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Social Security will spend $22 billion more than it makes

By 2015, projections indicate that Social Security will spend $153 billion in benefits and other costs. There will be a $22 billion deficit from what is being taken in. Americans are likely to have to deal with this issue. It is anticipated that Medicare will last until 2029. The Social Security retirement fund is anticipated to go much longer to 2040. SSDI can only be kept around for over 7 years without change from the Federal government.

Social Security applicants over the top

The recession sent a huge wave of new applicants into the Social Security program. Over the past decade, numbers swelled from 6.6 million beneficiaries to 10.2 million. The SSDI funds are needed by lots of states and territories that the United States owns. Texas’ enrollment has reportedly increased by 85 percent over the last 10 years, while New Hampshire’s has grown by 69 over the same span. As a percentage of total population, West Virginia receives more SSDI money than anywhere else.

The trigger that many suspect is the manual labor related health problems that many states with manufacturing and agriculture are facing. In the last few years, military bases and factories have been closing in U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico. That means more people are relying on Social Security there. Also, the states have lots of unemployed. Usually these are some of the highest numbers reported. There are a lot of issues with political corruption in Puerto Rico too.

SSDI depends upon doctor’s orders

Social Security and Medicare are both age-based programs. Social Security Disability Insurance, on the other hand, is about medical opinion over other things. As somebody else pays the bills, local medical officials don’t have the urgent incentive to keep enrollment numbers down. Government benefits are given with Social Security Disability Insurance benefits although they’re around $1,064 a month on average in 2009. Taxpayers end up picking up the tab. David Autor works at the MA Institute of Technology as an SSDI expert. He said that regular SSDI benefits to one person can add up to about $300,000 over a lifetime.

Chances of higher taxes taking place

Without increasing taxes, Congress could help SSDI for a short time. The Social Security fund would have to be used for this. This would drain away retirement funds, forcing retirees to swallow benefit cuts sooner than they would have otherwise. Nancy Altman is in the Social Security Works activist group. She claims something has to be done about this.

“This is a program of crucial importance to every working American and his or her family,” she said.

Citations

Social Security Online

ssa.gov/disability/

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703752404576178570674769318.html

Milton Friedman on Social Security: Save your money

youtube.com/watch?v=rCdgv7n9xCY

Social Security Online

ssa.gov/disability/

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703752404576178570674769318.html

Milton Friedman on Social Security: Save your money

youtube.com/watch?v=rCdgv7n9xCY

AT&T thinking about acquisition of T-Mobile

2011-03-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

In a heavily debated offer, AT&T has made a bid to buy T-mobile. This deal would be valued at $39 billion. The Department of Justice has first say on this merger deal. The Federal Communication Commission also could have to approve the merger. Most customers would partially benefit and partially be harmed by this merger. Article source – Good news bad news for consumers as AT&T bids to buy T-mobile by MoneyBlogNewz.

Changes with an AT&T/T-Mobile merger

In the United States, T-Mobile is the fourth largest wireless provider at present. Deutsche Telekom AG owns T-Mobile. Both AT&T and Sprint-Nextel gave offers to T-Mobile. AT&T has offered $39 billion in cash and stock to purchase and merge with T-mobile. Combined, the two cell phone companies would have about 130 million consumers, more than Verizon Wireless. The Department of Justice and FCC has to approve the merger. It isn't allowed for the business to be a monopoly. That is what the DOJ is for. The Federal Communications Commission must certify the AT&T / T-mobile merger wouldn’t violate communications law. This might not be a fast approval process. It could take over a year.

Might be good to have an AT&T merger

Customers might face lots of good things with the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Regulatory agencies will likely require the new, merged business provide extended service to underserved areas. The merger will even reduce the strain on the spectrum of available wireless networks. More high speed wireless broadband would be there. It could mean more supply. In short, the new business would be able to provide expanded service to wireless consumers.

Consumers that might not benefit from the AT&T merger

The short term personal loan of consumers will provide much of the increased income of $3 billion a year, which is the expected increase. About 75 percent of U.S. wireless customers would be served with this AT&T and Verizon. The services together would be a duopoly. That would mean wireless service prices would increase. In the merger, the company would most likely stick to the higher prices. Also, the idea of limiting wireless data would likely persist.

Wireless service costing more and more

Outside the proposed merger of AT&T and T-mobile, the cost of wireless service is likely to continue increasing. Cities, states, and municipalities often charge taxes over and above the federal tax on cellular phone service. A lot of people end up paying a tax on cellular phone service that is pretty high. It is about the exact same as cigarette and alcohol tax. In the nation, there’s a 16 percent tax. This is the average. It’s a regressive tax. That means that the exact same service costs a higher percentage of income for the poor than the rich. It is cheaper to have landline telephone service. Only a three to five percent tax is on it.

Citations

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-20/at-t-agrees-to-buy-deutsche-telekom-s-t-mobile-usa-unit-for-39-billion.html

KSE Focus

ksefocus.com/wordpress-content/uploads/2011/02/2010-Tax-Study-Final-Tax-Notes-PDF.pdf

Money-saving ways to avoid internet news subscription paywalls

2011-03-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

If you don’t have much money however want to continue to satisfy your online news addiction, the move toward paywalls is disconcerting. If you miss the news, you miss out. Thankfully, there are some tricks you can use to circumvent digital news paywalls and continue to enjoy your daily information fix.

Everybody will love Google News

Google News links to news websites across the Web. It’s easier to get news. It’s available every single day. It’s really simple to access too with a very clear format that has local news and top news categories.

Newspapers app: An iOS portal to publications across the US

Get links to every newspaper website online in one simple app called Newspapers. It costs $1.99 at the Apple App Store. It’s simple to read articles. It could be done on Safari, your iPad, your iPhone or your iPod. You can download stories and read them later. Instapaper is an example of an app to do this with.

Cheap RSS Reeder for anyone

The significant news to you’ll be put in an RSS Reeder. It’s very good at it too. It reformats the page to make it easier to read the stories. The iOS app also has an interface that is newspaper style. Download the app for quite cheap. You only have to pay $2.99.

There's Zite too

Business Insider states that a "personalized magazine" is also accessible in an iPad app that is free called Zite. News could be recommended to you. The Google Reader and Twitter accounts will be accessed to do this. there are also lots of articles in the app. You are able to pick them and read them instead.

Free apps from CNN and Associated Press

CNN and the Associated Press have apps for Android and iOS devices. They provide news locally, nationally and across the world. Consumers can pick and follow the preferred national broadcasters in the AP app. Users are able to submit photos of news in an iReport feature in the CNN app.

Getting past the system

The NYT Twitter feed could be put into a list by Twitter users. There is a 20 article a month limit by the Times to stay free. The Twitter and blog posts do not count towards this. The Daily: Indexed, is a blog the exact same thing takes place with The Daily.

MediaMemo's Peter Kafka explained that there could be a limit of five referrals per day that are free from Google for NYT. This very same limit may not apply to Bing or other search engines.

Many wonder why Google was blocked by Times. Because users could simply Google an article headline and get to the article without going through the front door, so to speak.

Information from

ap.org/mobile/

Business Insider

businessinsider.com/how-to-get-around-paywalls-2011-3

CNN

cnn.com/mobile/iphone/

The Daily Index

thedailyindexed.tumblr.com/

What to expect with the NYT paywall

youtube.com/watch?v=jOkvPOY3VKU

Movies can be viewed live on Facebook with brand new program

2011-03-14T01:44:00.000-07:00

Warner Bros. declared today that it would stream movies through Facebook. Facebook Movies only has a few choices for viewing right now. If the plans go well, Warner Bros will be expanding their offerings. Netflix stocks fell three percent when the program went live.

Warner Bros. leasing by means of Facebook

A new feature is available for Warner Bros. It’s on a Facebook page. It is possible to rent and stream movies on Facebook. Users have this ability now. Only a few movies, including "The Dark Knight," are available right now. About $3 is what is paid for a 48 hour rental with 30 Facebook credits. Right now only about 30 percent of Facebook users can use the program. It is being examined with only a lot of people.

Facebook movie information means a decrease in Netflix

The online rental business has gone down due to the Facebook Movies news. In the first hour after the announcement was made, there was a 3 percent decrease in Netflix shares. Netflix presently accounts for about 20 percent of all online traffic. About 10 percent of online traffic to video sharing happened by means of Facebook in Dec. 2010. Netflix might start seeing some competition soon if the content becomes available to everybody considering the traffic of Facebook linked to the in-line video sharing.

What Facebook Credits are

Facebook's program of payment that will soon be required will have Facebook Movies being the first non-game application to use it. Right now, $1 is paid for 10 Facebook credits with Facebook Credits. There is no assurance, however, that Facebook Credits will remain a monetary program tied exclusively to the value of the dollar. By creating its own monetary system, Facebook is creating the flexibility to increase income simply by adjusting its own conversion rate. If Facebook were to change the rate, for instance, to nine Facebook credits per dollar, the business would increase its revenue by 1.1 cents per credit purchased. Just a tiny increase like this could make a huge difference for the company. This small increase is multiplied by billions for increased earnings.

Information from

Tech Crunch

techcrunch.com/2010/12/23/facebook-second-largest-source-videos/

Slate

slate.com/id/2273314/

Forbes

blogs.forbes.com/parmyolson/2011/03/08/now-you-can-rent-and-stream-movies-on-facebook/?partner=yahootix

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-08/netflix-falls-as-warner-bros-starts-offering-movies-on-facebook.html

Do all small businesses benefit from Groupon?

2011-03-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Retail deep discount websites like Groupon have given millions of customers their 50 to 90 percent off jollies. High-margin companies have also benefited handsomely from the increased patronage. However, Klein of Bloomberg Businessweek suggests that small business may actually be taking a loss when it comes to discount sites like Groupon, LivingSocial and BuyWithMe.

Groupon makes companies lose business

In Houston, Texas, Rice University has a Professor of Management named Dr. Utpal Dholakia. He did a survey of businesses from June 2009 to August 2010 that used Groupon services. About 40 percent of businesses said they wouldn't use Groupon in the future while Dholakia says that two thirds of the companies lost money through it.

Groupon's official reply to this

Groupon responded almost right away via its corporate blog. Julie Anne Mossler wrote the response as the business spokeswoman:

“(Groupon) runs 900 deals a day, and we’ve repeatedly polled 30,000 merchants, which is everyone we’ve worked with to date. When we ask, ‘Would you want to be featured again or recommend us to another merchant?’ 95 to 96 percent say ‘yes’.”

When the Rice study was done, it was too early for companies to figure out ROI totals yet. This was in Mossler's argument. Also, the truth that the study used a small sample was problematic in Mossler’s estimation.

If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen

Many of the difficulties smaller businesses have with Groupon appear to relate to employees being unable to handle the rush of one-time customers. Klein explains that Large Ass Sandwiches in Portland, Oregon had this issue last spring. About $16,000 was lost by the company that had only budged for 400 half off coupons however instead had 2,000 sold.

“There were a couple days where we had 100 sandwiches go out the window and we grossed $150. I still have a nervous twitch from it,” said Big Ass Sandwiches co-owner Lisa Wood.

After Groupon came around, Weird Fish in San Francisco's Mission District had an issue because of all the publicity. Restaurant owner Timothy Holt told Bloomberg that a simple miscommunication with an employee left the restaurant unable to honor a Scoutmob coupon. Yelp, a customer review website, ended up giving the restaurant one-star reviews.

“It was a little brutal,” Holt told Bloomberg.

Small Businesses using Groupon

In order to get more business, small businesses might have to use discount web sites such as Groupon, states Bob Phibbs, or the "Retail Doctor". Coupon services for instance this are ones that should not be taken lightly. Have a plan before going to them. Here are some things Phibbs suggested small businesses should consider before diving into Groupon and its rivals:

Is it right for business?
Do not ever discount a sale item
Make sure you are well-staffed
Get a really good coupon deal with negotiation
Your redemption and ROI can be tracked

Information from

Business Week

businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/mar2011/sb2011038_090899.htm

Groupon Corporate Blog

groublogpon.com/cities/too-much-of-a-good-thing/

Real Time Marketer

realtimemarketer.com/groupon-doesnt-hurt-businesses-bad-descisions-do/

Rice University

ruf.rice.edu/%7Edholakia/Groupon%20Effectiveness%20Study,%20Sep%2028%202010.pdf

Low margin companies should use Groupon cautiously

youtube.com/watch?v=XWrR3W2Uld0

At final hearing for TARP, critics call bailout program a failure

2011-03-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

The Treasury official directing the TARP said the program worked. In remarks to the Congressional Oversight Panel at its final hearing on TARP, Massad, the program’s director, said Troubled Asset Relief Program gave the government the means to fend off a devastating meltdown of the financial system. Wall Street was the only beneficiary of the plan, in accordance with some panel members, who said Troubled Asset Relief Program failed to facilitate economic recovery overall.

TARP's success, in accordance with the Treasury

After $411 billion was spent to get Wall Street Banks, homeowners worried about foreclosure and the United States auto industry bailed out, March 4 was when the TARP was over. Massad, acting assistant secretary for the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Stability, told the Congressional Oversight Panel for Troubled Asset Relief Program the plan helped back the United States economy from the brink of a depression at a time when no other government tools existed to do so. Congress authorized $700 billion for Troubled Asset Relief Program at the height of the financial crisis in Oct 2008. It can have had less than that spent. The total could be $475 billion. Initially, the cost to working class individuals was projected at $341 billion, but TARP is estimated to end up costing just $25 billion. The bailout money was paid back by the big Wall Street banks like Citigroup, B of A and Goldman Sachs. The government has recovered $277 billion in TARP money so far.

TARP's failure discusses by critics

The TARP-funded Home Affordable Modification Program was pointed out by the Congressional Oversight Panel as a program that didn't work at all. This was what was used to prove that Wall Street, not America, benefited from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Up to 4 million homeowners would avoid getting foreclosed on with HAMP in accordance with what administration believed two years ago. The loan modifications were not given to several though. Only about 600,000 home owners have been able to benefit. The oversight panel estimated the program would prevent less than 800,000 foreclosures, information House Republicans are using to justify killing HAMP. Massad doesn't like this idea. He warned against it. He said that killing the plan would prevent tens of thousands of at risk homeowners from getting help at a time when the housing and employment markets have such a long way to go.

Moral hazard and the status quo

Wall Street banks are "too large to fail," according to TARP critics on the oversight panel. The Wall Street banks know that in the future they will be bailed out. This is why they’ll continue to maximize profits with unnecessary risks. The claim that Massad has that TARP was successful is something TARP critics won't believe. They say that this is since the United States economy is nevertheless really bad, the unemployment is nevertheless high and the big banks haven't changed a thing. TARP was a "dismal failure" according to Nobel Laureate on the oversight panel Joseph Stiglitz.

Information from

Market Watch

marketwatch.com/story/treasury-tarp-ranks-among-best-crisis-responses-2011-03-04

ABC News

blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/03/treasury-official-praises-tarp-expresses-concern-for-housing-sector.html

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/03/04/usa-financial-bailout-idUSN0422157520110304?pageNumber=2

U.S. embassy in Tripoli shuttered with Libya sanctions pending

2011-03-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

The U.S. embassy in Libya has been shut down as physical violence in the Libyan capital is increasing. Though Moammar Gadhafi has ruled Libya for more than four decades, harsh and deadly retaliation against protesters have done little to dampen calls for him to leave office. The international community is calling for his resignation as well, if not full prosecution for war crimes. Sanctions are being implemented in opposition to Libya.

In Tripoli, many are starting to become chaotic with Gadhafi refusing to let go of control

It has been really hard to control Libya for dictator Moammar Gadhafi that everyone wants to leave. In fact, the battleground for control of the country is occurring in Tripoli. Gadhafi loyal army members are firing upon protesters and keeping the place dangerous. Nevertheless, protesters refuse to leave when their lives are in danger. A chartered ferry was used to get embassy personnel out of Tripoli as the United States State Department has stopped all American Embassy operations, states Reuters. This is due to the protests going on in the country. Currently, the embassy is open nevertheless. Staff can be evacuated soon though.

Sanctions in opposition to Libya pending

In response to Moammer Gadhafi tactics that have hurt several while attempting to keep handle of his country that he has been in control of for decades, the White House is thinking about putting economic sanctions in opposition to Libya up. Military cooperation between the U.S. military and the Libyan military has already been cut off, and the nature of forthcoming sanctions in opposition to Libya can be determined after a meeting between President Obama and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in accordance with CNN. Because of being too soft on the Libya situation, Obama has already been criticized.

International leaders call for Gadhafi to resign

The NY Times states that International leaders have been asking that Colonel Gadhafi resign. Sarkozy, President of France, called on Gadhafi to quit, and British Prime Minister David Cameron admonished Gadhafi that “the world will hold you to account.”. Gadhafi is going to "die a martyr" before leaving. This is what he has said, that he won't be alive when he leaves if it takes place.

Information from

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/02/25/us-libya-usa-idUSTRE71K6D520110225?pageNumber=1

CNN

cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/25/libya.us.reaction/

NY Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/26/world/middleeast/26diplomacy.html

Taxi cab is getaway automobile for disguised casino thief

2011-03-03T15:44:00.000-08:00

Vegas casino security has once again failed. For the second time in two months, there has been a robbery. A male with a disguise walked into a casino in Vegas. The person just walked in and walked out. This robber evidently got away in a taxi with $35,000 in chips.

Rio robbed too

The Rio gambling establishment on the LV strip is known for opulence. There was a guy with a fake mustache, sunglasses and fedora that walked in on Thursday. He grabbed some chips off a table that was sitting there. The thief showed a gun when the dealer watching the table tried to stop him. The man left the scene quite easily. He instantly walked out and got in a taxi to go.

Strategies that are basic paying off probably the most

This theft appears to be very comparable to the Bellagio robbery. There was not probably a lot of planning that went into it . The disguise wasn't done too well. The man just went in and came out with chips he got using a weapon. What the cab driver was paid in is not known right now. It might have been in casino chips though. The male that robbed the Bellagio was caught easily. It took less than a month to do.

Chips tracking possibilities

Several individuals will still casino chips. Casinos, however, have ways to protect themselves. Casinos have considered putting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in all their chips. Currently the RFID are only found in high-value chips. Casino chips also change over time — every few years, the casino has a “final redemption” period, after which the old-design chip is no longer worth face value. Someone who steals chips has to turn them back into money one way or another. This could mean selling them online or redeeming them at the casino.

Citations

Yahoo

news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110224/us_nm/us_casino_robbery

Gaddafi refuses to leave as Libya unrest causes oil prices to soar

2011-03-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

The unrest in Libya has brought on side effects to ripple worldwide. Worldwide gas prices climbed due to instability and stock markets slid down as a result. Oil production could wind up at a standstill, as turmoil in gas rich nation is deterioration. Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi has refused to abandon office. Many demonstrators are calling for him to abandon after four decades in power.

Oil producer Libya having major demonstrations continue

Instability in a gas producing nation has caused the stock markets to slide, the Los Angeles Times reports. This is due to the unrest going on in Libya in North Africa. Tues, Feb. 22, the price of crude oil went up which meant the Dow Jones Industrial average slid over 178 points down. The futures for crude oil went up from Monday to Tuesday quite a bit. It went from $91.43 a barrel to $94.49. However, oil prices slid to $93.57 per barrel of crude gas after the gas minister of Saudi Arabia, Ali Ibrahim Naimi, declared that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would make up any shortfalls because of unrest in Libya.

Gaddafi wants to stay

Muammar al-Gaddafi is the ruler of Libya that will not leave his post. The Telegraph states that this can be an issue in the country. Gadaffi spoke on Libyan state TV saying that the Libyan demonstrations would mean more bloodshed which is unlike other rules of nations that have showed empathy during demonstrations. In the speech, Gadaffi said that the death penalty will be what protesters face which he feels is perfectly acceptable for any person trying to end his four decades of being in charge. He said he would not "die a martyr" either.

Protests means Libyan authorities abandon

In an expression of solidarity with the demonstrators, several key Libyan officials and diplomats have left their posts and in some cases defected, in accordance with the Christian Science Monitor. Ambassadors and other Libyan diplomatic staff at the United Nations and in India, Australia, the United States and elsewhere have called for an end to the bloodshed. African mercenaries have been called in to shoot crowds of protestors by Gaddafi although loyalists and security forces have already been doing this. Jets and helicopters of any loyal Libyan military are shooting protestors also.

Articles cited

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/02/stocks-end-sharply-lower-as-oil-hits-two-year-high.html

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8341683/Libya-Col-Gaddafi-threatens-to-unleash-mob-rule.html

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0222/Qaddafi-deserted-by-Libyan-diplomats-amid-brutal-crackdown

China blocks entry to LinkedIn as Initial Public Offering looms

2011-03-02T01:44:00.000-08:00

China has censored LinkedIn as the regime gets more anxious about social network-fueled dissent. LinkedIn users found them locked out late Thursday. Chinese censorship kicked in because a LinkedIn user wrote comments lauding the popular unrest in the Middle East that lead to the overthrow of repressive governments. If Chinese censorship of LinkedIn is permanent, the company’s Initial Public Offering, which is reported to be imminent, could bring outcomes less desirable than hoped. Article resource – Chinese censorship of LinkedIn could impact proposed IPO by MoneyBlogNewz.

Great Firewall sensors LinkedIn

The “Great Firewall” in China has been used to censor LinkedIn. This was done by the Beijing government so the Middle Eastern demonstrations won't make it to China. Other sites for instance Facebook and Twitter have been blocked by Chinese censors since 2009. Any self-censored social networking sites are allowed by China. Chinese individuals have already known what Chinese officials have just figured out. LinkedIn is totally integrated with Twitter which is not good. It is easy to access Twitter through LinkedIn. Communications could possibly be distributed quite very easily.

The reason why China censored LinkedIn

LinkedIn got censored in China because of concern that the demonstrations would make it to China. This was due to a thread last week where several talked about getting the demonstrations from Tunisia and Egypt there. First, "Jazmine Z" wrote on LinkedIn of “dying for democracy, freedom and justice in my homeland." The Beijing government was attacked in another post. The post said the government fails to "realize the crisis of the autocratic one-party system." There was only one more post before LinkedIn got blocked. It called the Chinese communist party “a Power and elite club.” The blockage of LinkedIn is the latest episode in a flurry of arrests and tightening Chinese censorship, reflecting the government’s uneasiness over the Jasmine Revolution in the Middle East.

Harder to make IPO for LinkedIn happen

There could possibly be a problem with the Chinese censorship for LinkedIn. The company's Initial Public Offering that is prepared might not do very well. On either the Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange, LinkedIn was preparing on raising $175 million. Exclusion from the Chinese Internet market — the world’s largest with about 450 million users and counting — would lead investors to question LinkedIn’s future growth and profits. Censorship in China would be taken into consideration when an investor decides how much they’re willing to pay for a share in LinkedIn.

Citations

CNN

cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/02/25/china.blocks.linkedin.fastco/index.html?npt=NP1

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-02-25/linkedin-blocked-in-china-after-jasmine-protest-postings.html

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/china-linkedin-idUSTOE71N06P20110224

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/china-linkedin-idUSTOE71N06P20110224

Underling states blood of Pan Am flight 103 on Gadhafi hands

2011-03-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

The justice minister who formerly worked for Moammar Gadhafi claims that the Libyan strongman was the driving force behind the bombing of Pan Am flight 103. The bombing of Pan Am flight 103 resulted in the deaths of 270 individuals when the stricken plane plunged into Lockerbie, Scotland. Gadhafi was worried the Lockerbie bomber would talk and expose the dictator’s complicity, so no holds were barred in securing the man’s return to Libya on "humanitarian grounds in 2009. Source of article – Libyan official claims Gadhafi ordered bomb for Pan Am flight 103 by MoneyBlogNewz.

Employer gets betrayed

The terrorist attack on the Pan Am flight 103 done by the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset al Megrahi, was obtained by Gadhafi, in accordance with Mustafa Abdel-Jalil who spoke to a Swedish tabloid. Abdel-Jalil, exactly who was Gadhafi’s justice minister, resigned Monday in protest over Gadhafi’s violent crackdown against Libyan protesters demanding the dictator’s ouster. Libyan relationships to the west were essential recently to Gadhafi though. He renounced weapons of mass destruction along with terrorism. The Lockerbie bombing was something Libya was accountable for too though, he said. This is why al-Megrahi's victims' families all got compensation from Libya. But he blamed the demise of Pan Am flight 103 on rogue Libyan intelligence officers.

The Lockerbie bomber

Head of Libyan Arab Airlines security was al-Megrahi. He was one of the intelligence officers blamed. An intense investigation by Scotland Yard and the FBI pinned the crime on al-Megrahi and the station manager for Libyan Arab Airlines based in Malta. The Scottish government filed charges against the 2 suspects in 1991. In 1999 Gadhafi double-crossed his minions and handed them over to Scotland. In the Netherlands, the trial was held in 2001. The Lockerbie bomber was what al-Megrahi was convicted of being. The Lockerbie bomber was revealed from prison in 2009 and returned to Libya on humanitarian grounds. Al-Megrahi had only six months to live with terminal cancer.

Dictator won't step down

Analysts are inclined to take Abdel-Jalil at his word, considering that such an order in the centralized Libyan dictatorship likely came from the highest level. Abdel-Jalil said Gadhafi took every measure possible for al-Megrahi’s release to keep away from being implicated, including the promise of a lucrative Libyan oil deal with British oil giant BP. Today the supposedly terminal al-Megrahi is alive and well in Libya–conditions that might not apply to Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, exactly who has vowed to fight the Libyan uprising to his death, much longer.

Articles cited

The Local

thelocal.se/32226/20110223/

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j6qtJSctAwrwo_nuDJ3lv2m-Eumw?docId=cf63ca33ee80414ca381da8fddbf2b6b

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359910/Libyas-Gaddafi-DID-personally-order-Lockerbie-bombing-claims-Justice-minister.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Obstructing spread of cancer could mean blocking enzymes

2011-02-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

The body utilizes amino acids to communicate within itself. LOXL2 is an enzyme that helps create collagen and elasten. A group of researchers in the United Kingdom have found an interesting fact. Obstructing LOXL2 acids blocks cancer spread. About ninety percent of cancer fatalities are caused by cancer spreading from one part of the body to another.

Enzyme blocks change breast cancer spreading

In medical journal Cancer Research, researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in the U.K. published their recent findings. Researchers put chemicals in cancer of the breast cells. This was so the LOXL2 enzyme would be blocked. Having the enzyme blockers there showed an improvement. The cancer cells did not spread very often. A high level of LOXL2 enzymes and presence of the LOXL2 gene is connected with fast-spreading cancer that travels from breast tissue to the bloodstream. Death ends up being more of a possibility after cancer spreads from tissue to blood. This is because the cancer might end up reappearing anywhere in the body.

Presence of LOXL2 enzymes

The LOXL2 gene utilizes copper to synthesize collagen and elastin. The gene helps the body create and rebuild. The enzyme also helps cancer cells move from muscle and fat tissue into the blood. You will find generally a lot of LOXL2 enzymes found in cancer patients. These are just the patients the cancer spreads quickly in. The research shows that blocking the enzyme reduce cancer spread have, thus far, only been done on mice in the lab. Humans haven't had the LOXL2 used yet. It hasn't commonly been used anyway.

The right cancer drug

Specific cancers are targeted with the research that researchers have been doing to try to cure cancer. Since individual cancers can sometimes change from person to person, it could be difficult to find targeted cancer medications. Up to three years might be needed to target the LOXL2 enzyme for humans while another two years would be needed for Food and Drug Administration approval.

Citations

HC2D

hc2d.co.uk/content.php?contentId=17644

Learn to keep away from common IRS e-mail scams

2011-02-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

Each tax season, unscrupulous people come out of the cyber-woodwork to prey on unsuspecting working class individuals. Unfortunately, 2011 tax time is no different. Malicious Internal Revenue Service scam e-mails can ruin your computer and steal your private information. Resource for this article – Beware the new IRS e-mail phishing scam, taxpayers by MoneyBlogNewz.

The Internal Revenue Service doesn’t send private tax e-mails

The IRS does not ever send out e-mails about tax returns, reports the Times-Gazette. This is what IRS media relations representative Dan Boone explained.

"If you get an e-mail that looks like comes from the IRS and it looks like it has something to do with your personal taxes or business taxes, it’s a scam," said Boone.

There isn’t one IRS con e-mail that is going around, unfortunately. There’s a common theme among them though. In order to steal your money or your identification, thieves will ask for personal information in the e-mail. This will contain social security numbers and bank account numbers. Typically, the fraud e-mail dangles a refund due to the consumer however states the consumer must provide banking information on a special refund form in order to facilitate a "transfer" of funds.

"There is no refund form. Your tax return is your refund form," said Boone.

IRS scams

If you receive an e-mail claiming to be from IRS.gov that asks for personal information, do not click on any links in the e-mail or download/open any attachments, advises Boone. This can open up your computer to malware and viruses that can potentially steal sensitive data from your computer’s hard drive or record your keystrokes. Whether or not a connection in an information-seeking IRS con e-mail redirects a taxpayer to a site that looks like IRS.gov, the fact is the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t send working class individuals e-mails that require private data.

The IRS encourages taxpayers to report fraud of any kind. Forward suspicious e-mails to phishing(at)irs.gov. Please note that a return receipt from the IRS will not be issued. For more information, consult Internal Revenue Service form IR-2006-49.

Articles cited

IRS

irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=155682,00.html

Shelbyville Times-Gazette

t-g.com/story/1704349.html

Beware e-mails that appear to be from the IRS

youtube.com/watch?v=Kw7f7pO3CAM

Most expensive domain name might have been an impulse purchase

2011-02-25T13:24:00.000-08:00

A new Guinness World Record has been declared. This is a record for how much money has been spent. Probably the most costly domain ever bought – sex.com – has been entered into the record books. The owner of the site, however, has said he "does not have instant plans for commercialization.”

Expensive domain name record set

Guinness World Records certified today that sex.com is “the most expensive internet address website name.” Sedo is a domain-broker business that sells high-value domain names. It was the one that sold the domain. In the last few years, pizza.com, Vodka.com and Russia.com all sold for seven figure numbers. While these short, succinct dot-com domains are valued very highly, new domains such as .xxx are also being eyed by investors. Sex.com set the record with its $13 million price tag in Jan of this year.

Possibility of sex.com being bought impulsively

An interview was given by the brand new owner to TechCrunch even though he plans on remaining private. Right now, sex.com redirects to an advertising site with no content of its own. The owner has "no instant plans" with the site although a team is "working on possibilities" right now. The last owner of sex.com was Escom, LLC, which went bankrupt since the website wasn't commercialized well. Reports are the 125,000 visitors a day bring in “seven figures a year.”.

Possibilities for commercializing sex.com

Seven figures are brought in by probably the most expensive domain name in the world. Nevertheless, advertising other ways is currently being considered. Sex.com may eventually become a pharmaceutical site, technology site or the obvious — an adult site. Sex.com can be a publicly offered company if the goals of the owner can be met. Sex.com would be able to become a public business even if adult content is the primary focus. Brand new Frontier Media and Playboy are publicly traded businesses. This is the case even though they are both adult industry corporations.

Information from

Forbes

forbes.com/2001/05/25/0524porn.html

Tech Crunch

techcrunch.com/2011/01/04/so-you-just-bought-sex-com-for-13-million-now-what/

Pay day loan reprieve: Kentucky House Bill 182 does not pass

2011-02-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

Kentucky lawmakers who were standing behind House Bill 182 are actually wallowing in the pain of defeat, reports the Louisville Courier-Journal. The state House Banking and Insurance Committee set it down in defeat by a narrow 13-10 margin. Military loans in the state will remain at a federally mandated thirty-six %.

Nevertheless having payday loans available

The pay day loans bill was compared to meat by Louisville Democrat Rep. Darryl Owens that served as a sponsor of house Bill 182.

"It’s done. You can stick a fork in it," he said.

Payday lending has been shown in numerous extant studies to be less expensive than alternatives. Still, Rep. Owens believes the payday loans rates of interest are too "obscene" to stay that way. While it might be true that a lot of people who use payday loans are in difficult financial straits, industry surveys indicate that not only do most users have sufficient income to repay their loans in a timely fashion, however defaults and rollovers are rare.

Keeping jobs more essential for Kentucky

House Bill 182 would have been "a job killer," said John Rabenold of the Kentucky Deferred Deposit Association, a payday lending industry group. When loaning $100 with an Annual Percentage Rate of 36 %, not much would be earned. Only one dollar in profit is made. The "profit" is taken away totally after a payday cash advance business pays for operational and salary expenses. In Kentucky, about 650 payday lending outlets would have to shut down. That means around 2,000 jobs would be lost. No politicians who plan to run for office again want that on their resumes.

The need for pay day loans in Kentucky

Financial shocks will be experienced by consumers who need access to the pay day loans because emergencies. Pay day loans are needed whether it is for medical bills or vehicle repairs. Kentucky families may have trouble during emergencies without access to the money which was a main concern of Democratic Rep. Jim Gooch, reports the Courier-Journal.

Citations

Louisville Courier Journal

courier-journal.com/article/20110216/NEWS01/302160106/1010/FEATURES/House-panel-rejects-payday-loan-bill?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Sexual assault grievances bothersome Notre Dame

2011-02-23T15:44:00.000-08:00

Notre Dame is well-known for 2 things — a Catholic identity and good education. For the second time in four months, Notre Dame is being investigated for accusations of under-investigating sexual assault. The Education Department has moved in to investigate Notre Dame's actions. There isn’t a payday cash advance large enough to cover the cost of the emotions these families are dealing with.

Sex assault grievance at Notre Dame followed by suicide

The Notre Dame police department is a service that covers all of Notre Dame, Indiana. You will find colleges in the city. This consists of St. Mary's University and Notre Dame University. Notre Dame was not "aggressively" pursuing the sexual assault grievance 19 year old Elizabeth Seeberg had, she said. She then committed suicide on September 10, 2010. A second family, who has asked to remain anonymous, has spoken out against Notre Dame. The family members claim that their daughter’s grievance has been “buried” in order to protect Notre Dame University. The investigation process of Notre Dame is being looked into by the United States Department of Education.

What the second sex attack complaint at Notre Dame looked like

Recently there was a second grievance of sexual attack. On Sept 11, the victim went to police and said she wanted to press accusations even though the attack supposedly occurred September 4. Within the last week, Prosecutor Michael Dvorak announced that the case wouldn’t be prosecuted. Dvorak said there wasn't enough evidence. More evidence would have been needed to win. In both cases, the accused attacker was not interviewed for almost two weeks.

What sexual attack looks like at colleges

Higher education institutions — colleges and universities — face a very difficult challenge with sexual assault. Notre Dame’s second sex attack complaint consists of an admission the victim had been drinking before the attack. The question of consent becomes blurred when drinking is involved. The attackers were spoken to in both sex attack complaints. They said that it was consensual for both of them. Notre Dame released a statement saying:

“We regret that some are critical of our handling of sexual misconduct allegations, and we understand the pain these families are experiencing. At the same time, we stand behind the thoroughness, integrity and objectivity of our investigations, as well as the comprehensive services available to students who are subjected to sexual misconduct.”

Articles cited

Chicago Tribune

articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-02-17/news/ct-met-notre-dame-reaction-20110217_1_sexual-misconduct-mary-seeberg-assault-complaints

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/US/notre-dame-accused-woman-prosecuting-sex-assault-charge/story?id=12944141&page=1

A scaled-down, cheaper Apple phone referred to as iPhone Nano

2011-02-18T13:44:00.000-08:00

The iPhone Nano is what industry experts are calling a gadget from Apple that is have the size and price of the iPhone. The so-called iPhone Nano is documented to be between one-half to one-third the dimensions of an iPhone having the ability to store data in the cloud. Consumers who choose Android over Apple depending on price could be enticed to switch over to the less expensive iPhone Nano. Millions of people wouldn’t have to take out a payday cash advance to buy this smartphone.

Picking Apple's iPhone Nano or the Android

Apple creating a scaled-down and less expensive iPhone has been the rumor. It has gone around for years. It is possible that the iPhone Nano may actually show up now, claims analysts. This is because Apply is letting several connected devices intertwine with its brand name now. The industry for the iPhone is fairly much saturated now. That means Apple may be ready to compete with the Android entirely now. It is not likely that the system will be named the iPhone Nano even though it’s what everybody is calling Apple's next move. Apple is expected to protect the prestigious iPhone brand by introducing an application-specific product such as music and messaging gadget that makes phone calls.

Possibility of MobileMe on iPhone Nano

Part of the Apple iPhone Nano phone could have to involve a change in storage. It will likely include the MobileMe cloud storage. MobileMe enables iPhone users to store data in the cloud and sync contact management with iPhones and computers. About $99 a year is paid for a MobileMe subscription right now. With the iPhone Nano, users might get MobileMe for free meaning personal storage for photos, music and videos for Apple. MobileMe cloud storage would eliminate the need for a lot of memory. Apple is working to develop a new online music service with MobileMe too. The "iPod phone" is a possibility with this

What Apple is going to do next

The iPhone Nano, or whatever it will ultimately be called, is expected in June, Apple’s customary release season for the iPhone. Analysts expect the device to cost about $200, which allows carriers to subsidize it to the point of being free. Until now, the majority of the innovations in the smartphone universe have been pioneered by Apple. The point in innovations will be more about cost reduction now. That is what is anticipated. Mobile phone manufacturers are working to try and beat Apple to the idea of less expensive iPhone-like devices.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657104576142262842435544.html#ixzz1DrugJhp0

Computerworld

blogs.computerworld.com/17806/iphone_nano_a_no_no_everything_you_need_to_know?source=rss_blogs

ADNet

zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/iphone-nano-could-swamp-the-mobile-market-kill-off-rivals/8232

South Dakota bill attempts to justify harming abortion doctors

2011-02-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Abortion laws do not come tighter than they do in South Dakota. No dedicated clinics have operated there since 1994, and Planned Parenthood is only granted to fly in one representative when absolutely necessary. If South Dakota House Republicans have their way with House Bill 1171, things will become deathly significant. As law, 1171 would place abortion doctors in the line of fire, making it a justifiable murder to kill them if they threaten the health of an unborn fetus. People take out huge payday advances to see abortion doctors.

How Justifiable death affects abortion doctors in South Dakota

South Dakota state Rep. Phil Jenson who has opposed abortion for a long time now sponsors House Bill 1171 which, with a 9 to 3 party-line vote, made it out of committee. He says that "consistency" could possibly be brought to South Dakota's criminal code with the bill that would allow prosecutors to charge for murder crimes when unborn fetus is killed.

However, such crimes involve the murder of pregnant women, too, which is rather different than what House Bill 1171 proposes. Sensible homicide is having the definition changed with the bill. It would make it so anyone who helps a woman get an abortion could get in trouble with the law.

Saying ‘This isn’t an abstract bill’

Rep. Jensen's House Bill 1171 is "an invitation to murder abortion providers," according to National Abortion Federation's Vicki Saporta who spoke with Mother Jones. Extremists have an excuse get away with murder in this case. The South Dakota Advocacy Network for Women's Kristin Aschenbrenner talked about this. She said personhood is given to a fetus.

House Bill 1171 might be legally dubious even though it is not considered abstract. This is what George Washington University's law Prof. Sarah Rosenbaum thinks.

"It takes my breath away," Rosenbaum said via e-mail. "Constitutionally, a state cannot make it a crime to perform a constitutionally lawful act."

Counseling a part of House Bill 1217

The CPC, or Crisis Pregnancy Center would give anti-abortion counseling to women considering abortion with House Bill 1217. This is to go along with House Bill 1171. Such CPCs were the subject of a 2006 congressional investigation that found the information disseminated was often false or misleading.

Information from

Mother Jones

motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/south-dakota-hb-1171-legalize-killing-abortion-providers?page=2

South Dakota House Bill

legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2011/Bill.aspx?File=HB1171HJU.htm

An interesting question posed to anti-abortion demonstrators

youtube.com/watch?v=iD97OVJ4PNw

Nokia-Microsoft connections unlikely to interrupt cellular market

2011-02-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

Nokia and Microsoft have entered a smartphone development agreement, the 2 businesses announced last week. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 will control from the Symbian OS on future Nokia handsets. Nokia stock plunged fourteen percent as experts and investors expressed doubt that joining up with Microsoft on smartphones was an intelligent thing to do. This could help both Nokia and Microsoft never need a personal loan to grow.

About the Nokia-Microsoft connections

The Nokia-Microsoft smartphone connection has left industry experts wondering why the largest handset maker in the world would have anything to do with Microsoft. The Windows Phone 7 will be replacing the Symbian OS by Nokia even though the phone got a 36.6 market share in the fourth quarter of 2010. There are so few individuals using the Windows Phone 7 the list does not even put it on there. The Android has a 25.5 % industry share and the iOS has a 16.7 % share though. Nokia said Windows Phone 7 will now be its “principle smartphone strategy.”. Market smartphones will be put together by Microsoft and Nokia working together. Microsoft’s Bing can be the default search motor on Nokia phones. Maps for Nokia will start to be used by Microsoft. This can be for all services.

Nokia loses while Microsoft benefits

Microsoft will most likely benefit from the relationship. Nokia, on the other hand, won’t. The access Microsoft has to phones can be good. It’s one of the largest phone distribution networks. What Nokia gets is access to Windows Phone 7. It is a mobile operating system that practically has never existed. Some insiders suggest that the Nokia/Windows Phone 7 arrangement is a conspiracy that began when Stephan Elop left Microsoft in Sept to become CEO of Nokia. The smartphone relationship is characterized as subversion that gives Microsoft big-time smartphone development capability without the hassle of really trying to purchase Nokia.

Investors aren't happy about it

When the Microsoft-Nokia smartphone relationship was announced, Nokia stock plunged 14 %, the steepest drop in Nokia shares since July 16. Analysts are saying that Nokia has given itself away for free and ceded the smartphone market to Google and Apple. Nokia Windows Phone 7 handsets won’t hit the industry until 2012. It is certain that Symbian will die easily. Android and Apple iOS can just continue without competition getting in the way. Microsoft is accustomed to slapping operating systems on third party hardware. The OS by Nokia has always been original. The difficulty Nokia faces is being compared to Apple replacing iOS with webOS on the iPhone. This is unthinkable.

Information from

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-02-11/nokia-tumbles-on-concern-that-microsoft-deal-may-kill-company.html

Wired

wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/02/microsoft-and-nokia-team-up-to-build-windows-phones/

PC World

pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/219431/nokiamicrosoft_alliance_is_a_win_for_apple.html

PC Magazine

pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2380144,00.asp

Colombian military seizes drug smuggling submarine

2011-02-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

A drug smuggling submarine has been appropriated by the Colombian authorities, foiling a plot by drug cartels to ship cocaine to North America. These crafts are not true submarines because they don’t fully submerge however rather cruise along with only section of the hull above water. They’re not very easily detected. Crafts of this type cannot be detected by sonar.

Joint task force finds drug smuggling business

The Daily Mail reports that an operation with the air force, navy and Colombian Inspector General's office with Columbian authorities has led to a huge drug smugglers bust. In Cauca, near the town of Timbiqui, a drug bust occurred. There was drug smuggling found in the swamps. The Pacific Coast of Colombia is the place where Cauca is. That means the sea was where the swamp led. The drug submarine was already loaded with 8 tons of cocaine and contained computers for navigation and bunks for a four-man crew. In the cargo there were firearms also even though nobody was on board when the craft was found.

Smuggling what is done next rationally

For years, Narco Subs, or drug smuggling submersibles, have been used. This was a new breed of the craft though. Sometimes the subs are only used once although that does not stop drug cartels from spending millions on making the subs with fiberglass. A drug smuggling submersible is not ordinarily a true submarine, in the craft cannot fully submerge. However, the boat recovered from Timbiqui was capable of descending to nine meters, or about 40 feet, for extended periods. The 105-foot boat would have been able to reach the coast of Mexico or maybe the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal.

What comes after that

Drug cartels are fairly crafty about drug transfer. Into the United States they are especially crafty. Drug submersibles have been known about for the past several years and were referred to as “Bigfoot” for some time because none had been captured or seen. More are being identified now though after one was captured years ago. The next move will most likely be remote operated drug submersibles since the subs that can submerge are being created now by drug cartels.

Citations

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1357040/Submarine-loaded-tons-cocaine-seized-Colombia.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703703804576144752329031500.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narco_submarine

Lee quits as Congressman due to growing Craigslist scandal

2011-02-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

Lee has resigned as congressman because of a released photo, which he had sent to a woman he met on Craigslist. Christopher Lee, a New York Republican, was entering his second term in the House. Lee favored cutting the scandal off at the knees instead of getting plunged to the middle of controversy.

'Craigslist congressman’

Christopher Lee’s resignation from the New York House of Representatives was the culmination of events that started on Craigslist. There were photos released, reports the Washington Post. Gawker.com got a hold of them. A personal ad was posted by a woman, remaining unnamed, living in MD. Lee responded to it. In the ad, the female asked “will somebody prove to me not all CL men look like toads?” Lee, beginning his second term in the House of Representatives, wrote her back claiming that he was a lobbyist on Capitol Hill and that he was younger than his actual age of 46. The two bantered back and forth, but the ruse was found once he sent her pictures of himself.

Gawker leaks pictures

Lee sent the female photos of himself without a shirt on. He said it was "all I had" after she asked if he sent photos of himself topless typically. As the two kept e-mailing each other, eventually she asked about his marital status, to which he replied that he was divorced. Christopher Lee does not only have a wife. He has a son as well. She looked on the internet for his name after recognizing the photograph just to discover out he was a married congressman from the 26th district of New York and was older than 40. Gawker.com got the e-mails and photographs from her after that. It did not take long to make the news.

Gawker forces resignation

Gawker.com published the photos and the e-mails on Wednesday., Feb. 9, and the story quickly gained online momentum. In accordance with NPR, Speaker of the House, Boehner, got a letter from Christopher Lee of resignation. This was within hours of the news. A clerk read the letter aloud on the floor later in the day. Andrew Cuomo, who’s the governor of NY, may have to hold an election to replace him.

Citations

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/09/AR2011020906977.html?nav=hcmoduletmv&sid=ST2011020907393

NPR

npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/02/10/133648332/rep-christopher-lee-resigns-from-congress-after-non-sex-scandal

Gawker

gawker.com/#!5755071/married-gop-congressman-sent-sexy-pictures-to-craigslist-babe

Legal responsibility of $60 billion in poor mortgage headache

2011-02-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

Mortgages which were packed up into investments didn’t always perform well. For investors, there ended up being a bad deal. These poor home loans could really be the responsibility of banks, though. A single term might mean that banks are required to re-purchase securities gone badly. The total liability might add as much as over $60 billion. Countless numbers have lost their properties while others struggled through payday loan after pay day loan just to remain on top of their home loans.

Security clauses for mortgage securities

When banking institutions packaged, sold and re-packaged home loan investments for sale, they made billions of dollars. Many of these home loan securities were more than just bad credit loans, however. The securities also contained a terms that said if the loans go south, the bank would re-purchase the loans. It did not seem to matter in the home loan bubble. Now that billions of homes are in foreclosure, that clause is forcing buybacks, and banks are putting up a fight.

Sixty billion dollars liability to maintain control over

The buyback terms on mortgage-backed investments has been triggered by dropping credit ratings and values. About $60 billion of buyback liability is what the largest six banks in the nation are facing currently, in accordance with credit rating agencies. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own about half of the liability. In January, B of A paid Fannie and Freddie $2.5 billion to buy back a portion of those mortgages. The home loans are all over the country right now. States like Nevada have an even higher foreclosure rate though.

Buybacks for many years

B of A and Chase have to do a lot of buybacks. They have the "highest exposure" to it. Insurers, mortgage finance businesses and private investors are considering suing banks. This is because they will not purchase home loans back though. Some of the loans may be repurchased by the banks. They surely won't all be bought back though. Investors could have poor loans their contracts say should not be there while banking institutions might have years of poor loans and lawsuits to package with.

Articles cited

New York Times

dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/banks-could-face-60-billion-tab-on-bad-loans/

Shark attacks last year rose, but FL bucked trend

2011-02-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

Shark assaults increased globally, according to an annual shark attack report released Monday. In the U.S., Florida gets probably the most shark attacks. But recorded incidents declined in the state past year. Shark attack prevention might have gotten a boost from a recent study that shows sharks are colorblind. Source of article – Shark attacks worldwide in 2010 rose to highest level since 1980 by MoneyBlogNewz.

Data on shark assaults

In 1980, there were 80 shark attacks documented by the University of Florida which compiles the International Shark Attack file. Now, the 2010 report comes close to that with 79 documented attacks. Deaths occurred in six of the shark attacks. A 25 percent increase was shown from 2009. This was when there were only 63 attacks. There were 36 assaults in the United States making it the leading country, which is normal. There were 14 in Australia which is famous for sharks. South Africa had eight, Vietnam and Egypt had six. Four of five Egyptian attacks occurred within five days. Egypt saw this happen. The report attributed the Egypt attacks to an abnormally hot summer, a passing cargo ship that dumped dead sheep overboard and recreational divers feeding reef fishes and sharks.

Less shark attacks in Florida

Most shark attacks typically come from Florida. However, for the fourth straight year a decline in assaults was reported. Florida lead the U.S. in shark attacks with 13, but the 10-year Florida shark attack average is 23. Then, SC, HI and CA all reported 4 attacks. Many other places had just one shark attack. These included WA, VA, TX, OR, Maine and Georgia. Part of the reason why the 2010 number of shark assaults was probably so low was because of the BP oil leak reducing the number of FL tourists.

Keep away from shark assaults

More than half of 2010 cases were of surfers. Sharks are colorblind as a recent study showed. That means protection is possible. It is better to have a wetsuit with less visual contrast as the sharks see in shades of gray. Most sharks are curious about what is going on rather than going for a meal when attacking. A high contrast is shown in the black wetsuits that surfers often wear. "Yum, yum yellow" is what the United States Navy uses to refer to the attraction sharks have to colors. Yellow is more attractive. Shark attacks might take place less with blue or green wetsuits.

Citations

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/41458324/ns/world_news-world_environment/?GT1=43001

Gainesville Sune

gainesville.com/article/20110207/ARTICLES/110209535/1109/sports?Title=Economy-to-blame-for-drop-in-Florida-shark-attacks-expert-says&tc=ar

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2011/01/sharks-are-color-blind-shark-attacks.html

AOL bets that Ariana Huffington can rescue it from irrelevance

2011-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

Huffington has parlayed a news site built on her personality into a $315 million deal with AOL. AOL’s Huffington Post buy is one of many recent deals the business has made in a try to remain viable. In a move analysts said might boost AOL’s tarnished image, Huffington will oversee the entire lineup of AOL media outlets. It makes you wonder if AOL had to take out a quick personal loan to pay that cost.

Huffington change of heart is what AOL hopes for

AOL might be able to rise once again with the Huffington Post/AOL deal. AOL has become something in the background behind Google and Facebook while the Huffington Post has been rising up. Much of the AOL base either has passed away off or is realizing it isn't necessary. That means the majority of the customer base is gone. There were 2,500 jobs lost last year by AOL. Also, from 2009, 29 percent of ad revenue was lost. Fourth quarter earnings were down 26 percent. The Huffington Post ought to be able to help AOL become profitable again. Hopefully this happens by 2013 for AOL's sake.

Huffington to whip AOL content material into shape

The liberal blog was how the Huffington Post started. A $1 million investment was given to Huffington to start it. In 2010, the Huffington Post had $31 million revenue and has a staff of 200. The Huffington Post started out aggregating news from more traditional news outlets. But as its audience has grown, Huffington has employed away journalists from media outlets such as the NY Times and Newsweek. The negative image that AOL has as a content farm is hopefully to disappear with the Huffington Post around. As the president and editor in chief of AOL’s new Huffington Post Press Group, Huffington may also have newly acquired AOL properties such as TechCrunch, web-syndication site 5min Media and social press company Thing Labs to work with.

Huffington facts

An MA in economics at Cambridge University in England was what Ariana Stassinopoulos got after being born in Athens, Greece. She married Michael Huffington, a San Francisco oil millionaire, whom she divorced in 1997. Huffington ran as an independent candidate for governor of California in a 2003 recall election won by Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2005, the Huffington Post was created by her. Now, every month you will find 26 million visitors. The AOL/Huffington Post transaction is anticipated to close this spring.

Citations

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/07/business/media/07aol.html?_r=1&hp

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704422204576130002551387710.html

CNN Money

money.cnn.com/2011/02/07/technology/aol_huffington_post.cnnw/

Learn from these Valentine's Day gift ideas

2011-02-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

Monday, Feb. 14, is Valentine’s Day. If Valentine’s Day gift suggestions are hard to come by, try some of these ideas. A thoughtful present that claims you care, from flowers to sweet things and more, can be a gift that keeps on giving. If you use your imagination, you won’t need to take out pay day loans to finance your romantic purchasing spree.

Valentine’s Day chocolate gifts

Everyone could be okay with chocolate, except those with allergies. See's chocolates on Valentine’s Day will always be a good idea. Another one is a double-layered, heart shaped cheesecake with chocolate mousse and ganache from 1800Flowers.com. The cheesecake is something you are able to pay only $45 for, for Valentine's Day. Then, 2 day shipping is only another $8 after that. Since the chocolate is so amazing, it’s worth it.

A home-cooked dinner to melt the Valentine’s Day heart

You don't have to have money to do something romantic. If you are seeking to impress your significant other for less, a home-cooked dinner served by candlelight is sure to please. A stuffed chicken, pasta with cheese and sauce or even lasagna can very easily help you here. A solid white wine goes with chicken, while red wine tends to go better with beef dishes. Some get worried about the idea of cooking in the kitchen. The good news is that there are premade meals that could be bought anywhere. Simply fire up the microwave, gangster of love!

Creative suggestions

Traveling is an option for Valentine's Day that is pretty exciting. It may be nice just to take a weekend trip to a bed and breakfast if money isn't there enough to get you on a trip to Paris.

You can get flower arrangements for a quite low price from retailers like 1800Flowers and Proflowers. RetailMeNot.com even offers codes to conserve $20 or more. Some potted orchids are available at Lowe's or Home Depot if you would like something lasting longer than roses. For about $20, your partner may have a reminder of you while you are off earning money to spend on him or her.

Valentine's Day verses

Even if you are not a poet, sentiments of great writers can convey your feelings. Shakespeare’s sonnets, especially Sonnet 116, are a good example, however Pablo Neruda ("If You Forget Me") and e. e. cummings ("May I Feel, Said He") work just as well.

Citations

11 Alive Atlanta

11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=176465&catid=39

Long Island Press

longislandpress.com/2011/02/08/valentines-day-poems/

Blog Spot

izzhy.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentines-day-gift-ideas.html

Guys like Valentine’s Day gifts, too

youtube.com/watch?v=01NB7zyhod8

Small harm from the Smithsonian Institution fire this morning

2011-02-09T00:04:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 7th was a tough day at the Smithsonian Institution. A little fire started in the air conditioning system. Washington D.C. firefighters were called to the scene. The fire was put out very quickly. The Smithsonian Institution fire might be the responsibility of billions of dollars of deferred maintenance tasks. They are lucky the damage wasn’t severe because this could have possibly cost a lot more than a personal loan for the city if loss was worse. Article resource – Small fire at Smithsonian Institution does little damage by MoneyBlogNewz.

Smithsonian faces a fire

Firefighters rushed to the National Museum of Natural History. This was after the Washington D.C. fire department got a call. Insulation caught on fire after a spark came off of air conditioning equipment. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire easily, and harm to the Natural History museum was minimal. There was a disruption in the traffic close to the Natural History Museum. This was because in D.C., a huge plume of black smoke was seen.

Stalling Smithsonian upkeep

The United States government pays for much of the Smithsonian Institution. In order to stop the costs from getting too high, the 2010 Deficit Commission recommended that admission fees be added. There are not admission fees currently. There are billions put into upkeep that isn't getting done with the Smithsonian Institution instead. While it has not officially been announced, it is very possible that the air conditioning vent that sparked the little fire at the Smithsonian Institution was a part of that deferred upkeep list.

Prior fire at Smithsonian Institution

The little fire at the Smithsonian Institution today is not the first fire at the Smithsonian. The many museums have experienced several little fires. On January 24, 1865 the Smithsonian Institute (just one building at the time) had a major fire that damaged the picture gallery, lecture room, philosophical laboratory, and first story of the building. In the 1865 fire and 2011 fire, nobody was hurt. The institute was closed when both happened.

Citations

Son of the South

.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1865/february/smithsonian-fire.htm

Yahoo News

news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110207/ts_alt_afp/usfiremuseum

Amid chaos, United States individuals advised to vacate Egypt immediately

2011-02-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

U.S. expatriates and vacationers are being urged to leave Egypt immediately by the United States State Department as violent rioting on the streets has intensified. In accordance with the Associated Press, State Department-sponsored charter flights are available, however too few of the 52,000-plus U.S. individuals registered in Egypt have heard, because of the Mubarak government’s crackdown on Internet communication. American’s will not have to take out a pay day loan to leave, the cost is being covered. Resource for this article – Amid chaos, U.S. citizens urged to evacuate Egypt immediately by MoneyBlogNewz.

Why evacuating Egypt isn't that easy

Assistant Secretary of State Janice Jacobs told the AP the first flights out of Egypt for United States expatriates and others are expected to arrive in Cyprus Monday. You will find expected to be more demonstrations against the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that are getting worse meaning each and every moment that evacuation has not occurred, it’s getting worse. It has been very hard to spread the word of the evacuation thinking about there have been blocks on Facebook, Twitter and other Internet online websites.

The Egyptian government’s freeze of online communications has sent ripples felt as far away as China, where censors have disabled searches including the word "Egypt," in fear the Egyptian civilian insurrection will inspire Chinese civilians to rebel against the Communist Party.

Issues with Cairo airport

Cairo’s international airport terminal has been completely overwhelmed by a flood of foreigners seeking escape from Egypt. Within the overcrowded terminals, there is a ton of shouting, confusion and even fist fights occurring. It is almost impossible to staff the airport terminal with the 3 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfews while most flights are getting canceled or postponed. For 14 hrs, EgyptAir had to shut down. At the same time, only 26 of the 126 scheduled flights for EgyptAir were really operational Monday, reports AP.

“It’s an absolute zoo; what a mess,” said Justine Khanzadian, a 23-year-old graduate student hoping for a flight out of Egypt.

You can look up flight information

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has appealed to Hosni Mubarak’s administration for lasting democracy. Before the press, Clinton stated that the United States rejects the Egyptian dictatorship.

"(We don’t) want a democracy for six months or a year that evolves into a military dictatorship or a so-called democracy that then leads to what we saw in Iran,” said Clinton.

You are able to either go to egyptemergencyusc (at)state.gov, call 888-407-4747 while within the U.S. and Canada or out of these nations at 202-501-4444 if you need information on the flights out of Egypt from the State Department and embassy websites.

Articles cited

Newser

newser.com/article/d9l39j1g0/us-bracing-to-evacuate-thousands-of-americans-from-egypt-on-government-charters-to-europe.html

Newser

newser.com/article/d9l3b3j00/cairo-airport-a-scene-of-chaos-confusion-as-tourists-seek-flights-out-countries-send-planes.html

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/01/china-blocks-internet-searches-for-egypt.html

U.S. protesters back those oppressed by Hosni Mubarak regime

youtube.com/watch?v=Y4tWwY02dj8

GOP labeled out for declaring forcible rape is different from other rape

2011-02-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Language in a Republican anti-abortion bill infuriated women’s organizations this week by including the phrase "forcible rape." The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, otherwise known as HR 3, includes "forcible rape" and one of the exceptions to the prohibitions it is written to enact. House Republicans scraped forcible rape from the bill after being accused of trying to alter the definition of rape for political purposes. There is no question that this is another cause that people will be taking out personel loans just to fight.

Rape will be rape

The term "forcible rape" was created for a specific reason. It was meant to make it so rape is not a violent crime in some forms. The phrase was used in HR 3 in existing legislation. The Hyde Amendment was used to do this by Republicans. Using federal funds for some of the abortions isn't allowed under the Hyde Amendment. Since 1976, Republicans have been trying to attach this "rider" to spending bills. In order to make the Hyde Amendment permanent, the House Republicans made the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The Comedy Central "The Daily Show" made fun of Republicans for using "forcible rape." Also, women's group gave a lot of criticism meaning the phrase got removed from the bill.

Forcible rape and other small print in HR 3

The federal government currently pays for abortions for rape, incest or life-threatening illnesses. This is what the Hyde Amendment originally states. In HR. 3, Republicans changed the language to exempt only pregnancies resulting from “forcible rape,” not rape instances where the use of force could not be proved. Republicans also wrote HR 3 to exclude statutory rape and limit exemptions for incest to minors only. There would also be problems with HR 3 and private insurance plans covering abortions. They would get taxed at a higher rate.

Nevertheless frustration around HR 3

HR 3 is still getting criticized right now. Taking "forcible rape" out of it didn't help much. Abortions will not be paid for in pregnancies of women 18 or older that received incest. Any statutory rape will not be incorporated in HR 3 still. CBS spoke to the National Organization for Women president, Terry O'Neill, who said that it was "deeply offensive" that "forcible" would be taken out by House Republicans although the incest language stayed in. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said “I consider the proposal of this bill a violent act against women.” House Republicans have made H.R. 3 a priority. That means the hearings will start next week.

Information from

CBS News

cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20030557-503544.html

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/03/AR2011020304370.html

Mother Jones

motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/smith-caves-defining-rape-abortion

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Amendment

The Daily Show

thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-2-2011/rape-victim-abortion-funding?xrs=share_copy

U.S. automobile sales unusually powerful for typically weak January

2011-02-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

The new year is starting out on a high note for United States auto revenue. U.S. automakers usually expect a slow January, however this year year-over-year revenue for the month were strong. Coming off a late 2010 surge, analysts expect United States auto sales to gain further momentum with new models and an economy that gradually improves.

Back to normal with the U.S. car industry

The automobile industry sale and pricing site, truecar.com reported revenue increases in January. Almost every U.S. automaker reported this. The low financing rates, stable fuel prices, demand, consumer confidence going up and new models of cars are what exactly are making the United States auto sector do so well. The Ford Motors explorer was redesigned. Others are also anxious about the General Motors Volt plug in hybrid and the Ford Explorer. Ford and General Motors rode those new models and a new public perception in manufacturing quality to the biggest revenue increases among U.S. automakers.

United States car revenue facts

The fact that January’s U.S. auto revenue figures showed less emphasis on fleet revenue at deep discounts than in 2010, is another encouraging sign for the sector. Households are starting to get back to dealer showrooms. General Motors increased total year-over-year sales 22 percent and Ford Motors recorded a 9 percent increase in January. The largest increase year over year in 10 years for Ford was shown with a 27 percent improvement in individual customers buying which was also good for General Motors with a 36 percent increase. Chrysler reported a 23 percent Jan increase and Nissan Motors sales increased 15 percent. A 17 percent increase, which is not that great, was reported by Toyota. Toyota’s sub-par performance was largely because of a recall of more than 10 million automobiles worldwide.

Upward trend for United States auto sales

When compared to January 2010, U.S. auto sales were 17 percent higher in January. The annualized rate is steadily climbing, from 10.8 million automobiles in January 2010, to 12.5 million in December, to 12.6 million last month. There was an 11 percent increase to 11.6 million autos in 2010 shown in the U.S. automobile sector. U.S. automobile revenue bottomed out in 2009 at 10.4 million. In 2011, United States automakers expect the market to do well. About 13 million are anticipated to sell. In 2007, before the recession, U.S. automobile sales got quite high. They made it to 16.1 million.

Citations

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/02/business/02auto.html?src=busln

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-01/ahead-of-the-bell-us-auto-sales-keep-up-slow-rise.html

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/story/toyota/january-auto-sales-should-build-on-2010s-momentum/19820056/

The Daily newspaper starts as an iPad exclusive

2011-02-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

Feb. 2 was the debut date for Rupert Murdoch’s The Daily, the world’s first iPad-only newspaper. It’s accessible via paid subscription. The Daily, which is available now, is the first stand-alone iPad newspaper to operate on a subscription basis; it will cost 14 cents daily, 99 cents weekly or $39.99 yearly via one-click membership. On top of that, a Verizon sponsorship makes the first 2 weeks free of charge. At least you won’t need pay day loans to test it out for two weeks.

The Daily isn’t a legacy brand like the Wall Street Journal

Even though brands like Wall Street Journal have been moving to online ways of making money, the Daily is something totally new. When it comes to print media and newscasts on Television, there seem to be fewer individuals interested in it. This is why Rupert Murdoch thinks reaching new generations may have to be done with portable tablet technology. Murdoch says that this can be something new and exciting since there are not any audiences that have expectations of the Daily.

"We have license to experiment. We believe The Daily will be the model for how stories are told," said Murdoch.

Daily utilizes the iPad to process details

Befitting its name, Rupert Murdoch’s The Daily is a daily iPad newspaper in which stories will be updated throughout the day. The Daily stories could be easy to access for all users used to the 3-D graphic Cover Flow that iTunes have. Panoramic photos and high definition video can be the way the stories are presented. Also, regional and personal preferences can be added in for stories.

Making the Daily something users want

It has been really hard to attract big marketers meaning free of charge online news delivery has been unsuccessful for most besides Google Media. A lot of iPad users may be interested in the Daily thinking about the low price that comes with it. Still, Rupert Murdoch states it is high enough to get many marketers interested in participating.

Murdoch thinks that lots of iPad users and marketers ought to be interested enough within the Daily for it to be a success, considering it only costs $500,000 a week to run while having a $30 million low start up cost.

Information from

The Daily

thedaily.com/

Tech Crunch

techcrunch.com/2011/02/02/murdoch-the-daily-will-cost-0-14-per-day-or-1-per-week/

Rupert Murdoch on The Daily vs. the Wall Street Journal

youtube.com/watch?v=E1BmRzg0I3U

Protests begin over Chick-fil-A monetary gift anti-gay team

2011-02-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

Protests have erupted over some charitable donations given by popular fast food chain Chick-fil-A. Donations were made to a team with an anti-gay rights agenda. A PA location of Chick-fil-A provided catering to a marriage seminar put on by a conservative evangelical team that is hostile to Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender causes. Students in several colleges are asking for the restaurant to be banned from campus for promoting discrimination.

Protests erupt over catering by PA Chick-fil-A location

Due to the rumor that Chick-fil-A has an anti-gay plan, the business is facing controversy. The New York Times reports this. A seminar called “The Art of Marriage: Getting to the Heart of God’s Design” held in February by the Pennsylvania Family Institute is getting sandwiches donated to it by Chick-fil-A. One location, near Harrisburg, Penn., agreed to donate sandwiches to the event, as the PA Family Institute is a 503(c) non-profit. The act was not religiously motivated as the restaurant operators are expected to make charitable donations. Several college campuses are attempting to get the restaurant banned from campuses while LGBT rights groups want boycotts.

Christian beliefs in history to uphold

There have always been values associated with Chick-fil-A. These just take place to be Christian. Sunday school teacher Truett Cathy is the founder of the chain. It makes sense. When the restaurant was founded, he had police to keep it closed on Sundays. Still, the locations all are closed on that day. WinShape is the charitable foundation the business runs. It promotes strong Christian values as well. Scholarships are given to college students through WinShape. It’s also a network of foster homes that work. Retreats like summer camps for children or getaways for married couples are put on by WinShape which includes an engaged couples "premarital boot camp".

Nothing like this truly occurred, in accordance with company

The Chick-fil-A corporation has stressed that the business does not, as a matter of principle, make an effort to actively discriminate against any team. The controversy isn’t addressed on the Chick-fil-A site, though the company’s president, Dan Cathy, posted a video to the restaurant’s Facebook page that corporate policy was to treat all individuals with “honor, dignity and respect.”. In training sessions, a Muslim wouldn't participate in prayers and was fired from Chick-fil-A. This got the business sued in 2006.

Articles cited

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/01/30/us/30chick.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=twrhp

Chick-fil-A website

chick-fil-a.com/#home

WinShape Foundation

winshape.org/

Learn the right way to de-ice your car

2011-01-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Cold winter temperatures mixed with precipitation are an icy recipe for your vehicle. Within the span of a few hours, ice can cover the entire outside – and sometimes inside – of your car. While it might seem like scraping and heating will do the trick, you need to learn to do it right. Learn to do it right the first time.

Brush out the snow if you don't want ice

Here's a simple way to get began when de-icing your auto: brush off the snow. Snow moisture will freeze meaning your windshields, door handles and locks will all end up with ice to them since snow and ice are forms of water. Even if you are not driving almost at all, it’s a good idea to brush the snow regularly. Use a snow brush or broom. You might end up chipping window glass or scratching the paint if you try to use the snow shovel for driveway. There will probably be something breaking if you make an effort to put boiling water on frozen locks and handles too.

Give a hand when breaking up that ice get together

Touching the ice with bare skin seems like it is unbearable for most. Nevertheless, a whack of your hand may just do the trick. The thinner the layer, the more likely you can do it. A thin layer could be taken off yourself if you break it down. With window ice, it can be dangerous to use things harder than your hand. Keep away from this. Replacing a shattered window is a terrible thing to have to do in the winter and costs a lot. Glass is a bit more brittle when it is cold like this.

Don't let it stay freezing

Get your heaters running as part of your automobile while your headlights are on. This can help make it much easier to clean off your car. Before you do this, make sure your exhaust pipe and radiator are clear. It may be a bad thing to leave your automobile unattended for very long. This is especially true after the motor is on. The frozen mix won't help very much with a radiator's coolant/water mix off and the really cold temperatures. The motor will overheat and die if you are not paying attention.

Here's another idea: wait until your wipers bladesare thoroughly clean before turning on the windshield wipers. Sometimes the blades are stuck within the ice and need to get warm before working. This might trigger the engine on the wiper blade system to break. It can help to have winter-grade wiper fluid. Window ice could be melted this way. help melt window ice, as well.

Information from

Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/how-to-fix-and-ice-covered-cars

Or you could just cover your car

youtube.com/watch?v=vcx7t4qe0gs

Scott and female who falls in fountain make great viral films

2011-01-25T19:44:00.000-08:00

A Bart Scott interview and the "woman falls in fountain" video are the latest viral films. The female falls in a fountain while texting, totally oblivious to the presence of a huge mall water feature. The other big movie comes from a post game interview from the Jets Patriots game in the National Football League playoffs. A particularly odd Bart Scott interview, linebacker for the New York Jets, was shown on ESPN. Both entertained the U.S. because we did not need to take out a payday advance and purchase the clips, we just had to go to YouTube. Source of article – Top viral video roundup – Woman falls in fountain and Bart Scott by MoneyBlogNewz.

Shopping mall water feature welcomes texter

There have been a number of people interested in movie footage of a female who’s texting and falls into a shopping mall fountain. Cathy Cruz Marrero, called "Fountain Lady" by several, is shown texting without even realizing there's a fountain in front of her and falling in on the security camera movie. She falls to the fountain immediately. The video happened in Wyomissing, Penn. This is where the shopping mall was. She works at the shopping mall too. Obviously there was not any humor that Marrero saw. She went on "Good Morning America" with her attorney. The Washington Post reports that she wanted to know how the movie leaked while she was upset that "nobody went to my aid" after falling. After she got charged this year with illegally using a co-worker's credit card, this would not be the first time this year she shows up to court suing the mall.

youtube.com/watch?v=jPW8xmI4w6U

Bart Scott lets loose

The other huge viral movie of the moment is of a bizarre post-game interview with Scott. Scott, linebacker for the New York Jets, gave an emotionally charged interview with Sal Paolantonio of ESPN after the Jets defeated the heavily favored New England Patriots in the NFL playoffs. Scott practically shouts to the microphone, saying “Poetic justice!” and the Patriots’ defense “couldn’t stop a nose bleed.” USA Today reports that Brett Scott admit “I probably won’t live it down for awhile," while saying he was inspired by Hulk Hogan.

youtube.com/watch?v=QJshw2Axsqc

Information from

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/20/AR2011012003553_2.html

USA Today

content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/01/jets-bart-scott-rex-ryan-steelers/1

Good Morning America fountain lady

youtube.com/watch?v=AOBZmNVgOz0

Hathaway playing Catwoman in the Dark Knight Rises

2011-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

After years of slogging it out in Disney movies, Hathaway will be Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises," the next Batman film by Chris Nolan. The villain "Bane" has also been cast, and the part went to English character actor Tom Hardy. Nolan won’t be taking the director’s chair for any more Batman films after this one, though. He will not be applying for any more unsecured loans to produce more films.

Catwoman selected by Chris Nolan to be Anne Hathaway

Entertainment Weekly explained that it was verified that the next "Batman" filmed by Christopher Nolan could have "Catwoman" portrayed by Anne Hathaway. The title, “The Dark Knight Rises,” is what the movie will be called. No more films will be directed by Nolan after this. Even though the Disney roles Hathaway played in got her famous, for instance "The Princess Diaries," she recently has been doing more significant films. The character Catwoman who Bruce Wayne/Batman usually has a love for in the comics is who she will be playing acting as Selina Kyle. Halle Berry was "Catwoman" final which ended up being a failure that many were disappointed in.

New villain portrayed by Tom Hardy

Hardy will be the actor that plays "Bane." This is the bad guy that, within the comic, breaks Batman's back. Tom Hardy is perhaps best known for his role in Nolan’s movie “Inception.”. He also had roles in “Layer Cake” by Matthew Vaughan, “Rock and Rolla” by Guy Ritchie, and as the lead in the film “Bronson, ” about the infamous British prisoner. Hardy is also rumored to be taking over the role of Mad Max in the next movie within the Angry Max series.

Nolan not directing any Batman films following this

In 2012, the Batman film will be released. Nolan plans on not making any more Batman films within the future. Christian Bale is obviously returning as Bruce Wayne/Batman, however it will be the final outing for the 2 of them in the Batman franchise. The last two films were among the most successful films critically and commercially of the last ten years.

Citations

Entertainment Weekly

insidemovies.ew.com/2011/01/19/batman-hathaway-catwoman-hardy-bane-dark-knight-rises/

Desolate male wins internet fantasy football contest

2011-01-25T00:44:00.000-08:00

So far, 2011 seems to be the year of success stories for desolate individuals. The online 2011 fantasy football competition has been won by Harrington. He has been homeless, and competed very creatively. The $3,500 Best Purchase gift card prize has been sold, and Harrington intends on using the cash to find an apartment. This will be easier than trying to take out a payday loan to achieve this. Source of article – Nathan Harrington – Homeless man wins ESPN fantasy football 2011 by MoneyBlogNewz.

Information on Harrington

In Salem, Mass., Harrington lives at 33 years of age. Harrington got into an automobile accident in 2009. Lots of nerve damage occurred due to it. His marketing job was one he could no longer do. Because of rat extermination, Harrington, his fiancée, and their 3 year old son got evicted. All of their stuff got sent to storage.

Seeing champion of 2011 ESPN fantasy football being desolate

The ESPN fantasy football 2011 competition is one that Nation Harrington participated in even though he did not have a home, computer access or the internet. He did every little thing from using the library computer to asking for time on the computer at his father’s nursing home. If he could not find a computer anywhere, he'd call his friends and ask them to change things. His fantasy football team, the Boston Beatdowns, ended up on the top of the Fantasy Football heap by 0.8 points, thanks to choosing Tim Tebow as a starter.

Champion of ESPN fantasy football 2011 has a future

Nathan Harrington won a $3,500 Best Buy gift card for winning the fantasy football contest. He did something better than going to an electronics store on a buying spree. He sold, for $2,500, the gift card to his mom in order to move to a better apartment without rats. Several he will be able to get some kind of job that is really great due to the homeless man wins ESPN fantasy football 2011 headlines.

Citations

Good Men Project

goodmenproject.com/newsroom/homeless-man-wins-espn-fantasy-footballs-top-prize/

Groupon to go public; Initial Public Offering might surpass $ 15 billion

2011-01-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

Local business advertising and consumer coupon business Groupon is a rising star within the online retail community. Google wanted to purchase them for $ 6 billion. In accordance with the NY Times, Groupon did not think Google’s offer was enough. Groupon will quickly move forward with an IPO that could value the company at more than $ 15 billion. I wonder if Google would take out a personal unsecured loan to pay Groupon that much or not. Article resource – Groupon spurns Google – IPO could exceed $ 15 billion by MoneyBlogNewz.

Local business for Groupon

After it started in Chicago, local business marketer Groupon expanded a lot. In the last two years it has become very popular. Each year there is about half a billion in revenue brought in by the company that has about 2,500 employees around the world. The business model is simple – the company offers one discounted deal each day, e-mailed to subscribers. Groupon is used by small and medium businesses that are generally new in order to bring in customers.

Deals that are more likely to be used are what Groupon tries to find by tracking the buying habits and demographic data of its subscribers.

All about Google's search problem

Though Google is the major leader in web search, it has a problem targeting small and medium local businesses. Paid local search on Google is expected to drop by 20 percent or more over the next five years. Small businesses tend to use and then drop Google marketing and sponsored search results. Local businesses make up only about 18 percent of Google's ad revenue. Facebook is also challenging Google's dominance by targeting local businesses with the launch of Facebook Places. The way the search engine results are ranked is something Europe is investigating right now for anti-trust. Google being found guilty could be really terrible for the company.
How the Groupon / Google deal will work

Both Google and Groupon would benefit from the $5.3 billion offer from Google.

The Groupon business is fairly new still. This would be a huge return on the investment that was started. There would be a lot Google would be getting as well. This would be e-mails from consumers, spending habits, pricing information and everything in between. The expansion past simple search and paid search revenue would be what Google could do with the information. The deal isn't anything new; in fact, Google attempted to buy Yelp for numerous of the same reasons in 2009. There would be an international sized change in local buying options for many if the Google-Groupon buyout does happen.

Articles cited

New York Times

dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/groupon-readies-for-an-i-p-o/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Read Write Web

readwriteweb.com/archives/why_did_groupon_diss_google_15_billion_ipo.php

Groupon mobile app review

youtube.com/watch?v=5GDwsEq2snY

GOP orders reading of U.S. Constitution to please Tea Party

2011-01-13T19:24:00.000-08:00

To satisfy their Tea Party masters, House Republicans launched the 112th Congress with a reading of the United States Constitution text. The event achieved nothing tangible and gave politicians an opportunity to preen for the media. The GOP selectively edited the United States Constitution text and also the reading was disrupted by a protester. Looks like somebody can be needing payday loan to buy their way out of trouble.

Watching the Tea Party in the House

The party who gave Republicans the majority of the house in the 2010 election was the Tea Party which is why the U.S. Constitution was read in the House. The reading lasted about an hour and a half. It was a symbolic gesture to emphasize a new Republican rule requiring that all proposed bills must cite the section of U.S. Constitution text that permits them to become law. The preamble words were spoken by new Speaker of the House Re. John Boehner, R-Ohio:

“We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Three Fifths Clause is a no go

Fighting started immediately. The U.S. Constitution wasn't even being read yet. Any parts of the Constitution that had an amendment changing it needed to be deleted, if you ask Republicans. The "Three Fifths Clause" was one of these. Slaves are considered to be "three fifths of all other persons" with the Three-Fifths Clause. Rep. Jesse Jackson, D-Ill, said “Many of us don’t want that to be lost upon reading of our sacred document.” Many think that the Three-Fifths Clause should remind conservatives that the Constitution isn't set in stone as it can change with the nation when amendments are passed.

Shouting ‘Help us Jesus!’ to all

The reading of the U.S. Constitution text was shared by both Republicans and Democrats in what may be the final bipartisan gesture in the 112th Congress. The event took a turn when Frank Pallone, D-N.J., read the section requiring the president be a “natural born citizen.”. A woman in the audience felt she should comment. She said, “Except Obama, except Obama, help us Jesus!” The woman was arrested and escorted from the chamber.

Citations

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-representatives-read-constitution-floor/story?id=12555114&page=2

Washington Post

voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2011/01/huck_finning_the_constitution.html

NPR

npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/01/06/132708560/birther-disrupts-u-s-house-constitution-reading

Blue Shield of California puts the screws to customers

2011-01-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

Health insurance premiums have been out of control for a long time, but evidently someone forgot to send Blue Shield of California the memo. The Los Angeles Times reports that Blue Shield wants the massive spike of up to 59 percent for its policyholders to go into effect on March 1. Tens of thousands of Blue Shield of California customers would be required to pay more. This hike without any doubt will send many Blue Shield customers running for payday loans in order to pay their premiums.

Blue Cross ruling for Blue Shield of California

History is something Californians are hoping the Blue Shield of California is able to learn from. It failed to pass, but the Anthem Blue Cross tried to make a 39 percent rate hike for 700,000 Californians less than a year ago. Yet the costs of health care continue to rise, and the corruption of over-billing is alive and well.

“We raise rates only when absolutely necessary to pay the accelerating cost of medical care for our members,” said a Blue Shield of California representative.

There's a 30 to 35 percent increase in insurance rate hikes typically

While a 59 percent insurance premium hike seems dramatic, the average increase for the approximately 193,000 Blue Shield of California customers would be somewhere between 30 and 35 percent. However, one in four customers would be affected by a 50-plus percent increase over the next five months.

There will be an early test for state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. This is all because of the premium increase from Blue Shield of California.

“Blue Shield’s increases poses the same problem posed by Anthem Blue Cross last year and other health insurers as well,” said Jones. “My hope would be that Blue Shield would reexamine these rate hikes, particularly in the face of the impact they are having on individual policyholders.”

The accounting going into it

Success can't be immediate, even if the health insurance premium hikes start for Blue Shield of California. In fact, Blue Shield spokesman Tom Epstein said the company will lose "tens of millions of dollars on individual business" in 2011.

Articles cited

LA Times

latimes.com/health/healthcare/la-fi-insure-rates-20110106,0,6975599.story

Blue Shield needs more money to make commercials like this

youtube.com/watch?v=l5qZSsrJ4QA

Private sector job development in December blows away anticipations

2011-01-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

A report published Wednesday showed that jobs within the private sector were created at a rate more than twice what analysts were expecting. Another careers report indicated that job cutbacks dropped to the lowest level in ten years. The latest employment information, a preview of this Friday’s Labor Department careers report, could possibly be a sign the United States labor market has started slowly climbing out of the deep crater left by the recession. Don’t expect cash advances to just start falling from trees, the economy really does have a long battle nevertheless. Source of article – Private sector job creation in December blows away expectations by MoneyBlogNewz.

Job creation most in service sector

There were 297,000 careers created within the Private Sector within the United States in December. Economists were very surprised by the high number. The document issued by the payrolls firm Automatic Data Processing showed the service sector — industries such as health care, finance, education and communications — led the way in job creation with 270,000 new hires in December. There were 27,000 new hires in December for the production sector with manufacturing and construction jobs, says the ADP. The Dec. hiring increase was predicted to be an increase of 100,000 careers according to Bloomberg.

In 10 years, there have been less job losses

While private sector job creation surged in December, a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a business that helps laid off workers find careers, said that employers cut 59 percent fewer careers this year than in 2009. Since 1997, there have not been that few jobs cut. 32,000 are where the careers cut are at after dropping 34 percent from Nov to December. Since 2000, that is the lowest tally of monthly job losses. Bloomberg accounts that the Labor Department jobs document due Friday will show that the U.S. unemployment rate in Dec. dropped to 9.7 percent.

Labor industry within the U.S. nevertheless needs fixing

An acceleration of private sector employment development could be a really great thing. The U.S. economic recovery may do even better than expected. The numbers should not be believed this way though, the Daily Finance suggests. Just because there was a month of strong jobs data does not mean that a trend is beginning. Job development nevertheless has quite a ways to go though, even with the low anticipations. The United States economy that has a deficit of 15 to 17 million full time careers may have to recuperate over years instead of months.

Citations

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-05/u-s-companies-added-297-000-jobs-last-month-more-than-forecast-adp-says.html

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/story/careers/adp-decembers-private-sector-jobs-jumped-by-297-000/19787660/

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/01/05/news/economy/challenger_ADP_jobs_reports/?npt=NP1

Could social networking get rid of the traffic jam?

2011-01-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

MyFord touch, the Toyota Entune and comparable systems have made your time within the automobile more time to spend with social media and your contacts. But as Popular Mechanics reports, it’s not just about Facebook, Twitter and friend-finding anymore. Thanks to advancements within the OnStar system, drivers will have access to live data from other drivers using the exact same system – from road status to suggestions on choice routes around town. Source of article – Can social media kill the traffic jam? by Car Deal Expert.

The cloud giving several traffic jam up-dates

While standard GPS units give traffic jam up-dates, the information provided is situated on historic traffic data. Such units have not taken variables into account as they’re introduced, such as road changes or more vehicles in circulation. You will find mobile and dashboard devices that you can get. The in-car cloud will give you real-time traffic reports.

Knowing about traffic conditions on the road is what drivers will be able to do according to Jim Bak who is the Inrix Director of Community Relations. This is an improvement over even what is offered by Google, which treats arterials, city streets and local roads like uninterrupted highway. There are several new in auto technologies that can help drivers know what the road is going to look like ahead. Google Maps does not have the algorithms to do this quite yet.

Why we might not need to take the gadgets with us

Author of "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)" is Tom Vanderbilt, and he believes the in-car cloud is just another driver distraction just like all the other devices like OnStar, MyFord Touch or even the Toyota Motors Entune's computer system.

“The classic issue is if everyone is told road A is suddenly not congested, everyone shifts to road A, and it becomes congested. Past a certain point, when roads reach the sort of capacities that spill into stop-and-go traffic, route information isn’t going to matter much,” he told Popular Mechanics.

Citations

Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/news/industry/will-in-car-social-media-kill-the-traffic-jam

How to sync a Bluetooth device with Ford Sync

youtube.com/watch?v=UCDpVHbCOD4

Killebrew states he is fighting esophageal cancer

2011-01-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

Killebrew, a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame, has announced that he is suffering from esophageal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, esophageal cancer is three to four times more prone to occur in males than women, and approximately 15,000 individuals die from the disease in the United States each year. This is something that Killebrew cannot use a payday cash loan to fix, he just has to hope for the best with treatment that is available.

The effects esophageal cancer could have on ‘Killer’

Harmon Killebrew, 74, issued a statement Thurs in which he declared that he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, reports Northwest Cable News. Former Washington senators and Minnesota Twins slugger is preparing for a large battle against it even though the surviving rate of esophageal cancer is higher than others. The Mayo Clinic will be where he is treated. This is one of the most experienced, with esophageal cancer, medical centers within the world.

“While my condition is very serious,” said Killebrew in a statement, “I have confidence in my doctors and the medical staff, and I anticipate a full recovery.”

One of the greatest athletes to hail from the state of Idaho, Harmon “Killer” Killebrew hit 573 home runs during his Major League Baseball career, which ranks 11th on the all-time list. He played for the Washington Senators (1954-1960), Minnesota Twins (1961-1974) and the Kansas City Royals (1975). Despite the inflation of home run statistics following baseball’s steroid era (mid-1990s through early 2000s), Harmon Killebrew’s home run stats stand the test of time.

Comprehending esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer happens in the esophagus according to the Mayo Clinic. This is how food gets to your stomach from your throat. Esophageal cancer typically originates within the cells that line the inside of the esophagus, although medical experts indicate that it can happen anywhere along the esophagus. There is one common place that esophageal cancer is typically found in the United States This is the part of the esophagus that connects to the stomach.

Symptoms of esophageal cancer don’t manifest until the disease has advanced, says the American Cancer Society. Forms of pain can be a symptom to look for, especially if it is within the chest. Other symptoms contain frequent choking, weight loss and difficulty swallowing. You will find a few different common treatments. These include radiation therapy, surgery or chemotherapy.

Citations

American Cancer Society

cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@nho/documents/document/esophagealcancerpdf.pdf

May Clinic

mayoclinic.com/health/esophageal-cancer/DS00500

Northwest Cable News

nwcn.com/sports/Pride-of-Payette-Harmon-Killebrew-has-cancer-112671059.html

Harmonic history

youtube.com/watch?v=hffB9um2Q8g

Pay down charge card debt - Using technology to pay it down faster

2010-12-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

The process of paying down charge card debt involves lots of decisions. You’ve lots of decisions to make. Depending on how many cards you have and the amount of charge card debt, maximizing your cash can be tough. Science has shown that the decisions most people make to reduce credit card debt should be re-thought.

The technology of how you can reduce credit card debt

In an effort to pay down credit card debt, studies have found that a lot of people don’t make the best financial choice. If given the option, a lot of people reduce the credit card debt they can “get rid of” first, even if it has the lowest rate of interest. Even if you’re getting out of debt slower, several think that closing a loan or credit card will help you make lots of progress. Instead, the card with the highest interest should be paid off first.

Facts on charge card debt interest you may wonder about

The interest on credit cards should be the first consideration if you are working on paying off debt. Cards and loans with the highest interest cost you probably the most cash. The charge card charges you an annual percentage rate for the loan. You don’t desire to keep higher interest rates. This is since the cash compounds more meaning you will have more to pay. It’s smarter to pay money towards the higher interest rate even if you have a small loan that you can pay off instead.

Trying to get your charge card debt paid down

Now that you know which credit card debt you should pay down first, how do you go over it?

List all your debts. Order them by the Annual Percentage Rate or interest to them with the highest ones being paid first.
If you do not have one, create a basic household budget to find out how much you can spend to reduce credit card debt.
Do not pay the smallest amount. Make sure you pay more than that. You’ll actually repay the debt rather than being stuck in it in case you are paying more than the minimum.
Find extra money to pay down your debt. You are able to make some extra money by recycling. You might also get a part-time job to do this.
Don’t raid your savings. You have to make sure that you’ve an emergency fund in order to pay for unpredicted expenditures without using those charge cards again even though it may seem like a simple idea to borrow from yourself.

Information from

Marketplace

marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/09/14/pm-loans-q/

United States mining company restarts manufacturing of rare earth metals

2010-12-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

What was once the biggest rare earth elements mine in the world will come back to life next year. The rare earth metals mine run by Molycorp had closed six years ago as Chinese manufacturing drove down prices. But today the cost of rare earth metals is increasing rapidly as China cuts back on exports. Source for this article – U.S. rare earth metals mine reopens to combat Chinese monopoly by MoneyBlogNewz.

All about the Molycorp Mountain Pass mine

Molycorp owns the dormant Mountain Pass mine in California. Throughout the whole world, it is the richest source of rare earth elements. Molycorp’s Mountain Pass mine closed over environmental concerns and overwhelming competition from China. China now has a monopoly on rare earth metals since Mountain Pass closed. The United States national security and economic climate is in danger with this. Molycorp has decided to start producing again after getting the right financing and permits. In 2011, the business will produce about 3,000 tons of rare earth metals processed from ore stockpiled before the mine was closed. There is a different expectation for 2012. About 20,000 tons might be produced.

What you need to know about the china monopoly

Global demand for rare earth metals was 125,000 tons in 2010. Of the world’s rare earth metals production, China owns a ton. About 97 percent is owned by China. Wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries, electronic gadgets and military technology all use rare earth metals. Many suspect what China was doing with its rare earths monopoly in 2010. Supposedly geopolitical leverage was the plan. High tech manufacturing within the United States, Japan and Europe was disrupted when it cut exports of rare earth metals by more than 70 percent. China reduced taxes for domestic manufacturers. This was for all rare earth metals. Prices for rare earth metals rose 40 percent. Clean-energy technology corporations are moving operations to China to conserve costs.

Hoping for a clean energy economy

Sumitomo Corp of Japan invested $130 million in Molycorp to guarantee a supply of rare earth metals for seven years. Molycorp has plans to increase manufacturing to 40,000 tons within 18 months. The neodymium magnets used in wind turbines are an example of the emerging technology that uses rare earth metals in a green energy economy. Within the U.S., you will find currently no corporations that can do this. The bastnasite ore from the Mountain Pass mine can be used in the partnership between Molycorp and Hitachi. The U.S. will then start to produce neodymium magnets. There are only 10 corporations that can make neodymium magnets right now. They are located in Germany, Japan and China.

Articles cited

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/26/rare-earth-metals-us

MIT Technology Review

technologyreview.com/energy/26980/page2/

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2010/12/27/1989540/weaning-ourselves-from-a-china.html

Hexavalent chromium present in tap water from thirty-one U.S. cities

2010-12-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

A cancer-causing compound has been detected in normal water samples from numerous United States locations. Hexavalent chromium was found in regular faucet water samples from thirty-one of 35 locations tested in an Environmental Working Group study released Monday. In the movie "Erin Brockovich," hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6, was the contaminant that sparked the lawsuit against the public utility that was the subject of the film. Article resource – Hexavalent chromium found in tap water from 31 U.S. cities by MoneyBlogNewz.

How is hexavalent chromium dangerous

Hexavalent chromium is dumped into the environment by steel and pulp mills, metal-plating and leather-tanning industries, according to the Environmental Working Group. Eroding soil causes this compound to get to the water. And Environmental Working Group paid labs to test 35 locations dirking water where the chemical is known to exist. A EWG scientist has discovered a correlation between chromium-6 and stomach cancer. Madison, WI, Honolulu, HI, Riverside, CA, and San Jose, CA; have had the highest levels of hexavalent chromium found.

Examination of chromium-6

The EWG study is the first nationally assessment of hexavalent chromium in municipal water supplies. The analyze went public only since the Environmental Protection Agency decided to try and cap the limit of chromium-6 released into water supplies. The National Institutes of Health classified hexavalent chromium as a possible reason for cancer back in 2008. In 2009, California proposed a safe limit of hexavalent chromium levels in drinking water at 0.06 parts per billion. There is over 200 times the allowed limit already within the water when the Environmental Working Group conducted their study. Of the 35 locations within the research, 25 exceeded the proposed California limit.

Reverse osmosis water filtration systems are suggested by the EWG

"Erin Brockovich" was where many people 1st learned about Hexavalent chromium. Chromium 6 was in the water supply in Hinckley, California, and Brockovich in real life did sue Pacific Gas and Electric for contamination and won. Over $330 million in damages were paid by the electric company. The EPA is intending to regulate hexavalent chromium, however until they actually do the Environmental Working Group suggests using water filtration systems to keep yourself safe. Thinks like chromium and other heavy metals can be removed through reverse osmosis water filtration systems. $120 to $300 is the average prices for reverse osmosis water filtration systems.

Citations

CNN

pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/20/carcinogen-found-in-31-of-35-cities-water-supply/?npt=NP1

USA Today

content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/12/tap-water-of-many-us-cities-has-probable-carcinogen-study/1

Medical News Today

medicalnewstoday.com/articles/212079.php

Federal Communications Commission to election on net neutrality suggestion allowing pay-to-play

2010-12-22T15:24:00.000-08:00

Net neutrality rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission can be either accepted or rejected by the agency in a Dec. twenty one vote. Central to the controversial suggestion are pay-to-play allowances that allow Internet service providers to charge more for faster connections. The Federal Communications Commission net neutrality vote seeks a middle ground that prevents outright blocking of content but recognizes the have to manage data-hogging video and peer-to-peer traffic.

Net neutrality fights

Regulating the Internet isn’t something the Federal Communications Commission can too currently. The net neutrality proposal will be used to present Internet regulation legislation to Congress. The accessible bandwidth has changed because of the traffic from smartphones and networked tablet devices with all the video and P2P traffic. Both Comcast and Verizon charge "Internet fast lane" charges in order to control congestion too. This is exactly what many ISPs do. The demand for bandwidth has gone up drastically. This has caused ISP to throttle traffic and charge content providers. Many of the content providers think it should be illegal to have two-tiered Internet.

About the Federal Communications Commission net neutrality suggestion

The Federal Communications Commission proposes to prevent ISPs from manipulating “normal” traffic for Internet users, however allow them to implement traffic management on P2P networks and levy fees on providers of bandwidth-intensive content for instance Netflix. Wireless ISPs like Verizon won't be able to control bandwidth at all along with the FCC net neutrality suggestion. Several expect Internet stakeholders in court to get challenged due to all the faster mobile data access and pay-to-play rules. On Dec. 10 more than 80 groups sent a letter to the FCC saying that the net neutrality proposal might harm customers, stifle innovation and irreversibly end the free and open Internet.

A sneak peak at the stop of net neutrality

Ways to exploit the FCC suggestion have been looked at by ISPs already. DailyTech accounts that a presentation by suppliers to AT&T and Verizon was leaked outlining a two-tiered Internet. Skype, Facebook and Youtube might all be websites that would get you additional monthly fees on top of MB consumed fees in this system. This might only be for mobile data customers. Totally free ISP social networking and video sites would be included in this. Rather than networking at the other places, they could choose to network at these ones for free.

Info from

Red Orbit

redorbit.com/news/technology/1968824/fcc_closer_to_making_internet_traffic_decision/

The Inquirer

theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1933693/fcc-proposes-hand-power-isps-mobile-telecoms

DailyTech

dailytech.com/Top+Wireless+Firms+Plot+to+Make+Wireless+Users+Pay+Per+Page/article20438.htm

Discriminatory Federal Housing Administration loans could have cost Baltimore borrowers

2010-12-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

In Baltimore, MD, and surrounding areas, there have been accusations of discriminatory lending rates. FHA secured financial loans are supposed to maintain a consistent rate. Some research states that Baltimore borrowers might have paid a higher rate when they bought homes in minority neighborhoods.

Baltimore Federal Housing Administration loans

In Baltimore there was a study released by a community-organizing group. Supposedly, it proves that FHA loans use discrimination. For all financial loans that are Federal Housing Administration secured, the interest rate should be close to the very same. Unlike traditional housing financial loans, the credit rating and amount of the mortgage have very little impact on the rate. Veteran’s Administration financial loans have a comparable structure. It was found out that there are higher interest rates given to homes in minority and low-income neighborhoods in a study that learned about FHA financial loans in Baltimore, Maryland.

Overages might be responsible

For much more than a decade, the Justice Department has identified “overages” as a place of possible abuse in Federal Housing Administration financial loans. Some employees are able for making decisions on things like "overages" on financial loans. This includes processing fees. The commission received for the salesperson to get paid for their GHA mortgage is exactly what the mortgage overages help determine. The loans are then discriminatory as low-income and minority neighborhood borrowers are typically charged much more in overages.

Discrimination charge discussed by Federal Reserve

In an examination of the Federal Housing Administration loans during 2008, the very same year that Communities United studied, the Federal Reserve counters the offense of discrimination. The Federal Reserve studied these very same Baltimore Federal Housing Administration financial loans, using info that is not readily available to the public. Privacy was a concern though. That means in the publishing, the exact dates weren't listed. The Federal Reserve claims that the anomaly in mortgage cost occurred because of the dive in home prices in late 2008. The Baltimore FHA mortgages might actually be discriminatory. In that case, much more research needs to be done with the 2009 and on data to see if it’s true.

Articles cited

Baltimore Sun

weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/realestate/blog/2010/11/study_raises_questions_about_disparities_in_fha_loans.html

Second missile defense system test in 2010 fails

2010-12-22T04:04:00.000-08:00

The missile defense system of the United States has failed an additional test. The history of these systems – missiles that target missiles – has never been great, and they’ve been a cash pit in defense spending for years. There has yet to be a successful missile defense system implemented. Resource for this article – Missile defense system test fails off California coast by MoneyBlogNewz.

Failing with another missile defense system

The recent test of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, or GMD, long range missile defense system was conducted off the course of California by the Missile Defense Agency. The test did not go as anticipated, as the anti-missile missile failed to hit the target, but the Pentagon takes heart that at least the target, or incoming long range missile, and also the intercepting missile, or “kill vehicle,” both launched, as outlined by CNN. The test pitted a long range incoming dummy missile launched from the Kwajalein Atoll within the Marshall Islands against an interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Both successfully launched, but the kill automobile failed to discover its target.

Success nearly never happened

To date, Boeing’s modern missile defense system, deployed in California and Alaska, has successfully shot down eight of 15 targets in testing, which is a 53.3 % success rate. This test has not had an official reason for the failure, but it possibly is because of the radar array, which is used to steer the interceptor missile to its target, called X-Band. The X-Band array is housed on a customized floating oil rig, and is supposed to generate vital info about incoming targets. A previous in test in January this year also failed to hit its target. The last GMD test that was successful happened in December 2008. Numerous think that the kill automobile hitting the target was only by incident though.

Failures shown in history

Successes in missile defenses have been few. Not many work. Various systems and technologies have been developed and tested over the years, and apart from a few limited deployments, there have been few successes to speak of. President Reagan began the spending that has totaled to over $100 billion within the last 30 years on missile defense systems which all began with the Strategic Defense Initiative. A 100 % success in testing has never happened with anti-missile systems.

Articles cited

CNN

edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/15/missile.defense.fail/?hpt=T2

UBS outfit rule: boring Swiss financial institution conformity in agonizing detail

2010-12-20T05:04:00.000-08:00

UBS has standardized its version of acceptable banker attire with the 43-page UBS dress code. The highly detailed manual tries to leave nothing to chance on how to look just like a banker at UBS. The UBS dress rule, analysts say, is one of several elements to a plan the financial institution has launched to repair its impression after getting hammered within the global financial meltdown. It’s uncertain that a dress code will improve their image however it’s safer to try than simply getting personal cash loan. Article source – UBS dress code: dull Swiss bank conformity in excruciating detail by MoneyBlogNewz

Brand new outfit rule for UBS

There is a brand new dress rule that could be seen at UBS. It looks like a prep school outfit with some fashion. Conformity that covers up is what is being done with the outfits. They are meant to blend into the surroundings. The UBS dress rule comes on the heels of an advertising campaign reaching out to clients who were burned by UBS, the world’s largest private financial institution, during the financial crisis. The style manual is being tested in five UBS branches in Switzerland. If staff become more successful, the outfit code will be enforced at all Swiss UBS branches.

Attempting to succeed with alternation in clothing at UBS

Overall, the UBS dress code espouses the bland, generic look people expect from bankers: dark suits for men, neutral outfits for women. Skirts aren’t allowed to be too tight. Being short isn’t allowed either. Neither men or women can wear flashy jewelry. That means male earrings aren't going to happen. But Swiss being Swiss, a distinctive wristwatch is standard equipment. Each and every four weeks, men will get haircuts while it is not okay for Grecian Formula. Women must use light makeup limited to foundation, mascara and “discreet” lipstick. It is not okay to wear soft fragrances, have garlic breath, have nail art, have trendy eyewear or even to wear cartoon socks. Washing and ironing your own shirts is unacceptable. It should be done properly.

UBS needs more than that

UBS cuts 11,000 jobs and wrote down about $50 billion in mortgage related assets when the financial meltdown hit in 2007. It was also embroiled in an investigation of UBS tax evasion within the U.S. During the financial meltdown UBS reported more losses ($57.3 billion) than any European financial institution. Several of the top executives left the bank. Clients went with them too. Oswald J. Grubel, as UBS CEO, spoke with several investors personally. He had to do something to try and stop them from defecting. This was successful. That is what he states anyway. All of us know he was likely dressed well. That is probably what did it too.

Citations

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019783931381042.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Business Insider

businessinsider.com/ubs-dresscode-clothes-bank-2010-12#

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/02/10/business/global/10ubs.html

Actor Torn pleads at fault to accusations in Connecticut

2010-12-20T04:04:00.000-08:00

Rip Torn, who is an Emmy Award-winning acting professional, has pleaded at fault to charges which he broke into a CT bank while carrying a loaded firearm drunk. This year in Jan, Torn was arrested right after police found him wandering inside the center after hours. You would think he would have just gone in and taken out a payday loan instead.

At fault pleas from Rip Torn

Criminal trespass, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and illegal possession of firearm are all things that Rip Torn, or Elmore Rual Torn, pleaded guilty to Tuesday, accounts the Associated Press. He was given a 2 and a half year suspension sentence with three years of probation. Also, he won't be able to carry a firearm anymore. Random drug and alcohol tests can be given to him to.

In CT there was a financial institution break in

In January, Rip Torn was arrested. This was because he broke right into a Litchfield Bancorp branch office right after hrs for businesses. He was discovered carrying a loaded .22-caliber pistol with a blood-alcohol level of 0.203, which is almost three times the legal limit for Connecticut drivers. In August, "The Men in Black" star pleaded at fault to 3rd degree criminal mischief, carrying a firearm while drunk, carrying a weapon without a permit and 2nd degree criminal trespassing. Litchfield Superior Court Judge James Ginocchio had denied Torn’s special request to partake in a probation program in New York, citing the charges were too severe to qualify the 79-year-old actor.

Torn in other occurrences with alcohol

"The Larry Sanders Show" and the 1983 film "Cross Creek" were the roles Rip Torn was most well known for. He was involved in liquor related incidents before too. In 2008, Torn was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after he refused to accept a ride home right after a night of drinking at a bar. He appeared drunk as he left the establishment, climbed into his automobile and drove off. In Brand new York City in 2004, Torn was imprisoned. His vehicle crashed into a taxi which caused this. A raging Rip Torn was seen on TV news cursing at police officers and refusing to take a breathalyzer.

Citations

Yahoo! News

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101215/ap_on_en_mo/us_people_rip_torn

2011 Toyota Sienna recalled due to brake light issue

2010-12-19T14:04:00.000-08:00

Toyota has fought the recall bug quite a bit within the past year, and seems like a new problem has come to light. The embattled automaker has reported that there could be a recall of 94,000 2011 Toyota Sienna cars due to a problem involving the brake light switch bracket. The cars impacted by the Sienna recall were manufactured before November 2010. Toyota Motors has had enough recalls to require them to get a large extra cash to repair the difficulties. Source for this article – 2011 Toyota Sienna recalled due to brake light problem by MoneyBlogNewz.

Toyota talks exactly about Sienna recall

Toyota explained in a press release that the brake light switch bracket is positioned wrong in relation to the parking brake pedal. This is why the Sienna recall had to happen. When fully deployed, the parking brake can come into physical contact with the brake light switch bracket and trigger the switch to bend and possibly malfunction. It is possible that even if the brakes are not getting used, the brake lights will stay on. The brakes might even stay partially engaged because of the warped bracket, claims Toyota. The breaking might even be impaired if brake drag occurs.

There is the possibility that impaired breaking could trigger trouble although Toyota explained that there have been no accidents it is aware of or injuries that came from the brake light switch bracket problem.

Getting a hold of 2011 Toyota Sienna users

Starting within the middle of January, 2011, Toyota could be sending first-class mail to all Toyota Sienna drivers affected. The letter will explain what Sienna drivers ought to do. It will include instructions. The data could be found other places too. Toyota's website's recall section has it.

By late February, Sienna users facing recall can be contacted again via first-class postal mail with details concerning replacement parts for the brake light switching bracket. Sienna users may also be advised to make an installation appointment at their local Toyota dealer. There will be no charge for this service, which will contain the installation of a switching bracket that takes the positioning of the parking brake pedal into better account.

Can ask Toyota questions

Are you a 2011 Toyota Sienna owners owner with questions about the Sienna recall? Then you need to either call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331 or go to www.Toyota.com/recall for more information.

Articles cited

PR Newswire

prnewswire.com/news-releases/toyota-announces-voluntary-recall-of-certain-2011-sienna-vehicles-to-replace-stop-lamp-switch-bracket-111791049.html

Alosi income takes thirty one percent cut in tripping event

2010-12-19T04:44:00.000-08:00

After he was caught tripping a player on video Sunday, the question was not whether Sal Alosi’s salary would suffer, it was by how much. The NY Jets strength coach, a previous college linebacker, impulsively stuck a limb out to trip a Miami Dolphin covering a punt return. Alosi’s salary took a major hit when he was penalized and suspended for the remainder of the season without pay for his actions. It looks like applying for a payday loan is going to be the the very least of Sal Alosi’s worries.

The Sal Alosi trip

About $200,000 is paid to Alosi for strength and conditioning with the NY Jets. Jay Glazer at Fox Sports tweet this. The bills Alosi has to pay or the rate of interest he could get on loans with that kind of income were not being considered when making this decision. When a player for the Dolphins, a hated rival of the Jets, ran out of bounds down the sideline, he just could not help himself. The Sal Alosi trip will leave him with a severed cash flow. With the holidays almost here, he could take out a payday advance if it weren’t for the belief that Alosi definitely won’t be getting anymore paydays for the remainder of the season.

Changes within the salary because of Sal Alosi's trip

Sal Alosi’s income of $200,000 a year is pretty good cash for the average person. The National Football League has different standards though. It’s like getting minimum wage when getting paid $200,000. For his inexplicable lapse in judgment, which brought down more public enmity on a team already despised for its bravado, Alosi was penalized $25,000 by the Jets. He was also suspended without pay for the rest of the season, which may contain a playoff run and the subsequent bonuses. The salary for Sal Alosi could be calculated per game. It’s about $12,500. With three games left in the season, Alosi’s income takes a $62,500 hit — a 31 percent pay cut. There has been no announcement on a fine from the league yet. Alosi should be preparing on a pretty big one though.

You can view the Alosi trip video

Alosi apologized for his dirty deed. But any mea culpa for such a stupid act is too little, too late. Alosi might have to find a new job fairly soon. A lot of New York football fans can be sad once the Jets lose the playoffs because of this. “Coach trips player” is a hard search term to live down, particularly when the Alosi trip video clip is one of the hottest trends on the Internet. Sal Alosi might never get the exact same salary again.

Have a look at the Sal Alosi video

youtube.com/watch?v=VgYXBpIYnvU

Info from

Bleacher Report

bleacherreport.com/articles/543170-elin-nordegren-cam-newton-tom-brady-and-tuesdays-top-sports-news/entry/34565-sal-alosi-salary-how-big-of-a-hit-is-fine-for-jets-coach

Business Insider

businessinsider.com/jets-assistant-sal-alosi-suspended-for-the-rest-of-the-year-2010-12

New York Daily News

nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2010/12/14/2010-12-14_offensive_act_diverts_eyes_from_sorry_o.html?r=sports

Oil spill, Bieber, Planet Cup top Twitter styles in 2010

2010-12-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

Twitter released its listing of its top styles for 2010 on Monday. “Gulf oil spill” topped the listing of topics that offer a picture of what the planet was most enthusiastic about over the past year. Twitter said its 2010 Styles on Twitter list shows exactly how Twitter has evolved into the leader in connecting the planet to emerging trends in real-time. This styles list didn’t essentially make Twitter money and they did not have to take out a cash advance to publish it.

Prime trendy tweets going on

Subjects such as the Gulf oil leak, Justin Bieber and the Apple ipad are what the prime Twitter tweets 2010 are about. you will find eight categories listed, news, people, movies, TV, technology, planet cup, sports and hashtags, for the 2010 Styles on Twitter which has the twenty-five billion 2010 tweets compiled. Although gulf oil leak was first for overall prime trend, there was a runner up. "FIFA World Cup" was this win. It probably doesn't surprise you that Bieber was at the prime of the list. Lady Gaga couldn't stop that from happening. She was outlined 3rd, behind Dilma Rouseff and ahead of Assange. The movies and technology lists were topped by "Inception" and the iPad. Paul the Octopus came in second place on the World Cup list. Vuvuzela actually was in first.

Choosing Twitter trends

In a Twitter post, the company explained what it does. Novelty is more important than popularity to Twitter. An algorithm is used to single out subjects that get more tweets than normal for any given moment when used which is how Twitter trends are discovered. Rather than just listing what is popular, hot topics as they emerge are found. Very rarely are then Twitter trends that don't show up on Google styles. This is because the number of tweets is not accelerating quickly enough for that topic. Many bloggers accused Twitter of censuring trending tweets when this happened last week with WikiLeaks. Number seven in the top 10 trending news tweets for 2010 was "WikiLeaks Cablegate" though.

Twitter tweets erupted this year

From 2009 to 2010, Twitter tweets went from 8 billion to 25 billion which is more than 200 percent in growth. There were only 400 million tweets in 2008 alone. Since Twitter was founded in 2006 the site has amassed 190 million tweeters. Twitter started listing trending topics in 2008. This year was the first year Twitter styles were accessible in more than just some major U.S. cities. Before, only cities like WA D.C. and New York City had it accessible to them. Twitter expanded to contain six more cities and 13 nations with tweets.

The Top 10 Twitter Trends Overall in 2010

1. Gulf Oil spill
2. FIFA World Cup
3. Inception
4. Haiti Earthquake
5. Vuvuzela
6. Apple ipad
7. Google Android
8. Justin Bieber
9. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

Articles cited

PC World

pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2374243,00.asp

Mashable

mashable.com/2010/12/13/top-twitter-trends-2010/

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338228/Top-Twitter-trends-2010-Justin-Bieber-Inception-Gulf-oil-spill-vuvuzelas.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Consumers tired of providing a cash advance to banks from charges

2010-12-16T04:24:00.000-08:00

Fees that give banking institutions a loan are irking more customers. Financial institutions have been raising charges for overdrafts, ATM usage, and for holding accounts. They have to get some payday cash out of customers somehow. There is obviously some merit to some fees, of course. However, a lot of account holders are no longer amused.

Everyone still mad about cash advances for banks

Most American consumers don’t think it’s fair that a person should have to give a money to a bank to use their own payday cash, according to ABC. By the end of the year, financial institutions can have 80,000 or more complaints still estimates the Office of the Comptroller. About 15 years ago, consumer dissatisfaction with banks began to be monitored which means that it would be the highest level since then. Banks are doing whichever they can to get more instant cash from customers although new regulations were passed last year to help a lot.

Frustration over overdrafts

Many consumers are mad about overdraft fees. It is probably the most complained about. A lot of larger banks clear large transactions first. The smaller ones come last. This way, if multiple overdrafts occur due to a few small purchases, those fees stack up. A person will only have enough money to pay the power bill buy might end up buying other stuff on top of the power bill. Say that person also buys a sandwich, a coffee and a pack of gum. The largest purchase can be cleared by the bank first. That way, the smaller purchases made when the account had been in overdraft can all result in the most fees possible. Pay day cash is the goal. This is what banks are trying to get.

Interest rate can be astounding

Overdraft fees could be viewed as sort of a cash today, as the customer is technically borrowing money and paying a fee for it. That said, a $35 fee on a $1 overdraft, is 3,500 percent in simple interest. In APR it is 1,277,500 %. That is ridiculous.

Information from

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12357543&page=1

Inside the payroll tax holiday and the way to experience a content one

2010-12-15T23:44:00.000-08:00

A two % increase might be inside your near future if the payroll tax holiday passes as part of the Bush tax cut deal. Politicians believe a payroll tax holiday will fuel financial growth by increasing consumer spending. Monetary theory, however, might suggest that that cash could be saved or invested instead. If all goes as prepared, people should have less of a need to get a payday cash loans.

The economy changing based on the payroll tax holiday

The employees' share of income tax will go from 5.2 % to 4.2 percent if the payroll tax holiday proposal goes through. This is only up to $106,000 though. When the tax deal was announced, firms like Deutche Bank revised their economic growth predictions for 2011 from 3.3 percent to 4.1 %. Here’s the math behind that reasoning:

Wages and salaries in the U.S. in 2010 total $6.44 trillion. That figure grew nearly 5 % in the second and third quarter. If that rate continues, wages and salaries will total about $6.75 trillion a year from now. Deutche Bank estimates about 85 percent of total wages and salaries are dinged by the payroll tax. A 2 % reduction in that tax puts $115 billion back in workers’ wallets. Based on the current personal savings rate of 5.8 percent, $108 billion — 0.7 percent of estimated 2011 GDP — would be spent. Therefore, 3.3 + 0.7 = 4.1 percent.

What will really happen with the Permanent Income Hypothesis

Many are saying that there is too much optimism. This would be from Deutche Bank. John Carney at CNBC writes the payroll tax holiday won’t increase spending nearly that much because informed consumers will realize their 2 % raise is only temporary. The Permanent Income Hypothesis is the name of this. Future earnings are what people spend depending off of. Current take-home pay doesn't do that. Many people didn't save anything and would always spend more than earned before the financial crisis. Then things changed. It was for the worse too. Since expectations for the future are no longer there, people spend less and save more.

What you can do with your payroll tax holiday

What should you do with that payroll tax holiday raise? Spending it isn't the suggestion SmartMoney gives. Putting it in a Roth IRA, a traditional IRA or a 401(k) is the suggestion. The money will then be worth something. It will still be worth something after 2012 when the payroll tax holiday ends. You may end up just paying for the health care costs that are expected to rise next year. Another recommendation is to spend it — on new appliances that can conserve hundreds of dollars on energy within the future years.

Citations

SmartMoney

smartmoney.com/personal-finance/taxes/what-to-do-with-a-payroll-tax-cut/#ixzz17WrUvmtU

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/40553481

Business Insider

businessinsider.com/deutsche-bank-explains-why-the-payroll-tax-holiday-is-a-game-changer-and-could-push-gdp-to-41-2010-12

Bergdahl, U.S. soldier held by Taliban, seen once again on video clip

2010-12-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

The Afghan Taliban captured U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl in June 2009. Bergdahl appeared in video footage contained in a video released this week by the Taliban. Many expected Bowe Bergdahl to be killed by now, but a man who had been kidnapped and launched by the Taliban said the Afghans will keep him alive. The Taliban won't allow someone to take out an payday loan to buy Bergdahl's freedom either..

Keeping Bergdahl for sixteen months

It seems as if Bowe Bergdahl has been beaten, although he is clean shaven, within the most recent Taliban video clip. Bergdahl’s appearance within the Taliban video clip leads experts to believe that the video footage was shot soon after his capture more than 16 months back. If you include the video clip released Wed, the Taliban has released 4 videos with Bergdahl appearing in them. This has been in the 16 months after his Afghanistan capture. In other videos he has sported a lengthening beard. The U.S. soldier, believed to be the only U.S. soldier held by the Taliban, appears briefly within the 45-minute video clip among clips of militant attacks and a statement from Jalaluddin Haqqani, a senior Taliban commander.

Can it be true that the Taliban is obtaining the things they ask for from Bergdahl?

In April, Bowe Bergdahl surfaced in a Taliban video denouncing the Afghanistan War and pleading to be launched. In August, one of Bergdahl’s alleged captors told the Sunday Times the American had converted to Islam and had taught him how to convert a cell phone into a remote detonator for a roadside bomb. Bergdahl was cooperating with the Taliban along with Afghan intelligence officials. However, the alleged captor said the details Bergdahl shared with the Taliban were common knowledge and that he was pretending to be a Muslim to keep from being beheaded.

Values used by Bergdahl to keep still living

A journalist was captured by the Taliban in 2008 and claims that Bowe Bergdahl is safe. Idaho Public Television interviewed Jere Van Dyk. He said the Taliban would not hurt him more than likely. Van Dyk had the experience of being held POW by the Taliban for 45 days. He was launched after the kidnapping. He said the Taliban would make an effort to brainwash Bergdahl and pressure him to become a Muslim. He is still alive though as a valuable propaganda tool. By letting him live, Van Dyk said, the Taliban are demonstrating that they have changed their ways and no longer behead their captors to terrorize their enemies.

Citations

CBS News

cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/08/world/main7129125.shtml

Idaho Mountain Express

mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005134245

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1305184/Bowe-Bergdahl-Taliban-claim-captured-U-S-solider-teaching-fighters-bomb-making-skills.html

Study links aspirin and cancer success - don't start tablets yet

2010-12-11T23:24:00.000-08:00

British medical journal Lancet published a new research today. Taking low-dose aspirin for years might decrease the chance of dying from cancer. The study re-reviewed eight studies that included over 25,000 participants. You will find nevertheless major gaps in this study. You shouldn’t immediately start taking aspirin, but talk with your doctor.

Aspirin might lower cancer risk

Today, the meta-study was published. A team or researchers in Britain published them. They said that taking aspirin every single day for five years reduces the risk of cancer being the cause of dying. These are 75 milligram tablets. There was a 20 percent decrease in death from lung and prostate cancer, a 54 percent decrease in gastrointestinal cancers and a 60 percent decrease in esophageal cancers. These benefits appeared after day-to-day low-dose aspirin had been taken for between five and 20 years. The cardiovascular effects while taking regular aspirin was the original purpose of the study.

Regular aspirin not suggested

Researchers do not suggest that you take aspirin day-to-day even though there was a lot of improvement on surviving cancers with it. This meta-study considered a relatively low number of subjects, and more study needs to be conducted as “proof of principle.”. It would be relatively safe to take aspirin daily. Of course, ringing in the ears, loss of balance, heartburn and thinning of blood can occur with it too. ”I certainly think we wouldn’t want to make any treatment decisions depending on this research,” according to the provost of the University of TX M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Dr. Raymond DuBois. Dr. Raymond DuBois said, “I certainly think we wouldn’t want to make any treatment decisions based on this study." He is from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Cente! r.

Issues with the aspirin-cancer study

There were two studies done that showed an improved cancer survival rate with aspirin. Or course, the same group of researchers in Britain did both of the studies. These two studies, however, nevertheless leave significant spaces. Only about 33 percent of the 25,500 subjects within the main meta-analysis were women. Less common cancers like brain and stomach cancer with low-dose aspirin were not tested at all with the data. The group of patients may be statistically skewed since the benefit of aspirin on the heart was what the studies were originally working on.

It is not a good idea to start taking aspirin as there isn’t enough research on the subject yet although it might be really exciting to start exploring the use of aspirin on cancer.

Citations

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/07/AR2010120701602.html

Business Week

businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/647054.html

Heterosexual equality a big problem to UK Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender team

2010-12-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

Currently, domestic partnership laws in the U.K. apply only to homosexual couples, which doesn’t suit Stephanie Munro and Andrew O’Neill at all. The couple has LGBT group OutRage! in their corner as they fight for heterosexual equal rights, writes Jezebel. According to spokesmen for the OutRage! campaign Equal Love, expanding the laws regarding such civil unions would be a boon to Britain’s homosexual community, as well.

Heterosexual equal rights cause inspires OutRage!

Three opposite-sex couples and four same-sex couples will be involved in the lawsuit filed by Munro and O'Neill after they assume they'll be denied with their petition for domestic partnership. Getting more attention to heterosexual equal rights is the goal. A homophobic agenda isn't part of Equal Love at all. The contrary is true, said OutRage! Coordinator Peter Tatchell:

"We support (straight couples’ bids) for heterosexual equality. In a democratic society, everyone should be equal before the law. There should be no legal discrimination. The twin bans on gay civil marriages and on heterosexual civil partnerships are forms of sexual apartheid. There is one law for straight couples and another law for gay partners. Two wrongs don’t make a right," Tatchell told the Wall Street Journal.

Top reasons to keep away from matrimony

Matrimony is just a mix of religion and secular law for a ritual according to Munro and O'Neill. There is not as much "historical baggage" with a domestic partnership. This is what O'Neill explains.

While many would argue that the type of discrimination Munro and O’Neill are facing is not on the same level as what gay couples often endure, the fight against the segregation surrounding domestic partnerships within the U.K. is more than worthwhile, said Tatchell. If parts of the U.S. can offer domestic partnerships regardless of gender, then the U.K. can, too. British Parliament is being asked by Equal Love to eliminate any kind of sexual orientation from the equation with heterosexual equal rights.

Citations

Equal Love

equallove.org.uk/

Jezebel

jezebel.com/5707078/straight-couples-fight-for-right-to-domestic-partnerships

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_Kingdom

Press briefing re. OutRage! Campaign

youtube.com/watch?v=L4nJsuY9UN8

Pictures of cartoon characters are intended to fight abuse

2010-12-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

In another Facebook "cause" blast, users are changing their profile to photos of cartoon characters. Many different cartoons are getting used. This is a move meant to bring awareness to child abuse.

Pictures of cartoon characters as profile pictures on Facebook

“Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal? To not see a human face on FB. Join the fight against child abuse. Copy & paste to your status to invite your friends to do the same.” This Facebook status has been making its rounds for the last few days. Thousands of people have taken part in this cause using cartoons from mostly the 80's and 90's. Popular cartoons have included Strawberry Shortcake, Mighty Mouse, and Pinky and the Brain.

Childhood cartoons and child abuse

There have been several times before where status changes and profile pictures are used on Facebook to raise awareness for one thing or another. Often, there is a specific issue chosen for awareness. However, these status and profile picture updates often do not include any specific instructions for how to enhance or make a change on the issue. There are no specific statistics on how lots of people have changed their profile pictures to childhood cartoons, but there appear to be a significant number of people participating.

What can you do?

The issue of child abuse is a lot bigger and takes a lot more than memories of our own childhoods. There is a huge difference between being aware of something and taking action on something. While awareness is great, without some action beyond that, pushes such as the childhood cartoons to fight child abuse idea are nothing beyond a shill; something that makes you feel good but doesn’t really do anything. To make a change needs more than posting a cartoon, however spreading the awareness to others is a good step. If you feel inclined to you are able to always donate to child abuse centers, but a free easy way to take more action is to consist of the National Child Abuse Hotline phone number with your status so people know where to call for help, 1-800-4-A-CHILD. Until you take real action, a childhood cartoon is just a picture, not advocacy.

Personal property rates jump for 3rd consecutive week

2010-12-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Rates on mortgages continued an upward trend this week, based on data from Freddie Mac and the Home loan Bankers Association. Rising mortgage rates are accompanied by optimistic numbers from private sector job creation, existing home sales and consumer confidence. After an extended period of record low mortgage rates, refinancing has fallen precipitously.

Lower mortgage rates than last year

The fourth quarter is proving to be stronger than the third when it comes to the economy. Economic data is showing this with fixed mortgage rates. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage had been averaged at 4.46 percent on December 2 according to Freddie Mac. The week before it had been down 4.40 percent. The fixed rate mortgage was around 4.71 % a year ago. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages also rose from last week, however they remain considerably lower than they were at this time last year. The average fixed-rate mortgage rate required that a down-payment be made as pre-paid interest. The down payment was 8 percent of the mortgage.

Signs of economic recovery

The Labor Department reported the jobless rate to be 9.8 % although the good economic news that is making mortgage rates go up is employment. Private sector job creation is at its highest in three years for November. It has also gone up for 10 consecutive months which is good news. That is a good outlook to go forward with for markets. Prices are still going down for existing home sales although there has been an 11 % increase. Holiday spending has been really good in Nov. as well. This made the consumer confidence index go up to 54.1 percent.

Mortgage refinancing hurting

A side effect of rising mortgage rates is the apparent end to a mortgage refinancing window that homeowners took advantage of to the tune of nearly $1 trillion. Many people that may have thought they could benefit from record-low mortgage rates appear to be no longer interested in refinancing. Within the last week, there were 21.6 less applications according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Information from

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703377504575651044040571212.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LeftTopNews

The Chicago 77

thechicago77.com/2010/12/mortgage-rates-climb-on-good-economic-news/

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/Paper-Economy/2010/1202/Mortgage-rates-rise-driving-down-refi-applications

Last year's mortgage rates higher than this year

The fourth quarter is proving to be stronger than the third when it comes to the economy. Economic data is showing this with fixed mortgage rates. Freddie Mac reported that the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.46 percent as of Dec. 2, rising from 4.40 percent the week before. The fixed rate mortgage was around 4.71 percent a year ago. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages also rose from last week, but they remain considerably lower than they were at this time last year. Getting the average fixed-rate mortgage rate required a down payment of 8 percent of the mortgage amount charged as pre-paid interest.

Economy may recover

Employment is one of these things positive in the economy that is making it so mortgage rates go up. Even though the Labor Department reported 9.8 percent as the jobless rate in the latest jobs report, this is still the case. November private sector job creation was the highest in three years and has grown for 10 consecutive months. Markets interpret that as a positive outlook going forward. Prices are still going down for existing home sales although there has been an 11 percent increase. Holiday spending has been really good in November as well. This made the consumer confidence index go up to 54.1 percent.

Taking a hit with mortgage refinancing

A side effect of rising mortgage rates is the apparent end to a mortgage refinancing window that homeowners took advantage of to the tune of nearly $1 trillion. Benefitting from a lower mortgage is something many could do with refinancing. It seems like those people aren't interested anymore though. The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that the volume of mortgage refinance applications dropped 21.6 in the last week.

Information from

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703377504575651044040571212.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LeftTopNews

The Chicago 77

thechicago77.com/2010/12/mortgage-rates-climb-on-good-economic-news/

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/Paper-Economy/2010/1202/Mortgage-rates-rise-driving-down-refi-applications

Personel loans and installment loans for Memphis, Tennessee

2010-12-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

It could be downright simple to get payday advances and personal loan in Memphis. A installment loan could be your answer whenever you have an unpredicted expense. Your credit, and your account with a bank, will thank you for a cash until payday if you do not have many additional choices. Source for this article – Memphis, TN payday loans online by Money Blog Newz .

Memphis installment loans

Are you in need of short-term financial help? You might want to get some online payday loans then. You have option to choose from including an installment loans meaning you can use many paychecks to pay back your payday loan. That means you’ve an option when you need money. You are able to pay it back all at once or over time. Whichever your situation requires will be made accessible to you.

Memphis requirements for online pay day loan application

It only take a few minutes to apply for a payday cash loan online. Waiting for a few hours for your info to get verified in a store seems like a huge hassle. Only three minutes are needed for an online application. The 128-bit encryption keeps all of your details safe when our extensive network of lenders matches you with the best short term loans for your situation. Some kind of income needs to be proved. Also, a account with your bank and identification are required. You are still thanks for visiting apply for those who have a limited income or are a member of the military.

Need a quick unsecured loans when in Memphis?

There is a secret to short term loan in Memphis. You can save money with them. You may end up paying between 800 and 1,500 % interest with a single overdraft fee from your bank account. A bank overdraft or late payment could cost you quite a bit of money, not to mention damage on your credit report. In Memphis, you’ve the option of avoiding these fees and charges. A payday loan or unsecured personal loans can help. Payday cash advance loan help you with your credit score since you are able to still pay your bills on time. The next day you will have the money deposited into your account. That means no waiting like a traditional loan, and a more timely way to get you the money you need, whenever you need to spend it. It is really great. And it's easy. What are you waiting for? Apply!

More than 2 million Microsoft Kinect revenue in only 25 days

2010-12-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

When motion-controlled video games spring to mind, generally the next thing that follows is the Wii console. However, things haven’t been the very same recently, especially with the current release of the Microsoft Kinect motion-sensing video game program. Parent and kids alike are flooding into retailers across the country hoping to get their hands on a Kinect console that guarantees exciting brand new games and incredible improvements to the Xbox 360 gaming encounter.

Kinect already sells 2.5 million

Microsoft made an announcement Monday that 2.5 million Kinects have already been sold just after 25 days of launching it. This had been over Black Friday weekend. Before the holidays are over, the business expects that 5 million could have been sold.

“We are thrilled about the consumer response to Kinect,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, “and are working hard with our retail and manufacturing partners to expedite production and shipments of Kinect to restock shelves as fast as possible to keep up with demand.”

More than 60,000 stores in 38 countries sell the Kinect.

Microsoft Kinect – how it works

There is no need for hand controllers with the Microsoft Kinect. Hook up the Kinect to your Xbox-360. It turns into a voice-activated console for you. The best part about this is that it does more than that. There is a lot it does. Video recapturing and facial recognition is within the console as well. You can create digital artwork with it or select preferred TV shows. If you’re a fan of Xbox Live, you are going to love the brand new Kinect motion-sensing console even more. The Xbox Live experience gets even better since you use cameras and microphones to have a webcam chat with more than one friend at a time.

Reviews and sales for Kinect looking good

Since your body is the controller which is as opposed to the Wii and PlayStation Move, the Microsoft Kinect is loved by people. The next big thing in video games is likely to be motion-sensing consoles. This is shown in the fact that the Kinect has sold like hotcakes while reviews are amazing.

Articles cited

Kinect Sales

microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/nov10/11-29msxboxblackfridaymopr.mspx

Advance pay day loans for Scottsdale, Arizona

2010-12-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

Getting advance pay day loans in Scottsdale, Arizona, can be fast. It will take just six minutes to apply for a cash advance on the internet. Cash could possibly be accessible for your financial institution account in just a few hours from application to funding. Source for this article – The best Scottsdale, Arizona, payday loans by Money Blog Newz.

In Scottsdale, Arizona, you can get payday loans

It isn't too hard to determine payday loans. You are able to get them in Scottsdale, Arizona too. You apply for your internet loans with basic pieces of information. The best online payday loan for your situation could be matched right to you. It only takes a few hours to get the money deposited directly into your bank account. The money will be debited from your bank account as soon as your next payday or any repayment date you've agreed to comes. It is that simple to do. Cash loans when you need extra money, without stress and hassle.

Helping you protect your credit are online Scottsdale loans

Getting cash payday loans in Scottsdale could be a fast way to protect your credit when you’re in a tough situation. The most basic part of building or keeping good credit is paying your bills on time. When you’re facing a financial shortfall for any reason, that can make paying your bills on time difficult. An Arizona payday loan, built for Scottsdale, can help with that. Most often, online loan applications require no credit check. Combined with the fact they get you money when and where you need it, Scottsdale payday loans can help you rebuild, build or protect your credit rating.

How to pay back your Scottsdale, Arizona payday loan

It is easy to pay back your online payday loan after it has been deposited into your account with your bank. As you apply for payday loan online, you get to determine the terms and conditions. You will get to read through them before signing. You get to determine the repayment date. It can be more than one too. That means that you will know exactly when your payday loan payments come due. You don't have to drive around Scottsdale to pay it back. It is easier than that. It is easy to not even have to worry about. It is just debited from your banking account directly. You don't have to worry over it hardly at all. It is something you are able to plan for easily. You don't need to wait anymore. Why are you waiting? Just apply!

Marketplaces, partisans extreme heat over Obama tax compromise

2010-12-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

The Obama administration is willing to trade stretching the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes for a federal unemployment extension in a tax compromise announced Tuesday. The stock industry reacted positively to the deal. Indexes were higher than they had been since the monetary industry imploded. No matter for political figures, they carried on along party lines at the mere touch of compromise with the other side.

Facts encircling the tax compromise

The Bush tax cuts would be extended for all tax brackets for another 2 years with the tax compromise the Obama administration put together. The Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire Dec. 31. It would have another year about the federal unemployment extension also. Republicans want the estate tax entirely gone as Congress allowed it to die this year although it would be renewed with the tax compromise. Instead of stretching the Stimulus Act income tax cut that Republicans wanted, the tax compromise proposed a payroll tax cut that reduces Social Security contributions from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent.

All the bipartisanship is good for the Sector

The stock industry went up to nice numbers again Tuesday due to the tax compromise by the Obama administration. It hadn't been that good on Wall Street since the monetary crisis started within the United States of America in Sept 2008. Congress has yet to pass the tax compromise, although it seems likely. After a fantastic November, the stock market is doing better too. Many started thinking riskier investments were a good idea again. That means that there’s a greater yield out of bonds that are costing less now. There was a resurgence in United States of America marketplaces which is great for the United States with news of the tax compromise.

Politicians keep their blinders on

Despite good response within the real world, extremists in Congress are vowing to contest the tax compromise. Comments from liberal Democrats about the tax compromise ranged from “a moral outrage” to “an absolute disaster.”. Legislation might see a filibuster. This is what Bernie Sanders, D-Vt. vows to do. Some Republicans are really unwilling to compromise. They say that the Obama administration getting anything is an outrage. Since more than 2 million jobless Americans are likely to lose unemployment benefits on Dec. 31, Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., talked to Fox News and explained the GOP can't support it anymore.

Citations

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2010/1207/Tax-compromise-Obama-finally-sets-a-bipartisan-model

Fox News

foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/07/bipartisan-heat-obamas-tax-cut-compromise/

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/12/08/business/08markets.html?_r=1&src=busln

Houston prosecutors silent on death penalty constitutionality

2010-12-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

The constitutionality of the death penalty is the topic of the hour before TX courts, writes the Houston Chronicle. As the Houston Chronicle indicates, some TX lawmakers aren’t too keen on the idea of the death penalty being labeled unconstitutional. The lack of commitment on the part of Harris County prosecutors is reportedly on order straight from District Attorney Pat Lykos, who’s waiting to see where the winds blow concerning whether the death penalty is unconstitutional. Post resource – Texas prosecutors stand mute over state of death penalty yet by Money Blog Newz.

May hurt innocent existence with death penalty

25-year old John Edward green is facing the death penalty after being accused of a 2008 slaying and robbery that happened in southwest Houston. It is the first time, though, that the constitutionality of the death penalty has been argued with the context of killing a man that might be innocent in TX legal history. The defense team for Green is still fighting. They say he is totally innocent.

The defense team is arguing the death penalty is unconstitutional. This has brought the case to a deadlock with the decision made by Pat Lykos and the prosecution to stand mute as a response. At first, the criminal prosecution was not allowed to endure mute by District Judge Kevin Fine although he changed his mind later allowing the case to continue while the prosecution refuses to cross-examine or call witnesses while the defense presents its case.

“It’s arrogant, and it’s contemptuous for the state to decide to not participate when they’re trying to put my client to death,” said defense lawyer Casey Keirnan while in court.

Prosecution suggests it’s pointless to argue against the death penalty for Green

The death penalty unconstitutionality hearing left the Hearris County prosecutors standing mute. They stated, "the law surrounding the death penalty is well-settled" before submitting to silence though. Furthermore, the criminal prosecution stated its position that because the defendant had yet to be convicted thus far, he "lacks standing" to dispute whether the death penalty is unconstitutional.

Articles cited

Houston Chronicles

chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7327353.html

What Texans know about the death penalty

youtube.com/watch?v=SJ6mje5etlc

8 percent UC educational costs rise approved for fall 2011

2010-12-07T09:44:00.000-08:00

Higher education is an costly proposition, and because of the University of California Board of Regents, it’s going to become more costly for students to obtain a University of CA education. According to the Associated Press, a plan was approved today that will raise student tuition by 8 percent in fall 2011. On the bright side, financial aid could be made available to more students. Article resource – Eight percent UC tuition hike approved for fall 2011 by Money Blog Newz.

UC tuition hike not the first this year

Thanks to the University of California tuition hike, California residents will pay $822 more per academic year, which on average will put the annual amount at more than $11,000. University of California implemented a 32 % tuition hike earlier within the year already, adding this new amount on top of that one. $180 million revenue boost is expected from this tuition hike. Financial aid will boost by only one 3rd of that total amount.

Earlier this month, the California State University system approved a tuition increase of 15.5 %. Beginning the Fall semester of 2011 the average tuition increase will go from about $4,230 to $4,884.

Students arrested after protests

One day before the University of California Board of Regents agreed to this rise at their headquarters in San Francisco, numerous protests began from angry students trying to halt the increase. 11 students and 2 others were arrested because the protests got out of hand. Numerous officers had to use pepper spray to keep the children at bay while one officer really went as far as drawing his gun. "The increase is unFEElievable" could be heard in unison from the protesters as the board sat inside and finalized their decision.

Not much hope for UC students

Saema Adeeb, UC Merced biosciences major said that her family made too much to qualify for financial aid, and with this boost can't afford to put her via school, so she might not be able to return next year as outlined by the San Francisco Gate. Even the president of UCLA, Jasmine Hill, told the board that students are shoplifting just to eat because they can't afford the schooling price as it is.

Citations

Washington Examiner

washingtonexaminer.com/local/ap/university-of-california-regents-vote-on-fee-hike-108892974.html

San Francisco Gate

sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/17/MNEO1GDLBJ.DTL

America’s corporate universities

youtube.com/watch?v=9iopSdBFchM

Google Editions and read everywhere e-books can conquer readers

2010-12-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

As soon as after-Christmas shoppers are looking for a good electronic book, Google Editions will reportedly be prepared for them. Google wanted to have its ebook retailing operations ready by summer 2010, however technical and legal barriers stood within the way, reports the Wall Street Journal. However such is no longer the case, and a winter launch of Google Editions can make large waves within the e-book market, specifically with Google’s "read anywhere" format. Source for this article – Google Editions to debut read anywhere e-books by Money Blog Newz.

Impartial booksellers and Google Editions collectively

By the end of the first quarter, Google Editions is expected to debut nationally after making alliances with many independent booksellers. It will appear in the United States before New Year's Day too. "Exchanging files" with Google is something many publishers have been doing. This is what Google product management director, Scott Dougal, says. According to publishing industry insiders, this is a sign that Google Editions is very close to launch.

Going for more than just e-books

The electronic book Google Editions uses is very different from the competition. This is important since 65 percent of the e-book sector is held by Amazon.com. It doesn't matter where a consumer buys Google Editions. It will still tie to a person's Google account after being bought. Customers are able to access electronic books with a web browser whether it is with a laptop, tablet, smartphone or desktop.

Any Kindle software could be used to read Amazon.com books, which is nice. However, the Amazon.com store is mostly the only place where books could be purchased. There are other titles accessible. They are free usually.

Share for impartial bookseller’s presently cloudy

Getting compensation could be the determining factor as to which independent booksellers work with Google Editions. Google doesn't know yet what revenue percentage will be offered. Furthermore, the identities and number of bookselling partners for Google Editions is also uncertain, although the American Booksellers Association told the Wall Street Journal that more than 200 independent booksellers within the United States of America might be connected at launch. If Google can get major booksellers like Borders and Barnes & Noble to feature Google Editions content, it could possibly be in line to dominate the e-book field quickly.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704369304575632602305759466.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

PC sales forecasts in 2010 dented by iPad craze

2010-12-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

The 2010 PC product sales forecast has been revised downward from first projections. Apple’s introduction of the iPad and the imitators that have followed are taking sales from PC manufacturers. The Personal Computer time could be coming to a conclusion, given the increased acceptance of tablets and other technology such as hosted virtual desktops. Article source – iPad popularity leads to reduction in 2010 PC sales forecast by Money Blog Newz.

Paying more for tablets than PCs in 2010

Monday was when the global 2010 PC product sales were cut for its prediction. This is what Gartner did as a tech research firm. There was a huge change in Personal Computer sales. This was since the Apple iPad tablet came out. Future sales of tablet imitators riding on the iPad’s coattails are also expected to cut into PC sales going forward. Gartner changed what the 2010 Personal Computer product sales from 2009 were. It went from 17.9 percent to 14.3 percent now. The growth in 2011 of PC sales was changed by Gartner also. It went down to 15.9 percent from the 18.1 percent it was originally. By 2014, PC product sales are intended to have 10 percent changed by tablets.

Why Personal Computer sales are declining

Because of the weak employment and uncertain business climate, the Personal Computer sales already were suffering before Apple's iPad. You will find already more iPads selling than Apple Macintosh computers. This can be a big change. Personal computers haven't been able to innovate as much since the volume increase and price decrease has been the focus although Gartner points out that PC's are necessary. Earlier this year, Apple CEO Steve Jobs compared the migration from Personal computers to tablets to the time when family automobiles displaced farmer’s trucks in the 20th century.

Are Personal computers going to be gone?

There is another reason Personal Computer product sales have gone down. Hosted virtual desktops (HVDs) are another reason. Businesses prefer HVDs because employees can use cheap terminals linked to a virtual machine running on a back-end server. With HVDs, IT departments can deploy apps and fix operating systems without having to fiddle with individual units. Big business providers for instance HP and Dell are expected to take a major hit as this trend gains momentum. 85 percent of Windows on new PCs comes from Microsoft. The company is going to have to change things too.

Information from

Computerworld

computerworld.com/s/article/9198381/Tablets_expected_to_clobber_PC_sales_in_2011?taxonomyId=12

Apple Insider

appleinsider.com/articles/10/11/29/tablets_like_apples_ipad_expected_to_displace_10_of_pcs_in_2014.html

San Francisco Chronicle

sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/11/29/businessinsider-business-pc-market-strong-today-but-watch-out-2010-11.DTL

Medvedev alerts new arms race may be impending

2010-12-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

Al Jazeera writes that at a 2009 arms conference, Vladimir Putin said Russia had to keep generating nuclear weapons to keep pace with Washington, so that it could not simply do "whatever it wants". President Medvedev seems to be in agreement. He explained that if Russia and NATO cannot reach agreement on the details of the system, a brand new arms race will result. Medvedev would like Russia to be an equal partner with NATO in developing a continental missile shield, or else it will prepare for the worst.

New arms not taken lightly by Russia

The comments made by Medvedev show his opinion clearly. The new arms race isn't something he takes lightly. The talke about the scenario, "Very grave" was how he explained it. It seemed like Medvedev still would like to work with NATO. A missile defense system and the sharing of intelligence would be part of that.

Al Jazeera explains that Russia and NATO cannot agree which nations are nuclear treats. While the United States point the finger at Iran and North Korea, Russia sees those nations as "relatively harmless within the near future.". The most serious concern Russia has over the missile defense system is that it could possibly be transformed into an offensive system that could literally rain down nuclear missiles and bombs. President Medvedev is requiring a legally binding agreement that stipulates that a NATO-aligned missile defense shield will never set its sights on Russia, said Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer to the AFP news organization.

Batman and Robin being observed here

Al Jazeera's Moscow correspondent Neave Barker explained that even though Putin's speech in Lisbon this past year seemed to lead very nicely into Medvedev's address, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seems to be really in charge as discovered by Dmitry Medvedev's firm. United States of America documents released by WikiLeaks suggest that Putin is Batman and Medvedev is Robin leaving Medvedev not on top when starting a new arms race.

Details from

Al Jazeera English

english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/11/20101130124811926553.html

Coverage of Medvedev address by Russia Today

youtube.com/watch?v=9pduEpB8cgs

Doctrine Man sheds light on standard protocol with satire

2010-12-04T03:04:00.000-08:00

"Doctrine Man" is a comic superhero whose crusade against the military establishment is spreading via Facebook. United States of America military staff across the world follow Doctrine Man’s exploits. The strip has even been seen submitted on bulletin boards at the Pentagon. The Doctrine Man Facebook updates carry on a long custom in the military of using sardonic humor to cope with a life of rigorous discipline.

Doctrine Man gets it

Last summer Doctrine Man appeared on Facebook, created by an Army offer.As outlined by the newest York Times, the officer (who’ll remain anonymous) was working with people that "just didn't get it" and he needed an outlet to vent his frustrations. He leaves names out of the mix, but he takes a hit at military doctrine in a comical way from experiences he has had with everyone he comes in contact with who meet his cartoon criteria. He said the Doctrine Man Facebook updates spark dialogue with other officers with whom he discusses issues via private e-mail. He does give details that needs to be passed on to his superiors and lets them deal with it how they see fit.

Doctrine Man Facebook status changes

The Doctrine Man comic strip is drawn in stick figures, but the message is more significant than the graphics. ”Able to leap useless acronyms with a single bound, faster than a lumbering field manual, more powerful than a cheese enchilada in a staff huddle,” is the saying used to describe the hero in this comic. Some of the events that have been seen in this comic are things like an officer selecting someone for a special assignment by throwing a book at the first person passing, a military member wearing a Hawaiian shirt in combat, and the military's endless efforts to make the war zone feel like home.

Life isn't so serious after all

Doctrine Man is the latest in a long line of satirical portrayals of the common grunt accepting his fate with ironic humor. When in Europe during WWII, Willie and Joe cartoons were made by Bill Mauldin. Richard Hookers "MASH" and Joseph Heller's "Catch-22" are a few comics that started out that were and were ultimately turned into huge hits. When it comes to comic strips, Doctrine Man might be considered the thinking soldier’s “Beetle Bailey,” which has been drawn by a number of artists since it started in 1950.

Details from

Facebook

facebook.com/pages/Doctrine-Man/110598432306650

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/11/19/us/19pentagon.html?src=twrhp

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Mauldin

JPMorgan Chase responsible in Madoff fraud, says Trustee

2010-12-04T00:44:00.000-08:00

One of the largest financial and investment corporations within the U.S. is now within the cross hairs of the Bernie Madoff scandal. It has been declared via press release that Irving Picard, the trustee for liquidation of Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS), is filing a grievance in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York against several arms of Chase, including banks and securities companies. Picard seeks to recuperate $1 billion in fees and profits, plus $5.4 billion in damages for Madoff clients, from Chase bank, previously BLMIS’ primary lender. Based on Trustee council allegations, JPMorgan Chase is accountable of aiding and abetting Bernie Madoff in cheating consumers out of many billions of dollars. Article resource – Trustee Irving Picard sues JPMorgan Chase for M! adoff fraud by Money Blog Newz.

Chase bank may have experienced Ponzi plan surrounding it

David Shehan said, “JP Morgan was willfully blind to the scams, even after learning about numerous red flags surrounding Madoff." He is the court-appointed counsel for Irving Picard. Bernie Madoff's investing plan involved lots of different financial institutions. Sheehan explains that JP Morgan Chase was probably the most involved financial institute though even after seeing all the warning signs over 20 years that things were going wrong. Despite what the prosecution calls overwhelming evidence, JPMorgan Chase says it "simply continued to collect fees and derive profit." The Madoff Ponzi scheme wouldn't have been able to take place with JP Morgan Chase, states Sheehan.

Currently, almost all financial data involved within the grievance is filed under seal with the Bankruptcy Court. All the details are considered confidential by JP Morgan Chase. Picard is fighting for the seal to be removed as soon as possible.

Madoff’s main account was held by JPMorgan Chase

Sheehan suggests that Chase ought to have realized that something unreal was not taking place when internal bank account records of cash were being moved was a lot. Everyone who supports Picard things that JP Morgan Chase should have exposed the fraud on its own since the FTC found suspicious activity easily.

Articles cited

PR Newswire

prnewswire.com/news-releases/trustee-for-liquidation-of-bernard-l-madoff-investment-securities-charges-jpmorgan-chase-madoffs-primary-banker-with-enabling-massive-fraud-111203234.html

Recent interview with Irving Picard re. SIPC Insurance

youtube.com/watch?v=KP6tH4HVzEY

Special occasion money saving suggestions 2010 - Spending budget, discount and shop

2010-12-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

It is the season to go shopping! Every person knows that the holidays are the best time to go out there and take advantage of all the sweet deals offered at ridiculously low prices. On the other hand, the holidays may also be a time of hardship, as many people are nevertheless unemployed. Then, we also have those who wait until the last minute to come up with a game plan on ways to save special occasion money. Rest assured, however, that there are simple things you can do right now to save for the holidays. Just stay focused and things will work out nicely.

A holiday money budget sheet

Make sure you know how much you are able to spend when you are getting together your holiday money. Your monthly expenses, like food, rent, gas and utilities, have to be figured out first. You need to stick with whatever you end up coming up with to spend. You might want about $50 for unexpected expenditures that come up.

Make a list and stick to it

On your list, you need to write who you're going to get presents for. Any person you are getting anything for should be on there. Go over the list, make a list of what you need to get each person on the list instead of going overboard and picking things that won't be used. What’s the point of spending money on something that will only collect dust?

Remember, you can skip getting individual gifts and get one item for an entire family or group.

Bargain shop with your holiday money

Once you’ve your list in place and know exactly what you want to buy, it’s time to go hunting. You are able to look online for deals as you will find a lot of online places. Comparison buying is the most important thing you are able to do. You don’t want to settle on the first sweet offer only to beat yourself up later because you can have saved more money somewhere else. Start early, but take your time also. It is only going to be a little when longer that you will find great holiday savings. Make sure you budget and get ready.

Research suggests service personnel indifferent to Don't Ask Don't Tell policy

2010-12-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

A Pentagon study revealed that most service members Don't care if the DADT policy is repealed or not. Members of the armed forces think that a Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal wouldn’t actually affect anything. Surveys and polls in recent years indicate that the majority of Americans are in favor of repealing it. Article resource – Study indicates service personnel indifferent to DADT policy by Money Blog Newz.

Those within the service shown in research to not care

ABC accounts that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates did a study in the Pentagon which showed the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy to be one that the majority of service personal don't even care about. The finding from the study was leaked some time ago by the Washington Post, much to the consternation of Gates, though it seems the govt has been having a problem with leaked documents recently. The leaked portion of the study included the finding that 70 percent of respondents did not believe that DADT repeal would actually have any impact on anything in the military. About 400,000 service members got the survey. There were 150,000 spouses of military employees who got it too. It didn't have much of a response. Only 30 percent did respond.

Most Americans support the repeal of the DADT law

Polls and surveys from the last few years have been indicating that more Americans are for the repeal of the DADT policy. The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is something a CNN poll showed 70 percent of The United States wanted and a Pew Research poll said 58 percent of Americans want. This is reported by CNN. Those who responded to the survey are all that are truly analyzed by polls and statistics. This might be inaccurate for how the country as a whole feels on the subject. However, it does appear that more individuals are for getting rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”.

Settling shortly

This issue will likely be settled in the next legislative session. Debate raged over “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and allowing homosexuals to serve for years. For years it was known that one might be discharged for being homosexual. An order came from President Truman when the military was segregated too. Racial discrimination was ended within the military then.

Citations

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Politics/pentagon-release-review/story?id=12270535&page=1

CNN

cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/30/military.gay.policy/index.html?hpt=T1

Googletown strategies revealed by community press

2010-12-03T00:04:00.000-08:00

Search giant Google might have the right idea when it comes to capturing its workers close to home with its most recent big idea: Googletown. Whether Google calls it "Googletown" (as Gawker has suggested) or some other variation, the Google town should prove to be a good move financially for both the company and its workers. Happy living creates happy employees. Post resource – Googletown – A company town for Google employees by Money Blog Newz.

The tradition of Googletown

As the San Jose Mercury News accurately points out, the concept of Googletown (or "Google city") is not a new idea. "Company towns" have been a part of various countries for a while. The city of Pullman for Pullman Palace Car Company employees had been created as far back as the 1880s. Like Pullman, Chicago, on performance-enhancing drugs, Googletown would offer Google employees and their families sporting facilities, child care, gourmet shops, restaurants and the all-important housing, writes Gawker.

Pyramids: the inspiration

"The equivalent of more than two TransAmerica Pyramids," is how Gawker describes the Google concept. Googletown is slated to be in Silicon Valley by NASA Ames/Moffett Field. Ames Field will consist of 180,000 square feet of housing on the 42 acre development. Mountain View Calif., is the site of where more housing and retain shops are to be built. Nevertheless, before more could be built there would have to be a change in zoning laws. While the contractor responsible for any Mountain View projects has not been confirmed, Google will use its own developer – Planetary Ventures – for the Ames Field work.

Farming employees

The current economy forces many people to live far distances from work and pay a lot of money to get back and forth in any weather. Google employees will be easily accessible by living close, and won't have to pay huge transportation costs. Considering that Google pays its employees millions of dollars in retention bonuses not to defect to other companies like Twitter and Facebook, spending millions more to keep them close to home makes sense – so long as Google’s rise to prominence isn’t really merely the rise of one more bubble set to burst.

Details from

Gawker

gawker.com/5690618/google-is-assembling-a-city

Mercury News

mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16586782?nclick_check=1&forced=true

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_town

Federal pay freeze - The next step in financial duty

2010-12-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

In the mind of Obama, a government pay lock-up is probably the most fiscally responsible next thing toward taming the federal deficit. It is projected that this move will save the United States of America $28 billion within five years and $60 billion over the next decade. This would affect all civilian federal employees, however active military could be excluded.

Too much for the federal pay freeze?

Jeffrey Zients, the deputy director of the Obama administration’s Office of Management and Budget, touted the federal pay freeze plan – which must nevertheless be approved by Congress – as a major belt-tightening. Things that the administration things the government needs to do in order to get financial ground again for the Unites States was commented on by Zients. "It is a first of many difficult steps ahead," he stated.

Unnecessary careers and spending being cut

“Fiscal responsibility” has been the buzzwords of late within the nation’s capital as govt seeks to find methods to pare back deficit just spending. Over 250,000 non-military contractor positions and 200,000 government careers could be eliminated within the next decade with the unpopular plan that former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wy.) and former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles' came up with. President Obama has avoided such dramatic tactics and focused more on the just spending reductions that could possibly be obtained via a moratorium on earmarks.

The reason why to not use a federal pay lock-up

Numerous WA, D.C., insiders believe that Obama’s government pay lock-up is much more a symbolic gesture than anything of great financial meaning. A pay lock-up would also make it so government jobs do not get talented employees anymore. Yet others think the symbolic gesture by the president is precisely what is needed. It appears like the government is extending a peace offering. That may be how it is taken.

Paying much more than ever before for workers of the govt

The number of government employees making over $150,000 a year was discovered by USA Today to have gone up. Over the past 5 years, the number has grown tenfold, and it has doubled since Obama took office. This change has partly to do with doctors. At veteran's hospitals, they’re considered a government employee. Considering the United States is mired in 2 ongoing wars, the workload has increased.

Articles cited

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/29/federal-pay-freeze-obama_n_789141.html

Willow Palin assaults critic with obscene Facebook post

2010-11-26T21:24:00.000-08:00

Based on TMZ, Sarah Palin’s 16-year-old daughter Willow Palin had been sick and tired of one critic of her family’s reality TV show "Sarah Palin’s Alaska". Facebook user Tre, who attended school with the Palin girls, updated his status with the message that the show had been "failing hard". TMZ indicates that Willow Palin took a swing at Tre on his wall with various homophobic slurs. Post resource – Willow Palin attacks critic with obscene Facebook post by Personal Money Store.

Tre gets a weird reaction from Willow Pallin

Willow Palin is just one of those in the Palin family that might be just a little hurt by "Sarah Palin's Alaska" which television critics have torn down. This one was different for her though. Willow Palin had a different way to check out things. On Tre’s Facebook wall, Willow let loose:

“Haha your so gay. I have no idea who you are, But what I’ve seen pictures of, your disgusting … My sister had a kid and is still hot.”

"Tre stfu. Your such a f**got.”

“You’re running your mouth just to talk sh*t.”

That's what began the war. She wasn't thinking. She began something there. Then a Facebook user Jon got it from Bristol Palin who is on "Dancing with the Stars," abstinence talk and Levi Johnston:

“You’ll be as successful as my baby daddy, And actually I do work my ass off. I’ve been a single mom for the last 2 yrs.”

Possible future president getting in on it

TMZ explains that "baby bear defending Mama Grizzly" is all that is happening although Sarah Palin's campaign for 2012 president hasn't been helped by this. To punctuate Bristol’s barb, Willow Palin came back to write:

“Sorry that you guys are all jealous of my families success and you also guys aren’t goin to go anywhere with your lives.”

Irritated becoming more irritated

For Willow Palin’s sake, let’s hope none of the angered Facebook crowd packs heat like Vermont’s Steven Cowan. Bristol Palin had been expected to get kicked off "DWTS" by now. Of course, when she wasn't, Cowan got really angry. He really ended up shooting the television between that, high mental health problems and his financial stress. He was also very stressed financially and had a problem with his mental health. He ended up shooting the TV with his shotgun. Cowan had been arrested after a 15-hour standoff with Dane County Police.

Citations

TMZ

tmz.com/2010/11/16/sarah-palin-willow-palin-homophobic-slur-facebook-attack-sarah-palins-alaska-dancing-with-the-stars-tlc/

Wisconsin State Journal

host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/article_3a5b6914-f1ce-11df-80f8-001cc4c002e0.html

How not to reign in Willow Palin’s boyfriend

youtube.com/watch?v=T5d6wYgTzXc

One billion individuals cannot pay for any healthcare

2010-11-25T19:44:00.000-08:00

One billion people globally are unable to afford health care, states the World Health Organization. In addition, the high cost of health care drags about 100 million to the pits of poverty every year, accounts Reuters.

Nations that cannot pay for health care must improve efficiency

The WHO’s worldwide report on health care pays particular attention to financing, as the number of countries with large numbers of individuals who cannot afford medical care has growth considerably. Considering solutions to increase efficiency, use taxes, and fund-raising measures for making medical care more affordable and less poverty-inducing; are of vital importance, particularly if universal coverage is to be the ultimate goal.

David Evans, the WHO’s director of health systems financing, said in a media briefing that the current state of health care worldwide forces people to choose between a rock and a hard place.

"When (health services) are not affordable, it means you either choose not really to use them or you suffer severe financial hardship," he said.

World Health Organization intends to enhance worldwide medical care

World Health Organization has a method to stop those paying for medical care now to continue getting it instead of getting into poverty. The group states that the country's total medical care spending amounts ought to have out of pocket payments between 15 and 20 percent. You will find 33 low-to middle-income countries right now that pay way too much in out of pocket payments. Over 50 percent is paid for them. If governments can diversify their revenue sources – sin taxes, currency transaction taxes and wealth taxes are suggested in the report – the spending numbers would reportedly shrink.

Not really utilizing health care properly

Compounding the problem of 1 billion individuals world health organization can’t afford healthcare is medical care squander. According to WHO director general Margaret Chan, 20 percent to 40 percent of all global medical care spending is wasted through purchase of costly, unnecessary drugs and treatments. Lack of proper medical training also contributes to such inefficiency. The medical care dilemma can't be solved with quick answers which we know when we look at the fact that 67 times more than the international average for medicine is paid by some countries.

“There is no magic bullet to achieving universal access," said Chan. "Nevertheless, a wide range of experiences from around the world suggests that countries can move forward faster.”

Articles cited

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AL1GV20101122

The need for health care reform in India

youtube.com/watch?v=dPsX46Svjmo

The WHO confirms a most horrifying trend in their recent study: 1 billion people can’t afford paid medical care of any kind. Reuters accounts the problem is even more complicated than that, however. Every year, the high cost of medical care takes 100 million paying customers into the arms of poverty. Post resource – One billion people cannot afford health care, says WHO by Personal Money Store.

Increasing performance is what countries that cannot pay for health care must do

There is apparently more nations that have many people but cannot pay for medical care which is why financing is 1 of the biggest things WHO’s global report on health care focuses on. Considering methods to increase performance, use taxes, and fund-raising measures to make medical care more affordable and less poverty-inducing; are of vital importance, particularly if universal coverage is to be the ultimate goal.

Who's director of health systems financing in David Evans. He explained that individuals end up making the decision to go without medical care due to the current state of health care worldwide.

"When (health services) aren’t affordable, it means you either choose not really to use them or you suffer severe financial hardship," he said.

World Health Organization intends to enhance worldwide health care

The WHO suggests that 15 to 20 percent of health care spending comes out of pocket for a country's total health spending which is how those who do pay for health care will not stop. More than 50 percent of total medical care spending is from direct payments in 33 low-to middle-income nations right now. With the suggestion of sin, taxes, currency transaction taxes and wealth taxes in the report that governments could diversify their revenue sources with, there ought to be less spent.

The wrong way to use medical care

Medical care is wasted when there are one billion individuals world health organization cannot afford to get it. According to World Health Organization director general Margaret Chan, 20 percent to 40 percent of all global medical care spending is wasted through purchase of costly, unnecessary drugs and treatments. Lack of proper medical training also contributes to such inefficiency. The medical care dilemma cannot be solved with quick answers which we know when we look at the truth that 67 times more than the international average for medicine is paid by some countries.

“There is no magic bullet to achieving universal access," said Chan. "Nevertheless, a wide range of experiences from all over the world suggests that nations can move forward faster.”

Details from

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AL1GV20101122

The need for health care reform in India

youtube.com/watch?v=dPsX46Svjmo

Wi-Fi signals are harming trees, claims Netherlands research

2010-11-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Wi-Fi radiation is damaging trees, claims PC World. A recent Netherlands study conducted by Wageningen University found that Wi-Fi radiation can alter growth patterns and trigger bleeding and fissures in growing sapling bark. Based on the research, "all deciduous trees in the Western world are affected".

Wi-Fi research found abnormalities that could not be caused by bacteria and viruses

The five-year Wageningen University Wi-Fi study focused on trees in the Netherlands city of Alphen aan den Rijn. Due to Wi-Fi electromagnetic radiation, 70 percent of urban area trees have symptoms while development and irregularities were shown in only 10 percent of trees when the study for begun.

Due to the overall production of radiation from satellite equipment and Wi-Fi on trucks and automobiles with radio along with all the mobile phone networks, the trees and shrubs were hurt while the ultra-fine particles emitted by Wi-Fi signals were studied by Wageningen as well. Organisms like trees and shrubs get the particles in them very easily thinking about the ultra-fine particles are so small. Human beings could be in danger with this. Other plants and animals are a concern too. There has not been a definite study published on the impact on human beings yet although lots of evidence would suggest the human cells react badly to the radiation.

Does Wi-Fi cost you too much?

The environment needs trees and shrubs. The USDA Forest Service explains the importance. Wi-Fi might be an essential platform for commercial and personal communication, but if trees and shrubs start to die in large numbers, here’s what the world will miss:

No trees to absorb pollutants from the air.
Property value wouldn't increase because of the trees on it.
Neighborhood and business appeal would no longer be there.
Cities would not be cooled by trees and shrubs anymore.
No trees to afford the $250 average annual savings U.S. households that depend on sapling shade enjoy.
Trees and shrubs save the U.S. millions by reducing pollutants within the water supply. This could no longer happen.
Animals would not have trees and shrubs to live in anymore.

Citations

PC World

pcworld.com/article/211219/study_says_wifi_makes_trees_sick.html?tk=rss_news

Forestry

in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/Fo-Top10ReasonsWe_NeedTrees0709.pdf

BBC special report on Wi-Fi and cellular radiation

youtube.com/watch?v=4QJpbQTb2Uo