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How to Save Money

2009-09-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Saving money is one of those tasks that's so much easier said than done. There's more to it than spending less money (although that part alone can be challenging). How much money will you save, where will you put it, and how can you make sure it stays there? Here's how to set realistic goals, keep your spending in check, and pay yourself first.

Steps

Set savings goals. For short-term goals, this is easy. If you want to buy a video game, find out how much it costs; if you want to buy a house, determine how much of a down payment you’ll need. For long-term goals, such as retirement, you’ll need to do a lot more planning (figuring out how much money you’ll need to live comfortably for 20 or 30 years after you stop working), and you’ll also need to figure out how investments will help you achieve your goals.
- Kill your debt first. Simply calculating how much you spend each month on your debts will illustrate that eliminating debt is the fastest way to free up money. Once the money is freed from debt payment, it can easily be re-purposed to savings.
Establish a timeframe. For example: "I want to be able to buy a house two years from today." Set a particular date for accomplishing shorter-term goals, and make sure the goal is attainable within that time period. If it’s not attainable, you’ll just get discouraged.
Figure out how much you’ll have to save per week, per month, or per paycheck to attain each of your savings goals. Take each thing you want to save for and figure out how much you need to start saving now. For most savings goals, it’s best to save the same amount each period. For example, if you want to put a $20,000 down payment on a home in 36 months (three years), you’ll need to save about $550 per month every month. But if your paychecks amount to $1000, it might not be a realistic goal, so adjust your timeframe until you come up with an approachable amount.
Keep a record of your expenses. What you save falls between two activities and their difference: how much you make and how much you spend. Since you have more control over how much you spend, it's wise to take a critical look at your expenses. Write down everything you spend your money on for a couple weeks or a month. Be as detailed as possible, and try not to leave out small purchases. Assign each purchase or expenditure a category such as: Rent, Car insurance, Car payments, Phone Bill, Cable Bill, Utilities, Gas, Food, Entertainment, etc.
- Keep a small notebook with you at all times. Get in the habit of recording every expense and saving the receipts.
- Sit down once a week with your small notebook and receipts. Record your expenses in a larger notebook or a spreadsheet program.
Trim your expenses. Take a good, hard look at your spending records after a month or two have passed. You’ll probably be surprised when you look back at your record of expenses: $300 on ice cream, $100 on parking tickets? You’ll likely see some obvious cuts you can make. Depending on how much you need to save, however, you may need to make some difficult decisions. Think about your priorities, and make cuts you can live with. Calculate how much those cuts will save you per year, and you'll be much more motivated to pinch pennies.
- Can you move to a less expensive apartment or house? Can you refinance your mortgage?
- Can you consolidate your debts so that you're not paying as much interest?
- Can you save money on gas, or give up a car altogether? If your family has multiple cars, can you bring it down to one?
- Can you get a better price on insurance? Call around and make sure you are getting the best price you can. Consider taking a higher deductible, too.
- Can you drop a land line and either only use your cell phone or save money by calling over the internet for free with services such as Skype?
- Can you live without cable or satellite TV?
- Can you cut down on your utility bills?
- Can you restrict eating out? Buy food in bulk? Start using coupons? Cook more at home? You might be able to save a lot of money on food.
Reassess your savings goals. Subtract your expenses (the ones you can't live without) from your take-home income (i.e. after taxes have been taken out). What is the difference? And does it match up with your savings goals? Let's say you've decided you can definitely get by on $1500 per month, and your paychecks amount to $2300 per month. That leaves you with $800 to save. If there’s absolutely no way you can fit all your savings goals into your budget, take a look at what you’re saving for and cut the less important things or adjust the timeframe. Maybe you need to put off buying a new car for another year, or maybe you don’t really need a big-screen TV that badly.
Make a budget. Once you’ve managed to balance your earnings with your savings goals and spending, write down a budget so you’ll know each month or each paycheck how much you can spend on any given thing or category of things. This is especially important for expenses which tend to fluctuate, or which you know you're going to have a particularly hard time restricting. (E.g. "I will only spend $30 a month on movies/chocolate/coffee/etc.")
Stop using credit cards. Pay for everything with cash or money orders. Don't even use checks. It's easier to overspend when you're pulling from a bank or credit account because you don't know exactly how much is in there. If you have cash, you can see your supply running low. You can even bundle up the predetermined amount of cash allocated for each expense with a label or keep separate jars for each expense (e.g. a bundle/jar for coffee, another for gas, another for miscellaneous). As you pull money from a jar for that particular expense, you'll see how much remains and you'll also be reminded of your limit.
- If you need to have credit cards but you don't want the temptation of having them available to use day-to-day, restrict that section of your wallet with a note or picture reminding you of your savings goals.
- Credit cards are not inherently evil; it's all about your self control. If you use them responsibly (i.e. completely pay them off every month), you can benefit from them. But the reason most credit card companies make money, however, is because people end up spending money that they don't have. Unless you are one of the people who can religiously pay off the balance in full every month, you're better off foregoing the promotions that credit card companies use to lure you in (cash back, introductory APR, airline miles, and so on).
Open an interest-bearing savings account. It’s a lot easier to keep track of your savings if you have them separate from your spending money. You can also usually get better interest on savings accounts than on checking accounts (if you get interest on your checking account at all). Consider higher-interest options such as CDs or money-market accounts for longer savings goals.
Know where your money is. And how much of it, too. If you accidentally overdraw your bank account, you will incur hefty bank fees; worse yet, the place you paid with that check may slap a bounced check fee on top of that, and send the check in again, resulting in a second overdraft fee from the bank! So just a few cents missing to cover that check could result in over $100 in fees. To avoid that, you should always know how much money you've got in your account(s), so you never cut a check for more than what you have.
- Look into checking and savings accounts that pay interest. Also, consider CDs (certificates of deposit) for longer-term savings with low risk.
Pay yourself first. Savings should be your priority, so don’t just say that you’ll save whatever’s left over at the end of the month. Deposit savings into an account (or your piggybank) as soon as you get paid. An easy, effective way to start saving is to simply deposit 10% of every check in a savings account. If you get a check or sum of cash, say 710.68, move the decimal point one place to the left and deposit that amount: 71.07. This works well and requires little thought; over several years, you've a tidy sum in savings. Over decades, you'll be a millionaire.
- You can set up an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account.
- Many employers allow you to deduct savings from your paycheck. The money is directly deposited in your savings account so you never even see it on your paycheck.
- You can also have investments for retirement taken directly out of your pay, and the taxes may be deferred with this option.

Video

Tips

Always OVER estimate your expenses and UNDER estimate your income.
If you can afford to share things you have, from food to living space to appliances, try to do so. What goes around comes around when it's between close friends, soon enough, you'll find your friends doing the same, and everybody benefits.
Have a professional shopper go through your closet before you hit the mall. They will help you assess what you already have and what timeless items you can invest in to create more looks from those you already have. There are services that do this (e.g. Visual Therapy in NYC and TimePros in Los Angeles). Remember that this service can cost a pretty penny. Don't use this method unless you have a tendency to make $250 - $400 shopping trips!
Have a hobby? Match your funds. One important habit for saving is if you have a hobby, such as model airplanes, scrapbooking, dirt biking, scuba diving, etc., set a hard and fast rule that whatever you allow yourself to spend on your hobby, you match those funds to your savings. For example, if you buy yourself a $45 pair of riding gloves, another $45 goes to your savings. Serious about saving? Try doubling your matched funds! These savings plans will do two things: Save money regularly and quickly, and really show you how much you are spending on your hobby, when it costs you twice as much.
If you receive unexpected cash, put all or most of it into your savings, but continue to set aside your regularly scheduled amount as well. You’ll reach your savings goals sooner.
If you vacation normally, use the web to search for affordable vacation deals instead of paying full retail price. Some sites offer very discounted vacations by partnering with resorts across the country. Essentially, you are required to go on a 90 minute sales-pitch to buy a timeshare at the resort, and in exchange you receive an extra cheap luxury vacation and often freebies like theme park tickets, gas, or dinner certificates.
Make purchases with paper money, not exact change, and always save the change. Use a piggy bank or jar for your coins. Coins and change may look insignificant but when accumulated over time they can help you save. Some banks now offer free coin counting machines. When you redeem your coins, ask to be paid by check so you won't be tempted to spend your newfound cash.
Type in 'money savers' to your search engine and search around, you never know what might pop up.

Warnings

Do not go out "window shopping" with any money on you. You will only be tempted to spend money you cannot afford to lose. Only shop with a predetermined shopping list.
After a long week of working, you may want to indulge in some luxury, telling yourself, "I deserve this". Remember that the things you buy are not gifts to yourself; they are trades, products for money. Say, "Of course I deserve this, but can I afford it? If I can't afford it, I'm still a worthy person, and I still deserve to meet my savings goals!"
Unless you're in truly desperate financial straits (like 10 seconds from eviction and your three children are starving) don't try to cut corners connected to health. Basic preventative care for yourself, your family, and your pets might cost you a $60 office visit or a $30 heartworm pill today, but the skipping it will contribute to expensive problems and heartache down the road.

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Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Save Money. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Identity theft

2009-07-19T09:04:00.001-07:00

What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft.
The crime takes many forms. Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make—or until you’re contacted by a debt collector.

Identity theft is serious. While some identity theft victims can resolve their problems quickly, others spend hundreds of dollars and many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record. Some consumers victimized by identity theft may lose out on job opportunities, or be denied loans for education, housing or cars because of negative information on their credit reports. In rare cases, they may even be arrested for crimes they did not commit.

How do thieves steal an identity?

Identity theft starts with the misuse of your personally identifying information such as your name and Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information. For identity thieves, this information is as good as gold.
Skilled identity thieves may use a variety of methods to get hold of your information, including:

Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.
Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.
Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.
Old-Fashioned Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records, or bribe employees who have access.
Pretexting. They use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources. For more information about pretexting, click here.

Smartmoney:Credit-Card Traps You Still Need to Watch For

2009-06-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

President Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, marking a major milestone in consumers’ love-hate relationship with credit cards.The new rules go into effect in nine months (though some will kick in as soon as 90 days) and banks start curtailing the abusive practices this legislation reins in. Read on to find out what else might change for you as a consumer in terms of new fees, higher rates, change in grace periods, less rewards and the possibility of no more promotional rates.

In fact, as the new rules go into effect in nine months (though some will kick in as soon as 90 days) and banks start curtailing the abusive practices this legislation reins in, other practices will likely emerge that can hurt consumers just as badly. “The pendulum may have swung in the wrong direction”, says Dennis Moroney, research director and senior analyst for TowerGroup, a research and advisory-services firm focused exclusively on the financial-services industry. “The banks now have to respond to these changes.”

You may not like that response. Whether you use your credit cards as a tool to rack up free rewards points or you carry debt that you’re hoping to repay one day, you should watch out for new fees, higher interest rates, less generous rewards and fewer promotional offers. Here’s what you need to know.
Watch out for new kinds of fees

The new law prohibits over-limit fees (unless the cardholder agrees to allow transactions that exceed their limits). To make up for that lost revenue, banks will likely introduce other fees. “You will see a re-emergence of fees for all kinds of other services,” says Robert McKinley, founder of CardWeb.com, which provides industry research and analysis. Among the fees cardholders should watch out for: fees for rewards programs and possibly even fees for checking your balance, he says.

Also, expect annual fees to make a comeback, says Moroney. In the 1980s, annual fees were standard, but were dropped as competition among card issuers heated up. Moroney predicts that some issuers will slap annual fees on all their credit cards, while others will tie the fee to spending thresholds, so that only big spenders get a free ride.

What cardholders should do: To protect against unpleasant surprises, examine credit-card statements and change-in-terms letters carefully. For now, card issuers can change terms at any time with 15 days’ notice, but once the new law is in effect, they will have to give 45 days’ notice.
Prepare for higher rates

Universal default allows card issuers to hike rates if a cardholder's credit score drops or if they make late payments on other accounts. Once the new legislation is in place, issuers will lose this powerful risk-management tool. Without the ability to hike rates if a cardholder's perceived risk level rises, card issuers will just start charging higher rates across the board, says Moroney.

“We’re going back to the kind of marketplace we had in the 1980s,” McKinley says. “You’ll see interest rates go back to the 19% to 20% range for most people.” The average variable-rate credit card today charges a 10.79% APR, according to Bankrate.com.

What cardholders should do: To avoid higher interest charges, consumers who carry a balance will have to shop around for lower rates -- perhaps in exchange for paying an annual fee, says Linda Sherry, a spokeswoman for Consumer Action, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization. Those who pay their balances in full each month shouldn't be affected, she says. To compare credit-card interest rates on new-card offers, use sites like CreditCards.com, CardRatings.com or CardTrak.com.
The end of grace periods?

The new legislation requires card companies to give consumers at least 21 days to pay their bills. But it doesn't require them to offer a grace period, which isn't the same as the cardholder’s due date — though the two usually coincide, says Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. While the due date designates the day by which a payment must be received for the cardholder to avoid a late-payment fee, the grace period is the time during which the cardholder isn’t charged interest.

McKinley says card issuers may get rid of grace periods altogether, so that cardholders who pay their balances off each month will start paying interest immediately after making a purchase. “The industry has for many years wanted to get rid of the grace period on convenience users,” he says.

What consumers should do: The only way to avoid interest charges if this happens is to stop using credit cards altogether, says Wu.
Say goodbye to 0% APR promotions

Low or 0% introductory APR offers have been a boon to diligent card users who played the balance-transfer game. Banks were able to offer those deals thanks to the card users who made a late payment before the offer expired, triggering the bank’s penalty rate of 20% or more. Now that banks won’t be allowed to increase interest rates on existing balances — and all promotional offers have to last for at least six months — these promotions will likely disappear, McKinley says. At best, consumers with excellent credit may receive introductory rates in the 6% range.

What cardholders should do: If you have a low-APR offer right now, be on your best behavior: Send payments on time and don’t do anything to trigger a penalty rate such as exceeding your credit limit.
Rewards programs will be less rewarding

Credit-card companies have already been scaling back on rewards programs. Once the new legislation kicks in and they feel the squeeze of lower revenue from penalty fees and interest charges, they’ll become even less generous. Spending thresholds will likely go up, Moroney says, so you'll have to spend more to earn miles, points or cash back. Banks may also adopt more stringent rules, such as wiping out your rewards balance if you make a late payment.

What cardholders should do: If you’ve accumulated a sizable amount of miles, points or cash back and worry that your card may scale back its program, it may be smart to redeem your rewards now — while the free lunch is still available.

for more information

How to Invest

2009-05-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Whether you have $20 or $200,000 to invest, the objective is the same: to make your money grow. The means, however, vary dramatically based on the amount of money being invested, the state of the market, and your own investing style.

Steps

Pay off high interest debt. If you have a loan or credit card debt with a high interest rate (over 10%) there's no point in investing your hard-earned cash. Whatever interest you earn through investing (usually less than 10%) won't make much of a difference because you'll be spending a greater amount paying interest on your debt.[1] For example, let's say Sam makes has saved $4,000 for investing, but he also has $4,000 in credit card debt at a 14% interest rate. He could invest the $4,000 and if he gets a 12% ROI (return on investment--and this is being very optimistic) in a year he'll have made $480 in interest. But the credit card company will have charged him $560 in interest. He's $80 in the hole, and he still has that $4,000 principal to pay off. Why bother? Pay off the high interest debt first so that you can actually keep any money you make by investing. Otherwise, the only investors making money are the ones who loaned it to you at a high interest rate.
Build your emergency fund. If you don't have one already, it's a good idea to focus your efforts on setting aside 3-6 months of living expenses just in case. This is not money that should be invested; it should be kept readily accessible and safe from swings in the market. You can split your extra money every month, sending part of it to your emergency fund and part of it to your investing fund. Whatever you do, don't tie up all of your extra money in investments unless you have a financial safety net in place; anything can go wrong (a job loss, an injury, an illness) and failing to prepare for that possibility is irresponsible.
Write down your investment goals. While you're paying down high interest debt and building your emergency fund, you should think about why you're investing. How much money do you want to have, and in what period of time? Different investors have different goals, such as:
- Holding onto money so that it's just above inflation
- Having a specific amount of money for a down payment in 10 years
- Building a nest egg for retirement in 20 years
- Building a college fund for a child or grandchild in 5 years
Choose your investments. The bigger the chunk of money you have available for investing, the more choices you have. Most people diversify by investing in more than one place, but the way they split their investments depends on their goals and the amount of risk they're willing to accept.
- Savings accounts - low minimum balance, liquid but with limitations on how often the account is accessed, low interest rate (usually much lower than inflation), predictable
- Money market accounts (MMAs) - higher minimum balance than savings, liquid but with limitations on how often the account is accessed, earns about twice the interest rates of savings accounts,[2] high-yield MMAs offer higher interest rates but higher risks
- Certificates of deposit (CDs) - similar to savings account but with higher interest rates and restrictions on early withdrawal, offered by banks, brokerage firms and independent salespeople, low-risk but reduced liquidity, may require high minimum balance for desired interest rates
- Bonds - a loan taken out by a government or company to be paid back with interested; considered "fixed income" securities because the same income will be generated regardless of market conditions,[3] you'll need to know the par value (amount loaned), coupon rate (interest rate), and maturity rate (when the principal and interest must be paid back)
  - Stocks - usually purchased through brokers; you buy pieces (shares) of a corporation which entitles you to decision-making power (usually by voting to elect a board of directors), you may also receive a fraction of the profits (dividends)#*Dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs aka Drips) and direct stock purchase plans (DSPs) - bypass brokers (and their commissions) by buying directly from companies or their agents, offered by more than 1,000 major corporations,[4] can invest as little as $20-30 per month, can buy fractions of stocks, can be high-risk.
- Real estate property - ties up money (not easy to liquidate investment), capital intensive (usually leveraged through mortgage loans)
- Mutual funds - not insured by any government agency, built-in diversification, some funds have low initial purchase amounts, you'll have to pay fees
- Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) - similar to mutual funds, but instead of investing in stocks, they invest in real estate
Save money to invest. If you don't already have money set aside for investing, you'll need to build up your investment fund. By now, you should know how much money you'll need to reach your goals, given the risks you've chosen to undertake.
Buy low. Whatever you choose to invest in, try to buy it when it's "on sale"--that is, buy when no one else is buying. For example, in real estate, you'll want to purchase property when it's a buyer's market, which is when there's a high proportion of properties for sale versus potential buyers. When people are desperate to sell, you have greater room for negotiation, especially if you can see how the investment will pay off when other's don't (or perhaps they do, but can't afford to act on it at the time).
Hold on tight. With more volatile investment vehicles, you may be tempted to bail. It's easy to get spooked when you see the value of your investments plummet. If you did your research, however, you probably knew what you were getting into, and you decided early on how you were going to approach the swings in the market place. Some people prefer to hold on no matter what, and others set a value at which they'll jump ship. Keep in mind, however, that when you're selling your investments out of fear, so is everyone else, and your exit is someone else's opportunity to buy low.
Sell high. If and when the market bounces back, sell your investments. Roll the profits over into another investment (buying low, of course) and try to do so under a tax shelter that allows you to re-invest the full amount of your profits (rather than having it taxed first). In the U.S., examples would be 1031 exchanges (in real estate) and Roth IRAs.

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Sources and Citations

↑ http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2005/st0310.htm

↑ http://www.bankrate.com/brm/green/investing/investing1-4a.asp

↑ http://www.fool.com/school/basics/basics05.htm

↑ http://www.fool.com/investing/brokerage/how-to-invest-20-100-and-1000-and-more.aspx

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Invest. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

III your Credit and Insurance

2009-04-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

What does my credit rating have to do with purchasing insurance?

Credit scores are based on an analysis of an individual’s credit history. Insurers often generate a numerical ranking based on a person’s credit history, known as an “insurance score,” when underwriting and setting the rates for insurance policies. Actuarial studies show that how a person manages his or her financial affairs, which is what an insurance score indicates, is a good predictor of insurance claims. Insurance scores are used to help insurers differentiate between lower and higher insurance risks and thus charge a premium equal to the risk they are assuming. Statistically, people who have a poor insurance score are more likely to file a claim.

Your credit history can work for you or against you. Your proven ability to manage your money and meet your financial obligations is an indication of your maturity and stability and can open many doors. Prospective employers, landlords, lenders and even your insurance company view a strong credit history as a positive sign that you will meet your obligations and responsibilities to them as well. A poor credit history could result in not getting that apartment or dream job, and paying more for insurance coverage and higher interest rates on your mortgage and other loans.

IRS: Top Ten facts about the Tuition and Fees Deduction

2009-03-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Tuition and Fees deduction of up to $4,000 is available to help parents and students pay for post-secondary education. Below are ten important facts about this deduction every student and parent should know.

You do not have to itemize to take the Tuition and Fees deduction. You claim a tuition and fees deduction by completing Form 8917 and submitting it with your Form 1040 or Form 1040A.
You may be able to claim qualified tuition and fees expenses as either an adjustment to income, a Hope or Lifetime Learning credit, or – if applicable – as a business expense.
You cannot take the tuition and fees deduction on your income tax return if your filing status is married filing separately.
You cannot take the deduction if you are claimed, or can be claimed, as a dependent on someone else's return.
The deduction is reduced or eliminated if your modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain limits, based on your filing status.
You cannot claim the tuition and fees deduction if you or anyone else claims the Hope or Lifetime Learning credit for the same student in the same year.
If the educational expenses are also allowable as a business expense, the tuition and fees deduction may be claimed in conjunction with a business expense deduction, but the same expenses cannot be deducted twice.
You cannot claim a deduction or credit based on expenses paid with tax-free scholarship, fellowship, grant, or education savings account funds such as a Coverdell education savings account, tax-free savings bond interest or employer-provided education assistance.
The same rule applies to expenses you pay with a tax-exempt distribution from a qualified tuition plan, except that you can deduct qualified expenses you pay only with that part of the distribution that is a return of your contribution to the plan.
IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education, can help eligible parents and students understand the special rules that apply and decide which tax break to claim. The publication is available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Links:

Form 8863, Education Credits (PDF 82K)
Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education (PDF 368K)
Tax Topic 605

Bankrate.com: 10 tips for getting the best financial aid package

2009-03-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

10 tips for getting the best financial aid package

Get Tax Help

2009-03-18T15:08:00.000-07:00

For more information, check out these resources:

Read these publications online from FCIC:

Doing Your Taxes

Websites*

* Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory.

Get FREE Tax Help

2009-03-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Free Tax Help

There are lots of free tax help programs out there for people who need it. The IRS offers a guide of tax services. Some highlights:

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)

VITA offers free tax help for low-to-moderate income earners ($42,000 and below) who cannot prepare their own returns. To locate the nearest VITA site, call (800) 829-1040.

Tax Counseling for Seniors

Free tax help for senior citizens from trained volunteers. Call (888) 227-7669 to locate an AARP Tax-Aide site in your neighborhood.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs)

LITCs provide help to low income taxpayers, either free or at nominal cost. Some non-English assistance provided. The IRS has more information on low income tax clinics in your area.

Military Personnel Resources

The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) offers free tax help for members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and their families. Visit this IRS page for general information about notifying the IRS on overseas deployment, and learn about combat zone tax benefits and other items.

E-File your taxes

2009-03-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

E-filing

According to the IRS, 90 million people filed their taxes electronically in 2008. There are many advantages to e-filing your taxes – it’s easier, it reduces the risk of error and you’ll receive your refund faster (especially if you use direct deposit to receive your refund electronically). According to the IRS, e-filing is “virtually error-proof with an error rate of less than one percent.” There are three ways to e-file:

Go to a Tax Professional

See an authorized e-file provider who can electronically file e-files your taxes for you, usually at a fee. Fees may vary depending on the tax professional you choose and the specific services requested.

Do it Yourself on your Computer

Use purchased / free software on your home computer.

Free File (IRS)

If you made less than $56,000 in 2008, you can e-file your taxes directly with the IRS through their Free File program. It offers:

Free service
Services in English / Spanish
Automatic accuracy checks
Quick refunds (sometimes less than 10 days)

Note: Free File only works with your Federal taxes – you still need to file your state taxes.

What if you cannot pay your taxes?

2009-03-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

If you have lost your job, your home or are in serious debt, the thought of paying taxes on top of all this may make you want to pull your hair out. The IRS has released the following resources to answer questions about paying taxes while under financial duress.

Example: What if I can’t pay my taxes?
“Don’t panic. If you cannot pay the full amount of taxes you owe by the April deadline, you should still file your return by the deadline and pay as much as you can to avoid penalties and interest. You also should contact the IRS to discuss your payment options at 1-800-829-1040.”

2008 Tax Changes

2009-03-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

Some of the tax changes you’ll see from the IRS are relief for first-time homebuyers, green tax credits and tax relief for areas of the Midwest affected by natural disasters. Here is a quick summary of some of the more significant changes:

Stimulus Payments are Tax-Free

If you received an economic stimulus payment in 2008, good news - you don’t need to report them on your taxes (i.e. they are not taxable). You still need to list the amount you received on your tax forms – it’s listed as the recovery rebate credit on line 70 on form 1040, and on line 42 on 1040A.

Note: Receipt of a stimulus payment can affect whether you are able to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit. You might be eligible for one if, for example, you had a child last year, or you didn’t receive an economic stimulus payment.

Alternative Minimum Tax Exemption is Increased

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) applies only when certain types of income are earned. For 2008, the AMT levels increased slightly:

$69,950 for married couples filing a joint return or qualifying widows and widowers (up from $66,250 in 2007)
$34,975 for a married person filing separately (up from $33,125)
$46,200 for singles or heads of household (up from $44,350)

If you make more than this amount, and if you take various deductions, you should spend a few minutes and use the IRS AMT Calculator to see if you owe the AMT. No, it’s not fun to do your taxes again, but until the tax law changes it’s your responsibility.

Green Tax Breaks

If you use solar power, solar water heating, fuel cells or wind energy on your property, you might qualify for the residential energy-efficient property credit. Some additions may allow up to $2,000 in credits. Use IRS form 5695 to claim it.

Got a hybrid? Are you the first owner? Check the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit on the IRS site to see if you qualify.

Standard Deduction Increased for Most Taxpayers

In some cases, taxpayers choose to take the basic standard deduction rather than itemizing all of their deductions. The basic deduction has increased to:

$10,900 for married couples filing a joint return and qualifying widows or widowers
$5,450 for singles or married couples filing separate returns
$8,000 for heads of household

First-Time Homebuyer Credit

If you bought a house recently or are considering buying one, you may be eligible for a first-time homebuyer credit worth up to $7,500.

Note: The credit is actually more like a no-interest loan because it must be repaid to the government over 15 years.

Tax Relief for Midwest Disaster Areas

The Heartland Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008 was created to help Americans affected by the storms, tornados and flooding that struck the Midwest between May 20, 2008, and July 31, 2008. If you live in portions of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin and were affected by these events, be sure to examine some of the major provisions available to you.

Standard Mileage Rates Adjusted for 2008

Auto mileage can be expensed at:

Business
50.5 cents per mile driven from Jan. 1, 2008, to June 30, 2008
58.5 cents per mile driven from July 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2008
Medical / moving
19 cents per mile driven from Jan. 1, 2008, to June 30, 2008
27 cents per mile driven from July 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2008
Charitable mileage rate is 14 cents per mile.

Farmer’s / Self-Employment Tax Changes

If you are self-employed, receive Social Security or disability benefits, and are eligible for the Conservation Reserve Program (typically for farmers and ranchers), you are exempt from the 15.3-percent social security self-employment tax. See the Farmer’s Tax Guide for use in preparing your 2008 returns.

FDIC- Is your money safe?

2009-02-23T14:54:00.000-08:00

What Is the FDIC?

The FDIC – short for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – is an independent agency of the United States government. The FDIC protects you against the loss of your deposits if an FDIC-insured bank or savings association fails. FDIC insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. The term “insured bank” is used in this brochure to mean any bank or savings association with FDIC insurance.

To check whether your bank or savings association is insured by FDIC, call toll-free 1-877-275-3342, use "Bank Find" at www.fdic.gov/deposit/index.html, or look for the official FDIC sign where deposits are received.

Generally, individual depositors are insured up to $250,000. (This level of insurance is in effect until December 31, 2009). The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) will help you determine whether your bank is federally insured and the exact amount of your deposit insurance. If you do business with a credit union, you may contact the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) for the same information.

NEW: Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan

2009-02-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, February 10th, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner outlined a comprehensive plan to restore stability to our financial system. In the address, Secretary Geithner discussed the Obama Administration’s strategy to strengthen our economy by getting credit flowing again to families and businesses, while imposing new measures and conditions to strengthen accountability, oversight and transparency in how taxpayer dollars are spent. And Secretary Geithner explained how the financial stability plan will be critical in supporting an effective and lasting economic recovery.

You can get information about the President's Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan at www.financial stability.gov. The $75 billion Stability Plan is a federal program to prevent mortgage foreclosures. But, beware! There are organizations offering consumers home loan counseling or help getting a Stability Plan loan for a fee, usually paid in advance. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and HOPE NOW offer free and safe counseling services and can help you apply for assistance under the Stability Plan.

For more information, please visit http://www.treas.gov/initiatives/eesa/

Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan Executive Summary

Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan Fact Sheet

Helping Homeowners Under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan: Three Cases

Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan Questions and Answers

2009-02-15T15:26:00.001-08:00

Cell Phone Use While Driving
Fact Sheet

* Using cell phones while driving is a very high risk behavior with significant impact on crashes and society. More than 50 peer-reviewed scientific studies have identified the risks associated with cell phone use while driving.

* Drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a crash while using a cell phone. (1997 New England Journal of Medicine examination of hospital records and 2005 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study linking crashes to cell phone records).

* There is no difference in the cognitive distraction between hand-held and hands-free devices. (Simulator studies at the U. of Utah.)

* Cell phone use contributes to an estimated 6 percent of all crashes, which equates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. (Harvard Center of Risk Analysis).

* 80 percent of crashes are related to driver inattention. There are certain activities that may be more dangerous than talking on a cell phone. However, cell phone use occurs more frequently and for longer durations than other, riskier behaviors. Thus, the #1 source of driver inattention is cell phones. (Virginia Tech 100-car study for NHTSA)

* It is estimated that more than 100 million people use cell phones while driving. (CTIA – The Wireless Association reports 270 million cell phone subscribers. A Nationwide Insurance public opinion poll showed 81 percent of the public admit to talking on a cell phone while driving).

* The annual cost of crashes caused by cell phone use is estimated to be $43 billion (Harvard Center for Risk Analysis).

* Talking to a passenger while driving is significantly safer than talking on a cell phone. (University of Utah)

* Many businesses understand the risk and are already taking action. Among NSC members that responded to a survey, 45 percent (651 of 1453 respondents) said their companies had a cell phone policy of some kind. Of those, 22 percent said they re-engineered their processes to accommodate the policy and 85 percent said the policy did not affect productivity.

nsc.org

FBI: Don’t be Fooled by Work-at-Home Scams

2009-02-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

The FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) continue to receive numerous complaints from individuals who have fallen victim to work-at-home scams and remind consumers to be vigilant when seeking employment online.

These work-at-home schemes are designed by criminals to gain the trust of job seekers in order to take advantage of working relationships to further illegal activity. Most victims do not even realize they are engaging in criminal behavior until it is too late.

In many of the reported scams, victims are often hired to “process payments,” “transfer funds,” or “reship products.” However, these scams exploit unwitting employees by having them cash fraudulent checks, transfer illegally obtained funds for the criminals, or receive stolen merchandise and ship it to the criminals.

Other scams entice victims to sign up to be a “mystery shopper,” receiving fraudulent checks with instructions to cash the checks and wire the funds to “test” a company’s services. Victims are told they will be compensated with a portion of the merchandise or funds.

Job scams also often provide criminals the opportunity to commit identity theft when victims provide their personal information, sometimes even bank account information, to their potential “employer.” The criminal/employer can then use the victim’s information to open credit cards, post on-line auctions, register websites, etc., in the victim’s name to commit additional crimes.

“Don’t get duped by these criminals offering easy money. Remain skeptical of unsolicited job offers that sound too good to be true and report any scams you might encounter,” said Richard Kolko, FBI National Press Office.

To receive the latest information about cyber scams, please go to the FBI website and sign up for e-mail alerts by clicking on one of the red envelopes. If you have received a scam e-mail, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov. For more information on e-scams, please visit the FBI's New E-Scams and Warnings webpage at www.fbi.gov or www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com.

National Auto Fraud and Theft Prevention System Goes Live

2009-02-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Justice today announced the availability of an online computer system to help protect states and consumers from automobile fraud and to provide law enforcement with new tools to investigate fraud, theft, and other crimes involving vehicles. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, or NMVTIS, will be available for consumers on January 30, 2009 and will be accessible through third party, fee-for-service websites. The Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers NMVTIS in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The system allows state motor vehicle administrators to verify and exchange titling and brand data and provides law enforcement officials, consumers, and others with critical information regarding vehicle histories. Consumers now have access to the vehicle’s brand history, odometer data, and basic vehicle information and can be redirected to the current state of record to access the full title record if available. Law enforcement can track the vehicle’s status from state to state by accessing the system directly.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, car theft is a profitable business generating nearly $8 billion a year. Along with implementing this system, the Department has outlined the various responsibilities and reporting requirements for states, auto recyclers, junk yards and salvage yards, and insurance carriers. The Department has designed the system consistent with federal law that requires that the system be paid for through user fees and not dependent on federal funding.

Since 1997, the Department of Justice has committed over $15 million to assist states and other stakeholders in the implementation of NMVTIS. Currently, NMVTIS has the participation, or partial participation, of 36 states. Ultimately, with full participation from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, NMVTIS will prevent stolen motor vehicles, including clones, from entering into interstate commerce; protect states and consumers from fraud; reduce the use of stolen vehicles for illicit purposes including fundraising for criminal enterprises; and provide consumer protection from unsafe vehicles. In research conducted by the Logistics Management Institute, the system is estimated to save taxpayers between $4 and $11 billion each year. For further information on NMVTIS, visit www.nmvtis.gov.

The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). More information can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.

EPA- Fuel Efficient Cars

2009-02-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

Fuel-efficient models come in all types and sizes, so consumers can save thousands of dollars over a vehicle’s lifetime without sacrificing performance. Included in the 2009 fuel economy leaders are diesel vehicles certified to EPA’s tightest emissions standards. Consumers now have access to the cleanest diesels ever available in the U.S. marketplace.

Each vehicle listing in the Fuel Economy Guide provides an estimated annual fuel cost. The online guide includes an interactive feature that allows consumers to insert their local gasoline prices and typical driving habits to receive a personalized fuel cost estimate. Fuel economy estimates now include the revised test methods implemented in model year 2008. These revised tests better reflect “real world” driving conditions and habits, including higher highway speed limits and use of accessories such as air conditioning.

For the first time, the Fuel Economy Guide is available to mobile users (fueleconomy.gov/m), and is readily accessible from a mobile device, smart phone, or personal digital assistant (or PDA).

More online sources with fuel economy information:
Joint DOE/EPA Fuel Economy website for detailed information on fuel economy, including a complete version of the Fuel Economy Guide to download: http://www.fueleconomy.gov

Comprehensive information about EPA’s Fuel Economy program: http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy

The Green Vehicle Guide website to locate the cleanest and most fuel efficient vehicles: http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles

The 2009 fuel economy leaders within each class as well as the lowest fuel economy models: http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/overall-high.htm

http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/
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10 Things You Must Keep in a Fireproof Safe

2009-01-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

from LegalZoom
Author(s): Sherry Ciurczak

The images from the recent wildfires in California are heartbreaking—families fleeing their neighborhoods at a moment's notice, people returning to find their homes reduced to ashes and their most precious possessions gone forever. With help pouring in from all over the country, Californians are already starting to rebuild.

But the threat of fire isn't unique to California. In fact, the US Fire Administration estimates that fires nationwide caused more than $11 billion in property damage in 2007. Although 91% of Americans agree it's important to prepare for a disaster, only slightly more than half have taken steps to do so.

One great way to make sure you're prepared is to get a fireproof safe. What should you store it in? Here's a list of the top 10 suggested items to keep in your fireproof safe:

Current insurance policies and agent contact information. You'll need this information right away if your house suffers damage in a fire.
Your family's passports and original birth certificates. These can be a hassle to replace and will come in handy to establish your identity for other purposes.
A list of your family's doctors, prescription medications, and contact information for all pharmacies you use. You may need these to get new supplies of medications you use on a regular basis.
CDs or an external hard drive containing digital copies of all family photos. It's a good idea to scan all older family photos and keep a digital copy of them as well. Your family memories as preserved in photos are irreplaceable.
Safety deposit box keys. If you store valuables at the bank, you'll want to make sure you can access them in the event of an emergency.
Important papers related to investments, retirement plans, bank accounts, and associated contact information. You may need ready access to funds.
Information on your outstanding debts, due dates, and contact information. It's important to keep tabs on your finances and protect your credit, even if you're displaced by a fire.
Original Social Security cards. These can be difficult to replace and may be needed to establish eligibility for aid.
Copies of your important legal documents, including powers of attorney, living wills, health care proxies—both for yourself and for anyone else for whom you are designated attorney-in-fact or health care surrogate. Having access to these can help ensure the protection they were created to provide.
Copy of family wills and all wills in which you are designated the executor. It's important to safeguard wills so that loved ones are taken care of.

LegalZoom Can Help You Prepare

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2008-10-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

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2008-10-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

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The Big Bailout

2008-10-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Last week Congress approved the biggest bailout in history.

The law allows the Treasury Secretary to purchase as much as $700 billion in troubled assets in a bid to kick-start lending, ushers in one of the most far-reaching interventions in the economy since the Great Depression.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he welcomed the news. "The legislation is a critical step toward stabilizing our financial markets and ensuring an uninterrupted flow of credit to households and businesses," he said.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said he would act swiftly but "methodically" to carry out the plan.

"The broad authorities in this legislation, when combined with existing regulatory authorities and resources, gives us the ability to protect and recapitalize our financial system as we work through the stresses in our credit markets," Paulson said.

According to voting results, 172 Democrats voted in favor of the bill while 62 opposed it; and 91 Republicans voted for it and 108 voted against it.

Donating your car Tips

2008-10-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

According to the Wall sTreet Journal, many taxpayers are giving away used cars, boats or even planes. However, it's generally no longer as attractive for tax purposes as it once was. The reason: changes in the tax law that were made in response to concerns that many donors were deducting inflated amounts. According to a recent Internal Revenue Service report, those changes led to sharp declines in 2005, the year they took effect, in both the number of used-vehicle donors and the dollar amount of deductions.

If you donate a car or some other vehicle worth more than $500 and the charity or a middleman sells it, you typically can deduct only the selling price, even if it's far below what you think the vehicle is actually worth. Previously, donors typically could deduct the full fair-market value.

But the law also includes a few important exceptions for donors who understand the fine print and are willing to take the time to do some homework. Here is a summary of the latest IRS data, the tax-law changes, and advice from accountants and other tax advisers.

Tax Credit to Aid First-Time Homebuyers; Must Be Repaid Over 15 Years

2008-09-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

First-time homebuyers should begin planning now to take advantage of a new tax credit included in the recently enacted Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

Available for a limited time only, the credit:

Applies to home purchases after April 8, 2008, and before July 1, 2009.
Reduces a taxpayer’s tax bill or increases his or her refund, dollar for dollar.
Is fully refundable, meaning that the credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if they owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax that they owe.

However, the credit operates much like an interest-free loan, because it must be repaid over a 15-year period. So, for example, an eligible taxpayer who buys a home today and properly claims the maximum available credit of $7,500 on his or her 2008 federal income tax return must begin repaying the credit by including one-fifteenth of this amount, or $500, as an additional tax on his or her 2010 return.

Eligible taxpayers will claim the credit on new IRS Form 5405. This form, along with further instructions on claiming the first-time homebuyer credit, will be included in 2008 tax forms and instructions and be available later this year on IRS.gov, the IRS Web site.

If you bought a home recently, or are considering buying one, the following questions and answers may help you determine whether you qualify for the credit.

Q. Which home purchases qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit?

A. Only the purchase of a main home located in the United States qualifies and only for a limited time. Vacation homes and rental property are not eligible. You must buy the home after April 8, 2008, and before July 1, 2009. For a home that you construct, the purchase date is the first date you occupy the home.

Taxpayers who owned a main home at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase are not eligible for the credit. This means that first-time homebuyers and those who have not owned a home in the three years prior to a purchase can qualify for the credit.

If you make an eligible purchase in 2008, you claim the first-time homebuyer credit on your 2008 tax return. For an eligible purchase in 2009, you can choose to claim the credit on either your 2008 (or amended 2008 return) or 2009 return.

Q. How much is the credit?

A. The credit is 10 percent of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum available credit of $7,500 for either a single taxpayer or a married couple filing jointly. The limit is $3,750 for a married person filing a separate return. In most cases, the full credit will be available for homes costing $75,000 or more. Whatever the size of the credit a taxpayer receives, the credit must be repaid over a 15-year period.

Q. Are there income limits?

A. Yes. The credit is reduced or eliminated for higher-income taxpayers.

The credit is phased out based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). MAGI is your adjusted gross income plus various amounts excluded from income—for example, certain foreign income. For a married couple filing a joint return, the phase-out range is $150,000 to $170,000. For other taxpayers, the phase-out range is $75,000 to $95,000.

This means the full credit is available for married couples filing a joint return whose MAGI is $150,000 or less and for other taxpayers whose MAGI is $75,000 or less.

Q. Who cannot take the credit?

A. If any of the following describe you, you cannot take the credit, even if you buy a main home:

Your income exceeds the phase-out range. This means joint filers with MAGI of $170,000 and above and other taxpayers with MAGI of $95,000 and above.
You buy your home from a close relative. This includes your spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
You stop using your home as your main home.
You sell your home before the end of the year.
You are a nonresident alien.
You are, or were, eligible to claim the District of Columbia first-time homebuyer credit for any taxable year.
Your home financing comes from tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds.
You owned another main home at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase. For example, if you bought a home on July 1, 2008, you cannot take the credit for that home if you owned, or had an ownership interest in, another main home at any time from July 2, 2005, through July 1, 2008.

Q. How and when is the credit repaid?

A. The first-time homebuyer credit is similar to a 15-year interest-free loan. Normally, it is repaid in 15 equal annual installments beginning with the second tax year after the year the credit is claimed. The repayment amount is included as an additional tax on the taxpayer’s income tax return for that year. For example, if you properly claim a $7,500 first-time homebuyer credit on your 2008 return, you will begin paying it back on your 2010 tax return. Normally, $500 will be due each year from 2010 to 2024.

You may need to adjust your withholding or make quarterly estimated tax payments to ensure you are not under-withheld.

However, some exceptions apply to the repayment rule. They include:

If you die, any remaining annual installments are not due. If you filed a joint return and then you die, your surviving spouse would be required to repay his or her half of the remaining repayment amount.
If you stop using the home as your main home, all remaining annual installments become due on the return for the year that happens. This includes situations where the main home becomes a vacation home or is converted to business or rental property. There are special rules for involuntary conversions. Taxpayers are urged to consult a professional to determine the tax consequences of an involuntary conversion.
If you sell your home, all remaining annual installments become due on the return for the year of sale. The repayment is limited to the amount of gain on the sale, if the home is sold to an unrelated taxpayer. If there is no gain or if there is a loss on the sale, the remaining annual installments may be reduced or even eliminated. Taxpayers are urged to consult a professional to determine the tax consequences of a sale.
If you transfer your home to your spouse, or, as part of a divorce settlement, to your former spouse, that person is responsible for making all subsequent installment payments.

Denial Letter May Not Rule Out Disaster Assistance

2008-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

If you have applied for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and receive a letter saying your initial request for help has been denied, it may mean your application was incomplete or incorrect.

One of the most common reasons for denial concerns insurance. FEMA must deny aid until an insurance settlement is reached because assistance programs are not intended to duplicate insurance compensation or cover deductibles for disaster-related loss or damage.

But if the insurance settlement does not cover all of your disaster-related losses, you should ask FEMA to review your application to see if you are eligible for some form of assistance. Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or the TTY line at 800-462-7585 for the deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired. The helpline is open from 7 a.m. to midnight daily until further notice.

Other reasons FEMA might send a denial letter could be:

An unreturned disaster loan application from the U.S. Small Business Administration;
No record of the damaged property as your primary residence at the time of the disaster;
No acceptable evidence of identity, documentation of disaster damage, or proof of ownership of the damaged property; or
A missing signature.

SBA disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. The SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Other programs that may still provide you with some form of assistance are Disaster Unemployment Assistance, legal and tax assistance, and voluntary agency assistance.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Is this graying of the workforce expected to continue?

2008-09-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Definitely. BLS data show that the total labor force is projected to increase by 8.5 percent during the period 2006-2016, but when analyzed by age categories, very different trends emerge. The number of workers in the youngest group, age 16-24, is projected to decline during the period while the number of workers age 25-54 will rise only slightly. In sharp contrast, workers age 55-64 are expected to climb by 36.5 percent. But the most dramatic growth is projected for the two oldest groups. The number of workers between the ages of 65 and 74 and those aged 75 and up are predicted to soar by more than 80 percent. By 2016, workers age 65 and over are expected to account for 6.1 percent of the total labor force, up sharply from their 2006 share of 3.6 percent. (For more data see Civilian labor force by sex, age, race, and Hispanic origin.)

bls.gov

BLS- Older Worker

2008-09-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Are older workers choosing part-time
or full-time employment?

Since the mid-1990s there has been a dramatic shift in the part-time versus full-time status of the older workforce. The ratio of part-time to full-time employment among older workers was relatively steady from 1977 through 1990. Between 1990 and 1995, part-time work among older workers began trending upward with a corresponding decline in full-time employment. But after 1995, that trend began a marked reversal with full-time employment rising sharply. Between 1995 and 2007, the number of older workers on full-time work schedules nearly doubled while the number working part-time rose just 19 percent. As a result, full-timers now account for a majority among older workers: 56 percent in 2007, up from 44 percent in 1995.

How do wages of older workers measure up against
wages for all workers?

Earnings of workers 65 and older have long been below those of all workers. In 1979, median weekly earnings for full-time workers age 65 and older were $198 compared to $240 for all full-time employees age 16 and up. In 2007, earnings of older workers were $605 per week, still below the median of $695 for all workers. (All of these earnings amounts are in current dollars.) Over the long term, however, earnings of older workers have risen at a slightly faster pace than the total workforce. In 1979, median earnings of older full-time employees were 83 percent of those ages 16 and up; but, by 2007, that ratio had climbed to 87 percent.

bls.gov

More older people in the workplace

2008-09-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

Older workers

Are there more older people in the workplace?

Between 1977 and 2007, employment of workers 65 and over increased 101 percent, compared to a much smaller increase of 59 percent for total employment (16 and over). The number of employed men 65 and over rose 75 percent, but employment of women 65 and older increased by nearly twice as much, climbing 147 percent. While the number of employed people age 75 and over is relatively small (0.8 percent of the employed in 2007), this group had the most dramatic gain, increasing 172 percent between 1977 and 2007.

Between 1977 and 2007, the age 65 and older civilian noninstitutional population — which excludes people in nursing homes — increased by about 60 percent, somewhat faster than the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over (46 percent). Yet employment of people 65 and over doubled while employment for everyone 16 and over increased by less than 60 percent. How can employment increase more than the population? A larger share of people 65 and older is staying in or returning to the labor force (which consists of those working or looking for work). The labor force participation rate for older workers has been rising since the late 1990s. This is especially notable because the 65-and-over labor force participation rate had been at historic lows during the 1980s and early 1990s.

bls.gov

The Fundamentals of Options

2008-09-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

In Store Microsoft Gurus

2008-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

Microsoft just launched a new $300 million marketing campaign and image makeover. This in an attempt to at minimum, keep up with Apple and the competition.

Now Microsoft Corp. says that they plan to deploy its own customer-service representatives at retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City to help people with their PC purchases. These 155 "Microsoft Gurus" will be in U.S. stores by the end of the year, and expand based on the project's success, Microsoft's general manager of corporate com.

These gurus will be answering questions about PCs and Microsoft products, as well as giving demos of how the company's products work together — help designed to get them thinking Microsoft.

The move is more likely to strike up comparisons with Apple which has portrayed Microsoft as unhip and out of touch.

Apple Inc., which runs "Genius Bars" in its stores to answer questions about Macs and iPods. The Genius Bar also offers technical support on already-purchased products, which the Microsoft reps will not do.

Microsoft had tested about 25 of the service employees in the U.S. and Europe since October 2007.

Its Gurus join a barrage of efforts behind Microsoft's latest and largest-ever marketing campaign, including commercials that began airing Thursday night featuring Chairman Bill Gates and new pitchman Jerry Seinfeld.

Researching Penny Stocks

2008-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

US Health Insurance Coverage

2008-09-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

Overview

The number of uninsured children declined from 8.7 million (11.7 percent) in 2006 to 8.1 million (11.0 percent) in 2007.

Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to those reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)

Both the number and percentage of uninsured for non-Hispanic whites decreased in 2007, to 10.4 percent and 20.5 million, respectively. For blacks, the number of uninsured remained statistically unchanged from 2006, at 7.4 million, while the percentage declined from 20.5 percent in 2006 to 19.5 percent in 2007. The uninsured rate for Asians rose from 15.5 percent in 2006 to 16.8 percent in 2007.
The number and percentage of uninsured Hispanics decreased from 15.3 million and 34.1 percent in 2006 to 14.8 million and 32.1 percent in 2007.
Based on a three-year average (2005-2007), 32.1 percent of people who reported American Indian and Alaska Native as their race were without coverage. The three-year average uninsured rate for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders was 20.5 percent.

Nativity

Between 2006 and 2007, the uninsured rate for the native-born population declined from 13.2 percent in 2006 to 12.7 percent in 2007. Meanwhile, the percentage of the foreign-born population without insurance was statistically unchanged at 33.2 percent in 2007. Among the foreign-born population, the uninsured rate for naturalized U.S. citizens increased from16.4 percent in 2006 to 17.6 percent in 2007, while the uninsured rate for U.S. noncitizens was statistically unchanged from 2006, at 43.8 percent in 2007.

Regions

At 11.4 percent each, the Northeast and the Midwest had lower uninsured rates in 2007 than the West (16.9 percent) and the South (18.4 percent). The rates declined from 2006 in every region except for the Midwest, where the change was not statistically significant.

States

Rates for 2005-2007 using a three-year average show that Texas (24.4 percent) had the highest percentage of uninsured. No one state had the “lowest” uninsured rate. At 8.3 percent, Massachusetts and Hawaii had the lowest point estimates for uninsured rates, but they were not statistically different from Minnesota (8.5 percent), Wisconsin (8.8 percent) and Iowa (9.4 percent). In addition, Hawaii was not statistically different from Maine (9.5 percent).
Comparing a pair of two-year average uninsured rates (2004-2005 versus 2006-2007), five states and the District of Columbia saw a decline, while 10 states experienced an increase.

Household Income Rises, Poverty Rate Unchanged,

2008-09-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

Real median household income in the United States climbed 1.3 percent between 2006 and 2007, reaching $50,233, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the third annual increase in real median household income. Meanwhile, the nation’s official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5 percent, not statistically different from 2006. There were 37.3 million people in poverty in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006.

Current Population Survey
(Primarily the source of national-level statistics)

The 2008 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC) reveals the following results for the nation:

Income

Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to people reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)

Real median income (adjusted for inflation) for black and non-Hispanic white households rose between 2006 and 2007, representing the first measured real increase in annual household income for each group since 1999.
Real median household income remained statistically unchanged for Asians and Hispanics.
Among the race groups and Hispanics, black households had the lowest median income in 2007 ($33,916). This compares to the median of $54,920 for non-Hispanic white households. Asian households had the highest median income ($66,103). The median income for Hispanic households was $38,679.

Regions

Between 2006 and 2007, real median household income rose in the Midwest ($50,277) and the South ($46,186), declined in the Northeast ($52,274) and remained statistically unchanged in the West ($54,138).

Nativity

Real median income rose for native-born households for the second year, up 1.0 percent from 2006, to $50,946. For foreign-born households whose householder was not a U.S. citizen, income dropped by 7.3 percent to $37,637. For households maintained by a naturalized U.S. citizen, median income remained statistically unchanged at $52,092.

Earnings

In 2007, the ratio of earnings of women who worked full time, year-round was 78 percent of that for corresponding men. The real median earnings of men who worked full time, year-round climbed between 2006 and 2007, from $43,460 to $45,113. For women, the corresponding increase was from $33,437 to $35,102. These increases in earnings follow three years of annual decline in real earnings for both men and women.

Income Inequality

Income inequality decreased between 2006 and 2007, as measured by shares of aggregate household income by quintiles and the Gini index. The share of aggregate income received by households in the top fifth of the income distribution declined, while the shares for the third and fourth quintiles increased. Meanwhile, the Gini index declined from 0.470 to 0.463, moving closer to 0, which represents perfect income equality (1 represents perfect inequality).

Poverty

Overview

In 2007, the family poverty rate and the number of families in poverty were 9.8 percent and 7.6 million, respectively, both statistically unchanged from 2006. Furthermore, the poverty rate and the number in poverty showed no statistical change between 2006 and 2007 for the different types of families. Married-couple families had a poverty rate of 4.9 percent (2.8 million), compared with 28.3 percent (4.1 million) for female-householder, no-husband-present families and 13.6 percent (696,000) for those with a male householder and no wife present.

Thresholds

As defined by the Office of Management and Budget and updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, the weighted average poverty threshold for a family of four in 2007 was $21,203; for a family of three, $16,530; for a family of two, $13,540; and for unrelated individuals, $10,590.

Race and Hispanic Origin (Race data refer to people reporting a single race only. Hispanics can be of any race.)

For Hispanics, 21.5 percent were in poverty in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006. Poverty rates remained statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic whites (8.2 percent), blacks (24.5 percent) and Asians (10.2 percent) in 2007.

Age

For people 65 and older and those 18 to 64, the poverty rate remained statistically unchanged at 9.7 percent and 10.9 percent, respectively. For children younger than 18, the poverty rate increased from 17.4 percent in 2006 to 18.0 percent in 2007.
The number of people in poverty increased for seniors 65 and older — from 3.4 million in 2006 to 3.6 million in 2007. For children younger than 18, the number in poverty climbed as well, from 12.8 million in 2006 to 13.3 million in 2007. For those 18 to 64, however, the number in poverty remained statistically unchanged, at 20.4 million in 2007.

Nativity

Among the native-born population, 11.9 percent, or 31.1 million, were in poverty in 2007. Both the poverty rate and number in poverty were statistically unchanged from 2006.
Among the foreign-born population, the poverty rate and the number in poverty increased to 16.5 percent and 6.2 million, respectively, in 2007, from 15.2 percent and 5.7 million, respectively, in 2006. An increase in poverty for U.S. noncitizens (from 19.0 percent in 2006 to 21.3 percent in 2007) accounted for the rise in poverty for the foreign-born population overall.

Regions

The number in poverty in the South increased to 15.5 million in 2007, up from 14.9 million in 2006, while the poverty rate remained statistically unchanged at 14.2 percent in 2007. In 2007, the poverty rates for the Northeast (11.4 percent), the Midwest (11.1 percent) and the West (12.0 percent) were all statistically unchanged from 2006. The poverty rate for the Northeast was not statistically different from that of the Midwest or West.

census.gov

Car Rental Tips from III

2008-08-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), many car rental companies now impose various fees after an accident that you may not be aware of and will be held responsible for. These fees can include: towing, storage, impound fees, loss of use, diminished value and administrative services.

Before renting a car, the I.I.I. suggests that you make two phone calls—one to your insurance agent or company representative and another to the credit card company you will be using to pay for the rental car.

Insurance Company
Find out how much coverage you currently have on your own car. In most cases, whatever coverage and deductibles you have on your own car would apply when you rent a car, providing you are using the car for recreation and not for business.

If you have dropped either comprehensive or collision on your own car as a way to reduce costs, you will not be covered if your rental car is stolen or damaged in an accident.

Check to see whether your insurance company pays for administrative fees, loss of use or towing charges. Some companies may provide an insurance rider to cover some of these costs, which would make it less expensive than purchasing coverage through the rental car company. Keep in mind, however, that in most states diminished value is not covered by insurers.
Credit Card Company
Insurance benefits offered by credit card companies differ by both the company and/or the bank that issues the card, as well as by the level of credit card used. For instance, a platinum card may offer more insurance coverage than a gold card.

Credit cards usually cover only damage to or loss of the rented vehicle, not for other cars, personal belongings or the property of others. There may be no personal liability coverage for bodily injury or death claims. Some credit card companies will provide coverage for towing, but many may not provide for diminished value or administrative fees. Some credit card companies have changed their policies, too, so you may not have as much coverage as you thought.

To know exactly what type of insurance you have, call the toll-free number on the back of the card you will be using to rent the car. If you are depending on a credit card for insurance protection, ask the credit card company or bank to send you their coverage information in writing. In most cases, credit card benefits are secondary to either your personal insurance protection or the insurance offered by the rental car company.

If you have more than one credit card, consider calling each one to see which offers the best insurance protection.

At the Rental Car Counter

Since insurance is state regulated, the cost and coverage will vary from state to state. Consumers, however, can generally choose from the following coverages:

Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)
Also referred to as a collision damage waiver outside the U.S., an LDW is not technically an insurance product. LDWs do, however, relieve or “waive” renters of financial responsibility if their rental car is damaged or stolen. In most cases, waivers also provide coverage for “loss of use,” in the event the rental car company charges the renter for the time a damaged car can not be used because it is being fixed. It may also cover towing and administrative fees.

Waivers, however, may become void if the accident was caused by speeding, driving on unpaved roads or driving while intoxicated. If you already have comprehensive and collision coverage on your own car, check with your personal auto insurer to make sure you are not duplicating coverage you already have. Should you decide it is necessary, this coverage generally costs between $9 and $19 a day.
Liability Insurance
By law, rental companies must provide the state required amount of liability insurance. Generally, these amounts are low and do not provide much protection. If you have adequate amounts of liability protection on your own car, you may consider forgoing additional liability protection. If you want the supplemental insurance, it will cost between $7 and $14 a day.

An umbrella liability policy, however, may be more cost-effective. Umbrella liability insurance is so named because it acts like an umbrella, sitting on top of your auto and homeowners (or renters) liability policies to provide extra protection including accidents while driving your own car or one that you rent. These policies, usually sold in increments of a million dollars, cost as little as $200 to $300 annually for a million dollars worth of coverage and another $50 to $100 for each additional million.

Those who do not own their own car and are frequent car renters, can also consider purchasing a non-owner liability policy. This not only provides liability protection when you rent a car, but also when you borrow someone else’s car.
Personal Accident Insurance
Personal Accident Insurance offers coverage to you and your passengers for medical and ambulance bills for injuries caused in a car crash. If you have adequate health insurance or are covered by personal injury protection under your own car insurance, you may not need this additional insurance. It usually costs about $1 to $5 a day.
Personal Effects Coverage
Personal Effects Coverage provides insurance protection for the theft of items in your car. If you have a homeowners or renters insurance policy that includes off-premises theft coverage, you are generally covered for theft of your belongings away from home, minus the deductible. If you purchase this coverage through the rental car company, it generally costs between $1 and $4 a day.

If you frequently travel with expensive items such as jewelry, cameras, musical equipment or sports equipment, it may be more cost-effective to purchase a personal articles floater under your homeowners or renters insurance policy. With such a floater, your valuable items are protected at home as well as while traveling anywhere in the world and the coverage is broader.

Other Things to Consider

States have minimum age requirements for renting a car and most major rental car companies refuse to rent a car to someone who is under 21 and in some cases under 25. In addition, some rental car companies now investigate your driving record and/or credit history so check with the rental car company before picking up the car.

If you are planning to rent a car abroad, contact both your insurance agent and travel agent to find out what you need to do to be properly insured. Those driving a rental car from the U.S. into Mexico may find it progressively more difficult to rent a car as U.S. rental car companies are increasingly concerned about the rising crime rates in that country. The minimum required insurance coverage to drive in Mexico is civil liability insurance which covers you in case you cause injury or damage. Your American liability insurance is not valid in Mexico for bodily injury, though some American insurance policies will cover you for physical damage—check with your agent or insurance company representative. You can also buy Mexican car insurance in several American border towns; there are generally several storefronts selling Mexican car insurance near the border.

For more information about insurance, go to the I.I.I. Web site.

For a related video, see Video: Rental Car Insurance.

The Reupublican Convention

2008-08-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

St. Paul, Minn.

277,251
Population of St. Paul, Minn.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2007.html>

84.5%
The percentage of eligible voters (citizens 18 and older) in Minnesota who were registered in the last presidential election.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004
<http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html>

87.4%
Percentage of St. Paul residents age 25 and older who are high school graduates or higher.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

37.9%
Percentage of St. Paul residents age 25 and older who have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

13.8%
Percentage of the population who are foreign-born.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

8.1%
Percentage of the population who are veterans.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

6.3%
Percentage of Ramsey County, which encompasses St. Paul, who are Hispanic or Latino.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates; population estimates by age, race and Hispanic origin are not available at the city level.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

72.9%
Percentage of Ramsey County who are white and not Hispanic.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

9.6%
Percentage of Ramsey County residents who are black or African-American.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

8.7%
Percentage of Ramsey County residents who are Asian.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

0.9%
Percentage of Ramsey County residents who are American Indian or Alaska Native.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

0.1%
Percentage of Ramsey County residents who are Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

37.1 years
Median age of Ramsey County residents.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

24.3%
Percentage of the Ramsey County population under 18 years old.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

12.7%
Percentage of the Ramsey County population 65 years and older.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

22.9%
Percentage of the St. Paul population 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

29.5%
Percentage of St. Paul families that are married-couple families with their own children under 18 years.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

32.6%
Percentage of females 20 years and older who have never married.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

35.3%
Percentage of males 20 years and older who have never married.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

21.2 minutes
Mean travel time to work for St. Paul residents.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

$43,654
Median household income in St. Paul.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

20.9%
Percentage of individuals in St. Paul who are living in poverty.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

49,894
Number of employees in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector, which employs the largest number of people in Ramsey County.
Source: 2006 County Business Patterns <http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml>

$1.9 billion
Annual payroll for the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in Ramsey County.
Source: 2006 County Business Patterns <http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml>

1,708
The number of Health Care and Social Assistance establishments in Ramsey County.
Source: 2006 County Business Patterns <http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml>

Special Editions of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Facts for Features are issued to provide background information for lesser-known observances, anniversaries of historic events and other timely topics in the news

Furnishing Creative Ideas

2008-08-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

The Democratic Convention

2008-08-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Special Edition
2008 Presidential Nominating Conventions

Political parties in the United States hold nominating conventions every four years to formally select who will be their presidential candidate. This year, the Democratic National Convention will begin Aug. 25 in Denver. The Republican National Convention will begin on Sept. 1 in St. Paul, Minn. The U.S. Census Bureau provides social, economic, demographic and business data for the two host cities, or their surrounding counties.

Denver

588,349
Population of Denver, Colo.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2007.html>

74.2%
The percentage of eligible voters (18 and older who were citizens) in Colorado who were registered in the last presidential election.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004 <http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html>

82%
Percentage of Denver residents age 25 and older who are high school graduates or higher.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

36.3%
Percentage of Denver residents age 25 and older who have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

17.1%
Percentage of the population who are foreign-born.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

8.7%
Percentage of the population who are veterans.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

34.4%
Percentage of Denver residents who are Hispanic or Latino.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

50.7%
Percentage of Denver residents who are white and not Hispanic.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

10.1%
Percentage of Denver residents who are black or African-American.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

3.4%
Percentage of Denver residents who are Asian.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

1.3%
Percentage of Denver residents who are American Indian or Alaska Native.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

0.2%
Percentage of Denver residents who are Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

35.3 years
Median age of Denver residents.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

24.4%
Percentage of the population under 18 years old.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

10.4%
Percentage of the population 65 years and older.
Source: 2007 Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html>

29.5%
Percentage of the Denver population 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

33.0%
Percentage of Denver families that are married-couple families with their own children under 18 years.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

25.7%
Percentage of females 20 years and older who have never married.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

32.8%
Percentage of males 20 years and older who have never married.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

23.8 minutes
Mean travel time to work for Denver residents.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

$40,900
Median household income in Denver.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

20.0%
Percentage of individuals in Denver who are living in poverty.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

54,339
Number of employees in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector, which employs the largest number of people in Denver County.
Source: 2006 County Business Patterns <http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml>

$2.35 billion
Annual payroll for the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in Denver County.
Source: 2006 County Business Patterns <http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml>

2,025
The number of Health Care and Social Assistance establishments in Denver County.
Source: 2006 County Business Patterns <http://censtats.census.gov/cbpnaic/cbpnaic.shtml>

Internet and mobile use grows

2008-08-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Releases August Security Bulletin

2008-08-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has released updates to address vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows, Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Windows Messenger as part of the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for August 2008. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or obtain sensitive information.

US-CERT encourages users to review the bulletins and follow best-practice security policies to determine which updates should be applie

Bulletin Title	Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Image Color Management System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (952954)
Executive Summary	This update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the Microsoft Image Color Management (ICM) system that could allow remote code execution in the context of the current user. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Maximum Severity Rating	Critical
Impact of Vulnerability	Remote Code Execution
Detection	Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer can detect whether your computer system requires this update. The update requires a restart.
Affected Software	Microsoft Windows. For more information, see the Affected Software and Download Locations section.

Bulletin Identifier	Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-045
Bulletin Title	Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (953838)
Executive Summary	This security update resolves five privately reported vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed vulnerability. All of the vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Maximum Severity Rating	Critical
Impact of Vulnerability	Remote Code Execution
Detection	Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer can detect whether your computer system requires this update. The update requires a restart.
Affected Software	Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer. For more information, see the Affected Software and Download Locations section.

Bulletin Identifier	Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-041
Bulletin Title	Vulnerability in the ActiveX Control for the Snapshot Viewer for Microsoft Access Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955617)
Executive Summary	This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the ActiveX control for the Snapshot Viewer for Microsoft Access. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a specially crafted Web page. When a user views the Web page, the vulnerability could allow remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the logged-on user.
Maximum Severity Rating	Critical
Impact of Vulnerability	Remote Code Execution
Detection	Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer can detect whether your computer system requires this update. The update does not require a restart.
Affected Software	Microsoft Office. For more information, see the Affected Software and Download Locations section.

Bulletin Identifier	Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-043
Bulletin Title	Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (954066)
Executive Summary	This security update resolves four privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Excel that could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Excel file. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Maximum Severity Rating	Critical
Impact of Vulnerability	Remote Code Execution
Detection	Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer can detect whether your computer system requires this update. The update does not require a restart.
Affected Software	Microsoft Office. For more information, see the Affected Software and Download Locations section.

Bulletin Identifier	Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-051
Bulletin Title	Vulnerabilities in Microsoft PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution (949785)
Executive Summary	This security update resolves three privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office PowerPoint and Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer that could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted PowerPoint file. An attacker who successfully exploited any of these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Maximum Severity Rating	Critical
Impact of Vulnerability	Remote Code Execution
Detection	Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer can detect whether your computer system requires this update. The update does not require a restart.
Affected Software	Microsoft Office. For more information, see the Affected Software and Download Locations section.

Bulletin Identifier	Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-044
Bulletin Title	Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Filters Could Allow Remote Code Execution (924090)
Executive Summary	This security update resolves five privately reported vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user viewed a specially crafted image file using Microsoft Office. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Maximum Severity Rating	Critical
Impact of Vulnerability	Remote Code Execution
Detection	Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer can detect whether your computer system requires this update. The update does not require a restart.
Affected Software	Microsoft Office. For more information, see the Affected Software and Download Locations section.

for more information, visit Microsoft

Appealing Your Flood Insurance Claim - FEMA Explains How

2008-08-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Step 1
If policy holders have questions regarding their coverage, filing procedures or damage estimates, they should first contact their adjuster, who should be most knowledgeable about their claim.

Step 2
Policy holders who aren't satisfied with the adjuster's answers should contact the adjuster's supervisor. The adjuster should provide this contact information.

Step 3
If the adjuster's supervisor can't resolve the issue, policy holders should contact the insurance company's claim representative. The insurance agent or another company representative should provide assistance.

Step 4
After following the first three steps, policy holders who still have a problem should contact FEMA in writing at this address:

FEMA-Mitigation Division-Room 433
Risk Insurance Branch
Attn: Director of Claims
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington D.C. 20472

This letter should be written by the policy holder or a legal representative, such as a family member handling a claim for an elderly relative. The legal representative should describe his or her relationship to the policy holder. A legal representative may be asked to provide written authorization from the policy holder or other legal documents verifying the relationship.

The letter should include these six items:

The policy number, as shown on the NFIP policy's declarations page.
The policy holder's name, as shown on the declarations page.
The property address, as shown on the declarations page. This is NOT the person's mailing address if it is different from the property address.
How the policy holder can be contacted.
Specific details of the policy holder's concern.
The dates and details of discussions about the claim with insurance company representatives.

The appeal letter to FEMA also should include documentation (copies, not original documents) of everything that supports the appeal. Include such things as a detailed list of damaged property and the value of individual items; supporting photographs; and a contractor's detailed estimate of repair costs. Comparing contractor and adjuster estimates in detail may help FEMA resolve differences.

For more information, visit FEMA

College Student Financial Tips- BBB

2008-08-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

According to a 2007 survey by Charles Schwab, fewer than half of teens considered themselves knowledgeable on how to budget money (41 percent), how to pay bills (34 percent), or how credit card interest and fees work (26 percent).

BBB recommends that before parents wave goodbye to their college bound students, they sit down and discuss four key rules for managing personal finances:

Be responsible with credit cards.
According to a U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) survey, two out of three college students report having a credit card, of which about two-thirds are responsible for paying their monthly bill. Overall, freshmen responsible for their own cards had average credit card balances of $1301.

While having a credit card is an important first step for a college student to start building a credit history, parents need to stress the importance of using credit responsibly. This includes having a minimal number of credit cards, paying off the balances every month and keeping a reign on spending.

For more information on managing credit cards visit BBB online.

Start saving money now, even if it’s just a small amount every month.
Developing good saving habits early on will help a college student reap the benefits throughout his or her life. Aside from the inherent benefits of saving money, starting early means taking advantage of what Albert Einstein described as one of the most powerful forces in the universe: compound interest.

For example, if a freshman saves $50 every month and puts it into a high interest savings account or money market account that earns five percent interest, by graduation, they’ll have saved more than $2660 including dividends. If they continue to save $50 every month at five percent interest, in 25 years, they’ll have saved nearly $15,000 and reaped another $15,000 in dividends.

For more information on creating a budget visit the BBB Web site.

Pay your bills on time.
U.S. PIRG found that more that 40 percent of college students who managed their own credit cards had paid bills late or paid at least one over-the-limit fee. Credit card companies often charge late fees as high as $40. Add to that any accruing interest, which can be upwards of 30 percent, and college students will quickly see how much can be lost by not paying a bill on time and in full.

Aside from the immediate benefits of paying bills on time – specifically, reducing needless spending on fees and interest charges – it is an important way for college students to begin building a healthy credit report.

For more information on managing credit and bills see BBB tips online.

Guard your personal information.
When comparing the age demographics of ID theft victims in the U.S., young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 were the second highest age group at risk for fraud according to an annual survey by Javelin Strategy and Research. Javelin also found that, in cases where the victims knew how their ID was stolen, 79 percent of the time it was stolen by someone they had contact with; therefore, preventing ID theft is important both online and offline. Parents should encourage their students to shred unnecessary documents that include personal information such as social security or bank account numbers and keep a close watch over credit and debit cards and checkbooks.

For more information on preventing ID theft online and for general ID theft prevention measures, visit the BBB Web site.

Collectables gather more value

2008-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Solve An Identity Crisis

2008-08-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Help EPA a recycle unwanted cell phones! Here's how:

2008-08-05T14:50:00.000-07:00

A problem with getting a new cell phone is what to do with the old one. Many of us have a stock pile of cell phones that we don't know what to do with. It may be a good idea to hold on to your most recent phone as you can use it as a back-up as long as it can take the card from your current phone.

Recycling your old cell phone, PDA, cell phone batteries, chargers, or other accessories, recovers valuable materials and reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Help EPA a recycle unwanted cell phones! Here's how:

Drop It Off

Drop off your old cell phone, PDA, cell phone batteries, chargers, or other accessories at one of the retailers or service providers below. Visit the links for detailed drop-off and collection event information.

T-Mobile

LG Electronics

Verizon Wireless

Note: EPA does not endorse the commercial services or products of its Plug-In To eCycling partners. All the previous links exit the EPA site .

Mail It In

Mail in your old cell phone, PDA, cell phone batteries, chargers, or other accessories at one of the retailers or service providers below. Visit the links for detailed drop-off and collection event information.

Nokia

Sprint

Samsung

T-Mobile

Motorola

LG Electronics

Verizon Wireless

Palm

Note: EPA does not endorse the commercial services or products of its Plug-In To eCycling partners. All the previous links exit the EPA site

Learn More

Before you drop off or mail in your old cell phone, make sure that you have terminated your service contract for the phone and erased any data in the phone.

To ensure that personal information is cleared from the phone, you can: manually delete all information and remove the SIM card; contact your service provider or phone manufacturer for instructions; or use a data erasing tool such as ReCellular's Cell Phone Data Eraser

Go to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association's recycling program Wireless...The New Recyclable^TM for additional tips to consider when recycling your cell phone
Listen to EPA's podcast on recycling your cell phone to learn what happens to your cell phone once it's recycled and hear answers to common questions.
Learn the basics of the campaign in our campaign overview.
Have a question about recycling your cell phone? Visit our eCycling frequent questions page.
Visit EPA's electronics recycling Web site to learn about the environmental benefits of recycling, how to recycle other electronics, and what EPA is doing to help.

Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC)

The EPA

Top Colleges for Making Money

2008-08-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

According to a recent study compiled by PayScale.com , the top schools for future earnings ,according to earnings of alumni at colleges around the country;

No. 1: Dartmouth College
Median Salary 0 to 5 years $58,000
10 to 20 years $134,000
Top Earners*$321,000

Crossing the Dartmouth Green (photo by Joseph Mehling '69)

Dartmouth College is a private, four-year liberal arts institution that has been at the forefront of American higher education since 1769. A member of the Ivy League, Dartmouth is a superb undergraduate residential college with the intellectual character of a university, featuring thriving research and first-rate graduate and professional programs. This unique combination creates a highly personal learning environment for our exceptional students and faculty.

No. 2: Princeton University

Princeton's campus is located on 500 acres in central New Jersey. The University recently created an Office of Sustainability to continue focusing on areas where it has been a leader, such as energy conservation, and to coordinate other environmental efforts.

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $66,500

10 to 20 years $131,000

Top Earners* $261,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 3: Stanford University

Photo: L.A. Cicero

Palm Drive, the mile-long, palm tree-lined entrance to campus, connects Stanford with the neighboring town of Palo Alto. Bike and walking paths and an arboretum border Palm Drive, and the street culminates at the Oval, a lawn at the front of campus where students often study or play volleyball and Frisbee. The view west down Palm Drive -- with palm trees framing Memorial Church and the foothills beyond -- is a classic Stanford shot.

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $70,400

10 to 20 years $129,000

Top Earners*$257,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 4: Yale University
Yale’s roots can be traced back to the 1640s, when colonial clergymen led an effort to establish a college in New Haven to preserve the tradition of European liberal education in the New World. This vision was fulfilled in 1701, when the charter was granted for a school “wherein Youth may be instructed in the Arts and Sciences [and] through the blessing of Almighty God may be fitted for Publick employment both in Church and Civil State.” In 1718 the school was renamed “Yale College” in gratitude to the Welsh merchant Elihu Yale, who had donated the proceeds from the sale of nine bales of goods together with 417 books and a portrait of King George I.

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $59,100

10 to 20 years $126,000

Top Earners* $326,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 4: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.

MIT is located on 168 acres that extend more than a mile along the Cambridge side of the Charles River Basin .

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $72,200

10 to 20 years $126,000

Top Earners*$326,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 6: Harvard University

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $63,400

10 to 20 years $124,000

Top Earners* $288,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 7: University Of Pennsylvania

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $60,900

10 to 20 years $120,000

Top Earners* $282,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 8: University Of Notre Dame

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $56,300

10 to 20 years $116,000

Top Earners* $235,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount

No. 9: Polytechnic University Of New York, Brooklyn

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $62,400

10 to 20 years $114,000

Top Earners* $190,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 9: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $61,000

10 to 20 years $114,000

Top Earners* $180,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

No. 11: University Of Chicago

Median Salary 0 to 5 years $53,400

10 to 20 years $113,000

Top Earners* $255,000

*Ten percent of grads with 10 to 20 years experience earn more than this amount.

Source: PayScale.com

Single Americans

2008-07-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

“National Singles Week” was started by the Buckeye Singles Council in Ohio in the 1980s to celebrate single life and recognize singles and their contributions to society. The week is now widely observed during the third full week of September (Sept. 21-27 in 2008) as “Unmarried and Single Americans Week,” an acknowledgment that many unmarried Americans do not identify with the word “single” because they are parents, have partners or are widowed. In this edition of Facts for Features, unmarried people include those who were never married, widowed, or divorced, unless otherwise noted.

Single Life

92 million
Number of unmarried Americans 18 and older in 2006. This group comprised 42 percent of all U.S. residents 18 and older.

54%
Percentage of unmarried Americans 18 and older who are women.

60%
Percentage of unmarried Americans 18 and older who have never been married. Another 25 percent are divorced, and 15 percent are widowed.

15 million
Number of unmarried Americans 65 and older. These older Americans comprise 16 percent of all unmarried and single people 18 and older.

86
Number of unmarried men 18 and older for every 100 unmarried women in the United States.

50.7 million
Number of households maintained by unmarried men or women. These households comprise 44 percent of households nationwide.

30.5 million
Number of people who live alone. They comprise 27 percent of all households, up from 17 percent in 1970.

Source for statements in this section: America’s Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

Parenting

12.9 million
Number of single parents living with their children in 2006. Of these, 10.4 million were single mothers.
Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

9%
Percentage of households headed by single parents in 2006, up from 5 percent in 1970.
Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

39%
Percentage of opposite-sex, unmarried-partner households that include children. Source: America’s Families and Living Arrangements <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>

733,000
Number of unmarried grandparents who were caregivers for their grandchildren in 2006. They comprised about three in 10 grandparents who were responsible for their grandchildren.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

Unmarried Couples

6 million
Number of unmarried-partner households in 2006. These include 5.2 million of the opposite sex and 780,000 of the same sex.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm>

Dating

904
The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2002. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed nearly 4,300 people and generated $489 million in revenues.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/SUBSUMM.HTM>

Voters

36%
Percentage of voters in the 2004 presidential election who were unmarried.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/004986.html>

Education

83%
Percentage of unmarried people 25 and older in 2007 who were high school graduates.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html>

24%
Percentage of unmarried people 25 and older in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree or more education.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States

Back to School: Facts- Census

2008-07-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Back to School: 2008-2009

Summertime winding down and summer vacations coming to an end signal that back-to-school time is near. It’s a time that many children eagerly anticipate — catching up with old friends, making new ones and settling into a new daily routine. Parents and children alike scan the newspapers and Web sites looking for sales to shop for a multitude of school supplies and the latest clothing fads and essentials. This edition of Facts for Features highlights the many statistics associated with the return to classrooms by our nation’s students and teachers.

Back-to-School Shopping

$7.5 billion
The amount of money spent at family clothing stores in August 2007. Only in November and December — the holiday shopping season — were sales significantly higher. Similarly, sales at bookstores in August 2007 totaled $2.3 billion, an amount approached in 2007 only by sales in January and December. Source: Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

For back-to-school shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2005, there were 24,659 family clothing stores, 6,305 children and infants clothing stores, 26,416 shoe stores, 9,501 office supply and stationery stores, 23,195 sporting goods stores, 11,077 bookstores and 9,589 department stores. Source: County Business Patterns: 2005
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/010192.html>

Students

75.2 million
The number of children and adults enrolled in school throughout the country in October 2006 — from nursery school to college.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

Pre-K through 12 Enrollment

56%
Percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in school in October 2006.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

72%
Percentage of children 3 to 6 enrolled in kindergarten who attended all day, as of October 2006.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

56 million
The projected number of students to be enrolled in the nation’s elementary through high schools (grades K-12) this fall.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 211 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

17,000
Number of students 30 and older enrolled in elementary school, as of October 2006.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

11%
Projected percentage of elementary through high school students enrolled in private schools this fall.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 211 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

41%
Percentage of elementary through high school students who were minorities, as of October 2006.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

23%
Percentage of elementary through high school students who have at least one foreign-born parent in October 2006. Five percent were foreign-born themselves. Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

33%
Percentage of children 6 to 11 who participated in lessons as of 2004. Lessons include those taken after school or on the weekend in subjects such as music, dance, language, computers or religion. The corresponding percentage a decade earlier was 24 percent.
Source: A Child’s Day: 2004 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/children/010850.html>

26%
Percentage of children 6 to 11 who had ever attended or been enrolled in first grade or higher and had changed schools at some point as of 2004, down from 30 percent a decade earlier. For children 12 to 17, the corresponding rate declined from 52 percent to 42 percent over the period.
Source: A Child’s Day: 2004 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/children/010850.html>

7%
The percentage of children 6 to 11 who had ever repeated a grade as of 2004, unchanged from a decade earlier. For children 12 to 17, the rate declined from 16 percent to 11 percent over the period.
Source: A Child’s Day: 2004 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/children/010850.html>

Languages

10.9 million
Number of school-age children (5 to 17) who speak a language other than English at home; 7.8 million of these children speak Spanish at home.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey <http://factfinder.census.gov/>

Lunchtime

30.5 million
Average number of children participating each month in the national school lunch program in 2007.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 551 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

9.3 billion
The nation’s total apple production, in pounds, in 2007, down from 9.9 billion in 2006. The chances are good that the apples your children present to their teachers or enjoy for lunch were grown in Washington state, which accounted for more than half of the nation’s total production.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov/index.asp>

College

18.4 million
The projected number of students enrolled in the nation’s colleges and universities this fall. This is up from 13.5 million 20 years ago.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 211 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

37%
Percentage of all college students 25 and older in October 2006; 55 percent of these older students attended school part time.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

69%
Percentage of undergraduates enrolled in four-year colleges in October 2006. Of those enrolled in such schools, 80 percent attended full time.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

46%
Percentage of 18- and 19-year-olds enrolled in college in 2006.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

56%
Percentage of undergraduates who were women in October 2006.
Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011921.html>

8.6 million
Number of people who hold bachelor’s degrees in business. Twenty-five percent of bachelor’s degrees were in this field.
Source: What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2004
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011392.html>

5.6 years
Average amount of time it takes people to complete bachelor’s degrees. It took 4.4 years to complete an associate’s degree.
Source: What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2004
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011392.html>

How Many Schools?

97,382
Number of public schools in 2005-06. The corresponding number of private schools was 28,996 in 2005-06.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Tables 231 and 254 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

4,276
Number of institutions of higher learning that granted college degrees in 2005.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 269 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

3,690
The number of public charter schools nationwide in 2005-06. These schools, exempt from selected state and local rules and regulations, enrolled 1 million students.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 230 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

Teachers and Other School Personnel

7.1 million
Number of teachers in the United States in 2007. Some 2.9 million teach at the elementary and middle school level. The remainder includes those teaching at the postsecondary, secondary, and preschool and kindergarten levels.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 596 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

$59,825
Average annual salary of public school teachers in California as of the 2005-2006 school year — the highest of any state. Teachers in South Dakota received the lowest pay — $34,709. The national average was $49,026. High school principals earned $92,965 annually in 2006-07.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Tables 244 and 247 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

$15.48
Average hourly wage for the nation’s school bus drivers in 2006-07. Custodians earned $13.78, while cafeteria workers made $11.16.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 247 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

Technology

14.2 million
Number of computers available for classroom use in the nation’s schools as of the 2005-2006 school year. That works out to one computer for every four students.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 252 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

The Rising Cost of College

$14,203
Average tuition, room and board (for in-state students) at the nation’s four-year public colleges and universities for an entire academic year (2006-07). That is more than double the corresponding figure in 1990.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 282 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

$38,400
Average tuition, room and board at the nation’s four-year private colleges and universities for one academic year (2006-07). That also is more than double the corresponding 1990 figure.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 282 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

The Rewards of Staying in School

$82,320
Average annual 2006 earnings of workers 18 and older with an advanced degree. This compares with $20,873 for those without a high school diploma. In addition, those with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $56,788 in 2006, while those with a high school diploma earned $31,071.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007
<<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011196.html>

$59,408
Average starting salary offered to bachelor’s degree candidates in petroleum engineering in 2007, among the highest of any field of study. At the other end of the spectrum were those majoring in the humanities, who were offered an average of $31,345.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 287 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

$5,992
Average monthly earnings for full-time workers 18 and older with earnings who had a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
Source: What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2004
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011392.html>

$3,431
Average monthly earnings for full-time workers 18 and older with earnings who had a bachelor’s degree in education.
Source: What It’s Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2004
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011392.html>

Graduation

3.3 million
Projected number of high school diplomas that will be awarded in the 2008-09 school year.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 213 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

3.1 million
Number of college degrees expected to be conferred in the 2008-09 school year.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 213 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

Government Spending on Public Education

$9,138
The per-pupil expenditure on public elementary and secondary education nationally in 2006. New York ($14,884) spent the most among states or state equivalents, followed by New Jersey ($14,630) and the District of Columbia ($13,446). Utah ($5,437) spent the least per student, followed by Idaho ($6,440) and Arizona ($6,472).
Source: Public Education Finances: 2006 <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/011747.html>

How Anonymous Are You Online?

2008-07-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

You may think that you are anonymous as you browse web sites, but pieces of information about you are always left behind. You can reduce the amount of information revealed about you by visiting legitimate sites, checking privacy policies, and minimizing the amount of personal information you provide. What information is collected?

When you visit a web site, a certain amount of information is automatically sent to the site. This information may include the following:

IP address - Each computer on the internet is assigned a specific, unique IP (internet protocol) address. Your computer may have a static IP address or a dynamic IP address. If you have a static IP address, it never changes. However, some ISPs own a block of addresses and assign an open one each time you connect to the internet—this is a dynamic IP address. You can determine your computer's IP address at any given time by visiting www.showmyip.com

domain name - The internet is divided into domains, and every user's account is associated with one of those domains. You can identify the domain by looking at the end of URL; for example, .edu indicates an educational institution, .gov indicates a US government agency, .org refers to organization, and .com is for commercial use. Many countries also have specific domain names. The list of active domain names is available from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).

software details - It may be possible for an organization to determine which browser, including the version, that you used to access its site. The organization may also be able to determine what operating system your computer is running.

page visits - Information about which pages you visited, how long you stayed on a given page, and whether you came to the site from a search engine is often available to the organization operating the web site.

If a web site uses cookies, the organization may be able to collect even more information, such as your browsing patterns, which include other sites you've visited. If the site you're vising is malicious, files on your computer, as well as passwords stored in the temporary memory, may be at risk.

How is this information used?

Generally, organizations use the information that is gathered automatically for legitimate purposes, such as generating statistics about their sites. By analyzing the statistics, the organizations can better understand the popularity of the site and which areas of content are being accessed the most. They may be able to use this information to modify the site to better support the behavior of the people visiting it.

Another way to apply information gathered about users is marketing. If the site uses cookies to determine other sites or pages you have visited, it may use this information to advertise certain products. The products may be on the same site or may be offered by partner sites.

However, some sites may collect your information for malicious purposes. If attackers are able to access files, passwords, or personal information on your computer, they may be able to use this data to their advantage. The attackers may be able to steal your identity, using and abusing your personal information for financial gain. A common practice is for attackers to use this type of information once or twice, then sell or trade it to other people. The attackers profit from the sale or trade, and increasing the number of transactions makes it more difficult to trace any activity back to them. The attackers may also alter the security settings on your computer so that they can access and use your computer for other malicious activity.

Are you exposing any other personal information?

While using cookies may be one method for gathering information, the easiest way for attackers to get access to personal information is to ask for it. By representing a malicious site as a legitimate one, attackers may be able to convince you to give them your address, credit card information, social security number, or other personal data (see Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information).

How can you limit the amount of information collected about you?

Be careful supplying personal information - Unless you trust a site, don't give your address, password, or credit card information. Look for indications that the site uses SSL to encrypt your information (see Protecting Your Privacy for more information). Although some sites require you to supply your social security number (e.g., sites associated with financial transactions such as loans or credit cards), be especially wary of providing this information online.

Limit cookies - If an attacker can access your computer, he or she may be able to find personal data stored in cookies. You may not realize the extent of the information stored on your computer until it is too late. However, you can limit the use of cookies (see Browsing Safely: Understanding Active Content and Cookies for more information).

Browse safely - Be careful which web sites you visit; if it seems suspicious, leave the site. Also make sure to take precautions by increasing your security settings (see Evaluating Your Web Browser's Security Settings for more information), keeping your virus definitions up to date (see Understanding Anti-Virus Software for more information), and scanning your computer for spyware (see Recognizing and Avoiding Spyware for more information).

Additional information

Securing Your Web Browser

us-cert.gov/

Ford's Model T at 100

2008-07-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Widgets

A Clean Computer is a Happy Computer

2008-07-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

It doesn’t take long for electrical equipment to attract dust. When dust settles onto the circuit board inside the machine casing, the efficiency of the electrical pathway is compromised, and performance suffers. Eventually, damage can occur and expensive repairs may become necessary. To prevent damage, most computers should be cleaned every five to six months. If you smoke in the house, have pets or if several people use the computer, you may need to clean it more often. Consider these tips

• Turn off the computer and disconnect individual components, such as the keyboard and mouse, before cleaning. It is also wise to unplug it. Be careful not to bump knobs or controls.

• Do not spray liquid onto any computer component. If water or cleaner is needed, spray it on a cloth, then wipe or rub. Never get any component inside the computer damp or wet. Be cautious when using cleaning solvents since some can damage the case. Use water or a highly diluted solvent such as isopropyl rubbing alcohol, vinegar or a small amount of dishwashing detergent.

• Use a vacuum to suction dust and dirt from around the computer, on the outside case and on the keyboard.

• Use extreme care when cleaning fans, especially those in a portable computer or laptop. To prevent spinning, hold the fan or place something between the fan blades. Do not spray compressed air into a fan or vacuum it since this may cause damage or back-voltage.

• Avoid eating, drinking or smoking around the computer.

• Inexpensive household cleaning agents can be used in place of expensive computer cleaning products. However, check the use and care manual to see if specific cleaners are required for certain components.

• Lint-free cloths or paper towels can be used to wipe components, but a lint-free cloth works best. A cloth can be used when cleaning the outside of the case, a drive or a mouse, but should not be used to clean circuitry such as the RAM or motherboard.

• Cotton swabs moistened with rubbing alcohol or water are excellent for wiping hard-to-reach areas in the keyboard or mouse. Foam swabs work even better.

• The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a lint-free cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. Never use a solvent cleaner on plastics.

• Rub a cloth over holes and vents to be sure they are hair and lint-free. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a computer, but for the inside, use a portable battery-powered vacuum to prevent static electricity. Wear an anti-static wrist band clipped to the main frame of the unit to avoid “frying” computer components.

• To clean the CD-ROM drive, purchase a CD-ROM cleaner from an electronics retailer. This should sufficiently clean dust, dirt and hair. Use a cloth dampened with water to clean the tray that ejects from the drive, but be sure it is dry before putting it back into the drive.

• Use caution when cleaning an optical (laser) mouse. Dampen a lint-free cloth with rubbing alcohol. Clean the outside of the mouse with the cloth, but do not clean the optical sensor.

• When cleaning a ball mouse, dampen a lint-free cloth with rubbing alcohol. Clean the outside of the mouse. Locate and remove the circular disc that holds the trackball in place. (Arrows on the disc should indicate which direction to turn.) Gently dab at the inside of the trackball cage. Inside the ball cage, there are two rotating wheels which often collect dirt. This can easily be removed with tweezers.

• When cleaning the keyboard, first disconnect it from the back of the computer. Then hold it upside down over a garbage can or counter and gently tap the bottom. Next, lay it on a table and spray compressed air in a crisscross pattern between the keys to remove additional dirt. A vacuum attachment brush can also be used. Finally, use the cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol to clean the surface of each key and the surrounding areas of the keyboard.

• To clean the monitor, spray a lint-free cloth with cleaning solution and wipe the screen and monitor. Do not attempt to open the inside of the monitor. If you have a thin screen LCD monitor, read the use and care manual. Many recommend no cleaning products at all.

http://extension.usu.edu/htm/news/articleID=3582

Two Great Sites for Drivers

2008-07-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Two new sites, DriverSide and RepairPal, allow car owners to specify almost any kind of repair job and receive price ranges specific to their areas. Both sites are officially still in testing but available for general use.

About DriverSide:

DriverSide is a vast resource for all drivers. We want to make buying, selling, and owning vehicles easier and more rewarding. We feel like owning a car can be complicated and we are here to help.

While there certainly are other places to get help on purchasing a vehicle, we wonder how interested the other guys are in helping out once their commission has been collected. We are different. We will bring you every resource, eliminate every fee, direct you to other websites (even if you leave ours,) and help you in any way we can. Our mission is to be as helpful as we can and to always be on the side of the driver!

DriverSide is located in San Francisco and was founded by three veteran internet entrepreneurs. DriverSide's editorial and production staff have long histories in the automotive space and come from places like KBB, Yahoo! Autos, Microsoft, Tesla Motors and other websites we like and respect! DriverSide is a private company and is venture financed.

Located in Emeryville, California, RepairPal was founded in 2007 by a group of automobile enthusiasts and entrepreneurs who were frustrated by the expensive and tedious process of fixing and maintaining their vehicles. They created RepairPal to provide drivers with the most accurate, unbiased, and useful car ownership information available. RepairPal is not affiliated with any automobile manufacturer, dealership, auto parts provider, or auto repair facility.

RepairPal offers a stress-free, time-saving method of obtaining all the relevant information conscientious consumers need. Unlike any other online resource, RepairPal provides impartial, fair price estimates, the most comprehensive auto shop directory, and expert insights and advice from certified mechanics. RepairPal’s unique, patent-pending system relies on multiple sources of difficult-to-acquire proprietary data that has never before been available to consumers.

RepairPal also provides a centralized online location where your records can be maintained for the entire ownership cycle of your vehicle. Emails will remind you of an upcoming oil change or scheduled service (coming soon).

Privacy concerns in cell phone tracking

2008-07-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

Prepaid credit cards

2008-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Prepaid cards issued by banks and other government-regulated organizations are a new way for consumers to make payments and conduct other financial transactions. There are plenty of situations where a prepaid card might be the most convenient choice, but be sure you understand the key terms and conditions BEFORE you buy. Ask these questions when you are considering a prepaid card:

* What are the possible fees associated with using the card?
* Where can the card be used (online, at ATMs, outside the U.S.)?

Reputable distributors of prepaid cards will give you the terms and conditions in writing or have them available on their website. If you don't understand how your card works, ask for help where you purchased it, from your employer (if it's a payroll card), or by contacting the customer service number on the card.

Cards with a major credit card brand logo provide consumer protections, such as replacing lost or stolen cards and re-crediting money after unauthorized use of the card. To obtain these benefits, you must follow the instructions for registering and activating your card. Be sure to record your card information, including the customer service telephone number on the back of the card, so you can get a replacement if yours is lost or stolen.

If you have a problem with a prepaid card, first contact the customer service number. If the problem still isn't resolved, you may want to file a complaint with the proper authorities:

* For cards issued by retailers, contact the FTC. You may also file a complaint with your local consumer protection office.
* For cards issued by national banks, contact the Comptroller of the Currency.

GSA

BBB Warning Internet Charges

2008-07-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to closely check their credit card statements for mysterious charges. Thousands of angy online shoppers have contacted BBB about unwanted credit card charges that are ultimately being traced back to Connecticut-based Affinion Group, an affinity-marketing company that recently changed its name from Trilegiant.

In the last 12 months alone, BBB has received nearly 1,800 complaints regarding Affinion Group. Most complainants state that they were shocked when they discovered unwanted charges on their credit card for membership services such as “Shoppers Advantage,” “Privacy Guard” or “Great Fun.” Charges ranged from $12 to as much as $59.99 every month. Some complainants had been charged by Affinion Group every month for several years, resulting in hundreds of dollars being paid for services they never took advantage of or even realized they had signed up for.

“Consumers who get signed up for Affinion’s programs never actually provide their credit card information and therefore don’t suspect that the company will immediately begin charging their credit card every month,” said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. “The large volume and pattern of complaints BBB has received indicates that Affinion is not taking enough steps to ensure consumers understand exactly what they’re getting into when they click on enticing pop-up ads – and that’s why they have a longstanding unsatisfactory record in BBB’s book.”

Some complainants were able to retrace their steps and find out how they were inadvertently signed up for membership services that resulted in the monthly charges. Typically, consumers had purchased items online – such as movie or airline tickets – from a reputable Web site. At some point in the transaction process, pop-up ads or chat boxes appeared offering incentives, such as $20 rebate cards for the Web site or claims like, “Click here for your 10% savings.”

Complainants allege they were signed up for unwanted services simply by clicking on pop-up ads or replying to chat windows, even though they ultimately declined the offers. Complainants never provided their credit card information to ads or chats because the company with which they had just made their online purchase had a pre-established agreement with Affinion Group to automatically transfer consumer information when they clicked on the ad or chat.

In 2006, 16 state Attorneys General reached a settlement with Trilegiant Corp. and Chase Bank totaling $14.5 million, to resolve allegations that the two companies partnered to deceive consumers into paying for membership programs. According to BBB records, Trilegiant is now doing business as Affinion Group – but it’s the same business and same people continuing their pattern of misleading consumers by not making it clear when a consumer has purchased something.

For more information on Affinion Group and to see the more than 50 names the company is doing business as, see BBB’s reliability report online.

To find trustworthy businesses in thousands of industries, search BBB’s database of more than four million reports free-of-charge at www.bbb.org

The New Honda Accord

2008-07-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta -how to bring a little ‘happy’ to your life

2008-07-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

So, here are some tips to on how to bring a little ‘happy’ to your life:

1) Stay active Don’t stay cooped up in your house after work or on the weekends. Do you like to sing? Join a choir. Love children? Donate time being a big brother or big sister. Crazy about animals? Volunteer at your local humane society. Look for your passion and use it in your daily life

2) Exercise Research shows walking even 30 minutes a day can take the blues away.

3) Get some sunshine Light deprivation can cause some people to get depressed, letting the sunshine in may boost your mood.

4) Laugh Often A study out of the University of Maryland Medical Center says laughter is the best medicine and can actually help keep your heart healthier by improving circulation.

When it doubt, accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, and that may mean getting rid of some of the “toxic” people in your life. Also, be compassionate. According to some studies, it is one of the only reliable ways to get and stay happy.

Be sure to tune in to Dr. Sanjay Gupta every weekend on HOUSE CALL. You’ll find the answers to all your medical questions Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. eastern on CNN.

Posted by: Dr. Sanjay Gupta - CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

Monthly payments and your income

2008-07-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Looking for a mortgage?
How much money can you most likely afford to borrow?

Keep in mind that you'll need to put a 10% - 20% down payment and taxes will also add to the monthly payment.

Mortgage Rates and Minimum Incomes Needed to Qualify
Interest Rate	Monthly Payment	Minimum Annual Income
4%	$454	$21,770
5%	$510	$24,479
6%	$570	$27,340
7%	$632	$30,338
8%	$697	$33,460
9%	$764	$36,691
10%	$834	$40,017
11%	$905	$43,426
12%	$977	$46,905
Mortgage companies use ratios to analyze your mortgage payment. The above example shows the monthly payments of principal and interest, and income needed to qualify for a $95,000 mortgage at various interest rates, amortized on a 30-year schedule, assuming a payment ratio of 25%. Source: National Association of Home Builders, Economics Divis

Penny Stock Investment Tips

2008-07-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

Your Rights: Credit Reporting

2008-07-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, has prepared a brochure, Your Access to Free Credit Reports, explaining your rights under the FCRA and how to order a free annual credit report.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

How do I order my free report?

You can order your free annual credit report online at annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

A Warning About "Imposter" Sites

The FTC advises consumers who order their free annual credit reports online to be sure to correctly spell annualcreditreport.com, or link to it from the FTC's website to avoid being misdirected to other websites that offer supposedly free reports,but only with the purchase of other products. While consumers may be offered additional products or services while on the authorized website, they are not required to make a purchase to receive their free annual credit reports.

For more information on free annual credit reports, read Your Access to Free Credit Reports

ftc.gov

summer crime: McGruff

2008-06-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) says summer crime could be headed your way. NCPC, the organization best known for its icon McGruff the Crime Dog, suggests some tips to protect you on travel, from property theft, and even bigger pains at the pump.

Travel Safety

Plan your trip. Know where to go and how to get around.
Take only the credit and other cards you will absolutely need. Carry traveler’s checks, not cash.
Check all the locks in your room and never leave your hotel room unlocked, even to go to the ice or vending machine.
Set rules for outings and make sure everyone in your party, especially children, knows where to meet if you become separated.

Avoid More Pain at the Pump

Pick gas stations that are well-lighted and have video-surveillance cameras at the pumps.
Always remove your keys and lock your car doors while you are pumping gas.
Pay attention to your surroundings.
Keep valuables out of view in your vehicle and lock the doors even if you are going inside for just a moment.

Secure Your Home

Lock all windows and doors before leaving town. Don’t forget to lock the garage door.
Use automatic timers on a few lights to give the impression that someone is home.
Ask the post office to hold your mail or ask a trusted friend or neighbor to collect it while you are away.
Use motion-detection lights outside and trim hedges to reduce potential hiding places for burglars.

Protecting Children

Urge kids to play in groups outside. Groups are far less likely to be approached by strangers.
Set boundaries where kids can or cannot play. Know where your kids will be at all times and with whom they are playing.
Remind kids to wear a helmet, reflective clothing, and to obey the rules of the road when riding their bike.

For more information and tips on travel safety, visit the National Crime Prevention Council’s website at www.ncpc.org. To schedule an interview, please contact Nicole Nasiatka at 202-261-4123 or nnasiatka@ncpc.org or Sarah Horn at 202-261-4189 or shorn@ncpc.org.

About the National Crime Prevention Council

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is a private, nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to be the nation’s leader in helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. NCPC manages public service advertising under the National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign—symbolized by McGruff the Crime Dog® and his “Take A Bite Out Of Crime®” slogan—and acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, more than 400 national, federal, state, and local organizations representing thousands of constituents who are committed to preventing crime. NCPC is funded through a variety of government agencies, corporate and private foundations, and donations from private individuals. For more information on crime prevention issues, visit www.ncpc.org.

Five Cool Contests

2008-06-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

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What kind of light bulbs are your using?

2008-06-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of your electric bill. Examine the wattage size of the light bulbs in your house. You may have 100-watt (or larger) bulbs where 60 or 75 watts would do. You should also consider compact fluorescent lamps for areas where lights are on for hours at a time. Your electric utility may offer rebates or other incentives for purchasing energy-efficient lamps.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) combine the energy efficiency of fluorescent lighting with the convenience and popularity of incandescent fixtures.
CFLs can replace incandescents that are roughly 3–4 times their wattage, saving up to 75% of the initial lighting energy. Although CFLs cost 3–10 times more than comparable incandescent bulbs, they last 6–15 times as long (6,000–15,000 hours). See How CFLs Compare with Incandescents for more information.

Compared to incandescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), when used properly have the following advantages:

Last up to 10 times longer
Use about one-fourth the energy
Produce 90% less heat, while producing more light per watt.
Can light for up to 10,000 hours

How They Work

CFLs work much like standard fluorescent lamps. They consist of two parts: a gas-filled tube, and a magnetic or electronic ballast. The gas in the tube glows with ultraviolet light when electricity from the ballast flows through it. This in turn excites a white phosphor coating on the inside of the tube, which emits visible light throughout the surface of the tube.
CFLs with magnetic ballasts flicker slightly when they start.

CFLs are designed to operate within a specific temperature range. Temperatures below the range cause reduced output. Most are for indoor use, but there are models available for outdoor use. You can find a CFL's temperature range on most lamp packages. You should install outdoor CFLs in enclosed fixtures to minimize the adverse effects of colder temperatures.
CFLs are most cost effective and efficient in areas where lights are on for long periods of time. You'll experience a slower payback in areas where lights are turned on for short periods of time, such as in closets and pantries. Because CFLs do not need to be changed often, they are ideal for hard-to-reach areas.

Types of Compact Fluorescent Lamps

CFLs are available in a variety of styles or shapes. Some have two, four, or six tubes. Others have circular or spiral-shaped tubes. The size or total surface area of the tube(s) determines how much light it produces.
Sub-CFLs fit most fixtures designed for incandescent lamps. Although most CFLs fit into existing 3-way light sockets, only a few special CFL models can be dimmed.
eere.gov

Countrywide Financial

2008-06-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Countrywide Financial (CFC) is widely blamed by some for helping foment the U.S. housing crisis. They are accused by doing it through free-wheeling lending. Now the lender is being sued for alleged deceptive mortgage practices by officials in its home states of California and in Illinois.

Ironically, the civil lawsuits, were brought the same day shareholders approved the company's takeover by Bank of America (BAC). The merger is set to close by July 1.

Bank of America said Thursday it will cut about 7,500 jobs after it closes its acquisition of mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp.

Countrywide Financial is the largest U.S. mortgage lender and is accused in the lawsuits of unfair trade practices that encouraged homeowners to take out risky loans, regardless of whether they could repay them.

California and Illinois officials allege that the company relaxed mortgage standards in an effort to rope in as many customers as possible.

Countrywide "exploited the American dream of homeownership," then sold its mortgages for huge profits to third-party investors, California Attorney General Jerry Brown said.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also asked the court to put a 90-day stay on Countrywide loans in foreclosure in her state to allow her office time to review them. Madigan said the foreclosure rate on Countrywide loans was more than double that of other lenders in 2006 and 2007 in Cook County, which includes Chicago.

Californians Install Bigger Tanks for Mexican Gas

2008-06-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

Gasoline Use in the USA

2008-06-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

Gasoline is one of the major fuels consumed in the United States and the main product refined from crude oil.
Consumption in 2007 was about 142 billion gallons, an average about 390 million gallons per day and the equivalent of about 61% of all the energy used for transportation, 44% of all petroleum consumption, and 17% of total U.S. energy consumption.

About 47 barrels of gasoline are produced in U.S. refineries from every 100 barrels of oil refined to make numerous petroleum products. Most gasoline is used in cars and light trucks. It also fuels boats, recreational vehicles, and farm, construction, and landscaping equipment.

While gasoline is produced year-round, extra volumes are made and imported to meet higher demand in the summer. Gasoline is delivered from oil refineries mainly through pipelines to an extensive distribution chain serving about 167,500 retail gasoline stations in the United States.

There are three main grades of gasoline that are based on octane levels: regular, mid-grade, and premium. Premium grade is the most expensive; the price difference between grades is generally constant at about ten cents per gallon.

www.eia.doe.gov

Establish Credit

2008-06-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

If you are new in the job market and wanting to establish credit, here are some tips. KEep in mind that it takes time and hard work.

Open a bank account. This will not appear on your credit report.
You usually need an account to apply for credit.

Apply for a credit card. Department store or gas credit cards are usually easier to obtain than a bank-issued card with a Visa or MasterCard logo. Use it and pay it off monthly.

Avoid fast loans. Its tempting at first when you get the letters in the mail from credit cards to take out $5000 against your credit card balance. Wow- this can be costly in the long run. Wait to borrow until you really need it, like when you are buying a house. Then go to your bank and get the money.

Create a spending plan. Be realistic andhave a lee way or margin of errr. Being too tough on your self can lead to not following the plan.

If you get into a bit of trouble;

Don't overdraw your bank account. You will be charged fees, and you could damage a good reference.

Avoid missed or late payments to any creditor. That is a sure way to damage your credit rating.

Don't let anyone else borrow your credit card, debit card or in any way have access to your bank account. You are responsible for any authorized use of your accounts.

Don't give your card number to anyone over the phone or Internet unless you have initiated the transaction.

Avoid cash advances . They're expensive.

Pay yourself first. Put you money somewhere safe where you will not be tempted to touch it.

CAN-SPAM

2008-06-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) establishes requirements for those who send commercial email, spells out penalties for spammers and companies whose products are advertised in spam if they violate the law, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them.

The law covers email whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, including content on a Web site. A "transactional or relationship message" – email that facilitates an agreed-upon transaction or updates a customer in an existing business relationship – may not contain false or misleading routing information, but otherwise is exempt from most provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act.

What the Law Requires

Here's a rundown of the law's main provisions:

It bans false or misleading header information. Your email's "From," "To," and routing information – including the originating domain name and email address – must be accurate and identify the person who initiated the email.

It prohibits deceptive subject lines. The subject line cannot mislead the recipient about the contents or subject matter of the message.

It requires that your email give recipients an opt-out method. You must provide a return email address or another Internet-based response mechanism that allows a recipient to ask you not to send future email messages to that email address, and you must honor the requests. You may create a "menu" of choices to allow a recipient to opt out of certain types of messages, but you must include the option to end any commercial messages from the sender.

Any opt-out mechanism must be able to process opt-out requests for at least 30 days after you send your commercial email. When you receive an opt-out request, the law gives you 10 business days to stop sending email to the requestor's email address. You cannot help another entity send email to that address, or have another entity send email on your behalf to that address. Finally, it's illegal for you to sell or transfer the email addresses of people who choose not to receive your email, even in the form of a mailing list, unless you transfer the addresses so another entity can comply with the law.

It requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender's valid physical postal address.

Since 2005, the CAN-SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault on Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) has prohibited commercial e-mail and text messages to be sent to cell phones without "express prior authorization." Unfortunately, the law leaves commercial entities lots of loopholes. For example, it doesn't prevent your carrier or its partners from sending you upgrade offers or account notices. Also, non-commercial organizations such as charities and political campaigns can shoot you all the messages they want on your dime.

Cell Phone Spam

2008-06-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Just when we thought we were rid of telemarketers thanks to the 'do not call' registry which put an end to annoying dinner time phone calls, they're back. Cell-phone spam is the new generation of annoying you via your most intimate possession. It may be a simple phone call asking you to join or try or the call can be a text message which shows up on your bill for $10.

Minimize your chances of getting unwelcome text messages:

Call your carrier as soon as you receive a spam message. Three are no hard-and-fast rules govern the removal of text-message charges.

Block cell spam at the source. Virtually all spam messages come over the Internet via a SMSC (Short Message Service Center) or e-mail/Internet gateway, possibly from overseas. Go to your cell account online and access your e-mail and/or messaging preferences. Then activate the setting that blocks messages over the Internet.

Some carriers allow you designate certain addresses from which you don't want to receive texts. Check to see if yours is one of them.

File a complaint with the FCC by filling out online form 1088.

Prevent spammers; never download to your phone from a service you don’t know and trust.

	Do-Not-Call Registry

You can register your phone number and it will remain on the national do-not-call list for five years. You may re-enter your number on the list when the five years have passed, and you may remove your number from the list at any time.

The Do-Not-Call registry does not prevent all unwanted calls. It does not cover the following:

calls from organizations with which you have established a business relationship;
calls for which you have given prior written permission;
calls which are not commercial or do not include unsolicited advertisements;
calls by or on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit organizations.

	How to Register

Subscribers may register their residential telephone number, including wireless numbers, on the national Do-Not-Call registry by telephone or by Internet at no cost.

Consumers can register on-line for the national do-not-call registry by going to www.donotcall.gov. To register by telephone, consumers may call 1-888-382-1222: for TTY call 1-866-290-4236. You must call from the phone number you wish to register.

In addition to the establishment of a national Do-Not-Call Registry, there are other amendments to the Commission's rules implementing the TCPA that may reduce the number of telemarketing calls to your home:

If you subscribe to CALLER ID, you should know when a telemarketer is calling you: telemarketers are required to transmit Caller ID information and may not block their numbers.
Telemarketers must ensure that predictive dialers abandon no more than three percent of all calls placed and answered by a person. A call will be considered "abandoned" if it is not transferred to a live sales agent within two seconds of the recipient's greeting. As a result, you are less likely to run to answer the phone only to find silence or the "click" of the calling party disconnecting the line.

In addition to these changes the rules provide:

Telephone solicitation calls to your home before 8 am or after 9 pm are prohibited.
Anyone making a telephone solicitation call to your home must provide his/her name, the name of the entity on whose behalf the call is being made, and a telephone number or address at which you may contact that entity.
Company-specific do-not-call lists are available to consumers who wish to avoid telemarketing calls only from specific companies. For more information see our Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls Factsheet

	How to Complain

Filing a Do-Not-Call Complaint

In addition to complaints alleging violations of the national do-not-call list, you may also file a complaint against a telemarketer who is calling for a commercial purpose (e.g., not charitable organizations) IF:

The telemarketer calls before 8 AM or after 9 PM; OR
The telemarketer leaves a message, but fails to leave a phone number that you can call to sign up for their company specific do-not-call list; OR
You receive a telemarketing call from a company that you have previously requested not call you; OR
The telemarketing firm fails to identify itself; OR
You receive a pre-recorded commercial message from someone with whom you do not have an established business relationship and to whom you have not given permission to call you.

How to File a Complaint

You can file a complaint by e-mail (fccinfo@fcc.gov), telephone 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY, by fax to 1-866-418-0232, via our electronic complaint form at http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm, or mail. For the FCC to process your complaint you must either fill in the electronic form completely or otherwise indicate:

your name and address;
the home phone number where you received the solicitation;
identification of the individual or company whose products or services were being advertised or sold, and any phone numbers included in the call;
a description of the call;
any phone number provided to allow you to “opt-out” of future calls;
whether you or anyone else in your household gave the caller express prior permission to call;
whether you have an EBR with the caller (specifically, whether you or anyone else in your household made any purchases of property, goods, or services from the company that called, or made any inquiry or filed an application with the company prior to receiving the call).

If mailing a complaint, send it to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

save money on auto insurance:tips

2008-06-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Shop around-Prices vary from company to company, so it pays to shop around. Get at least three price quotes. Contact your state insurance department may also provide comparisons of prices charged by major insurers

Ask for a higher deductible- Your deductible represents the amount of money you pay before your insurance policy kicks in when you have a claim.

Before you buy a car, compare insurance costs- Your premium is based in part on the vehicle’s sticker price, the cost to repair it, its overall safety record and the likelihood of theft so some cars and models will cost less to insure than others. Many insurers offer discounts for features such as air bags, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights and anti-theft devices.
Car information is available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Reduce coverage on older cars- Consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage on older cars. As a general rule, it does not make sense to pay comprehensive or collision on a car worth less than $1,000 as any claim payment you receive would not substantially exceed your premiums minus the deductible. Auto dealers and banks can tell you the worth of a car, or you can look it up online at Kelley Blue Book. If your used or older car is not worth more than $2000, then cover it with liability only insurance

Seek out safe driver discounts- You may qualify for a premium cut if you have recently taken a defensive driving course.

Stuff to Blog About: Downsizing Products=Price Increase

2008-06-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Stuff to Blog About: Downsizing Products=Price Increase

If you have noticed that a product that you purchase regularly has a new package, be wary. It could mean that the price has increased and you didn't even notice. That's because of product downsizing.

Product downsizing means just that. Downsizing the amount of product while still charging the same price. For many products, it's better to reduce quantity than raise prices, conclude Harvard Business School marketing professor John Gourville and University of Texas professor Jonathan Koehler.

Have you noticed?
Dairy products went up in price a couple of years ago for various reasons. So products got downsized. Ice cream has shrunk their standard containers to 1.5 quarts from 1.75 quarts, about 1 cup less. The industry downsized from the traditional half-gallon (2 quarts) five years ago. In both cases, only the package shrank, not the price.

"Downsizing is nothing but a sneaky price increase," says Edgar Dworsky, former Massachusetts assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division, now editor of Mouseprint.org, a consumer website. "I'm waiting to open a carton of eggs and see only 11."

Why the downsizing?
Yes, to make it less obvious to you, the consumer, that prices have risen. The cost for food production has gone up as well. Egg prices rose 44.9% from April 2007 through April 2008, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Corn costs rose 69.5%. And wheat rose 96.9%. Energy prices also are up. So are packaging costs.

According to Mouseprint.org,

•Less crunch. Since January, Frito-Lay has cut the number of chips in bags across all brands from Lay's to Doritos, though not all product sizes, spokeswoman Aurora Gonzalez says. The biggest cut was to some 12-ounce bags of chips, which are now 10. Some Frito-Lay offerings got higher prices.

"These are common practices," says Gonzalez, who faulted rising costs of commodities, energy, production and distribution. "We determined the best actions based on the products."

•Hold the mayo. A jar of Hellmann's mayonnaise that was 32 ounces is now 30. "The price of our ingredients has gone up dramatically," says Dean Mastrojohn, a Unilever spokesman. "Manufacturing and transportation costs also have increased significantly."

•Spread thinner. Shedd's Spread Country Crock was shrunk from 48 ounces to 45, due to higher commodity and energy costs, Unilever's Mastrojohn says.

•Grain shortage. The price of grains has been rising for a while, in part due to increased demand for corn to produce ethanol. Kellogg downsized Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies and Mini-Wheats in 2006. Boxes shrank from 24.3 ounces to 24 and from 19 ounces to 18. "I am not aware of consumer issues surrounding this downsizing," spokeswoman Susanne Norwitz says.

General Mills began downsizing cereals last June. Some boxes of Cheerios and Wheaties shrank as much as 1.5 ounces. "Prior to the change, our package sizes were larger, in many cases, than competitors'," spokeswoman Heidi Geller says.

•Slippery soap. Early this year, Henkel of America downsized its Dial soap bath bar from 4.5 ounces to 4, says Scott Moffitt, Dial's Personal Care senior vice president.

The decision was primarily due to the skyrocketing cost of tallow, the natural fat from cattle that's a key ingredient in the soap.

•Less bountiful. This spring, Bounty cut the number of towels on a roll from 60 to 52. Procter & Gamble spokeswoman Celeste Kuta says the reduction was because the sheets are now "improved" and thicker.

What can you do?
Bring your calculator with you when you shop.
Calculate price per unit/use/serving and then compare that to the other products. You may have to convert units of measure (yet, another tactic to stupid us up).

Companies are banking on consumers to not notice or to be too busy with other things to speak up. Complaining to the company may do you some good if there are other irate consumers doing the same.

As the cost of goods increase, manufacturers routinely pass these costs on to consumers through higher prices. A less obvious strategy is to maintain price, but to reduce the size of the product. In many ways, this downsizing should mirror a straight price increase when it comes to consumer behavior. Marketplace and experimental data show this is not the case and that consumers are more sensitive to changes in price than to changes in quantity.There's a science to downsizing products, and few have studied it as closely as John Gourville, a marketing professor at Harvard Business School. He studied purchasing patterns for 157 ready-to-eat cereals in 2004 and concluded that consumers are far more sensitive to higher prices than to less product. "People are generally unaware they're getting less," he says. Most of those who are aware say they'd rather get less than pay more.

Several well-known products have gotten smaller recently
Then Now
Hellmann's mayonnaise 32 oz. 30 oz.
Some Frito-Lay chips 12 oz. 10 oz.
Shedd's Spread Country Crock 48 oz. 45 oz.
Dial soap bath bar 4.5 oz. 4 oz.
Bounty towel roll 60 towels 52 towels
HBS Home

Did you get your rebate check?

2008-06-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Stuff to Blog About: In the News; June 20, 2008: "Did you get your rebate check?

The IRS says it's still trying to reach some 5 million Americans -- primarily seniors and veterans -- who have not filed the tax returns needed to qualify for their stimulus checks.
The IRS is trying to reach people who do not normally file tax returns so they can apply for stimulus checks.

In all, the IRS has sent out more than 76 million stimulus checks, in amounts up to $600 for individuals, $1,200 for married couples and $300 per child for families."

Economic stimulus payments will be issued according to the last two-digits of the main filer's Social Security number. Stimulus payments will continue on a weekly basis through mid-July. In all, nearly 130 million payments will go out this year.For joint filers, the payments will go out based on the person listed first on the return. Payments will be made by either direct deposit or paper check, consistent with how people filed their 2007 tax return.Please allow additional delivery time, perhaps 3 to 5 days, since the paper checks are being sent through the mail.

PAPER CHECK

Last two SSN digits:	Payments will be mailed no later than (and received a few days after):
00 through 09	May 16
10 through 18	May 23
19 through 25	May 30
26 through 38	June 6
39 through 51	June 13
52 through 63	June 20
64 through 75	June 27
76 through 87	July 4
88 through 99	July 11

People who file a return after April 15 will receive their economic stimulus payment, but probably later than the schedule shows. A return must be filed by October 15 in order to receive a stimulus payment this year. See the online calculator for an estimate of the amount you will receive.

A small percentage of tax returns will require additional time to process and to compute a stimulus payment amount. For these returns, stimulus payments may not be issued in accordance with the schedule above, even if the tax return was processed by April 15.

If you have any questions about your payment, please visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center or call the toll-free Rebate Hotline at 1-866-234-2942. A list of all Taxpayer Assistance Centers in your state is available at Contact My Local Office.

IRS.gov

Stuff to Blog About: American's Are Driving Less!

2008-06-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Stuff to Blog About: American's Are Driving Less!

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters says that Americans Drove 1.4 Billion Fewer Highway Miles in April of 2008 than in April 2007 While Fuel Prices and Transit Ridership Are Both on the Rise.

Sixth Month of Declining Vehicle Miles Traveled Signals Need to Find New Revenue Sources for Highway and Transit Programs, Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters Says.

At a time of record-high gas prices and a corresponding surge in transit ridership, Americans are driving less for the sixth month in a row, highlighting the need to find a more sustainable and effective way to fund highway construction and maintenance.

Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on all public roads for April 2008 fell 1.8 percent as compared with April 2007 travel. This marks a decline of nearly 20 billion miles traveled this year, and nearly 30 billion miles traveled since November.

“We’re burning less fuel as energy costs change driving patterns, steer people toward more fuel efficient vehicles and encourage more to use transit. Which is exactly why we need a more effective funding source than the gas tax,” Secretary Peters said.

The Secretary said as Americans drive less, the federal Highway Trust Fund receives less revenue from gasoline and diesel sales – 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon, respectively.

The Secretary noted that data show midsize SUV sales were down last month 38 percent over May of last year; car sales, which had accounted for less than half of the industry volume in 2007, rose to 57 percent in May. She said past trends have shown Americans will continue to drive despite high gas prices, but will drive more fuel efficient vehicles consuming less fuel. “History shows that we’re going to continue to see congested roads while gas tax revenues decline even further,” she said.

FHWA

The new version of the Firefox Web browser

2008-06-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Firefox supporters organized launch parties around the world as they tried to set a world record for most software downloads in a 24-hour period.The category is new, and Guinness World Records must certify it, a process that could take a week or longer.
Firefox 3 includes enhancements to help users organize their frequently visited Web sites and block access to sites known to distribute viruses and other malicious software.

Users of Yahoo Inc.'s mail service can also use Firefox 3 to send e-mail by clicking a "mailto" link they might come across clicking on a name or a "contact us" link on a Web page. Previously such links could only open a standalone, desktop e-mail program.

Firefox 3 also offers improvements including in design and speed .

Top New Features

Password Manager

Remember site passwords without ever seeing a pop-up.

One-Click Bookmarking

Bookmark, search and organize Web sites quickly and easily.Improved Performance

View Web pages faster, using less of your computer’s memory.

Find the sites you love in seconds—enter a term for instant matches that make sense.

Firefox 3 protects you from viruses, worms, trojan horses and spyware. If you accidentally access an attack site, you’ll receive a full-sized browser message as a warning. A continuously updated list of attack-sites tells us when to stop you from browsing, so there’s nothing for you to update or maintain.

Parental Controls

Enforce parental control settings you’ve entered on Windows Vista with Firefox 3—stop unwanted downloads and more. Firefox’s intuitive design keeps you from second-guessing your setup.

Anti-Virus Software

Firefox 3 integrates elegantly with your antivirus software. When you download a file, your computer’s antivirus program automatically checks it to protect you against viruses and other malware, which could otherwise attack your computer.

Add-ons
The sky’s the limit with a growing library of over 5,000 Firefox Add-ons, little extras you choose to download and install for a browser that works your way. Manage online auctions, upload digital photos, see the weather forecast in a glance and listen to music all from the convenience of your browser. There’s no need to open a new window or tab for each task. Discover add-ons that help you streamline coding and Web development, like Firebug, which lets you look deep into the structure of a web page.

Firefox comes from Mozilla, an open-source community in which thousands of people, mostly volunteers, collectively develop free products. Firefox is the No. 2 Web browser behind Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer.

House Insurance

2008-06-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

Do you have enough insurance to rebuild your home?
Your policy needs to cover the cost of rebuilding your home at current construction costs in the event that it is destroyed.

Consider the following types of coverage:

Replacement Cost
Most homeowners policies cover replacement cost for damage to the structure. A replacement cost policy pays for the repair or replacement of damaged property with materials of similar kind and quality.
Extended Replacement Cost
This type of policy provides additional insurance coverage of 20 percent or more over the limits in your policy, which can be critical if there is a widespread disaster that pushes up the cost of building materials .
Inflation Guard
This coverage automatically adjusts the rebuilding costs of your home to reflect changes in construction costs.
Ordinance or Law coverage
If your home is badly damaged, you may be required to rebuild it to meet new, and often stricter, building codes.
Water Back-Up
Insures your property for damage from sewer or drain back-up. This is offered as an add-on to a standard policy.
Flood and Earthquake Insurance
Standard homeowners insurance does not include coverage for natural disasters such as flooding and earthquake.

Flood insurance is available through the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program as well.

Earthquake coverage is available in the form of an endorsement from private insurance companies. In California, supplemental coverage is also available from the California Earthquake Authority (CEA).

Most homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for your personal possessions for approximately 50 percent to 70 percent of the amount of insurance you have on the structure of your home.

The best way to determine if this is enough coverage is to conduct a home inventory. A home inventory will detail everything you own and the estimated cost to replace these items if they were to be stolen or destroyed by a disaster.

To make this task simple, the I.I.I. offers free, downloadable software and information on how to create and store your inventory at www.KnowYourStuff.org.

You can insure your possessions in two ways: by their actual cash value or their replacement cost. Make sure you review with your agent or company representative which type of coverage is best for your particular situation.

Cash Value Policy
This coverage pays the cost to replace your belongings minus depreciation.
Replacement Cost Policy
This coverage reimburses you for the full current cost of replacing your belongings.

Most standard home and renters insurance policies will generally provide at least $100,000 of liability coverage. Additional liability protection is available and everyone should consider getting enough insurance to protect their assets and finances.

For more information on how to properly insure your home, go to the I.I.I. Web site.
The Insurance Information Institute.

Stuff to Blog About: Honda's FCX Clarity -Hydrogen Fuel Celled

2008-06-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

Stuff to Blog About: Honda's FCX Clarity -Hydrogen Fuel Celled

Honda's FCX Clarity -Hydrogen Fuel Celled

Honda's new zero-emission, hydrogen fuel celled FCX Clarity rolled off a Japanese production line and is headed to southern California, where Hollywood is already abuzz over the latest splash in green motoring.

The biggest obstacles standing in the way of wider adoption of fuel cell vehicles are cost and the dearth of hydrogen fuel stations. For the Clarity's release in California, Honda said it received 50,000 applications through its Web site but considered only buyers living near hydrogen fuel stations in Torrance, Santa Monica and Irvine.

Although Honda Motor Co. (HMC) was the first Japanese automaker to launch a gas-electric hybrid vehicle in the U.S. in 1999, it has been outpaced by the dominance of Toyota's (TM) popular Prius.

Toyota announced in May that it has sold more than 1 million Prius hybrids, while both the Honda Insight and the hybrid Accord have been discontinued due to poor sales.

The FCX Clarity is part of Honda's plan to keep pace with rivals in green technology. It also plans to launch a gas-electric hybrid-only model, as well as hybrid versions of the Civic, the sporty CR-Z and Fit subcompact.

The Fuel Cell

Fuel cells produce electricity that can be used as a clean alternative
to gasoline. The fuel cell stack in the FCX Clarity converts hydrogen
(H₂) and oxygen (O₂) into electricity.

FCX Clarity is powered by an electric motor. The car you drove to
work today is probably powered by an engine. The big
difference is that the motor in the FCX Clarity gets its
energy from electricity, instead of from gasoline like most
cars today. So while the FCX Clarity has the power of an engine,
it also offers the uniquely clean, quiet ride of a motor.

Auxiliary regenerated energy is supplied by a lithium-ion battery pack, increasing the vehicle’s efficiency and range.

All of the advanced components in the FCX Clarity have been fine-tuned for ultimate performance in this Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) of the very near future.

Honda has developed a compact lithium-ion battery that serves as a supplemental power source in the FCX Clarity.

The FCX Clarity, which runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water and none of the gases believed to induce global warming. It is also two times more energy efficient than a gas-electric hybrid and three times that of a standard gasoline-powered car, the company says.

While electric vehicles are powered by a battery alone and must be plugged in to recharge, hybrid vehicles combine a gasoline-powered engine with an electric motor. You fill hybrid vehicles up with regular gasoline and they do not need to be plugged in. A fuel cell vehicle does not need to be plugged in to recharge and it does not use gasoline.

Fuel cell vehicles are powered by electricity generated onboard by combining hydrogen with oxygen by the fuel cell stack. From tank to wheel, the FCX Clarity is twice as efficient as a hybrid-electric vehicle and three times more efficient than a conventional gasoline vehicle.

Today, automakers are more concerned than ever about finding solutions to the problems of air quality and climate change, and Honda is leading the way. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has a Web site with information about various incentives and initiatives in this important area: http://www.driveclean.ca.gov/en/gv/home/index.asp

Honda.com

Stuff to Blog About: In the News June 15th 2008

2008-06-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

Stuff to Blog About: In the News June 15th 2008

Want cheap Gas? Go to Mexico!.

A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in San Diego retails for an average price of $4.61 a gallon. A few miles south, in Tijuana, it's about $2.54 — even less if you pay in pesos.
More and more people appear to be taking advantage of the lower price.

The lower prices mean a U.S. motorist could save almost $54 filling up a two-year-old Ford F150 pickup with a 26-gallon fuel tank in Mexico.

Keep your car clean

2008-06-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

As reported on CNN.com
Just when you thought you knew it all about how to clean your car. Here are some myths about car cleaning.

Barry Meguiar, who heads the business of the same name, is one who's out to set the record straight, in the process dispelling what his third generation family company says is the "dirty dozen" car care myths.

Myth 1: Dishwashing detergent is safe to use as a car wash.

First among them is the idea that plain, ordinary dishwashing detergent is just fine and dandy for car wash purposes.

"Any dishwashing detergent is meant to remove everything from the surface," he says. "That will include stripping the polymers of the paint surface and the last thing you want the paint finish to be is squeaky clean."

Meguiar likens the effect of dishwashing detergent to what it does to someone's hands. "Too much detergent will dry the skin. On the surface of a car, the same thing occurs; dishwashing detergent actually accelerates the oxidation process when you use it on a regular basis."

Myth 2: Washing and cleaning are the same.

A car wash removes loose contaminants; cleaning removes stubborn stains, blemishes and bonded contaminants, explains Meguiar. Bonded contaminants? Think tree sap and, almost as bad, an aerosol spray of tire rubber that no one can escape.

Myth 3: If a car looks shiny, the cleaning process can be skipped.

In this case, seeing is quite definitely not something you want to believe. "Your eyes can't tell you what's going on in the paint finish," says Meguiar, who suggests rubbing the face of your hand over the surface of the vehicle after a car wash.

"It should feel like glass if it's right. Most of the time it's going to feel more like sandpaper. You can feel the contaminants." Products like a clay bar can easily remove bonded contaminants, something that's essential before the application of a polish or wax.

Myth 4: Clay bars should only be used by professionals.

Remember how easy it was to use Silly Putty? Using a clay bar is just as easy, the bar (which comes in a kit) is able to grab and gently remove all bonded contaminants (like the tree sap and road rubber).

Myth 5: Waxing can remove swirl marks.

Barry Meguiar says swirl marks, which are nothing more than scratches in the surface of a vehicle, can only be removed by getting to the bottom of it -- literally.

Today's modern paint finish actually magnifies the scratches, making swirl marks one of the more troubling aspects of maintaining a vehicle's finish. "We get more calls about swirl marks than anything else," says Meguiar.

Getting rid of them will depend on how deep the scratch is, with micro-fine, hairline scratches taken care of with a non-abrasive paint cleaner; moderate ones may require something a little more serious; even deeper swirl marks (caused by improper use of rotary buffers and rubbing compounds) may need professional color sanding and buffing.

Myth 6: There is no difference between polishing and waxing.

Understanding what polishing and waxing are designed to do is key. Polishing creates a brilliant high gloss surface; waxing protects the vehicle's finish by coating it with waxes polymers, resins and silicones. Which means waxing won't make a dull surface shiny.

Myth 7: Machine polishers damage the paint finish.

Speed is the key; a dual action polisher or orbital buffer shouldn't be a problem for even the most inexperienced. Not so with rotary buffers, which operate at much higher RPMs and are best left to the pros.

Myth 8: Diapers, t-shirts and flannel make good cleaning cloths.

A smooth surface is exactly what you don't want to see in a cloth, the reason being those fine particulates that you're trying to capture.

While the cloth diaper or t-shirt may be clean, it's actually scratching the surface; a terrycloth premium microfiber towel is what's recommended, the deep pile surface creating a buffer zone that will pick up the bad stuff, not grind it into the paint finish.

Myth 9: Wax protection can be guaranteed to last up to one year.

A claim may help sell a product, but Barry Meguiar says there are enough variables in place that make any such guarantees suspect.

A better strategy might be to consider those differences -- weather, use of road salt, whether your vehicle is parked outside or garaged -- and maintain accordingly. Meguiar's is taking that idea one step further with a personalized service that gives owners options based on their expectations.

Myth 10: Paste wax offers greater protection than liquid wax.

While Barry Meguiar admits this once was true, times have changed. "In the old days, there was a great reliance on carnauba wax, which was the hardest natural wax available.

Fifty years later we have synthetic waxes, polymers and resins that have far more resilience than carnauba and enhance the gloss. Interestingly, carnauba (which people still want to see in a product) actually grays the surface of a vehicle."

Myth 11: Lighting a hood on fire, without damaging the paint finish, proves the protective qualities of a car wax.

It may be a nice science trick, but that's about it. Even if the paint surface has little or no protection, setting fire to a pool of alcohol will produce nothing more than a barely warm surface when the flame goes out--which it will do in just a few seconds.

Myth 12: Once a car is waxed, regularly protecting the paint finish becomes unnecessary.

Remember that tree sap and tire rubber? It's never-ending, which means so is the need to remove it (and everything else the world might throw at the surface of your vehicle).

The best strategy: remove the contaminants with a mist and wipe product before they have time to bond to the vehicle's paint.

Keep your car clean-Tips

Bring It In, Take It Out- Have a plan of what will happen to anything that enters your car. If you can carry it into the car, you can carry it out. This is especially an nice policy for passengers or others who may drive your car.

Keep a trash bag in a convenient spot in your car. Be sure to have a back-up one ready to go when your trash is full. Target shopping bags are excellent car trash bags because they are thicker than the others.

Have a container of window/glass wipes in your car. Make it convenient to clean your windows, inside and out.

Protect Your Carpets- use rubber mats to put on top of your carpet mats.

Keep Things Organized- use compartments or a laundry basket in your trunk.

Stuff to Blog About: In the News, June 13th, 2008

2008-06-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Stuff to Blog About: In the News, June 13th, 2008

Bad news from the housing front- unless you're looking for a bargain...

Reports in the news indicate that 73,000 homes lost to foreclosure in May up a staggering 158% from the 28,548 households that were dispossessed in May 2007.
Filings for the month jumped by 48%. Nevada, California, and Florida continue to bear the brunt of the crisis.

This is according to the latest release from RealtyTrac, the online marketer of foreclosed properties. Filings increased 7% from April.

Worst-hit

Nevada remained the most troubled default state for the 17th consecutive month. One out of every 118 households there received some kind of foreclosure filing during May, up 24% from the previous month and 72% from a year ago.

California led the nation in the sheer volume of filings, with nearly 72,000 properties in some stage of default, which works out to one out of every 183 households. More than 20,000 Californians lost their homes, more than any other state.

Florida recorded over 37,000 filings and 4,300 bank repossessions. Nine of the top 10 cities with the most foreclosure filings were in either Florida or California.

Stockton, Calif., was the worst-hit city last month, with one filing for every 75 households. Cape Coral, Fla., where one out of every 79 homes received a filing, was second. Other hard-hit places were Merced, Calif., which ranked third, Modesto, Calif., which was fourth and Riverside, Calif., which was fifth.

Las Vegas was the only city outside of California and Florida to crack the top 10. In May it had one filing for every 96 households - about five times the national average - which put it in sixth place.

TSA Reminds Summer Travelers of the Three Simple Steps to Security

2008-06-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

As the summer travel season begins, the Transportation Security Administration TSA reminds travelers that coming to the checkpoint prepared for the security process will lead to shorter lines and less travel stress. Passengers can actively improve the security process by being ready. Following these three steps will help everyone get through the security process faster:

Show ID and boarding pass
Take out liquids (in a baggie) and laptops
Take off shoes and jackets.

1. Show ID and boarding pass

TSA uses a standardized list of acceptable identification for airline travel. Passengers who present a federal- or state-issued photo ID containing name, date of birth, gender, expiration date and a tamper-resistant feature that is free from evidence of tampering can expect to be expedited through the travel document checking process. Standardizing the list of accepted documents better aligns TSA with other DHS components and REAL ID benchmarks.

Passengers should remove their government-issued photo ID from wallets, plastic holders and other similar carrying cases, and present the ID along with their boarding pass at the start of the screening process. Hold on to the boarding pass until through the magnetometer, where it may need to be shown again.

2. Take out liquids (in a baggie) and laptops

Large liquids are still banned from carry-ons. Remember the 3-1-1 rule for liquids, gels and aerosols at the checkpoint:

3-ounce bottles or less for all liquids, gels and aerosols placed in
1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag;
1 bag per passenger placed separately in a security bin for X-ray screening.

The liquid restriction applies only to carry-on bags. Passengers can pack larger quantities of liquids and gels in checked baggage. Laptops must be taken out of their cases and placed in a separate bin for X-ray.

3. Take off shoes and jackets

Removing footwear for X-ray screening is required. Wearing footwear that can be easily removed helps speed the process. Please also put your jackets and sweaters in the bin.

"We recognize that the liquid restrictions and shoe removal are pain points for the public but they are necessary security measures based on current information," said Kip Hawley, TSA administrator. "Passengers can help the process by being prepared and recognizing that our officers are there for your safety. Please cooperate with our officers because your safety is their priority."

TSA is in the process of deploying more than 200 new technology units at the nation’s largest airports in time for summer travel. This technology includes multi-view advanced technology X-ray and millimeter wave, a form of whole body imaging technology. Multi-view advanced technology X-ray gives the security officers a better look at what is in carry-on baggage and has the potential to speed up the process because fewer bag checks will be required. A total of 600 of these machines will be deployed during 2008. Millimeter wave enables TSA officers in a matter of seconds to detect weapons, explosives and other metallic and non-metallic threat items without physical contact.

For more information on what to expect, tips for people with special needs, and what you can bring, please visit the TSA Web site at www.tsa.gov.

Car Ads: Reading Between the Lines

2008-06-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

The latest car craze in the US is focused around fuel economy. Say good-bye to those over-sized vehicles and say hello to those small hybrids.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that many new car dealers advertise unusually low interest rates and other special promotions. Ads promising high trade-in allowances and free or low-cost options may help you shop, but finding the best deal requires careful comparisons.

Many factors determine whether a special offer provides genuine savings. The interest rate, for example, is only part of the car dealer’s financing package. Terms like the size of the downpayment also affect the total financing cost.

Questions About Low Interest Loans

A call or visit to a dealer should help clarify details about low interest loans. Consider asking these questions:

Will you be charged a higher price for the car to qualify for the low-rate financing? Would the price be lower if you paid cash, or supplied your own financing from your bank or credit union?
Does the financing require a larger-than-usual downpayment? Perhaps 25 or 30 percent?
Are there limits on the length of the loan? Are you required to repay the loan in a condensed period of time, say 24 or 36 months?
Is there a significant balloon payment —possibly several thousand dollars — due at the end of the loan?
Do you have to buy special or extra merchandise or services such as rustproofing, an extended warranty, or a service contract to qualify for a low-interest loan?
Is the financing available for a limited time only? Some merchants limit special deals to a few days or require that you take delivery by a certain date.
Does the low rate apply to all cars in stock or only to certain models?
Are you required to give the dealer the manufacturer’s rebate to qualify for financing?

Questions About Other Promotions

Other special promotions include high trade-in allowances and free or low-cost options. Some dealers promise to sell the car for a stated amount over the dealer’s invoice. Asking questions like these can help you determine whether special promotions offer genuine value.

Does the advertised trade-in allowance apply to all cars, regardless of their condition? Are there any deductions for high mileage, dents, or rust?
Does the larger trade-in allowance make the cost of the new car higher than it would be without the trade-in? You might be giving back the big trade-in allowance by paying more for the new car.
Is the dealer who offers a high trade-in allowance and free or low-cost options giving you a better price on the car than another dealer who doesn’t offer promotions?
Does the "dealer’s invoice" reflect the actual amount that the dealer pays the manufacturer? You can consult consumer or automotive publications for information about what the dealer pays.
Does the "dealer’s invoice" include the cost of options, such as rustproofing or waterproofing, that already have been added to the car? Is one dealer charging more for these options than others?
Does the dealer have cars in stock that have no expensive options? If not, will the dealer order one for you?
Are the special offers available if you order a car instead of buying one off the lot?
Can you take advantage of all special offers simultaneously?

You’re not limited to the financing options offered by a particular dealer. Before you commit to a deal, check to see what type of loan you can arrange with your bank or credit union.

Once you decide which dealer offers the car and financing you want, read the invoice and the installment contract carefully. Check to see that all the terms of the contract reflect the agreement you made with the dealer. If they don’t, get a written explanation before you sign. Careful shopping will help you decide what car, options, and financing are best for you.

For More Information

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Tips for saving money with your vacation

2008-06-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

1. Stay local if not at home. Think of all the places you can visit that are within a day's drive.

2. Camping is a great way for a family to bond.

3. Be flexible. You don't have to stay at a 5 star hotel or fly first class.

4. Check out flights from smaller airports. Many times, these can be bargains.

5. When there are more than one going on the trip, believe it or not, driving may still be less expensive in the long run. Plus, you'll have a car at your destination.

6. Stay in the US. The dollar has seen better days and will see better days abroad.

7. Look for hotels that offer free breakfast. While continental may be viewed more as a convenience rather than a meal. some hotels will give you eggs and more.

8. Consider combining meals or eating a light snack for lunch and then an early dinner.

9. Look at rest stops and in hotel lobbies for coupons.

10. Brink water bottles. They are a whole lot cheaper at your local warehouse club than at an amusement park.

11. Check out the internet for deals. You can also make your own reservations.

12. Consider spending a day just sitting by the pool and being together as a family r anther than at a pricey attraction.

13. Seek out free spots while on vacations, such as scenic parks.

14. Travel after peak season. You can save a lot of money traveling on October rather than August, when it may be more crowded.

15. Sometimes the all inclusive trips are the best deals. They may throw in meals, drinks and more.

Job Seeking Advice from the BBB

2008-06-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

The job market has tightened up this year. The unemployment rate in the U.S. is currently at around 5.0 percent and with gas prices and a poor economy, unemployment is likely to get worse. With an uncertain economy and employment outlook, Better Business Bureau is offering guidance to job seekers.

There are more than 7.6 million Americans who are currently unemployed and looking for work—approximately 800,000 more than were unemployed this time last year. Industries in which jobs were lost have generally remained consistent, mainly centered in areas hard hit by the housing downturn: construction, manufacturing and retail trade. Jobs have recently been added in health care and professional and technical services.

“With the unemployment rate projected to rise, millions of Americans may soon be struggling to find work,” said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. “There are many places job hunters can go for help landing a job, but they need to make sure they’re using an organization they can trust – this is as easy as checking the business out at BBB.org.”

Public Employment Service (a.k.a Job Service) is a federally-funded and state-operated program that is available in all 50 states. Not only does this service have nearly 1,700 offices across the country providing free assistance to job hunters, it also manages America's Job Bank (AJB) which lists hundreds of thousands of job opportunities. For more information visit: http://www.jobbankinfo.org/

Temporary (or Temp) Services place employees at companies which are looking for temporary help. Job seekers do not pay the temp service. Temporary placement is one way unemployed workers can supplement their income while looking for a more permanent job, and temporary positions can sometimes evolve into full-time positions.

Employment Agencies search for employees to fill permanent full or part-time positions at businesses. Typically, businesses pay for the service of the employment agency but, in some cases, the job hunter might be on the hook for fees.

Executive or Career Counseling Services help job hunters evaluate their career path and provide guidance on resume writing, interview techniques and presentation. Career counselors may even help job seekers identify businesses at which to apply. Counseling services typical charge individuals as much as several thousand dollars for this service and typically don’t guarantee job placement.

BBB offers the following advice for job hunters when enlisting the help of an agency or counselor to find a new job:

• Always check out a job placement or career counseling organization with BBB first. Job hunters can visit www.bbb.org to view reliability reports that show not only how many complaints a company has received, but also if they work to resolve disputes with clients.

• In some cases, state laws apply to job placement companies or career counselors so job seekers should make sure they’ve enlisted the help of a company that meets all licensing requirements. BBB also recommends visiting the National Board for Certified Counselors online at, www.nbcc.org, to search for certified professionals.

• Job hunters should carefully review any contracts for counseling or placement services, making sure all oral promises are included, even if that means taking the contract home and having a trusted friend or relative also review the document.

• Job seekers should be wary of paying upfront fees to a placement agency and be extremely cautious when giving out credit card or bank account information.

For additional BBB advice on finding a job, including tips and techniques for writing a resume and performing well in job interviews, go to www.bbb.org.

Before that weather disaster hits- Be Prepared Financially

2008-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says that when it comes to preparing for situations like weather emergencies, financial readiness is as important as a flashlight with fully charged batteries.

Leaving your home can be stressful, but knowing that your financial documents are up-to-date, in one place, and portable can make a big difference at a tense time. Here are some tips from the FTC for financial readiness in case of an emergency:

Conduct a household inventory. Make a list of your possessions and document it with photos or a video. This could help if you are filing insurance claims. Keep one copy of your inventory in your home on a shelf in a lockable, fireproof file box; keep another in a safe deposit box or another secure location.
Buy a lockable, fireproof file box. Place important documents in the box; keep the box in a secure, accessible location on a shelf in your home so that you can “grab it and go” if the need arises. Among the contents:
- your household inventory
- a list of emergency contacts, including family members who live outside your area
- copies of current prescriptions
- health insurance cards or information
- policy numbers for auto, flood, renter’s, or homeowner’s insurance, and a list of telephone numbers of your insurance companies
- copies of other important financial and family records — or notes about where they are — including deeds, titles, wills, birth and marriage certificates, passports, and relevant employee benefit and retirement documents. Except for wills, keep originals in a safe deposit box or some other location. If you have a will, ask your attorney to keep the
  original document.
- a list of phone numbers or email addresses of your creditors, financial institutions, landlords, and utility companies (sewer, water, gas, electric, telephone, cable)
- a list of bank, loan, credit card, mortgage, lease, debit and ATM, and investment account numbers
- Social Security cards
- backups of financial data you keep on your computer
- an extra set of keys for your house and car
- the key to your safe deposit box
- a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks. ATMs or financial institutions may be closed.
Consider renting a safe deposit box for storage of important documents. Original documents to store in a safe deposit box might include:
- deeds, titles, and other ownership records for your home, autos, RVs, or boats
- credit, lease, and other financial and payment agreements
- birth certificates, naturalization papers, and Social Security cards
- marriage license/divorce papers and child custody papers
- passports and military papers (if you need these regularly, you could place the originals in your fireproof box and a copy in your safe deposit box)
- appraisals of expensive jewelry and heirlooms
- certificates for stocks, bonds, and other investments and retirement accounts
- trust agreements
- living wills, powers of attorney, and health care powers of attorney
- insurance policies
- home improvement records
- household inventory documentation
- a copy of your will
Choose an out-of-town contact. Ask an out-of-town friend or relative to be the point of contact for your family, and make sure everyone in your family has the information. After some emergencies, it can be easier to make a long distance call than a local one.
Update all your information. Review the contents of your household inventory, your fireproof box, safe deposit box, and the information for your out-of-town contact at least once a year.

This is one of various helpful tips from the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, in “Financial Readiness: As Important as Fully Charged Batteries.” To learn more, go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt170.shtm. For more tips on financial management during hurricane season, check out the FTC’s Web page on hurricane recovery: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/recovery/hurricane/index.html. Both of these FTC resources have links to other government agencies for general tips on hurricane planning.

Resources

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community and Family Preparedness Program
American Red Cross Community Disaster Education
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (see also www.ready.gov/america/natural_disasters.html)
Your insurance company

the FTC

Do you need Flood Insurance?

2008-06-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Do you need flood insurance?
That's a hard call. But, if you live in an area that can have large rainfalls and you own a basement which houses nice things, you may want to consider it.

If you buy a house in a designated high-risk flood zone and receive a mortgage loan from a federally regulated or insured lender, your lender is legally bound to require you to get and maintain flood insurance.

When flood insurance is not required
If you have a home of business in a low-or-moderate risk flood zone, flood insurance is not required. However, flood insurance is still available and you may be eligible for a low-cost Preferred Risk Policy.

Keep in mind that a typical homeowners insurance policy won't cover everything. You may need separate flood insurance, which ranges in cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars a year, depending on coverage and risk levels.

Everyone in the US lives in some type of flood zone. These are geographic areas that FEMA defines, based on studies of flood risk. Check out the FEMA website for more information.
The FEMA website can help you determine your flood risk and flood risks according to seasons.

As far as purchasing flood insurance, keep in mind that it is kind of like earthquake insurance, in that both are a form of “single peril” insurance, sold separately from homeowners insurance. Flood insurance protects against losses to buildings and their contents, not the land surrounding them. The coverage applies whether the flooding results from heavy or prolonged rains, coastal storm surge, snow melt, blocked storm drainage systems, levee dam failure, or other causes. To be considered a flood, the waters must cover at least two acres or affect at least two properties.

Flood insurance is available both within and outside of floodplains. Different types of policies are available depending on your flood risk.

If you live in a high-risk area, you will need a Standard Policy. Most mortgage lenders will require that you have such a policy before they will approve your loan.

Outside of high-risk areas, flood insurance is also available, usually at lower cost. While you aren’t federally required to have flood insurance in a low-to-moderate risk area, that does not mean you won’t ever need it. Large floods often extend beyond the boundaries of high-risk areas and smaller floods occur outside high-risk areas as well. In fact, a quarter of all flood insurance claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas.

Flood insurance is sold and serviced by private insurers, and backed by the federal government. More than 85 companies sell flood insurance. Flood insurance covers both homes and businesses. Different types of policies are available based on your property’s location and flood history.

Standard Flood Insurance Policies - If you live in a community that participates in the NFIP, your building and its contents can be covered. You must apply for building coverage and contents coverage separately.

Preferred Risk Policies - If your home or business is in a low or moderate risk zone, your building may qualify for a low-cost Preferred Risk Policy. Premiums for both building and contents start at just under $119.

Things to consider about flood insurance;

* Does my community participate in the National Flood Insurance Program?
* Can you confirm which flood zone I live in?
* Does my community participate in the NFIP Community Rating System (CRS)?
* If so, does my community's CRS rating mean that I qualify for a CRS rating discount?
* What exactly will be covered in case of flood damage? What won’t be covered?
* How will my premium costs be affected by choosing coverage for building only, contents only or building and contents?
* How will my premium costs be affected if I choose a higher deductible?
* What is the policy fee?
* Are there additional expenses or fees I should be aware of?
* What is covered by Replacement Cost and what is covered by Actual Cash Value only?

* If your lender requires flood insurance in connection with the making, increasing, extending or renewing of your loan.
* If an additional amount of insurance is required as a result of a map revision.
* If flood insurance is required as a result of a lender determining that a loan, which does not have flood insurance coverage, should be protected by flood insurance. The coverage will be effective upon the completion of an application and the presentment of payment of premium.
* If an additional amount of insurance is being obtained in connection with the renewal of a policy.

NFIP
FEMA

Auctions on eBay: A Dying Breed

2008-06-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Businessweek has published an article "Auctions on eBay: A Dying Breed"

The thought that the former internet auction powerhouse may have to tweak it's approach is intriguing. Apparently, eBay buyers are short attention spanned when it comes to the longevity of enjoyment of the thrill of the hunt. That is, once you've outbid the competition and received the high, bid winners are ready to move on to their next purchase high.

Currently, EBay's "Buy It Now" business, where shoppers can purchase items at a set price even when the merchandise is also listed in an auction, makes up 42% of all goods sold on eBay. It's growing at an annual 22% pace, the fastest among eBay's shopping businesses.

Ebay has a new CEO who is spearheading changes to make eBay more friendly to users who favor one-click shopping. The former CEO Meg Whitman ended was successful with the ad campaign that championed auctions, urging consumers to "Shop Victoriously . In May, eBay announced a partnership with Buy.com to sell a large swath of the retailer's inventory for set prices.

But as eBay has recently appeared to be focusing with the plight of buyers, sellers have been outraged by changes in pricing structures.EBay sellers organized a weeklong sales boycott in protesting the changes . EBay's site has nearly 90 million active users. Other auction sites such as Ubid.com (ubhi.ob.OB) have far fewer visitors. Ten-year-old Ubid had 181,000 active bidders in the first quarter, according to its quarterly report.

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