Almost sixty percent of U.S. mothers and fathers assist grownup children

A recent study finds that 59 percent of United States parents are still sometimes supporting their non-student adult children. The research suggests the economic downturn is preventing them from moving away from home. Some of them are turning into so-called “boomerang kids,” by leaving home and returning again.

Strain higher for this generation

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

This was something mothers and fathers and young adults surveyed agreed with. Sixty-five percent of the adult kids said their generation faces tougher fiscal strain than their parents did. And 32 percent of their parents agreed that they had it easier than their children do. About 43 percent of the adults said they were “legitimately concerned” about their children’s finances. Another 37 percent said they didn’t want their kids to struggle in the same way they had to.

All of the little pieces

Housing makes up most of parental assist. This is fifty percent of the support given. About 48 percent of parental financial pay for went towards living expenditures. About 41 percent of parental aid goes to transportation.

About 42 percent of those kids who still live at home say they cook and clean to help contribute. About 75 percent said they helped financially.

What else is there?

The economy is the only reason for this trend, says psychologist Vivian Diller. She wrote “Face It” and is well known for the book. “In the last 20 to 30 years, the family structure has become more child-centered,” she says. “Boomer parents were very willing to make sacrifices for their kids, giving them the sense that it would continue until they were on their feet. Now parents are supporting kids’ lifestyles.”

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

How parents sacrifice

About 30 percent of mothers and fathers that had adult children move home gave up privacy to do so. Even worse are the parents that took on debt for their children to move in. This involves about 26 percent of responders. Retirement was postponed by another 7 percent.

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

Citations

ABC

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

NEFE

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

Reuters

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

Consumers in need of charge card help, concentrate

In 2009, Obama signed the Credit Card Act into legislation. Part of the legislation is that credit card issuers and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling must work together to provide free credit counseling to delinquent customers. In spite of this, credit-constrained customers simply are not using the resources, per NFCC states.

Getting charge card counseling for free unlikely now

NFCC spokeswoman Gail Cunningham reports that banks and NFCC have access to nonprofit help that only 150,000 United States consumers having debt issues have really used. Credit card statements have the contact number on it and it is toll-free. As charge card debt still weighs heavily on the average, recession-weary American, the lack of initiative is troubling.

“I certainly think one of the reasons for the low response rate from consumers could be attributed to a lack of prominence,” said Cunningham. “Perhaps the number is buried somewhere.”

Within the recesses of public prejudice may be where that number is buried. Several consumers think that the toll-free Credit Card Act number is just a “service” that the charge card company has put together so they can get even more money from them. Cunningham states that the number has not even been put on some statements. This is now illegal though.

2010 when charge card debt went down

United States customer charge card debt decreased an average of $7,404 per person, an 8 percent increase, from January to Dec., according to a Credit Karma report. As much as an 11 percent improvement was shown in eight states including Connecticut, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Nevada, California and Colorado. There was a 31 percent improvement shown from 2009 to 2010 in Wisconsin making is the biggest in charge card debt change.

There was at least a 6 percent increase in charge card debt though in states such as New Mexico, Delaware, Iowa, LA, Missouri and Nebraska. Mississippi was the biggest loser in the Credit Karma Survey, with 8 percent growth.

Want help with charge card debt?

If you need information on non-profits, go to nfcc.org which is the National Foundation for Credit Counseling site. If you just make minimum monthly payments, you will still have a balance on your credit card debt. You are able to find out what this balance is at the Federal Reserve’s website. The Personal Financial Calculator is accessible at the Android Market if you would like to put it on your phone. Go to Personal Money Network’s “Loan Overdraft Calculator” connected below if you would like to compare APRs on personal financing and other financial goods.

Citations

Android Market

market.android.com/details?id=com.adworkz.pms.mobile.tools.calculators_2001.com

Bankrate

bankrate.com/financing/credit-cards/nfcc-credit-card-help-unused/

Federal Reserve

federalreserve.gov/creditcardcalculator/

Personal Money Store

tools.personalmoneystore.com/free-payday-loan-calculator/

National Foundation for Credit Counseling

nfcc.org/

Obama signed the Credit Card Act. Are you using its programs?

youtube.com/watch?v=OVFj2p8JeKo

A monthly service for Call of Duty is all anyone needs

The “Call of Duty” has sounded once more for online multiplayer FPS followers, but does that mean they’ll pay much more for the “Elite” game? “Call of Duty: Elite” is ramping up for summer consumer beta testing. It is believed that “Elite” will expense interested gamers $7.99 or less per month, starting in late 2011.

Activision eager to shake their ‘CoD: Elite’ moneymaker

Considering the massive popularity of the monthly subscription model for massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like “World of Warcraft,” it should come as no surprise that video game business Activision has decided to optimize the monetization model for the online multi-player FPS, one of probably the most popular PC and console gaming genres. Activision’s VP of Digital Business, Jamie Berger, explains that the “Call of Duty” universe will lock in players just like most modern video games.

“In an always-on world, the competition for our players’ time has exploded,” he told Wired. “Online interactivity and community is critical for us to face that world. It’s what sets apart games with growing audiences from really great games struggling to find an audience.”

The fact that ‘Black Ops’ will go ‘Elite’ makes Americans happy

Activision has already confirmed that “Call of Duty: Elite” will work with the game “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” which in February became the best-selling video game in U.S. history, according to NPD research. Over 30 million individuals play one of the “Call of Duty” games online each year, spending over 170 hours each year doling out hot video lead.

Activision points out that “Elite” won’t cost followers $60. “Call of Duty” supporters will not have to make a trip to the store. Players are able to continue the “call of Duty” saga online in several chapters with “Call of Duty: Elite” which is not actually a game at all. It should prove to be an intoxicating community for FPS online multi-player fans, while serving as a “Holy Grail” for Activision, suggests analyst Bill Harris of the blog Dubious Quality.

The way to use ‘Call of Duty: Elite’

More than just player-versus-player will happen with “CoD: Elite,” according to GamePro. The “Elite” game will have many categories. They will break down like this:

Career: Play map details and analysis of your play and weapons choice will take place here. You might be good at FPS but do not know much about ‘Elite’ and just how it works. Try a different status in the future.

Connect: ”Call of Duty” supporters can socialize here. Chat, join groups, share highlight reels and simply go crazy.

Compete: The way eHarmony match makes was copied for FPS matchmaking. Expect major firepower, not major halitosis.

Improve: Pump up your “Call of Duty” game with loads of tips.

Citations

Call of Duty: Elite

callofduty.com/elite

Dubious Quality

dubiousquality.blogspot.com/

GamePro

gamepro.com/article/previews/219778/call-of-duty-elite-full-details/

Wired

wired.com/gamelife/2011/05/call-of-duty-elite/

‘Call of Duty: Elite’ Legend of Karl trailer (Note: Contains video game violence)

youtube.com/watch?v=s3Ixz7pHXdg

Tips on how to stay away from popular contractor frauds

Employing a home remodeling contractor should be a deal grounded by a firm foundation of confidence. Come to the table prepared with these strategies for avoiding the more common contractor scams.

Four personal references should be listed

It can be worth it to ask a contractor for just one more reference when they show up with three just to make sure everything is okay. A fourth reference should be from somebody who had an issue with the work. They will have called the contractor back to fix the problem. Finding out how a contractor really works is very easily done this way.

Sometimes you need a backup

Typically, contractors are honest with you. It is still better to be safe than sorry. Some people live alone. Give the contractor the impression that there will be someone else there by having somebody else with you in the conference. After the friend leaves, check the doors and windows are locked.

Look the contractor up with the Better Business Bureau

Going to the Better Business Bureau in your area to have a look at a contractor is always a good idea and makes sense. Not everyone does this though. Check them out with BBBs in surrounding states, particularly if you seek home remodeling following a natural disaster.

Make sure the permit is right

Contractor’s license, operating permits and bonds (surety, performance, and workers’ comp) must be verified before hiring any contractor. Verifying the contractor can be done through the secretary of state’s office. Do this in the state where the permit came from. It may be a good idea to talk to local authorities also. Make sure there have not been any legal troubles with the contractor.

Make sure you talk to an insurance agent in the property remodeling business to discover out what you would like for a contractor bond, says Phae Howard. Howard is from the National Center for the Prevention of Property Improvement Fraud currently.

Insurance troubles

Make sure you know how your contractor’s insurance is working before you hire a contractor. Stolen equipment is a fact of life, and you want your contractor to be prepared.

Some contractors want your information for insurance. They say they’ll do the work and make calls for you. Do not do it. Cullins warns the scam can hurt. Never give individual insurance information or proceeds to any contractor.

All supplies have to be bought by the contractor doing the work

Hitting you up piecemeal for supplies (or supply money) at regular intervals is a sign that your contractor is unprofessional. Sometimes you will have to purchase. Do not give the contractor money directly then. Buy what is needed on your own at the store while conference them and deliver them when needed.

Hire an inspector

Make sure an inspector comes to check the project being done. Do this after the permits have been pulled by the contractor. You can use the inspector after the project also. This can be a safe thing to do.

Have the right contract signed

Unless you are sure about the details, including every little thing in the project, do not sign the contract with a contractor. Have an attorney review the contract before you sign it if anything is unclear.

Information from

Bankrate

bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/10-ways-to-avoid-contractor-scams.aspx?ic_id=tsThumb2

BBB

bbb.org/

NCPHIF

ncphif.org/

Beware A/C scams

youtube.com/watch?v=87qYI6NUQ9o

Woman detained with dismembered human body in trash can

A woman was detained Sunday while moving a 30 gallon trash can down a residential California road. The trash can had human parts of the body in it. She was already booked on suspicion of murder. Police say she remains not cooperating.

Discovered in broad daylight

Carmen Montenegro, 51, of San Bernardino, Calif., was found moving the wheeled container at about 2:30 in the afternoon. The law enforcement got tips from residents around there. They either smelt or saw the trash and its content.

Ontario Police Detective Jeff Crittendon told reporters that “Officers stopped her leaving the location and in the trash can we found human remains.”

Possible single victim found

Even though the cause of death was not yet determined, the law enforcement think the parts all belong to one man. According to Crittendon, “I can’t comment on the condition of the body because I am not sure of the exact extent of the injuries. I do know that it was dismembered. It appears to be a homicide.” Evidently they “had evidence on her that seemed to be consistent that she was involved with disposal of the body.” This is what Crittendon also said.

Huge hole in the lawn was found

The detective also said that they believe Montenegro disinterred the remains from her previous residence. The arrest was close to her home. It was only about 200 yards away. The property was searched by police. They found a hole that was dug.

Suspect lived in house on and off

Local residents report the home was owned by either Montenegro’s cousin or her mother, and that Montenegro herself had lived in the home on and off for the past 15 years.

Continuing investigation

Police are still working to determine the victim’s identity. The investigators may have found body fluids in the home Monday while they were checking out the property.

Right now she is in Montenegro is in Rancho Cucamonga, California. She has not been cooperative with the investigation.

Information from

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43223519/ns/us_news-weird_news/

NY Daily News

nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/05/31/2011-05-31_california_woman_spotted_pushing_trashcan_of_human_body_parts_down_the_street_ar.html

Huffington Post

weirdnews.aol.com/2011/05/31/carmen-montenegro-dismemb_n_869203.html#s284153&title=Dumb_Crime_Masterminds

Guerena didn't shoot bullets at SWAT team that killed him

Jose Guerena, a 26 year old Marine, has been shot and killed by SWAT officers who did not discover any criminal products or items in his home. Guerena did not fire on police officers, and was a veteran of 2 tours. Several people are up in arms over the incident. The validity of the search and the shooting are being debated.v

Several shots by the SWAT officers

SWAT officers went from the Pima County Sheriff’s office to Jose Guerena’s home with a search warrant on May 5. CNN states the officers found him with an AR-15 rifle and fired at him. There has been some debate on how many times he was shot as ABC reported he was shot 60 times. CNN states he was shot 22 times though. Not one shot was fired by Guerena. In fact, his rifle’s safety was still on when it happened. Vanessa Guerena, his wife, called paramedics, but the police prevented them from entering the house until after he had died.

Arrest not needed

The law enforcement obtained a warrant for entering the Guerenas’ house on the suspicion that Guerena had been part of a narcotic smuggling and robbery ring. He is alleged to have taken part in a series of home invasions, using assault weapons and wearing paramilitary style clothing. Guns, body armor and a “piece of law enforcement-style clothing” were found in the home, according to the Arizona Daily Star. Mike Storie, the lawyer for the SWAT officers, according to KGUN Tucson, has been quoted as saying that Guerena had nothing in his home that would have been cause to arrest him. Clarence Dupnik is the Pima County Sheriff. He was upset that so many questions about legality have been asked by the press. As soon as the shooting was over, Dupnik said that officers were shot at by Guerena. Later he said Guerena really did not shoot at them.

No paramedics allowed in the house

Paramedics made it to the scene within two minutes of Jose Guerena’s shooting. Medical personnel weren’t able to get in to help Guerena. The police waited until after Guerena died for over an hour after they got there. The home also had a portrait of Jesus Malverde, considered a “patron saint” of narcotic runners. Just like American outlaws such as Billy the Kid and Jesse James, Malverde has become a hero of sorts even though he may have never really existed, reports Wikipedia. There was nothing illegal found in the house while there is still no guarantee that there were or were not drugs in the house. Guerena had two children, who were ages 6 and 4, and worked for the Asarco copper mine.

Information from

CNN

cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/27/arizona.marine.death/index.html?hpt=T2

Arizona Daily Star

azstarnet.com/news/local/article_47d3b9b2-8345-11e0-a48d-001cc4c03286.html

KGUN Tuscon

kgun9.com/story/14682200/guerena-family-attorney-responds-to-swat-lawyer

ABC

abcnews.go.com/US/tucson-swat-team-defends-shooting-iraq-marine-veteran/story?id=13640112

Defendant in Rutgers suicide trail pleads not guilty

Dharun Ravi, a nineteen-year old former student at Rutgers University, appeared in the courtroom today in New Brunswick N.J. There he pleaded not guilty to 15 charges. Ravi is accused of using a webcam to spy on his roomie, Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old violinist, in a same sex encounter. The incident allegedly led to Clementi’s suicide and sparked the nationwide awareness of gay bullying.

Chance of 10 years

When it comes to Tyler Clementi’s suicide, Dharun Ravi is being charged with 15 different related charges. While appearing in the courtroom, he didn’t say anything. Steve Altman is Ravi’s lawyer. He gave the pleas for all of the charges. Bias intimidation is the charge that is considered probably the most severe. Ravi acted out of Clementi’s sexual orientation, according to that charge. If convicted of just that charge, Ravi might end up in prison for 10 years. Other charges include invasion of privacy and evidence tampering.

How Clementi was ‘outed’ by his roommate

Authorities say that shortly after Ravi and Clementi became roommates, Ravi “outed” Clementi by posting the message “Found out my roommate is gay” on his Twitter account. The comment was connected to a gay chat room Clementi was supposedly in.

Webcam used to spy

Ravi tweeted over it on Sept. 19, 2010. He said, “Roommate asked for the room ill midnight. I went into Molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.”

Clementi committed suicide on Sept. 22 by jumping off of the George Washington Bridge.

Covering up what occurred

Prosecutors in the case say that Ravi then erased Twitter and text messages in an attempt to cover up his alleged crimes.

Status conference to be held

On July 25, Judge Glenn Berman will have a status conference on the case. Ravi’s lawyers and the Middlesex County Prosecutors are expected to share evidence before that time.

Witness signed up for intervention program

Wei was also in the case and charged with invasion of privacy. She was a key witness. Earlier this month she was entered into a pretrial intervention program. She can have all charges dropped in three years as long as she meets all of the court’s requirements.

What his father wants

A statement was released right after the hearing from Clementi’s father. He said, “Our family is grateful for the active work of the prosecutor’s office in this case. We’re eager to see the criminal justice process move forward.”

Articles cited

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43135427/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Newser

newser.com/article/d9nd5i1g0/not-guilty-plea-entered-for-defendant-in-rutgers-webcam-case-linked-to-suicide.html

WABC

abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_jersey&id=8146113

Finding ways to go to Cuba

Travel to Cuba was mostly limited for the past half century. The people who long to don a Panama cap and enjoy Montecristo cigars and daiquiris in Hemingway’s favored bars have had to go without doing so. Loopholes and exceptions are there, and restrictions are starting to slowly get lifted. There are increasingly more Americans traveling to Cuba every year, but it is definitely not a good country to book for Spring Break or for a family vacation.

Cultural exchange makes Cuba travel possible

Relations between the U.S. and Cuba have not been the warmest for the past half century. A small number of people were allowed to go to Cuba in 1999 when Clinton signed a bill to allow it, states MSNBC. The Kennedy administration’s Cuban embargo is still in effect though. As long as an individual is going to Cuba for “people to people contacts,” it is acceptable. This means that individuals have to go to Cuba with the intention of learning about the Cuban culture. It is not enough to hope to see the individuals and places. People must have itineraries to be able to be allowed to go.

Not as stringent

To get into Cuba on a trip, a person has to go with a group. These groups are pre-authorized to schedule tours and the trip. A key rule change will make it easier to get into a tour of Cuba, as travel itineraries no longer have to be approved ahead of time by the State Department. However, Cuba it’s not a great place to take the children. Though the “person to person” travel exemption has been reinstated and more individuals are going there, most travel to Cuba is for academic, journalistic, governmental and religious purposes or for a limited range of commercial purposes, according to the State Department site. If you have relatives in Cuba, you can go there to see them. This is only okay if your relatives are Cuban nationals. In the Swiss Embassy in Havana, there is a U.S. Special Interests Section that functions as an embassy. Otherwise, there is no U.S. Embassy there.

Get documents in order first

The citizens in Cuba are kept under control with physical and other means. It is “a totalitarian police state,” the State Department explained. Do not worry about being safe while in Cuba. However, make sure you are respectful and have your paperwork in order if you’re going to visit. Most Cubans cannot travel at all. The exit visa, “white card,” required for Cubans to leave Cuba costs the equivalent of $150. Most Cubans live on $20 a month and barely get enough to eat, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Obama, according to Reuters, is open to normalizing relations and lifting some restrictions on trade and travel if the Raul Castro regime makes meaningful changes to the notoriously tight-fisted Cuban regime. Trade in Cuba is beginning to happen more often. Castro will not bid farewell to communism though.

Articles cited

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43126754/ns/travel-news/

U.S. Department of State on traveling to Cuba

travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0513/Cubans-may-no-longer-be-stuck-on-Caribbean-isle

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/13/us-usa-cuba-obama-idUSTRE74C3P820110513

In Mexico, a semi-truck with five hundred and thirteen people was found

Two semi-trucks were stopped by Mexican cops and were found to be full of illegal immigrants, as the two tractor-trailers were attempting to smuggle 513 individuals into The United States. Law enforcement in Chiapas, Mexico, detected the illicit cargo with x-ray scanning equipment and discovered hundreds of people in dilapidated conditions were inside the trucks.

Human smuggling operation busted near Guatemalan edge

Mexican authorities busted a small human smuggling operation near the edge of Mexico and Guatemala, in the state of Chiapas. There were checkpoints near Tuxtla Gutierrez that two semi-trucks were driving through. With x-ray equipment, states MSNBC, they found hundreds of people in the trucks. The 513 individuals stumbled across in the two trucks were dehydrated and hungry. They had cargo ropes hanging for the people to hang onto to keep themselves upright during the drive.

More than five different countries work of immigrants stumbled across

There was certainly a variety of individuals in the truck. There were several individuals from different countries involved. The majority of the people were from Guatemala; however, some were not. There were 6 from Nepal, one from japan, 1 from china, 12 from India, 47 from El Salvador and 32 that had come from Ecuador. There were 32 females and 4 kids and the rest were male. Four smugglers were apprehended when they tried to flee, and their human cargo is in the care of Mexican authorities, according to CNN. The smugglers wanted $7,000 per person, according to the Chiapas general, and only had air holes drilled into the top of the trailer. The individuals would be put in different trucks so they could go to the United States after being re-routed in Puebla. In January, a truck containing 219 migrants was discovered in the same region.

Mexico main conduit for immigration to the United States

In order to the get the United States, many illegal immigrants will go to Mexico. Mexican authorities connected with the case, according to the BBC, said that this was the biggest find in recent memory. Coyotes, or coyotaje, are what the human smugglers are known as. They get illegal immigrants across the border for a payment. It is a hard way in for migrants. They could be abused or hurt without any way to look after it. There were 10,000 migrants kidnapped between April and September last year, reports the Christian Science Monitor. There were also 72 migrants killed by the Zetas drug cartel in just August of last year.

Articles cited

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43073023/ns/world_news-americas/?GT1=43001

CNN

edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/05/17/mexico.migrants/index.html

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13434589

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2011/0518/More-than-500-migrants-found-crammed-in-trailers-in-Mexico

Beer becoming increasingly costly

No product is immune from inflation. And though the slow economy has made most of us tighten our belts, it seems costs continue to rise. As the barbecue season rapidly approaches beer prices is still rising at a rate we haven’t seen for three years.

Higher and higher prices of beer

In January and February beer prices went up 2.6 percent, showing a steady increase in 2011. In just a year, there was a rise from 5 percent to 8 percent on domestic, specialty and non-alcoholic beer prices. Craft beers have been hit especially hard. Prices are up 42 cents a case since last year, according to Paul Gatza, who is director of the Brewers Association.

Still working to get enough hops

The essential ingredient in beer is hops. Most of these come from Germany. It is where about 35 percent come from of the world’s supply. Just three years back, there was a huge hops crop problem in Bavaria. This is Germany’s largest state. Brewers worldwide felt the crunch, prices rose and, though the crunch has lessened somewhat since then, they are still scrambling to make up for it.

Growing grain has been hard

If you do not count water, another significant ingredient is grains. Most use malted barley. It is very common. Grain production is down this season due to a drought in China and a devastating heat wave in the Ukraine region of Russia. Without these crops, the price of beer continues to go up. It has been hard on corporations. According to the International Monetary Fund, the price of barley has risen to $196.37 per metric ton from $137.30 last year.

Increase in fuel

It is also essential to consider transportation. It plays an essential role. Raw materials have to be delivered to the brewer before they’re also shipped from the manufacturer to the customer. Every bottle of beer rises with the cost of bio-fuels.

Pub closures in the U.K.

The pressure is everywhere in the world. England is suffering a small company crisis as pub after pub, which is a mainstay of their local economy, is closing down. While the smoking ban and recent tax hikes have also been blamed for this trend, the largest reason appears to be the main difference in cost of drinking out and drinking at home.

“I would drink in pubs if the prices were not so high,” said Pete Jayes of Corby, England. “You can buy it for half the price in the supermarket.”

Citations

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/2011/05/19/whys-my-beer-so-expensive-the-forces-behind-a-sudsy-economic-i/

Evening Telegraph

northantset.co.uk/news/local/corby/jobs_fear_over_the_rising_cost_of_beer_1_2503350

Fox Business

foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/03/17/raise-glass-higher-beer-prices-st-patricks-day/

Utah anti-prostitution law bans acting sexy

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Possibility that human beings can get super abilities

What would it be like to have a “Spidey sense”? Or radar senses like that of the superhero Daredevil, who could acrobatically get through a small space full of traps ready to kill, regardless of the belief that he’s entirely blind? Dr. Bradley Voytek, U.C. Berkeley neuroscientists, believes it wouldn’t be far outside the bounds of normalcy, as human beings have potential super senses that they rarely spend time developing.

The super abilities we aren’t using

Dr. Bradley Voytek is a U.C. Berkeley neuroscientist who explained that human beings have not developed mega abilities they have always had access to. The power of the human mind is extraordinary, Voytek reminds us. We’re able to hear and see with membranes in our brain. The basic biology and cellular processes involved work apart from and in concert with our conscious awareness, yet the degree of sensitivity involved in perception is far from basic.

Abilities according to Voytek

Quite arguably, states Voytek, the upper and lower threshold of our abilities lie far beyond conventional wisdom. As few as two photons in the retina could be seen by humans. A human should be able to see miles away something as simple as a candle flame. The right weather and landscape would make a difference to this.

It could also theoretically be possible that the range of human hearing – commonly from 20 Hz to 20,000 kHz – could focus down intensely enough to detect the vibrations brought on by Brownian motion, or the movement of atoms in particle theory.

Referencing yet another sense, it is known that humans can smell as few as 30 molecules of certain substances.

The ’super senses’ aren’t being used regularly

Too much attention is needed to use super sense which is why human beings don’t use them, according to Voytek. That much focus is too much for most people. People don’t want to have to focus like that. Human beings are required to focus intensely on one sense, ignoring the others, when testing the physical limits. You’ve to tune out senses consciously. This is how you get a hold of super-human senses. Our brains are able to create 3-D images even better the more we focus on perception.

You are a Daredevil

The senses can become much better when you lose one or two abilities. Ben Underwood and Terry Garrett are examples. They are both blind. Teenage Underwood is able to perfectly navigate his surroundings – even on a skateboard or roller blades – via echolocation. Underwood makes clicking sounds like a bat or dolphin. This allows a sonar sense to be created while his ears and brain work together. It is also possible for Underwood and Garrett to play video games. All they need is the sound of the game.

Dr. Voytek and other scientists will not give up until they have developed the understanding they need of the brain and the brain’s senses. We will continue to move forward until we know exactly how to acquire these super human senses.

Articles cited

CBS News

cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/19/earlyshow/main1817689.shtml

Oscillatory Thoughts

blog.ketyov.com/2011/05/we-are-all-inattentive-superheroes.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_motion

Wired

wired.com/gamelife/2011/04/blind-gamer-plays-zelda-by-ear/

Ben Underwood has overcome his blindness without surgery

youtube.com/watch?v=G1QaCeosUmw

Senate does not want 401(k) funds used as personal loan

The Senate is trying to keep people from using their 401(k) money as a source of personal loans. Currently, retirement accounts can be borrowed from an unlimited number of times, which the Senate is looking to cap, and for good reason.

How retirement accounts work

Business Week states that a permanent limit on the number of times an individual can take money out of an IRA fund such as a 401(k) might become reality with a bill the Senate is looking at. Senators Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) are proposing the bill to limit withdrawals from 401(k) and other retirement funds in order to keep people from draining retirement accounts and jeopardizing their futures because of a temporary shortfall. Senator Kohl was quoted as saying that a retirement account isn’t meant for use as “a piggy bank.” The bill is called the “SEAL 401(k) Savings Act.”

Nearly a third of account holders borrow

The average loan taken from a 401(k) or similar account by the end of 2010 was $7,860. Almost 28 percent of people borrowed from it, an Aon Corp study reported. There were at least two large loans taken out before some of the people took money out of their retirement, Aon Corp explained. This was 58 percent of the individuals. According to the Aon study, about 70 percent who really take money from retirement default also. About 22.5 percent of those with 401(k) accounts at Fidelity have an outstanding loan balance when 2010 was over, USA Today reports. With these statistics we learn that people needed to take out money for emergency reasons. This was why individuals with 401(k) accounts would dip into retirement.

Problem with retirement

Several individuals are having difficulty figuring out how to one day retire. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are typically pillars of security for retirees because portions of their paychecks have been going toward these programs for decades. The programs are not a guarantee anymore. They have been changed quite a bit. If the Social Security Administration wants to be solvent, it would need $6.5 trillion. CNN states that this is why Social Security is beginning to become such a problem. In the next 25 years, the Social Security Trust Fund will probably be depleted, and it can’t be fixed with the current Social Security payroll taxes.

Information from

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-05-18/senate-bill-would-limit-use-of-401-k-s-as-rainy-day-funds.html

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/2011-05-11-401k-retiement-accounts-up_n.htm

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/05/18/pf/expert/expert-social-security.moneymag/?section=money_latest

Smaller businesses get a helping hand with credit ratings

Getting investment in a large idea or large business could be tough, but is possible. Then there are the smaller businesses that all of us use that aren’t the “big idea.” A new startup called OnDeck is intending to help these 5 million companies qualify for loans more effortlessly.

Loans for small businesses harder to come by

For many smaller businesses, qualifying for loans can be a challenge. Businesses without a credit history or business history sometimes have a hard time getting loans from financial institutions. Loans for amounts less than $100,000 are often considered not worth the work it takes to vet a full business with the standard 14-item business loan package. Faced with these two realities, several owners of companies with fewer than 25 employees end up using their personal credit to secure financing. This could be dangerous since all the risk is there for the business owner and is tied to personal accounts.

Answer with OnDeck

Cloud-based and interlinked, OnDeck aims to streamline the creation of financial reports and information for lenders. Companies input their business profile, link the profile to their online banking, accounting and credit-card processing accounts. The full financial profile, business credit report and prospectus is created with the information as well as industry data, regional information and tax data. It took five years to get the system put together. Now it creates reports that big businesses want to see. The reports also provide more real-time information than banks currently use, hoping to streamline the process for loans between $5,000 and $150,000.

Businesses can have even more

OnDeck provides new financing resources for small businesses, but it isn’t the only new resource for getting small business credit. Small company owners are able to start up a business with some help from StartUp America also, which is a new government partnership. The SBA also provides loan guarantees, counseling and information for small business owners. Business owners wanting to use other resources may have them accessible. Just try to find them.

Citations

Tech Crunch

techcrunch.com/2011/05/19/smart-lending-on-deck-gives-your-startup-a-credit-score-so-you-can-secure-a-loan/

Startup America Partnership

startupamericapartnership.org/

Marketing by charge card businesses still aims at college students

Part of the provisions of the CARD Act, the law aimed at taming ethically suspect practices of charge card businesses, was restrictions on how credit cards could possibly be marketed to college students. Card corporations are now finding ways around that.

Still seeing too several credit cards

The Credit card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act was a concentrated effort by legislators to restrict credit card company practices that many people felt weren’t ethical. One of the provisions of the CARD Act was to prohibit charge card companies and card issuing institutions from marketing heavily to college students, however they’re finding ways back onto campus, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. It is now illegal for any promotional gifts to be offered to students. Still, they can give out signing bonuses such as the Citibank $50 bonus being offered. Students are still being marketed to on Facebook. By joining the Chase Facebook group, “karma” reward points are also offered.

Doing nothing wrong

Banks, not credit card corporations, offer most of the charge cards. For signing up for a checking or savings account, banks can give out promotional tings. This doesn’t make everybody happy. They see it as a canard. That same level is where marketing is from financial service businesses. The University of Houston Law Center did a survey of college students to find out that marketing to students is not typically on campus. About 73 percent is off of campus for advertising. Students are willing to skip the rules to get charge cards as well. That survey found that 29 percent of students used loan disbursements as proof of income in applying for credit cards.

Education costs

The increasing cost of attending a four-year university is an easy inducement for students to get charge cards to experience some comforts, like a meal consisting of more than macaroni and cheese. The debt from college is going up. Students are taking out more. The Sallie Mae foundation found that 92 percent of college students in 2009 charged an educational expense such as tuition or books and 20 percent of college seniors carried at least $7,000 in charge card debt, according to U.S. News and World Report. The highest average college debt seen ever has been carried with the class of 2011, the Time reports. A $22,900 average debt is carried by the class of 2011. From 2001, that’s a 47 percent increase while increasing even 8 percent from 2010.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704322804576303652621312770.html?mod=WSJ_PersonalFinance_FamilyFinance#articleTabs%3Darticle

Time

newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/11/congratulations-class-of-2011-youre-the-most-indebted-graduates-ever/

U.S. News

usnews.com/education/blogs/student-loan-ranger/2011/05/11/student-credit-card-use-could-cause-problems-later

Largest bond finance drops all government debt and then some

The largest bond finance on the planet is betting the Congress doesn’t have what it takes to solve the nation’s deficit problem. The Pimco Total Return Fund has gone into negative territory on U.S. Treasuries. This is also known as taking a short position on the debt piling up in the United States government.

Pimco does influence the United States Treasuries

Pimco is placing a bet the debt will make rates of interest soar and possibly hurt the Nation’s triple-A bond rating. To get to a short position on Treasury bonds, Pimco sold borrowed securities on a bet it can buy them back later at a lower price. Bill Gross, head of Pimco, has been warning people of the United States government debt. In February Gross caused a stir by selling all of Pimco’s Treasury holdings. In March he made $7 billion bet against the securities.

The portion of Pimco’s $236 billion Total Return Fund held in U.S. Treasuries and other long-term government debt dropped from zero in February to negative 3 percent in March. The fund’s money equivalents rose to 31 percent of the fund’s assets, a $73 billion bet that the good times are about to end in the markets.

Pimco’s possession was brief

Gross has no faith that Congress will be able to solve the deficit problem. In an April Pimco newsletter, he said the United States government was “out-Greeking the Greeks.” Greece’s massive government debt forced its leaders to ask for a bailout from the European Union to prevent a global chain response of financial failure. In fact, current unfunded government spending on entitlements combines to equal five times United States GDP, a debt burden much heavier than what sent Greece into crisis.

The market and how Pimco will use it

Gross is assuming a sort position on U.S. Treasuries and hoping that the market falls in his favor. John Carney at CNBC warns investors to regard Gross’s machinations with caution. Wall Street has been unreliable for a while now, and something that seems right, might in fact be “dangerously wrong.”

Information from

Associated Press

finance.yahoo.com/news/PIMCO-goes-short-US-rb-3790514655.html?x=0

Fortune

finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/10/pimcos-gross-betting-against-u-s-debt/

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0412/Bond-fund-and-many-others-bearish-on-US-debt

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/04/11/us-pimco-bonds-short-idUSTRE73A2IR20110411

Salt Lake City to debut cellular transaction network in 2012

Three major wireless service providers are working with the city of Salt Lake City, Utah, to install a wireless payment network in that city. Payments are wired through the Isis system, a joint venture of three of the nations’ leading cellular service providers, and amounts deducted from the right debit or credit account. Article source – Wireless payment network to debut in Salt Lake City by MoneyBlogNewz.

Cell phone charge card technology takes another step forward

Near field communication, NFC, technology was put on iPhones months ago as a cellular payment system that works. A computer chip is installed in an iPhone that can be picked up by a reader system. The bank account or credit card account linked to the chip’s owner is then charged by merchants. The deduction is made when somebody waves their iPhone. Of course, only phones with Near Field Communication chips will work. This is a large deal. It is advanced technology for the financial industry. There is internet access on most phones already. Smartphones have been used for a while to do bank transfers, to balance checkbooks or to get personal loans on the Internet.

System in Salt Lake to begin with

The NFC system could be started in one place. NPR reports this place to be Salt Lake City. People can start paying for the public transportation system with NFC phone readers. They will be put in the whole system. The city is beginning to make a partnership with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless because of Isis. That is the NFC system the carriers are using right now. The carriers will need phones other than the iPhone that are NFC equipped. Sprint, according to BusinessWeek, is still creating its own Near Field Communication technology.

Technology not good

NFC technology is not spread enough to be put everywhere as Isis would hope. The ad campaign claims the technology will make Salt Lake the “place where you are able to leave your wallet at home.”. Buying a smartphone is going to cost less and less as time goes on. Also, more cellular systems for payments are being accepted each day.

Articles cited

NPR

npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=135149101

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-04-04/at-t-verizon-wireless-to-open-venture-to-all-payment-networks.html

Pay With This

paywithisis.com/

Paying kids for grades like good little capitalists

Many parents have wrestled with whether they should pay their kids for good grades. Some look at just a little cash as an extra incentive to excel, while others believe that it sends the wrong message to children about the value of both money and education. However, studies suggest that there is a golden middle path that is encouraging and educates kids’ lifelong monetary lessons.

‘School is your job’

Paying for grades is supported by many moms and dads. They say that a child is going to school like a job. Children are designed to be working to learn as much as possible. This is to prepare for the future. An employer pays employee compensation. A student should be paid as well.

The opposing side to this argument, however, is that not all jobs in life net monetary rewards and that, children should strive for good grades simply for personal growth. With grade payment, could students be more prepared? Are internships that are unpaid what students are preparing for? Is the truth that unpaid internships are an inappropriate way for corporations to abuse employees?

Pay for good grades programs have been instituted in numerous public school systems to good impact, reports the New York Times. The debate is nevertheless there. Many argue constantly. Because it was just like the reward systems of United States capitalist society, Urban League President Darwin Dais praised the efforts while Sol Stern, Manhattan Institute fellow, said it is “an insult to every hard-working parent.”

Don’t do free labor

Moms and dads can help children quite a bit by teaching that hard work and accomplishment can compensate them. There is a lesson to learn. Don’t work for free if you are able to do it well. Children might not understand unless they know more. Kids have to know what money is worth. The value of money is something all kids ought to know. Money Crashers makes it easy:

1. The importance of money. If you are dealing with teenagers, don’t give them gift cards or prepaid debit card as a reward for grades. It becomes more significant for a teenager to conserve after holding money in their hands. They’ll feel what it is like to exchange the dollars and change for things at the store.
2. The importance of hard work. Some children might need more money after getting paid for grades. If this is the case, the kids should try to get a job part-time. For younger kids who aren’t already receiving an allowance, this could be doing yard work for neighbors. Teenagers can get a part-time job. They might even consider a paper route. Some children will understand money better after working for it. They will know what it takes to get a dollar.
3. Teach children about giving. By donating time or money, children can learn about doing well. This is a good way to teach children to care for others. This can help them value money as well as education.

Articles cited

Money Crashers

moneycrashers.com/should-parents-pay-if-their-kids-get-good-grades/

New York Times

nytimes.com/2007/06/19/nyregion/19schools.html?_r=2

Exxon is paying high school students for grades

youtu.be/tkVcO8M4QVc

Advertisements on the Amazon Kindle has readers worried

The traditional writing industry has lost ground to e-readers, tablets and other mobile devices, and Amazon is sitting pretty with its Kindle platform. Industry studies indicate that the Kindle currently holds a 60 percent share in the e-reader market, a figure that will no doubt improve as the company introduces the $114 Amazon Kindle with Special Offers. What is the catch? The new Amazon Kindle, while no different from the Kindle 3 in most respects, will be ad-supported. Article resource – Amazon to release ad-supported Kindle for $114 by MoneyBlogNewz.

Kindle price cut with advertisements

The first generation Amazon kindle in 2007 cost $399. The price deduction never included advertisements before this. Doing this, the e-reader market will be breached making the iPad competition. May 3 is when the kindle will start with Special Offers. The ad-supported version can be found in Best Buy and Target for the Kindle 3.

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos sees the $114 Kindle with Special Offers as a “chicken in every pot” move:

“We’re working hard to make sure that anyone who wants a Kindle can afford one,” he said via a statement.

There were many responders to an article by the Christian Science Monitor that many may have about the kindle with advertisements. The price of books was brought up by one reader that states kindles for free with ads would be okay with $0.99 books. Many experts say it is good that Amazon only has ads on the bottom of the home screen and on Kindle’s screensaver, although some complain a $25 discount isn’t enough.

“It’s very important that we didn’t interfere with the reading experience,” Kindle director Jay Marine told the Associated Press.

Price matters

Getting to the $99 Kindle for Christmas 2011 is important, TechCrunch believes. That is what the $114 Amazon Kindle is leading up to with its Special Features. According to traditional marketing, 99 is magical number.

The Columbia Business School in New York did research on this though. It showed this is probably not the case anymore. The Columbia study showed the “dollar-minus” approach bringing it down to 99 cents was not almost as effective as bring it up a penny for a “dollar-plus” approach. Sales of products that used the dollar-plus method increased by 3 percent, and consumers felt greater trust for dollar-plus brands as the costs were perceived as being less manipulative.

Citations

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2011/0413/Will-readers-accept-ads-in-exchange-for-a-cheaper-Kindle

Columbia Business School

gsb.columbia.edu/ideasatwork/researchbriefs/7314376?&top.region=main

Knowing and Making

knowingandmaking.com/2011/04/new-research-99-no-longer-optimal-for.html

TechCrunch

techcrunch.com/2011/04/11/amazon-kindle-99/

Kindle sales tripled after last price drop

youtu.be/PaAFm_fZQ2A

Helpful investing fundamentals you are able to use

Individuals invest because they want to create wealth. Day traders do it in part for the rush; but the fundamentals are somewhat less thrilling and more about comfortable goals. The right approach requires just a couple basic guidelines. Among the things you need to know is how not to invest. Post resource – Investing basics and how NOT to invest by MoneyBlogNewz.

401(k) investments

Experts advise getting started with a 401(k) plan from your place of employment, preferably with matching funds from the business. Your retirement money won’t be taxed if it sits in an account and yet at the same time will earn interest, capital gains and dividends. Retirement will only grow if you leave your money sitting.

A 401(k) isn’t an investment necessarily. There is investing going on however it works differently than a typical investment opportunity.

The storm will come so saving is highly essential

Make certain you do not overlook savings. Recourses like Motley Fool are online goods that will help you set up how much you should be saving.

Roth and Traditional IRA accounts should be maxed out

Taking money out of a Roth IRA is taxed, but putting money in isn’t taxed. By maxing out your IRA, your retirement will be substantially larger than if not. Those who do not qualify for a Roth IRA can still use traditional IRA accounts with more flexibility than several other accounts.

Retirement accounts are only one option

You can buy stocks and open brokerage accounts to expand your portfolio. Before investing, however, you need to have a clear vision of your goal. Know what you want and just how long it will take you to get there based upon the amount of the investment and rate of return.

Pay off your credit cards first

The rates of interest on credit cards make them the most harmful thing an individual can have in their possession. Make sure you pay all your charge card debt off before you even start to try and invest in stocks.

Sitting around is not an investment

Motley Fool points out that, stock market is unpredictable, but t if you venture nothing, you will gain nothing. The miracle of compound interest smiles upon those who buy in. Don’t invest in stocks than forget about them, or you’ll find an empty wallet. Follow your stocks and move on if and when the time is right. Don’t go outside of your comfort zone unless you are prepared to lose large.

In and out can have you down and out

Trading in and out of the market isn’t just risky, it comes with a lot of trading fees also. So be careful when you set things up with your brokerage firm. This works well for day traders however it doesn’t work well for long-term investors. If short-term investment is necessary, consider money market funds or CDs, advises Motley Fool.

Information from

About.com

beginnersinvest.about.com/od/investing101/a/how-to-start-investing.htm

Motley Fool

fool.com/investing/beginning/why-should-i-invest.aspx?source=iibedihpo0000001

From socks to stocks

youtu.be/50PBUcwfe-w

The tough mathematics of idealistic urban gardening

Food costs are increasing, thanks to a variety of worldwide factors. These increasing prices are leading to resurgence in urban gardening. These city gardens are often touted as a way to save money. Some enterprising small business hopefuls try something new. Rather than backyard gardens, some try to create full-fledged backyard farms. Post resource – Doing the math on urban farming by MoneyBlogNewz.

The debate for urban gardens

For a variety of reasons, urban gardening is gaining in popularity. Some homeowners see these gardens as a way of putting their property to work. Others use these gardens as a way to grow their own food the way they want to — organic, no fertilizers or to rock music twice a day. Several think that they will be saving money with a metropolitan garden. It seems sensible when you do the mathematics. Spend $10 on seeds and equipment to get a huge return. At least $50 could be returned in produce to you.

The money the urban garden has

Using a garden to save money is a good idea. It seems sensible that it will work that way. The math of a metropolitan garden is a bit more than seeds and water, however. Setting up an urban garden takes significant amounts of time and at least some monetary investment for the first year or so. You should have garden space. Grass must be pulled out or killed, or raised beds need to be built, which costs $20 to $100. The soil may need testing for mercury or lead. Between $150 and $300 can be the cost. It can cost anywhere between $1 and $100 to get the seeds for the garden. It costs between $5 and $20 per cubicle of compost if you don’t have your own. Dependent upon what you do, getting an urban garden set up will cost between $25 and $500 plus lots of work and time. The garden isn’t almost as costly in the years after. Over time, a metropolitan garden can save you significant grocery money. To be able to break even, dependent upon all the variables, a metropo! litan garden needs to produce 50 to 200 pounds of vegetables with an average cost of 55 to 60 cents per pound. There are other reasons to grow your own food without even considering a garden.

Creating a farm out of an urban garden

Some enterprising entrepreneurs are turning urban gardening into urban farming. Instead of attempting to purchase large portions of land outside a city and driving the food in, some businesspeople are using backyards of friends and neighbors as their farms. A small fee is paid occasionally. There are other times where the produce is used in exchange. This is a form of payment. This isn’t always a recipe for quick profit — one Canadian business, FoodCycles, points out:

Farming is like any other business – you need a marketing plan, a financial strategy, a risk strategy.

Information from

The Star

thestar.com/article/970270–porter-backyard-farming-in-the-gta

AZ Star Net

azstarnet.com/news/local/east/article_df486eea-75d6-56f1-9add-a99f2abe5b8c.html

USDA

ers.usda.gov/Amberwaves/September04/Findings/fruitveg.htm

Keep away from pay day loan default with an Extended Payment Plan

Despite planning and the best of intentions, sometimes individuals discover themselves unable to repay their payday loans when they come due. That’s why personal loan companies that are members of the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) offer an Extended Payment Plan (EPP). At no charge, an EPP plan can be put into action that enables a consumer to repay their loan over their next four paydays. Source of article – Avoid payday loan default with an Extended Payment Plan by MoneyBlogNewz.

Loan providers determine, after the state, EPP rules

Depending upon the state in which payday loans originate and whether the lender is a CFSA member, the stipulations of an Extended Payment Plan will vary. State laws are followed if the law already provides an EPP for consumers on payday loans. In states where there is not already a specific law, members of the CFSA will follow these requirements. CFSA-member extended payment plans generally allow customers to repay their short term installment loans in four equal payments over the next four paydays, claims eHow Money. Sometimes an EPP payment is missed. In this case, additional fees might apply.

CFSA-member lender where you get an EPP

• Lender should be CFSA. Try and get this. The CFSA’s blue oval logo should be on display in the payday lender’s office or on the website. The extended repayment plan could be offered by a lender that isn’t a member of CFSA. Ask for details.
• The lender needs to be contacted. Do this prior to the due date end of business day. If you are going to run into trouble repaying your payday loans, contact your lender just before close of business on the day right before your loan is due. Go to the lending office or contact the lender online. Ask for an Extended Payment Plan. The due dates will be put in an agreement that you will have to sign. Read the extended repayment plan carefully just before signing.

Go ahead and complain if a lender was not willing to give you an EPP in the last 12 months and is a member of CFSA. During the Eastern time business hours, you are able to go call 888-572-9329 (fax 703-684-1219) or email cfsa@multistate.com to contact the CFSA. Alternatively, contact the CFSA by mail at 515 King St., Suite 300, Alexandria, Va., 22314.

Information from

CFSA Consumer Complaint Form

cfsaa.com/cfsa-member-best-practices/how-to-file-a-customer-complaint.aspx

CFSA

cfsaa.com/cfsa-member-best-practices/what-is-an-extended-payment-plan.aspx

eHow

ehow.com/how_5906522_extended-can_t-pay-payday-loan.html

Microsoft adds criticism to EU antitrust analysis of Google

Google’s runaway success in Europe has earned it attention in the form of an antitrust analysis. Google, its Euro rivals say, is taking steps that result in lower search rankings for its rivals and other strategies that limit their advertising competitiveness. On Thurs Microsoft stood behind some of its subsidiaries and filed its own complaint against Google with the EU.

Huge complaint against Google by Microsoft

In Europe, Google could have to deal with the antitrust complaint that Microsoft filed saying that Google is limiting access to data needed with YouTube and Google services like this to be able to hurt European consumers. Currently, Google is already being investigated by the European Union Competition Commission for antitrust issues. Adding Microsoft could really help the issue. Microsoft's search engine Bing has been unable to get much attention in Europe while the Internet search market is about 95 percent under Google's thumb in Europe. Google, which has become Europe’s central online hub for advertisers, has also grown accustomed to European antitrust grievances about competition among search engines. Billions went to the European Commission from Microsoft for Windows antitrust investigations. Now, Microsoft has decided to get Google into the same problem.

Obvious fights between Google and Bing

The Google antitrust grievance Microsoft filed in Europe is all about background technologies that unlock Google goods. An example would be "application programming interfaces" that are used. The Microsoft criticism claims that Google makes it impossible for Bing and other search engines to have access to YouTube because of the application programming interfaces used. Google then becomes the primary search engine used. Both the Android and iPhone don’t experience the difficulties Windows phone users experience when attempting to access YouTube. It is very hard because of the programming Google does, says Microsoft. There’s a problem with the Windows phones only because Apple is not in the competition. Bing is in the search engine industry with Google making Microsoft a target. Another Microsoft claim is that Google is blocking advertisers from optimizing on other platforms that compete. The EU antitrust probe is already looking into this though.

Revenues drop for Google in Europe possibly

The EU Commission spokesman said that Google can speak. Its side of the story must also be heard. To be able to keep a consistency with Google ads, Google said the third-party software restraint is necessary. Advertisers are allowed to access any data that is available; there are no restraints. Microsoft is involved. This means the stakes are much higher. There might be a huge fine Google would have to face. This might be up to 10 percent of global revenues in one year, which last year was $29 billion. There might also have to be other changes. This would be done to business in Europe. The European Union commission said that Google would be able to defend itself and stay away from a fine by changing its business in Europe before Microsoft got involved.

Information from

Associated Press

finance.yahoo.com/news/Microsoft-throws-weight-apf-1337664829.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=6&asset=&ccode=

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/03/microsoft-files-european-antitrust-complaint-against-google.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/04/01/technology/01google.html?src=busln

Help grads get jobs following graduation, parents

College career centers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be when it comes to getting graduates work. University students and parents must band together to make professional connections when academia fails, as it so often does. The role of mothers and fathers cannot be overstated here, argues Fox Business. With active involvement, the road toward student internships could be easier to travel. Source for this article – Parents can help college grads secure internships by MoneyBlogNewz.

Internships for college graduates, A welcome ROI

After paying tuition for four or more years, mothers and fathers typically hope their children will do something with it. That is what a college education is for. Most college students have no idea how to find a job after graduation while most colleges are not actively connecting graduates with jobs. This makes it even harder for mothers and fathers. It is a lot of work.

University students might try a student internship to be able to determine if a career field is really the right one. There are some things mothers and fathers can do. Internship opportunities are always around.

The face time with employees is better than Facebook

While LinkedIn, Facebook and other forms of online social networking are valuable, nothing can replace face-to-face time with a potential employer. Teaching children how to network in person may really help them following college. It can really help to get personal with someone getting you into a job. The "go-getters" are the ones hiring managers and industry organizations want to see. According to Woody Allen, "Eighty percent of success is just showing up." This is very true.

Don’t discard online social media in the process, suggests Fox Business. Social recruiting apps on Facebook like Branch Out and Career Amp are tools any social media-savvy student can use. Consider going to Internships.com for help. You may also want to online network with LinkedIn.

Those you know might be able to help

Make sure you know individuals that you are able to call in favors for in essential positions. Call and see if there are any people that need somebody to work an internship.

The ‘Big Five’ to remember

To become an excellent intern, there are some things to do. The blog I Am Next says:

1. Win your supervisor over.
2. Work hard and pay your dues.
3. Make sure you know what is going on.
4. Get help from supervisor lessons. These can guide you.
5. Get a letter of recommendation before you leave.

Information from

Fox Business

foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/04/04/parents-help-college-students-land-internship/

I Am Next

powertochange.com/students/careers/internship/

Student internships are a learning opportunity

youtube.com/watch?v=TpqJSflKaoQ

Fukushima disaster lays bare the actual price of nuclear power

nuclear power appeared on the brink of a renaissance, until the Fukushima disaster. Nuclear reactors worldwide are being looked at in a dimmer light as radiation from reactors damaged in the Japan earthquake spreads around the globe. Safeguards to harden nuclear reactors from natural disasters, as well as clean up costs, could make nuclear energy too expensive to be profitable to investors in the future.

What it will cost with nuclear power

About 62 percent of the public was interested in nuclear power in a Gallup poll in 2010. This was because of the idea of nuclear power as a clean, reliable power source. In order to get nuclear power plants built, the Obama administration is preparing on providing $54.2 billion in loan guarantees for construction projects. The Vermont Law School's Institute for Energy and the Environment's Mark Cooper explained that building nuclear reactors in the United States was unlikely before the Fukushima disaster anyway. Cooper said that the U.S. nuclear industry was a bubble that was going to burst just like any other. This was said in Ottawa, Canada, at a presentation at the House of Commons. In 2001, he said, the bubble started. Nuclear energy was given loan guarantees in billions of dollars by the Bush administration. The nuclear industry was not doing also as expected by 2008. It ended due to the recession, many other clean energy options and cheap natural gas.

Nuclear power starting to cost more

The Fukushima disaster has many individuals worried. It might cost more money to build a new reactor. After the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, construction costs for nuclear reactors rose 95 percent, according to Cooper’s research. Everybody had to pay 40 percent more in electricity because of this. Construction costs went up 89 percent causing electricity to rise 42 percent in 1986 after the Ukraine Chernobyl disaster. To be able to make nuclear reactors safer, there was a design change causing an increase in construction costs. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has already assembled a task force to investigate the design changes required for planned nuclear plants in the U.S., depending on lessons learned from Fukushima.

Most investors unwilling to take the risk

Now that the Fukushima incident has occurred, investors are worried about where they put their money. Instead of invest in nuclear power plants, they are more likely to put money into clean energy alternatives for instance solar, wind and natural gas. It also might affect utilities. The businesses do not want the nuclear plant risk. Financially, nuclear energy is not any longer a cheap alternative to other sources of energy. Onshore wind farms are 35 percent cheaper than the typical nuclear plant without considering nuclear accident cleanup costs. In the future, option sources will become increasingly capable of helping meet the world’s energy needs without the financial and ecological costs of nuclear power. For savvy investors, clean energy alternatives promise more lucrative opportunities.

Citations

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/03/25/idUS423443138820110325

Fast Company

fastcompany.com/1742619/what-are-the-economics-of-nuclear-power-after-fukishima

The National

thenational.ae/lifestyle/personal-finance/japans-nuclear-woes-add-pressure-to-invest-in-green-energy

Money-saving methods to keep away from online news membership paywalls

If you are an online news addict with limited funds, the move toward news paywalls could possibly be terrible news. If you miss the news, you miss out. But don’t worry. A little misdirection and a handful of mobile apps can bring you the news for free or a very low price. Article source – Money-saving ways to avoid online news subscription paywalls by MoneyBlogNewz.

Everybody will love Google News

The best part of Google News is access. A lot of news sites are brought to one place. It’s easier to get news. It’s available each day. It is really simple to access too with a very clear format that has local news and top news categories.

Newspapers app: An iOS portal to publications across the US

Newspapers are an app at the Apple App Store that you pay $1.99 for in order to get links to all online newspaper sites. It’s easy to read articles. It could be done on Safari, your iPad, your iPhone or your iPod. You can download stories and read them later. Instapaper is an example of an app to do this with.

Try an RSS feed

Reeder will take RSS feeds and make them neat for you. It has a newspaper-style interface, and the iOS app cuts the ads and reformats the page for optimal reading pleasure. Download the app for quite cheap. You only have to pay $2.99.

iPad app called Zite

Zite is an iPad app that is free. Business Insider calls it a "personalized magazine" that you can download. News can be recommended to you. The Google Reader and Twitter accounts will be accessed to do this. It can help to just pick articles in the app you might like.

Free apps from CNN and Associated Press

For world, national and even local news on an iOS or Android device, it works really well to have Associated Press and CNN apps. The AP app allows users to pick a favored broadcaster. Then, the stories could be followed of that person. CNN’s app presents streaming video in a polished fashion, and allows users to submit their own photos of news events via the iReport feature.

Getting past the system

Users on Twitter have had access to NYT Twitter feeds. They can create a list for this. It is free to click on Twitter or blog posts since it does not count to the 20 article per month limit. The Daily: Indexed, is a blog that the very same thing occurs with The Daily.

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

Why did the Times put up a speed bump for Google? The name of the article could then be typed into Google by users. This would allow them to have access without paying.

Information from

AP

ap.org/mobile/

Business Insider

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

CNN

cnn.com/mobile/iphone/

The Daily Index

thedailyindexed.tumblr.com/

What to expect with the NYT paywall

youtube.com/watch?v=jOkvPOY3VKU

Next to get cut by banks is debit card rewards

The nation’s largest banks have been cutting consumer benefits. Next on the chopping block are debt card rewards. Debit card rewards will cease entirely in July at JP Morgan Chase, after not any longer offering enrollment in the program in Feb. Card benefits are the latest casualty in the ongoing battle of interchange fees. Regulations could limit the fees charged to merchants by banks, which could inhibit revenue at financial institutions.

Banks contend they’ll be brought low with interchange fee cap

The possible cap on interchange fees, or the fees banks charge merchants to transmit payment from debit purchases, has brought on the nation's largest banks to start curtailing consumer rewards and incentives, such as free checking. Bloomberg states that debit card rewards will most likely be the next thing to disappear. In Feb., Chase stopped offering debit card rewards programs to any new consumers which started this. On July 19, all reward programs will end for Chase although anybody that has rewards will nevertheless be able to use them. Soon, it is possible that consumers may have to pay way too much to get their own money out of the financial institution. Same day loans might be necessary.

High ATM fees

The changes to financial laws are causing even more fees to be added other places. MSNBC states that ATM fees have already started going up. The second largest American bank is JP Morgan Chase. anyone who is not a member has to be paying the $4 and $5 tested fees on ATMs now. In TX, the fee is $4. The tested fee of $5 is appearing in Illinois. The $3 non-customer fee that Chase already had is remaining the same in other states even though the national average is $2.33 below that. Chase consumers will still pay only $2 per transaction at non-Chase ATMs, which is also above the $1.41 national average. Chase has the second largest ATM network in the nation. More than likely, Wells Fargo and Bank of America are soon to follow as TD Bank and Citi have already started changes. The idea of Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo having to run for installment loans because legislation prevents them from gouging customers is not likely to cause many people discomfort, but there&! #8217;s a catch.

Even credit unions would have a difficult time

The Durbin Amendment to the Dodd Frank Act is something that the National Association of Federal Credit Unions and other credit union trade groups oppose because they charge interchange fees just like for-profit banks, states Forbes. For-profit banks can manage a huge drop in revenue much better than community banks and credit unions. This change would go from the average of 44 cents per transaction with the Federal Reserve proposal to a maximum of 12 cents per transaction. To be able to study what would occur, the Durbin Amendment cannot take place for at least 2 years. The House of Representatives and Senate are seeing the bills currently.

Citations

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-21/jpmorgan-will-cease-debit-card-rewards-program-because-of-proposed-fee-cap.html

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42130464/ns/business-your_retirement/

Forbes

blogs.forbes.com/moneybuilder/2011/03/03/the-durbin-amendments-effect-on-credit-unions/

Google changes algorithm to chagrin of content material farms

The Google algorithm change on February 25 had an immediate and dramatic influence on the online writing industry. Every aspect of the internet publishing industry was impacted. For much better or worse, jobs, share prices, income and traffic volume for content companies changed along with the algorithm. Google changed its search algorithm to stem the tide of worthless content that has been overwhelming its search motor results, a move that shifted a believed $1 billion across the content material industry.

Google changes algorithm for content

Google’s search quality has not been that great in the last year with all the content accessible on the internet. Several industry groups have publicly encouraged Google to take action to repair the quality of its search. The Google algorithm change is meant to punish content material farms and reward research, in-depth states and thoughtful analysis, Google states, and it affected the online writing industry as soon as Google flipped the switch. Any sites that had original high quality content on them all the sudden got a lot of traffic. This was bad news for some websites though. Any sites there to get traffic in by luring in individuals ended up losing. The algorithm update has noticeably changed 11.8 percent of search queries, in accordance with Google. Based on the almost 12 billion search queries Google fielded in January, the algorithm modification could impact 1.4 billion searches this month, according to comScore, an internet marketing research business.

Content material farms take a huge hit

There was a 5 to 50 percent increase in traffic to the Online Publishers Association's website a day after Google's algorithm change. According to web metrics firm Sistrix, content material farms specializing in so-called “click bait” took a big hit. Yahoo's Association Content, Ezinearticles.com, Wisegeek.com and Mahalo.com are all sites that got hit. There was a drop in traffic of over 75 percent at these online websites. Mahalo.com laid off 10 percent of its workforce last week. A mix of high quality and click bait was found at Demand Media which is considered a content material farm. Although Demand Media’s eHow.com stock took an instant hit shortly after a $1.7 billion IPO, the business ultimately benefited from the Google algorithm modification. Other Demand Media sites for instance AnswerBag.com and Trails.com suffered.

Google gives, and Google takes away

About 20 to 30 percent of traffic on a page is brought in when on the top listing of a Google search which helped online writing. Second and third spots collect 5 percent to 10 percent. About 1 percent of traffic goes to all other outcomes on the page. It is harmful to a company to get to the second page. It gets hardly any hits. The new Chrome browser for Google called Personal Blocklist lets users cut off any offensive domains when they show up in search outcomes which Google algorithms tend to follow. The Personal Blocklist data isn't used, claims Google, to determine which companies to block. Nevertheless about 84 percent of blocked domains were demoted with the change in algorithm.

Information from

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/03/08/technology/google_algorithm_change/index.htm

CNN Money

money.cnn.com/2011/03/08/technology/google_algorithm_change/index.htm” target=”_blank

Adweek

adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/e3i0fcd39a826b5c1cd3b13fba6c2a9dfba” target=”_blank

International Business Times

ibtimes.com/articles/116434/20110225/demand-media-google-algorithms-content-farms.htm

Sistrix

sistrix.com/blog/985-google-farmer-update-quest-for-quality.html

Google blog

googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/finding-more-high-quality-sites-in.html

Number of individuals borrowing cash increases but not credit cards

Credit sources such as personal loans are becoming the more popular methods of borrowing cash for American Consumers, who are staying away from credit cards. The Federal Reserve recently published data on consumer borrowing for the month of January. Borrowing increased by several billion dollars for that month, however people were mostly using non-revolving sources of credit. Individuals are avoiding charge cards in droves, and paying off their balances after the holiday shopping spree. Source of article – Consumers borrowing more money but not from credit cards by MoneyBlogNewz.

More Consumers borrowing mean more debt

Business Week states that more Americans are borrowing from loan providers which the Federal Reserve report on economic activity from Jan 2011 shows. Several non revolving credit sources, including auto loans and personal loans, were used rather than revolving lines of credit such as credit cards in this debt boost in Jan. There was an increase of $9.26 billion in non-revolving debt with an overall $5 billion increase in consumer debts with this being the fourth straight month of numbers increasing for loan companies. MSNBC reports that strong auto sales caused the huge increase since the auto lending cash lent went up for six months in a row.

Fewer people using charge cards

For a while now, charge card use has been going down while Americans have had a $4.25 billion decrease in the amount of debt held. For the first time since Dec. 2008, charge card debt has increased in Dec. 2010 although it went down 28 of the last 29 months. In January 2010, there was a decrease in charge card charge-offs of 7.45 percent. The last five months in a row showed delinquencies and charge offs declining. A December purchasing spree was done though which charge cards seemed to be used for, although that was paid by Consumers quickly. Charge card rates of interest have been steadily increasing as new regulations prevent banks and card corporations from applying fees surreptitiously, forcing them to raise fees and rates of interest up front.

More debt taken out by students

There was a $24.9 billion boost in student loans from the federal government in Jan 2011 as part of the non-revolving debts increase. More than likely, the federal spending budget cuts will take away what is available meaning students will have to start using private lenders rather than the government soon. Over $5 billion in Pell Grants were cut from the federal spending budget in the proposed bill the House of Representatives just got although starting next year, a $20 billion deficit is going to be run by the Pell Grant Program alone, reports the Christian Science Monitor. For years, the cost of a college education has gone up even though it is still considered the best investment an individual can make.

Articles cited

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-03-07/consumer-credit-in-u-s-increased-5-01-billion-in-january.html

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/41954342/ns/business-consumer_news/

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2011/0225/Washington-trims-Pell-Grants-How-will-students-pay-fall-tuition

Movies can be watched live on Facebook with new program

Warner Bros. announced today that it would stream movies through Facebook. The Facebook Movies system currently offers just a few videos, but the company has plans for expansion. Netflix stocks fell three percent when the service went live.

Warner Bros. leasing through Facebook

A brand new feature is accessible for Warner Bros. It’s on a Facebook page. Users can now digitally rent movies and stream them directly in Facebook. Only a few movies, including "The Dark Knight," are available right now. A 48 hour film rental costs 30 Facebook credits. About $3 can be paid for that. This choice is only available on a test basis to about 30 percent of United States Facebook users.

Netflix stock drops on Facebook Movies information

The news of Facebook Movies has already had an impact on the online rental business. In the first hour after the announcement was made, there was a 3 percent decrease in Netflix shares. About 20 percent of traffic on the internet involves Netflix. There was a report done in December 2010. It found that Facebook was responsible for about 10 percent of video-sharing traffic online. When you combine the traffic of Facebook with in-line video sharing, Netflix could be facing its first real competition — depending on the content that is eventually made accessible.

What Facebook Credits are

Facebook Movies are the first major non-game application to make use of Facebook’s soon-to-be-required payment system. Facebook Credits currently cost $1 for 10 Facebook Credits. There is no assurance, however, that Facebook Credits will remain a monetary program tied exclusively to the value of the dollar. Facebook is able to increase income by changing the conversion rate very simply with its own monetary system. Facebook would end up getting 1.1 cents per credit purchased if the rate were to change to nine Facebook credits per dollar instead. A huge payday may go to Facebook with this small increase even though it doesn't seem like much.

Citations

Tech Crunch

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

Slate

slate.com/id/2273314/

Forbes

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

Bloomberg

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

CFPB funding at risk

Elizabeth Warren and the Dodd-Frank Act CFPB do not have many friends among House Republicans, states the Huffington Post. The numbers are beginning to look grim, as the GOP House majority led by Eric Cantor, Michele Bachmann and Spencer Bachus have slashed the CFPB budget nearly in half, from $ 143 million to $ 80 million. If the elephants continue to cut away at the consumer protection agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will open on July 21, 2011 with the dubious distinction of being the only federal financial institution regulator that has to abide by politically motivated spending budget cuts.

The CFPB seeks to heal wounds of banking abuses

Harvard Law Prof. Elizabeth Warren, co-author of the book "Two-Income Trap," has studied at good length how banking abuses have harmed United States families. The middle class sinks ever deeper into poverty, borrowing just to keep up with expanding bills and compensate for stagnant salaries. Keeping in mind the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s goal is important. It wants to use the Federal Register to unite these seven agencies for the federal government:

• Federal Reserve Board of Governors
• Also included is the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• The Federal Trade Commissioned is part of this
• The National Credit Union Administration is one of these
• There's the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
• The Office of Thrift Supervision is next
• The seventh is the Department of Housing and Urban Development

Until now, none of these agencies had consumer protection as the primary agenda. The personal bankruptcies can be helped by the CFPB that will help the middle class.

"The numbers are sobering," Warren said at a Feb. 23 Chicago lecture. "Since the late 1970s, (personal) bankruptcy filings have doubled and doubled again. Women have been hit particularly hard. Over the course of 20 years, the number of women filing bankruptcy petitions increased by 662 percent. By the early 2000s, a woman was more likely to file for bankruptcy than to graduate from college."

Annual Percentage Rate controlled by CFPB

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau plans to protect against many different problems, states the Customer Federation of The United States. This involves payday advance loan outlets with very high fees, the military loan companies trying to make the 36 percent Annual Percentage Rate cap something they can get around, the high rates and fees that subprime charge cards give and the interest rates that stay fairly high with overdraft loans from banks.

As John Wasik writes for Reuters’ Prism Money blog, customers should be paying attention to what House Republicans try to do to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

"I believe everyone with a credit card, bank loan or savings account needs to back Warren now," writes Wasik. "Contact your senators and congressmen and urge them to leave the bureau's funding alone, which is tied directly to the budget of the Federal Reserve."

Articles cited

Consumer Federation of America

consumerfed.org/pdfs/PR-CFA-CFPB-6-months.pdf

Federal Register

edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-23487.pdf

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/ed-mierzwinski/iin-the-public-interesti_b_829659.html

Reuters

blogs.reuters.com/prism-money/2011/02/28/why-elizabeth-warren-needs-your-help-to-police-the-banks/

‘I’m not here to support criminal schemes,’ said Rep. Maxine Waters

youtube.com/watch?v=TUVxcNxULyU