Wall Street reform needs a whistle blower provision

The Wall Street reform bill was signed into law by the President. Anybody who has support in this bill probably do not learn about the whistle-blower provision of it yet, reports the Los Angeles Times. This bounty provision entitles private sector individuals who blow the whistle on rule-breaking organizations to receive 10 to 30 percent of money the federal government obtains from fines and settlements.

Whistle-blower provision meant to stop insider trading and Ponzi

The whistle-blower provision calls for the citizen “provide the Securities and Exchange Commission with original info that reveals the fraud and leads to a successful recovery,” writes the Times. Lawmakers hope the bounty provision will provide the necessary incentive to strengthen Wall Street reform, but some legal experts see potential issues. Someone who spots a problem will go to the SEC than to management which could be a problem for numerous companies. There also can be a whole new slew of lawsuits that will have to be dealt with as well. In both cases, a “society of paid informants,” as Walter Olson of the Cato Institute puts it, would be the result.

’Fast’ cash incentive for whistle blowers

Think about what would have happened if this provision was here when Goldman Sachs settled with SEC for $ 550 million. If a whistle-blower had turned in the tip leading to Goldman Sachs’ censure, that whistle-blower would have made at least $ 55 million in quick cash. Stephen Kohn of the Washington-based National Whistleblowers Center says the money gets back to all the taxpayers. ”Quick cash” tends to be relative of course. Although a whistle blower could have to wait till the legal proceedings are through, money received might be paying down. However, the government must recover at least $ 1 million for the whistle-blower provision to go into effect for an informant.

More details on this topic

Los Angeles Times
latimes.com/business/la-fi-reform-whistleblower-20100723,0,6099636.story
An example of whistle-blowing in high government
youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw

By saving cash, the best financial tool is with your hands

For most people, saving money is something easier said than done. Even if you’re earning more money now than you did a couple years ago, you might still discover yourself short of cash or buried deep in debt. So definitely you just cannot blame your saving shortfalls on a tiny paycheck. Studies have, in fact, shown that it has almost nothing to do with your income. It’s about your desire to conserve cash and your willingness to adjust to boost your bottom-line.

Saving cash vs. spending cash

Lots of people believe that saving cash greatly relies on how much one individual makes. How much you earn, however, is only a small part of the equation. You aren’t necessarily free from financial troubles just because you are making more money. Without good cash management, it will feel no different than working a minimum-waged job.

So it pays to closely focus on your monthly bills and reasonably weigh up the things that are significant and also the things that aren’t. Like how you make time for sleeping, eating and fun outdoor activities, you should make time for personal finances each single month. This way, you know exactly where your hard-earned money is going and make a few changes if necessary.

You have to have self-control

Temptation comes in numerous forms, and it is often so potent it seems almost extremely hard to resist. “Spend now or save tomorrow” is a common issue most are faced with each day. Numerous consumers often confuse their needs with their wants and fall through on making right choices on the things that would benefit them the most. Their closets are cluttered with absolutely unnecessary things and the fridge is filled up with food they do not really like. Not having self-control can lead to impulse purchasing, which can in turn lead to overspending and eventually, insurmountable debt.

From kids and adults to small company and corporate owners, learning the skills and strategies to conserve and invest money can improve the quality of life. And also the only true way to achieve that is with discipline and self-control.

Be prepared – conserve money for emergencies

Simply forgoing saving cash can spell future financial catastrophe. The average person knows that having a financial back-up plan is crucial, particularly in times of immediate monetary needs. Unexpected financial mishaps seem to happen at the worst times, and when it happens without a moment’s notice, you are likely to need some additional money to pull through. Sure you are able to take out payday cash advances as a last resort, but everybody knows that there is nothing more protecting than to be financially prepared.

Make dreams a reality by saving money

Now is the time to start saving cash, if you haven’t already. If you are still dreaming about the beautiful dream house you’ve always wanted, that dream house will simply remain a dream if you do not take the initiative to start saving. What about the promise you made for a vacation trip to Cancun? Do you think you’ll ever get there without a little saving? What about your plans for retirement? The clock is ticking and forever is not an option, and financial stability will not be awarded to you if you do not take the necessary steps to effectively plan for the future. So put your money to work — start saving now!

Tickets to 10 vehicles most often

Getting a ticket doesn’t make for a good day. Everybody gets tickets though. For each and every 100,000 miles driven, .23 tickets are given on average. Certain automobiles tend to drive that average up — though whether it is because of the drivers or the automobile is difficult to say. Based on an average of tickets issued in 2007 and 2008, these are the 10 automobiles ticketed most often within the United States.

10- There’s the Toyota Matrix

Drivers in a Toyota Matrix, on average, received 2.64 times more tickets than most drivers. With .6 tickets given to this car for each and every 100,000 miles driven, it is just the first Toyota on this list.

The Audi A4 is ninth

As the Audi A4 is speedy and quite cheap, those who buy it tend to be younger with terrible driving habits.

Eighth on the list is the Subaru Outback

All-weather capability and hauling capacity combined apparently is the perfect recipe for a ticket. For every 100,000 miles, this car gets .62 tickets as they’re easy to see on any road.

7- The Scion xA

Concentrated in urban environments, where tickets tend to be more common, the Scion xA tends to clock in at about .63 tickets per 100,000 miles.

6 – Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

This car has 2.76 more tickets received than average with the 500-horsepower it receives.

5-The Toyota Camry Solara

This car is given to a wide variety of individuals and has a sun roof and two doors. These cars get tickets 2.95 times more often than the normal driver.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG is fourth

This car seems to get quite a bit more tickets. It has high horse power and gets 3.97 more tickets than the normal driver.

The Scion xB is third

The car looks super boxy making it noticeable and gets four times more, or 1 ticket for every 100.000 miles, than the normal driver.

2- It’s the Scion tC

4.6 times more tickets than average are given to drivers of this car. 1.05 tickets are given every 100,000 miles this car decides to travel.

1 – Hummer H2/H3

Driving a hummer makes you fairly likely to get a ticket. It is unclear whether it directly correlates with the car or with the personality type buying the car, but one thing is clear; drivers of Hummers get much more tickets than anything else.

The least-ticketed car within the study? It is going to be the Jaguar XJ Sedan.

More on this topic

MSN Money
articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourCar/which-drivers-get-the-most-tickets.aspx

TicketFly gives Ticketmaster a run for its money

Ticketmaster and Livenation dominate concert sales, but TicketFly is starting to emerge as a competitor. A cheaper, easier to use, and faster ticketing system, TicketFly has a real chance of beating Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster’s business is a big one – but TicketFly may just have a chance of competing. Source for this article – TicketFly – FreeFest helps give Ticketmaster real competition by Personal Money Store.

TicketFly gets defectors

TicketFly was founded in 2008 with $ 3 million in original funding. The Ticketmaster/Livenation group lost about 50 venues to TicketFly when they were “poached”. The venues control who sells tickets to their events. TicketFly really got their sales began with these 50 venues. TicketFly claims to charge much less in both “printing fees” and “convenience fees.” Ticketmaster has become known for the high fees it piles on top of ticket cost. Despite legal questions of a monopoly, Ticketmaster has been adding venues to its concert-promotion packages.

What TicketFly does better

TicketFly has made many promises about prices and function. The claim is that by charging lower fees, TicketFly tickets could be 30 percent less than tickets from Ticketmaster. TicketFly is also set up to give customers discounts if they talk about their purchase on social networking websites. For ticket sellers, TicketFly promises easy, fast updates of ticket info (rather than the three days it takes Ticketmaster). In short, TicketFly promises that it could be less costly and easier to use for everybody involved.

FreeFest pairs TicketFly and Virgin

Virgin Mobile paired up with TicketFly to distribute tickets to the Virgin Mobile FreeFest. Virgin Mobile sent out emails with codes for free tickets to any person who had attended a previous festival. The rest of the tickets go on pre-sale at 10 a.m. on July 24. TicketFly won a big business move with the Virgin Mobile partnership. Because the Ticketmaster/Livenation conglomerate controls a good 50 percent of ticket sales and venues in the United States, it has a lot of pull.

Clinton wedding bill will be $ 2 million

On July 31, Marc Mezvinsky and Chelsea Clinton could be exchanging vows. The Clinton wedding is getting a lot of attention, thanks to a big pricetag and bigger names as guests. The location of the wedding has been kept very secret, but it is rumored to be planned for Astor Courts.

The small information of the Clinton wedding

With a guest list of just more than 500 people, including numerous former heads of state, Chelsea Clinton’s wedding is certain to be a large affair. The people involved with the wedding, though, are keeping their collective mouths shut. You will find a couple of information that have been found, though. The mother of the bride will be wearing Oscar de la Renta. The wedding gown will be made by Vera Wang. The guest list includes friends of the family such as previous British prime ministers and Oprah.

The cost of the Clinton wedding

The big news of the Chelsea Clinton wedding is the cost. Though official figures have not been released, estimates are that the price tag will be about $ 2 million. The venue, which is a previous Astor Estate, will cost $ 400,000 to rent. Catering from “a wide collection of blue-ribbon area restaurants” is estimated to cost about $ 1,500 per person. About $ 250,000 could be spent on flowers. A less glamorous price tag is the security — expected to run between a quarter and a half of a million dollars. Former President Bill Clinton has said that his job is to “pick up the bill and lose 15 pounds.”

Criticism of the wedding?

There are some commentators who are calling the wedding of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mazvinsky conspicuous consumption. Some wonder if Marc Mazvinsky and Chelsea Clinton’s wedding is a reserved affair, or if they’re just showing off. The recent wedding between Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher cost about half a million dollars. Kate Middleton and Prince William will probably spend $ 5 million or more on their wedding.

Seven banks can't meet capital needs in Euro stress tests

Stress tests were developed to test European banks after the Greek debt crisis made for a lot of problems in European financial markets. After testing, seven major banks in Europe were shown to be too weak to deal with other things if more crisis’ were to appear. The European Union bloc said it would give aid to the Greek debt crisis although many did better on the test than others. Only 7 out of the 91 tested weren’t able to meet requirements. Source of article – Seven banks can’t meet capital requirements in Euro stress tests by Personal Money Store.

Seven banks with problems

The banks that did not meet the capital needs were Hypo Real Estate Holding AG in Germany, ATEBank in Greece, and Unnim, Espiga, Diada, CajaSur and Banka Civica, which are all Spanish, according to the Wall Street Journal. None of the seven banks could keep enough cash around to represent 6 percent of the worth of their total assets. The purpose of this was to make certain banks were secure in case the European Financial System had one more problem, including a government defaulting.

Being very careful about this

The test that is administered has to be perfect. This was made so lending can begin again since investors and lending institutions will have confidence. The European Central Bank hopes to be able to start normal lending again and to avoid bailout lending, reports the New York Times. If the test were too easy, it would be hard to discover someone to believe it. If the tests are thought to be too strict, then the entire European banking system will appear to be on the verge of collapse.

Lending in the Euro Zone

European lending is constrained, and until the Greek crisis is resolved, the European Union is going to be somewhat credit constrained. The U.S. dollar was being valued as higher than the Euro because of this crisis although the dollar is losing value with the U.S. economy being so unstable.

Discover more info on this topic

Wall Street Journal
online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703294904575384940544522582.html?mod=WSJ_business_LeadStoryRotator
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/07/24/business/global/24stress.html?pagewanted=1 and amp;ref=business

Wal-Mart chicken nugget recall affects 90,000 pounds

In Wal-Mart stores around the country, Great Value brand chicken nuggets have been recalled. The recall affects one pound, 13 ounce Great Value brand packages of chicken nuggets. Manufactured by Perdue, these nuggets have blue plastic in them.

Stores recall chicken nuggets

The Wal-Mart chicken nugget recall was called by Perdue Farms, Inc. and also the USDA on July 21. Some customers found chunks of blue plastic in their nuggets. To find out if your Wal-Mart chicken nuggets are a part of the recall, look for:

• A one pound, 13 ounce bag of nuggets
• Great Value labeled packaging
• Establishment number (on the bottom of the package) P-33944
• Case code 89008 A0160

When you have a bag of the recalled Wal-Mart chicken nuggets, return it to the store for a refund. The companies will end up paying the whole cost of the recall — estimated at $ 500,000.

Nugget recall caused by blue plastic

The Wal-Mart chicken nugget recall is considered a “class II” recall. This means that there have been no injuries and there is little to no risk of “adverse health consequences. Perdue Farms has said that it expects that a “small plastic ring” was mixed in with the raw meat.

Chicken nuggets at home

If you really love chicken nuggets but want to stay away from the Wal-Mart chicken nugget recall, you can. It is simple, fast, and healthy to make your own nuggets. The cost for homemade chicken nuggets clocks in at less than $ 1 per four-ounce serving. Chop chicken breasts or tenders into small chunks – the nuggets. Mix together bread crumbs and seasonings, or even use a product like Shake ‘n Bake. Dunk the chicken in milk, egg or melted butter, then into the bread crumb mixture. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes. Or, in case you are brave, deep-fat fry in 450 degree oil for 3 minutes.

Putting together the internet and your car

It may seem like an extraneous idea, but both Subaru and Ford are connecting their vehicles to the Internet. The 2011 Subaru Outback can have a built-in Wi-Fi option. Ford test-drove an “automatic tweeting” automobile codenamed AJ. Driving habits might be something that automobile makers hope individuals will want as part of their connected lifestyle. Post resource – Connecting your car with the Internet by Car Deal Expert.

Wi-Fi for Subaru

Wi-Fi connectivity is an option for 2011 Subaru Outbacks. Anything that stays within 150 feet of the car could be able to go to the internet. Initially, the setup costs $499 for parts and $35 to activate. One year of subscription will cost $29 a month. It may seem just a little pricey. Of course, customers could save money considering smartphone apps allowing calls with Wi-Fi with unlimited data plans that cost a lot.

Twitter automatic

In May, code name AJ, which is the 2011 Ford Fiesta, was tested by a Ford team. AJ the car automatically tweeted, using information from the car’s computers. Sample tweets incorporated “time to put the headlights on.”. Real-time traffic information and GPS data blends with Internet details and car data recorder to create the tweets. The team also test drove check-in functions with FourSquare. The Ford Fiesta will not include these features standard yet, but it is a possibility for 2012 models.

Internet in cars a good idea?

Though there is a lot of excitement and development of connected cars, some are wondering if it is a good idea. Wi-Fi connection might lead to car viruses. It also is a concern the cars automatically broadcast and tell exactly what drivers are doing on the internet. Internet-connected cars, in the end, are one more tool that will likely end up being misused by some, abused by others and very useful to most.

Top Secret America by the Washington Post causes intelligence row

The Washington Post published a report on Monday, July 19, about the Intelligence Community, in public and private sectors. The report, Top Secret America, has began a lot of discussion going. Heavies within the intelligence world have already started to take issue with its findings. Top Secret America has highlighted the Intelligence Community, which is a proper noun evidently, as having many inefficiency, waste, petty squabbles and disconnects throughout.

Top Secret America does not paint a flattering picture

The Washington Post investigation to the report Top Secret America was two years in the making. The amount of agencies, bureaus and contractors working on intelligence has grown exponentially since September 2001. Because the Intelligence Community relies on secrecy and non-transparency, the total cost of all these new agencies and contracts cannot be calculated. The report also claims the explosively growing intelligence community is grossly inefficient and is ill-equipped to discover consensus. The piece contains references to a recent interview with Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, who bemoans the lack of focus and clear details from the intelligence field.

Intelligence Community fires back

There was a response issued soon after the report from the intelligence field. David Gompert, Director of Intelligence, issued a press release in which he stated the report was not reflective of the Intelligence Community as a whole, and also the intelligence field was continuously working on improving itself.

The results of the report

It’s hard to know what effect, if any, the report will have. The nature of the spy business is that it is secretive. If a spy operation goes well, the success of the mission might never see the light of day. There have, of course, been some embarrassing, miserable, almost tragically comic failures . The Bay of Pigs invasion, WMDs that were never found in Iraq, etc. The Christmas bomber nearly pulled his plot off, and authorities were tipped off about him. The Fort Hood shooter was in contact with hostile Muslim groups for months, and he was a Major within the US Army. The intelligence field may have some very visible blemishes, but it is hard to keep faith whenever you can’t see the successes.

More information on this topic

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/ (PDF)

New Raytheon plant will open in Alabama

Defense contractor and electronics heavyweight extraordinaire Raytheon will build a new manufacturing and testing plant in Alabama. A project of the missile division of Raytheon will occupy the building. Raytheon Missile Systems has been a mainstay in Tucson, Arizona for half a century. This does not mean the Tucson location will close at all. Raytheon is one of the world’s largest defense contractors, and has regularly led the way in other fields, especially in electronic technology. Source for this article – Raytheon selects Alabama for new missile plant by Personal Money Store.

New plant in Tucson was not feasible

Raytheon Missile Systems required a new facility for testing and building a ship defense project and for a new ship-based interceptor missile according to Business Week. (It will shoot down other missiles.) A new state-of-the-art facility wouldn’t be feasible in Tucson because of zoning, schedule and other requirements that weren’t able to be met. Huntsville, Alabama, was picked as the new site. The facility can have its ground breaking fairly soon, and it can be a $ 75 million, 70,000 square foot building. The mortgage payments have got to be killer.

Raytheon focuses on objectives like a laser

The Star Wars project made Ronald Reagan a laughingstock, but Raytheon is making laser weapons work. Raytheon has designed a defensive laser weapon that can shoot an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle down easily. At a recent test on the California coast, a model of the Laser Area Weapon System shot down 4 UAVs out of the sky, according to CNET. The high intensity beam causes the targets to burst into flames in moments and drop from the sky.

A strong legacy

Raytheon was a business with a history of innovation and engineering excellence before they built their first missile. It was Raytheon (then the American Appliance Company) that first developed a gas filled vacuum tube that could power radios by plugging them to the wall, instead of a battery. (You will find still individuals who rant and rave about how great tube sound is.) Among other Raytheon innovations were radar for naval vessels and also the microwave oven.

Citations

news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10004204.html?tag=mncol

businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9H3GKRO0.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raytheon

Children don't have right info because parents don't have financial literacy

How do kids learn about financial education except through their parents? What do parents teach them? A recent survey showed that most individuals learned their personal finance skills at home, from their parents. But the exact same survey showed that a fantastic portion of those individuals gave themselves failing financial grades. Schools might be the ones responsible for teaching personal finance literacy according to some. Others say that it is not hard for parents to get up to speed on personal financial literacy so they can pass the knowledge along.

Parents in dire need of financial education

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling did a Financial Literacy Survey in 2010 asking individuals about their personal finances and just how they learned to do it their way. Most said they learned their personal finance skills from their parents at home. These people were then asked to grade themselves on how much financial literacy they have, and 25% of people got a C, D or F. Everyone within the home should be getting a new financial education because of outdated ways being taught within the home, as outlined by the NFCC.

Reading, writing and personal finance?

Saving for retirement and college isn’t really an option for parents in this economy considering they cannot even afford a house with all of the debt they have. All of this might have been avoided with a simple financial literacy course in high school, according to NJ.com. The NJ article explains that even now, you will find only 14 percent of teenagers taking personal finance classes in high school. If more personal finance classes had been taken, the US economy, when asking NJ’s opinion, would be unbreakable.

Children and financial failure hand in hand now?

Within the ages 18-21, Wells Fargo surveyed and found that 5% of them thought they might achieve financial goals. Of all these individuals, 41 percent knew what a credit score and 401(K) was, 31 percent learn about compound interest, and only 28 percent know what annual percentage rates were.

Financial details for parents available

Financial literacy classes required, like they’re in New Jersey, might not happen for you. But until then you can set a good example for the children by getting your financial house in order with a mid-year financial tune-up. Boston.com reports five things to work on:

1. Spending on a budget – Compare cash flow in the middle of the year with your spending plan from the beginning. Did you have enough money put in the right areas or are you spending more than planned? Track your expenditures when planning ahead and sticking with that plan.

2. Saving money – Cash loan should be set aside with goals also. Having a small amount could be very important. Fees and borrowing are easily avoided with, the Consumer Federation of The United States reports, just $ 500 extra within the bank at all times.

3. Your debt – With debt you will have a hard time budgeting, especially with emergencies, and your credit score can be effected. You have to stop paying with credit cards and need to pay them all off.

4. Paying taxes – it could be hard to know how much you’ll be paying in taxes this year with the laws Congress hasn’t talked about yet that have expired. But tax rates are expected to go up for all but the lowest income brackets in 2011,so be prepared.

5. Retirement plan – plan your retirement with more than just a 401(k). Company pensions and Social Security adds into it as well. Plan ahead with how much money you need to be providing yourself as well.

NFCC
nfcc.org/
NJ.com
nj.com/opinion/times/oped/index.ssf?/base/news-1/127917270889880.xml&coll=5
Boston.com
boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2010/07/16/a_midyear_personal_finance_checkup_will_help_in_getting_you_to_the_finish_line/

Do not make an effort to get mortgage lending if pregnant

If you’re beginning a family and would like to buy a house to raise your kids in, there’s something you should know. Women who are pregnant and plan to stay home to take care of the baby may not qualify for a mortgage loan. Mortgage lenders are too scared that they won’t get their payments with this situation. The couple doesn’t meet strict standards is the excuse mortgage lenders use to stay away from being in violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Post resource – Mortgage lending- Do not get pregnant if you want to purchase a house Personal Money Store.

Pregnancy discrimination because of mortgage lending standards

Pregnancy discrimination by mortgage lenders may be an inadvertent consequence of a loan quality initiative that was launched earlier this year by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Before loans are finished, the financial status of a borrower has to be checked again because of the initiative, as outlined by the New York Times. Under the loan quality initiative, lenders must document that borrowers have enough income to pay for the loan on closing day, not following the contract was signed. The income has to be guessed to continue for the next 3 years also for the loan.

Lenders hate seeing maternity leave

Maternity leave makes it easier for mortgage lenders to get away with pregnancy discrimination. Mortgage lenders see simply a short term disability insurance they have to deal with. Because the disability payments will not continue for 3 years, Fannie and Freddie mortgage lenders will not count maternity leave as qualifying income. These mortgage lenders will require the new mother to reapply for the mortgage once she returns to work. A couple expecting within the next few weeks is an example used by the Times article. They wanted to make an offer on a home, however they needed both of their salaries to qualify. The mortgage broker said the expectant mother would not be considered “employed” when it was time to close the loan, which would probably disqualify her.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act doesn’t include mortgage borrowers

Pregnancy isn’t really being discriminated against, according to mortgage lending; it’s just income. When it comes to lending, Lawyers.com teaches us that gender and marital status are the only things protected. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act also bars lenders from asking about your plans for having or raising children. Lenders are allowed to ask anything they want about expenses, even about your children’s expenses. Pregnancy discrimination became illegal in 1978. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act declares that discrimination due to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions is unlawful sex discrimination. But the Pregnancy Discrimination Act only applies to employment, not borrowing.

Citations

New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/07/20/your-money/mortgages/20mortgage.html
Lawyers.com
lawyers.com/our-blog/archives/251-Pregnancy-Leave-Puts-Mortgage-in-Doubt.html

Power locks and showing your mechanic

Advances in technology have made the automotive experience more pleasant and convenient. How was power steering not a wonderful invention? If you have driven without it, you know the main difference is tremendous, akin to the strenuous workout of steering a huge, old farm tractor. What is the significance of having power door locks? We rely on the convenience of these relatively simple mechanisms every single day, and hence we miss them when they aren’t working. You can help your mechanic by giving him details found on DenLors Tools Auto Blog about fixing power locks. Post resource – Power locks- Know how to give your mechanic the heads up by Car Deal Expert.

Causes of failing power locks

If only one side of the has doors that won’t work, chances are it is door lock solenoid, aka malfunctioning actuator, reports DenLors. So you should make that suggestion to your mechanic with that symtom. Fixing an actuator will even fix an attached door latch. The switch could be the real problem. As automotive computer systems themselves are generally reliable, they typically aren’t the culprit when difficulties with power locks occur. Bundled data transmission wires, also called the BUS sometimes, don’t have problems generally either. A security system can connect with your car and tell you what is wrong. Error codes will display and be connected to a certain part of the computer.

High-tech not an issue?

Sometimes the problem, as outlined by DenLors, was caused by the owner of the car as they were trying to get their door open with a slim jim or coat hanger. The door-unlocking implement can catch the rod and disconnect its link within the power locks system. The rod that is damaged can be changed. Plastic parts are only inside your car because of price cuts automakers have had to make.

Checklist if having power lock problems

DenLors suggests these things when figuring out your power lock problem:

• Is one lock malfunctioning? Only that door is going to have issues
• If one switch only unlocks doors on one side, the problem is likely that switch
• The actuator is going to be where you’ll find the answer to your problem if the power locks will only either lock or unlock the car
• If one direction of power locks works and not the other way, bad door lock switches are the place to look

Discover more details

DenLors Tools Auto Blog
denlorstools.com/autoblog/2009/07/power-door-locks-not-working-diagnose-and-repair/
Wikipedia (definition of solenoid)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenoid
Fixing the power door lock actuator on a Ford Explorer lift gate
youtube.com/watch?v=zobdWXnDeyY

Small businesses rely heavily on credit cards

Contrary to popular belief, there is still credit for small businesses to get. Unfortunately, the credit they can obtain isn’t in the form of a business loan from a bank or the Small business Administration as much anymore. These days, more small companies have to rely on credit cards. Unless you’ve a Fortune 500 business, there is not funding accessible to you anymore.

Tons of small business credit cards

According to CNN Money, more small company owners have to rely on their credit cards to get the funding they need. Companies are approved for credit cards as very easily as they’re denied for business loans. The first quarter of 2010 saw a reduction of $ 40 billion in lending to small businesses, which is the lowest level since 2008. Since June this year, there is no more money for lending within the stimulus package, and in 2009, not even half of small businesses got the lending they needed.

What’s keeping lenders away?

The normal way a small company gets a loan to get off the ground, or help them expand, is through either a small or mid-size bank. The Small business Administration is something that can help as well. Smaller banks don’t have the liquidity to lend and also the SBA stimulus has nothing left. When small company owners are trying to get a loan, they have to put up some collateral, like property. Property is not valued very high anymore making credit less available. Credit cards then become the only source of credit available. If a piece of property is not as valuable anymore, it is hard for a business to get mortgage loan modification to free up cash.

Somebody has to have all the benefits

An installment loans from the SBA includes a minimum term of seven years. Credit cards, on the other hand, can take forever to settle if one gets locked into making only minimum payments. Business credit cards not being under the CARD Act is the only difference between business credit cards and regular credit cards. The main source of funding for credit cards is the biggest banks. Huge amounts of money are lent by JP Morgan Chase, Citibanks, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. Who got one of the most bailout funds?

Find more details here

CNN Money

cnn. com/2010/07/14/smallbusiness/bernanke_lending_credit_cards. fortune/

NY Times piece about SBA loans

boss. blogs. nytimes. com/2010/07/11/s-b-a-lending-plunged-in-june/

Legal protection from collection agency harassment for all of the consumers

Thanks to the recession, debt collection has been a growth industry. Creditors are unloading debt to collection agencies for pennies on the dollar. The collection agencies are coming down harder than ever on hurting consumers. There are many more consumer complaints about collection agency harassment. Courtrooms are being swamped by law firms using debt collection software. But consumers have to know that they can hire an attorney to sue debt collectors for abusive practices. Post resource – Consumers have legal protection from collection agency harassment by Personal Money Store.

A few collection agencies – abuse, violence and bogus claims

There have been more and more collection agencies trying to take money from individuals who don’t have it right now. CNN reports that harassing phone calls, abusive language and physical violence are becoming a bigger part of the collection agency business. It was reported by The New York Times that a single law firm can use computer software to file thousands of debt collection cases, often depending on inaccurate or incomplete info supplied by creditors who sold the debt. The Post-Bulletin in Minneapolis reports that accounts have been tapped, wages seized and people threatened with arrest for debts they do not owe or for inflated amounts.

Collection agency harassment goes up dramatically

Complaints of collection agency harassment went up by 50 percent in 2009, as outlined by the Federal Trade Commission. The CNN article explained that they’re on track to jump 13 percent more in 2010 depending on FTC complaints filed in the first six months. The top complaint is repeated calls. It is common for debt collectors to harass consumers with calls for extended periods of time. After somebody answers the phone, they can be abusive. Complaints of collection agencies using obscene or abusive language spiked 35 percent last year. Complaints of debt collectors threatening or resorting to violence doubled last year.

Debt collection software will now sue indiscriminately

When harassment by collection agencies is increasing, they’re also hiring lawyers to sue. According to the New York Times article, a debt buyer sends a law firm a database that contains consumer data including names, home addresses, outstanding balances and also the date of default. The law firm runs the data through debt collection software that then will run suits through the entire legal system automatically, including collection letters, summonses and lawsuits. Most consumers who get sued by debt collection software tend to fail to show up in court, and those who do rarely have a lawyer. A court judgment gives debt buyers the ability to collect on the debt through actions like wage garnishment.

The bankruptcy laws fuel debt collection industry

The debt collection industry exploded starting in 2005 with sweeping changes to federal bankruptcy laws that made it harder for individuals to get a fresh start. The debt buyers’ market expanded while people defaulted on loans. According to the Post-Bulletin article, the nation’s five publicly traded debt buyers last year paid $ 835 million to acquire $ 20 billion in old debts. Credit card debt makes up almost all of the total But almost all of the types of charged-off debt, from unpaid cell phone accounts to hospital bills are for sale. Debt buyers base their claims on data up to 15 years old that could be difficult to verify, and they’re ready to hound people for years.

Suing being done by consumers to get even with collection agencies

More common are aggressive tactics. According to the CNN article, collection agencies calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., demanding additional money than what is owed, revealing a consumer’s debt to a 3rd party or threatening “dire consequences” like prosecution, jail time, property seizure or job loss. These practices are actually illegal under the FTC’s Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Consumers can take a collector to state or federal court for harassment. If they win, the collection agency can have to pay for any damages caused by the harassment, as well as court and attorney fees.

More information accessible at these sites

CNN on Yahoo

finance.yahoo.com/news/Debt-collectors-sock-it-to-cnnm-2499699064.html?x=&.v=4

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/07/13/business/13collection.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Post Bulletin

postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=7&a=460512

Senate passes Wall Street reform bill

The United States Senate has officially passed the Wall Street reform bill. The Senate first voted to stop debate and bring it to a vote. 50 of the 51 needed votes for passing the bill were already promised, so an easy passage was expected. The bill passed 60 to 39. The bill will now go to the President’s desk. President Obama is expected to make the decision to sign or veto the bill by sometime next week.

Wall Street reform bill finally passes

Earlier today, the United States Senate voted to stop all discussion over the Wall Street reform bill and bring it to a vote. The measure to kill debate, as outlined by CNN Money, passed 60 to 38. Final voting started soon after. Since spring 2009, a financial reform bill has been expected. The support of some Senate Republicans was needed to get the bill passed. However, the bill still has staunch Republican opposition in both houses.

What effects the bill has

The biggest target of the legislation is Wall Street. Certain trading practices are affected, concerning certain securities, derivatives, and debt bundling. Certain trades are mandated to go through middle men by the Wall Street reform bill, to create better insulation between trading houses. An advisory and regulatory board could be created that will decide the fate of huge firms that are collapsing. The bill also creates a consumer financial protection agency, which will aim to shore up mortgage loans, credit cards, and other consumer lending like paydayloans. The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be part of the Federal Reserve.

The critics have their say

A survey of economists was done by the Wall Street Journal, asking whether they would vote for the bill, and only half said they would. A slight majority believed it will have only minor effects. The House Minority Leader John Boehner has already called for the repeal of the bill and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said it will “stifle growth and kill jobs .” The bill authorizes an audit of the Federal Reserve only after it makes emergency money and doesn’t address Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae at all.

More information accessible at these websites

money.cnn.com/2010/07/15/news/economy/Wall_Street_reform_bill_vote/index.htm

money.cnn.com/2010/06/25/news/economy/whats_in_the_reform_bill/index.htm?postversion=2010063018

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703722804575369050948609966.html

Getting a loan within the UK could require taking a test

Getting loans is going to be harder within the United Kingdom with the new rules they are considering. It is being considered because it was discovered by the Learning and Skills Council that 9 out of 10 customers couldn’t even calculate basic formulas and numbers. Now, new regulations may require customers that need loans to take a test.

Numerous lack financial knowledge as a concern

As a response to the global financial crisis, the United Kingdom formed a Consumer Financial Education Body. The group found out that basic questions could not be answered by about 74 percent of Britons who have mortgages. For example, most did not know how a 1 percent rise in the bank rate would affect their loans, payday or bills. The basics of personal loan being unknown by so many makes a huge impact on the country.

A solution to test?

The UK is considering a test as one of their options. Customers getting a loan may just need to take a test first. The test would make certain consumers know basic features of the loan and financial products they are using. The questions might even have interest rate or the term of the loan they are getting in it. A declaration stating the borrower read and understood the terms of the loan is a suggestion given on how the test could be given.

How loans are sold

The Treasury and Business departments of the government are co-running the review of loan practices in the United Kingdom. Lenders might have to reveal the amount of interest that could be paid over time with this. Individuals may more effortlessly “start over" when they change some of the bankruptcy regulations as well.

Are all skeptics of electric cars going to be convinced by the Chevy Volt battery warranty?

The part of the electric car General Motors is putting their future toward that they’re most worried about is the Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery. For either eight years, or 100,000 miles, depending on which comes first, GM announced Wednesday the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is going to be guaranteed. Article resource – Will Chevy Volt battery warranty convince electric car skeptics by Personal Money Store.

The Chevy Volt battery is literally different from other electric cars

The battery for the Chevy Volt is better than GM’s convention car engines and transmissions exact same warranties. Comparable warranties are placed on hybrid car models like the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape, according to CNN. But a chemistry that is different from the others is used on the Volt’s lithium-ion battery. The car can be powered for 40 miles with just the battery which is a concern for some.

GM thinks the batter could be able to last for years

When the car is sole, the Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery warranty is transferable to a new auto loans bad credit as outlined by CNN who was told by a GM spokeswoman. GM really wants this longer warranty to help convince those who are skeptic of it the Volt’s lithium battery will last much longer. Volt’s battery is like cell phone and computer batteries, being hard to replace after wearing out, as outlined by the Associated Press. The Volt battery weighs 400 pounds and will likely cost thousands of dollars to replace.

GM has a lot of faith in the technology for the Volt battery

With a 120-volt power, the Volt battery can charge in 8-10 hours when in a 240-volt hookup, it only takes 4 hours. Auto Week reports the GM warranty will cover the lithium-ion battery’s 161 components. Also covered by the warranty is the charging system, electric drive components, and thermal management system. The Volt battery has a liquid heating and cooling system, meant to extend the battery’s life by keeping it at optimal temperatures, and GM has confidence in this which is what allows them to have the longer warranty. This liquid powered thermal management system is only on the Volt. The Nissan Leaf electric car, accessible in December, has an air-cooled battery.

Chevy Volt has a long line

After being confident to borrow money for the Chevy Volt lithium-ion battery, you still probably can’t get one unless you are lucky. GM only wants to build 10,000 Volts in 2011, according to another CNN article. 30,000 Volts are prepared to be made in 2012, but that won’t meet demands still. GM is also limiting where the car will be sold. The Volt will initially only be sold in six states and the District of Columbia. With limited supply, expect to pay more for your Volt than its advertised sticker price of about $ 40,000–or about $ 32,000 after federal tax credits for electric cars.

Discover more details here

CNN
money.cnn.com/2010/07/14/autos/volt_battery_warranty/?npt=NP1
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jG137SoV7h3AdI0SyNe4d5rVeicQD9GUVQU83
Auto Week
autoweek.com/article/20100714/GREEN/100719940

Home Run Derby 2010 hits homer for good causes

It is All-Star break time in Major League Baseball, and of course the Home Run Derby 2010 is here, too. It may just be for fun and not mean anything in the standings, but its value to charitable organizations – thanks to the “Go to Bat” program of Major League Baseball and State Farm insurance – cannot be overstated. Baseball fanatics choose the charity, and players try to go long. Donations to the Boys and Girls Clubs of The US and a trip to the 2010 World Series raise the stakes a bit.

Article source: Home Run Derby 2010 circles the bases for charity by Personal Money Store

Home Run Derby 2010 – Grand slam for charity

The “Go to Bat” program is designed to make a difference within the community, and Home Run Derby 2010 is a reminder of how Major League Baseball and State Farm are committed to making a lasting impact on their communities, beyond the playing field. After registering at the “Go to Bat” web portal, fans will be eligible for random selection by State Farm on a weekly basis, and 10 weekly winners can have $ 100 given to their charity of choice. Playing an online Home Run Derby 2010 will increase their odds of being selected and the likelihood of their charity receiving funds. Out of 10 weekly winners, one can be chosen for the grand prize of a trip for two to the 2010 World Series. The second half of the Major League Baseball season will be the “Go to Bat” contest ground, and will end on September 26.

Watch for the gold ball at Home Run Derby 2010

Miguel Cabrera, Corey Hart, David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez and business could be swinging, and also the Boys and Girls Clubs of The US will catch the charity gold. That’s because State Farm will donate $ 3,000 per homer hit during Home Run Derby 2010, and $ 17,000 if a player hits the “Gold Ball” out (when a batter has only one out remaining). In addition, one lucky Orange County, Calif. will get a $ 50,000 gift from State Farm, when the remaining seven chapters in the region will walk away with $ 10,000 each. Not to be outdone, the fan-selected charity that receives probably the most support will get an additional $ 25,000 boost from State Farm.

What about a Home Run Derby 2010 winner?

David Ortiz would be a sound choice. He’s the hottest hitter of the group as competition commences.

Additional information at these websites

prnewswire.com/news-releases/state-farm-and-major-league-baseball-go-deep-for-charities-with-go-to-bat-program-98234949.html

statefarm.com/gotobat

Custom Android apps easy as 1-2-3 with Google App Inventor

Google App Inventor for Android enables you to create your own Android apps. You don’t have to know any code to create mobile apps for Android phone with App Inventor, a new tool in Google Labs. Use App Inventor to drag and drop the essential building blocks of smartphone apps to create unique Android functionality from scratch.

Resource for this article: Google App Inventor for Android lets everyone create custom apps by Personal Money Store

Android market gets a jolt with App Inventor

As smartphones become the computers individuals rely on most, people should be able to create their own apps, Google said in Monday’s announcement of App Inventor for Android . The New York Times reports that App Inventor is another element of Google’s strategy to gain the upper hand in the Android market by opening its technology to all developers. Apple, Google’s arch smartphone rival, has notoriously strict rules about app development for the iPhone. The strategy seems to be working within the Android/Apple battle. Within the first quarter this year, Android phones outsold Apple’s iPhone.

Geeks up in arms over App Inventor

The concept behind App Inventor is that if every person could be app creators, Android will supplant Apple’s iPhone as the dominant smartphone platform. Geeks in the upper echelons of the programming world do not like this part of Google’s Android/Apple market strategy. Tech Crunch calls App Inventor “ugly” and wonders if it is either a “gateway drug for Android app development” or “a Doomsday device that will muck up native app development on the platform” . Tech Crunch laments the rise of WYSIWYG HTML editors, saying the tools that made it easy for anybody to create web pages quickly filled the web with garbage.

Treasure or trash – the market will let you know

App Inventor is a reflection of the low bar that has been set by the quality of Android apps so far, said Larry Dignan at ZDNet. He said Android, as well as iPhone have numerous apps that are simply useless. However, the beauty of App Inventor is that “useless is within the eye of the beholder”. There can be clunkers but marketplace demand will choose what is or is not useless. Apple’s App Store at the moment has more than 225,000 apps for sale. With the introduction of App Inventor, AndroidLib estimates the Android market will easily have more than 100,000 mobile apps.

Discover more about this topic here:

nytimes.com

techcrunch.com

zdnet.com

Sarkozy bribing scandal messes with the French government

As outlined by the Economist, two junior ministers from the French government have resigned over expense report discrepancies like $ 15,000 Cuban cigars and $ 147,489 for a private jet to fly to “a conference devoted to the penniless victims of the Haiti earthquake.” Now numerous different scandals regarding the acceptance of illegal campaign contributions have touched French Labor Minister Eric Woerth and even President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Resource for this article: Sarkozy bribing scandal rocks French government by Personal Money Store

Sarkozy scandal could involve L’Oréal heiress

Eric Woerth and his wife may have known about alleged tax evasion perpetrated by Liliane Bettencourt, L’Oréal heiress and the richest woman in Europe. At many different dinner parties thrown by Bettencourt, it is apparently common knowledge (as outlined by NPR) the hearing-impaired 87-year-old heiress would distribute envelopes filled with cash to her “friends” who may have needed to borrow money fast to boost their political currency. Considering that Mrs. Woerth also works for Bettencourt in a money management venture, the blind eye turned to Bettencourt’s alleged tax evasion and the allegations of hundreds of thousands of dollars in what could amount to political bribes are particularly damning. Within the final act of “Sarkozy Scandal,” President Sarkozy accepted nearly $ 200,000 in envelope money when he was still mayor of Neuilly, a well-to-do Paris suburb.

French law only allows up to € 7,500 in their individual contributions

Fraud is taken very seriously in France, indicates The Economist. If a politician were to accept more than € 7,500 (just under $ 10,000 USD), authorities take notice. Nicolas Sarkozy and Eric Woerth have denied any and all wrongdoing, as has Bettencourt. Denials don’t actually help anyone. The Sarkozy scandal is one more indication that his reform efforts may have tightened the belt for the working class when maintaining a decadent status quo for the elite. The European Union has cracked down on banker bonuses; shouldn’t special attention be paid to politicians who may be in on the whole thing?

Charisma and insincerity from politicians

In a move that may be too little, President Sarkozy took the ax to the perks typically of course French politicians. Possibly he’s looking to prove to those beaten down that he understands their plight. Numerous critics find that once the engaging, even alluring presence is set aside, Nicolas Sarkozy is failing to connect with and serve the voting public. If his supposed need for additional cash and designed connection to any cash now services of Liliane Bettencourt are any indication, then Mr. Sarkozy’s scruples have a price.

More info accessible at these sites:

The Economist

economist.com/node/16539490?story_id=16539490&fsrc=rss

National Public Radio

npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128376910

More on the biggest crisis of Sarkozy’s presidency:

youtube.com/watch?v=RTn9jldFpes

Perfect Citizen: cyber attack defender, or Big Brother?

”Perfect Citizen” is the name of a government program to monitor the computer networks of public and private entities that could be led by the National Security Agency (NSA). Perfect Citizen is being developed to protect power grids, water supplies and other resources vital to national security from cyber attacks. Public Citizen is reassuring internet security to some, and a disconcerting intrusion to others, who see its massive automated NSA surveillance of American companies and citizens as Big Brother.

Source for this article: Is Perfect Citizen national security, or Big Brother in disguise? by Personal Money Store

Perfect Citizen – more authority for the NSA

The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the Perfect Citizen story. The NSA, the Journal reports, will embed sensors in the computer networks of critical organizations that are alerted to activity that may signal an imminent cyber attack. Defense contractor Raytheon Corp. just lately won a classified contract for phase one of Perfect Citizen, valued at up to $ 100 million. Perfect Citizen is an intrusion by the NSA into domestic affairs for some industry and government officials who learn about the program. Others believe it is about time the NSA got to the game, being that it is the only agency in place that can handle the responsibility.

NSA will share data with public companies

The Journal article explains that Perfect Citizen can be applied to older computer networks which were intended before Internet security was an issue. Anything from air-traffic control to subways are run by numerous of those networks. Since they are linked to the Internet, they’re more efficient, but very vulnerable to cyber attack. Perfect Citizen will collect intelligence that the NSA said it will share will all companies to use for optimizing Internet security.

Can the NSA be trusted like a Big Brother?

Perhaps because of its Orwellian title, Perfect Citizen makes many people uncomfortable. PC World reports that their concern is that Perfect Citizen could possibly be just the beginning and that the NSA will expand its authority to monitor all domestic network activity. By accessing the networks of public utilities and power plants, the NSA may also be tempted to get details about the power usage and travel plans of private citizens. Whether or not Perfect Citizen can protect the nation from cyber attack without violating the privacy rights of private citizens remains to be seen.

More info available at these websites:

wsj.com

www.nsa.gov

pcworld.com

Why wait for Google's choice Ticketmaster, G Ticket?

Is G Ticket just a rumor? G Ticket could possibly be born from the wishful thinking of music fans who have grown tired of Ticketmaster’s service fees. Adding to the general public dissatisfaction is the Ticketmaster monopoly–especially after a Ticketmaster merger with Live Nation, the nation’s largest concert promoter was approved by the Department of Justice. The hold the company has live entertainment is stronger than ever. But until G Ticket becomes a reality (if it ever does), concertgoers have many online approaches to avoid Ticketmaster fees.

Resource for this article: Why wait for G Ticket, Google’s alternative to Ticketmaster by Personal Money Store

What to expect from G Ticket

With an alternative to Ticketmaster, what would concertgoers expect? The same things experienced by the Ticketmaster Monopoly. Many people do not like Ticketmaster because of the fees. According to Variety, ticket prices for the top 100 tours have risen 142 percent since the mid ’90s. What would G Ticket offer that Ticketmaster can’t besides tickets? Perhaps email alerts for certain artists and events coming to your area? News feeds about the industry? Lower fees? That’s what they’re looking for.

G Ticket- rumor for now

Until a player like the rumored G Ticket comes along; concertgoers can find many methods to do keep away from Ticketmaster fees. To sell seats, Ticketmaster works directly with venues. It is a more reliable source. Then you take into account the fees. But online competition might just drive down prices for astute buyers willing to sniff out deals. You’ll nevertheless pay fees, but you won’t need a personal loan to see the show.

Ticketmaster and avoiding their fees

Thriving right now is the resale market for tickets. The Associated Press reports that tickets become available on the resale market from smaller ticket brokers that list inventories online or from consumers who have tickets to an event they cannot attend. Many online websites also buy and sell tickets directly, much like brokers. The sites aren’t breaking laws since they aren’t selling at the event.

Ticket resellers have better deals

The resale market can help you discover good deals. The biggest reseller with a 10 percent service fee is StubHub. Other ticket resellers are found at RazorGator.com, TicketLiquidator.com and TicketNetwork.com. Prices and availability fluctuate. Check as many ticket resellers as you can find before really getting and always factor in service charges when you are shopping around. Ultimately, nobody wants to eat their tickets, so if you take your chances and wait until the last minute, you’ll find the best deal around.

More info available at these websites:

Variety

variety.com/article/VR1118020885.html?categoryId=16&cs=1

Associated Press

msnbc.msn.com/id/37741778/38034117

Stub Hub

stubhub.com/all-tickets/?gcid=C12289×486&keyword=10115704&creative=3839896060&gclid=CI7-9Yz43qICFQkpawod8xaaog

Brake basics known to avoid repair bills

When it comes to saving money on your vehicle, one thing it pays to know are your brake basics. You might not think much of a little squeal here or there as you bring your automobile to a stop, but they can add up to a great deal of money in repairs later if left unchecked. Knowing how disc brakes and drum brakes work is very important for each and every car owner, if for no other reason than to understand why they can quickly wear down if proper maintenance and driving techniques are not applied.

Source of article: Know your brake basics to stay away from big repair bills by Car Deal Expert

How brakes work-brake basics

Brake basics really begin with an understanding of it. When your foot depresses the brake pedal, a plunger within the master cylinder forces brake fluid through tubes and into the braking unit attached to each of your car’s wheels. With common disc brakes, that fluid enters a caliper that is at the wheel and then applies pressure to a piston. That piston squeezes the brake pads against the disc (rotor) that is attached to the wheel. In drum brakes, the fluid enters the wheel cylinder and pushes brake shoes outward against the drum that is actually attached to the wheel. The result is that the car slows and eventually stops. Repeated brake applications can sometimes cause a buildup of heat from friction, and these forces cause brake pads and other elements to wear down over time.

How worn out are your brakes?

You will find signs to indicate car breaks wearing. As there is typically no set number of miles over which a set of brakes is intended to function, a driver must make a brake check part of their regular auto maintenance routine. Consult your owner’s manual for some data on suggested maintenance schedules, but you can just watch for cues and keep your service records. Some brakes may last for only a year if they’re cheap or you habitually stomp on your brakes rather than easing into stops. Higher quality brakes mixed with gentle driving techniques can extend the life of a set of brakes by as much as a few years.

Why shouldn’t you wait to get your brakes fixed?

Living with speaks, squeals and grinding is going to lead to damaged rotors, drums and calipers. This can cost $ 1,000 or more. Catching a brake problem early might only require new brake shoes or a simple resurfacing of the shoes you already have. That might come out to only a tenth of the cost for replacing everything.

Ultimately, brakes will fail, which can result in accident, injury and even death. As Click and Clack of “Car Talk” put it, don’t make your mechanic’s next boat payment. Prevent it early in the game.

Brake basics of dysfunction and signs to recognize

Do you see a flashing brake warning light? How about squealing or grinding sounds? These are some of the warning signs. If the steering wheel or brake pedal shakes when braking, be warned. If your car pulls one way and requires more time to stop, you have more reason than ever to take your car in to a mechanic. Save your life and money.

More details about this topic at these websites:

Car Talk

cars.cartalk.com/content/advice/brakes.html

Family Car Parts

familycar.com/brakes.htm

Do your brakes feel spongy when you stop? Time to bleed them!

youtube.com/watch?v=LgxMfQUMdJY

After Wachovia merger, Wells Fargo Finance Division shuts down

After acquiring Wachovia Bank and taking heavy losses from subprime mortgages, Wells Fargo has announced that it could be shutting down its Finance Division. This move will chop about 3,800 jobs from the 14,000 person division. Wells Fargo will nevertheless offer line-of-credit loans and other financial products — just not through a separate division.

Article source: Wells Fargo to shut down Finance Division by Personal Money Store

Wells Fargo Finance Division

Open for over 100 years, Wells Fargo Finance has operated separately from Wells Fargo Banking. The Finance Division has been responsible for providing small loans, large loans, auto financing and mortgages. With $ 24.7 billion in real estate loans within the Wells Fargo Finance Division, only $ 1.5 billion of them are “prime”. The Finance Division lost almost 5 percent of its value, which is about the very same as other lenders.

The Wells Fargo merger with Wachovia

In 2008, Wells Fargo started a merger with smaller lender Wachovia Bank. This added branches for the conglomerate bank but also brought on additional liabilities. There are about 6,600 branches of Wells Fargo/Wachovia banks and an additional 2,200 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage offices. The takeover of Wachovia was forced by government regulators, who wanted to ensure that Wachovia bank would not fail. On March 20, 2010, Wachovia was officially dissolved as a bank.

Wells Fargo plans on continuing to lend money

Though Wells Fargo is shutting down its Finance Division, it has announced the bank will still provide services for customers who are borrowing money. Auto loans and fast personel loans will now be offered inside Wells Fargo branches. Instead of offering subprime mortgages, Wells Fargo intends to focus on offering Federal Housing Administration loans. These federally backed housing loans are less likely to default, in theory. The current $ 14.7 billion in auto loans and $ 7.6 billion in short term loans will continue to be serviced by the business.

Know your credit score while taking steps to raise the number

Knowing your credit score is probably the most basic fundamental of credit repair. It is more important to know what affects your credit score. Knowing how to proceed to improve your credit score is even more important.

Source of article: Know your credit score, and take steps to raise the number by Personal Money Store

It is free to get your credit score

Due to a financial reform, helping your credit score is easier. Free credit report services are all over the internet. Now these credit reports have to also include your credit score. Paying for that was extra. But part of the lately passed financial reform bill makes sure that you are able to get a free credit report that contains your credit score once per year.

Why is your credit score so low?

When it comes to credit repair, a lot of people do not know how they affect their credit score. For example, according to Wallet Pop, many individuals assume if they pay their bills on time, their credit score is good. Even if you always pay on time, when your credit cards are maxed out, your score is lower than it should be. When credit bureaus see borrowing to the limit, they see risky behavior. Tackling excess credit card debt is your first priority when improving credit scores.

When repairing credit, pay down credit cards first

You’ve to pay back credit card debt first to raise your credit score. There are two types of debt. Installment debt is secured by many collateral, like a car loan. Revolving debt involves credit card balances. For some people, credit card debt revolves forever, which is not good for the credit score. Since credit card balances seem to be unsecured, credit report companies like FICO say they’re more risky than installment loan. Paying down credit cards is going to do more to raise your score than paying off your cars.

Pay off last college agencies

Unfortunately, if you’ve been taken to collections, your credit score is already hurt. Paying the collection agency won’t change the numbers. According to Bankrate.com, by the time your debt goes to collection, your creditor has already written you off. Although paying the collection agency will end the harassment, it won’t erase the delinquency from your credit report. Bear in mind a surprise call from the collection agency can result from missed payments on every little thing from utility bills to library fines. The key to protecting your credit score is to avoid collection within the first place.

To charge cards, say no thank you

To keep your credit score from dropping quite a bit, keep refusing that charge card each department store tries to sell you. This is because opening and closing credit accounts can lower your credit score. According to Wallet Pop, FICO credit bureau research has found that opening any type of credit account is automatically seen as more credit risk. If you do get that charge card and then you pay it off in full, your credit score will rebound in a couple of months, but it won’t rise above the level it was before you bought that new outfit.

Do not cancel any credit cards

Sometimes when it comes to credit repair, it looks like the deck is stacked against you. Especially when it lowers your score to cancel credit. When canceled, the line of credit with credit cards goes away. Your credit goes down with less credit accessible. Instead, you are able to just zero the card and throw it inside your dresser. New credit card rules prohibit all of the credit card companies from canceling cards you don’t use–which used to hurt your credit score–so you don’t have to worry about that anymore.

Use payday installment loans wisely

Taking out an installment loan for credit repair is risky, but it can work to pay down credit card debt with personal discipline. For those who have a variety of maxed out credit cards, the new installment loan won’t negatively impact your credit score too badly. For this strategy to lower your credit score, you have to make yourself pay off the credit card debt with the payday installment loans, and throw the credit cards in the drawer until the installment loans is paid off.

Find more details here:

Wallet Pop

walletpop.com/blog/2010/07/07/good-credit-score-secrets/

Bankrate.com

bankrate.com/finance/debt/3-easy-ways-to-rebuild-your-credit.aspx

Ride The Ducks suspended after Philadelphia collision

Ride The Ducks may sound like a funny name, but Ride The Ducks tours are a serious business. A Ride The Ducks tour vehicle collided with a sludge barge. All Ride The Ducks tours are suspended while the event is under investigation.

Source for this article: Ride The Ducks suspended after Philadelphia collision by Personal Money Store

Ride The Ducks Tours

Six cities within the United States have Ride The Ducks tours, operated by Hirschend Family Entertainment. Dollywood and Stone Mountain Park are also operated by Hirschend Family Entertainment. Ride The Ducks tours are amphibious sightseeing tours that go both around cities and to the waterways around them.

The Ride The Ducks collision in Philly

A barge rammed into a disabled Ride The Ducks boat, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 35 passengers and two employees were dumped into the river. 35 of the 37 individuals were rescued, though a 16 year old woman and 20 year old man are nevertheless missing.

Philly Ride The Ducks accident under investigation

In Philadelphia, the National Transportation Safety Board has began investigating the accident. Fines may be levied on either or both companies, depending on the information of the accident. Tours in every city are shut down until the investigation is well under way.

Hirschend Family Entertainment business

Hirschend Family Entertainment is a private, family-owned company. The business moved its headquarters of operations to Norcross, Georgia in 2005. Theme park management is a huge business, and Hirschend is a growing name in that business.Industry watchers have often expressed interest in the company, but the financials are kept private. The business owns and operates 24 “themed entertainment parks” in nine states, including water parks and theme parks.

Corpse Flower - Amorphophallus titanium blooms everywhere

Native to Sumatra, the “corpse flower” is a flower of many mysteries. The flower starts as a tuber, lives most of its life as one big leaf, and then blooms into a rotting-flesh-smelling flower. Since corpse flowers typically bloom only two or three times in their lives, it is big news when it does happen. In botanical gardens around the country, the amorphophallus titanium flower is emerging in all its stinky glory.

Resource for this article: Corpse Flower – Amorphophallus titanium blooms around the country by Personal Money Store

Of a corpse flower, the life cycle

A corpse flower is distinctive for many reasons. The flower is very rare, and generally grows in Sumatra. The very pungent scent of the flower is meant to attract not bees and birds but flies and beetles. These creatures pollinate the flowers. In greenhouses around the country, amorphophallus titanium flowers are kept carefully. The flowers bring in lots of crowds.

Keeping a corpse flower alive

Very few gardens around the country sell amorphophallus titanium starts. Because corpse flowers are difficult to pollinate, they’re typically pollinated with frozen pollen. In Berkley, you can purchase a Titan arum start for about $ 35 to $ 50. The flowers are very touchy. For many of the life cycle of the corpse flower, you’ll just have one big leaf. The flower blooms two to 3 times in its full lifetime, and the smell could be overwhelming. If you desperately want one of these liver-colored, huge, stinky plants, you may want to build a closed-off addition to your sun room.

Not as smelly but still cool

If you are into wicked plants like the corpse flower but don’t want to risk having to spend a huge amount of money to get the rotting flesh smell out of your clothes, you do have other choices. Wicked plants can also go far above and beyond the Venus Fly Trap. You will find bushes that shoot poison spines, trees that leave a rash or even your classic wicked plant which is a hemlock.

Scammers use Apple App Store hack to steal money, boost rankings

Users of Apple's app store are battling an app farm infestation. The App Store is being hacked by Apple App scammers who hack iTunes accounts to make purchases of some bogus apps. The hack will go and steal money from iTunes accounts and improve the App Store rankings of the bogus apps.

Post resource: Scammers use Apple App Store hack to steal money, boost rankings by Personal Money Store

Greedy scammer blows App Store cover

The App Store scam probably would have gone undetected longer if not for a thieving app farm developer known as Thuat Nguyen. Nguyen got too greedy with his app farms and 40 of his apps in the books category showed up in the top 50 App Store rankings. Other app developers smelled something fishy and Apple pulled the Thuat Nguyen apps. Thousands of dollars are stolen by Nguyen and some of the other App Store scammers, who are nevertheless active.

App store rankings are compromised

News about the App Store scam broke when thenextweb.com reported that Thuat Nguyen hacked iTunes accounts and purchased numerous of his own apps using those accounts. When their popular titles were displaced within the App Store rankings by Nguyen apps, two iPhone app developers sent the alarm. Many iTunes accounts were hacked to buy apps. Some iTunes users had between $ 100 and $ 1400 spent on their accounts. All iTunes users should check their accounts for stealth purchases of cheap apps (around $ 1-$ 3) followed by one at an outrageous price (around $ 90 ). Thenextweb.com said hackers are also signing users up for a free app called World War that sends their money to scammer accounts.

Find a way to protect yourself from App store scam

To verify that you have or haven’t become a victim of the App Store scam, it is easy to check the security of your own iTunes account.

PCWorld gives this procedure:

Click on your account name on the right hand side of the iTunes menu bar. After entering your password, click on the View Account button. You’ll be taken to the Apple Account Info page where you’re able to view your purchase history. From there, you are able to make sure that all your app purchases are ones that you’ve made. If you spot an app you didn’t buy among your recent purchases, click the Report a Problem button. To safeguard against a compromised password, you can click on Edit Account Info to change it. Longer passwords containing numbers and special characters are harder for hackers to crack.

Scamming still is the app farms

The Apple App Store scam has yet to be eliminated. Beranews.com explains that two other developers at least are using comparable practices. Charismaist is somebody you need to keep away from three apps from. One Charismaist app is an apparent sonic mosquito repellent that has scammed users out of $ 100 at the most, despite the fact that it is marked as free. Storm 8’s App Store scam involves in-game point purchases costing as much as $ 150. One iTunes user reported up to $ 1,400 in bogus charges from a Storm 8 game. Charismaist and Storm 8 are both still within the App store.

More of the app store scam information

The Apple App Store scam is used primarily make bogus purchases that elevate the apps in the iTunes ranking so users can be attracted to the apps based on their high sales. Be on the lookout for app icons that are low-res images from the web. The scammers’ web sites direct users to non-existent sites or landing pages. As outlined by the Next Web, all the bogus apps are owned by unknown, Asia-based developers. Evidently the scam has been happening over the last four weeks.

More info about this topic at these websites:

thenextweb.com

thenextweb.com/apple/2010/07/04/app-store-hacked/comment-page-1/#comment-11929

PC World

pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/200503/apps_disappear_from_app_store_amid_hacking_complaints.html

betanews.com

betanews.com/article/Apple-still-silent-as-more-scams-are-found-on-App-Store/1278363193

Caster Semenya has been found female by the IAAF

South African runner Caster Semenya is officially a woman, as outlined by International Association of Athletics Federations tests intended to verify her gender. It only took 11 months for the IAAF to determine whether Caster was a man or a woman, and throughout the trying ordeal, Semenya was barred from practicing her trade. Now she has been cleared to run again, to “compete with immediate effect,” according to an IAAF press release obtained by NBC Sports.

Source of article: UPDATE – Tests confirm Caster Semenya is a woman, can compete by Personal Money Store

Caster Semenya will compete at the World Junior Championships

On July 19, 2010, Caster Semenya will return to competition at the World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. That is all that is known coming out of the long IAAF investigation, as the organization is keeping its no doubt exhaustive testing methods and findings confidential. Semenya is understandably overjoyed. Some sources speculate that Caster may have had to undergo a special medical treatment as part of negotiations with the IAAF, but this has yet to be proven.

A South African hero – what’s ambiguous about that?

After Caster Semenya’s dominant gold medal performance within the 800 meter run at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, reports of Semenya’s inconsistent gender testing results surfaced. As outlined by various sources, Semenya’s results showed that she had male and female sex organs. South Africa rallied behind its new international sensation when the IAAF dragged its feet in making a final determination as to whether she could continue to compete. The media exposure was explosive, to say the least. Yet as legal training methods and supplements continue to blur the line between man and woman, the thought of a unisex society is gradually becoming more science fact than science fiction. Maybe Semenya is a new breed of female athlete, a child of human evolution. Attorney Jeffrey Kessler reminds that what’s significant now is that Caster Semenya can run again in competition.

What do you think about Caster Semenya?

Do you believe that Caster Semenya was treated appropriately by the IAAF? Does her physiology grant her an unfair advantage over her female peers? Or is it a matter of other women simply needing to catch up with the march of training and human genetics? Amateur athletics may not pay a salary, but success leads to commercial endorsements. Caster Semenya has proven her ability to attract attention, which certainly won’t hurt her chances. Let us know what you think.

Discover more about this topic here:

NBC Sports

nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38105633/

Insider trading trial for Danielle Chiesi

In the high-power, high-risk game of info trading, Danielle Chiesi has become “a confirmation of all (individuals have) suspected is wrong with Wall Street and the hedge fund industry,” according to Fortune. Danielle Chiesi and former IBM exec Bob Moffat are charged with securities fraud.

Article source: Danielle Chiesi on trial for insider trading by Personal Money Store

The story of Danielle Chiesi

Danielle Chiesi was an employee of Raj Rajaratnam, head of the Galleon hedge fund. Danielle Chiesi traded mostly and primarily in details. While she was working for Galleon, Danielle targeted various companies and developed relationships with people inside those companies. By dressing very seductively and telling men she loved “sex, stocks, and sports,” Danielle was able to develop these relationships, as outlined by Fortune. On Wall Street, Danielle was known as a strong seductress who could get data out of most men.

What Danielle Chiesi is accused of

By developing relationships with top execs, Danielle was not doing anything illegal—but once she had the information, she did illegal things with it. By passing this insider data along to her employer, Chiesi was participating in insider trading. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of insider trading, and also the trial is currently under way.

How insider trading is a crime

It could be very tough to understand how insider trading damages the stock market and everyday people. Stock markets are based upon on ideas of fairness – every person betting with the same information. Trades are unfair when somebody making the trade has information about a business that the public doesn't know. In other words, people like Danielle Chiesi cheat the system. Martha Stewart was convicted of this exact same crime. Data can be seduced out of executives, especially by younger women who claim to be into older men. Is a financial system that can be gamed this very easily one that we should be putting our money into?

$ 20 million settlement for Jaycee Lee Dugard and kids

While kidnapper and registered sex offender Phillip Garrido and wife Nancy nevertheless have not gone to trial, it was reported by CNN that Jaycee Lee Dugard and her two teenage daughters are the recipients of a $ 20 million settlement from their case against the California State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The lawsuit stemmed from Jaycee Dugard’s claim that parole agents were in dereliction of their duties when they didn’t investigate Phillip Garrido’s residence more, which would have uncovered the imprisonment of both herself and her young daughters in Garrido’s backyard. The bill appropriating the unprecedented $ 20 million Dugard settlement flew through effortlessly with a 30-1 vote within the California Senate and 62-0 in the California Assembly.

Source for this article: Jaycee Lee Dugard and children receive $ 20 million settlement by Personal Money Store

Jaycee Lee Dugard was missing for 18 years

No amount of money can give the now 30-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard and her family back the lost years when she lived in Phillip Garrido’s makeshift backyard prison. But the $ 20 million Dugard settlement will enable Jaycee Dugard to buy a home, pay for her children’s education and get as much therapy as is necessary, among other things. If nothing else, perhaps the scrutiny to the California State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s methods might prevent others from going through a similar ordeal. According to department’s report on the matter, “While it is true that Garrido’s California parole was never officially violated … the department failed to properly supervise Garrido and missed numerous opportunities to discover his victims.”

State officials thought they might have a case against Dugard

When California State officials thought at one point that they may have had enough data on their side to contest Jaycee Lee Dugard’s claim, they ultimately ruled that it wasn’t worth bringing the case before a jury. Their case evidently would have hinged upon jurisdictional matters, reports CNN. Sadly, public relations for California would are really icky. The state decided against passing the buck and claiming that it was the responsibility of federal parole officers (rather than California State parole officers).

More details about this topic at these websites:

CNN

cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/01/california.dugard/?hpt=T1

AP report on $ 20 million Dugard settlement:

youtube.com/watch?v=nr7xF52DMRU

Pages planted by hackers inside .edu websites

In an apparent exploitation of security holes, for-profit hackers have uploaded unauthorized pages to hundreds of universities’ websites. No schools which were contacted had any idea the pages existed. It appears that no personal info was compromised, those these pages were put in place to help the hackers make money.

Source of article: Hackers plant pages on university web sites by Personal Money Store

Hacker pages hosted on university websites

The hack on dot-edu extension websites used departmental web sites, student pages, or upload functionality to create these fake pages. These web sites seem to send traffic to sites that are for-profit. Having pages on a university domain means that the hackers create the appearance the university endorses these pages – which improves search engine rankings and profits. From conversations with webmasters and information technology departments of universities around the country, it appears that these sites have flown almost entirely under the radar. Universities were already removing these pages as of 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Ohio business Street Smarts linked to hacked pages

The domain names that these unauthorized pages link to are owned by Street Smarts. When called for remark, the phone number listed on the site registration told the caller only "wrong number". Shortly after these phone calls, these web sites were taken offline. In 2008, there was a comparable hack of both government and educational websites. This 2008 hacker attack embedded JavaScript into domains ending in dot-edu and dot-gov that redirected visits to government and educational websites to one of three pages, or pages that differed only in name — myhome-loan-expert.com, latest-mortgages-rates.com and creditloansrates.com. There is a phone number that is out of service in Texas listed on the educational websites hacked. That phone number is also used on hundreds of websites with the JavaScript redirect posted in 2008. The code on the redirected and unauthorized websites appear to be nearly identical in CSS, JS, and HTML. To put it simply, the same company likely! perpetrated both attacks.

Risk to the student's personal information

This hack of educational web sites tries to make money off phony data and exploits the good name of schools. This security hole doesn’t appear to have released any details. Put simply, hackers could get data in, but not out. Security holes like this could be later used, though, to gain access to social security information, financial info, and grades. Security holes like this must be closed very quickly, because education is happening a growing number of often online.

Why security exploits are dangerous

A security breach like this can make it easy for scammers to collect personal information without visitors to the website ever knowing. The webpages created for this attack look very much like legitimate university websites. Identity theft and fraud are both dangers of entering personal details on sites like this.

The schools affected

The colleges, universities, and educational institutions affected by this attack are not listed in complete here. A search for these unauthorized pages showed these 50 schools as the first victims. You need to do a very extensive search for these unauthorized pages in case you are the webmaster or administrator for an educational website.

• Beacon University
• Harvard University
• McNeese University
• Northeastern Illinois University
• Cornell University
• Georgia Tech
• The Browning School
• Valparaiso University
• Los Rios Community College District
• East Central University of Oklahoma
• Rutgers University
• Yale University
• University of Texas Medial Branch
• Stony Brook University
• Saint Xavier University
• Hardin Simmons University
• Arizona State University
• Stanford University
• Austin Independent School District
• Smith College of Massachusetts
• Highpoint University
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Catholic Theological Union
• University of Washington
• Westminster Theological Seminary
• Lake Forest College in Chicago
• Southeastern Louisiana University
• American Samoa Community College
• Columbia College of Chicago
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith
• UC San Diego
• University of Scranton
• Piedmont Technical College
• Assumption University of Thailand
• Chemeketa Community College
• Information Sciences Institute at the University of Southern California
• University of Tennessee Martin
• The City University of New York
• Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
• Instituto Guatemalteco Americano
• The University of Utah
• Juniata College
• Ohio State
• California State Christian University
• Sharif University of Technology
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Brigham Young University
• The University of Arkansas
• The University of Virginia