And now for something entirely the exact same - one more Toyota Recall

A lot of automotive recalls have happened this year. Perhaps one of the most high profile of automotive recalls so far this year was the infamous Toyota recall involving a defective accelerator pedal. Another Toyota has to have been expected. The business is certainly consistent. Less cars are being recalled now. That means less people could be affected by it. Only a few model years on two different cars offered by the automaker have the defect in question. Toyota is still trying to recuperate from the previous recall meaning it will get hurt a bit from this one also.

We see an additional Toyota recall

Toyota has made many recalls. Toyota recalls are pretty regular right about now. There has also been a new recall just announced to the public. The Toyota recall has 1.3 million vehicles involved. The problem has to do with the engine. The engine control module needs fixing. The engine problem makes it so the motor won’t start with a stall while driving. Also, says CNN, shifting can be affected as well. A small number of accidents may have resulted from this problem.

Fix more than 1 million cars

The models in question are the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Matrix. You will find only a few specific years too. These are from 2005 to 2008. The circuit board can crack in the Engine Control Module which is within the 1ZZ-FE engineThe 1ZZ-FE has engine has a significant problem. The circuit board can crack in the Engine Control Module, which isn’t really good. This defect affects the shifting and can cause the engine to shut off when driving. The engine may have problems starting. That is also common with this problem. There are 1.13 million vehicles in the U.S. and an additional 200,000 in Canada that might be affected. After this, Toyota may have recalled 10 million cars this year, says the Los Angeles Times. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating these models.

Toyota does poorly

Toyota has had market share in U.S. auto sales. This has been for the last few years. The lead was tenuous at best, and this may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Those customers would go to General Motors, Ford and Chrysler if it were possible.

More on this topic

CNN Money

money.cnn.com/2010/08/26/autos/toyota_corolla_recall/

LA Times

latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-toyota-20100826,0,7145846.story?track=rss

Most recent credit card reforms rule within late payment fees and penalties

New credit card rules are gradually implemented over the past year. The final set of provisions went into effect Sunday. The latest rules limit late payment fees and other penalties. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 started the reform project, which is now complete. One of the newest federal laws cuts late payment fees to an average of $25.Credit card businesses have implemented drastic rate of interest increases as the new rules are introduced. Within the final round for new rules, a provision demands the creditors to provide to evidence to federal regulators supporting the legitimacy of those increases . Article resource – Last round of new credit card rules limit late payment fees by Personal Money Store.

Rising fees and penalties and interest rates attract new regulations

The last enactment with credit reform provisions on Aug. 22 means that consumers can’t be charged more than $25 for a overdue, they are no longer charged for putting their cards in a drawer and also they could see the interest rate hikes for the last year rolled back. Reporting on the last round of credit reform, CNN said that interest rate hikes must be rolled back if the card-issuer fails to adequately explain the reasons for them. Compliance with the rule will be enforced by regulators hired by the federal government to assess the credit card company’s rationale. However, the new rules give banks wiggle room to hike penalty fees higher than $25 if a cardholder is habitually late with payments or if the credit card company can prove the high fee is justified to of! fset the cost of late payments. More enforceable limits are possible with one more new rule that bars card-issuers from charging a penalty exceeding the minimum monthly payment, or a penalty exceeding the dollar amount of the violation of the credit limit.

Credit card corporations will not quit penalty profits easily

Charge card companies are facing a $3 billion hit to penalty fee revenues from the final round with brand new credit card rules. The Wall Street Journal reports card corporations have already been raising fees on balance transfers as well as money advances, boosting charges for overseas transactions and also charging higher annual fees. As a strategy to get around limits on late payment fees and penalties, cardholders can expect their minimum obligations to rise. Credit card corporations that have gotten used to huge piles of free money from penalty costs aren’t relinquishing them without a fight . The Journal interviewed an industry executive who said last year banks siphoned approximately $11.4 billion in overdue fees from their credit card customers. The windfall is forecasted to slip to merely $8.1 billion-a 29 percent decline.

Consumers aid as well as abet charge card business greed

Interest rates have been raised by charge card companies to combat the added consumer protection provided by the new charge card guidelines. Another CNN report said that in the second quarter, card companies raised rates of interest on existing card holders to an average with 14.7 percent — up from 13.1 percent a year ago . Synovate, the research division for Aegis Group, said that the current difference between the prime rate as well as the average cardholder interest rate is 11.45 points-more than it has been in 22 years. The high rate of interest hasn’t deterred consumers. In the second quarter their charge card use rose to the second-highest level ever.

Further reading

CNN

money.cnn.com

Wall Street Journal

wsj.com

Gmail interface can be a part of Google Voice program

Within the United States and Canada many would love making free calls. They do not care whether it comes or goes to a cell phone, land line or desktop virtual phone. Phone service providers are against it, but everyone else likes the idea. Making free phone calls is easier for Google users now. It helps a lot to have Gmail and Google Voice being connected. Wherever Gmail is accessible, so is free calling.

Google Voice turns your Gmail contacts into an active phone service

An internet connection is all you have to access Google Voice and make a free phone call, even if you’re someplace cell phone coverage isn’t. Any calls outside the U.S. or Canada do have a rate. The rate is only 2 cents per minute though. The Google Talk plug-in is the only things needed, says Tech Crunch. You can make and receive calls from your Gmail user interface of all places. Voicemails are saved into your Gmail inbox. There is also another really cool thing. Just transfer calls from Google Voice to your cell phone if you’re on the run but want to keep talking.

Coming in the near future is Google Voice in Gmail

Google is rolling out the new Google Voice features over the next few days to U.S.-based Gmail accounts, according to the official Google Voice Blog. Watch for “Call Phone” to show up with your Google Chat list. It will take a little bit longer to get the Google Voice feature to be available to those who use Google Apps for business or academic purposes.

Additional reading

Google Voice Blog

googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/

TechCrunch

techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/google-voice-integrated-into-gmail-make-and-receive-calls-from-the-browser/?utm_source=feedburner and amp;utm_medium=feed and amp;utm_campaign=Feed: Techcrunch (TechCrunch) and amp;utm_content=Google Feedfetcher

Google Voice humor – testing transcript capabilities

youtube.com/watch?v=FzOMyXwfrR8

Problem congested zones a consequence of the Chinese exploding economic climate

Americans stuck in traffic shouldn’t complain too loudly. They should consider themselves lucky they aren’t driving to work in China. The China traffic jam had piled up bumper-to-bumper traffic for 60 miles by the time it reached day 10. Road construction being blamed for the traffic jam will continue until mid-September. Until then, the gridlock on a highway connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou is likely to persist. The parade of cars inches along to the tune of about a kilometer a day. Some drivers have been caught in the traffic jam up to five days. The epic congestion is being blamed on a massive influx of trucks feeding increasing Chinese consumption and soaring coal demand for electricity.

Burgeoning economic climate creates conditions pertaining to gridlocks

China’s drivers are accustomed to gridlocks, however the latest Beijing gridlock is testing their resolve. A road construction project that began on Aug. 14 was identified by the Wall Street Journal as the cause of the massive road traffic backup on a main artery in Heibei Province that leads to Beijing. Congestion worsened as some vehicles collided and others broke down. Little can be done about the traffic jam, highway officials say, until the construction project is finished in about a month. Congestion on this highway happens more often than not. It’s a result of increasing consumption by 20 million people living in China’s capital city.

Shipments of coal are blocked

Demand for coal to produce electricity for the world’s fastest-growing economy has been identified as a primary catalyst for the Chinese traffic jam phenomenon. An analysis by Bloomberg said that Inner Mongolia Province northwest of Beijing has emerged as China’s leading coal producer, supplanting Shanxi Province. After a pattern of fatal accidents, the Chinese government closed numerous mines in Shanxi–a province southwest of Beijing with an established railway infrastructure. A rail transport network up to the task of shipping Inner Mongolia’s growing coal production has not yet been built. To ship the coal to power plants in southern China, suppliers have no choice but to truck their cargo through Beijing to port cities.

Motorists get real life lesson in capitalism

Drivers stranded in the Chinese road traffic jam coped in different ways. NPR reports that road rage has been absent as individuals killed time by sleeping, taking walks or playing cards and chess. Local villagers, zigzagging between vehicles on bikes, reaped a windfall selling noodles, box lunches and snacks. Motorists received a crash course in capitalist supply and demand. Drivers complained about price-gouging by villagers who became their sole source for food and water. A bottle of water that normally costs 1 yuan (15 cents) was selling for 10 yuan ($ 1.50). Instant noodles that cost 3 yuan (45 cents) in the store were going for 3 times that.

Further reading

Wall Street Journal

blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/08/24/chinese-traffic-jam-stretches-60-miles-ten-days/

Bloomberg

businessweek.com/news/2010-08-24/chinese-demand-for-coal-spurs-9-day-traffic-jam-on-expressway.html

NPR

npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129395326

Time of McMansions ends since houses marketplace corrects on its own

McMansions are out. In the aftermath of the houses crisis, what was once aspired to is now avoided as excessive and tacky. Oversized, overpriced dwellings built a scant few feet apart from each other have fallen out of fashion, some new research has shown. People building new homes are opting for much smaller floor plans. The rejection of the McMansion simply by those who once accepted them means they’re gone forever, some analysts say. Article resource – McMansions are out as a new era of practicality begins in housing by Newystype.com.

Demand for McMansions breaks with property bubble

Critics have dismissed McMansions as starter castles, garage Mahals or faux chateaus. The large, gaudy residences sprouted up everywhere during the homes bubble. With the bursting of that bubble, demand for McMansions might never rebound. A study on real estate trends by simply Trulia, mentioned in an article in TIME, discovered the average square footage of American homes is decreasing. This is the first time that has occurred in 60 years. Homes in the United States of America had reached an average size of about 983 square feet by 1950. Trulia’s American Dream Survey shows a dramatic increase since then. Simply by 2004, the average square footage of an American home was 2,349 square feet. McMansions, categorized at a minimum of 3,000 square feet, were sought by simply only 9 percent of the people questioned in a different study, the Trulia-Harris Interactive Survey. Most home buyers-64 percent-were buying in the 800-2,000 square foot range.

A new call for the actual housing industry

Smaller homes could be a long-term trend, according to real estate market analysts. CNBC quoted Pete Flint of Trulia as saying that shrinking square footage could have a long-lasting impression . In a survey of builders last year, nine out of 10 said they prepared to build smaller or lower-priced homes. When interviewed simply by CNBC, Kermit Baker, the chief economist at the American Institute of Architects, said design professionals are leaving the McMansion concept behind as demand moves to more practical layouts.Public perception is also working against McMansions. Paul Bishop, vice president of research for the National Association of Realtors told CNBC that in the brand new austere environment brought about simply by the economic downturn, large, ostentatious homes are becoming the laughingstock of neighborhoods.

More on this topic

TIME

newsfeed.time.com

Trulia

info.trulia.com

CNBC

cnbc.com

Low interest on mortgages

If you are looking at purchasing a home, right now is the time to do it. There are, unfortunately, a lot of foreclosed properties on the market at discounted prices. Tons of people just want to sell their home. There is a lot of inventory. Much of it needs to be moved. As luck would have it, mortgage interest rates for 30 year fixed mortgages are at an all-time low. Now is when you need to get a home. Low interest home loans are all over the place. Also, right now is a good time to check out mortgage modification.

Rates for mortgage loans low

The 30 year fixed rate mortgage rates are lower than they ever have been. Mortgages this week went down from 4.36 percent to 4.42 percent, reports Bloomberg. The data has been something Freddie Mac kept track of since 1971. The low cost loans are in comparison to just a few years ago, although they aren’t short term cash loans. We are considering a large mortgage. It is for 30 years. The rate for 15 year fixed mortgages is at 3.86 percent. Mortgages for 30 years may continue at that rate. That would mean that they’d be at the 3.86 percent rate by Thanksgiving.

A ton of inventory around

As of right now, there is a greater supply of homes on the market than there has been since 1983. There is a 27 year all time high of homes for sale right about now. Getting homes is something less individuals want to do right now. Reuters reports that many are trying to refinance while a 15 year low of home sales has been hit. Now seems like extremely hard to get credit from money lenders. Also, when you have a bad credit score, you can say goodbye to any hope you had at getting a home.

High selling after low getting

However, if you have the credit and a down payment ready, this is the time to purchase. You can get an excellent deal out of homes right now. Houses sell for half what they are worth. You’ll never need mortgage modification or to refinance if you get your home now.

Further reading

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67P30X20100826

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-26/mortgage-rates-for-30-year-loans-decline-to-record-4-36-freddie-mac-says.html

Savings and investments can't continue considering banks' lowest interest rates ever

U.S. consumers are cutting debt and trying to save more money. The Federal Reserve, in an effort to keep the economy from a double-dip recession, is keeping the benchmark rate of interest artificially low. Record-low interest rates are fattening bank bottom lines. Low interest rates like these make it so banks pay less but still collect quite a bit on their loans meaning banks are making a lot. Savers, investors, pensions and endowments have to pay for the Fed monetary policies with an “invisible tax”.

Now saving is unimportant

U.S. banks are paying savers the lowest average rates on record. Bloomberg did a study with Market Rate Insight suggesting that 0.99 percent was about how much in July was paid towards interest on checking, savings, money market and certificates. Market Rates measured anything that was a rate or bonus paid by 1,300 banks and credit unions in the whole American country. There were more savings rates which were tracked. These were between January 2004 and July 2010. When the national unemployment rate goes up, savings rates go down. The report concludes that when the unemployment rate goes down, interest rates on savings will go up.

Banks set up roadblocks to debt reduction

Fed monetary policy that is holding the interest rate at near zero, some believe, is rewarding banks and penalizing the average citizen. People who want to reduce debt and conserve more seem to have the deck stacked against them. Larry Doyle at Daily Markets writes that miniscule interest rates are squeezing people who live on fixed incomes. Savings accounts generate a negligible returns. Banks don’t have to pay hardly anything to borrow money. This means they’ll continue to raise interest rates on credit cards in order to get more money.

Low interest rates is what we call an invisible tax

The Fed’s interest rate policy might be part of the economic problem. The New York Times had an article by Gretchen Morgenson explaining this. Investors and savers lose about $350 billion a year with this “invisible tax” that the Fed is giving, says Todd E. Petzel of Offit Capital Advisors talking to Morgenson. He got that figure by starting with about $14 trillion in debt issued by the Treasury at an rate of interest near zero. 3 percent has been the typical rating. That is the average over time. 2.5 points is already too low. 2.5 percent of $14 trillion adds up. In fact, savers, investors, pensions and endowments will then lose about $350 billion a year. The money lost is more than 2 percent of gross domestic product and almost 3 percent of disposable personal income.

More on this topic

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-24/u-s-banks-paying-depositors-record-low-interest-rates-market-rates-says.html

Daily Markets

dailymarkets.com/stock/2010/08/24/invisible-taxes-loan-sharking-usury/

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/22/business/22gret.html?_r=2 and amp;ref=gretchen_morgenson

Hipmunk helps with lower air fare

It started out as a simple summer project for young Adam Goldstein, and now Hipmunk may be the most innovative way for an online flight search. Goldstein got a little bit of help from friend and Reddit co-founder, Steve Huffman. This was how they came up with the new site. In strokes of brilliant color and user-friendly interface arrangement, Goldstein may have just painted his way to the big time.

Hipmunk changes online travel

Flights are easy to see with the color Hipmunk adds to the list of flights. Hipmunk just launched this week, but tech industry reviews are glowing. TechCrunch writes that “When you see the results you’ll never want to see flight results in any other format.” The team spent a lot of time on how the look of Hipmunk is perceived, which is said by Lifehacker to be “fantastic” which pleases Goldstein. Airlines are arranged and color coded rather than having a cluster of text. To get more info, searchers can zoom to specific grids.

Maybe winning with ‘a small, cute animal and a good logo’

Huffman and Goldstein got together and checked out numerous online flight booking sites before making a decision to deal with one. Orbitz was the one that is most popular they decided to go with. Flights found on Hipmunk are booked via Orbitz and both online websites benefit monetarily from the transaction. Hipmunk’s logo is just a simple chipmunk that has flight goggles on it, comparable to Twitter with the bluebird. Goldstein’s girlfriend, as outlined by CNN, chose the mascot.

Of course, Goldstein says, “She said, ‘If you pick a small, cute animal and a good logo you’ll never go wrong.’”

Beginning to prepare for the winter storm

Hipmunk is nevertheless in the early process of its evolution and is stockpiling ideas for how to improve. Expanding search functions is something Goldstein would like to do. He’d also like to stop spam from hitting users each time they get on. Expanding into hotels and auto rentals may be a likely move. It could be interesting to see how Hipmunk maintains its Zen-like design as additional content is added to the user experience. It is much less frustrating to search for a flight now though.

Further reading

CNN

money.cnn.com/2010/08/19/technology/hipmunk/

Hipmunk

hipmunk.com/

Automobiles can even be stars within their very own right

Sometimes, a vehicle featured in a major motion picture or iconic television sequence becomes almost as famous as the star of the movie or TV series itself. Cars can hold value for decades if the automobile becomes famous that way. Film producers are in on it at times; there’s something called “product placement,” where a auto producer will pay a director or donate brand new automobiles to get their product featured in the movie.

Scene is up for a steal if you are behind the right wheel

Just about everybody can think of an iconic automobile from TV or film. Some people even purchase them. If you buy a cool auto from a cool TV show or movie that makes you awesome to a lot of people. Here’s a small list of some true classics from movies and TV. It’s by no means comprehensive.

• The Chevy Camaro; numerous a TV show and movie have had Camaros in them. There was a recent “Lost” auction of props and other things from the show. One of the lots was a Camaro from various episodes. There was a classic and brand new Camaro within the “Transformers” movie series. Granted, it was probably due to General Motors paying a lot for it, but it certainly helped their marketing and sales.
• Ford Mustang – The 1968 The Ford Mustang GT Fastback was famously within the movie “Bullitt,” starring Steve McQueen. Other famous Mustangs consist of a 1967 Shelby GT500 and a 1973 Mach 1 from the remake and original, respectively, of “Gone in 60 Seconds.” Ford wasn’t oblivious to any of this at all. They offered a “Bullitt” package on the 2001 Ford Mustang.
• The DeLorean DMC – 12; the only car ever made by DeLorean was made a star by “Back to the Future”. When it came out, though, it wasn’t the smash hit the movie was. It was considered an underpowered mechanical lemon that happened to look cool.
• Dodge Charger – not only did a 1968 Charger chase Steve McQueen in “Bullitt,” a Charger was “General Lee” from the “Dukes of Hazard” TV series and recent film, and it was featured in Quentin Tarantino’s “Deathproof.”
• Pontiac Trans Am – The Trans Am was “KITT” from “Knight Rider,” and it was within the “Smokey and also the Bandit” films.

However not anyone did it better

The ultimate movie auto is the Aston Martin DB5. That’s why a DB5 used in “Goldfinger” went for more than $2 million a number of years ago. Aston Martin and James Bond go way back. ”Goldfinger” made the auto famous. The automobile also made it into “Goldeneye” and “Casino Royale”. A late 60s DBS was in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” The newer generation of Aston Martins, such as the Vanquish, were featured in “Casino Royale,” “Die An additional Day,” and “Quantum of Solace”. The Bond sequence throws the little fish of cars into the sea.

Downloading Cameron Diaz hazard makes her most dangerous celeb

Cameron Diaz is a cybercrime waiting to happen. The new McAfee “Most Harmful Superstars release puts her at the top of the list. Cybercriminals use celebrities to trick individuals into downloading malicious content and also the annual Most dangerous Celebrities report is a list of the famous people they like to use most.

Most Threatening Superstars pass on harmful downloads

McAfee has compiled its Very threatening Superstars list for the past four years to promote its free SiteAdvisor service that scans sites for the presence of spyware. As reported by MSNBC, SiteAdvisor is the tool used by McAfee to single out the celebrity downloading for videos, photos or wallpaper that hold the highest degree of risk. Internet users who search for downloads and photos of Cameron Diaz are directed to websites 10 percent of the time where malware is detected that could glean sensitive personal information or disrupt PC performance.

Celeb loyalty exploited through internet criminals

Celebs using a new movie or scandal achieve tremendous popularity on the Internet. Cybercriminals can’t help but notice. ABC News reports that malicious hackers use one of the most popular celebs to trick their followers into downloading what seems as harmless content material that actually hides stealth programs written to hijack passwords and sensitive personal info. The tactic isn’t really a recent innovation, but Dave Marcus, McAfee Labs’ director of security research, told ABC News the spread of detrimental downloading is increasing at an accelerated pace. Within the second quarter, a record number of viruses incidents was detected by McAfee. The presence of 6 million original pieces of malware-about 60,000 a day-were exposed by McAfee in that time frame.

Lovely people disguise ugly secrets

Although the names change annually, probably the most risky celebs list follows a typical pattern. The top 10 names are usually actors and models. When SiteAdvisor was asked to search “Cameron Diaz and screensavers,” CNET reports that harmful content material was revealed on 19 percent of the site results . The second-most dangerous super star on the fourth annual list was Julia Roberts. Jessica Biel came in 3rd after leading the pack last year. Fourth place is occupied by the world’s richest supermodel, Gisele Bundchen. Brad Pitt moved up five spots from last year to rank fifth. Some of the safest celebrities to search for are politicians. Barack Obama ranked no. 49. Sarah Palin, who craves the spotlight, may have been disappointed by straggling in at no. 50.

The McAfee Most dangerous Celebrities

1. Cameron Diaz

2. Julia Roberts

3. Jessica Biel

4. Gisele Bündchen

5. Brad Pitt

6. Adriana Lima

7. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Nicole Kidman: tie

8. Tom Cruise

9. Heidi Klum and Penelope Cruz: tie

10. Anna Paquin

More on this topic

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com

ABC News

abcnews.go.com

CNET

news.cnet.com

High hopes in Canada in regards to Kestrel marijuana automobile

Green automotive news has received a hit of exciting news. Fast Company indicates that a Calgary, Alberta, business called Motive Industries is bringing a new electric automobile with bio-composite design to market in Canada. The bio-composite car will be known as the Kestrel, and also the green bio factor is hemp. It’s a cannabis-constructed auto.

Hempcar Program foretold the Kestrel’s appearance

As with anything else involving hemp and marijuana, the Kestrel pot automobile has stirred attention. Canadian activist group Hempcar.org trumpeted a 2001 American road tour of 10,000 miles undertaken by a automobile similar to the Kestrel, but not constructed of weed fiber. The experimental auto they used ran on hemp biodiesel, which is not presently the case with the Kestrel, although it might eventually come to pass. The United States of America has yet to make cultivating industrial hemp lawful, though, so they won’t know what it’s like. There are no psychoactive elements to industrial hemp and it’s not a drug, so the America’s stance is strange, thinking about the potential benefits.

Hemp courtesy of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures

Alberta Innovates Technology Futures provides the hemp for the Kestrel and purchases its cannabis stock from an industrial hemp farm located in Vegreville, Alberta. Fast Business reports that the use of hemp in frame/body construction makes for a much lighter vehicle, plus it’s easy to recycle parts. Not only that, but the hemp compound is as strong as glass composite.Motive is not ready to start ripping Kestrels off the assembly line just yet, but testing a prototype should certainly start before 2010 comes to a close.

In 1925, Henry Ford saw the future

”The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit like that sumach out by the road, or from apples, weeds, sawdust — almost anything,” said the prescient Henry Ford to the New York Times during the Good Depression. ”There is fuel in each and every bit of vegetable matter that could be fermented,” Ford continued.

Henry Ford most certainly was including hemp in the above discussion. He even went as far as to construct a vehicle of resin-stiffened hemp fiber that ran on ethanol made from hemp. If all had gone as outlined by plan, Ford could have helped save America from the Great Depression via his ideas for “Farm Chemurgy”. It would benefit Ford tremendously and revive American agriculture. But then came the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. There’d been a series of battles leading to that point in Congressional history. Thanks in large part to the influence of the DuPont business and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, pot was criminalized in America.

More on this topic

Fast Company

fastcompany.com/1684111/motive-industries-hemp-ev?partner=rss

Hempcar.org

hempcar.org/ford.shtml

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_history_of_cannabis_in_the_United_States

Rising bacon prices helps economy

It may be disheartening that the price for a pint of beer in Europe has risen to $ 6.30 due to harvest troubles and a Russian wheat crisis, reports the London Telegraph. There is one more problem that is worse. Bacon prices are going up significantly. Last year bacon prices were cheaper. CNBC says the price went up 20 percent. While grease-loving foodies who may need pay day loans before their next cash now aren’t in hog heaven over this sorrowful state of swine affairs, researchers claim this is actually a good sign for the U.S. economy.

$ 4 per pound is the price of good ole bacon

The Department of Agriculture has given their opinion on the situation. It feels the rise in price is because there is a supply-and-demand curve that has to be met. The recession has caused more to get rid of their pigs. Tomatoes are at the moment ripe, so BLT sandwiches are a hot item – and thus there’s a need for more bacon. The National Review says this is “Obama’s Next Crisis.”

Bad for the few, but great as a whole

The National Review was all upset about the bacon issues. It forgot to mention all the good things to come from it. This means that more individuals want to buy luxury items like bacon. It’s a step within the right direction, for when people reach for luxury items, things tend to be going better as a whole, economically. It was said by Rich Nelson of Allendale, Inc. that “They may not be getting steak rather than hamburger, however they will put bacon on their hamburger or other things.” This is good news.

Bacon tends to be in more items at restaurants because of this.

Demand will fatten the herd

Demand has caused numerous of the pig farmers to pick up some more for the herd. Hog tends to be the most picked up thing. Nelson feels like prices will go down. This should happen by mid-2011. Fat on generic brands of bacon abound meaning there is less meat left after losing the fat. More people are buying the generic brands. According to Jason Mosely of Mr. Baconpants, “Your BLT deserves the best bacon you are able to afford!” despite the fact that most know the economy must be recovering due to the greatness of bacon, including CNBC’s Heather Lauer. Hopefully this means that most plan to celebrate International Bacon Day patriotically. It is September fourth. This really is the case.

Additional reading

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/38725523/

The only problem with bacon is that it makes you thirsty… for more bacon.

youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4

Installment loans via the working class may get a hefty payment through Gm IPO

GM has submitted the paperwork for what was expected for a while. A General Motors Initial Public Offering has just been filed, although particular facts are not known yet. Up to now, what is for sure is that General Motors will offer preferred shares, but how many shares is not clear. The business will get some debt settlement relief from it, and also the U.S. Treasury is visiting the some of their debt from Gm wiped clean. The company is getting closer to its independence, and could also get some huge money quick. Article source – Taxpayer short term loans to be paid soon after GM IPO by Personal Money Store.

Gm Initial public offering to begin soon

General Motors filed for a General Motors Initial Public Offering today. The IPO might be quite the fast cash loans, as outlined by the New York Times. The company will be offering preferred shares. The total number of shares probably won’t be known for awhile. Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre had previously announced that he would retire once the company was back on track, which he most recently announced he was going to do by the end of the year. Lots of debt could be paid off by this initial public offering.

Probably motivated to pay off debt

The Treasury is likely going to get a large payment on the installment loans for bad credit they lent the company. The shares the Treasury owns in GM could be involved in the IPO, as outlined by CNN Money. The American government has 60.8 percent of all General Motors stock, and also the Canadian government owns an additional 11.67 percent. Gm has paid back $7 billion of the loans they received from the Treasury.

In black

General Motors, with this Initial Public Offering, will get at least part way to paying the debt the company owes to the United States of America government. General Motors is profitable again, so they probably won’t need one more cash til payday loan from the working class. The IPO would have to clear about $67 billion for taxpayers to break even on the auto bailout.

Further reading

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/19/business/19auto.html?_r=1

CNN

money.cnn.com/2010/08/18/news/companies/gm_IPO/

Determine if you are a Friggatriskaidekaphobia? Being scared of Friday the 13th

Every now and again, a Friday happens to be day 13 of any given month. Friggatriskaidekaphobia is what it is called when someone is really scared of the day, although there is not a reason for the fear to exist. Granted, most black cats won’t do anything more harmful than shed or do that annoying thing with their paws. There are a lot of people who sincerely believe in many superstitions. The word for being afraid of Friday the 13th is Friggatriskaidekaphobia. If you say the word in the mirror three times, Jason Voorhees will still be a fictional character.

How do you say that?

You say the word “fri-gah-tri-sk-eye-de-kah-fo-bia.” The word, a portmanteau, means a person is afraid of Friday the 13th. Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13, and friggaphobia is the fear of Friday. That’s why Friggatriskaidekaphobia is what you call someone scared of Friday the thirteenth. Friday is somehow correlated with different witches. Friday ended up being named after Frigga, or Freya, who was the German/Norse goddess naming it Freya-day. The day arguably might be associated with witches simply because it was named for a female deity, but sexism in the ancient world is a topic for another time. Anybody scared of the number thirteen gets to be called a Triskaidekaphobia. ”Tri” means 3 when “deka” means ten giving it a connection.

Does anything happen on Friday the 13th?

The short is no. The long answer is also no. Nothing odd besides a couple of people getting the “heebie-jeebies” or friggatriskaidekaphobia has even happened or been seen on Friday the thirteenth. If there were a real correlation between Friday the 13th and things like car accidents, it would are published and documented by now. Even if there were more accidents happening Friday the thirteenth, more factors would have to be accounted for besides the day like the fact that more individuals like to drink on Fridays.

Doing something fun with the day

Superstitions like Friggatriskaidekaphobia are harmless. Numerous traditional superstitions exist. For instance, theater actors won’t really say “MacBeth” in a theater, as the play is supposedly cursed, and refer to it only as “the Scottish play.”. This is an excellent time to have just a little bit of fun, like Halloween, so watch a movie with your friends or family that scares you a bit. Just don’t go to Crystal Lake.

Columbia crash ends with single fatality

Only one fatality took place in a San Andres, Columbia crash that took place on Monday. The plane crashed during the landing. Lightning striking the aircraft is believed to be the reason for the crash, but it’s not confirmed yet. The plane split into pieces, but didn’t hit any buildings, and only one fatality occurred, though not during the crash itself. The pilot has been credited as being central to the relative lack of a loss of life within the event, and also the minimal damage to anything other than the plane itself. Post resource – Miracle ending in Columbia crash by Personal Money Store.

Pieces fly from Boeing 737 when it hit the runway

The flight was a red-eye from Bogota to San Andres. As AIRES Flight 8250 approached the runway in bad weather, the plane started to shake. The plane started to split apart when the pilot began an emergency landing just short of the runway. Initially, as outlined by CNN, the crash was thought to be caused by a downdraft, though eyewitnesses saw a bolt of lightning strike the plane. The pilot of the flight also holds the plane was hit by lightning. As the plane landed at Gustavo Rojas Pinillo airport, it broke in two. The wreckage apart from the plane was minimal.

All walked away but one

A single fatality occurred, when a 65-year-old passenger had a heart attack following the crash, as outlined by Bloomberg. There were six individuals who had no injuries whatsoever. The rest of passengers and crew had injuries, but no one is not expected for making a full recovery. There were at least 127 passengers and crew members.

Pilot skill believed to have made the difference

You would be hard pressed to discover a group of individuals better trained and skilled than professional pilots. They take a very complex machine and get it from point A to point B in a very exact manner, but also know exactly what to do in case of emergencies. The job affords little wiggle room and there is tremendous pressure involved in the job. The air travel trade has a lot of stress and responsibility involved, and numerous have watched the Steven Slater saga unfold. AIRES Flight 8250 had a great pilot, and he deserves commendation.

Find more data on this subject

CNN

cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/08/16/colombia.plane.fatality/?hpt=T1#fbid=QdDzKvaTDgY and wom=false

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-16/colombia-plane-splits-in-three-killing-1-and-injuring-114-el-tiempo-says.html

Most new vehicle buyers considering a Ford first

The United States’ biggest source for auto purchasing info, Kelly Blue Book, has released their quarterly survey on the preferences of new automobile buyers. The study is considered authoritative, though it is not done scientifically. The top five list shows both a shakeup in the popularity of vehicles and also the effects of negative press. The top five factors that auto buyers are considering are driving comfort, reliability, driving performance, safety, and efficiency in their new vehicle.

Ford takes top honors

During this quarter last year, Toyota held the top spot in this survey. This year, though, the Kelly Blue Book quarterly survey says that a full 29 percent of buyers who want a new vehicle are considering a Ford. This matches up well with the estimation that truck sales can be increasing within the next one to two years.

Number 2 spot – Toyota

Safety issues have caused Toyota to take on various recalls in the last year. 22 percent of people looking at purchasing a new vehicle are still considering a Toyota, even though those safety difficulties are well-known. High fuel efficiency is, in part, the reason for this very strong showing.The particularly successful “Swagger Wagon” advertising campaign is also cited as a reason Toyota had such a strong showing.

Third – Chevrolet

21 percent of new-car buyers are thinking about a Chevrolet for their new vehicle. This increase in interest in Chevrolet could possibly be partially because of the Volt, although there is a very high price tag. Chevrolet’s reputation for safety is listed as the number one reason this brand made it to the top five list.

Fourth – Honda

With dual reputation of reliability and fuel savings, Honda is doing very well on the list. One-fifth of people looking at purchasing a new vehicle say they are thinking about a Honda automobile.

Fifth – Hyundai

Nissan used to be a reliable player in the top five list, but South Korea brand Hyundai has ousted it. Well-known fuel sippers, Hyundai vehicles are being considered by 13 percent of vehicle buyers.

Pop Tart Store- Building your own Pop-Tarts

In Times Square, the Pop Tart shop, called Pop-Tarts World, opened up to massive fanfare. The shop depending on the pastry offers Pop-Tarts inspired cuisine and Pop-Tarts vending machines. At $ 1,000 per square foot, Times Square rent is a massive investment for the company, which hasn’t yet determined whether the Pop-Tart shop is going to be a permanent fixture.

What is inside the Pop-Tarts store

There is a little bit of anything offered up at the Pop-Tarts World. The cafe at Pop-Tarts World serves up Pop-Tarts sandwiches, Pop-Tarts-covered celery, even Pop-Tarts topped cinnamon rolls. A vending machine lets you create your own 12 pack of Pop-Tarts flavors, for $ 1 per pastry. You can also build your own Pop-Tart, including just about any topping or flavor you can think of.

Pop Tart store for brand visibility

Kellogg’s said the Pop-Tarts Shop got opened up because they wanted to show that Pop-Tarts is a “mature brand”. The breakfast bar pastry has seen relatively flat sales for the last few years. Pop-Tarts sold $ 481 million worth of the pastries in 2009.

Making your own Pop-Tarts

Customized Pop-Tarts are accessible outside of Times Square. Making your own Pop-Tarts is not only easy, but it can be healthier and less costly. You are able to stay away from the high fructose corn syrup and make your own for about 20 cents per Pop-Tart. In a food processor or bowl, combine 2 cups of flour with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix in 1 cup butter, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons milk. Roll out the dough and cut it in Pop-Tart sized rectangles. Spread just about any filling you want on half of the rectangles. Use the un-spread half of the rectangles to top the filling, then seal it by pressing the edges with a fork. Refrigerate the dough when you pre-heat the oven to 350, and then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Tow Bar Basics - Four-wheeled vehicle towing

You will find numerous reasons to tow a vehicle. If you’ve two cars that need to get to one place, then using a tow bar could save you time, money, stress, and fuel. Using the right tow bar after picking out the right one and installing it is much simpler than imagined. Article resource – Tow Bar Basics- Four-wheeled car towing by Car Deal Expert.

Tow bar info

Tow bars attach to automobiles creating a trailer. Rather than loading a automobile on a trailer or using a two-wheel system, a tow bar turns your car itself into a trailer. The two bars you’ve to choose form are collapsible and rigid. A rigid tow bar is better if you’re on a budget although it will take more time to put together. It is easier to put together a collapsible tow bar but costs some more money. Either way, a tow bar attaches to the front of a car and is intended to attach to a towing hitch on the back of the towing vehicle.

Rigid tow bar information

Rigid tow bars are usually an A-frame design made of steel or strong aluminum. Some rigid tow bars require a specialty base installed on the vehicle. The rigid design means the hitch has to be carefully positioned in the center of the vehicle. The simple design, though, means it is much less costly. The rigid tow bar has electronic hookups for legal towing that are easier to install.

Basics on collapsible tow bars

A collapsible tow bar is a better option if you plan on doing a lot of towing. When driving, a collapsible tow bar starts up itself and auto-centers. A collapsible tow bar can also be removed much more easily. It is more costly to buy the collapsible tow bar. Start with a rigid tow bar if you don’t know what the extent of your tow bar experience can be.

Helping the economy with the Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve is trying to think of ways to help the economy. These changes might be as simple as maintaining course, or as aggressive as risky stimulus moves. When awaiting the decision that should come late Tuesday, trading has gone very slowly. Resource for this article – Fed mulls possible actions to give the economy a boost by Personal Money Store.

Possible first option for Fed

Maintaining or dropping interest rates is the first Federal Reserve option. All interest rates are determined by the Fed. Credit would be encouraged with the lowest rates in history. The risk, however, is that deflation could stifle no matter what gains could be made.

Fed’s second option

The second option the Fed has in trying to stimulate the economy is purchasing government debt. The Fed does have some cash on hand to offer a personal loans to the government. There were mortgage investments that made this income which might make long term interest rates go down a bit. No borrowing would be stimulated with this plan.

Federal Reserve’s 3rd option

The Fed could purchase securities again also. The Federal Reserve in 2009 bought $1 trillion from Fannie and Freddie in securities. Fannie and Freddie still aren’t doing well with all of this help that did encourage lending. Any large purchase would help guarantee any of this debt and (theoretically) increase the amount of money lent out by businesses. The only problem is the Fed would be admitting the economy is really bad with this move, meaning investors wouldn’t even want paydayloans anymore.

Joke comes from Jenny DryErase quitting says Elyse Porterfield

Jenny DryErase and Slater, the Jeblue flight attendant have been things many employees have looked towards when it comes to taking care of business with jobs. TheChive.com explained Wednesday that the Jenny DryErase story was just a big joke being played with Elyse Porterfield playing the part as Jenny. Source for this article – Elyse Porterfield reveals that Jenny DryErase quitting was a hoax by Personal Money Store.

TheChive.com jokes around with Elyse Porterfield as an actress

TheChive.com is a site all about jokes that is run by two brothers. The boys hired Elyse Porterfield to play the part after making up the “Jenny DryErase” hoax. Elyse Porterfield moved to Los Angeles from Colorado and is an actress. Many individuals have already joined a “Jenny DryErase” group where she is encouraged to pose for Playboy because of her good looks.

Humor hoaxes in the past

The “real” news story has had other hoaxes done besides “Jenny DryErase” before. Generally these stories are picked up quickly after being posted online. Another example would be the hoax claiming that Donald Trump left an $82 tip at a restaurant. One more hoax posted on TheChive.com is titled The “Teen Texting Disaster”. All that has to be done to create these hoaxes is to discover a pretty girl or famous person to mess with, create a story that could possibly be real and tell the public it has all happened.

Elyse Porterfield now working in the field

”Humor hoaxes” like this are great for benefiting TheChive in its advertising. Colorado is where Elyse Porterfield was raised even though she now works in Los Angeles. Within the past she has been hired as an Angelina Jolie look-alike. She has more than 3,000 “likes” on her Facebook page bow meaning she is getting great coverage from this. TheChive.com got its name out as a hoax and comedy website, but this upstart actress may truly be the one to benefit from “Jenny DryErase.”

Further reading

TheChive

thechive.com

Anti-taxation and also the need for revenue

The American people are asleep at the switch when it comes to understanding the role taxation plays in creating the necessary income for basic community services. In a recent New York Times piece, Paul Krugman argues that we should all be concerned over this. Cities shut off streetlights that would help curb crime, roads local governments had already spent a good deal of cash on but can no longer manage to maintain are deliberately broken down into gravel and schools are laying off teachers at each turn. Cutbacks are the norm, yet scores of individuals from tea parties to corporate boardrooms continue to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to tax increases.

Poor local governments wonder, ‘Why no new taxes’?

Opinions on taxation vary widely, but it cannot be denied that they can generate the necessary income for public services. Krugman points out that the federal government “isn’t cash-strapped at all,” considering that they’re more than willing to sell inflation-protected long-term bonds at only 1.04 percent interest. More could be done. The sense of priority is in effect warped, says Krugman. Where are the rich who paid more in taxes during the Clinton era – an economically prosperous era, hiding as small town America burns to the ground.

Cutting back and casting jobs away

State and local governments are spending less on nearly every little thing, which doesn’t bode well for families. Now that federal spending is actually beginning to slow down, Krugman sees an America stuck in reverse. A teacher with a job means education and lower unemployment. But when the rich get cash back due to tax cuts, there’s no guarantee that they’ll do anything other than bury it in the sand of their own private beach.

Assuming the worst about government cash management

There is a definite belief the public section can’t manage money to spite itself. Tea party rhetoric says that taxation is wrong because it contributes to waste and fraud. Krugman suggests it was never as bad as the right made it seem. Witnessing how much ground America has lost in terms of education and infrastructure should be enough evidence to suggest that America is not in fact sidetracked by oppressive taxation. Now, writes Krugman, the fear of taxation may have us on the “road to nowhere”.

Further reading

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/09/opinion/09krugman.html?_r=1 and amp;partner=rssnyt and amp;emc=rss

Skype files for IPO just one year after spin-off

Skype has officially filed the SEC documents that is the beginning of an original public offering. The Skype IPO has been long expected, though some surprising numbers were exposed within the filings. Users are hoping the newly-complicated structure behind Skype will not impact the service they love.

Financial health revealed in Skype IPO paperwork

There is an estimate that the Skype IPO will be worth $ 100 million or more. The revenue and income in the Skype SEC filings worry some analysts. Skype reports $ 406 million in revenue in just the last six months. Skype reported its net income at $ 13 million . A 3 percent net margin means that Skype is not growing easily, though it is growing. The nine percent of users that actually pay for the Skype service pay an average of $ 96 each year.

The structure behind Skype’s ownership

Following the Skype IPO, the ownership structure will be complex in comparison. The company is situated in Luxemborg, but they’re offering shares in the business in American stocks. Stock holders, employees, and private investors will all be considered business owners. These 3 groups will own stock in Skype S.A.,. These stocks will be a part of Skype Global Holdco and Skype Global. These two holding corporations could be split – into Skype, Inc. and Springboard Finance, L.L.C.. Springboard Finance, L.L.C., will own 13 operating subsidiaries, including Skype Limited, Skype Sweden and Skype Software.

Possible changes following the Skype IPO

Operating funds are the goal of the Skype IPO. Some corporations can be faced with fundamental changes after an IPO, though. Skype is already moving forward with the iPhone app and deals with wireless carriers. The IPO date is not yet for sure, so the service’s users may have to just wait and see what happens.

Bill Ford Jr. draws a Ford paycheck once more

When the vehicle bailout helped the “too big to fail” giants from falling into their graves, their monetary futures aren’t yet rosy. The Ford Motor Company has fared reasonably well, but the five-year pay freeze chairman Bill Ford voted on himself no doubt helped. He said he’d take no salary beginning in 2005, and this would continue until Ford Motors started to turn a more consistent profit. As Automotive News reports, that time has come – the pay freeze has been lifted. That contains deferred salary compensation for Bill Ford dating back to 2008.

Bill Ford will get $ 4.2 million in back pay

The Ford Motor Company board of directors decided it was time for Bill Ford to get his cash, considering that the automaker reportedly made a $ 4.8 billion car profit over the past 12 months. Bill Ford’s $ 4.2 million deferred dates back to 2008. Mr. Ford will even receive stock opportunities and restricted Ford stock.

Bill Ford was Ford’s CEO from 2001 to 2006

By 2006, Alan Mulally was ready to take over while Bill Ford moved to the board room. The duo agreed to 30 percent salary cuts in 2009 and 2010 to aid in Ford’s recovery. Bill Ford also sold $ 1 million of his company stock in order to start a scholarship fund for children of company employees.

Bill Ford also sold $ 28 million in company stock in his efforts to help Ford Motors. Bill Ford’s stock sales did not affect the Ford family’s overall holdings of “Class B voting shares,” which according to Automotive News give the family “a 40 percent voting interest within the company”. As of now, Bill Ford still has approximately 6.5 million shares of common and Class B Ford Motor Company stock.

Further reading

Automotive News

autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100806/OEM02/100809870/1254

TaskRabbit - Getting things done and making money

Called “service networking”, TaskRabbit is a new online service in a couple of big cities. TaskRabbit matches up individuals with extra time with people who need help. By combining user ratings and reviews, TaskRabbit proves to be safer and more reliable than other, comparable services online.

The basics of TaskRabbit

The essential idea behind TaskRabbit is that some individuals need help, and others have additional time. Tasks could be anything – picking up groceries, running dry cleaning around, or walking a dog. Most individuals cannot afford a personal assistant to do their running around, but TaskRabbit helps them find help. Post6 a task and the amount you are willing to pay, and someone in the area can claim the task as theirs. In the end, it’s good for everybody.

Making cash with TaskRabbit

You are able to make quick cash by working off of TaskRabbit. The system consists of a way to ask for more cash or bid on a task. The “service networking” aspect helps turn additional time into additional money. You need to consider a few things when you are deciding if you should accept a task. First, think about how much cash the task will cost you. Second, map out precisely how much time the task is going to take. Finally, consider what your hourly rate is going to be and if amount offered is enough for what you are worth. Remember that you may have to pay self-employment taxes if you make more than $ 600 in a year.

Getting a TaskRabbit outside the large cities

You will find only two cities – Boston and San Francisco – that have TaskRabbit services. There are plans for TaskRabbit to expand, but it will take time for the service to add additional cities. You are able to nevertheless make extra cash with the TaskRabbit concept, even if it’s not in your city. Try hiring yourself out for the things on the Craigslist gigs section.

Education employees on finances helps with sales

Employees with poor personal finance habits can affect a company’s profitability. Money troubles at home can lead to lower productivity at work, health problems and excessive turnover. A company is more likely to make hundreds of thousands of dollars more a year with employees that are literate in finances. The weak U.S. economy has taken a toll on employee benefits like health insurance and matching retirement plans. Companies can help themselves quite a bit by educating employees in finance.

Financial security through employee education

A company does more than just give their employees a check when trying to get financial security. The Durango Herald reports that Employees with severe financial difficulties can waste as many as 20 work hours a month worrying about their finances. The newspaper cites a survey of American workers by creditcards.com that found 57 percent do not budget and 40 percent spend 110 percent of their household income. There are also more issues in relationships when you will find money problems. The reason why 50 percent of employees had been divorced was of because financial security issues.

Getting financial literacy to help get the bottom line

Promoting employee financial education is the mission of the Personal Finance Employee Education Foundation. Thousands are added to a bottom line with financial literacy programs, reports the PFEEF. Financial education for a company’s employees with help with company loyalty, productivity also as morale. Higher financial literacy can also reduce absenteeism, turnover and workplace distractions also as operational risk across a company. PFEEF has an ROI calculator online with an investment model that helps companies see how it really will help their company. 3 to one is how employee financial literacy generally works out.

Getting employee financial education

Financial literacy is a requirement of Weyerhaeuser which is a timber company that is based in Washington state. Business Week reports that Weyerhaeuser is acknowledged as one of America’s leaders in providing financial education to nearly 14,000 employees. Employees of the company were offered 40 retirement, benefits and wellness programs in just the last year of employment. Employees who attended Weyerhaeuser’s financial literacy seminars said that they were better informed about their retirement programs, 99 percent thought that they could now make better retirement choices, and 88 percent said they would change some of their retirement choices. Most people who participated really liked the program and loved the company for offering them.

More on this topic

Durango Herald

durangoherald.com/sections/News/Columnists/Money_Savvy/2010/08/04/Workers_debt_can_be_companys_problem/

ROI

personalfinancefoundation.org/roi/roi-model.html

Business Week

businessweek.com/investor/content/jul2009/pi20090722_246198.htm

U.S. obesity rate increasing as shown in CDC report

The U.S. obesity rates are increasing quite a bit in recent times. The Centers for Disease Control wrote a report on the obesity and released it on Tuesday. Evidently 2.4 million more people were put in the obese category between 2007 and 2009 which means there is a total of 74.4 million, or 26.7 percent of obese Americans. About $ 147 billion are spent on individuals who are obese in medical expenditures while $ 1,429 more is spent on an obese person yearly than a healthy person.

U.S. obesity rates increase faster than expected

There were 3 states in 2007 that had obesity rates higher than 30 percent while now you will find nine states with that status, reports CDC. Washington D.C. also as Colorado both had less than 20, although they were the only states to do so. Obesity has been getting larger than it was expected to be at by now even with programs like Healthy People 2010 that discourage this, explains Dr. Thomas Frieden to the New York Times. Because many people are becoming more obese, there is likely to also be an increase in cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

CDC obesity rates off

The CDC obesity rates within the report are likely underestimated because they’re depending on a phone survey that asked 400,000 individuals about their height and weight — instead of having it measured by someone else. The Times noted that people tend to describe themselves as taller and lighter than they really are. The data was used to calculate their body mass index (BMI). An adult is considered obese with a BMI of 30 or above. An example of somebody with a BMI at 30 would be a woman who weighs 174 pounds and is 5-foot-4 or a man who weighs 209 but is 5-foot-10.

Healthy People 2010 didn’t work

2.4 million more people are obese now, which is a 1.1 percent increase. In just 2001, there weren’t any states able to claim having 30 percent or more obesity, reports Health News on the CDC report. When the CDC released their reports in 2007, there were three states at the 30 percent mark. By 2009 there were 9 states. There aren’t any states below 15 percent which is where it was intended to be with the Healthy People 2010 program began in 2000 by the Department of Health and Human services. It was said by Friedan that, “past efforts and investments to prevent and control obesity have not been adequate.”

Now U.S. is becoming ‘obesogenic’

An “obesogenic” society is what CDC calls American lifestyles that involve eating unhealthily along with inactivity when it comes to exercising. An HHS survey released earlier this year stated that one-third of obese adults and most children never received advice from a doctor about healthy eating and exercise.

Additional reading

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/04/health/nutrition/04fat.html?_r=1

Health News

healthnews.com/family-health/obesity-in-america-new-cdc-report-is-grim-reminder-4388.html

CDC

cdc.gov/obesity/

What payday advance employees are scared of

President Obama has signed the Financial Reform Bill, and according to a survey by AboutPaydayLoan.com, cash advance employees are worried for their jobs, writes PR Web. As outlined by those who participated in the industry survey, the underlying belief is the formation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will place a federal stranglehold on the operation of cash advance and online payday loan corporations across the nation, making it too difficult for many lenders to continue to operate and nevertheless be able to pay their employees.

Payday loan employees preparing for unemployment

According to one cash advance employee who responded to AboutPaydayLoan.com’s survey, the ripple effect of the Financial Reform Bill has numerous like him looking for higher ground before the storm. ”If CFPB ends up putting a crazy cap on payday cash advances, then we could be out of jobs,” wrote one cash advance worker in response to the poll. A potential rate cap of 36 percent APR is rumored for online cash advance outlets and the more visible storefront locations. That low figure would cripple those cash advance entities who do not diversify under other practicable business models. As you can imagine, this is what payday loan employees fear.

Cash advance rules are strong enough

Many inside and outside the payday advance industry have tried to convince the federal government that the local and state regulations regarding the cash advance product are more than enough to protect consumers. The CFPB and the ensuring regulation they would likely produce would hamper payday advance business. As one reader who is an employee of a small payday advance business commented on a money advance industry-related blog called the Cash advance Blog:

“I am getting so flustered with all of this. Every day single day I wait on news that will shut us down or news that they will leave us alone. I feel as if many of us are on pins and needles wondering if soon we will be in the unemployment lines. Job security is gone, and a lot of the zest that I once had is fizzling out. I am not alone in this. There is uncertainty in the air. … I sure wish at least we knew what and when these changes would occur.”

Discover more details on this subject

AboutPaydayLoan.com

aboutpaydayloan.com/

Payday Loan Blog

paydayloan-blog.com/

PR Web

prweb.com/releases/2010/08/prweb4344874.htm

The 9/11 health care bill vote infuriates Anthony Weiner

Anthony Weiner shook up Congress on July 29 when the Democratic congressman from New York blew his top in a speech within the chamber. Weiner vented his anger at Republicans who blocked the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The 9/11 health care bill is a Democratic plan to give billions of dollars for health care to 9/11 rescue workers and New York residents sickened from the toxic dust and particles at ground zero. Republicans were accused of cowardice and more by Weiner and his Democratic allies. More big government investing was the predictable Republican response.

Details of the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act

A majority of lawmakers in the chamber supported the 9/11 health care bill. But the New York Times reports that the 255-to-159 vote fell short of the two-thirds margin needed. Under special rules used to bring the measure to the floor a two-thirds bulk was needed. The 9/11 health care bill would have provided $3.2 billion over the next eight years to monitor and treat traumas stemming from exposure to toxic dust and debris at ground zero. To compensate for job and economic losses, an additional $4.2 billion was set aside in the bill.

Democrats maneuver for two-thirds majority

After it was apparent that Republicans had enough votes to wipe out the 9/11 health care bill, Anthony Weiner erupted in a speech on the house floor. The New York Daily News reports the two-thirds majority rule was a Democratic ploy to speed up the vote. Democrats, with their eyes on the November elections, feared Republicans would embarrass Democrats by affixing toxic amendments in a simple majority vote. No such tinkering is allowed under the two-thirds rule.

Republicans blame no vote on majority rule

When he heard Republicans using the use of the two-thirds majority rule as their reason for voting no on the 9/11 health care bill, Weiner exploded at the lecture . CBS News reports that New York Republican Peter King said Democrats were staging a charade by holding the vote because they were afraid to vote on controversial amendments. That led to Weiner’s one-and-a-half minute tirade. Republicans listened to him call them cowards for opposing the bill merely because of procedure:

“It’s Republicans wrapping their arms around Republicans rather than doing the right thing on behalf of the heroes,” Weiner yelled. “It is a shame. A shame! If you believe this is a bad idea to provide health care – then vote no! But don’t give me the cowardly view that ‘Oh if it was a different procedure’…”.

Additional reading

nytimes.com /

nydailynews.com

cbsnews.com

Vulture investing moves from quick cash to long-term gains

Vulture investors are feasting on the depressed America’s housing market. Deflating home prices, rock-bottom home loan rates and a rental market surging with individuals who have lost their homes are attracting swarms of vulture investors after distressed properties. But in this anemic economy, vulture investing has changed.When times were good, vulture investors bought and sold homes quickly. Now that times are bad, using properties to generate healthy rental incomes is the preferred approach. Article resource – Vulture investors move from flippers to landlords in down market by Personal Money Store.

Vulture investors flock to a housing market in distress

Swooping down to buy distressed properties cheap is how vulture investors got their name. Places where home prices have dropped as much as 70 percent because of short sales and foreclosures, like Las Vegas, Phoenix and Miami, are lucrative markets. Vulture investors used to be known for flipping often and helping to bid up home prices to unsustainable heights. These days, potential rental profits are looked at as the more stable long-term strategy. Vulture investors today may actually be helping stabilize neighborhoods.

Vulture investing changes strategy

Several factors presently occurring in the Americas housing market have changed vulture investing strategy from buyer and seller, to buyer and landlord. Home prices rising in perpetuity, the primary lure for house flippers, are a thing of the past, said mortgage resource HSH.com. Buying cheap just to sell cheap doesn’t make sense. And because millions of foreclosed borrowers have to wait years before they can get a home loan, they become the ready tenants for vulture investors purchasing properties for pennies on the dollar.

Cash flow the primary attraction for vulture investors

By paying in money, rental returns start rolling in right away for vulture investors. CNN uses Las Vegas as a case study, where home prices have plummeted 70 percent when rents have only fallen about 20 percent. Las Vegas vulture investor Glenn Plantone told CNN he is getting cash flow, or net return on investment, of 12-to-14 percent . Money flow is the ultimate hedge against a further decline in prices, because the return on the investment just keeps rolling along.

More on this topic

money.cnn.com

blog.hsh.com

Appeals on prop 8

UPDATE: Unconstitutional is what proposition 8 is being called. Those for prop 8 want the judge to void the amendment and keep the decision.

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker is slated to release his ruling today on Proposition 8. Prop 8 supporters have already sought a stay on the ruling if it is against them. Opponents of Prop 8 will appeal it the other way if need be. Civil rights to the California state budget are all a part of the case.

The basics of Prop 8

In 2008, the California Marriage Protection Act, otherwise known as Prop 8, was passed by voters. Because of the voter-added ballot proposition, marriage in California is legal only when made between a man and a woman. When Proposition 8 passed, it overturned the California Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage. $ 39.9 million was spent promoting Prop 8 while those against it spent $ 43.3 million.

Challenge Prop 8 with feds

Prop 8’s federal court challenge was placed in San Francisco. Perry v. Schwarzenegger was filed in federal court following the State Supreme Court upheld the voter initiative in Strauss v. Horton. Those for Prop 8 say that equal protection is not violated with California constitution. Those against it feel like equal protection is entirely and totally being violated.

Appeals to Prop 8 decision

Prop 8 reactions have already begun. Supporters of Proposition 8 have filed an injunction, asking for a stay on marriage should the ruling be found against them. This would mean same-sex marriages could happen while the case is being reviewed. Opponents say they intend on filing appeals if they lose this court case. There can be more money spent on Prop 8 in court nationally. States allowing same-sex marriages are having a better economy than others while gay marriages are controversial around the whole country.

You are able to now legally hack the iPhone 4G

Sunday, jailbreak for the iPhone 4 happened. Since the Apple App Store has originally been the only place to get applications, now iPhone 4 users can get them elsewhere. Unapproved apps can be downloaded with the iPhone 4 jailbreak. Other networks besides AT and T could be hacked with this jailbreaking. Apple, which exercises tight control over the iPhone network and iPhone app approval process, says jailbreaking the iPhone 4 “can severely degrade the experience”.

Finding the iPhone jailbreak

Less than a week after copyright officials in the U.S. ruled that jailbreaking the iPhone 4 is legal, a developer has released an app intended to do it. CNN reports the iPhone 4 jailbreak is accessible at jailbreakme.com. iPhone 4 owners can get apps from stores other than the Apple App Store with the iPhone 4 jailbreak hack. The jailbreak could be received using an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with the Safari browser. This jailbreak is special since you are able to download it straight onto your iPhone instead of going to your computer first.

Apple not thrilled about legal jailbreaking

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it possible for jailbreaking to be legal. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act wasn’t being touched with jailbreaking as outlined by the Library of Congress (LOC) which was reported by Info Week. Jailbreaking, as outlined by LOC’s chief librarian is, “innocuous at worst and beneficial at best Apple strenuously disagreed. The company issued a statement in which it said that, while it may be technically legal, jailbreaking the iPhone will void the device’s warranty.

Jailbreak connects iPhone to T-Mobile

The iPhone 4 jailbreak was so popular that jailbreakme.com could hardly stay online Sunday. The CNN article said once an iPhone has been jailbroken, another set of apps could be used to unlock an iPhone to work on wireless networks other than AT and T, which is the only official U.S. carrier for the iPhone. Unlocked iPhones will work only on T-Mobile and not Sprint or Verizon because of the way it works.

Additional reading

Apple

support.apple.com/kb/ht3743

Rush Limbaugh claims nobody wants the Chevy Volt

The Chevy Volt is one thing Rush Limbaugh has interested himself in by making comments about as General Motors’ new electric car. $ 41,000 is “a steep price to pay for showing you care about the environment,” Limbaugh believes as outlined by the Politico. Limbaugh thinks the $ 7,500 tax credit the government is giving to everyone who wants a new environment friendly car, but executives think the Chevy is a “game-changing product”. Limbaugh’s argument is that a game-changing product shouldn’t need a tax incentive to sell.

Car industry must be doing better with the release of the Chevy Volt

Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary, thinks the auto industry is coming back with the Chevy Volt’s battery and gas powered car. Considering that both the vehicle and its innovative lithium-ion battery are going to be made in America, the Obama administration could reasonably consider the Chevy Volt a feather in its cap. Definitely not everyone is happy about this new development.

Limbaugh likes to talk about the battery

Despite the Volt battery’s outstanding warranty program, Rush Limbaugh has chosen to focus on why the battery only allows the vehicle to travel 40 miles (the gas tank that kicks in afterward grants one more 340 miles) and why it takes “three to four hours” to recharge. The battery and also the vehicle’s cost prompted Limbaugh to go as far as to cancel scheduled General Motors ads that would have run on his radio program. GM received quite a bit of money when it came to bailout time so Limbaugh nicknamed the company “Obama Motors”.

It’s called ‘expensive methods to promote the environmentalist agenda’

Limbaugh feels like the $ 41,000 Chevrolet Volt and the $ 30,000 Toyota Prius have to be cheaper. Others might argue that the reduction of emissions is worth it within the long run, and the technology will gradually become less expensive. All technology has this problem, and as a consequence, so does all those who purchase it. You pay more if you want it before everyone else. There could soon be a reward with green technology like the Chevy Volt, although many individuals could have to wait for it.

Further reading

Politico

politico.com/news/stories/0710/40397.html

The Sounds of the Chevy Volt

youtube.com/watch?v=_-v-pMxmHLE

Arizona can't deport illegal immigrants under SB 1070

Immigration law SB 1070 is one that the government is trying desperately to fight in court. Americans continue to give their opinions on the subject as well. CBS News and Rasmussen report the support of SB 1070 is 57 and 65 percent of Americans while The New York Daily News reports CNN giving a 55 percent rate of support. Now that SB 1070 is on the verge of going into effect in Arizona, an interesting wrinkle emerges- Arizona authorities can round up illegal immigrants, but the state will not have the power to deport them. Attorney General Eric Holder with the ability to make that happen doesn’t seem like he wants it to.

SB 1070- A cannon with a pop gun’s power

Police could be able to enforce illegal immigration law with SB 1070 if they feel there is “reasonable suspicion,” although nothing can be done once they are found. The Wall Street journal explains that Arizona has to choose if they want to fill up their prisons with illegal immigrants or if they would rather let it alone right now. If illegal immigrants are detained, Arizona police force can contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement to verify the person’s residency status. Immigration judges are the people who make the final decision on deportation although the ICE’s decision is what puts them there. The federal government refuses to cooperate. It could take a very long time before any kind of hearing happens.

Arizona police may have ICE on speed dial

There are about 460,000 illegal immigrants in Arizona as estimated by the Department of Homeland Security. With SB 1070, ICE would start receiving numerous more phone calls. The Justice Department is the only place where this could be made possible or else Arizona and ICE can have to make their own plans.

Maricopa County didn’t wait for SB 1070

An Arizona county decided it didn’t want to wait for the law, and then they did it all themselves with a federal-local partnership program. Since 2007, Maricopa County, reports the Associated Press, has taken credit for the “deportations of forced departure” of about 26,146 illegal immigrants. The 287 (g) program deputized a limited number of law enforcement officers in Maricopa County to help enforce immigration laws.

Law enforceable in Arizona with SB 1070

In 1995 there was a law created called the Immigration and Nationality Act which had the 287 (g) provision in it. Officers are supposed to specifically search for illegal immigrants with SB 1070, much like section 287 (g). Numerous think it can be better than 287 (g) because it will be supervised more than Homeland Security did before. In addition, it is numerous believe SB 1070 will prohibit state and local government officials from preventing the enforcement of immigration law, a noted problem that has contributed to past inefficiency of the program. Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa explained to ABC, “If they want to block my jail, I’ll put them in jail.”

What taxpayers get out of this

Considering the cost of running federal immigration programs has grown from $ 5 million in 2006 to $ 68 million in 2010, costs are skyrocketing, reports the Journal. Numerous believe tax dollars could be better spent with en effective enforcement of laws rather than helping out immigrants.

More on this topic

Associated Press

hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IMMIGRATION_LOCAL_ENFORCEMENT?SITE=WDUN and amp;SECTION=HOME and amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

New York Daily News

nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/07/28/2010-07-28_arizona_immigration_law_sb_1070_has_support_of_55_of_americans_new_poll_shows.html

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703292704575393690850825662.html?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLEForthNews

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_and_Nationality_Act_Section_287%28g%29

Expansion of federal fingerprinting program for illegal immigrants

youtube.com/watch?v=HEkfMccuDVI

$ 1 billion for cash until payday granted to Kyrgyzstan

Open violence in the Central Asian nation Kyrgyzstan has cost hundreds of lives, created at least 400,000 refugees and all but destroyed the national spending budget. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and militias from Uzbekistan were overthrown because of the nation’s move towards parliamentary democracy, which is also what is causing all of this violence between troops and civilians. As the fighting subsides, the focus in Kyrgyzstan moves toward an economically daunting recovery. There is no more money accessible as reported by Reuters. Resource for this article – Donors grant Kyrgyzstan more than $ 1 billion in emergency aid by Personal Money Store.

International donors will give Kyrgyzstan $ 1.1 billion cash until payday to Kyrgyzstan from donors

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital city, was where a conference was help in which $ 600 million in instant money was donated in 2010, and also the rest can be coming in 2011. President Roza Otunbayeva promised to rebuild with the money donated form the World Bank and United Nations. This is a perfect time considering the nation shrunk 5 percent with the violence. Kyrgyzstan was in need of extra cash, and also the donors have pledged to deliver.

More than $ 1 billion needed to work on buildings alone

Reuters reports that 13.5 percent of domestic product has been lost in Kyrgyzstan’s spending budget. Once Bakiyev was overthrown, the total deficit jumped from $ 269 million to $ 619 million, per acting Kyrgyzstan Finance Minister Chorobek Imashev. The economy needs $ 100 million to restart the economy with $ 350 million needed to build settlements in Osh and Jalalabad, explains President Orunbayeva. In addition, energy rebuilding costs are expected to total $ 180 million, and agriculture will require $ 50 million. $ 1.1 billion can be needed if we want to help stabilize a nation in chaos.

Further reading

Reuters
ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE66Q31F20100727
Chaos in Kyrgyzstan (WARNING – Some violent images may be disturbing)
youtube.com/watch?v=0L1srqYLnu8

Numerous fires, including the Tehachapi fire, make for state of emergency

In Sacramento this morning, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Kern County. The Tehachapi fire, also known as the west fire, has been contained 25 percent. The Bull Fire is only 5 percent contained. Firefighters and containment finally are being used by cash-strapped California through this state of emergency.

Info on the Tehachapi fire

Tuesday was when the Tehachapi fire started around a small community which is only 10 miles south of Tehachapi. Old West Ranch residents had to leave after the fire started. The fire has been officially named the West Fire, after the ranch that was split up to form the community. The fire started with individuals who were cutting scrap metal with a grinder in dry grass. 40 homes and 1,400 acres were burned. 150 other homes are in urgent danger.

Bull Fire background

The Bull Fire, centered north of Kernville, Calif., is presently burning almost 16,000 acres. When the fire started, it quickly burned eight homes and six outbuildings down. The fire has hurt two firefighters so far. The reason for the Bull Fire has yet to be determined, and it is only about 5 percent contained.

Paying for a wildfire

In budget-strapped California, fighting wildfire is an incredibly costly proposition. Not only the human cost of possible firefighter deaths, but the financial cost. Fighting a big fire can cost anywhere from $1 million to $2.5 million a day. An “average” wildfire fighting year for the U.S. Forest Service costs $500 million or more. The cost of fighting wildfires in California falls to several agencies. The majority of the cost is carried by the California state budget. Nothing is covered on this except the actual containment of the fire. Because there is a State of Emergency, the money gets spent although nobody knows where it is coming from yet.

Tow boat smacks into New Orleans oil well, causes new spill

The BP oil spill will affect everybody around the Gulf of Mexico for years and years. Now the Associated Press reports that New Orleans is back within the thick of an oil slick thanks to an errant tow boat called the Pere Ana C. The Louisiana marshland was hit and there was a wellhead in head. Now the Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser told MSNBC that there is oil shooting into the air about 20 feet. Article resource – Tow boat smacks into New Orleans oil well, causes new spill by Personal Money Store.

The well is south of New Orleans

65 miles south of New Orleans you can discover the well which is along the border between Plaquemines Parish and Jefferson Parish. The area is a marsh not accessible via roads. Workers for the recovery were stationed in Barataria Bay already moving oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Right now, it hasn’t been reported who owns this well. However, as outlined by Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts, the amount of oil gushing out from the Pere Ana C. collision is considerable. It is nevertheless unknown how much of the oil is leaking or how it could be cleaned up considering the area is only accessed by boat. There is a concern that natural gas can be leaking with the oil since some gas clouds are reported in the area recently.

Pere Ana C. struck before dawn near Mud Lake

Mud Lake was the approximate location of the Pere Ana C. collision early Tuesday morning. The Coast Guard ship went to the LaRose area after this happened. Right now, we have heard of no injuries. Reports from various media sources indicate that local authorities are presently within the process of looking for someone who can go in and stop the new oil spill. Hopefully cleaning up this won’t cost nearly as much as Deepwater Horizon cost BP.

Further reading

Associated Press
miamiherald.com/2010/07/27/1748599/oil-spews-from-la-oil-well-struck.html
MSNBC
msnbc.msn.com/id/38429966/ns/us_news-environment/
Remember when BP blocked media access to cleanup workers?
youtube.com/watch?v=dZHnStD690U