Les Greco

Monday, August 3, 2009

The Coastal Indians were excellent hunters, fishers, and food gatherers

They had to be if they wanted to survive and eat well. They had a very abundant food supply that varied and was stable. Because of this, they were able to have permanent shelters. The ocean and other nearby saltwater bodies of water provided whale, salmon, otter, seal, razor clams, oysters, smelt, abalone, halibut, cod, and other fish. Streams and rivers supplied them with salmon and trout. They hunted deer, elk, bear, and mountain sheep and goats from forests. Women and children gathered berries and roots to go with their meals.

Back in college I used to have a ton of friends

They were the best people ever. We would all go to parties together. We used to go to movies and go bowling. We always tried to go on dates together. Of course the people we would go on dates with were kind of bothered by the fact that we liked each other better than our dates. I guess they just had to better understand our friendship in our group of kids. It was so much fun. I am glad that I had such great friends that helped me through anything. We are still all such good friends. It worked out for us really well.

Carnival of Personal Finance

Please check out the latest Carnival of Personal Finance. One of the editor’s picks was a post about how to build your own air conditioner! (AC seems to be a very compelling topic for me lately– let’s hope this doesn’t mean I’m heading into premature menopause! Yikes!)

The Color of Money: Unemployed Must Take Charge

Over the past 12 months, I’ve worked closely with several people who are trying to find work. Another week of unemployment is another week of worrying about how to pay for basic living expenses. With every good job lead or interview, there’s hope. With every unreturned call or rejection, there’s …

Plug Those Financial Leaks That Slowly but Steadly Drain Your Budget

Nearly everyone has spending holes — leaks in their budgets that drain money with them hardly noticing. These small drips can add up to big bucks. Here are common ways that people waste money:

For Retirement Savings, Workers Are Increasingly on Their Own

Despite recent gains in stock prices, ravaged retirement savings are a big worry, both for employees and for employers that want to help their workers save for retirement. It will take years to rebuild.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Podcast 15: Results of the Credit CARD Act and Tips for Dealing With Layoffs

Today’s guest on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast is Dr. Robert Manning, author of Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America’s Addiction to Credit. Tom Dziubek and Dr. Manning discuss the results and effects of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009.

Also in today’s program, I speak with Tom about several suggestions for handling layoffs, still a common concern as the job market is one of the last aspects of an economy to improve following a recession.

To listen, use the player above (Adobe Flash required), download the podcast here, subscribe to the podcast RSS feed, or use the iTunes link. Note: open links in a new window (Ctrl-click or Command-click) to avoid interrupting the podcast.

[00:00] Introduction from Flexo
[00:37] Interview with Dr. Robert Manning, Credit Card Nation
– [01:27] Intents of the 2009 Credit Card Act
– [05:24] Dr. Manning’s take on the effectiveness of the act
– [08:11] Recap of the Credit Card Act goals
– [08:58] Difference between fixed and variable rates
– [11:35] Discussing the possibility of congress acting to close loopholes
– [12:28] Ways that credit card companies have been reacting to the bill
– [13:33] Behavioral profiling used by credit card industry
– [17:57] Ways for people to prepare themselves for changing credit card company policies
– [19:09] Dr. Manning’s current projects
[23:00] Tips on how to handle a layoff with Flexo and Tom
– [23:35] Re-evaluating your life goals
– [25:28] Determining the steps to reach your goals
– [27:33] Seeking financial assistance
– [30:18] Make smart financial decisions
– [31:27] Re-evaluating all of your expenses
– [32:01] 401k strategies
– [32:25] Sharpening your skills
– [33:49] Using your talents as a consultant
[35:24] End

We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name.

The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!

(Scavenger hunt to win a free IPod? Here is a clue: “smart.”)

Podcast 15: Results of the Credit CARD Act and Tips for Dealing With Layoffs