Saturday, June 4, 2011

Cons by fake debt relief corporations still rampant

Over the past few years, some may have observed a greater number of advertising campaigns and other marketing associated with debt reduction or debt settlement businesses. Many of these corporations are on the level and are trustworthy. However, some of them are frauds. Several debt reduction corporations still try to evade the laws concerning debt services.

Regulation in the Federal Trade Commission ignored

The Federal Trade Commission started some new rules up over half a year ago to stop fake debt settlement and debt settlement businesses from stealing from individuals. KNDU, an NBC affiliate in Washington state, explained that debt servicing companies aren’t allowed to ask for a fee in advance, must give upfront information and are not allowed to misrepresent themselves. The upfront fees on the service and what a person can save both have to be told to the person. This is upfront information. Companies aren’t following the laws right now.

Settlement for large business made

Laws for debt services weren’t being followed by Freedom Debt Relief. This is what the states of New York and Washington discovered in a sting, WalletPop explains. Customers in those states were misled by the California firm. The business agreed to a settlement of nearly $2 million to be paid to its consumers in both states. The company is dealing with a class action lawsuit right now. It also made comparable settlements with four other states. The Federal Trade Commission, according to the Wall Street Journal, recently won large settlements against two debt management corporations illegally “robocalling” consumers with automated phone messages. The two businesses promised reduced debt for a hefty fee when robocalling individuals. These companies were Dynamic Financial Group and Advanced Management Services NW. Advanced Management Services offered a refund if efforts were unsuccessful, but both companies would just pocket the cash and send a card tell! ing customers to pay charge card bills on time.

Go back to an old saying

The old maxim that “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is” holds true when it comes to debt settlement businesses. Any business that states it will take bad things off your credit for “pennies on the dollar” is a scam, according to both the Federal Deposit Insurance Business and Federal Trade Commission. Also, it is illegal for any debt settlement or debt reduction company to ask for any money whatsoever until after the debt is reduced or somehow changed. Consumers can get a debt reduction plan from nonprofit debt counselors too. According to the FDIC, do not go straight for the for-profit debt reduction services. Try the not-for-profit credit counseling first. For instance, check with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling to discover qualified financial advisers in the area.

Articles cited

Walletpop

walletpop.com/2011/03/08/freedom-debt-relief-agrees-to-pay-back-consumers-after-accusatio/

KNDUO/p>

kndo.com/story/14696586/how-new-federal-debt-relief-rules-protect-consumers

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110526-711657.html

FDIC

fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnfall10/debtoverload.html

FTC

ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/moneymatters/dealing-with-debt-relief-services.shtml

NFCC

nfcc.org/



California female detained with trashcan with limbs

A California female was imprisoned Sunday for supposedly pushing a giant trash can with dead and torn apart human body parts down a residential road. She was booked on suspicion of homicide, and is still uncooperative, law enforcement says.

The woman was found

The container was being pushed by 51 year old Carmen Montenegro in San Bernardino, California. She was found at 2:30 in the afternoon moving it. There were residents that either saw or smelled the trash and contents and called the police.

Reporters spoke with Ontario Law enforcement Detective Jeff Crittendon who said “Officers stopped her leaving the location and in the trash can we found human remains.”

Just one male killed

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

Finding a hold in her lawn

They think that Montenegro may have found the remains from a former resident in the yard. She was arrested about 200 yards from the property. After the arrest, police investigated the property and found a hole which had been dug in the lawn.

Suspect lived in house on and off

Either Montenegro’s cousin or mother owned the home, according to local residents, and Montenegro was in the home living for 15 years on and off.

More of an investigation

The police try to determine who the victim is. They’re working on it. The investigators were checking out the property Monday. Body fluids were supposedly found.

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

Information from

MSNBC

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

NY Daily News

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

Huffington Post

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



Friday, June 3, 2011

A regular service for Call of Duty is all anyone wants

The “Call of Duty” has sounded yet again for online multiplayer FPS enthusiasts, but does that indicate they’ll spend more for the “Elite” game? “Call of Duty: Elite” is ramping up for summer customer beta testing. Conjecture is the service will cost less than $7.99 per month and will be released late 2011.

How excited Activision is for the ‘CoD: Elite’ moneymaker

Massively multi-player online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, for instance “World of Warcraft,” have been very popular. It just makes sense for Activision to get in on the money by doing a model for the online multi-player FPS which is a very popular game on the console and PC. Most games now and day will lock gamers into their worlds just like “Call of Duty” is planning, claims Jamie Berger. Berger is the Activision VP of Digital Business.

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

'Black Ops’ will go ‘Elite’

Activision has already confirmed that “Call of Duty: Elite” will work with the game “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” which in February became the best-selling video game in United States history, according to NPD research. There are over 30 million individuals that spend over 170 hours each year playing “Call of Duty” games.

The beauty of “Elite,” suggests Activision, is that “Call of Duty” enthusiasts will not have to run out and buy another $60 game. Players are able to continue the “call of Duty” saga online in many chapters with “Call of Duty: Elite” which isn’t actually a game at all. It should prove to be an intoxicating community for FPS online multi-player enthusiasts, while serving as a “Holy Grail” for Activision, suggests analyst Bill Harris of the blog Dubious Quality.

How ‘Call of Duty: Elite’ works

More than just player-versus-player will happen with “CoD: Elite,” according to GamePro. The “Elite” site will reportedly break down into four categories:

Career: Where total analysis of your play style and weapon choices occurs, as well as intensive play map details. You might be great at FPS but have no idea much about ‘Elite’ and the way it works. Try a different status in the future.

Connect: This is a good place for socializing. “Call of Duty” enthusiasts will enjoy it. Chat, join groups, share highlight reels and simply go crazy.

Compete: Matchmaking on FPS is really good. It is just like eHarmony style. Expect a fight. Firepower will be strong.

Improve: Get tips for “Call of Duty” here.

Articles cited

Call of Duty: Elite

callofduty.com/elite

Dubious Quality

dubiousquality.blogspot.com/

GamePro

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

Wired

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

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

youtube.com/watch?v=s3Ixz7pHXdg



Heat and Mavs will both be in the 2011 NBA Finals

The 2011 NBA Finals have arrived, and the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat have been getting ready for war comes Tues, May 31 at Miami’s American Airlines Arena. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat will hold the home-court advantage. For the rabid fan, experience this NBA Finals schedule and match-up story.

Sirius and ESPN places to listen while ABC plays NBA Finals

All 2011 NBA Finals games will air on ABC television and broadcast on ESPN Radio and Sirius XM satellite radio. The game schedule is as follows:

Game 1: Tuesday, May 31 in Miami, 9 p.m. ET
Game 2: Thursday, June 2 in Miami, 9 p.m. ET
Game 3: Sunday, June 5 in Dallas, 8 p.m. ET
Game 4: Tuesday, June 7 in Dallas, 9 p.m. ET
Game 5 (if necessary): Thursday, June 9 in Dallas, 9 p.m. ET
Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, June 12 in Miami, 8 p.m. ET
Game 7 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 14 in Miami, 9 p.m. ET

How the competitors will do

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are the dynamic duo for the Miami Heat that can scare any defense. The individuals are both known for how well they’re able to score, and they have learned to play together very well recently.

”King” James ends up with the ball when the Heat is in danger though. James’ freakish combination of size, athleticism, shooting touch and basketball IQ can’t be contained. Dallas will have to work a lot on his teammates which might be hard with Wade. The Miami Heat will very easily win the 2011 NBA Finals in five games if Chris Bosh plays very well and Udonis Haslem can keep Dirk Nowitzki scared.

Hard for the newbie Nowitzki

Careful passing and a commitment to challenging James and Wade on the offensive end won’t only ensure the Dallas Mavericks remain in the series, but it should spell victory against the less experienced Heat. Dirk Nowitzki has worked on his lower body strength quite a bit lately while doing well in the playoffs with 28.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Haslem will realize how good the kid is doing. The veterans Kidd and Terry, both Jasons, will help a lot too. The same could be said for Shawn “The Matrix” Marion, who has made key plays.

It is true that the championship window is slowly closing for Kidd, Terry and Marion which might make them work harder. Not only that, but Nowitzki appears to have finally ditched the catcalls of being “soft.” Even with injuries, the Dallas Mavericks could beat the Miami Heat in seven games. Jose Barea and Tyson Chandler could do this effortlessly.

Wait until next year, LeBron.

Citations

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/27/nba-finals-schedule-2011-_n_867972.html

Yahoo! Sports

sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-8546101



Thursday, June 2, 2011

Giving city workers some sex change insurance coverage is necessary according to the Portland mayor

Transgender community workers of Portland, Ore., Mayor Sam Adams thinks the area should pay for your gender change medical operation. According to Adams, it is only right that area health insurance cover the procedure. The Portland Community Council is expected to vote on Adams’ proposal as early as June.

‘Fair, common sense,’ said Adams

According to Mayor Adams, the bill is “fair, common sense.” This is what he told The Oregonian newspaper. The previous year, the committee decided that sex change operation charges should not be covered in the Portland self-insurance fund, which would be overridden if the legislation makes it. The denial ended up occurring. This was because the community did not decide entirely to change community policy like this.

It would cost about $32,000 a year for transgender medical operation benefits in Portland according to Adams’ estimates. The area would have to increase its self-insurance plan spending budget. It would only be about a .08 percent increase though.

Keeping ‘medically necessary’ things covered for staff

The American Medical Association made a decision in 2008. It decided that transgender health care is “medically important.” Under the AMA resolution, withholding coverage for procedure of gender identity disorder when such treatment has been prescribed by a physician is not allowed.

“As Mayor, it is important to me that we attract and retain the best and brightest employees to the City of Portland,” writes Adams in a press statement. “Covering basic, medically-necessary care is a matter of fairness, and it’s the right thing to do.”

Choosing an insurance

Kaiser and self-insurance plans called CityCore are both offered to employees of Portland. These are the only two possibilities the employees have. CityCore would cover gender change surgery if Adams gets what he wants making the city’s plan the same as 22 percent of Fortune 100 Companies’ plans and just like many other Oregon businesses.

Just like San Fran

Transgender operation benefits became covered in 2001 in San Francisco. This made it the first United States city to do so. Then-Mayor Willie Brown and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a bill that extended coverage of the gender change operation for city employees, as well as accompanying hormone treatments and related medical needs.

Male to female medical operation costs $37,000 and female to male cost $77,000 at that time. Fees were capped at $50,000 per person for life in the San Francisco ordinance while 15 percent if the surgeon is on the community health plan had to be paid.

Sam Adams at a rally for same-sex marriage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BMPgHIrjKA

Articles cited

Basic Rights Oregon

basicrights.org/

OregonLive.com

blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhall/2011/05/mayor_sam_adams_to_push_sex-ch.html

Portland Online

portlandonline.com/mayor/?a=350579&c=49278

SF Gate

sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/02/16/MN202072.DTL



Saturday, May 28, 2011

Rare vehicles auctioned for millions in Italy

RM Auctions had its first auction at the Villa d’Este concourse in Cernobbio, Italy this last weekend. The auction featured a catalog assured to make a vintage car buff salivate. A plethora of rare, classic and historically important automobiles were offered for sale. Many of the cars went for multi-millions of dollars.

Anticipation is high

Several were excited for the auction to come around. Collectors were especially excited. Paul Lienert spoke before the event. He said, “The first-ever Villa d’Este sale will feature the crème de la crème of classic European hardware.”

Interest in the rare Ford roadster

The highlight of the sale was the rare 1965 Ford GT40 Works prototype roadster which collectors were excited about on May 21. In the 1965 Targa Florio, the vehicle was a works entrant. It was co-piloted by Sir John Whitmore and Bob Bondurant. Even though it was a top seller, it didn’t make as much as the event it anticipated.

Some vehicles cost millions to buy

There were a few top sellers. They sold for millions. The Ferrari 375 MM from 1995 was there. It sold for $4.8 million. The 1938 art-deco Talbot-Lago T150-C SS was there. It cost $4 million for a buyer. Almost $4 million was paid for the four-cylinder Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa. The 1959 Ferrari 250 California sold too. It was at $3.6 million. There was a 1947 Bugatti Type 57sc Atlante that sold for about the same price as the 1965 Ford GT40 roadster prototype. Both went for a little under $3 million.

The 1953 250 MM Ferrari was built specifically for Mexican collector Efrain Ruiz Echeverria and sold for $3 million. He drove it in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.

Cost over a million for some

About $2.1 million was paid for the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal and $1 million for the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero.

The millions mark was not for every auto

There were two Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeos which were from the 1960s and sold for $370,000 and $900,000. All totaled, the auction brought in about $32 million.

Articles cited

Autoblog

autoblog.com/2011/05/24/rare-classics-sell-for-millions-at-villa-deste-auction/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29

Top Gear

topgear.com/uk/photos/rm-auctions-villa-d-este-2011-05-17

Edmunds Inside Line

insideline.com/ford/gt/ford-gt40-prototype-headlines-villa-d-este-auction.html



Friday, May 27, 2011

Democrat wins chair from GOP in special House political election

Democrat Kathy Hochul won what was a Republicans chair in the House in a special political election held Tuesday in N.Y.’s 26th Congressional District. Hochul’s opponent was Republican Jane Corwin. Hochul narrowly won, 47 percent to 43 percent. Jack Davis, once a Democrat but now a Tea Party member, earned 9 percent of the votes.

Changes in Medicare don’t get candidates support

Hochul was very clear about the Medicare changes being considered. Ryan, the House Budget Committee Chairman, suggested these changes. These changes aren’t supported by Hochul in any means. In last week’s debate with Corwin, who supports Ryan’s spending budget plans, Hochul said: “I will fight any plan that tries to decimate Medicare. That is something people in this district feel passionately about, and I do as well.”

The win was something Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Steve Israel commented on: “Even in one of the most Republican districts, seniors and independent voters rejected the Republican plan to end Medicare.”

Getting Medicare changes through the system

Ryan’s Medicare redesign was passed by the House on April 15 with all Democrats four Republicans opposing. The proposed changes include federally subsidized premiums for private insurance, and would apply to individuals who are now younger than 55.

Obama praises Hochul victory

On Tuesday, President Obama made a statement praising the Hochul win. “Kathy has shown, through her victory and throughout her career, that she will fight for the families and companies in western New York, and I anticipate working with her when she gets to Washington.”

Argument from Republicans

The idea that victory was depending on Medicare reform issues was debated by House Republican Leader Eric Cantor. ”This race is about the truth that it’s a three-way race,” Cantor said. He said this to reporters.

Chair vacated in sex scandal

Hochul will take the chair vacated in the wake of Republican Rep. Chris Lee’s sex scandal. Lee had nothing left to do but step down in February. There were shirtless photos of him shown publicly after he sent them to a woman he met on Craigslist.

More special elections slated

Later this year, there will be two more special House elections held. One, to be held in July, will be to replace California Democrat Jane Harman. In Sept, an election will be held in Nevada to replace Republican Dean Heller. The chair vacated by John Ensign will be filled by Heller in Senate.

Information from

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/24/new-york-special-election_n_866074.html

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43161820/ns/politics-capitol_hill

Chicago Tribune

chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-pn-ryan-special-election-20110525,0,3908152.story



Saturday, May 21, 2011

Great news for men who drink coffee

Guys who drink a lot of coffee can revel in their habit, guilt-free. Coffee may ward off prostate cancer. A new study has found that those who drink six cups of Joe per day or more have the least risk of prostate cancer, especially the deadliest forms.

The plus side of being a caffeine fiend

Men who are addicted to caffeine might be excited to hear the good news, reports MSNBC. The Harvard School of Public Health just released a new study on it. It is good for health to drink a ton of coffee even though there may be some down sides. This was shown as the chance of getting prostate cancer was much lower with a man who drank coffee a lot. The study, according to CBS, followed 48,000 guys from 1986 to 2008 and gathered information about their coffee habits every four years. Those who drank six or more cups in a habit were not getting as many cases of prostate cancer. This was with all forms of the cancer.

Contrary outcomes from research done previously

The Harvard School of Public Health came out with a study about 30 years back that said the opposite of what results in the new study indicate. The research was flawed though. The research methodology was questionable. Patients who had cancer reported coffee details better in the research from years ago since patients were asked about coffee habits. This is known as “recall bias.” It makes it so early results are contaminated. In the research that has just been unveiled, guys who drank six cups of coffee per day or more had 60 percent less of a chance of getting prostate cancer and a 20 percent less chance of developing the deadliest forms of the disease. Those who drank three cups a day or fewer cut their chances by 30 percent, though it made no difference whether it was regular or decaffeinated coffee.

Conclusions unknown

The reason coffee could have an effect on prostate cancer is unknown, according to WebMD, however one of the leading theories is the presence of antioxidants. Several benefits, such as low risk of heart disease and cancer, have been shown to correlate with dietary antioxidants. There are other health benefits that have been connected to drinking coffee. It decreases the risk for gout, Type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. One in six men is affected by prostate cancer making it probably the most common cancer in men. prostate cancer causes over 30,000 fatalities a year.

Information from

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43065205/ns/health-cancer/

CBS

cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20063692-10391704.html?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.9

WebMD

webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20110517/coffee-may-lower-prostate-cancer-risk



Friday, May 20, 2011

Consumer protection bureau doesn't scare all cash advance lenders

The Dodd Frank Act, among other things, put consumer financial goods like credit cards and payday loans under the auspices of the CFPB, the government agency which is currently stalled in coming to life in Congress. Payday lending was one of the things that consumer supports were keen on getting under greater government oversight. Some were hoping the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would regulate payday loan lenders out of existence. A payday lending firm is not scared in the least, and welcomes the bureau’s attention.

Good news from Advance America exec on company

Since the Customers Financial Protection Bureau would protect consumers from opposed goods such as payday loans, several consumer supports loved the idea of the bureau. Opponents have called for the product to be regulated out of existence and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau seemed a good automobile with which to do that. The CFPB is welcomed by one cash advance business executive. William Webster, Chairman of Advance America Cash advance Centers Inc. has said he welcomes federal scrutiny, according to the Wall Street Journal. The business already discloses all of its practices meaning the government won’t be able to hurt it.

Hoping for Warren

The Huffington Post reports that Elizabeth Warren has been praised by Webster on record for getting the bureau set up and stopping overdraft fees from happening. Overdraft fees and payday loans are different goods though. Loan companies such as Webster will not have an issue with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau looking into abuses in their companies. This is because they do not abuse anything and really disclose fees as they are intended to. Legislation should be made to work for lenders and customers, especially in online lending. This is what payday cash loan firms believe in. Webster believes that online lenders and overdraft loan programs should be getting more regulation than any other since they typically keep away from laws more than stores.

How the bureau is looking

The CFPB doesn’t have a clear future. The agency will have a hard time getting started with Congress around. There were already three bills introduced to slow the start of the agency or change the way it is directed. Any payday advance firms dreading the bureau opening its doors can rest easy, as the July 21 deadline to hire a director is a couple of months away, and given that Congress cannot choose if it should have one director or five, according to CNN, it may not start regulating anything for a while to come.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110513-712677.html

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/10/payday-loan-kingpin-praises-elizabeth-warren_n_859753.html?ir=Business

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/05/06/news/economy/cfpb_director/?section=money_latest



Thursday, May 19, 2011

After years of baseball games, 74 year old Harmon Killebrew finally perished

Former Minnesota Twins All-Star Harmon Killebrew has succumbed to throat cancer. The pride of Payette, Idaho, 11-time MLB All-Star and 1969 American League MVP was 74 years old. The ambassador for the game of baseball ended his days peacefully while asleep in his Scottsdale, Ariz., home. He was accompanied in his last moments by wife Nita and their children.

Now Killebrew is in Hospice over Mayo Clinic from the past

Monday, a statement was released by Killebrew. It said that the esophageal cancer is in advanced stages so the Mayo Clinic can no longer help. Killebrew stated that he would spend his final days in Hospice care. He did not learn about his cancer for long. Six months before, he declared it.

How ‘The Killer’ got his enthusiasts

Pitchers were never comfortable facing the 5-foot-11, 220-pound Killebrew as he swung mightily from the right-hand side of the plate. Harmon “The Killer” Killebrew had huge arms and hands. The power in his hits was something every person wanted to see. He led the American League six times, once as a Washington Senator and five times as a Minnesota Twin, in home runs while leading the RBI only three times in his 22 year career from 1954 to 1975 where he had 573 home runs making him number 11 on the all-time list. The official Major League Baseball logo is believed to be of Killebrew’s powerful swing.

“He hit line drives that put the opposition in jeopardy,” former Washington Senators scout Ossie Bluege once said. “And I don’t mean the infielders. I mean the outfielders.”

Most followers liked the soft-spoken nature that Killebrew showed.

“No individual has ever meant more to the Minnesota Twins organization and millions of fans across Twins territory than Harmon Killebrew,” Twins president Dave St. Peter said. “Killebrew’s legacy will be the class, dignity and humility he demonstrated each and every day as a Hall of Fame-quality husband, father, friend, teammate and man.”

Jeff Idelson is the Baseball games Hall of Fame President. He even said, “It’s ironic that his nickname was ‘Killer,’ as he was one of the nicest, most nice individuals to ever walk the earth.”

Information from

Associated Press

nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43062969/ns/sports-baseball/

Baseball Reference

baseball-reference.com/players/k/killeha01.shtml

Boston Globe

bo.st/iLkYND

Minneapolis Star-Tribune

startribune.com/sports/twins/122004519.html

‘We’re here to love and help one other,’ said Killebrew

youtube.com/watch?v=GV9oEeKhI6s



Mississippi river crests as most detrimental is finished for Memphis

The American southeast is being battered by the Mississippi river, which has been swollen and flooding for several weeks. The worst is over for Memphis, Tenn., as the river has crested in the Music City. There are other areas which still face significant danger, though.

Homeless people

More than 1,000 individuals have been rendered homeless, however some of the greatest landmarks in the state of TN have gone untouched. BBC reports that Music City’s Beale Street district wasn’t hurt by floodwaters at all. The Mississippi has not harmed Graceland, the estate that was the home of Elvis Presley in his later life until his death in 1977. One of the officials of the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, the county Memphis is located in, was quoted as saying people would be willing to “charge hell with a water pistol” to keep Graceland safe. Flash floods in the Memphis area are a significant concern, reports CBS. About 1,300 homes were evacuated because of this fear. The water will take a while to recede.

Flooding after storms are over

After the snowfall near record on the East Coast of the United States, the Mississippi river has gotten very high. However, the floodwaters near Memphis recently crested at 48 feet, less than 10 inches shy of the record set in 1937. Though the most detrimental of the danger is coming to an end in Memphis, there is considerable danger left for the rest of the cities and states along the path of the Mississippi river. There have been issues with the flood in the rest of the Mississippi river system and river delta. Still, precautions are still being taken. Pressure on the New Orleans’ levees should be relieved by the Bonnet Carre Spillway, states MSNBC. The Army Corps of Engineers just opened it up. Measures are being taken to prepare for the water going in that direction, although floodwaters are going through the delta already.

Floods compared to history

The Christian Science Monitor reports that even though the flood amounts are bad, they are not as bad as the floods in 1927 killing hundreds and costing millions. There is more than 2,000 miles of levees which were constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in response to the 1927 floods. The water always has to go someplace though. That means the Mississippi water has to flood someplace else when the spillways are opened. It is expected that 900,000 acres of Arkansas farmland will become flooded as the water moves toward the Gulf of Mexico and spillways are opened along the way.

Information from

BBC

bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13337548

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42973616/ns/us_news-environment/

CBS

cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/09/travel/main20061138.shtml

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0509/Mississippi-River-nears-crest-in-Memphis-but-concern-shifts-south



Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Kutcher takes over for Sheen on sitcom

According to TMZ, Ashton Kutcher has signed on to replace Charlie Sheen in the cast of "Two and a Half Men." Sources indicate that the previous "That 70s Show" and "Punk’d" star has signed a contract that will pay him between $625,000 and $900,000 per episode, just over half of what Charlie Sheen reportedly earned. The ninth season of "Two and a Half Men" may return as a reboot around mid-season or as late as this fall.

The plan for Ashton Kutcher

Angus T. Jones and Jon Cryer will continue to play their roles. That means Jake and Alan can be coming back. Some suggested that Ashton Kutcher might replace Sheen as Charlie Harper in "Two and a Half Men." This isn’t true; all that is known is that he will be living in the Malibu beach house with characters Cryer and Jones.

Kutcher entered the arena late in the game

The replacement of Sheen on "Two and a Half Men" has meant lots of rumored actors and actresses. Hugh Grant, Jenny McCarthy, Matt Dillon, John Stamos and Sheen's recommendation Rob Lowe were all rumored. Because of "creative differences," Grant didn't get the part even though as of May 11, he had almost won it, reports the Huffington Post.

Kutcher made the deal with Chuck Lorre, the "Two and a Half Men" creator, and CBS. He said things such as "What’s the square root of 6.25? Two and a half," on Twitter to his 6.7 million fans that viewed. Lorre and "Two and a Half Men" producers look forward using Kutcher’s massive Twitter fan base to help promote the show.

Disputes from Charlie Sheen

Kutcher's job isn’t something Charlie Sheen has talked about. The "Sheen's Korner" video podcast may continue while Charlie Sheen has to finish his "Violent Torpedo of Truth" tour. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sheen may end up in "Entourage" also. He has also expressed interest in getting his "Two and a Half Men" job back, claiming that he is now willing to apologize for his comments against the show and Chuck Lorre.

Articles cited

Hollywood Report

hollywoodreporter.com/news/sources-confirm-ashton-kutcher-will-188048

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/12/ashton-kutcher-joins-two-and-a-half-men_n_861389.html

TMZ

//bit.ly/kFGmDp

‘What’s the square root of 6.25? Two and a half.’

youtube.com/watch?v=GlVUcEr7I2E



Friday, May 13, 2011

Ford debuts new Focus ST after seven-year absence

Ford is currently testing a new Focus ST that will debut in The United States. The ST is the sport version of the Ford Focus, and it can have a sport suspension and far more powerful motor. This one may be worth the wait, but it can be out fairly soon. The ST can be at dealerships by 2012.

When the United States gets to see the new Ford Focus

A performance version of the Ford Focus, the Focus ST, is currently undergoing worldwide testing to stoke demand for the auto before it debuts in late 2011, according to USA Today. There will be good suspension and horsepower from the care. Ford has dispatched about 60 prototypes to various areas, including a few in the United States, to undergo testing and to promote awareness of the new car. There are black spots on silver with the car in photos that have been seen. You may have even seen the new Focus ST if you saw a Focus lower to the ground that has great turning and is oddly colored.

About the engine

The motor in the new Focus ST isn’t known. It is the same as other Focus automobiles. Until 2004, the Focus SVT was sold in the U.S. It had a 2.7 liter, five-cylinder motor that put out 227 horsepower, according to MotorTrend. Other focus models have 2.0 liter inline four cylinder engines. The Focus ST will only be different in that it can have the Ecoboost version with direct injections. The ST is rated to generate a tooth-rattling 246 horsepower and 250 foot-pounds of torque. There may also be Electric Power Help on the Ford car. It can have racing suspension to help. It is expected that it will cost in the upper Ford model range in cost, although it hasn’t gotten priced yet. The most expensive Focus, according to the Ford website, is the Titanium package, which costs just less than $23,000.

London calling

The United States may be excited to have the performance Focus. It isn’t the first Ford has made though. The ST is a performance-oriented compact automobile as a hatchback, making it a European vehicle that several want. Wikipedia states that the Focus ST has been accessible since 2005 in Australia and Europe with its five cylinder 2.5 liter motor. Soon the ST will hit international markets while the Focus itself is being re-released by Ford as an international model. The new Focus on sale in London is the same automobile for sale in Melbourne and Los Angeles. The British love the Ford Focus, although it sells well in The United States too. Top Gear explains the United Kingdom has made the auto one of its best-selling automobiles. In Britain, it was the third best in 2010. Other Ford Vehicles do well too. The Ford Fiesta was on top.

Citations

USA Today

content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/05/ford-starts-us-testing-of-powerful-focus-st/1

Motor Trend

wot.motortrend.com/new-ford-focus-st-test-mules-force-76643.html

Ford

ford.com/cars/focus/features/#page=FeatureCategory1

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_%28International%29

Top Gear

topgear.com/uk/photos/uk-top-ten-cars-of-2010-2011-01-07?imageNo=0



Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Going short, Pimco warns markets about risky bonds

The world leader in bond trading has bet that a solution to Washington’s budget crisis will not be resolved anytime soon. Treasuries have lost their luster for the Pimco Total Return Fund, which has gone short on government debt. Source for this article – Pimco moves market with short position on U.S. government debt by MoneyBlogNewz.

The United States Treasuries will be impacted by Pimco

The Nation’s triple-A bond rating could be endangered and Pimco is betting on the deficit problem driving up rates of interest. Pimco gambled that it could purchase back securities at a lower price than it could sell them for, thus causing them to sell a lot. Bill Gross, head of Pimco, has been warning people of the U.S. government debt. Gross sold all of Pimco’s treasury holdings in February causing lots of concern. He bet $7 million against securities in March.

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

Pimco’s possession was brief

The deficit problem won’t be solved by Congress according to Gross. Pimco sent out a newsletter in April stating essentially that they felt the government was “out Greeking the Greeks.” Greece’s massive government debt forced its leaders to ask for a bailout from the European Union to prevent a global chain response of financial failure. The current GDP in the United States is five times worse than that of Greece.

Pimco might have an advantage in the market

Gross is intending his best to influence the market to make sure that it plays out in his favor. CNBC’s John Carney does caution investors when it comes to following Gross’ methods. The term that is used is “dangerously wrong,” when defining the shifts Wall Street has viewed as ‘correct’ in the past few years.

Citations

Associated Press

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

Fortune

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

Christian Science Monitor

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

Reuters

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



Sunday, April 24, 2011

Get more money whenever you sell online

Whenever you are selling an item online, you probably want to get as much money as possible. With the popularity of online advertising, however, it can be intimidating. Getting your ad seen among the rivals can feel tough. You can improve the price you get whenever you sell online. It takes just a couple simple steps, and a few additional minutes of effort. Post resource – Four easy ways to get more money for what you are selling by MoneyBlogNewz.

1. Photography importance

Online buyers look at photos first. This is how the search begins. In fact, more than 83 percent of home buyers will choose whether to visit a house depending on photos online. The sales prices increase 5 to 30 percent by simply putting up good pictures, even though it may be easy to just take a cell phone picture. The lighting in the home should be really well for the picture. Also, avoid blur with a fast shutter speed. The $100 to $300 in photography that is professional might be worth it when you have a high-dollar item to sell.

2. Don’t use weird language

When marketing an item, be very clear over it. This can help a lot. Be very clear by avoiding wording such as a “seriously awesome camera that will make your photos 1 billion times better,” and instead say what you are marketing for instance “10 megapixel camera with full manual settings to control the photo.” It is more likely to sell with this phrasing. Do use numbers, statistics and specifications. More than three adjectives in one sentence is a poor choice. It might cost $50 to $100 to get a professional. You may just have a friend look over it instead.

3. Make sure you research

It might put off buyers if you ask too much, even if you’re hopeful about costs. See what the price of your item should be. Sometimes you sell for the higher than going rate. If this is the case, make sure you explain why. Sometimes, you are asking less than the going rate. This is also something you should explain. Deviations from the norm in either direction are likely to be noticed, and answering the questions right off the bat makes your listing more attractive to buyers.

4. Do not become spammers

Just in case your listing isn’t seen, it can be tempting to post the item twice in one day. There is search functionality in most online services. Posting your item multiple times just gets annoying to viewers and makes you look desperate. Only re-post your item if you make change to the price or the terms. It takes effort and cash to list something more than once in one place. Avoid this.

Articles cited

MSN Real Estate

realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13108474

Small Biz Trends

smallbiztrends.com/2010/04/5-tactics-to-improve-online-sales.html



Saturday, April 23, 2011

Property owners to be recompensed by 14 financial institutions for foreclosures

Property owners which were wrongfully foreclosed on by financial institutions in the robosigning scandal will be paid back, as 14 large mortgage lenders have been ordered to pay these individuals back by the government. The exact number of people who were improperly foreclosed on is not known. However, they will certainly be repaid for the suffering they endured at the hands of the errant banks.

Largest financial institutions in the nation to pay the price of incompetence

Federal regulators recently reached a settlement with the financial institutions involved in the robosigning scandal, in which foreclosure proceedings were improperly started against property owners because bank officers could not be bothered to do their due diligence on the paperwork concerning the state of the homeowners’ personal loans. Part of the settlement agreement, according to Reuters, is that any property owners who were wrongly foreclosed on have to be repaid by the bank that did it. Total, there were 14 corporations. USA Today states that they are Ally Financial, Aurora Bank, EverBank, HSBC, Sovereign Bank, SunTrust Banks, MetLife Bank, OneWest Bank, PNC, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Citibank. Loan servicing corporations MERSCORP and Lender Processing Services have also been required! to pay back improper foreclosures. Soon, impacted homeowners will be contacted. Arrangements can then be made.

Not sure what total fallout will end up at

The numbers of individuals that need to get paid or the fines that could be placed have not been added together yet. Government officials like the idea of giving a $20 billion fine to the banks. Banks have even more to worry about. This settlement really only has reached the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision. Other federal agency settlements still need to be made. The state lawyer generals are also waiting.

Costs of mortgages to increase

Banking and real estate insiders are insisting that the new legislation and increased regulatory scrutiny will increase the costs of lending a mortgage to a prospective homeowner. New Federal Reserve rules on mortgage officer compensation, according to MarketWatch, may cut into commissions for loan officers. Mortgage brokers and loan officers at lending institutions can’t receive a commission depending on the interest rate at which a mortgage is lent at any longer, which analysts predict will eat into profits. The customers are the ones that will end up hurt by the legislation and paying more. The Center for Responsible Lending is a customer advocacy group that pointed this out.

Articles cited

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/04/13/us-financial-regulation-foreclosures-idUSTRE73C3DV20110413?pageNumber=1

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2011-04-13-wrong-foreclosures-repay.htm

MarketWatch

marketwatch.com/story/home-loan-brokers-face-new-limits-on-pay-2011-04-11



Friday, April 22, 2011

Federal probe into robosigning reaches initial negotiation

The federal investigation into the robosigning scandal has reached an initial settlement. The controversy stems from the nation’s largest mortgage loan providers having improperly foreclosed on people by not making sure that foreclosure paperwork was correctly done. The initial terms of a settlement between the banks that committed said offenses and the government has been hammered out.

Details on JPMorgan deal

Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan Chase Jamie Dimon recently disclosed the government probe into the robosigning controversy had come to an agreement with the mortgage loan providers being investigated, according to Reuters. There will most likely be fines soon even though Dimon explained there hadn't been any made yet. The nation's largest mortgage loan companies and servicers were the subject of a sweeping investigation by nearly a dozen federal agencies and the attorney general of every state in the union. The agreement is not complete; it is only the settlement between the financial institutions involved and the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision. A negotiation with all 50 state attorneys general has not been reached.

It will not be long before state settlements happen

The controversy stemmed from the discovery that a lot of foreclosure proceedings started when paperwork to begin foreclosures was approved in a robotic fashion, or "robo-signed," without proper review. The resolution of the robosigning foreclosure ordeal is essential, as foreclosure practices may change. JPMorgan, for instance, expects to hire at least 3,000 more employees to ensure compliance with the settlement agreement, according to Bloomberg. The mortgage lenders are likely to end up needing more money to make the loans with all the increased regulation that are likely to occur in the mortgage industry. Eventually the banks have to pass those costs on. The consumers are likely to have to bear them. On the books, there are a ton of foreclosures just waiting to happen. The loan companies are worried about simply foreclosing now.

Failing with the mortgage modification program

The mortgage modification programs were some of the biggest failures in all of the stimulus programs that the Obama administration put together. Anybody could apply for a modification if they were about to be foreclosed upon and were behind on mortgages. The distressed homeowner's lender would receive an incentive payment from the government if it modified the borrowers' mortgage on a trial basis. USA Today states that few individuals actually used it. The goal was to keep 3 million to 4 million individuals in their homes; instead only about 630,000 individuals had their mortgages permanently modified.

Details from

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/04/13/us-financial-regulation-foreclosures-idUSTRE73C3DV20110413

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-13/jpmorgan-says-foreclosure-accord-with-federal-reserve-occ-may-come-today.html

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2011-04-12-mortgage-borrowers-letters.htm?loc=interstitialskip



Thursday, April 21, 2011

Hedge fund industry resumes attracting billions, but for what?

The billions adding up in hedge fund investments are approaching pre-crisis levels. In search of high returns, investors are turning once again to hedge funds and their risky approaches. However, the prosperity isn’t spread equally throughout the industry and many hedge funds are anticipated to vanish throughout the course of the year.

Hedge funds treading water

The hedge fund industry drew $22 billion from investors in March, the highest rate in over a year, according to Hedgefund.net. The hedge fund business got $2.5 trillion total currently which is 83 percent of the 2008 high. However apart from a few superstars, hundreds of hedge funds are scrambling to reach their historic peaks, the point at which they can resume collecting profits. Of the 2,500 funds that report voluntarily on their business, about 35 percent nevertheless have to get back to normal, Hedgefund.net reports. Investors are seeing a rise in funds. Nevertheless, the returns have to get to as great as they were before the crisis if the hedge funds are to charge performance fees. For example, a hedge fund managing $100 million that lost 25 percent during the meltdown must generate returns of up to 35 percent on the leftover $75 million to hit the high water mark. The fund is probably not able to return to getting 20 percent for years.

The manipulation in the hedge funds

The only way hedge funds have been able to survive is with the fees requires for management. This consists of client expenditures fees also as 2 percent of assets. Others who lost most of their client’s money simply shut down, reopen under a different name, entice new investors and start collecting performance fees. The hedge fund manipulation starts from there. There are performance territory fees the hedge funds want to put together. These are changed by the additional holdings they purchase up themselves right before the end of a quarter. They dump it all after results are recorded. This was confirmed in a study done by Swiss Finance Institute, Toulouse School of Economics, Wharton and Ohio State. More than normal, stocks with lots of hedge fund ownership do well with last-second rallies. After the manipulation, stocks with high hedge fund ownership also trended toward lower returns on the first day of the month.

The hedge fund mystique

With so several hedge funds battling to make a comeback, industry experts predict a hedge fund shake-out in 2011 as underperforming funds lose top traders to rivals and disappear from the landscape. Figures show this is already occurring all the time. In the last five years, Hedgefund.net reports, the median return of 1,400 hedge funds was 41 percent. However during that time, 3,000 hedge funds fell by the wayside. According to Brett Arends at MarketWatch, the good numbers reported by the hedge fund industry only contain a few of the survivors. There was a 10-year comparison that he did with 2,229 hedge funds starting in 2001 and the “vanilla portfolio” of his own. There was a 94 percent average on the vanilla portfolio. If the industry were to match the vanilla portfolio, it would need all the hedge funds that failed to do better. They would have all needed to get 60 percent. There were 535 survivors which one fifth did not even do well.

Information from

Market Watch

marketwatch.com/story/the-truth-about-hedge-funds-1302121763886?pagenumber=2

New York Times

dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/many-hedge-funds-still-smarting-from-the-financial-crisis/?src=dlbksb

All About Alpha

allaboutalpha.com/blog/2011/03/02/hedge-funds-and-stock-manipulation-perpetrators-accomplices-or-just-in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time-again/



Children most frequent sufferers of identity theft

Child identity theft is becoming all the rage. As a new study has shown, child identity theft is increasing because it is simple for thieves to steal data from unsuspecting parents they utilize to commit pilfering that aren’t found until their long gone. Resource for this article – Child identity theft victims hurt most often by their loved ones by MoneyBlogNewz.

Why child identity theft takes place

There have been thousands already victims of identity theft while thousands more have the risk there still. A Carnegie Mellon University CyLab cybersecurity research center report explained this clearly. There were 42,232 children in the report looked at from the 2009-10 Debix AllClear ID Protection Network scan where parents were told about compromised child IDs. There were 4,311 children, a little over 10 percent, which had identity thieves steal Social Security numbers according to Debix AllClear ID data. Obviously there is issue when there is a 0.2 percent rate of U.S. adults that have their identity stolen which is 51 times lower than the child rate according to the Debix AllClear ID 663 attacks out of 347,362 adults. The youngest it ever got was a five month old. The identity was stolen nevertheless. There were 42 open accounts in Arizona that a 17 year old girl found out she had. In all of these credit cards, automobile loans and mortgages, she owed $725,000 in ! debt. Her Social Security number was connected to eight suspects. In Kentucky, a 14 year old boy found out there was a foreclosure on his credit. It was from 10 years earlier too.

Friendly fraud victimizes

After child identity theft began in the early 1980s, it has come even farther. Back then the Internal Revenue Service directed the Social Security Administration to give all kids Social Security numbers. Everyone with access to the Social Security numbers would typically abuse them. Kids easily became victims of this. In 2010, thirty percent of cases in child identity theft were “friendly fraud,” according to Javelin Strategy and Research. Because credit checks do not verify age, identity thieves can freely take out loans, get charge cards and create accounts. One young male in Florida got help after finding out his father had stolen his identity and hurt his credit years before from the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Figuring out child identity theft

The dangers in sharing information on the internet and not being private should be taught to every child according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. Keep all the significant personal information in a safe place. This should contain Social Security numbers and birth certificates. You may have mail that came in a child’s name. This could possibly be a concern that credit was opened for the child. A credit report could possibly be taken for the child from all three credit reporting agencies. Sometimes there is no credit history. That is most likely good for child. When you have a credit score for the child, file a security alert. Do this at TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Use the credit rating to file a police report also. The fraudulent account listed in a police report will require credit states to take them off of the report. It will only take 30 days max to get this to happen.

Information from

Forbes

blogs.forbes.com/moneybuilder/2011/03/31/protecting-your-child-from-identity-theft/

Atlanta Journal Constitution

ajc.com/news/child-identity-theft-increases-572552.html

Wallet Pop

walletpop.com/2011/04/05/report-as-child-id-theft-grows-rapidly-consider-these-precauti/



Advertisement supported Kindle to ship on May 3

E-readers, tablets and other mobile devices are upending the traditional print industry, which suits Amazon just fine, because of the Kindle. Currently, Amazon has a 60 percent market share in the e-reader market, a hold that should increase as the $114 Kindle with Special Offers hits the market next month. What’s the catch? The new Amazon Kindle, while no different from the Kindle 3 in most respects, can be ad-supported. Article source – Amazon to release ad-supported Kindle for $114 by MoneyBlogNewz.

Putting advertisements on a kindle; pay less

The price of the Amazon Kindle has fallen a few times since the first generation was introduced at $399 in 2007. The price deduction never included advertisements before this. Doing this, the e-reader market can be breached making the iPad competition. The Kindle with Special Offers is slated to ship May 3. The Kindle 3 can be put in stores then. Both Best Purchase and Target will carry it.

It is “chicken in every pot” decision made with the $114 kindle with Special Offers according to Jeff Bezos, the Amazon CEO and founder:

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

Reader response to a Christian Science Monitor article about the price cut seems to echo the fears most consumers have about an ad-based Kindle. The price of books was brought up by one reader that says kindles for free with ads would be okay with $0.99 books. The $25 discount isn’t enough, according to some readers. Most experts’ say it is okay though since the ads only come up on the bottom of the home screen and on the screen saver.

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

Why every person worries about a price

TechCrunch predicts that the $114 Amazon Kindle with Special Features is an intermediary step toward a $99 Kindle for Christmas 2011. 99 is a magical number. Most marketing would suggest this.

The Columbia Business School in New York did research on this though. It showed this is probably not the case anymore. A dollar plus approach, adding a penny, was more effective than the dollar minus approach, taking a penny away. The Columbia study showed this clearly. Dollar plus brands seemed less manipulative to customers which is why the dollar plus method sold 3 percent more.

Citations

Christian Science Monitor

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

Columbia Business School

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

Knowing and Making

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

TechCrunch

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

Kindle sales tripled after last price drop

youtu.be/PaAFm_fZQ2A



Charge card mail offers have increased

Credit card mail is making a comeback, and economists see this as good news for the economy. Bankrate states that the customer credit industry has experienced a kind of renaissance when it comes to charge card mail offers. Witness the numbers: from Q4 2009 to Q4 2010, charge card mail offers climbed from 551 million to 1.4 billion, states Mintel Comperemedia. Article source – Recovery Watch: Credit card mail has increased dramatically by MoneyBlogNewz.

Making the credit offers shine

To be able to attract consumer business, more credit card offers are trumpeting no balance transfer fees, no foreign transaction fees and extended low introductory rates. Waiving balance transfer charges is particularly popular. Banks will go to extreme lengths just to get above the rest according to what Senior Vice President Andrew Davidson of Mintel told CreidtCards.com. Last year, a study showed that around 40 banks offering credit completely cancelled their transfer fees, and those who did keep them only kept the fee around 3.06%.

Standing out above the crowd

Another area where charge card issuers compete for business is the foreign transaction (aka currency conversion fee) arena. Transfer charges and Annual Percentage Rate fees are above important for any person who travels for business purposes or for pleasure. The typical 3 percent surcharge on foreign transactions can cost quite a bit before the trip is over. Last year a study conducted showed that over 90 percent of bank cards include this type of fee.

Now several large banks are waiving those transaction fees, such as Citibank, HSBC, and Chase.

Extended introductory rates: another bonus

Some credit card issuers push a zero-percent Annual Percentage Rate initially for some time, to try and get individuals to purchase into their card, this is known as an extended introductory rate.

The teaser rate offered by credit card typically exceeded 13 months in the fourth quarter of 2010, states Mintel. According to Davidson, that number is expected to grow.

“The squeeze on credit observed during mid-2009 is being reversed, and many issuers are now offering durations of 15, 17 or 18 months or more,” he told Bankrate. “We have even seen offers with 24- and 30-month intro rate durations in recent months.”

Legislation keeps charge card rates low

The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD) have helped stabilize charge card APRs. The mean for 2010’s fourth quarter was 14.03 percent, according to Mintel. “Many credit card companies have contrasted their APRs against the relatively high prime rate as a consumer draw,” said Davidson.

Information from

Bankrate

bankrate.com/financing/credit-cards/4-trends-in-credit-card-mail/

CreditCards.com

creditcards.com/credit-card-news/foreign-exchange-fees-going-up-1267.php

Pew Trusts

pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Credit_Cards/PEW-CreditCard FINAL.PDF

WhiteHouse.gov

whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Fact-Sheet-Reforms-to-Protect-American-Credit-Card-Holders/

Shop around for a better credit card than this

youtu.be/FunpS4QXcRI



Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Payday advance: Still right for Kentucky

Kevin Borland of the Kentucky branch of the Community Financial Services Association of The United States wants readers to know the failure of House Bill 182 is a victory for consumer freedom of choice. He writes in a Lexington Herald-Leader op-ed that this battle for freedom of choice sits at the heart of almost all arguments for the short term installment loans industry. Resource for this article – Right for consumers to choose preserved in Kentucky by MoneyBlogNewz.

House Bill 182 stopped for a while

Several opponents say they will get together in 2012 to revote with the same bill although Kentucky House Bill 182 was shot down in a 13-10 vote. This shows how Kentucky activists are left in the Dark. Borland says that they don’t understand pay day loans. There is very strict payday lending laws in the state. Payday lenders can’t charge interest at all. The definition of the loan is a single-payment, fee-based product in Kentucky.

It is just “a try to trick legislators and the public” into thinking it is bad to have short term installment loan pricing by using Annual Percentage Rate this way, Borland suggests. In reality, a flat fee of $15 to $25 per $100 loaned on a typical two-week payday advance is a 15 to 25 percent fee, depending upon the lender.

What CLOUT believes

The Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together (CLOUT) and the Kentucky Coalition for Responsible Lending (KCRL) supported House Bill 182, as did the AARP. The personal installment loan market has banks and credit unions in them, funded by CLOUT and KCRL that compete. Having competition is one thing while CLOUT and KCRL get money from payday lending rivals while attacking them. This involvement shouldn’t be there is a disclaimer at the very least. Borland states this is very significant.

With Chase Financial, AARP competes itself. The money advances AARP members get have a high rate of interest, claims Borland. That’s what it is though.

Financial choices made by consumers

While pay day loans may not be ideal for every financial scenario, they can be the least costly option available, particularly among credit constrained customers. CLOUT, KCRL and AARP should do something else besides short term installment loans if they’re hurtful to anybody, Borland state. The belief that those organizations don’t do so may suggest the attacks are all bark and no bite.

Information from

CLOUT Funding

cloutky.org/page3/page3.html

KCRL Coalition

kyresponsiblelending.wordpress.com/coalition-membership/

Lexington Herald-Leader

kentucky.com/2011/04/11/1704022/consumers-won-with-defeat-of-payday.html

The CFSA encourages responsible lending and borrowing

youtu.be/OZQr_nh7GZA



Thursday, April 7, 2011

Brand new jobless claims decrease; employers may be hiring

Employment activity has been showing some positive signs, especially in businesses hiring. A drop in the new jobless rate was disclosed by the government. Long term unemployment claims dropped as well, so it might not be a fluke. Companies might start hiring again this year. Article source – New jobless claims decline; employers may be hiring by MoneyBlogNewz.

Fewer unemployment claims filed

The U.S. Department of Labor recently released some weekly data about the job market. There was a drop in the week that ended on March 26 in the initial jobless claims or brand new applications for unemployment benefits by 6,000, states CNN. The initial jobless claims four-week average was nevertheless over 3,000. The first unemployment claims went up on average. The number of new individuals claiming unemployment benefits was increasing for few weeks, but then turned right around and dropped. Private companies are having fewer layoff announcements. This is also a decreasing number, USA Today reports.

Works better with slow however steady

Short term joblessness claims aside, long term unemployment claims — the number of people continually filing for joblessness benefits — fell by 51,000 during the week that ended March 19. There was a 31,000 decrease in the four-week average. That means that in March, fewer people are unemployed. Private businesses, mostly smaller businesses, are beginning to hire again. Payroll administration company Automatic Data Processing, Inc., observed more than 201,000 brand new jobs on payrolls in the private sector. There has also been an increase in factor jobs in the United States This means more manufacturing jobs are accessible, states Reuters. Even incredibly wealthy firms are starting to have a rosy outlook on hiring, as multiple news outlets reported that a survey of CEOs of large corporations revealed that more than 50 percent of the respondents were intending to hire individuals during the coming year.

Productivity up in The United States

MSNBC states that American productivity increased quite a bit which is the only good thing that came from the unemployment in the last few years. Employment has not been increasing although output in America is almost too where it was before the recession. That means fewer individuals are doing the work, however the same amount is getting done. There are fewer individuals getting paid and lower salaries. However, if the recent trends in employment data are signs of growth returning, that means some of the overworked and underpaid may become less overworked in coming months. More than likely, they’ll not get paid anymore though.

Citations

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/03/31/news/economy/initial_claims/index.htm

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/2011-03-30-hiring-picking-up.htm

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/03/31/us-usa-economy-idUSN3027570820110331?pageNumber=1

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/42349181/ns/business-world_business/



Saturday, April 2, 2011

A $53.4 million boost to smaller businesses

The Treasury Department has offered small businesses a large helping hand. The Treasury Department has infused $53.4 million into lending programs in Connecticut, Vermont and Missouri. The cash that is available is meant to create more investment. Specifically, states had to show that their programs would create $10 worth of lending for every $1 of investment. Source for this article – Treasury kicks off small business lending with $53.4 million by MoneyBlogNewz.

The Small Business Job Act information for you

Small businesses in the U.S. represent about 50 percent of all private-sector jobs in the United States, and 64 percent of new jobs created in the last 15 years have been created by smaller businesses. Small business growth has been encouraged by Congress in the U.S.. The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 was created to do this. The Act authorized the Treasury to hand out $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to states with solid plans to increase small business investment through loan guarantees and other lending programs.

Plans to invest in Connecticut $13.3 million

Businesses are able to get insurance loans in Connecticut due to the Treasury department funds. One significant part of this is to get investment portfolios from a financial group. The group picked, the Connecticut Development Authority, will be getting $13.3 million for this. There can be financial institutions give the CDA funds to fund small business loans. Nineteen businesses will be a part of this financing.

Spending $13.2 million on small businesses in Vermont's plan

The Treasury only needs to give Vermont $13.2 million for its plan. It plans on getting $132 million in small business lending from that. There will be business loans given to four programs. They will act like bad credit unsecured loans, not payday loans, for the businesses. The Small Business Loan Program will help businesses buy fixed assets for instance equipment with $3.3 million. IT and Bioscience businesses should be able to get help with the Technology Loan Participation Program which will get $3 million. About $1 million will go to portfolio insurance to lend. Another $5.9 million will go to building in Vermont with the Commercial Loan Participation Program.

Using $26.9 million in Missouri

Missouri qualified for the largest loan guarantee of the three states, at close to $27 million. There could be two funds for the money to go into. The Grow Missouri Loan Participation Fund will get $10 million to help companies that have less than 500 employees. The Loan Participation Fund provides loans of up to $3 million to help state companies grow. The final $16.9 million will create a new venture capital fund that will focus on high-tech startup companies.

Articles cited

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/03/22/smallbusiness/state_small_business_credit_initiative/index.htm

Small Business Administration

sba.gov/advocacy/7495/8420



Saturday, March 26, 2011

SSDI may go dry in 4 years

In 2005, the SSDI fund began to dish out more money than it was bringing in via tax receipts. That trend has continued each year – plus the number of Social Security beneficiaries grew by 489,488 in 2010, the highest one-year increase in history. According to the Wall Street Journal, SSDI can be empty in 7 years or fewer. Article source – Social Security Disability Insurance may go dry in 4 years by MoneyBlogNewz.

Social Security will spend $22 billion more than it makes

Social Security could have spent $153 billion in benefits by 2015. That’s $22 billion more than it is anticipated to take in, underscoring a problem that many Americans will soon face. With no changes at all, the Social Security retirement fund will last until about 2040 (and Medicare until 2029). Federal intervention can be required to keep SSDI alive for more than 7 years, say government auditors.

Applicants more than Social Security can manage

Because of the recession, more individuals have wanted Social Security. They have been applying like crazy. There has been a huge increase in the last decade of the number of people getting Social Security. This number increased to 10.2 million people from 6.6 million. The SSDI funds are needed by lots of states and territories the United States owns. In the last 10 years, there has been an 85 percent increase in Texas enrollment while, at the same time, New Hampshire has had a 69 percent growth. West Virginia gets more Social Security Disability Insurance than any other state when considering the percentage of total population.

The cause that many suspect is the manual labor related health difficulties that many states with manufacturing and agriculture are facing. U.S. territories like Puerto Rico heavily depend upon Social Security, considering the rash of factory and military base closures in recent years. The highest unemployment is generally reported in these states also. Puerto Rico politics are another issue. There is a lot of corruption.

Social Security Disability Insurance depends upon doctor’s orders

SSDI is more about medical opinion instead of being depending on age for instance Medicare and Social Security. As someone else pays the bills, local medical officials don’t have the immediate incentive to keep enrollment numbers down. While SSDI benefits could be modest in scope – payments averaged $1,064 per month in 2009 – participants gain access to other government benefits, which increases the cost for working class individuals. David Autor works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an SSDI expert. He said that regular Social Security Disability Insurance benefits to one person can add up to about $300,000 over a lifetime.

Should we expect higher taxes soon

Increasing the Social Security fund would be the only way to save SSDI without increasing taxes. This would drain away retirement funds, forcing retirees to swallow benefit cuts sooner than they would have otherwise. Nancy Altman is in the Social Security Works activist group. She says something has to be done about this.

“This is a program of crucial importance to every working American and his or her family,” she said.

Citations

ssdi, social security, social security disability insurance, social security bankrupt

No more Social Security Disability, US worries

The SSDI fund first started to pay out more than it was making back in 2005. That trend has continued each year – plus the number of Social Security beneficiaries grew by 489,488 in 2010, the highest one-year increase in history. This has led experts to predict that Social Security Disability Insurance will exhaust surplus funds in four to 7 years, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Paying out $22 billion more than it makes with Social Security

Social Security could have spent $153 billion in benefits by 2015. That’s $22 billion more than it is anticipated to take in, underscoring an issue that many Americans will shortly face. The Social Security retirement fund is anticipated to last until 2040 while Medicare is only expected to last until 2029. Government auditors explain that change has to happen. This is the only way that Social Security Disability Insurance will be able to last more than seven years.

Number of applications Social Security has

The recession sent a huge wave of new applicants into the Social Security program. Over the past decade, numbers swelled from 6.6 million beneficiaries to 10.2 million. The Social Security Disability Insurance funds are needed by lots of states and territories that the U.S. owns. In the last 10 years, there has been an 85 percent increase in Texas enrollment while, at the same time, New Hampshire has had a 69 percent growth. West Virginia gets more Social Security Disability Insurance than any other state when considering the percentage of total population.

The cause that many suspect is the manual labor related health difficulties that many states with manufacturing and agriculture are facing. In the last few years, military bases and factories have been closing in United States territories for instance Puerto Rico. That means more individuals are relying on Social Security there. The highest joblessness is generally reported in these states also. Puerto Rico politics are another issue. There is a lot of corruption.

Social Security Disability Insurance depends upon doctor’s orders

Unlike age-based programs like Medicare and Social Security retirement benefits, SSDI is closely tied to medical opinion. Local medical officials don't have any reasons to stop enrollment since someone else pays for it. Government benefits are given with SSDI benefits although they’re around $1,064 a month on average in 2009. Taxpayers end up picking up the tab. SSDI expert David Autor of the MA Institute of Technology estimates that such additional programs amount to an average of $300,000 paid out per person over the lifetime of somebody who receives SSDI benefits regularly.

Chances of higher taxes happening

In the short term, the only way Congress can conserve SSDI without tax increases is to fold it to the main Social Security fund. Retirees would lose benefits fairly quickly since the retirement fund would be lost. However, as Nancy Altman of the activist group Social Security Works contends, something must be done.

“This is a program of crucial importance to every working American and his or her family,” she said.

Citations

Social Security Online

ssa.gov/disability/

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703752404576178570674769318.html

Milton Friedman on Social Security: Save your money

youtube.com/watch?v=rCdgv7n9xCY

Social Security Online

ssa.gov/disability/

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703752404576178570674769318.html

Milton Friedman on Social Security: Save your money

youtube.com/watch?v=rCdgv7n9xCY



Sunday, March 13, 2011

White House wants customer finance reform, but can find no leaders

The White House wants financial reform, but can’t seem to hit the mark when it comes to finding leaders for such organizations as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Office of Financial Research, writes CNBC. CFPB prospect Warren is too extreme in the minds of GOP U.S. Senate critics, while Office of Financial Research candidates are begging out of that six-year political mosh pit. Without clear leaders at the helm, both groups will fail to fulfill their promise. Source for this article – CFPB directorship post in doubt for Elizabeth Warren by MoneyBlogNewz.

Fighting for political turf turns off Office of Financial Research, CFPB candidates

The Office of Financial Research, which was established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, can be charged with improving the quality of financial data available to policymakers, for instance information concerning charge cards, money advances and the payday cash advance industry.

The White House needs to come up with a chair for it though. The OFR cannot go anywhere without it. Since numerous high profile candidates don't feel like the six-year commitment and troubles in Washington are worth paying attention to, such as Yale economist Robert Shiller who co-founded the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, they have excused themselves from consideration.

A very specific person is needed to fill the Office of Financial Research post, according to an anonymous source talking to CNBC.

The position “needs a tough-guy-like attorney" who isn’t afraid of dogfights, said the source.

Keeping Warren out of the position

When it comes to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Republicans are worried about putting Warren in the spot. This is because of a "radical pro-consumer agenda" that would end in her giving fees to businesses without considering what it takes for them to keep their doors open. Even though Prof. Warren is very close to the appointment process – Obama has put her in charge of the search – Republicans and now even some Democrats and Independents are uncertain that Warren’s appointment would be confirmed.

New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg said that Elizabeth Warren can't be put in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau position. It would be "a terrible adulteration of the process," ABC reports. Gregg said it’s inappropriate to let that spending budget power as high as $500 million is given to someone who is outside of Congressional oversight.

"My concern is that she would use the agency for the purposes of promoting social justice versus for the purposes of promoting better credit and having a stronger financial system," said Gregg.

Republicans would like Shelby

Shelby is a U.S. Senate Republican who is also a senior GOP member of the Senate banking committee. Republicans would pick him for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau position if given the choice. According to ABC News, Shelby vetoed the nomination of Joseph Smith to the Federal Housing Finance Administration and opposed appointing Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Diamond to the Federal Reserve board. Clearly, Shelby knows how to oppose Democrat-favored appointees.

Articles cited

ABC News

blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/09/sen-gregg-elizabeth-warren-will-pursue-social-justice-agenda-in-new-post.html

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/41899062

Credit.com

credit.com/blog/2010/11/new-watchdog-gives-sneak-peak-at-her-agenda/

‘Consumers need a cop on the beat’

youtube.com/watch?v=2UCWIyOQpes



Friday, March 11, 2011

Community hopes that signs will shame landowners into action

Webster, Mass., is intending a brand new method of keeping squatters out of their deserted buildings. In a try to conserve at least some of the $9,000 per year spent on checking out deserted properties, the city is going to be purchasing large signs. The hope is that signs will disgrace the owners into doing something with the property.

Webster throwing away money on squatters

Like most cities in the United States, Webster has laws that building owners must keep their properties maintained. Since the downturn, large buildings in town have been abandoned though. The buildings are going into disrepair, and squatters are taking up residence in many of the buildings. The city of Webster is spending almost $1,000 a month sending law enforcement officers to these deserted buildings to kick out squatters and survey conditions.

What Webster will do with buildings

Instead of sending law enforcement officers to abandoned buildings, the city council of Webster has chosen a new enforcement method. The city could be posting 4-by-8-foot signs outside deserted buildings. The building owner's name, phone number and address can be placed on all of these signs. Hopefully the landowners could be called to come clean up property or home and keep out squatter by passer bys.

Do not forget about squatters' rights

Squatters' rights are being seen used more often recently in Massachusetts, and other states. Squatters are starting to claim real estate since there have been a lot more properties deserted. The squatters' rights in Webster Mass., are not easy to get. It takes a long time. There has to be 20 years of "adverse possession," or living without permission on the property, before it becomes their property. While law enforcement across the nation spends millions trying to evict squatters, some question the wisdom of this move. The home might be taken care of by the squatters in it. Having squatters may help the neighborhood. Property or home values would increase. At the exact same time, having squatters in a home or building could make selling the property or home, if and when it is foreclosed on very difficult.

Citations

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/41849729/ns/us_news-weird_news/?gt1=43001

Legal JustAnswer

justanswer.com/law/0hit8-tell-squatters-rights.html

Legal Dictionary

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Squatters+rights



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Bill goes through Wisconsin Assembly cutting collective bargaining

The Wisconsin Assembly has approved the controversial bill decreasing collective bargaining privileges of state staff who are union members. The bill still has to go to the Wisconsin state Senate, as the Assembly is only the lower house. The bill still must pass the Wisconsin Senate. Source for this article – Wisconsin Assembly passes bill curtailing collective bargaining by MoneyBlogNewz.

Not enough members of the Wisconsin State Senate means the bill cannot pass

Collective bargaining privileges are likely to be taken from the state unionized workers with the Wisconsin Assembly SB11 bill that has passed. However, the bill isn’t likely to go anywhere, as there are not enough members of the Wisconsin Senate present in the state to pass the bill, according to MSNBC. The 19 Republican members of the U.S. Senate are present, however that’s one person shy of the 20-person quorum, the minimum number of individuals required to officially vote on the bill. You will find 14 Democrats that left the state in order to keep away from voting on the bill for the Wisconsin Senate. Until the Senators come back, there cannot be voting on any other legislation.

Bill passing was an issue for Democrats

The controversial bill was passed in a manner that Wisconsin Democrats view as dishonest. Democrats filibustered the bill while trying to add amendments to the bill to stall it. After 60 hours of this, Wisconsin Assembly Republicans coated to kill the debate and had a quick roll call vote happen. Bloomberg explains that 28 people didn't even get a chance to vote in how easily it happened. Democrats didn't even realize what was happening. The U.S. Senate Democrats had Wisconsin state troopers sent to their homes to get them for the vote. It didn't work though since they’re all in Urbana, Ill., currently avoiding the vote.

There wasn't going to be a bargain with the governor there

There was a phone call done recently as a prank to Scott Walker where the caller pretended to be campaign donor Koch. In the call, Walker said he would not work with any unions when attempting to determine how to balance the Wisconsin state spending budget. In the bill, it’s required that union workers absorb more of the health care plans and pension costs. This was something unions agreed to do. Unions want to continue to keep their collective bargaining privileges though. This is something Walker refuses to let take place. Police and firefighter unions can be the only ones in Wisconsin that keep the collective bargaining privileges.

Articles cited

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/41774667/ns/politics-more_politics

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-25/wisconsin-assembly-passes-bill-curbing-unions-collective-bargaining-power.html



Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Slow down legislation, claims big business to regulatory bureau

Large business has July 21, 2011, circled in the calendar. That’s the day the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will officially be the United States consumer finance regulatory board of the land. The impending change recently prompted business groups to send the Obama administration a “wish list” letter that expresses what they think the CFPB should do first, states CNN Money. Regulating banks sits atop the list, however waiting on consumer finance reform until the smoke clears at the director confirmation listening to is not far behind. Resource for this article – Big businesses present wish list for consumer finance regulation by MoneyBlogNewz.

Chances Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director will be Warren

Harvard University professor and Obama administration adviser Elizabeth Warren initially conceived the idea for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and she has been considered the most likely candidate to direct the bureau. She might not get picked though, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), co-founder of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, explained since she is very against Wall Street and very much for the consumer. Warren has had to meet bank executives, lobbyists, chambers of commerce, consumer groups and investors while getting the agency staffed even though this is the case.

“They were wary, but polite, and quite surprised,” Warren said Monday of the meetings. “Some were sure I’d walk in with blood dripping from my fangs.”

Getting businesses what they want

Regulation duplication needs to be avoided, business groups explain. This is why the CFPB is being told to be very careful about how it goes about banking and finance legislation. Already Dodd-Frank is too ambiguous, Jess Sharp told CNN as the director of the United States Chamber of commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness. The CFPB must do more.

“Targeted regulation to weed out bad actors is good for consumers, but there’s huge and ambiguous authority granted under Dodd-Frank,” Sharp said. “That can lead to huge regulatory burdens for Main Street businesses.”

Short term personal loan businesses and others that are not traditional banks would be supervised by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. That is what the Dodd-Frank would do. The Obama administration got a letter from business groups though. Obviously they do not like this idea.

“Deferring an expansion of supervision and examination requirements would allow businesses to devote resources to job creation rather than save them to cover what might well be unnecessary regulatory compliance costs,” the letter reads.

Warren's comments for charge card companies

Getting better is something the U.S. mortgage industry nevertheless needs to work really hard on. Credit card Studio reports the credit card industry was praised by Warren though for working on consumer relationships by themselves. Regulations from CFPB are probably not needed. This was another thing mentioned.

“The data we have assembled indicates that much of the industry has gone further than the law requires in curbing repricing and over-limit fees,” Warren said. “Leaders in the industry deserve credit for moving in the right direction.”

Citations

Advisor One

advisorone.com/article/deputy-secretary-wolin-outlines-treasurys-steps-implementing-dodd-frank?page=0,1

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/03/01/news/economy/chamber_consumer_bureau/

Credit Card Studio

creditcardsstudio.com/news-article/the-card-act-one-year-later/

The CFPB: Arresting the development of a new financial meltdown

youtube.com/watch?v=1V0Ax9OIc84



Jamba Juice may not be so healthy, states Mother Jones

Jamba Juice smoothies are designed to be healthful, however that could possibly be very relative, states Mother Jones. Specifically, light Jamba Juice smoothies are walking Splenda factories, writes Bates. In addition to the possible dangers of Splenda, the calorie load isn’t really all that tasty in Jamba Juice, either. Article resource – Jamba Juice may not be so healthy, says Mother Jones by MoneyBlogNewz.

First McDonald’s oatmeal, now Jamba Juice smoothies

Nutrition has been looked at more closely lately with food. First, McDonald’s oatmeal was analyzed and found to be less-nutritious-than-advertised; now Jamba Juice smoothies are in question. Juice, ice and skim milk are not used to create Jamba Juice smoothies. This is the issue, Bates explains. The high speed service is what Jamba Juice is planning to get with the "simple, honest ingredients" in the smoothies. Real milk and fruit do not go together in smoothies since they "don't taste good together," according to Jamba Juice store general manager Jillian Shamoon. Thus, frozen yogurt and sherbet are the standards in classic smoothies. If a consumer wants to go "light," a "dairy base" containing the artificial sweetener Splenda is used.

Calories galore

The Mango-a-go-go Classic has, in accordance with Bates, 400 calories in it in a medium size. This is typical for most medium sized Jamba Juice smoothies. Jamba Juice smoothies are between 250 and 600 calories. This is typical of them. There are 540 calories in a McDonald's Big Mac. It’s fast food being eaten while at Jamba Juice when considering this. While a smoothie might be a better choice than a Large Mac, says Dr. Alison Field of Harvard Medical School, the belief that a lot of people drink smoothies as snacks or with a food translates into a high calorie load.

Exploring the Jamba Juice site doesn't give answers

Whether or not Jamba Juice smoothies are meals is something the business itself has not commented on. There are plenty of difficulties with Splenda by itself though. This is something anyone who’s concerned about health already knows. According to Fields, there have been many studies on Splenda done. Individuals who consume Splenda end up gaining more weight than is lost.

That’s not all, states Dr. Janet Hull, author of "Splenda Exposed." Splenda certainly needs more testing, Hull admits. It’s currently believed that it can cause sleep disruption, cancer, Lupus, diabetes, MS, sexual dysfunction and others.

Citations

Mother Jones

motherjones.com/blue-marble/2011/02/my-beef-jamba-juice

Splenda Exposed

splendaexposed.com/

When you must Jamba, which juice is on the loose?

youtube.com/watch?v=-k6dmFC87yg