WikiLeaks scandals carry on with leak regarding Cia paperwork

WikiLeaks is not a preferred site of the United States government, as they posted some sensitive materials pertaining to the Afghan war. Though WikiLeaks maintains it would never release any information that could put soldiers in danger, the release of somewhat sensitive paperwork has continued. An additional release from the site is quite interesting. It is a Cia record exploring how the U.S. exports terrorism. The Central Intelligence Agency and also the Pentagon have decried the release, though disclosed the record does not pose a risk when out in the open.

Brand new Cia document via WikiLeaks

According to CNN, there is a brand new post on WikiLeaks. The subject was previously a classified document from the Cia. The paper, “What if Foreigners see the United States as ‘Exporter of Terrorism?’”, explores the possibility of America or Americans possibly having exported terrorism. It isn’t known how the document was obtained. There are real examples, such as the IRA receiving funding from Irish Americans and Israeli terrorist groups receiving support from Jewish Americans. The report is mostly about potential fallout. The main concern is what could happen if other countries see the United States as an exporter of terrorism.

Merely a moment at the office with Red Cell

The document was created by a division of the CIA called Red Cell. Essentially, that report is the task of Red Cell. The policy and statements of the United States of America is examined, and Red Cell plays devil’s advocate. The vocation is Red Cell people are to think critically. To go against convention. The CIA isn’t really happy with the disclosure. Neither is the Pentagon. The Central Intelligence Agency has essentially said the paper is not a threat. However, the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency want any of their papers back.

WikiLeaks head honcho in serious trouble

There is nothing brand new about scandal concerning WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange. Just lately, he was arrested in Sweden for rape. Since he was not in Sweden at the time, the arrest was in absentia. The judge presiding over the case dropped it the time after they were filed. Assange attributes the charges to governments’ colluding to smear him in the press. He has been in lawful trouble before. He was convicted of hacking in Australia, his native land.

More on this topic

CNN

edition.cnn.com/2010/US/08/25/WikiLeaks.cia.release/?hpt=Sbin#fbid=QdDzKvaTDgY and wom=false

WikiLeaks

file.WikiLeaks.org/file/us-cia-redcell-exporter-of-terrorism-2010.pdf

Should I get synthetic oil or mineral motor oil?

We all know that changing oil is important. We know we need to do it regularly. Cars have to have oil changed more often if they’re older. What does is really matter what numbers and letter are on the oil container? The Engine Oil Bible, Car Deal Expert determine which oil should be going into your car.

The importance of oil changes

Your car engine is lubricated with engine oil. Parts will start grinding together and transferring heat from the combustion cycle without the lubrication that keeps friction from building up. Oxidation is minimized with chemicals being cleaned from the combustion process by oil. Oil gets super thin and dirty during this. That is why there needs to be a regular replacement of the oil.

What does it matter what the letters and numbers are

Consumer motor oil is divided into three types: fully synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral (standard) oil. 5W-30 motor oil is a semi-synthetic blend. The “cold” and “hot” viscosity rating of the oil are shown by the number before and following the W. W means “winter” which means a lower cold number is wanted to keep the engine running better within the cold.

Mineral oil is cheapest

Your engine will be just fine if you pick standard motor oil. Many individuals do. It’s also cheaper than semi-synthetic and synthetic oil. The oil becomes thinner and dirtier faster. This means it has to be changed more frequently.

Semi-synthetic motor oils are derived from standard oil

Semi-synthetic motor oil is closely related to standard mineral motor oil. Semi-synthetics are primarily made of polyalpholifins, writes The Engine Oil Bible. That comes from “the purest part of the mineral oil refraction process.” Thus, semi-synthetic can be mixed with standard motor oil without causing the car’s engine to seize.

Heavy gearboxes need synthetic

Vehicles with intensely loaded gearboxes need pure synthetic oil which is also called polyalkyleneglycols. Its high-performance stuff. Fully synthetic oil is very special. It can’t be at all mixed. Don’t use pure synthetic oil unless your engine is newer. This means there can’t be any leaks in the very clean engine. Something pure synthetics break off engine deposits. These deposits just sit in the engine. Unless you know what you’re doing, there is no way to go back to mineral after synthetic, says the Engine Oil Bible.

Try quality, lightweight oil for your vehicle

Choose engine oil that meets the demands of your environment. Newer engines are different than older ones. Those ones do better with thin oil. A trusted mechanic can help you make this decision along with your owner’s manual.

Discover more information on this subject

Car Bibles

carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

A quick rundown of synthetic vs. regular motor oil

youtube.com/watch?v=CiLkoRVL7BQ

Missouri and Kansas farmers to get emergency cash loans from U.S.D.A.

Farmers in the lower Midwest are hurting from the bad weather this summer. Areas in and around Kansas City were officially declared a disaster area after flash flood damage, and also the U.S.D.A. has announced it will do all it can to help. Many farmers need a cash advance because of the damaged crops. This is why emergency loans are likely to be made available. The loans can be filed to receive in the next few months. The loans rate of interest has been determined. The rate is low. Excessive rainfall and a brutal tornado season have caused extensive damage throughout the Midwest.

Summer heavy rains

There has been a lot of rain in the Midwest. There was much more than normal. The Oklahoma tornadoes and Milwaukee floods have been really bad as they were storms from the Gulf region to the Great Lakes. Areas around Kansas City are seriously damaged also. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced six of seven counties in the Kansas City, Mo., metro area natural disaster areas, and those counties could use some extra cash to help rebuild.

Farms experience extensive damage

The weather has hurt the summer crops of the farms in the area. According to the Kansas City Business Journal, wind, rain, and flash flood damage has wrecked a good portion of this summer’s crops, and emergency cash loans could be made accessible. Farmers who wish to take out these low cost loans can file for loans through the Department of Agriculture. 100 percent of losses can be covered with the 3.75 interest rate. People can borrow money in amounts up to $ 500,000. Not counting the six Kansas City counties, disaster has been declared on 55 counties in Missouri and 47 counties in Oklahoma.

Mother Nature taking money away

It has been said more than once that Mother Nature could be a cruel mistress. Too much rain and wind can wreak havoc in agricultural areas, and that can leave farmers — the people who make sure all of us can eat — in need of cash until payday that is harder to come by these days.

Discover more information on this subject

Business Journal

bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2010/08/23/daily12.html

No longer helium will soon function as the head line

If you think all helium does is make you sound like Donald Duck, pay attention. MRI machines, solar telescopes and even nuclear reactors are significant places where helium is used for proper function and maintenance. Sadly, most people only know that it is great for filling birthday balloons, so long as it’s cheap. According to The Independent, helium supplies are on the wane, which will likely cause a price spike. Helium, gentle readers, is on the way out.

The situation without having helium

In 1996, Congress voted in favor of the Helium Privatization Act – and America’s supply has dwindled at a high rate of speed ever since. Because it’s so cheap to obtain helium, supplies have depleted at an alarming rate. The 1996 law also demands that all the helium within the United States of America National Helium Reserve near Amarillo, Texas, be sold by 2015, regardless of market price. Similar circumstances exist worldwide for helium, making it seem as though humanity wants to cut off its nose to spite its face.

What is the big trouble with no helium?

Cooling MRI machines with liquid helium are customary in hospitals for some time. Terrorists are tracked via radiation-powered devices that require helium for operation. If that’s not significant enough, nuclear facilities need helium-3 isotopes for safe operation. Wind tunnels require garden variety helium. Helium is good for safely cleaning rocket fuel tanks, which NASA loves. All of this, plus festive birthday balloons, might be gone in 25 to 30 years, according to experts surveyed by The Independent.

Professor Robert Richardson of Cornell University told The Independent that “Once helium is released into the atmosphere within the form of party balloons or boiling helium, it is lost to the Earth forever.” He’s a Nobel laureate, so possibly those who think helium is not significant should listen.

Helium: From where do you hail?

The Sun’s nuclear fusion creates helium as a by-product. Not only that, however the radioactive decay of various rocks produces helium on Earth. We get helium from the rocks. It can’t be created in any artificial fashion. Waiting around for natural processes to produce more helium will take billions of years, so that option is off the table.

Imagining a $ 100 balloon

Prof. Richardson sees the gravity of the helium situation, and suggests that prices be raised to slow the depletion. If a standard 15 cubic foot dispenser of helium went for $40 in 2009, today it should be as much as 50 times more expensive. Thus, expect that a helium-filled Mylar balloon could cost as much as $ 100. There’s no other way.

Additional reading

Helium Privatization Act

helium.com/items/874929-understanding-the-helium-privitization-act-of-1996

The Independent

independent.co.uk/news/science/why-the-world-is-running-out-of-helium-2059357.html

University of Denver study on helium

mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/helium.htm

Overflowing potash need is catalyst in BHP hostile takeover bid

For individuals within the agricultural industry, potash has been a hot topic lately. Potash is essentially potassium, one of the critical nutrients that make modern agricultural yields possible. There is no choice source for potassium in fertilizer. Food wouldn’t be here without the help of potash. Because there is no futures market for potash, other minerals have outperformed it in a recent commodities market boom. However, a huge increase in demand for potash is within the forecast. A Canadian potash business may be in trouble. An Australian minerals business wants the profit and is seeking to make a hostile takeover. Article source – Exploding potash demand is catalyst in BHP hostile takeover bid by Personal Money Store.

Potash urges shareholders to resist BHP tender

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, known as Potash, has control over a big chunk of the world’s potash market. BHP Billiton, a big minerals extraction company out of Australia, desperately wants to buy the Canadian fertilizer giant. The New York Times reports how much BHP is willing to pay to get their hands on the business. The offer was $ 130 a share. The Potash board rejected the offer as too low. In response, BHP launched a hostile takeover of Potash by beginning a tender offer for the exact same price, which means BHP is dangling the cash directly in front of shareholders. Potash is trying to get a better offer from another when getting shareholders to stop selling to BHP.

World would go hungry without potash

12 countries actually make potash. Potash is dominated by Canada, Russia, Belarus and Germany. This is because they create 75 percent of all the potash. According to Reuters, fertilizers need potash. Potash is really just what you call anything that is potassium. Potash strengthens a plant’s resistance to disease, improves crop quality and boosts yields. It is the only existing source for potassium in fertilizer. For years, the price of Potash has been very volatile. If you bought potash 10 years ago, you could buy it for cheap. It was only $ 150 a ton. The global food crisis happened in 2007-08. This was when potash prices went up to $ 1,000 a ton. Since then, it has crashed to about $ 350-$ 375 a ton.

More people want Saskatchewan potash

Potash has been ignored lately. It took the moves by BHP for any person to recognize its existence. As outlined by Entrepreneur, by 2011, there won’t be enough supply of potash if the growth continues as it has in the last five years. China, Latin America and India are all examples of places where meat consumption has gone up which is why this forecast was made. An additional reason for this is the biofuels such as ethanol that are exploding. 25 percent of energy within the world could run off of biofuels in 20 years says the UN. Both of these trends are already spiking wheat and corn prices, and portend a huge increase in potash demand. It is hard to make more potash though. There are more than 25 years put into 85 percent of the potash mines right now. It seems extremely hard to produce more potash. The Saskatchewan company experiences this problem.

Discover more information on this subject

New York Times

dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/bhp-begins-tender-offer-for-potash/?src=busln

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67J2SQ20100820

Entrepreneur

entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/166229304.html

Low factory inventory means dealers need cars

Auto makers still aren’t making many cars. As outlined by Automotive News, this is opposite of what should be happening with the taxpayer auto bailout that came from the economic climate of recession. Now it seems like low factory inventory is what most companies live by. Dealers don’t have nearly enough cars they need to sell to the customers wanting a growing number of. An online survey found that more than 160 of 244 responding dealers – representing the spectrum of automotive brands – had too few autos to sell. This caused a loss in sales. Numerous in the survey reported this loss. Source for this article – Low factory inventory means dealers need cars by Car Deal Expert.

Buyers not buying with low inventory

Low inventory is the reason why buyers have left their dealerships upset. The most popular brands of car to purchase are Chevy, Hyundai, Honda or GMC. Sadly, these are also the ones running out because of unavailability. Evidently automakers “have driven supplies too low” making it extremely hard to sell the cars needed to keep up a flow of money. A dealer explained this to Automotive News. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are trying to get more money with less inventory making cars like the GMC Terain difficult for auto dealers to get a hold of. Dealers don’t like this cut from automakers.

Factories working on it

Helping dealers is a priority for automakers, but these exact same automakers are cautious to keep away from the overproduction that drove the industry to the gates of ruin. Dealers don’t want more cars than they can sell, either. The old days of gigantic incentives, low resale values and other desperation practices must be avoided at all costs, GM spokesman Tom Henderson told Automotive News. You will find some things that have to be done. Demand has been really high for the Chevrolet Equinox and the EMC Terrain. This is why a new plant was made for manufacturing bodies in Ingersoll, Ontario. Since there’s no room for the bodies on the assembly line under the current production schedule, however, GM is sending the new bodies to one more plant located two hours east for paint and finish.

More on this topic

Auto News

autonews.com/article/20100823/OEM01/308239949/1262

Economy outlook is great because bacon prices are rising

$ 6.30 is what you’re looking at paying when trying to buy a pint of beer in Europe due to a Russian wheat crisis and harvest difficulties that are happening. But here’s something to really take the sizzle out of your day: bacon prices are stampeding onward and upward. According to CNBC, bacon is presently 20 percent more expensive than it was a year ago. The prices increasing is a good thing considering the U.S. economy. Of course there are some people a little upset by the whole idea of paying more for bacon. Article source – Rise in bacon prices a squealing good sign for the economy by Personal Money Store.

Getting bacon can cost $ 4 per pound

The Department of Agriculture claims that the steep bacon price increase over the past year is the result of a classic supply-and-demand situation. Pig farms have been getting smaller lately. This is as a result of recession. Tomatoes are in season meaning more individuals are wanting BLTs, which requires bacon of course. Bacon is something needed for BLTs. Those are hot in demand with the tomato season going strong. The National Review has gone as far as to call this culinary conundrum “Obama’s Next Crisis.”

Economy benefits from this sad story

The National Review was all upset about the bacon issues. It forgot to mention all the good things to come from it. This means that more individuals want to buy luxury items such as bacon. Luxury items are only bought when individuals feel comfortable. This means the economy is likely to get much better. Rich Nelson of market research firm Allendale, Inc. said that “They may not be buying steak instead of hamburger, but they will put bacon on their hamburger or other things.”

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

Demand will fatten the herd

Pig farmers have gotten more hogs because of the demand. Bacon prices will likely go down by mid-2011, says Nelson. Fat on generic brands of bacon abound meaning there is less meat left after losing the fat. More individuals are buying the generic brands. Heather Lauer explains to CNBC that the greatness of bacon is helping the economy greatly. Also, Mr. Baconpants blog has Jason Mosely saying, “Your BLT deserves the best bacon you are able to afford!”. International Bacon Day lies on September fourth and could be celebrated patriotically hopefully. This really is the case.

Additional reading

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/38725523/

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

youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4

Debate erupts because of most recent Medal of Honor video game

The most recent version of “Medal of Honor” is creating a lot of buzz. The games are set in World War II, as a first person shooter. This can be the first not set in that war. Though not new to video games as a whole, the new “Medal of Honor” is set in Afghanistan. In multi-player mode, gamers could be either coalition forces (United States of America, U.K., etc.) or the Taliban in “Medal of Honor 2010.” The video game is opposed by numerous. One of its most vocal opponents is Fox, the Secretary of Defense for the United Kingdom. Resource for this article – Latest installment of Medal of Honor stirs controversy by Personal Money Store.

Fox opposes the video game being sold

There have been calls for the video game to be banned. One of those in good opposition is Liam Fox, the Secretary of Defense (British English spells it with a “c” not an “s”) for the United Kingdom. According to The Guardian, he believes retailers should refuse to carry the game, and individuals should refuse to purchase it. The opposition to the game is because of the multiplayer mode. Players can choose to be either US or UK characters, or the Taliban. Even in online gaming which is far removed from real life, shooting at the military forces of the US or UK is a shocking prospect. It seems almost sad to contemplate that this seems almost like it was inevitable; since plenty of video games have taken place in Iraq and Afghan conflicts, for instance “Call of Duty,” it would logically follow that this was the only way to top any of it, which is a callous prospect, to say the least.

Reaction from EA

Electronic Arts makes the game, this being the first “Medal of Honor” not set in World War II. A PR Representative, according to AOL News, from EA, likened the roles in the game to child’s play. Cowboys face off against Indians, cops against robbers, and in the re-boot of the video game series, in multiplayer mode “someone’s gotta be the Taliban.” Opponents also observe that Word War II is removed from modern history by a long time, and thus games in which individuals can be Nazis in multiplayer are less harmful as a result.

Controversy markets games

Every video game controversy has two outcomes. A great deal of individuals decrying the video game precedes massive sales, and just remember what happened with “Mortal Kombat” and “Grand Theft Auto” if you need an example. It was inevitable that a video game of this sort had this exact feature. The first “Medal of Honor,” created by Steven Spielberg, also had some interesting multiplayer characters. Players could unlock multiplayer characters such as William Shakespeare or a German Shepherd. They could also play as a Velociraptor from “Jurassic Park”. Remember, this is the game where you can kill Nazis as a dinosaur, so maybe you shouldn’t take it too seriously.

Further reading

AOL News

aolnews.com/nation/article/new-video-game-will-let-you-play-as-the-taliban/19588413

Guardian

guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2010/aug/23/liam-fox-medal-of-honor-ban

Numerous wonder why an R-rating would be suggested for smoking in a film

There tends to be a bit of controversy when it comes to America’s movie rating system. There has been a lot of difficulties between directors, studios and also the MPAA ratings board which was shown within the 2006 documentary, This Movie is Not Yet Rated, and Times Magazine explains Hollywood has another things to report. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that smoking in films should mandate that an “R” rating be given to the film as a protection for children and young teens.

Tobacco industry not allowed to pay for smoking product placement

There is a lot of smoking in movies even though it is illegal for tobacco companies to place product in films, even since 1998 says the CDC. Those who see smoking in films, or in real life, are more likely to try smoking their lifetime, as reported by the CDC. Public health officials all seem to express the same concern. Health problems are some of these concerns. A significant number of G, PG and PG-13-rated films contain smoking, which has prompted the rating reclassification suggestion.

Other suggestions for stamping out the celluloid butts

In addition to the R rating suggestion, other ideas given by the CDC are to air anti-smoking ads onscreen before the start of a film and to specify in film credits that no person or company associated with the movie received financial compensation from the tobacco industry or any associated business. The CDC wasn’t the first group to bring up the idea that smoking needs to make a movie R. The World Health Organization made this suggestion previously. Smoking in films marketed to kids and teens is socially irresponsible, says the WHO.

Smoking should be stopped since it costs too much

Smokers need more money to keep up with their habit nowadays. MSN Money explains another fact to add to anti-smoking. Smoking costs are more than just cigarettes as it also contains the price of higher health insurance and dry cleaning your clothes to get the smell out. This means that if you’re 40 but quit smoking, you could possibly conserve in a 401 (k) over $ 250,000. Choosing black lung over a comfortable retirement is enough to send anyone’s spending budget scrambling for paydayloans and installment loan to fill the gaps. Smoking is so costly. It may be R-rated in case you are willing to spend that much on a filthy habit.

Further reading

Center for Disease Control

cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5932a2.htm

MSN Money

articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourHealth/HighCostOfSmoking.aspx

Time Magazine

wellness.blogs.time.com/2010/08/19/rated-r-for-smoking/

World Health Organization

who.int/tobacco/smoke_free_movies/en/

Fox News report on removing cigarettes from movies

youtube.com/watch?v=FSxwPVUv7vY

Apple seeks patent to stop anyone jailbreaking iPhones

Copyright laws say jailbreaking your iPhone is currently legal , even though Apple is quite mad about all of the stuff going on with their iPhone devices they have put together. Apple wants their technology to be exclusive to itself. The Register made reports on the patent apple seeks that can be “covering an elaborate series of measures.” This will make certain to “protect iPhone owners from thieves” or everyone else a user wants away from their iPhone. Jailbreaking can be a bit harder with the patent Apple wants called “Systems and Methods for Identifying Unauthorized Users of an Electronic Device,” making certain jailbreaking locks down an iPhone.

Jailbroken iPhones can offer up data to prying eyes

Apple has the story it says when talking about jailbreaking iPhones which is that personal data is given to numerous when jailbreaking an iPhone. Apple has numerous different ways there could possibly be problems with a jailbroken iPhone. The iPhone’s camera could be turned on automatically. Also, there could be personal info stolen like geotagging. Users are told by Apple the patent will keep them safe. If it is approved, Apple will be allowed to lock down iPhones that have been jailbroken.

Apple keeps an eye out

The Register explains that Apple identifies iPhones that have a sudden increase in memory usage as jailbroken which is like many hacking programs. Unlocking an iPhone (opening it up so that it could be used on cellular networks other than AT and T) would also be detectable if Apple’s patent is approved. The Register also explains that “fraudulent use” of the iPhone can be detected by simply checking the accelerometer on the iPhone to see if it was carried by “thieves in transit.” Thus, the company believes that such new security methods as required voice-print identification is necessary, although technical experts and consumer rights groups are having a field day with that idea.

Who can active your iPhone camera with this patent?

Your iPhone camera can be used by more than just you. Apple can be able to activate the camera as well. Steve Jobs would have the right to see what is going on everywhere you are. Regardless of how much you like the style and convenience of Apple devices, do you want Apple to be able to turn on your camera at any time it chooses? Steve Jobs may have an opinion on your situation.

Further reading

The Register

theregister.co.uk/2010/08/20/apple_jailbreak_patent/

Calling 888-5-OPTOUT can conserve you from identity theft

Pre-approved credit offers no doubt litter your mailbox, particularly if you’ve just lately had a bankruptcy discharged. The lure of “buy now, pay later ” has ensnared numerous American consumers, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Pre-approved credit offers will go away with Equifax, TransUnion and Experian by simply calling 888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). This is beneficial not only for consumers looking to rebuild their credit without the need for emergency loans, but for many who would prefer to give perpetrators of identity theft less ammunition.

888-5-OPTOUT sweeps the credit card offers away

888-5-OPTOUT calls help everyone who needs to stop all of the direct marketing that comes their way. You won’t get credit card offers or advertisements for credit within the mail any longer. Your home line is needed and your social security will be asked for also. If the prospect of revealing those digits worries you, put your mind at ease – the service is recommended by the Federal Trade Commission.

Letters are an additional way

Get out of pre-approved credit offers by simply using the mail rather than the 888-5-OPTOUT call. This is what a letter can look like. Make sure that your request is sent to all three credit bureaus:

Options
Equifax, Inc.
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123

Experian
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Attn: Consumer Services Department

TransUnion
Name Removal Option
P.O. Box 505
Woodlyn, PA 19094

Being confused about 888-5-OPTOUT

Several years ago, there was a widespread e-mail message that extolled the virtues of 888-5-OPTOUT, but it did so with erroneous details. Specifically, the message claimed that a consumer would have to opt out if they didn’t want the credit bureaus from releasing their sensitive data to “anyone who requests it.”. The Financial Services Modernization Act and also the Fair Credit Reporting Act would both be violated if this happened, reports Clearinghouse. 888-5-OPTOUT isn’t really connected to either of these laws which is what was confusing. There wasn’t any point in this controversy.

If you use 888-5-OPTOUT, then you’ll likely discover it really helpful. You may not need bad credit loans if you are able to avoid identity theft and credit card traps.

More on this topic

CBS Money Watch

moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/devil-details/privacy-pirates-7-ways-to-hide/2702/

FTC

ftc.gov/privacy/protect.shtm”>Federal Trade Commission

Privacy Rights

privacyrights.org/ar/optout_truth.htm”>Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Opt out of junk mail

youtube.com/watch?v=gjbPo1diCKo

Freddie and Fannie have to shape up as outlined by Geithner

Tim Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, recently said the mortgage industry has to drastically change at a recent press conference. It was not a regulatory or lawful order, but rather a statement of purpose. It is anticipated he will be telling Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to shape up in the next year or so or face the consequences. Geithner also made it clear the U.S. cannot afford to have to bail them out again and that they were too aggressive in taking on risk.

Geithner unclear on how to proceed

There is not a plan for what to do with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Geithner did, nevertheless, make it patently clear there were some things that would be happening. First, Fannie and Freddie will not be resuming business in the manner they were conducting it before the market meltdown. He also pinpointed irresponsible practices, such as the two mortgage houses trying to take the bulk of the market from the private sector. According to Reuters, he also pointed out the current housing market was not going to last within the long term.

No outline on how to do it

Housing industry insiders and economists vary, as they often do, on how best to reform the housing industry. Geithner did support retaining some of the government backing of mortgages, as the richest industrial nations all have something akin to Freddie and Fannie for insuring mortgages against loss. Others, for instance co-founder of Pacific Investment Management, Co. Bill Gross, contend that totally nationalizing the housing industry is needed at this point. Gross argues that the private market in mortgage underwriting and lending can’t make an effective return, according to Businessweek.

Something has to be done regardless of strategy

What to do with Freddie and Fannie is subject to wild speculation, but few think nothing should be done. They have already cost taxpayers $ 150 billion, according to NPR. For the first half of this year, 89 percent of all new American mortgages were securitized by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae . Ginnie Mae, as opposed to Freddie and Fannie, is wholly part of the U.S. government, sells mortgage backed securities only if they meet specific standards and doesn’t lend mortgages.

Discover more details on this subject

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67G3E820100817

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2010-08-17/gross-urges-full-nationalization-of-housing-finance.html

NPR

npr.org/blogs/money/2010/08/17/129250765/socialized-housing-for-everyone

Mazda recall in effect for 215,000 vehicles

On the heels of a GM recall of crossover SUVs, a Mazda recall has also been put into effect. The Mazda recall is a little more significant, as it affects a more vital part than the GM recall does. The GM recall was over some faulty seat belts, but the Mazda recall is over a flaw in the power steering system. Mazda kept on eye on cars sold within the U.S. after noticing the defect in Japan last year. To address the issue, Mazda has announced a recall for the United States.

Steer your Mazda to a dealership

The Mazda recall is being initiated over a fault in the power steering pump, as outlined by the New York Times. The power steering pump starts accumulating rust internally, which can cause rust to enter the pump and cause the power steering to malfunction or shut down. The defect can shut the power steering system off, making steering much harder and possibly cause accidents. Mazda knew of the problem by June of 2009, and the company has been keeping an eye out for how numerous vehicles it really occurred in.

The first incidents were in Japan

The defect was first noticed in Japan, and Mazda started an “improvement campaign,” tantamount to a recall, last year. There were more incidents noticed there than have been observed in America. The business issued notices to American Mazda dealerships with technical data on how to fix the problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began an investigation, as outlined by the Salt Lake Tribune. The NHTSA received 33 reports, of which 3 were from accidents that occurred.

What vehicles are involved?

There are 215,000 of the models in question within the United States alone, which are Mazda 3 and Mazda 5 vehicles from model years 2007 to 2009. If you drive one, take it to the nearest Mazda dealership for the fix. Issues within the power steering system are severe and should be addressed right away. You can wind up in a crash if your power steering locks up, as the car will become much harder to steer.

Additional information at these websites

New York Times

wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/mazda-recalls-215000-cars-for-power-steering-problem/

Salt Lake Tribune

sltrib.com/sltrib/money/50126001-79/mazda-vehicles-seat-problems.html.csp

N-word problem means Dr. Laura quits

Radio industry veteran Dr. Laura Schlessinger should have known that peppering a black caller with 11 instances of the “N-word” would make no profound point about language. Dr. Laura gets to be a part of history now. Apparently it is too much considering all the “Dr. Laura quits” headlines around. Article resource – Dr. Laura quits her radio show over N-word outrage by Personal Money Store.

Dr. Laura quits radio show

Dr. Laura will quit the radio show following the contract expires, says PopEater. She is quitting because she “wants to regain her First Amendment rights,” she told “Larry King Live” for CNN. Once upon a time, Howard Stern needed those rights taken away if you asked Schlessinger.

But Dr. Laura doesn’t call it quitting; she claims the move is empowering.

“I want to be able to say what’s on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry – some special interest group deciding this is a time to silence a voice of dissent and attack affiliates and sponsors,” she told King.

Schlessinger apologized to employers

While the good doctor apologized for using the N-word, she maintains that she “wasn’t dissing anybody.”. The production company for Dr. Laura has claimed they’re just letter her “pursue opportunities” rather than work with them. General Motors and Motel 6, two national sponsors who have pulled the plug on Schlessinger aren’t dissing her, either.

Dr. Laura’s next part

Dr. Laura has quit before, says TMZ. Back in 1999, she was on the verge of a CBS TV talk show. However, Dr. Laura added the condition that she would only work for CBS if it would “muzzle” Howard Stern and not allow him to speak ill of her on his own show. CBS balked at her condition, understandably. That led Dr. Laura to Paramount, where she briefly did a TV show. One episode featured a conversation on homosexuals and just how she didn’t like them, which made gay rights groups really angry. 170 advertisers wouldn’t advertise the show anymore with the StopDrLaura.com campaign. Dr. Laura even lost Dodge.

Additional reading

PopEater

popeater.com/2010/08/18/dr-laura-schlessinger-leaving-radio/

TMZ

tmz.com/2010/08/18/dr-laura-schlessinger-radio-tv-quit-larry-king-howard-stern/

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Schlessinger

Dr. Laura tells wives to ‘get under your men’

youtube.com/watch?v=_mvm7moVvSs

Columbia accident shows sometimes miracles do happen

Only one person died within the recent San Andres, Columbia crash. The plane crashed while attempting to land. The cause of the wreck isn’t really for certain yet, but is thought to be due to a lightning strike. The plane split into pieces, but did not hit any buildings, and only one fatality occurred, though not during the crash itself. Avoiding catastrophic damage to the runway and airport, as well as the outcome of only one fatality has been attributed to skill of the pilot.

Pieces fly from Boeing 737 when it hit the runway

The flight was a red-eye from Bogota to San Andres. As AIRES Flight 8250 approached the runway in bad weather, the plane began to shake. As the plane descended, the pilot started an emergency landing just short of the runway when it began to fragment on landing. Authorities initially credited a down draft as the cause, though others including eyewitnesses attribute a lightning strike on the plane as the cause, as outlined by CNN. The pilot also contends that lightning struck the plane. The plane initially broke into two pieces at Gustavo Rojas Pinillo airport. No damage occurred conserve for the plane.

Only one did not survive

After the crash, as outlined by Bloomberg, a 65 year old passenger had a heart attack and died. Six individuals came out of the crash totally unscathed. The rest of the passengers and crew suffered injuries, and they’re all expected to recuperate. The plane was carrying at least 127 passengers and crew members.

Testament to skill of the pilot

Airline pilots are some of the best trained and skilled workers in any field. These people are trained to not only steer very complicated machines in very precise trajectories over thousands of miles but also to know how to manage one in case things go wrong. The job affords little wiggle room and there is tremendous pressure involved within the job. Flight attendants are as well, if the overnight sensation Steven Slater is any type of indicator of the pressures involved within the air travel trade. The pilot of AIRES Flight 8250 is a hero.

Find more information on this subject

CNN

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

Bloomberg

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

Patient re-admission is too costly to swallow

Many Americans are wondering if health care reform will be enough to offset the massive financial burdens that have plagued the nation’s health care system for the past few decades. Practicing preventative medicine is vital to the nation’s well-being, yet America doesn’t appear to be proficient in that regard. After just 30 days, says a 2009 New England Journal of Medicine study, about 20 percent of patients are ready to go back to the hospital for the very same problem that previously required they be admitted. After 90 days, that percentage climbs to 34 percent. Startlingly, after one year, two-thirds are either readmitted or they die.

The re-admission of patients is inefficient and costly

As outlined by the Huffington Post, the cost of Medicare was $17.4 billion in 2004. That money black hole forced Medicare to begin paying closer attention to which hospitals had the highest bounce-back rate of re-admission. Top offenders were penalized financially. This threat created a new industry, where corporations would extend their services to those hospitals in need of improvement. As various studies show that 75 percent of re-admissions are preventable, there appear to be numerous avenues through which hospitals could enact improvements in patient care.

Hospitals and nursing homes won’t take ownership

Lack of communication between acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities is a common thread in just how likely a patient is to avoid rebounding back into care. Not sharing the right info on patient and meds are among the communication issues at hand. The problem grows significantly for those Medicaid patients who are older and are shuttled between general and intensive care facilities.

Insurance companies and Medicare frequently display short-sightedness

The American Geriatric Society found in a recent study that Medicare and insurance companies prefer to recommend skilled nursing facilities over inpatient rehab for stroke victims, reports the Post. Doing so is less expensive upfront, but the rebound rate is 14.3 percent at the previous, when the more intensive care given at inpatient rehabilitation facilities results in only a 2 to 3 percent re-admission rate. Couple the clear cost difference with the proven statistical fact that patients who enter inpatient rehab facilities after a stroke are three times more likely to return home after care and the lack of vision on the part of Medicare and private insurance becomes particularly disturbing.

Ask questions of your doctor and care facility

Patients and those who care about them must ask doctors questions in order to assess the risk of future re-admittance. Ask about the risks and be certain that future care instructions are quite clear. If you’d like more info on what questions to ask, look into the Huffington Post article.

Additional reading

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/richard-c-senelick-md/the-bounce-back-effect-ho_b_677575.html

Closing costs increasing for mortgages

One of the costs of a mortgage loan is the closing costs, or the fee you pay when you finally pay your mortgage off or sell your home. The average closing costs nationally cost about ten times as much as a payday loan. The national average for closing costs has been going up. Added to the turmoil and more stringent regulations in place it may be awhile before the real estate industry has totally recovered. Resource for this article – Mortgage loan closing costs on the rise by Personal Money Store.

Where closing costs are the greatest

New York, according to Bankrate, has the honor of having the highest closing costs in the nation. The closing costs people pay in New York would have just about anybody hard up for a loan cash. The average New York closing costs for a $ 200,000 mortgage is $ 5,623. It’s too bad there is not closing cost modification to go with mortgage loan modification. Most people would have to look into getting a personal unsecured loan for those kind of costs, as not everybody has enough instant money on hand to pay that much. Texas, Utah, California and Alaska were the five most expensive states to close a mortgage in.

Closing costs are increasing everywhere

Mortgage loan closing costs went up 36.6 percent since last year. Lender costs rose 22.8 percent, and third party fees went up 47.2 percent. The average cost from last year was $ 2,739 which went up to $ 3,741 for this year. The increase of $ 1,000 is about 3 times more than the normal loan until payday. Since the housing market is depressed, funding for a mortgage loan is harder to secure. There is also a lot more regulation concerning consumer finance.

There is more cost to lenders

The costs for lenders has also gone up, which is part of what fueled the fee increase. Lenders have to guess what the closing costs are, and if they guess too little they have to pay fines. The Federal Reserve also banned bonus incentives for loan brokers who sell customers on higher rates than they might normally pay, as outlined by the Los Angeles Times. However, if turning a profit depends entirely on bilking the consumer, then change is needed to a business.

Citations

Bankrate

bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/2010-closing-costs/

LA Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/08/federal-reserve-mortgage-lender-bonuses.html

Build your own Pop-Tarts, with or without the store

This week, Times Square Store played host to the new opening of the Pop Tart store. A Pop-Tart vending machine, Pop-Tarts café, and Pop-Tarts build-your-own counter are all featured. At $ 1,000 per square foot, Times Square rent is a massive expense for the business, which has not yet decided whether the Pop-Tart store is going to be a permanent fixture.

What is inside the Pop-Tarts store

Pop-Tarts World offers a little bit of everything. You can get just about anything at the Pop-Tarts café, including Pop-Tarts covered celery. A vending machine lets you create your own 12 pack of Pop-Tarts flavors, for $ 1 per pastry. Finally, the build-your-own Pop-Tarts bar lets you create just about any Pop-Tarts topping and flavor that you can think of.

Brand visibility through the Pop-Tarts store

Kellogg’s said the Pop-Tarts Store got opened up because they wanted to show that Pop-Tarts is a “mature brand”. The toaster treat is halfway between a breakfast bar and a pastry, and sales recently have been relatively flat. Pop-Tarts sold $ 481 million worth of the pastries in 2009.

Baking your own Pop-Tarts

If you are not anywhere near the Pop-Tarts shop in Times Square, that does not mean you’ve to go without customized Pop-Tarts. It is healthier and cheaper to make Pop-Tarts at home. It takes less than 20 cents per pastry and no high fructose corn syrup for making your own. In a food processor or bowl, combine 2 cups of flour with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix in 1 cup butter, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons milk. Roll out the dough and cut rectangles. Spread half the rectangles with jam, chocolate, cinnamon sugar or whatever filling you like. Use the other half of the dough to top off the filling, and seal it by pressing a fork around the edges. Fridge the filled dough while you preheat the oven to 350. Bake the Pop-Tarts for 20 to 25 minutes.

College gets more expensive causing student loan debt to beat credit card debt

Students loans have become more of a problem when it comes to debt than credit card debt. While people are paying down their credit card balances within the aftermath of the financial crisis, college costs continue to rise. Some analysts say less consumer protection for student loans than other types of borrowing is a reason for the trend. Numerous think that colleges have been raising the costs of tuition making it almost not worth it to get student loans. A bachelor’s degree is not even needed for the fields growing the fastest right now. Article source – Student loan debt exceeds credit card debt as college costs rise by Personal Money Store.

Student loan debt rises with college costs

Americans owe about $ 826.5 billion in revolving credit, as outlined by June 2010 figures from the Federal Reserve. Americans have $ 829,785 billion in student loans according to a Wall Street Journal article showing a report from FinAid.org. Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and FastWeb.com, told the Journal that he estimates $ 300 billion in federal student loan debt has been incurred in just the last four years. Parents are just borrowing because college costs more but unemployment has gone up.

Consumer protection unavailable with student loans

Student loan debt is often times worse than credit card debt. A bankruptcy doesn’t help someone who has student loans. Missing payments with student loan repayment can mean some terrible penalties. Student Loan Justice reports that consumer protections like statutes of limitations, truth in lending laws, state usury laws and fair debt collection statutes don’t come with student loans as they do with credit cards. According to the same group, student loans are “an inherently predatory lending system that succeeds when the students fail.”

College puts hardship on family finances

We see the student loan debt and college costs rise together and are doing this at an alarming rate. As outlined by Bank Investment Consultant, the average costs for private universities and in state students at college were $ 35,636 and $ 15,213 in 2009-2010. Annually there has been a 5 percent increase. This academic year, there is a possibility of charges going over $ 50,000 for top institutions. This is too much for families trying to use all of their savings and spend income also to pay for school.

Bachelor’s degrees beginning to become worthless

Rising student loan debt leads some to wonder whether going in hock for years to get a degree is worth it. As outlined by the New York Times, despite six years of trying, only half of all students starting a bachelor’s degree in 2006 will graduate by 2012. Only seven of the 30 jobs that are supposed to grow fastest within the next ten years even need a bachelor’s degree, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only 2 of the top 10 growing job categories need degrees. Richard K. Vedder, founder of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, told the Times that 15 percent of mail carriers have bachelor’s degrees, according to a 1999 federal study. He explained:

“Some of them could have bought a house for what they spent on their education.”

Further reading

Wall Street Journal

blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/08/09/student-loan-debt-surpasses-credit-cards/

Bank Investment Consultant

bankinvestmentconsultant.com/bic_issues/2010_8/college-cost-gone-wild-2668047-1.html?zkPrintable=1 and amp;nopagination=1

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/05/16/weekinreview/16steinberg.html

Who are these people Robert Gibbs is speaking about?

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs just lately slammed a group of individuals he referred to as the “professional left.” Though the quote is indicative of the ambiance of the Oval Office recently, it makes one pine for the days when the highly quotable Dan Quayle was around. Source of article – Who are these people Robert Gibbs is talking about? by Personal Money Store.

Gibbs likes the office casual left

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs refers to liberals dissatisfied with the administration as the professional left. In an interview with The Hill, he said that this shadow cabal of malcontents would only be happy with a health care plan akin to Canada’s and when the Pentagon is done away with. He also said that they were comparing Obama with George W. Bush, and that for doing this, they should all be “drug tested.” The White House Press Secretary also purported they would not be happy “even if Dennis Kucinich was President.”

Is Bigfoot one of them?

He could mean people exactly who criticized Obama’s abandoning of a public option and lax policy concerning LGBT issues. Critics also point out little has been done about Do not Ask Don’t Tell. Nevertheless, he nevertheless didn’t articulate well exactly who the professional left are. The day the article ran, Gibbs was a noted omission from a White House press conference. Replacement Bill Burton maintained that Gibbs was sick.

Not exactly up to par

Who he meant exactly is unknown, what he was talking about is. The fact is there’s just no pleasing some individuals and some people love having something to complain about.

Discover more information on this subject

The Hill

thehill.com/homenews/administration/113431-white-house-unloads-on-professional-left

Economists suggest the United States has become a plutonomy

It has been posited many times that the United States functions as a “plutonomy.” The word is a portmanteau of the words plutocracy and economy, meaning the economy hinges on the richest of the rich. It has been argued that it really been that way all along. Recent figures indicate that the richest few are what have driven any relative improvements in the economy. Source of article – Economists suggest the United States has become a plutonomy by Personal Money Store.

Plutonomy has nothing to do with cartoon dogs

What the term plutonomy implies is the economy is driven by and depends on a small number of the wealthiest individuals. There is reason to think any “improvements” during the recession have anything to do with the spending habits of the richest few. The Wall Street Journal reported on the findings of Moody’s of consumer spending patterns. Over the past 20 years, the richest 5 percent alone contributed 37 percent of consumer spending. The bottom 80 percent (i.e. the rest of us) contributed less than 40 percent. Almost 50 percent of all income earned goes to only 10 percent of the population in the U.S.

The math works

According to a study released in 2006 by the Federal Reserve, economist Arthur Kennickell found that the wealthiest 10 percent of the nation held almost 70 percent of the wealth. That means for each and every dollar of value within the sum total of all non-public assets of the United States, 90 percent of the population owns only 30 cents worth. The trickle Reagan talked about was no trickle going down; it was a tsunami going upwards.

In order to set up a more perfect union for the rich

Historians for instance Howard Zinn and others have posited that the Founding Fathers were all the wealthiest of the wealthy. Their profits were affected more by British taxes than the commoners were. Thus, they revolted and established a nation in which they would enjoy an oligarchy of advantage. Only a 3rd of Americans were in favor of the Revolution, with the other two thirds being hostile or indifferent, and that was as outlined by none other than James Madison. Republics inherently favor the growth of aristocracy and oligarchies. If there is one universal harbinger of doom for a society, it is a growing and vast disparity between the wealthiest few and also the many poor.

Additional reading

online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703988304575413432696177258.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wealth_inequality_in_the_United_States

federalreserve.gov/pubs/feds/2006/200613/200613pap.pdf – PDF, demands Adobe Reader

Tibetan Mastiff popularity raising questions of pet well being

In some areas of China, the rise in recognition of the Tibetan Mastiff dog is both an economic boom and animal welfare concern. The Tibetan Mastiff is considered the protector of Tibet, and a sign of prosperity. Animal welfare activists are raising questions about the $ 600,000 price tag being paid for some purebred animals. Article resource – Tibetan Mastiff popularity raising questions of animal welfare by Newystype.com.

The history of the Tibetan Mastiff

Tibetan Mastiff dogs were, at one point, considered a holy animal. A Tibetan Mastiff is considered a sign of both home and security. Weighing in at as much as 180 pounds, some Tibetan Mastiffs are huge. A truly purebred Tibetan Mastiff dog is rare. Some dog breeders even go so far as to poach purebred Tibetan Mastiff canines.

Expense of a Tibetan Mastiff

The Communist Party of China used to bad the ownership of dogs as pets. The Party considered owning a dog a sign of the “bourgeois” society. Animal ownership is no longer banned, but it takes months and hundreds of dollars to license them. Both the neighborhood community and police security bureau must approve the dog before it can be registered. The dog also demands identification paperwork that contains passport photos, a registration document, copy of the property title or lease and a yearly renewal. In short, owning a dog in China is an expensive and difficult proposition on top of the high cost.

Pet or status symbol?

Because of their status as a symbol more than a pet, some Mastiffs are seen as being in danger. The couple that purchased the dog known as Yangtze River Number Two keeps their $ 600,000 dog in a cage. The obsession with Tibetan Mastiffs is called “dangerous” by the International Center for Veterinary Services in Beijing. It’s noted that numerous of these so-called “pets” are put on display more than treated like pets. Breeders and owners dispute this claim, pointing out that keeping a Tibetan Mastiff takes extensive care.

Further reading

MSNBC

today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38263729/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals

Global Times

globaltimes.cn/www/english/metro-beijing/lifestyle/fashion and amp;shopping/2010-04/524055.html

Best of luck getting an FHA mortgage loan after all the default

Federal Housing Administration mortgages saved the housing market from total collapse when the housing crisis emerged in 2007. The FHA virtually eliminated barriers to entry into the housing market to keep mortgage lending from totally drying up. FHA mortgages became so popular that today they make up nearly a 3rd of the mortgage market. But risks and delinquencies from those loans are increasing. The FHA before would cover losses that occurred when a borrower defaulted onto their loan, although that is not happening as much anymore. There will be a change soon so FHA mortgages aren’t so easy to get. Post resource – Expect tougher FHA mortgage loans due to increasing risk of default by Personal Money Store.

FHA mortgage insurance takes a big hit

FHA mortgages weren’t a factor in the housing crisis, but its lax standards for mortgage insurance are a problem now. According to the Real Estate Channel, 360,000 loans, or 6.2 percent, from FHA were given to buyers who had 500 or less in FICO scores. Foreclosures, bankruptcy or 60 days delinquent are the result of 37 percent of these loans. During the housing crisis, the FHA helped 450,000 families keep their homes out of foreclosure in fiscal year 2009. In the first quarter of 2010, the FHA helped an additional 122,000 families. There was a default rate of 67 percent within the next twelve months after being helped by the FHA, reports the Office of Comptroller of Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision. The number of FHA mortgages delinquent more than 90 days climbed to 555,000 in May 2010.

Terms becoming tougher for FHA reserves

On Sept. 30, 2008, the Capital Reserve Account for the FHA was $ 19.3 billion, when in 2009 it had gone down to $ 3.5 billion, which is why the FHA is trying to protect itself. As outlined by SmartMoney.com, a premium annual insurance for an FHA mortgage could be increased with a bill passed by Senate recently. For the 3.5 percent down payment, the FHA needs a 580 score. A credit score between 500 and 580 would require a 10 percent down payment to be made.

FHA mortgage loans with new requirements

September 2010 is when new FHA mortgage loan needs can be put into place. According to Chicago 77, those buyers who can barely afford a home will no longer be able to get to that point. An upfront mortgage insurance premium that is 1 percent of the loan must be paid by the borrower to the FHA. This has gone down from what was initially required, 2.25 percent. Sadly, the monthly figure can be .90 percent annually rather than the .55 percent it was before. A $ 150,000 home is shown by Chicago 77 as an example:

Before Sept. 7 2010

Upfront Premium (2.25 percent): $ 3,256.88

Monthly payment including mortgage insurance: $ 793.93

On or after Sept. 7 2010

Upfront Premium (1.00 percent): $ 1,447.50

Monthly payment including mortgage insurance: $ 826.93

Net changes

Upfront cost: Decreased by $ 1,809.38

Monthly cost: Increased by $ 33.00

More on this topic

Real Estate Channel

realestatechannel.com/us-markets/residential-real-estate-1/real-estate-news-fha-mortgages-mortgage-backed-securities-mbs-federal-housing-administration-fha-department-of-veterans-affairs-va-congress-home-loans-keith-jurow-2969.php

SmartMoney

smartmoney.com/personal-finance/real-estate/the-fha-rethinks-its-mortgage-lending/

Chicago77

thechicago77.com/2010/08/major-fha-changes-coming-on-the-september-7th/

General Motors says goodbye to CEO when public offering is days away

General Motors had a tumultuous last few years. Sequential years of falling sales resulted in GM filing for bankruptcy and asking for bailout funds from the government. GM was placed under government conservatorship, and also the terms of the bailout included that the government held a majority of shares. The short time GM was in bankruptcy was not ill spent. Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre, Jr. announced he would soon retire, and an Initial Public Offering of General Motors stock is reportedly only days away.

Ed Whitacre the GM CEO is stepping down

General Motors Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board Ed Whitacre Jr. is going to retire, according to the New York Times. He was chairman of AT and T before going over to General Motors. Former Nextel executive Daniel Akerson can be his replacement. Whitacre will step down as CEO by September and step down as Chairman at the end of the year. Whitacre had prepared to retire once General Motors was back in fighting shape all along, and had said so. It looks like that is precisely what’s happened.

GM posting profits

General Motors has realized a second quarter of consecutive profits after filing for bankruptcy and turning over the majority of their shares to the American and Canadian governments. According to USA Today, GM has just posted a profit of $ 1.3 billion. In the second quarter of 2009, GM had missed a huge debt payment. GM posted a profit last quarter, as outlined by CNN Money, of $ 865 million. This is a sure sign that things are looking up for the auto manufacturing giant, which had to divest itself of all but four main brands to survive – Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet.

GM IPO shortly to follow

General Motors is no longer listed on stock exchanges because of its bankruptcy, and will have to hold a public offering to buy back the 60 percent of shares the government holds and pay off the Treasury. GM Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell has not committed to a date, but its predicted soon. A leaner and meaner General Motors might open its Initial Public Offering at a record price for GM stock.

Additional reading at these websites

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/13/business/13auto.html?_r=1 and src=mv

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2010-08-12-gm_N.htm

CNN

money.cnn.com/2010/08/12/news/companies/gm_results/

Great The Other Guys review

Friday was when the film “The Other Guys” came out. The movie has actors Mark Wahlberg, Steve Coogan and Will Ferrell in it. The reviews for “The Other Guys” tended to lean on the optimistic side. Both the leading actors (Ferrell and Wahlberg) had some misfires within the last few years, and consensus among critics is “The Other Guys” is a step in the right direction. The movie was directed by the director of “Anchorman,” “Talledega Nights” and “Stepbrothers,” who is Adam McKay. Source for this article – Critics are kind in the Other Guys reviews by Personal Money Store.

Old plot with new people in ‘The Other Guys’

Within the movie, after shooting Derek Jeter by accident, a cop (Wahlberg) is given work that he is way too good for. He is reassigned to white collar crime, where he partners up with an awkward geek, Will Ferrell as a forensic accountant. They get wise to an evil businessman (Steve Coogan) and his nefarious scheme and take him down. It is definitely a comedy. It’s been done before, but every plot has been done. It’s the personalities that make the main difference between studios losing money or striking box office gold.

Reviews better than expected

On Rotten Tomatoes, reviews put the movie at 79 percent. Ferrell just lately starred in “The Goods,” and “Land of the Lost”, both of which got less than 30 percent in their ratings. Wahlberg has been doing poorly too considering he hasn’t had a film since 2007 get more than a 32 percent. Critics think the movie is idiotic humor although it is nevertheless good. According to Kurt Loder from MTV, the movie is not all that wise but is a great comedy for summer.

Try watching it

If you’re within the mood for a goofy comedy, then this may be just what the doctor ordered. Many Americans may just need this amusing movie with all of the grim things happening in the economy.

More on this topic

Rotten Tomatoes

rottentomatoes.com/m/other_guys/?page=1 and amp;critic=columns and amp;sortby= and amp;name_order= and amp;view=#contentReviews

MTV’s Kurt Loder

mtv.com/news/articles/1645213/20100805/story.jhtml

National Mustard Day is an excellent holiday

For most people in America, mustard comes in a few limited flavors. National Mustard Day, Aug. 7, is an excellent excuse to expand your mustard horizons. You can go all out and make your own mustard, or you could try using mustard in a new way.

Mustard facts

There are four major types of mustard seeds that come from the mustard plant. White, yellow, brown and black are the four kinds of seeds. A liquid is mixed with the crushed seeds to make a kind of paste. Most yellow American mustard is crushed yellow mustard seeds mixed with tumeric and vinegar. You are able to make your own mustard by simply getting some mustard seeds out of the spices aisle then crushing and mixing them with vinegar and whatever else you need to, to get a certain flavor. Homemade mustard is usually really spicy.

The Point of National Mustard Day

Learning about different mustards is what happens on National Mustard day. Mustard is an antibacterial product, meaning that it can be stored outside the fridge. An emulsifier can combine oil and water, as mustard can. Dry mustard powder can even help reduce the possibility of curdling if you add it to unstable sauces like Béarnaise. Mustard also accounts for about $ 300 million in grocery sales each year.

Bringing National Mustard Day home

You are able to celebrate National Mustard day in many ways. Mustard is more than just a paste to spread on your sandwich. Put mustard into some of your treats. Here are some things to try:

Make some honey mustard

Mix together the very same amount of brown mustard and honey. With a little bit of oil mixed in, honey mustard could be a salad dressing.

Mustard Grill Rub

Start by mixing together some salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard seed. When grilling, this makes a fantastic sauce for rubbing on to marinate chicken, beef or even Portobello mushrooms.

NC helps needy with 2010 tax free weekend

Americans need more money with the recession hitting paychecks so hard. Even the cost of putting kids through public schools becomes an issue when supplies and other back to school purchasing items are considered. Quick cash in North Carolina can be easier to come by with tax free weekend NC 2010.

NC 2010 tax free weekend starts August 6 and ends August 8

Families hoping for cash quick have reason to cheer on tax free weekend NC 2010. Individual school supply items may not be costly, but an entire list of must-haves for the first day of school can quickly add up. Without sales tax, many families can better afford to buy these supplies. According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, along with no sales tax, there are also going to be big sales on school items.

Selling like crazy will be all the pencils and paper. ”It’s insanity around here. Tax-free weekend is busier than Black Friday for us. It’s that way for most office supply stores,” is what Nicole Lawrence, supervisor of Office Max in Buncombe County, North Carolina, told the Citizen-Times.

Helping with school buying

School supplies may not be the only thing on your list for that weekend. Purchasing can be better at stores with more than just school supplies such as clothing or sporting good stores. Driving less will mean using less gas. Check ads to compare prices before shopping. If your item is wanted by most people, get to the store early. Perhaps most importantly, have patience. Stores are all going to be very busy.

For those who need extra help

Families who need more financial assistance than North Carolina’s tax-free weekend can provide may be in luck. Anybody who needs help can look towards Eblen Kimmel Charities like “Tools for Schools” which provide help to families in need, repots the Citizen-Times in an interview with Jan Blunt of Buncombe County Schools. If you need to be a part of this, you’ll have to provide your child’s social security number and grade level. Supplies can be picked up at Eblen Kimmel’s main office at 50 Westgate Parkway on Aug. 16. Those who would like to donate new, unopened school supplies for the giveaway are encouraged to do so on Wednesday, Aug. 11 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Ingles market on Tunnel Road.

Find more information on this subject

Citizen Times

citizen-times.com/article/20100804/LIVING/308040023/1009 and amp;theme=BACKTOSCHOOL

Eblen Kimmel Charities

eblencharities.org/

Ingles Market

ingles-markets.com/

YouTube

Tax-free back-to-school shopping tips from the BBB

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When will the Social Security Administration be secure again?

Doom, despair, and a guarantee of fear and loathing has been forecast for Social Security for a long time. For this year, they’ll be right. The tax income that the Social Security Administration takes in this year could be less than they’re due to shell out. It isn’t the first time, either. The 1980s saw comparable trouble with the SSA. Social Security keeps a trust fund where it holds all funds, and shortfalls are exactly what the fund is there to attempt to counter.

Social Security won’t cover the pay-outs

As outlined by the Los Angeles Times, the Social Security Administration will spend more than it will earn this year. The board of trustees for Social Security and Medicare have reported, as of August 5, that the tax income will be less than their due to pay out by the end of 2010. The health care reform bill will purportedly streamline Medicare, and it’s expected to stay solvent until 2029. Estimates before the bill passed gave Medicare until 2017. New incentives and regulations are expected to streamline Medicare spending without compromising how much it delivers to citizens receiving benefits.

Social Security could be raiding their trust fund

The Social Security Administration maintains a trust fund for itself. Anything left over after expenditures gets put in the trust fund. Any shortfalls that occur are covered by the trust fund. The fund itself was created for exactly this purpose. The Social Security Trust Fund, as outlined by the New York Times, is projected to run out by 2037. The Social Security Administration will still be able for making 75 percent of its payments if the numbers are accurate, according to the Social Security commissioner Michael Astrue.

Peter to Pay Paul!

Social Security depends on tax revenue. If fewer people work, less money comes into the equation. As people live longer, more has to be paid out. This specific Social Security shortfall won’t affect people’s benefits, but the next one might.

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nytimes.com/2010/08/06/us/politics/06benefits.html

latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sc-dc-0806-social-security-20100805,0,6306255.story

Vulture investing moves from quick cash to long-term gains

A feast for vulture investors is being served by the depressed Americas housing market. Deflating home prices, rock-bottom mortgage rates and a rental market surging with individuals who have lost their homes are attracting swarms of vulture investors after distressed properties. But in this anemic economy, vulture investing has changed. In boom times, vulture investors were home flippers looking for quick payday. In these troubled times, they’re landlords raking in hefty, steady incomes.

Vulture investors pick at remains of housing market

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

Strategy changes for vulture investing

Several factors presently occurring in the United States of America housing market have changed vulture investing strategy from buyer and seller, to buyer and landlord. HSH.com, an online mortgage resource said the constantly increasing home prices that attracted house flippers are long gone. There’s no money in buying low and selling low. And because millions of foreclosed borrowers have to wait years before they can get a home loan, they become the ready tenants for vulture investors buying properties for pennies on the dollar.

Cash flow the main attraction for vulture investors

Vulture investors can start making money the first month they rent their properties when they pay in cash. The CNN article uses Las Vegas as an example, where prices have fallen about 70 percent and rents have only declined about 20 percent. Glenn Plantone, a vulture investor in Las Vegas, told CNN his net return on investment via money flow is 12-to-14 percent . The advantage of cash flow is that even if real estate prices decline further, the cash coming in stays the exact same.

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money.cnn.com

blog.hsh.com

Fixing your brakes with drum brakes or disk brakes

Even though the speed a automobile can travel is important, it is just as essential to be able to stop if and whenever you want. Two types of brakes are available, and they are drum brakes and disk brakes. Both of them work even though they are there for different reasons. When getting a car, you should know the braking system to conserve you money and time.

The basics of drum brakes

”Rotating” braking systems is what we call drum brakes sometimes. There is a “drum” rotating with the wheel. The drum expands whenever you press the pedal making the wheel slow. The biggest problem with drum brakes is when they’re put under very heavy load on a regular basis, they can heat up and lose effectiveness easily.

Disc brake basics

Disc brakes look like bikes on a bicycle really. The wheel is “squeezed” by calipers whenever you use the brake. The brakes don’t get as hot and work better.

Getting a disc or drum

Consider many things when deciding which of these to get. Drum brakes aren’t expensive and are simple. Disc brakes, though, offer meatier braking power. Drum brakes are generally found in less expensive or more economical autos. Disk and drum brakes are found in a lot of cars. Even though it is typically more expensive, having disc brakes for emergencies can be really helpful. Drum brakes are less expensive to put in, but a separate emergency brake has to be installed. Drum brakes are less costly to be replaced, though disc brakes tend to need replacement less often.

New regulations target mortgage loan officers

The individuals who offer personnel loan products are now subject to new regulations. Agents that offered both large and small loans that weren’t up to snuff are the target of these regulations. In 2008, the federal government passed regulations comparable to New York’s 2006 law. Post resource – Mortgage loan officers subject to new lending regulations by Personal Money Store.

Licensing loan officers in New York

The employees that really offer mortgages when working for money advance lenders that offer mortgages are the target of this regulation. As of July 31, any mortgage loan officer who wants to work in New York State must have a license. Getting this license requires a 20 hour course in responsible lending. Financial, criminal, and knowledge tests are also required for the license. Similar laws are set to take effect all over the country in the next few years.

Addressing loan job jumpers

The Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing law addresses one very specific problem. Many of the bad loans and fast cash advance products that contributed to the economic downfall came from a unique subset of lenders. While mortgage businesses were licensed, the lenders who worked at them were not required to be. Many loan officers who made no credit loans would jump from job to job after fired for making bad loans.By maintaining a record on the lender’s license, states will be able to keep closer tabs.

Licensing needs relatively light

By addressing issues in the mortgage business, the new law does help, but some are worried it might not be enough. Most say the required 20 hours of training simply isn’t enough. Most state licenses require at least 75 hours of specialized training. The Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry is providing a search that will help you find a mortgage lender that has a license.

Gold bubble burst with gold prices going down

People are starting to talk about a gold bubble burst. During the global financial crisis, many thought gold was the best place to invest money. But after increasing in value steadily since October 2008, the gold bubble may be reaching the bursting point as the global financial crisis fades. If investors discover no need to invest in gold any longer, then the demand for gold is going to drop a lot. Gold went down quite a bit already from June 21 from $ 1,266.50 to $ 1,185. Article resource – Falling gold price could mean the gold bubble is about to burst by Personal Money Store.

Signs of a bursting gold bubble

Gold prices have been so unstable that many say the gold bubble might burst soon. Brian Rezny at Seeking Alpha writes that India and China, the world’s first and second largest gold markets respectively, are buying a lot less gold. He said that gold is a commodity with a value based entirely on the assumption that it will increase in price. This is why individuals invested their lives into gold during the global financial crisis. Gold’s value is solely depending on what people value it at. A gold bubble burst would change that perception overnight.

Credit crisis difficulties in Europe

One reason the gold bubble may be about to burst is since the markets may have exaggerated the effects of the credit crisis in Europe to the global economy, according to Ron Acoba at Daily Markets. With recent news about the surprise earnings of European and U.S. banks, Acoba said the effect of the credit crisis on their business turns out to be minimal. Rezny said the gold bubble is about to “end in tears,” and that the recent decline in gold prices will get worse. He reminds us that back in 1980, gold was used as an inflation hedge, and it peaked at $ 850 an ounce. That is $ 2,300 when adjusted for the inflation that has happened since then. Then it went down drastically by 1999 to $ 253.

A safe haven gets risky

The gold bubble is precariously large as millions of individuals are getting gold. Even celebrities say gold should be bought. Hucksters like Glenn Beck are convincing average individuals to dump a large percentage of their investment portfolios into gold — even their life savings — to be safe when the global economy collapses to the stone age. Beating Broke is concerned about what will happen after the economy recovers. Gold buyers could be sad to see their investment of $ 1,100 or $ 1,200 an ounce change to be $ 800 or $ 900 an ounce instead. If 30 percent of everyone’s money is lost here, the gold bubble is bound to burst. When people try and sell their gold, prices will drop more. True believers in gold will lose even more.

More on this topic

Daily Markets

dailymarkets.com/forex/2010/07/28/did-the-gold-bubble-just-pop/

Beating Broke

beatingbroke.com/is-gold-the-next-bubble/

Boston missing pets - citizens believe fisher cats are to blame

In Boston, Mass., precious family animals are vanishing left and right and turning up deceased at a rising rate. Numerous residents are pointing the finger at fisher cats in the area. The wild, sharp-toothed, weasel-looking fisher cat has been seen in residential neighborhoods, and people are recommended to be cautious.

Possible fisher cat assaults reported in Boston

Residents within the Boston area say fisher cat assaults are the reason many animals are vanishing. Reports of missing animals continue to increase, and families are warned to take precautionary measures to protect their animals and small children. Numerous residents say that fisher cats have been spotted in people’s back yards, in fences and on back porches — right out in broad daylight. According to reports, a man from Andover was even able to record a video clip of a fisher cat spotted in a tree.

Linda Ribeiro, a Dover resident who has lost two cats and a dog, said she saw a fisher cat two weeks ago that was as big as a coffee table. “Almost looked like a sea serpent or something,” she said. “The head was up and then it came down to short front legs and then the back goes up and arches and then this long tail that’s stuck up in the air.”

What is a fisher cat?

Fisher cats are from the very same family as mink, otter, weasels and skunks. These medium-sized fisher cats are thin, long and low to the ground, and they will eat almost anything they can find. Fisher cats, according to Wikipedia, are among a few predators that will really try to find and kill porcupines. They are active throughout the year and are quite possibly most lively in dawn and dusk hours.

What to do

Missing posters across the region are turning up as troubled pet owners attempt to locate their animals that have vanished without a trace. According to wildlife officials, the fisher cat was nearly extinct not too long ago, but it seems the species has bounced back within the Boston area. For pet owners and families will small kids, the best thing to do is to remove or secure anything around the home that may attract the fisher cats. Get rid of garbage and compost and keep pet rabbits and birds also as their food secure, as the fisher cats “view domestic cats and rabbits as food and will prey on them when hunting.”

Gorilla glass shields your TV from Wii damages

Video gamers know about Wii damages involving TV glass, and now there’s a business that thinks they have a remedy. According to the AP, Corning Inc. has taken their 50-year-old Chemcor invention and made it marketable as Gorilla glass. Soon, Corning will use Gorilla glass in high-end TVs and touch-screen tablets.

Gorilla glass started to come on strong in 2008

After decades of nothing, Corning started to use Gorilla glass in cell phones in 2008. What started then as a $ 170 million annual business will surely explode once flat screen TVs and touch-screen devices take on Gorilla glass. In specific, Gorilla glass could possibly be used for frameless flat screen TVs that would look like artwork on a wall, rather than a television. The strength of the product would protect against such things as Wii accidents, yet the products would nevertheless appear elegant.

Triple strong and less than half as thick

As outlined by the AP, Gorilla glass beats standard glass by a mile. It’s three times as strong and much thinner. As a result of the less-than-a-dime thickness, it’s quite light in weight. Corning is preparing with Asian TV manufacturers to get the Gorilla glass out there by the beginning of 2011. Share prices of Corning have already increased in anticipation of increased business. Considering that high-end LCD glass generated the bulk of Corning’s sales in 2009 ($ 5.4 billion), there would likely be demand. A rise of only $ 30 to $ 60 per unit is expected during the Gorilla glass transition, which shouldn’t deter buyers.

Gorilla glass – ready for other products?

Corning is confident that Gorilla glass is suitable for myriad products. Refrigerator doors, automobile sunroofs and even touch-screen advertising in companies like hotels are all possibilities. For the moment, Corning is on the precipice of making large money with Gorilla glass in high-end televisions.

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Associated Press

cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/01/ap/tech/main6734387.shtml

Coasting in neutral won't help anybody

Everyone wants to know the ways they can conserve the most gas. Various additive products exist that supposedly improve a car’s fuel economy, but these products are met with skepticism by experts. You will find a couple of things that will help for sure like hypermiling. However, one driving technique that some associate with fuel economy – coasting in neutral as the engine is idling – has little to do with effective hypermiling, reports Popular Mechanics. Not only does it not save gas, but it is unsafe.

While coasting in neutral, one can’t accelerate

When coasting and seeing road hazards, accelerating to keep away from isn’t an option. Not only that, but handling around sharp corners is severely hampered while coasting in neutral. This is as the engine is disconnected from the drive train at that time.

Saving gas?

It is an illogical claim that a car experiences greater fuel economy while coasting in neutral. When a car is just sitting there, Popular Mechanics explain one gallon of gas goes each hour. You will use .033 gallons of gas just being in neutral down a mile hill at 30 mph.

There is still rpm

The pulse-width-modulated wave signal varies between 5 percent and 80 percent just when the car is idling to when the car has full throttle going. There is more rpm with percentage going up meaning more gas is being used. 1,000 rpm is what the idle rpm is. Of course your automobile may be a little different. At that point, the car’s fuel injection starts adding fuel to keep the engine from stalling out. The driver feels a rev up at the same moment a pulse increases on the oscilloscope. Thus, gas is really being wasted when the car shifts into neutral, claims Popular Mechanics.

Trip computer tricks

When a car is in neutral, the trip computer sees something different than what is happening. Increased mileage which is a “false positive” is shown to your computer. That’s why gallons into the tank divided by odometer mileage (and checked against a handheld GPS device) are more useful when analyzing fuel economy. All told, Popular Mechanics believes that drivers will conserve more fuel if they simply turn off the engine at a traffic light than if they used the unsafe driving technique of coasting in neutral.

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Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/coasting-in-neutral-fuel-economy

A “gravity hill” in Chenju, South Korea

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