| Consumer Smarts: Vehicle warranty notice may mislead
The factory warranty on your vehicle is set to expire, it warns. This is your "final notice." You must call within 72 hours to renew. Consumers everywhere -- even those who don't own cars -- have been flooded with such mailings and phone calls in recent months, and attorneys general in several states, including Washington, are warning consumers to beware. Many of the solicitations target seniors, pressuring them to buy expensive service contracts. Q: What should I do about these extended warranty notices? A: "Don't take the information on face value," urged Assistant Attorney General Mary Lobdell in a recent consumer alert. "These notices usually aren't from your manufacturer or dealer; they're ads from businesses that want to sell you an optional, pricey plan to cover future repairs." Extended auto warranties, or vehicle service contracts, may be unnecessary and very expensive, costing $1,000 or more.
Candidates push ahead as money dwindles
Like all of you. I know that health care is the most critical, and important issue facing the American people. Now, and in the coming elections. And like the vast majority of the American people, I want HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law NOW! "Single payer, Tax Supported, Not For Profit, True Universal Health Care" free for all as a right. Like every other developed country in the world has. See: http://www.house.gov/conyers/news_hr676.htm “HR 676: For church goers: less money to insur. companies and more to the church- lots more. Srs on Medicare: save way over $100/wk. Because no more medigap, long term care & dental insur. needed. No more drug bills." But if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our current politicians to get HR 676 passed into law before the elections.
Other Voices: A roundup of views on Fidel Castro's resignation
This explains the subdued reaction of Cubans on the island and in Miami. As long as Castro is physically capable, he will use his considerable personal power to hold up the failed communist system. Even in his resignation notice, he promised to continue writing his "Reflections," a series of editorials that regularly skewer the proposals of his designated successor, brother Raúl. .
Boys are spot on says Holloway
READING Racers warmed up for the start of the new season with a private practice session at Smallmead. And co-promoter Malcolm Holloway reported: “It went extremely well. “I was pleased; all the boys looked spot on." The team will be back out on Friday afternoon for more practice as they look to sharpen themselves up for the opening fixture against Rye House in the first leg of the Thames Valley Trophy on Monday (7.30pm). The only rider to suffer a hitch was Jamie Smith, who blew an engine during Monday's behind-doors practice session. Veteran trackman Doug Harris has been working several days a week in preparing the surface. “We have brought in another lorry load of dirt and I think the track will be good," said Holloway.
SAG to negotiate with AFTRA
Screen Actors Guild's objective remains to negotiate the best wages and working conditions for all actors. We look forward to speaking with a unified voice when we face our employers across the table." Negotiations on a new deal for actors have not been set, but AFTRA's leaders have indicated that they expect both unions to be ready to start talks by March 31. The SAG-AFTRA contract covers feature and primetime TV work, with AFTRA covering a handful of shows. SAG national exec director Doug Allen said Saturday that AFTRA has indicated it will be willing to be a partner agin. "Despite the fact that AFTRA announced its intention to enter early negotiations on primetime television provisions on its own, they have recently signaled that they are ready, willing and able to work together with Screen Actors Guild in the best interests of actors," he added.
Yobs arson attacks leave Surbiton pensioners living in fear
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web. Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you. More on Digg More on del.icio.us More on Furl More on reddit More on NowPublic/ More on Yahoo! .
Tokens 1.1
To transfer your file, you attach this token to an e-mail and send it to your recipient. Then you leave your computer running and your connection to the Internet established. The recipient -- who must download a copy of the free Token Redeemer application (which is compatible with OS 9 and OS X) -- double-clicks on the token or drags it onto the Token Redeemer icon. The program establishes a secure connection to your computer and downloads the file from your computer to the recipient's computer. And with the Tokens 1.1 update, you can now configure Token Creator to place a link to a Token Redeemer download in e-mails containing tokens. Keeping Things Easy Tokens' conveniences abound. It's handy for senders because they don't have to upload huge files to a Web page or an FTP server (or learn how to set up an FTP server).
Interest rates - the blame game
This sartorial fun was just after the severe early 1990s recession, when the Reserve Bank got it wrong. Unfortunately, it's still getting it wrong.
Australians should blame the RBA for rising interest rates - with another one expected tomorrow - not just the former Coalition government.
For too long, Australians have looked to the RBA to solve economic problems. But there hasn't been enough focus on the fact that our central bank is likely to have inflamed the problems.
Our central bank projects an aura of omnipotence. But like any other government organisation it is fallible - and arguably flawed. Far from being omnipotent, central banks, including the RBA, are slaves to intellectual fashions and prone to arrogance and huge blunders.
One of the concerning trends of central banks is to totally disregard the link between money supply and inflation.
Unsecured Internet purchases could prove disastrous
Students who regularly make online purchases from campus computers or from the university's wireless network might want to take some precautionary steps before punching in their credit card numbers. “If [students] are using the encrypted wireless [network], I think that's fine," said James Shook of Technology Support Services. “[But] I don't think I'd be doing that on the visitor's [network], which anyone can get on."Students can obtain a password for the secured wireless network at www.nss.appstate.edu. Appalachian State also offers free anti-virus software with built-in firewall and anti-spyware protection at www.antivirus.appstate.edu. Students transferring data should do so from secure Web sites, which are signified by “https" in the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or a secure lock graphic, said Director of Technology Support Tom M.
Dowe failed to fulfill promise
It all began with such promise. In 2002, Alfred Dowe was a young, black man -- then 35 -- willing to step forward as a city leader. He was a hometown guy, a known entity; yet he was a relatively fresh face to Roanoke politics. He stood poised to make the leap from the planning commission, an appointed post, to elected office. About a week before the Roanoke City Council election, then-Roanoke Times' Editorial Page Editor Tommy Denton noted in a column that Dowe was among several who "pose the most abundant array of talented, capable and promising council contenders in many moons." Today, Dowe is an ex-councilman, a decent man forced out of office by his own poor judgment. The young man on whom the city, fairly or unfairly, hung its hopes six years ago had no choice but to resign Saturday.
Florida sues Coral Springs lawyer's debt managment services
The Florida Attorney General's economic crimes division filed suit Thursday against a Coral Springs lawyer, her practice and two companies she controls, alleging they deceptively marketed debt management services.
Attorney Laura Hess is behind Hess Kennedy Chartered LLC and the Consumer Law Center, according to state regulators. The center's Web site claims it negotiates reduced debt payments for clients to help them avoid bankruptcy and reviews their statements for inappropriate charges that can be removed.
But court documents filed in Broward County Circuit Court say the defendants falsely told their clients they no longer had to pay their creditors while the charges were disputed, resulting in some clients being sued for the debts or facing legal action. The suit claims the companies also misrepresented what portion of money consumers initially paid toward debt settlements were actually nonrefundable retainers and fees, and did not forward payments to creditors as promised.
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