Prostitution charges have been formally made against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and he can be subject to a trial. There has been intense conjecture for weeks over whether he would be officially charged with a crime; it’s rumored he paid for a sexual encounter with an underage girl. His first court hearing can be April 6. He will need a pretty large personal loan to get out of this one. Italy Prime Minister getting charged After controversy erupted over whether Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy enlisted the services of an underage prostitute in the past few months, law enforcement officials have brought criminal court case against him, in accordance with The Telegraph. Berlusconi is alleged to have paid for the services of a now-18-year-old who calls herself Ruby the Heartstealer. Ruby, real name Karima el-Mahroug, was 17 at the time of the alleged transaction. April 6 will be when the first hearing can be seen. Judge Cristina Di Censo is going to fast track the case. Berlusconi will even face court case of abuse of powers as Prime Minister. 'Rubygate’ is the scandal in accordance with protestors Many protestors, while most were women, were in a protest over the scandal, called “Rubygate” saying Berlusconi needed to be removed. His personal conduct has never gotten him to trial before. Berlusconi and his party retain a slim majority in the Italian parliament, however public support is quickly waning for him in the wake of the scandal, in accordance with the New York Times. Berlusconi won’t have to appear for the initial case in Milan. Prostitution is legal in Italy, but the service provider must be at least 18. Berlusconi defends himself saying prostitution didn’t occur One of the guests at the lascivious “bunga bunga” parties that Berlusconi held past year was Karima el-Mahroug, then 17. Just a little less than $10,000 was paid to her by Berlusconi the first time they met. MSNBC reports that it was really 7,000 euros. Prosecutors say it was a payment for sex. Both Ruby and Berlusconi say it did not happen. They were never even intimate. Berlusconi is also charged with abuse of powers, having personally pressured a police officer to let Ruby out of theft court case. He says she told him she was the granddaughter of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, and he was trying to keep away from an international incident. Information from Telegraph telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/8325340/Silvio-Berlusconi-ordered-to-face-trial-over-sex-allegations.html New York Times nytimes.com/2011/02/16/world/europe/16italy.html MSNBC msnbc.msn.com/id/41594875/ns/world_news-europe The Coca-Cola Company protects the formula for Coke protected in a financial institution vault. For any person who was looking, the magic formula formulation for Coke surfaced in a newspaper column year’s ago, in accordance with the radio show “This American Life”. Coca-Cola predictably refuted says that the published recipe, with readily available ingredients, would result in real Coke. Now there is no need to take out a payday loan to try and make the recipe. Article resource – Secret formula for Coca-Cola found in old newspaper column by MoneyBlogNewz. Recipe for Coke unveiled In 1886, the formula for Coca-Cola was put together. An Atlanta doctor named John Pemberton came up with it. It has been reported that only 2 individuals who know how to mix the secret ingredient called “Merchandise 7X” are alive at any one time. However “This American Life” found what it said is the formula for Coca-Cola in an article published in the Feb. 18, 1979, edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A columnist reported discovering the hand-written Coke recipe in a notebook passed along by pharmacists through the generations. The article has a photo of a book open to a recipe which is described as a copy of Pemberton’s original formula for Coca-Cola. Making Coke without cocaine There was a recipe before that came out. It said it was the original coke recipe too. A book was published in 1993 by journalist Mark Pendergrast called “For God, Country and Coca-Cola” that said the original Coke recipe, supposedly. There was a statement made from Coca-Cola. It said that the Pendergrast recipe was different than the real Coke recipe. The executives might just be talking about the original recipe. The extract of coca leaves was required in it. The modern version of Coca-Cola utilizes “spent” coca leaves. The cocaine is extracted with the spent coca leaves. However cocaine extraction doesn’t get rid of cocaine alkaloids at a molecular level. There’s a little bit of cocaine in the Coke made today. Coke addiction for a reason Dr. Pemberton made Coca-Cola extract and sold it for five cents a glass. This was done at a local pharmacy. Coke is nevertheless fairly addictive today. This is as the sugar and caffeine in there is mixed with sweet, sour, bitter and salty flavors creating an “asymmetrical” base. Also, the pH level of the mixture is lowered with carbon dioxide under pressure, or carbonation, making it easier for the bloodstream to absorb the sugar and caffeine. The alleged original Coke recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca 3 drams USP
Citric acid 3 oz
Caffeine 1 oz
Sugar 30 (it is unclear from the markings what quantity is required)
Water 2.5 gal
Lime juice 2 pints
Vanilla 1 oz
Caramel 1.5 oz or more to colour
7X flavour (use 2 oz of flavour to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol 8 oz
Orange oil 20 drops
Lemon oil 30 drops
Nutmeg oil 10 drops
Coriander 5 drops
Neroli 10 drops
Cinnamon 10 drops
Articles cited Today Show bites.today.com/_news/2011/02/14/6051765-has-cokes-secret-recipe-been-uncovered?gt1=43001 This American Life thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/427/original-recipe Daily Mail dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356810/Is-Coca-Cola-recipe.html Guru Focus gurufocus.com/news.php?id=120119 DMAE product is being marketed as a facial item that fends off the ravages of age. DMAE was touted by a doctor in a widely viewed segment of “Dr. Oz” this week. The show launched a firestorm of buzz regarding the anti-aging miracle of DMAE. Dermatologists and the FDA disregard anti-aging states about DMAE as pseudoscience; but evidence does exist that DMAE products provide certain cosmetic advantages. Before you take out a pay day loan to buy this costly product, make sure you know the facts. Source of article – Costly DMAE cream delivers little more than common moisturizers by MoneyBlogNewz. Halting face sag with DMAE product DMAE product is being marketed as a costly anti-aging item that reverses wrinkles and facial sagging. Face lifts are popular because of facial sagging that makes age clear. A face lift generally costs between $6,000 and $15,000 to do. This is what the Consumer Guide for Plastic Surgery explained. DMAE cream can cost $80 for less than two ounces. The marketing behind it’s what it depends on. A 2005 Johnson and Johnson study showed that DMAE cream might make for tighter skin with anti-inflammatory goods in it. This is important considering the FDA doesn’t require aesthetic corporations to prove products are safe and effective with scientific evidence. Returning youth with DMAE The human brain naturally produces dimethylaminoethanol. This is what DMAE stands for. Natural DMAE resources contain sardines, anchovies and salmon. DMAE has been researched far more as a potential drug than a topical agent. The reason why memory and cognition are lost as time goes on is due to DMAE. This is what studies have shown. DMAE had been used for anti-aging supplements that help learning, memory, sleep, energy and mood before the DMAE products came along. DMAE creams have been shown to make facial sagging go down. Still, the DMAE user would notice the effects the best. DMAE product costs a lot Because there seems to be scientific credibility, many believe DMAE products are a face lift. The advertising techniques help too. Dermatologists don’t seem too impressed though. After being used since the 1990s, DMAE product hasn’t been proven unsafe for anything but a person’s wallet. It could be just as effective to get moisturizer. It is not costly to get DMAE which doesn’t need weird compounds. With the way production is on DMAE product, it ought to be less than $10. That means somebody is making a lot of money for nothing. Citations Smart Skin Care smartskincare.com/treatments/topical/dmae.html Calorie Lab calorielab.com/news/2011/02/08/dmae/ Calgary Herald calgaryherald.com/health/Dermatologists+refute+claims+anti+aging+skin+creams/4239461/story.html The Super Bowl always has huge viewership. The 2011 Super Bowl claimed over 47 percent of viewers. The best Super Bowl advertisements of 2011 covered a variety from extremely controversial to very cute. The blunders of the 2011 Super Bowl were auditory. The National Anthem got a repeated line, and the Black Eyed Peas halftime show sounded a bit lifeless. Too bad there isn’t a payday loan big enough to reverse that error. Which Super Bowl 2011 advertisements were the very best? The Super Bowl 2011 had good commercials. They touched some nerves though. The Doritos Super Bowl Commercial 2011 was the winner of a user-created contest, but has been lambasted by some for being “sophomoric.” youtube.com/watch?v=0kfLd52jF3Y This year, there’s a top Super Bowl commercial about Darth Vader. It was a large winner. Before the Super Bowl, the Volkswagen commercial had been released. Millions of audiences had already started talking about it. According to most viewer votes, the Darth Vader commercial was the large winner of the 2011 Super Bowl. youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0 The most debatable Super Bowl commercial was the Groupon commercial. The commercial makes very light of a very real political struggle, and is leaving several formerly excited Groupon supporters with a bad taste in their mouths. youtube.com/watch?v=vXGYK1eP_wo&feature=player_embedded Christina Aguilera National Anthem 2011 flub The singing Christina Aguilera did for the Super Bowl turned some heads. It was the biggest Super Bowl flub this year. The majority is upset that Christina Aguilera repeated a line in the anthem. She “butchered” the song, supposedly. Others point out that in a high-stress, live performance, mistakes do occur. youtube.com/watch?v=WB61wXKROtw Putting the Black Eyed Peas in the 2011 halftime show The 2011 Super Bowl halftime show featured the Black Eyed Peas. It was exciting for some. This was the first time since the “wardrobe malfunction” episode that organizers chose a relatively pop-art group, rather than “classic” group. The halftime show for the Black Eyed peas was not flawless. There were mistakes made. It was clear that there were microphone mistakes. Sound techs weren’t prepared. Others say the Black Eyed Peas are more of a recording group rather than live performers — and their Tron-like show was all lights, no energy. youtube.com/watch?v=IJZUxR_dQz4 The commercials are the entertainment that most people tune into the Super Bowl for. Some ads are already released, while some are nevertheless under wraps. Super Bowl Sunday ads do not need a television to view. You are able to catch all the commercials online easily. You can view most the advertisements without a cash advance, all you need is the internet. Article resource – Watch 2011 Super Bowl commercials without pesky football game by MoneyBlogNewz. Super Bowl ads 2011 The 2011 Super Bowl ads could be seen many locations. They’re put up on display. One is obviously to watch the game on the TV. Most may have a big Super Bowl party to attend. If you don’t get Fox thanks to cable disputes, do not have a TV or want to look at the ads but not the game, you will find plenty of other places you can watch the commercials. Hulu’s AdZone will show the commercials, plus it allows you to vote to them. YouTube gets all the commercials pretty easily as well. Paying for the 2011 Super bowl ads The Super Bowl ads 2011 will not be cheap. Fox is charging a lot. Getting a spot during the Super Bowl for just 30 seconds could be really challenging. It costs between $2.8 and $3 million to get one spot. It costs quite a bit just to create a Super Bowl too. Some businesses, for instance Doritos, have turned over development of a Super Bowl ad to individuals on YouTube. Others spend millions of dollars on celeb endorsements and production value. There can be huge benefits from the ads though. It can be an extremely good thing to do “water cooler buzz” and new products during the Super Bowl. It can mean selling much more product. Some corporations do not even have to get their ads to the Super Bowl to benefit from the publicity. The Super Bowl “banned” commercials are used by PETA and other groups for publicity. With more than 40 percent of those younger 35 – a target demographic – watching the Super Bowl just for the 2011 ads, it is a huge number o!
f people tuning into what people usually tune out for. Viewing the Super bowl 2011 ads in advance There were ads for the 2011 Super bowl going on for quite a while. In fact, they have been playing for months before the game. You can go and view the 2011 Super Bowl ads as a preview effortlessly as most of them are already leaked online too. youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0&feature=player_embedded youtube.com/watch?v=JqQl5RIuR0E&feature=player_embedded youtube.com/watch?v=VRDx18GYITw&feature=player_embedded Citations Hulu hulu.com/adzone/ Diet treatments for ADHD as an option to medication have raised hope also as controversy. A correlation among diet and ADHD was suggested by a newly released study. But ADHD experts question the research and say parents of ADHD kids cannot rely on diet alone to mitigate the condition. ADHD diet study results There may be an easier solution to ADHD than treatment, The Lancet published a research explaining on Thurs. This would be an elimination eating habits that would be tried. Dutch scientists concluded that a diet eliminating foods commonly associated with food allergies decreased ADHD symptoms in 64 percent of the kids in the study. The ADHD eating habits, based on rice, white meat and veggies, was administered to forty one children for five weeks. Improvement was shown in 32 of the children. The ADHD conditions were lessened. Then, the ADHD trigger-foods were administered to all the children once again. Most of them relapsed at this point. A control group of 50 children ate a standard healthy eating habits and no reduction in hyperactivity was noted. Remarks from pediatricians The outcomes of the ADHD diet study led the researchers to suggest that an elimination eating habits could become part of the standard treatment regimen for ADHD. Pediatricians do not tend to like the idea of the diet though. Children might end up with nutritional deficiencies if they are on an ADHD eating habits. Often, kids with allergies will show ADHD behavior. That led the pediatricians to believe the improvements had to do with allergies more than anything else. There weren’t any independent observers of the ADHD research which meant pediatricians questioned if the methodology of the study was done. ADHD correlation to allergies Processed foods high in sugar have long been suspected as ADHD triggers, but in accordance with the National Institute of Mental Health, no concrete evidence supports that assumption. Several think that food allergies may have a brain chemistry reaction instead of physical effects like asthma, skin rashes and diarrhea that other kids get. However, because the Dutch study only lasted five weeks, it could not definitively answer those questions or specify which foods should be avoided. As far as a “standard” of care for ADHD, most pediatricians think it all depends on the individual child. Citations CNN pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/03/does-adhd-come-from-foods/?npt=NP1 ABC News abcnews.go.com/Health/Allergies/adhd-food-allergy-case-restricting-diet/story?id=12832958&page=3 Business Week businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/649603.html Based on two patent applications submitted with the United States office, the Palins would like a trademark. The Palins’ trademark application filing is a very common move for celebrities, but it is uncommon for politicians. The applications were filed by the Palin’s family lawyer. For someone who is not famous or a politician, a trademark on a name would cost more than an installment loan would cover. Palins’ trademark filing The name, “Sarah Palin,” was submitted to be trademarked by the Palin family lawyer on November 5, 2010. ”Sarah Palin” for “political elections, political issues, educational, and entertainment services,” was cited. This is what the application for trademark said. The number 85170226 is the serial number on the application. The U.S. Patent website carried it on there. An additional application for the family was filed on September 15, 2010. This one was for “Bristol Palin” being for “educational and entertainment services.” There is a serial number for that patent application also. It’s 85130638. Scarcity for political figures to trademark It is not common for political figures to try to trademark their own names. It is not something several want to do. George W. Bush and Mitt Romney both did not file trademark applications. They were filed by Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee or Tim Pawlenty either. According to Politics Daily, trademark attorneys say it’s a scarcity for political figures to file trademark applications. Exactly what having a trademarked name means A trademarked name is something common for famous people to do. This is because they want to protect their brand in some way. Anyone who utilizes the title without permission for a gain can have legal action taken against them with the trademark. Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin are just trying to protect property. That’s what a trademarked title ends up becoming. Both Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin make a living off of their names instead of being public service figures. That means that they have to get their names trademarked to protect it. Articles cited Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark Politics Daily politicsdaily.com/2011/02/02/protecting-the-palin-brand-sarah-and-bristol-go-for-trademark-s/ USPTO tmportal.uspto.gov/external/portal/tow?SRCH=Y&isSubmitted=true&details=&SELECT=US+Serial+No&TEXT=85170226 Planned Parenthood, a source for medical care, contraceptives and abortion solutions for the poor, is within the political cross hairs of right wing conservatives. House Republicans and anti-abortion groups have launched a campaign to strip Planned Parenthood of government financing. Using concealed cameras, anti-abortion demonstrators dressed up like sex traffickers tried to capture incriminating footage at Planned Parenthood centers in several eastern states. Individuals already take out short term installment loans to use Planned Parenthood’s services, what will take place if they lose their funding? Post resource – Anti-abortion group punks Planned Parenthood in video hoax by MoneyBlogNewz. Fake pimp gets FBI called by Planned Parenthood Two people of an anti-abortion group called Live Action went to a Planned Parenthood in Perth Amboy, N.J., acting as a pimp and prostitute with concealed film cameras. Teenage girls being brought in for medical exams and abortions is what the pimp asked about. The film was released Tues by Live Action. The manager of the clinic appears to suggest bending Planned Parenthood rules in order to ensure the teenage girls are cared for. It was suggested the girls get abortions someplace else. She said they ought to lie about their age. After the Live Action impostors left the clinic, Planned Parenthood called the FBI about the incident. Live Action Planned Parenthood video to see The Justice Department said that there were other says from Planned Parenthood. The claims stated that 11 neighboring clinics were visited by other individuals posing as sex traffickers. The Live Action president Lila Rose came out to say that Planned Parenthood breaks the law to cover up abuse of girls after the footage in Perth Amboy was edited to support anti-abortion views. Rose conspired with right wing activist James O’Keefe on a 2009 film hoax that ruined the community activist group Acorn. The Planned Parenthood video that Live Action put together got Perth Amboy clinic manager fired. This was important. One goal for House Republicans is Planned Parenthood An anti-abortion site called Expose Planned Parenthood went live Tues. Meanwhile, House Republicans, who pledged to focus on jobs, have so far voted to repeal health care reform and have been trying to push a bill called HR 3. HR 3 tries to limit government financing for abortions to cases in which a woman’s life threatened or there is evidence of rape or incest. Right now, current government allows for the federal financing on abortions. Those against the bill say it’s against women’s rights to pass the bill. Information from New York Times nytimes.com/2011/02/02/us/02parenthood.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss Politico politico.com/news/stories/0211/48651.html Salon salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/02/01/planned_parenthood_sting/index.html Facebook Credits are a transaction system connected to your Facebook account. Facebook credits are purchased. They can be bought like any digital product. The company turns “real” cash into Credits. The use of Facebook Credits will become required as of July 1, 2011. People will now only be applying for a payday advance for one form of credits with Facebook instead of multiple forms with all the uses there are currently on Facebook. Article resource – Facebook credits to become a mandatory payment system by MoneyBlogNewz. The credits on Facebook In games and programs in Facebook, Facebook Credits is a way to pay for them. Facebook Credits are used to purchase things from Farmville plants to Castle Wars medallions. There is an exchange rate right now of 10 to 1. That means for each and every United States dollar paid you can get 10 Facebook credits. You can use PayPal, credit cards or mobile payment systems in order to pay for your Facebook Credits. You are able to get Facebook Credits no matter where you’re from. There are several currency standards that it is done in. Transforming to a Facebook credit necessity Starting July 1, Facebook Credits will be required for all Facebook games, Facebook announced. Game programmers are nevertheless allowed to create and use their own in-game currency, however they can only be purchased with credits. There’s a claim from Facebook that this will help things a lot. The barrier that payment systems have will be lifted with this transaction system supposedly. Of all Facebook Credit transactions, Facebook will get 30 percent. There was only one developer who paid this 30 percent tax which was $30 million in 2010. This developer was Zynga. The game developer will get 70 percent of the Facebook Credits. How micropayments will begin to impact the near future The online payment program of Facebook Credits is much like “micropayments.” Typically these are small payments and purchases less than $5 that happen. Facebook will likely make millions or billions of dollars. That’s what Facebook Credits will do. Facebook has also stated that it hopes to expand the Credits system into a full-blown payment system, much like PayPal or the new Starbucks Card system. There will, more than likely, be failure with this system. It probably wouldn’t work. In 2008, online game Second Life encountered its own banking crisis that ended up costing users millions of dollars. Is it possible for Facebook Credits to do this very same thing? Only time will tell. Information from E Money emoney.allthingsd.com/20110124/facebook-credits-will-be-mandatory-payment-platform-starting-july-1/?mod=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter TechCrunch techcrunch.com/2011/01/24/facebook-to-make-facebook-credits-mandatory-for-game-developers/ It’s the kind of story that scriptwriters love. In fact, something like this might have been featured on “Bones.” A tortilla mixing device trapped and killed a young male. The 2 a.m. call to emergency crews came too late — the man was pronounced dead on the scene. You can only imagine the quick personal loan his family will now have to take out for his funeral. Male killed because of tortilla mixing machine accident In Brooklyn, N.Y., a young male perished while at work at the Tortilleria Chinantla in Williamsburg. Police were called at 2:30 a.m. Something was dropped into the blending device. Juan Baten dropped it. The waist high mixing device was one he bent over to get the item out of. He was killed. This was as the machine sucked him in. Police have said that they expect there was no criminal intent or activity. There had been no history of industrial accident or worker grievances in the past at this factory. Seeing the workers’ right being played out The factory hadn’t had any violations of safety within the past. This is the Tortilleria Chinantla. Juan’s co-workers evidently tried to pull him out of the machine, but were not able to. Employment activist groups have released several statements about this tortilla mixing device incident. Focus On The Food Chain is a workers’ rights campaign that has taken the opportunity to try to start a discussion of food processing and food distribution warehouses that supply New York City. The company is being investigated by them because of the tortilla blending device incident. The reason why 24-hour workdays shouldn’t be allowed This is just one of the many industrial accidents that have occurred although this was unique with the tortilla factory. Much like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and even car incident statistics, late night is a dangerous time to operate heavy equipment and machinery. Even when sleeping during the day, the human brain naturally gets sleepy at night. Most manufacturing processes run 24 hrs a day. That means late night accidents are much more likely to happen. Articles cited New York Post nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/man_dies_after_falling_into_tortilla_4kNCqfH3R3Toodk3aYZoYP Gothamist gothamist.com/2011/01/24/worker_dies_in_tortilla_mixer_at_br.php Bloom Energy is a CA company that has developed a fuel cell called the Bloom Box. The Bloom Box is a self-contained source of energy. So far its on-site application has been cost prohibitive for the mainstream. To nudge the Bloom Box to the mainstream, Bloom Energy is starting a finance system that connects businesses to Bloom Box power without the capital investment in the technology. This could help several individuals get Bloom Box without needing a payday cash advance loan to sign up. Details about the Bloom Electrons system Bloom Energy made a splash in the clean energy sector last fall with its introduction of the Bloom Box. Electricity could be produced with the “energy saver” Bloom Box. There’s a very low carbon footprint with it as well. Want to understand the price of a Bloom Box? Over $700,000 is the cost. Large companies like Google, eBay, FedEx and B of A use Bloom Energy because of the price. To increase demand for Bloom Boxes, Bloom Energy partnered with Credit Suisse and Silicon Valley Bank to create Bloom Electrons. A fixed rate is offered for onsite Bloom Boxes with a ten year agreement for electricity. This is what the financing business Bloom Electrons does. Bloom Electrons operated by clean energy subsidies There aren’t upfront costs for companies to use Bloom Box meaning the corporations can go off the power grid with Bloom Electrons. It is expected that a Bloom Box bought upfront will be something companies start to benefit from within three to six years of having it. The cash is all made up by then. Businesses can use Bloom Electrons to start saving 20 percent immediately with Bloom Energy. What is being paid in CA is what can be saved. At present, Bloom Electrons only pencils out in California. The average commercial rate for electricity within the United States is about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. About 14 cents per kilowatt-hour is what Bloom boxes do. This is a different price. Then you will find the federal clean energy incentives and CA subsidies to take into account. The price becomes 7 cents per kilowatt-hour because of it. The whole world getting Bloom Box soon Bloom Energy said the Bloom Box will offer companies a competitive power advantage without the need for subsidies in three to five years. The Bloom box production can have to go up first so the Bloom electrons program demand can be met. If you look back 2 years, Bloom Energy wasn’t very fast. About one Bloom Box a month was made. One Bloom Box a day could be shipped now. Production price is something Bloom Energy hopes to be able to reduce while increasing production of it. That way, the developing world could be able to have access to it eventually. Citations Business Week businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2011/tc20110120_212633.htm TechCrunch techcrunch.com/2011/01/20/bloom-launches-financing-service/ Reuters reuters.com/article/idUS9777404420110120 Freezing cold has brought almost the whole American South to a halt, and emergency loans and relief may be needed soon. Various cities and numerous airports are now being ground to a near halt, as the worst winter in memory continues. A number of states have declared the situation an emergency. Several are applying for payday loans so they can get what they have to make it through this winter. Article resource – Relief and emergency loans may be needed in frozen South by MoneyBlogNewz. The south may soon need emergency loans The winter storms that have been wracking the east coast with record snow and ice are wreaking havoc in the South, and emergency loans may be needed for relief efforts before long. MSNBC reports that From Louisiana to Alabama and through the Carolinas there has been a foot of snow falling. The amount of precipitation has varied, but Tennessee received 13 inches of snow. The Gulf Coast is getting a ton of freezing rain. That means that it is dangerous to go on roads or bridges that are iced over. States of emergencies have been declared in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee which means that schools and universities have been closed. Alabama game getting many nervous that it will be missed When it comes to college football, Alabama is one of the most obsessed states. The BCS Championship had the Auburn Tigers playing the Oregon Ducks. However, icy roads and snowy conditions may prevent people from being able to attend. The weather was especially bad in the city of Birmingham. Flights were getting canceled left and right. The trip to Arizona was even canceled by Governor Bob Riley. He didn’t want to risk it with the weather being so bad. The conditions are expected to stay very bad as snow is supposed to be continuing. Silver lining for some The snow is causing a few extra little jobs that many can make extra cash with. This is especially important in an area where heat and humidity is what is known. Plowing covered roads of the snow and laying de-icer is causing more jobs to be needed. Information from MSNBC msnbc.msn.com/id/40989136/ns/weather/ Actress Eva Longoria is being sued. The lawsuit is being brought by a business partner. The lawsuit alleges that Eva Longoria charged over the allowable amount of interest on a short term loan. This is also known as usury. The usury lawsuit was filed in the state of California, in which the restaurant is operating. The restaurant, nevertheless, filed for bankruptcy in Nevada. personal loan|She is making sure that nothing causes her to live off of payday loans|She is making sure that absolutely nothing forces her to live off of a payday loan. Resource for this article – Eva Longoria sued under usury laws, Nevada bankruptcy proceeds by MoneyBlogNewz}. How Beso ended up going bankrupt Beso, the restaurant and bar owned and operated by actress Eva Longoria, has filed for bankruptcy. About $76,000 a month was being lost by the restaurant that had a gross $14.6 million in profit. Eva Longoria was named as a creditor who still owed money even though the bankruptcy is supposed to protect the $2.5 million in assets. The Reno, Nevada, court that’s handling the bankruptcy is attempting to restructure all debts that the restaurant and bar has. The restaurant is likely to stay open while bankruptcy court sorts out its debts and assets, though it could end up closing any time. Usury getting Eva Longoria sued In an attempt to keep Beso up and running, Eva Longoria provided a $1 million loan to the managers of the restaurant. This short-term loan came with extensive terms for the repayment. Eight percent of the loan and a 23.33 percent stake in the company was what the business had to pay. In order to get the money needed for the restaurant, the managers agreed to all of these terms. The managers filed a lawsuit later after reading rules of usury in California. Longoria’s investment by the numbers About $4.6 million in interest was what Eva Longoria got after only investing $1 million. The annual percentage rates were over 200 percent considering the $4.6 million only happened in 2 years. If Longoria is found guilty of usury for acting as a loan lender, then she could be ordered to pay back the full $4.6 million she has received in interest payments for the loan. Information from CTV.CA ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20110110/eva-longoria-restaurant-bankruptcy-110110/ Third Age thirdage.com/news/eva-longoria-sued-actress-eva-longoria-sued-4-million_1-11-2011 Short of winning the lottery, smart spending is the best route to getting rid of debt and creating a viable retirement fund. Becoming financially literate is among the keys to smart spending. Having the common sense to realize there is no such thing as “unexpected expenditures is another. Keep away from living in debt with paydayloans by using some smart spending tips. Literacy in finances can help independence greatly There are many financially independent people around. They don’t do it because they inherit money or win the lottery. Making smart spending decisions is part of being financially independent. This way you can save for retirement and live a realistic lifestyle. There is a lot of advice that can help too. Fixing your budget to be sustainable is something that Financial literacy is needed to do. The 50-30-20 rule is what Elizabeth Warren recommends as the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Necessities like food and shelter take 50 percent. 30 percent should be going to whatever you need for your lifestyle. You need to save too. That should be 20 percent. Money spent in an educated manner Many think it is extremely difficult to save 20 percent of every paycheck, even if you spend smart. You have to do more than observe what is going out after it comes in. That isn’t enough. You need to look around for phone, food, Internet, TV and insurance to make sure you get the best price. This will help get you to 50 percent for those items. Swallow your pride and start clipping coupons. You may feel it is worth it clip coupons once you save 50 percent. This is possible. The U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey explains that a family of four may save $5,000 a year with coupons. Developing that level of discipline can be made easier by keeping financial goals such as college tuition, a vacation or a mortgage at the top of your mind every day. Getting to an emergency fund is important as well You are taking 30 percent to support a lifestyle for yourself. An emergency fund needs to be considered here. You need to always expect that there will be unexpected expenses coming. You need to have living expenses for a year covered according to many personal finance experts. But that’s unrealistic for people who don’t win the lottery or inherit a fortune. You should also save as much cash to you as possible by protecting your credit. Articles cited New York Times nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/mutfund/09shelf.html?_r=1&src=busln NewsObserver.com newsobserver.com/2011/01/09/908945/spending-smart-seven-habits-of.html USA Today usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/2011-01-08-managing-a-windfall_N.htm The largest financial banks want more funds advanced to them from checking account owners. Raising fees is an ongoing thing at most large for profit banks, and has been for a while. People using their own money are paying more for it. This is leading to more individuals having to apply for payday loan just make ends meet. Banking may cost a cash advance soon It seems like some of the nation’s largest banks are more secure, which is how they are marketed. These banks are hoping to get cash advances from consumers for banking there. The largest national banks are raising fees on checking accounts, according to CNN, and the changes are starting soon. JP Morgan Chase has announced that new checking accounts will automatically be opened under the new Total Checking program, which has a base monthly maintenance fee of $12 a month. Bank of America is instituting fees on checking accounts, from $8.95 to $25 a month, depending on the plan. You will have to pay to use your own money. This is what Corporate America is doing. Finding some free checking It may seem that there aren’t any banks that offer free checking anymore, but nothing could be further from the truth. You will have to look for one. Usually, there are some within a short distance. Non-profit organizations, such as credit unions, usually will mean you are putting money back into your community. They will offer free checking with community banks. In all cities and states there are accredit unions and community banks. Bail them out before anything else The fees rose in these banks. They were given a ton in bailout cash already though. They took our tax dollars and now they want more of our paycheck. Many of these companies shouldn’t be doing things like this. All financial companies aren’t bad though. Citations CNN money.cnn.com/2011/01/07/pf/checking_account_fees/index.htm In TX, there are more than 3,500 payday loan lenders. The TX legislature is thinking about SB 253 and HB 410 to limit this short-term credit business. These pieces of laws are starting out essentially the exact same. Both want to re-define “credit service organization” to exclude these lenders. About the Credit Service Organization exemption Texas law currently limits consumer credit and financial institutions. Currently payday loan stores have to be put under an umbrella phrase. “Credit Service Organization” is what this phrase is. Payday loan stores give out short-term credit. Generally those with bad credit or who don’t have credit will come to these stores. Payday advances and check-cashing services, which are difference as one is for those who do not have access to the right credit and one is for those who don’t have banks, are not differentiated between with the exemption. Effect of Texas payday advance legislation ”Credit Service Organization” is re-defined in the Texas legislature with two bills that were introduced while payday loan stores are excluded. The fees charged based on annual percentage rate would be very limited. About 3,000 to 6,000 of the 7,800 employees at cash advance stores would lose jobs in Texas if this passed. This is what industry estimates expects. It would also reduce the amount of available credit to customers who use cash advance stores. Inviting extra oversight Additional regulation and oversight is welcomed by Texas payday advance stores and loan companies even though they have shown they’re against Texas SB 253 and HB 410. Short-term credit accessible through cash advance stores is distinct, as it is a style of consumer credit that banks, charge cards and credit unions simply don’t usually offer. A service is all the payday advance industry is providing. It is needed by some. The concern is mostly over interest rates from lawmakers. The interest is less than a credit card cash loan would end up leaving you with though. Articles cited Texas State legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/pdf/SB00253I.pdf#navpanes=0 Texas HB www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/pdf/HB00410I.pdf#navpanes=0 KXAN kxan.com/dpp/news/politics/state-looks-to-curb-payday-loans Personal Money Store personalmoneystore.com/payday-lending-statistics/ The massive East Coast snow storm that has crippled the northeastern U.S. of late has made life difficult for many people, retailers included. According to CNN Money, merchants that were hoping for lots of shopper traffic to take advantage of after-Christmas revenue and boost store revenue received a rude awakening. Because the blizzard kept shoppers at home, it has been projected that merchants lost approximately $1 billion in after-Christmas sales. These were the very same merchants hoping individuals would use a payday cash advance loan to do their after Holiday buying. Article resource – Retailers lost $1 billion, thanks to blizzard by MoneyBlogNewz. You need a money loan provider though You’re here because you are looking for a money lender, and also you want to know if we’re right for you. We won’t give your name to anybody else when you do business with us while also you don’t have to remind them who you are when returning to your account after the first time of business. There’s no way we could be bought out. We will continue to protect your information no matter what. We’ve all looked for money loan companies on occasion. Sometimes you just need a bit of a boost until your next paycheck can help you out financially after you have some kind of emergencies. If you’re able to pay a credit card off right away, then it is okay to get them. Otherwise, revolving interest is a killer. Payday loans, on the other hand, are a very tasty option. All you have to do is apply for the loan. Then, you can get one anywhere from $100 to $1,500 dependent upon your specific need. Length of time the application process will take you There is hardly any time needed to apply. Only a couple of minutes are needed to apply. Then, you will know if we have the right lender for you in just a couple of minutes. It is not difficult at all. There’s hardly any work. Typically, faxing or a credit check is unnecessary.
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Food-borne illness impacts fewer individuals in the U.S. than the CDC had estimated earlier, according to the agency. The Center for Disease Control revised estimations of food-borne sickness situations to a lower number than had been reported within the past. As the report was issued shortly before a food safety bill was wiped out in Congress, several food safety experts believe the time was politically encouraged. Time might certainly conserve many individuals from applying for a cash until payday loan for marketing. Resource for this article – Did CDC food-borne illness estimate undercut food safety bill? by MoneyBlogNewz. The CDC food-borne illness study Every year in the U.S., there are about 48 million cases of food-borne illnesses, as outlined by a December 15 record released by the CDC. The journal Emerging Infection Diseases was where the record was published as it said that 128,000 people are hospitalized while 3,000 die from eating tainted food while the Congress discussed the food safety bill. There have been 5,000 deaths and 350,000 hospitalizations as a result of food borne illnesses since 1999. The CDC also reported that there were 76 million total cases. In both studies, the CDC used numbers from lab-confirmed food-borne illness cases in 10 states to extrapolate national estimates. Surveys were done also. These were over the phone. CDC made some things clear within the record. The fact that lower numbers doesn’t mean less of a problem was emphasized. Food-borne illness report full of unknowns There is one thing we can learn from the CDC’s new food borne illness numbers. The problem isn’t very clear still. Four fifths of the total estimate were caused by “unspecified agents.” That is about 38 million cases. The reason they’re called unknown agents is because they are chemicals that aren’t known to be harmful yet. They are typically used in food processing. Even the CDC explains it is just guesswork. They put guesswork into it too. The estimate of 48 million food-borne illnesses was median of a range from 29 million to 71 million. The CDC said it will get more specific about what types of pathogens, in what foods, could be attributed to those numbers in a record next year. Food safety bill dead The CDC report on food borne illnesses was likely times to go with the Congress food safety bill debate, some expert believe. The spending bill killed by Republicans On December 16 in Congress was what the food safety bill was tagged onto. The Food Safety News had a doctor being interviewed and being asked over it since a year ago the CDC record to Emerging Infectious Diseases was submit. Passing the food safety bill would give the FDA a lot more freedom. It would be able to investigate food manufacturer records, quarantine geographical regions and even recall tainted food whenever it felt necessary. Democrats say they haven’t given up on the food safety bill, but Republicans vowed to block it. Articles cited Food Safety News foodsafetynews.com/2010/12/why-now-was-cdcs-timing-on-estimates-political/ New York Times nytimes.com/2010/12/16/business/16illness.html The Hill thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/food-safety/134201-democrats-havent-given-up-on-food-safety Right after locating the toxin aflatoxin, Kroger has recalled its animal food. 19 states are involved in Kroger’s pet food recall. If eaten, the recalled animal food could trigger liver damage. This impact is rare, but possible. Resource for this article – Kroger recalls pet food for aflatoxin risk by MoneyBlogNewz. nineteen states get Kroger pet food recalled There were many stores recalling animal food due to safety risks. These consist of Scott’s, Pay Less, Owen’s, Hilander, Jay C, Baker’s, Dillons and Gerbes, Dillons, Food 4 Less and Kroger. Several states were involved in the recall. West VA, Virginia, TX, Tennessee, South Carolina, OH, North Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi, Michigan, Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, GA, Arkansas and Alabama were all included. The Kroger stores involved within the pet food recall are attempting to notify all customers that have purchased the recalled food. Pet food recalled at Kroger consists of three various brands In the animal food recall at Kroger, there are three brands being recalled. Pet Pride brand name goods included in the recall:
- three.5 lb packages of Cat Food. These will have the UPC code 1111088128
- Any 18 lb packages of cat food. The UPC code 1111071357 can be on them
- All of the Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food 3.5 lb that have the UPC code 1111071357
- Then you will find the tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food 18 lb packages that have the UPC code 1111074580
- three.5 lb packages with UPC code 1111071903 of Kitten Formula Food
There is also within the Kroger animal food recall some Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food. It includes:
- Packages with UPC code 1111074566 that are 22 lb
- Packages with UPC code 1111074563. They will be 50 lbs
Kroger Value brand pet food included within the recall:
- Cat Food in three lb packages with UPC code 1111000018
- Chunk Dog Food in 15 lb packages with UPC 1111071559
- The UPC 1111000108 on Chunk Dog Food in 50 lb packages
Risk with Aflatoxin in animal food recall at Kroger Aflatoxin is a bad toxin. Aspergillus fungus leads to it. Usually the fungus grows in cereal grains, such as corn. When consumed in large doses, Aflatoxin could be dangerous. It is found in foods like peanut butter though. Liver disease can be caused by Aflatoxin when pets consume it. If you have any of the pet foods recalled by Kroger, you are able to return it to the shop where you purchased it. Articles cited Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aflatoxin Kroger kroger.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Recalls/Kroger%20Recalls%20Pet%20Food%20FINAL%2012-18-10%20%282%29.pdf Capping debit card swipe costs at twelve cents a purchase is a component of a suggestion presented by the Fed on Thursday. The Federal is proposing the swipe fee limit along with other curbs on debit card misuse by financial institutions to adhere to the financial reform bill. Not surprisingly, merchants support the measure and major credit card companies opposed it as they viewed their stock take a struck on the news. Info on the Fed swipe limit proposal No matter what the value is, most credit card companies charge 1 to 2 percent of each and every transaction with the current system of debit card swipe fees. The Fed debit card swipe fee proposal also includes giving merchants a choice from at least two independent debit card networks, a move that would create more competition for Visa and Mastercard. The financial reform bill demands swipe fees for debit cards to be “reasonable and proportional” to how much the bank has to pay for the electronic transfers to happen which is what began the Fed swipe limit proposal. Banks can be forced to be cost efficient with the debit card swipe fee limits, according to the Fed. Banks to lose billions in easy money Swipe fees earned credit card companies about $15 billion in 2009. Retailers would likely enjoy have the Fed swipe fee limit proposal go through. Any banks using Visa or Mastercard might lose up to 80 to 90 % in revenue. A JP Morgan Chase analyst told this to Bloomberg. According to UBS Investment Research, the 12 cent swipe fee cap will drive down average debit card swipe fees about 75 percent. According to the Fed, debit card swipe fee limits won’t change much. Consumers won’t even notice. But banks trying to find methods to make up for their ill-gotten gains could cut back on debit card reward programs and come up with more of the creative solutions to gouge consumers they’re known for. Fed swipe fee limit reactions Customers may end up getting discounts with lower costs for merchants, as outlined by the National Retail Federation. The fare share for the benefits they get from the card payment network would be paid by retailers. According to the American Bankers Association, the Fed would stop this from happening. Thursday was when the Fed announced the swipe fee proposal. As a response, Mastercard stock fell 9 percent and Visa stock fell 11 percent. Articles cited Washington Post washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121604553.html Bloomberg bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/federal-reserve-moves-to-reduce-debit-card-fees-visa-mastercard-decline.html Wall Street Journal online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101216-713515.html | |
