debt verification: Your first step toward credit restoration

debt collectors might seem like they’re attempting to help, but the good cop, bad cop routine is a smokescreen for a lack of scruples. They want money, and they’ll bend or break the rules to get it. Thus, the consumer’s defense is to request that a debt collector verify debt on paper to confirm its legitimacy. Post resource – Demand that debt collectors verify your debt before paying by MoneyBlogNewz.

Getting validated debt

A great example is given by Bankrate.com that helps somebody determine how to get validated debt from a debt collector. The mortgage on a home is in both names of a couple. The woman has $30,000 in charge card debt in just her name in collections. She is considering filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, but the couple is concerned about losing the house in the deal.

The couple may need an attorney to work out some of the potential complications that might occur. Still, homes are usually not at risk in Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcies.

Be more aggressive than the debt collector is

Get every little thing on paper when dealing with debt collectors. Whenever they want automatic payments, do not give them your bank account information. Demand the debt collector provide a fax number or address to which you are able to submit a request for debt validation. Simultaneously, dispute the debt in question.

By demanding debt verification, you’re demanding that the debt collector prove that you owe the money, the collector has the legal right to collect and that the original business that held the account is clearly identified. In case the collector doesn't actually have any information or if it’s wrong, you are ahead when you dispute the debt. Few things are as fruitless as giving money to a collection company that might not even own your account.

Check your rights out

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a consumer has the right to force a debt collector to validate a debt. Tom Martin is a lawyer at the Price Law Group. He claims the law states the collector cannot continue to harass people for debt if they can't prove this. If the collector continues, the consumer may even be entitled to monetary damages. That's not it though:

“If a debt collector receives a dispute from a consumer, and the debt collector has been reporting the consumer’s account to the credit bureaus, the collector must also start reporting the account as disputed,” Martin reminds.

The consumer is part of the "get it in writing" directive. If any debt payments are made, receipts and statements should be kept as proof in the event of a lawsuit.

Citations

Bankrate

bankrate.com/finance/debt/demand-debt-verification-before-bankruptcy.aspx

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf

Lawyers.com

lawyers.com/Bankruptcy/browse-by-location.html

U.S. Courts

uscourts.gov/FederalCourts/Bankruptcy/BankruptcyBasics/Chapter13.aspx

What happens when you’re drowning in debt?

youtube.com/watch?v=GTudZEujvIo

Amazon Appstore facing lawsuits which could boost cost

With a free Angry Birds download, a new appstore put onto the sector. Amazon’s Appstore became official Tues morning. This is regardless of a cease-and-desist order and federal trademark lawsuit filed by Apple computer over the use of the name "Appstore". This is one of multiple lawsuits over the use of the term "app," all of which could possibly be driving up cost to consumers.

More people buying from new Amazon Appstore

The Amazon Appstore, a store for Android applications, opened on Tues. morning. About 3,200 applications for Android based systems for instance phones and tablet computers are accessible in the store. Probably the most Android applications in one place are found in the Amazon Appstore. This can be a definite plus. Most applications on the Amazon Appstore cost between 99 cents and $4.99. Amazon chooses the price of the program however listens to what the developer has to say over it unlike the Android Marketplace where the developer sets the price of their program.

Apple upset at Amazon for Appstore meaning a lawsuit

The Appstore wasn't even opened yet when Apple filed a lawsuit against Amazon. This was for trademark infringement. Apple is upset since the "App store" is a trademark. Apple claims Amazon is violating that trademark. The lawsuit initially claimed “unspecified damages” for the trademark violation. A cease-and-desist order was put in. The Appstore was opened by Amazon anyway obviously ignoring this. There is another lawsuit from Microsoft against Apple Computers that states "App" and "App Store" are too generic to trademark which means there are more people concerned about the "App Store" trademark. More than likely, these could be very long legal cases.

consumers pay for Appstore lawsuit

It could be a long time before these federal brand infringements lawsuits are settled. Years can be taken to do this. Working class individuals pay for the courts that will do these federal legal cases while the "court costs" charges may have to be paid. Beyond this “hidden” cost of the lawsuits, the brand cases also increase the price to the businesses, which is passed on to consumers. The likelihood this will boost the cost of most apps, however, is low. App developers, private or as a part of a larger business, are often willing to develop and release apps for free or for very inexpensive costs. Many developers just want to get subscriptions or followers from what they’re doing. The "App Store" lawsuit might end up being a large problem for these producers.

Citations

Dailytech

dailytech.com/Apple+Slams+Amazon+With+Lawsuit+Claiming+Its+Android+Appstore+Infringes/article21188.htm

CNN

tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/22/where-is-amazons-appstore/

Moco News

moconews.net/article/419-amazon-launches-its-appstore.-is-a-tablet-or-a-handset-next/

White House wants customer financial reform, however can discover no leaders

The White House wants financial reform, however cannot seem to hit the mark when it comes to finding leaders for such organizations as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Office of Financial Research, writes CNBC. Elizabeth Warren is having a difficult time placating GOP critics, and candidates for the OFR post have been dropping like flies. Without clear leaders at the helm, both groups will fail to fulfill their promise. Source for this article – CFPB directorship post in doubt for Elizabeth Warren by MoneyBlogNewz.

Asking for consideration to be denied for OFR, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The financial information that policymakers have access to, including charge card, cash loan and payday cash loan industry information, could be of much better quality with the Office of Financial Research, started by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The White House needs to come up with a chair for it though. The Office of Financial Research cannot go anywhere without it. Such high-profile candidates as Yale economist Robert Shiller (of Case-Shiller Home Price Index) have excused themselves from White House consideration because they think the six-year commitment and Washington war games aren’t worth the hassle.

An anonymous source close to the appointment process told CNBC that the OFR post needs a very particular type.

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

Check your radical pro-consumer agenda at the door

Republican critics of Warren claim that she’d be inappropriate for the office of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director due to a "radical pro-consumer agenda" that would drown every consumer financial industry from charge card businesses to payday cash loan providers in penalty fees. Several Republicans, Democrats and Independents are worried about Warren getting appointed although President Obama has Prof. Warren in charge of the search.

It would be "a terrible adulteration of the process" if Warren were appointed to the CFPB position according to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), states ABC News. Such big-budget power (estimated as high as $500 million) in the hands of an appointee that can operate outside the bounds of Congressional oversight is unacceptable, said Gregg.

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

Desire is that Richard Shelby can be there, for Republicans

Republican preference to head the CFPB would be senior GOP member of U.S. Senate banking Committee, Republican senator Shelby. Shelby opposed putting Peter Diamond, Nobel Prize-winner, on the Federal Reserve Board while vetoing the nomination of Joseph Smith to the Federal Housing Financial Administration, reports ABC News. Shelby is against Democrat-favored appointees. That is for certain.

Information from

ABC News

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

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/41899062

Credit.com

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

‘Consumers need a cop on the beat’

youtube.com/watch?v=2UCWIyOQpes

Are $1 coins likely to replace $1 bills soon?

Generating paper dollar bills is a more expensive proposition than ever, reports AOL News. This is why a trio of U.S. Senators – Shelby, Robert Casey and Tom Harkin – is taking the fight to the greenback once more, just as President Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson had done back in the 1830s. That’s why the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) is pushing Congress, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury to scrap paper $1 bills in favor of $1 coins. Resource for this article – US eyes replacing paper dollar bills with dollar coins by MoneyBlogNewz.

In thirty years, $5.5 billion could possibly be saved with change from paper dollars to coins

Long-term projections concerning the impact of replacing paper $1 bills with $1 coins indicate the U.S. government could conserve $5.5 billion over thirty years by switching. The government wouldn't have to produce cash nearly as often considering a coin lasts thirty years on average rather than the 3.3 years bills last. When it comes to generating coins, it is very cheap. Government Accountability Office studies show making paper bills are more expensive to do.

Each year at that time period, $184 million would be saved

The Government Accountability Office has not had much success in getting the change to take place even though it has tried for 20 years. A GAO report explained the monetary policy transition was intended to occur with the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005. As of December, 2010, the Federal Reserve banks really have about $1.1 billion $1 coins.

Only 4.2 million $1 coins are in public circulation, such as the discontinued Eisenhower, Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea $1 coins and the current Presidential and Native American series. Ute Wartenberg is the American Numismatic Society Executive Director. He explained that the public opinion of coin use is what drives this. Wallets don't generally carry coins since they are heavier than bills.

Cut off the greenbacks, cut the cotton

Wartenberg explains that to be able to make the change, the $1 bills have to be taken out of circulation so there is no choice. Nations have done things like this before including British and Canadian governments who changed lowest denomination notes in the 1980s. Due to fear the cotton sector would die, the Southern U.S. legislators have been afraid to substitute paper dollar bills with coins since the United States Bureau of Engravings and Printing is supplied by the cotton sector.

The change in cash

The fight to return to “hard money" has precedence in United States political history, from the time of President Thomas Jefferson to the Lincoln administration and beyond. In "Andrew Jackson and the Financial institution War" by Robert Remini, Jefferson said that paper dollars were "the instrument of the swindler and the cheat." Paper cash might have a conversion to precious metal, for instance gold, which is why Jackson was not that happy over it.

Once Lincoln attained the presidency (1861-1865), greenbacks became official as a result of the Legal Tender Act of 1862. A system of nationally chartered banks that report to a main central financial institution arose, and the U.S. was easily flooded with paper money.

Citations

Amazon

amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0393097579/lewrockwell/

AOL News

aolnews.com/2011/03/07/us-wants-to-take-your-dollars-and-replace-them-with-coins/

Lew Rockwell

lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo30.html

Amazon.com

amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0945466293/lewrockwell/

Government Accountability Office

gao.gov/new.items/d11281.pdf

Fixing volatility in the International Monetary Fund

youtube.com/watch?v=v94p-da5_Lk

Be on the lookout for unnoticed tax deductions

The United States tax code is written to hide several tax write-offs you may qualify for. Overlooked tax deductions lead to millions of taxpayers paying more than they should. Many people can discover tax deductions they’ve overlooked without hiring an accounted to help.

Government losses from tax write-offs

About 46 million United States taxpayers who choose to itemize their tax deductions prevent almost $1 trillion dollars from falling into the hands of the government. Standard write-offs are used by 85 million working class individuals to take another $700 billion away. Most people who use standard write-offs are probably cheating themselves out of money that’s there for the taking in the United States tax code. The government might end up with extra money from individuals who do use the tax write-offs such as student loans, real estate property taxes, state sales taxes and interest paid on mortgages.

The legality of tax write-offs at work

With the United States job sector as bad as it has been lately, one of probably the most frequently overlooked tax deductions is job hunting expenses. With an itemized deduction greater than 2 percent of total adjusted gross income, this can be put in itemized taxes. Any job hunting expenses can be deducted. The job search has to be in the very same kind of position as the last job that was held. This is the only way it can count. Job hunting expenses can't be deducted when it’s for a first time job. However, any moving expenditures, including 14.5 cents per mile, can be deducted as long as the person is moving over 50 miles for the job. For taxpayers going back to school to change careers, $2,500 of college tuition can be claimed as a tax credit. When getting a tax deduction, the amount of taxable income goes down. A tax credit lowers the amount paid in taxes. Single working class individuals making $80,000 or less or married couples making $160,000 or less q! ualifies for the tuition tax credit.

Tax write-offs many people do not realize

You will find tax write-offs that get unnoticed. This includes deductions for home and family. A tax break will occur for any Americans that look after elderly parents. If they provide more than half their parent’s financial support and that assistance costs them more than 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income, they qualify for a dependent parent deduction. There have been a lot of United States automaker incentives for buying a new car. In 2010, buying a new automobile means you can deduct the sales tax, even if you’re not doing an itemized deduction, as long as you made under $135,000. Working class individuals that made energy efficient improvements in their home can get green energy tax credits up to $1,500. There was also another tax credit not to forget. This was the Making Work Pay tax credit. The Making Work Pay tax credit will only be accessible last year before it goes away. You will find some employers that take care of this tax credit for employe! es. Still, a single person can take $400 off the bill and a married couple can take off $800 if they turn in their 1040 form with a Schedule M.

Citations

MSN Money

articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/CutYourTaxes/the-19-most-overlooked-tax-deductions.aspx?page=2

U.S. News and World Report

news.yahoo.com/s/usnews/20110217/ts_usnews/10hiddentaxdeductionsexposed

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Business/irs-taxes-2010-tax-credits-deductions-save-money/story?id=12908788&page=2

Facebook service could be utilized to view movies directly

Warner Bros. has officially declared they’re trying something new. Films in their library can be offered for digital rental by means of Facebook. The Facebook Movies system currently offers just a couple films, but the company has plans for expansion. Following this information, Netflix stock fell, and buzzes about Facebook Credits increased. Article source – Facebook Movies streams films directly with Facebook Credits by MoneyBlogNewz.

Warner Bros. leasing through Facebook

A brand new feature is available for Warner Bros. It is on a Facebook page. On Facebook, users can rent films and stream them. Only a few films, including "The Dark Knight," are accessible right now. About $3 is what is paid for a 48 hour rental with 30 Facebook credits. About 30 percent of Facebook users in the United States have access to this option right now.

Information hurts Netflix stock

The online rental business has gone down due to the Facebook Movies news. Shares went down three percent for Netflix after the announcement. This was just in the first hour though. Netflix presently accounts for about 20 percent of all online traffic. There was a report done in December 2010. It found that Facebook was responsible for about 10 percent of video-sharing traffic online. Netflix might start seeing some competition soon if the content becomes available to everybody considering the traffic of Facebook linked to the in-line video sharing.

The issue of Facebook Credits

Facebook's system of payment that will soon be essential can have Facebook Movies being the first non-game application to use it. The ratio for Facebook credits is 1 to 10. That means 10 Facebook credits are given for every $1 paid. It is possible that Facebook Credits will only be tied to the dollar for a short time. It could very well end up tied to something else soon. By creating its own monetary program, Facebook is creating the flexibility to increase income simply by adjusting its own conversion rate. Facebook could effortlessly change to nine Facebook credits per dollar instead. This would lead to 1.1 cents per credit purchased instead for Facebook. Just a tiny increase like this could make a huge difference for the company. This small increase is multiplied by billions for increased earnings.

Information from

Tech Crunch

techcrunch.com/2010/12/23/facebook-second-largest-source-videos/

Slate

slate.com/id/2273314/

Forbes

blogs.forbes.com/parmyolson/2011/03/08/now-you-can-rent-and-stream-movies-on-facebook/?partner=yahootix

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-08/netflix-falls-as-warner-bros-starts-offering-movies-on-facebook.html

Congress eyes United States oil reserve as gasoline costs soar

Congressional lawmakers are calling for the Obama administration to open up the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve as Middle East instability drives up gas costs. Politicians are urging the Obama administration to open the spigot, despite a worldwide surplus of oil production capacity. United States supplies of oil and gas are also far above average seasonal levels. The administration disagrees, saying that so far the rise in gas prices has been modest and an act such as tapping the reserve could send a signal to the markets the oil supply is truly threatened. Source for this article – Why tapping U.S. strategic oil reserves will not lower gas prices by MoneyBlogNewz.

Why Congress would like to tap the oil reserve/span>

The largest oil reserve in the world is the United States strategic petroleum reserve. About 727 million barrels of oil are in there. Nationwide, the average price of a gallon of gasoline has risen 28 cents in the past 10 days. In order to stabilize oil costs and keep oil supplies from being disrupted, Senator Bingaman, D-N.M., has suggested as Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairman that a major portion of the oil reserve be sold. Other politicians are saying that in addition to tempering upward pressure on gas prices, selling some of the strategic oil reserve would raise billions of dollars for deficit reduction and help fund programs to cut back United States oil consumption, such as tax breaks for electric vehicles and hybrids.

An abundance of oil in the United States/span>

As part of the increase in oil prices, the Obama administration doesn't want to sell part of the U.S. strategic reserve. This is despite the fact that part of the funding for things in the 2012 budget proposal would call for $500 million in oil the reserve to be sold. What the administration believes is that, when the United States is not at all running short on oil, it would send a panic that is false to consumers. There’s a supply of this in an oil storage facility in Oklahoma. Record inventories are in there right now. Production is expanding in North Dakota, and a new pipeline is pumping gas into the United States from Canada. United States crude oil inventories, in accordance with the United States Energy Information Administration, are at 346.4 million barrels. Inventories of gasoline are even higher. They are at 9.86 billion gallons for U.S. gasoline. You will find more than average amounts in these inventories. This is determined by the time of year.

How to fix oil costs/span>

The fear that is keeping gasoline prices high would be validated by the Obama administration tapping into oil reserves, says oil industry analysts. Those who oppose tapping the reserve believe that instead of an oil supply shortage, a shortage in surplus production capacity is the real problem. The surplus oil production capacity will likely be reduced if the Middle East turmoil continues. If surplus oil production capacity in the future were significantly diminished, or simply even erased, the real oil price nightmare would start. Fixing the issue temporarily with the oil reserve won't do anything. Instead, the capacity to make more oil will help the oil markets.

Citations/span>

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/03/04/business/energy-environment/04oil.html?_r=1

Foreign Policy

oilandglory.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/04/the_weekly_wrap_march_4_2011

UPI

upi.com/Business_News/2011/03/03/Crude-oil-supplies-fall-slightly/UPI-22221299189942/

Bill cutting collective bargaining approves Wisconsin Assembly

The controversial bill denying Wisconsin state workers the right to collective bargaining has been passed by the Wisconsin Assembly. The Wisconsin Assembly passing the bill does not mean it is now law, as the Assembly is the lower house of the state legislature of Wisconsin. Before the bill can go to Gov. Walker, it has to pass the Wisconsin Senate.

Too few members of the Wisconsin State Senate means the bill cannot pass

Collective bargaining rights are likely to be taken away from the state unionized employees with the Wisconsin Assembly SB11 bill that has passed. There isn’t enough Wisconsin U.S. Senate present to vote on the bill though. MSNBC reports that this will mean the bill could be stuck not going anywhere. There has to be 20 individuals minimum to vote on the bill while right now only 19 members are present. The capital was left by 14 Democrats that didn't want to vote on the bill. These are the ones missing for the Wisconsin U.S. Senate. The legislation can't be voted on until their return. That means no laws can pass.

Democrats did not realize it was finally taking place

The controversial bill was passed in a manner that Wisconsin Democrats view as dishonest. Wisconsin Assembly Republicans voted for a roll call vote after killing the debate after there were 60 hrs of debate with Democrats filibustering with extra amendments for the bill. Bloomberg explains that 28 individuals did not even get a chance to vote in how easily it happened. Democrats did not even realize what was taking place. Since the Senate Democrats are in Urbana, Ill., right now, the Wisconsin state troopers sent to their homes to get them for the vote didn't work.

Governor didn't want to cooperate

Gov. Scott Walker, recently the subject of a prank call in which he made questionable statements to a male he thought was campaign donor Koch, has declined to work with unions at all in resolving the Wisconsin state budget woes. Unions agreed to absorb more costs for pension and health care plans which the bill requires. However, the affected unions have maintained they have to retain collective bargaining rights, which Walker refuses to bargain on. You will find a couple of specific unions that can keep collective bargaining rights. This contains unions for firefighters and police in Wisconsin.

Citations

MSNBC

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

Bloomberg

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

Futures Trading and Securities and Exchange Commission battling Congress for financing

The Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission are intended to keep an eye on the financial industry. Wall Street got a newly empowered police force last year, with the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act. The fight over Congressional budgeting, however, could put these brand new regulators at a disadvantage. Article resource – Futures Trading and SEC fighting Congress for funding by MoneyBlogNewz.

An Act to get the economic climate in order

Keeping the economic climate together was the reason of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. Increased funding to keep that up was requested from both agencies. There was financing given in 2010. $1.1 billion was what the SEC received. The agencies have asked for millions more for the fiscal 2012 year. The purpose would be to get 1,000 brand new employees added on.

Obama’s suggested increase in funding

The first 2012 spending budget had CFTC and Securities and Exchange Commission getting additional financing. President Obama wanted this to happen. The $583 trillion derivatives sector would end up paying $117 million in per-trade fees each year to be able to fund additional oversight. Adding an additional $300 million in oversight funding to the agencies would have occurred too.

Financing unlikely with brand new spending budget

Funding to the agencies has been stripped down since Obama proposed it initially with funding to both agencies. A House panel is scheduled to hold hearings on the cost of implementing Dodd-Frank regulations on March 30, but by then the budget could be set. Over 200 individuals would lose their jobs from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission while Securities and Exchange Commission would have to stop hiring if the current budget bill passes. The economic recovery may get hurt with the "overly strict implementation" of financial regulation.

Information from

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/03/01/news/economy/sec_cftc_funding/index.htm

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703584804576144222589096178.html

Washington Independent

washingtonindependent.com/91650/senate-passes-landmark-financial-regulatory-reform-bill

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/02/28/us-finance-summit-neugebauer-idUSTRE71R7B920110228

U.S. supports collective bargaining, claims surveys

Americans believe collective bargaining should be a basic right of public employee unions, in accordance with polls prefer the one conducted February 24-27 by the New York Times and CBS News. Poll outcomes also show that a vast majority oppose cutting pay to lower state spending budget deficits. The countrywide poll questioned 984 adults, the majority of whom didn’t have a union member in the household.

American viewpoint states collective bargaining should happen

Collective bargaining was sustained by most residents that were willing to participate in the New York Times/CBS News telephone poll done in the United States while Wisconsin Democrats ducked a vote recently to keep collective bargaining rights in place. When it came to support of labor unions though, only a third of the 284 polled supported them. In fact, the unions were opposed by a quarter of them. Everybody else hadn't decided yet.

Support for public employee unions was strong. By a two-to-one margin, poll participants objected to the "extreme" deficit recovery efforts of Republican governors prefer Wisconsin Gov. Walker and OH Gov. John Kasich. In the poll, pay cuts were sustained by 37 percent and not supported by 56 percent of individuals. In the collective bargaining rights, the Republicans outnumbered the Democrats and Independents that did not want it.

Governors state public personnel are overpaid

Concerns that public employees are overpaid or have too large of pension and health insurance plans has been something all governors have been worried about. About 61 percent of responders to the poll suggested that pay was "about right" or "too low" for public employees though. In the response, the idea of whether firefighters, teachers and others should get government benefits was divided. This contains things for instance pension collection and early retirement.

'A job that needs to be done’ is what collective bargaining is

Retired 67-year-old Democratic poll respondent Phil Merritt of Crossville, Tenn., told the New York Times that collective bargaining is essential for United States families.

"I feel they do a job that needs to be done. If you work hard, you should be able to have a home, save for retirement and send your kids to college," Merritt said. "Most public employees have to struggle to do those things, and generally both spouses must work."

Views from Republicans

There were supporters of the bill making collective bargaining rights disappear. This involved Longview, Texas' Warren Lemma who is a 56 year old electrical contractor. States do not have the money to pay such benefits, he said.

"Retirement benefits shouldn’t be taken from those near retirement, but the system should be changed for workers just starting out," Lemma said. "The only way the system will change is to do something about union control, and the only way to do that is to remove collective bargaining."

Both Gallup Poll and USA Today are the same

Much of the respondents to a USA Today/Gallup Poll had the exact same answers about collective bargaining rights. The anti-collective bargaining law was opposed by 61 percent of respondents while 33 percent were for it. While two-thirds of respondents recognized budget issues in their states, they were split on how to solve those troubles, whether it is through tax hikes or other government spending cuts.

Citations

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/03/01/us/01poll.html?_r=1&hp

The Caucus NYT blog

thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/fewer-voters-from-union-households-in-2010/

USA Today

usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-02-22-poll-public-unions-wisconsin_N.htm

Fascism and its effect on collective bargaining rights

youtube.com/watch?v=7gILmhwwbTg

Daylight savings time 2011 unlikely to conserve energy in the United States

Daylight savings time 2011 begins Sunday, March thirteen. Congress declared an earlier start date for daylight savings time five years ago, believing that extending the period would save energy. Proving energy savings has been elusive since daylight savings time was extended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Source of article – Daylight savings time 2011 not likely to save energy in the U.S. by MoneyBlogNewz.

Daylight saving time approaching means one less hour in the day

Daylight saving time 2011 moves clocks forward one hour at 2 a.m. on March thirteen everywhere in the U.S. except Arizona and Hawaii. Ever since Germany started daylight conserving time in World War I to conserve on coal, saving power has been the reason for it. The need for electric lighting goes down when an additional hour of day is added with daylight conserving time. Many compare daylight saving time to cutting off an end of a rope and adding it to another end by manipulating clocks. Several are confused about daylight saving time. It might help retail and outdoor recreation but farming and entertainment hate this change every year.

Questioning benefits of it

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 started to encourage conserving energy. This made it so the period of daylight was extended an additional four weeks. The change amended the Uniform Time Act of 1966, and the earlier “spring forward” time was first enacted on March 11, 2007. Those in charge of writing the Energy Policy Act of 2005 said there would be power savings due to this extension. The savings would be of 1 percent. There was a study done in Indiana with the daylight savings time change. There was actually a decrease in power saved. Daylight savings actually ended up being bad for Indiana households. There was more heat in the morning and air conditioning in the afternoons causing an extra $8.6 million in utility bills to be paid.

Daylight conserving time benefits and drawbacks

Due to sleep deprivation, there is really an increase in heart attacks during the first week of daylight savings even though it might not conserve energy. There is one good thing about daylight saving time. It lowers the amount of fatal vehicle crashes that occur.

Citations

U.S. News and World Report

health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/sleep/articles/2009/03/03/13-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-daylight-saving-time

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120406767043794825.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_2005

U.S. economic recovery threatened by increasing gasoline costs

On the morning of Feb. 25 average U.S. gas prices were six cents higher than at the end of the day on February 24. Fuel prices on average rose 12 cents in the week from February 20-25. A sustained trend in rising fuel prices is forecast as oil futures continue to rise . Rising oil costs are coming at a bad time for a U.S. economic climate that is depending on consumer spending to lift it out of the doldrums.

The height of gasoline prices

The jump in pump costs, the largest one-day increase since 2008, is tied to a surge in oil prices. The highest level of oil price has been hit since October 2008 at $98 a barrel Friday and $103 a barrel the day before that. There has been a 10 percent increase in just the last week. The Pump prices will change depending on the state. This is because fuel tax is different everywhere. The highest fuel prices in the U.S. were in HI. The average was at $3.757 per gallon. About $3.014 per gallon was paid in Wyoming. Energy experts expect gas price increases, which lag behind oil price increases, to continue. Moody's Analytics reports that in just the next few weeks, there can be a rise of up to 37 cents a gallon in the next few weeks in oil prices.

Gas costs go up meaning billions lost from consumers

Increasing fuel and oil costs are being driven upward by speculators getting oil futures on the bet that the popular unrest and an emerging civil war in Libya could spread instability across the major oil-producing countries of the Middle East. In accordance with Moody, gasoline is increased directly off of oil increases. There is a 2.5 cent gasoline increase for every $1 oil increase. Economists estimate that each 1-cent increase in gasoline prices siphons $1 billion a year from consumer spending. Moody’s estimates that if oil costs average $90 a barrel in 2011, spending on gasoline will eat up about a quarter of the $120 billion payroll tax cut that Congress had intended to stimulate the economic climate this year. Spending money on gas doesn't help the United States economic climate. Generally it goes someplace else. It goes to oil-producing countries where authoritarian governments hoard their riches while the people live in poverty.

Information from

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/02/25/news/economy/gasoline_prices/index.htm

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/25/business/economy/25econ.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&src=busln

Boston Globe

boston.com/business/articles/2011/02/24/rising_oil_prices_could_slow_recovery/

Nevada not investigating Reno's monetary problems

The city of Reno, Nevada, has found itself in a tough situation. The city mishandled short-term loans which were intended to be paid back in one year. The city claims that they misunderstood the terms of the loan. The state is taking the misstep in stride and offering to help the city stretch out the debt. Resource for this article – Reno's mishandling of short term loans going uninvestigated by MoneyBlogNewz.

Short term installment loans in Reno

The state of NV provided more than $8 million in short-term loans to the city of Reno, Nev. The streets department, sewer department and general fund for the city were designed to be supported with the loans. The state expected to have the money paid back within a year. The city did not know the money had to be repaid while the year came to an end and the state anticipated its money. There’s a phrase used to describe this. It’s an “incorrect interpretation of current law.”

Making sure financial loans get re-written

To be able to handle the $8 million debt to the state of NV, Reno officials are trying to get the loans re-written. The one year obligation has now been stretched. The debt could be paid in 10 years instead. The city could be required to pay more interest on the money, and the state will hold the loans over time. The state may have to cut another $8 million out of the yearly budget for a while.

Where the money went will not be investigated

Reno made a mistake when looking incorrectly at the loan rules. There will not be an exploration done though. Nevada Taxation Director Dino DiCianno has said that this mishandling is a “technical violation of state laws.”. Though it is a legal violation, the state won’t be looking into the city officials. The state will simply approve the re-writing of the 10 year loan instead. The responsibility for missing loan payments is shared with the state and city even though the state should be reviewing city budgets. There could be no investigation into who "misinterpreted" the state law specifically.

Information from

RGJ

rgj.com/article/20110218/NEWS/110218036/1321/Reno-financial-hanky-panky-likely-to-be-handled-without-investigation–taxation-department-says