Killings in Yuma wipes out at least five and injuries one

On the morning of June 2, 2011 a 73-year-old male started a shooting spree in Yuma,, Ariz.. The shooter, Carey Hal Dyess of Yuma, killed five individuals and wounded one other person before fatally turning his gun on himself, as reported by experts.

Killed local lawyer

It seems there were two shooting locations although it isn’t clear what the rest of the details are. One of the fatalities occurred in the city of Yuma, and four others in Yuma County. The Phoenix Emergency room is supposedly taking care of one of the victims right now that are in critical condition. Attorney Jerrold Shelley is from Yuma. He was one of the victims.

So far, the other victims’ names were not released. It won’t be long until the names are released. However, police say the male murdered within the city limits was an adult male. The male was in a local business. Dyess then fired at him by running in.

Dyess involved in civil divorce suits

Court records show that Dyess was involved in two civil court cases that a divorce started. With one of the cases, a judge decided Dyess needed protecting. This protection was ordered in 2006. Motive is unclear right now.

Report of gunfire to police

It was about 9:30 a.m. when police responded to a call that said there was gunfire. This caused a lockdown of the court house and schools in the area. This was just a precaution. Every person at the courthouse ended up being safe. The lockdown was lifted.

Suicidal shooter

The Yuma County Sheriff’s department later found Dyess, killed of an apparently self-inflicted weapon wound.

Coming from the county judge

Just recently, Judge Andrew Gold made a statement to the Arizona Supreme Court. Gold is the Yuma County Presiding Judge. He explained that he was very sad about the whole thing. He then said that he is “thankful that those within the courthouse are safe.”

Articles cited

News Tribune

thenewstribune.com/2011/06/02/1690376/police-5-killed-in-shootings-in.html

CBS

cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20068375-504083.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsCourtWatch+%28CBS+News%3A+Court+Watch%29

WLTX

wltx.com/news/national/article/138854/142/5-Killed-in-Shootings-in-Yuma-AZ

Economists: the U.S. remains in a growth recession

Think it is the time to commemorate economic recovery? Don’t get cocky, suggests Investor’s Business Daily. Slow, insufficient growth is almost the same as backsliding, which is a common indicator that a growth recession is still on.

Concerning a growth recession

When economic growth is so low that it creates net joblessness, it is called a growth recession. Underachievement in job creation or very low growth is also Growth recession. Job contraction typically means that a country’s real GDP is expanding, but too slowly.

Facts in a tailspin

There are several growth recession signs, states Investor’s Business Daily. Here are a few:

• ADP Payroll Services found that 38,000 private-sector jobs were created in May 2011. The minimum goal economists hoped for was 100,000 jobs more than that.
• There was a two percent increase from April to May in the number of jobs cut since 37,135 jobs were cut, according to Challenger, Gray and Christmas.
• U.S. housing prices fell 4.2 percent in the first quarter.
• There was a 4 percent decrease in the Mortgage Bankers Association’s mortgage application index. This occurred in just one week at the end of May.
• The Institute for Supply Management’s factory activity index – an indicator of United States manufacturing health – dropped from 60.4 in April to 53.5 in May, the lowest score on the index since September 2009.

Back into recession

Getting joblessness back to normal is something that may not happen considering the U.S. GDP growth. It was only at 2.7 percent in May. 2011’s borrowing by the U.S. government has hit $1.5 trillion already. It may never be possible to keep away from the double-dip tough economy with that debt on our shoulders.

The United States needs to change if it is going to get back to economic health, claims Michael Pento. Pento is a senior economist at Euro Pacific Capital.

“Genuine government stimulus comes from low taxes, stable prices, reduced regulation and low debt,” said Pento. “Our economic policymakers have scrupulously avoided such remedies.”

Summer 2011 will smell of economic déjà vu , says The Indypendent. Federal spending is going down while spending cuts and tax increases are appearing in cities and states while the Federal Reserve is backpedaling. The United States may soon end up in a depression rather than a growth recession if things don’t turn around.

Checking out the growth recession

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIGJy41ekEU

Citations

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_recession

The Indypendent

indypendent.org/2011/06/02/the-coming-double-dip-recession/

Investor’s Business Daily

investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/573972/201106011847/President-Plays-Economy-Lists.htm?src=HPLNews

Extra charges acquire billions for the air industry

Baggage expenses and other “extra” charges are unavoidable for the current air vacationer. They can be expensive and irritating. But they are gravy for the airline carriers. A new study suggests they add up to hundreds of millions for the market.

How the new report adds up

The market was able to acquire $21.46 billion just last year from luggage fees, frequent-flier programs, co-branded charge cards and other non-transportation fees, reports the Amadeus Review of Ancillary Revenue Results.

Top dollar earners

About $5 billion was brought in in extras with United Continental Airlines, which was probably the most non-transportation money an airline brought in. Second was Delta, at $3.7 billion. The third was American Airlines at $2 billion. All of them are companies based in the U.S.

Having a low spending budget means revenue comes from extras

There are usually lower ticket costs and shorter-distance flights with bargain airlines. This means generating income demands extra fees. They lead the pack if the data is analyzed as a percentage of their total income. Of the airline carriers analyzed, Allegiant Airlines made 29.2 percent with these extra charges making it the top earner. The next two integrated Spirit Airlines at 22.6 percent and Ireland-based Ryanair at 22.1 percent.

Expect an increase in expenses soon

Soon, non-transportation fees are sure to go up, according to co-author or the study and president of IdeaWorks Jay Sorenson. “Oil prices spiked in 2008, which was also the year in which the U.S. industry introduced baggage fees. We’re nearing those historical oil prices again, and I believe we’re going to see another round of new à la carte fees.”

Study done previously

Another study was done earlier this year by the Washington D.C.-based lobby group Customer Travel Alliance. The study was done with a coalition of travel agencies with Open Airlines for Airfare Transparency. The study found that in 2010, air passengers paid an average of $36.80 in expenses for every round trip.

Government being pressured

In an attempt to try to get the federal government to change how flight companies work with expenses, two groups collected over 60,000 online signatures, as of last March.

Articles cited

MSNBC

overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/01/6764501-nickeled-and-dimed-for-21-billion

Denver Business Journal

bizjournals.com/denver/news/2011/03/10/airlines-cost-coloradans-1486m-in.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search

Business Week

businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9IBOU7G6.htm

The Ku Klux Klan protests the Arlington Cemetery Memorial Day Westboro Baptist demonstration

A somber Memorial Day 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia was interrupted by an unlikely pairing of protestors against one another, reports CNN. Just a few hours before Obama was to lead nationwide observances at the Tomb of the Unknowns, members of the Westboro Baptist Church and Ku Klux Klan traded words of turmoil and caution. Luckily, the day was not sullied by physical violence and arrests, only hateful comments.

Being anti-gay gets the Westboro Baptists hated by the KKK

Lots of attention has been brought to Topeka, Kan., because of the Westboro Baptist Church. This comes because of their U.S. military and homosexual protests. Church members end up protesting outside military funerals with anti-gay signs saying the soldiers will go to hell with the help of Pastor Fred Phelps and his daughter Abigail.

Such sentiment did not sit well with a group of 10 people at Arlington who claimed to represent a group called Knights of the Southern Cross (aka Soldiers of the Ku Klux Klan), however. There was a banner that said "POW-MIA" being held up by the KKK that was near the Westboro Baptists. The Ku Klux Klan group also had American flags and tried to drown out the Westboro Baptists' protests.

According to Imperial Wizard Dennis LaBonte, who was present at the demonstration, the Ku Klux Klan was assembled to protest Fred Phelps’ anti-troop message.

“It’s the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech,” said LaBonte.

White power in scriptures not seen

Abigail Phelps told CNN that the Westboro Baptists acknowledge no moral authority in the Ku Klux Klan, as in her church’s view, the Bible makes no references to white power or Caucasian supremacy. LaBonte and other suggest the Ku Klux Klan is only there to look after the white race. It is not about being racist or hateful. Meanwhile, the Westboro Baptists cling to their war against homosexuality and the United States military complex (illustrated by hateful slogans like "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers").

Paying for freedom isn't cheap

As long as the Westboro Baptists stay a certain distance from military funerals, they’re allowed to protest under the First Amendment protection, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Much the same is true of the Ku Klux Klan and their Caucasian power demonstrations. Organizations can do whatever demonstrations they want as long as they don't violate any laws or become violent.

Articles cited

Arlington National Cemetery

arlingtoncemetery.mil/

CNN

cnn.com/2011/US/05/30/arlington.cemetery.protesters/index.html

New York Daily News

nydn.us/mK3Aku

Debt reduction and consolidation frauds still widespread after the downturn

Debt relief and consolidation corporations seem to have spread like wildfire in the past few years. Not all of these businesses are exactly trustworthy, though the majority is perfectly fine. Despite elevated regulations, there are still a lot of fraudulent debt reduction corporations in existence.

No use having Federal Trade Commission regulation for crooks

To be able to stop fake debt settlement and debt settlement businesses from stealing, the Federal Trade Commission started up many new rules. This was over half a year ago. Debt servicing corporations, according to KNDU, an NBC affiliate in Washington state, are prohibited from asking for an advance fee, have to make specific information accessible up front and can’t misrepresent themselves in any way. Companies have to give customers realistic estimates of how much money they could conserve and disclose exactly what fees are integrated in the service. Companies aren’t following the laws right now.

Large debt relief business busted

WalletPop reports that the states of Washington and New York did a sting with Freedom Debt Relief and found out it did not follow debt services’ laws. The firm is located in California. It misled consumers in the states mentioned. In both cases, the company settled. It settled for $2 million in payments in customers. The company is dealing with a class action lawsuit right now. It also made similar settlements with four other states. The Federal Trade Commission, according to the Wall Street Journal, recently won large settlements against two debt management companies illegally “robocalling” customers with automated phone messages. Dynamic Financial Group and Advanced Management Services NW were robocalling customers and said that with an upfront fee, they could reduce a debt. If it didn’t work, Advanced Management Services said it would refund money although the businesses both would keep the cash and tell consumers that they need to pay their ! bills on time to lower debt.

It may not be true if it looks that way

The old maxim that “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is” holds true when it comes to debt settlement companies. The Federal Deposit Insurance Company and Federal Trade Commission both warn that any business guaranteeing to remove negative items from credit states or a settlement for “pennies on the dollar” is most likely a scam. Also, it is illegal for any debt settlement or debt reduction business to ask for any money whatsoever until after the debt is reduced or somehow changed. Just go ahead and check for a nonprofit debt counselor instead. There are several of them that can help you do a debt reduction plan for free. Before going to any for-profit debt reduction services, try a not-for-profit credit counselor first, the CFIC suggests. You are able to get help from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. This will be where financial advisors as part of your area can be found.

Citations

Walletpop

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

KNDUO/p>

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

Wall Street Journal

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

FDIC

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

FTC

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

NFCC

nfcc.org/

Overdraft fee settled by Bank of America for $410 million in payment

Overdraft fees were the focus of a massive class action suit involving Bank of America, which the financial institution just recently arrived at a settlement agreement in. To settle the suit, B of A has agreed to pay $410 million. Comparable suits are being filed against other banks.

Account charges gets banks sued

Overdraft fees and account fees aren’t popular among consumers, and outrage over charge practices has led to major class action lawsuits against some of the largest financial institutions in the U.S. and Canada. Almost 1 million people are part of a huge class action suit, according to Bloomberg, against Bank of America, and similar suits have been filed against Chase bank, Citigroup and Wells Fargo. Bank of America is able to settle now. A $410 million settlement has already been approved. Reuters explained that over 2 dozen banks in the United States. Europe and Canada are being sued for fees like these, all of which were changed to be class action suits. In Re: Checking Account Overdraft Litigation is the name of the case.

Undue burden placed on vulnerable consumers

To be able to create multiple overdraft fees rather than just one or two, Bank of America has been accused of processing largest to smallest transactions so that accounts will go into overdraft over and over rather than in the order they came in. Overdrafts can function like short term credit; the bank will fund the transaction but add a fee to the amount owed by the account holder. Normal fees are between $25 and $35. Some customers can’t possibly afford overdraft fees. That is why customer advocates don’t like them. Banks cannot automatically put consumers in overdraft programs anymore. Consumers have to pick that choice.

Using your phone with Bank of America

The Los Angeles Times reports there’s a pilot program at Bank of America starting. If a transaction is dropped for insufficient funds, the consumer will receive a text message giving the customer the choice to have the bank cover the overdraft. The consumer has to deposit the funds then by 8 p.m. that evening to cover the transaction. If they do not, then they’ll get the $35 charge. This is only allowed with the one transaction. It is very limited. Overdraft fees will become the province of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to the New York Times, when the agency begins operation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is involved in an ongoing Congressional tug-of-war over the director position and what powers the bureau should have.

Articles cited

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-23/bank-of-america-410-million-overdraft-fee-accord-wins-tentative-approval.html

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/23/business-us-bankofamerica-overdraft-sett-idUKTRE74M63K20110523?type=companyNews

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/05/bofa-overdraft-text-message.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/05/19/opinion/19thu3.html

Special House election puts Democrat in Republicans seat

A chair which had been held by the GOP in New York’s 26th Congressional District was won by Democrat Kathy Hochul in Tuesday’s special House election. Hochul’s opponent was Republican Jane Corwin. Hochul narrowly won, 47 percent to 43 percent. A third candidate, Democrat-turned Tea Party campaigner Jack Davis, garnered 9 percent of the votes.

Candidate against Medicare changes

The changes House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan suggested for Medicare were addressed quite a bit by Hochul. These changes are not supported by Hochul in any means. There was a debate with Ryan’s budget plan supporter Corwin last week where Hochul said: “I will fight any plan that tries to decimate Medicare. That is something people in this district feel passionately about, and I do as well.”

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

Medicare changes passed by House

There were 15 democrats and 4 republicans that voted opposes Ryan’s Medicare plan on April 15. It was passed by the House still. People younger than 55 would be able to take advantage of the changes which would allow federally subsidizes premiums for those younger than 55.

Hochul’s win something Obama likes

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

Argument from Republicans

House Republican Leader Eric Cantor disputed the claims the victory was based on the Medicare reform problems. “This race is about the truth that it’s a three-way race,” Cantor said to reporters.

Sex scandal causes somebody to lose their job

A seat was lost when Republican Rep. Chris Less had a sex scandal. Hochul won’t take that seat in his place. Lee had nothing left to do but step down in February. There were shirtless photos of him shown publicly after he sent them to a woman he met on Craigslist.

Even more vacancies

This year, two more vacancies have to be filled. This will require two special House elections. One, to be held in July, will be to replace California Democrat Jane Harman. In Sept, a political election will be held in Nevada to replace Republican Dean Heller. Now Heller will be put in U.S. Senate. She is taking John Ensign’s spot.

Citations

Huffington Post

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

MSNBC

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

Chicago Tribune

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

Loopholes make going Cuba achievable

There has been an embargo on travel to Cuba since the Kennedy administration, causing many people to wish for the forbidden fruit of Havana. There are loopholes, however, in the laws and regulations and legal ways to travel to Cuba, one of the last strongholds of communism. The number of individuals traveling to Cuba is increasing each year, but don’t mistake Cuba for Busch Gardens or Cancun or the price to pay will indeed be very expensive.

It is okay to travel to Cuba

Relations between the U.S. and Cuba have not been the warmest for the past half century. The Cuban embargo enacted under the Kennedy administration is still in impact, but President Clinton signed a bill granting exceptions to the ban on travel to Cuba for private citizens in 1999, according to MSNBC, which a small but growing number of people have been taking advantage of. As long as a person is going to Cuba for “people to people contacts,” it is acceptable. This means that people have to go to Cuba with the intention of learning about the Cuban culture. Adjudicating the quality of the pina coladas doesn’t count; most groups have itineraries packed with museum, factory and farm visits.

How you get in now

In order to go on this kind of trip to Cuba, a person has to book a trip with a group that is authorized to conduct such tours. The State Department won’t have to approve travel itineraries anymore ahead of time meaning it will be easier to get into a tour of Cuba. When traveling to Cuba, don’t take children. It is not the most kid friendly environment. Individuals go to Cuba for religious, journalistic or governmental reasons. That means that even though there is still “person to person” travel, you should not just go to trip, the State Department site explained. As long as relatives are Cuban nationals, individuals can go to Cuba to see them. In the Swiss Embassy in Havana, there’s a U.S. Special Interests Section that functions as an embassy. Otherwise, there is no U.S. Embassy there.

Make sure the documents are ready

Cuba is “a totalitarian police state,” according to the State Department meaning it uses physical and other means to keep its citizens under control. Make sure you’ve your paperwork in order and are behaved well while going to Cuba. Travel in Cuba is uncommon. Most are not allowed to do this. The exit visa, “white card,” required for Cubans to leave Cuba costs the equivalent of $150. Most Cubans live on $20 a month and barely get enough to eat, according to the Christian Science Monitor. If the Raul Castro regime is willing to make changes, President Obama would be willing to lift some restrictions on trade and travel, reports Reuters. Apparently Obama is trying to normalize relations with the country. Trade in Cuba is starting to take place more often. Castro won’t say goodbye to communism though.

Information from

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43126754/ns/travel-news/

U.S. Department of State on traveling to Cuba

travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0513/Cubans-may-no-longer-be-stuck-on-Caribbean-isle

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/13/us-usa-cuba-obama-idUSTRE74C3P820110513

Joplin, Mo., is worried about one more tornado hitting

A second tornado could hit the already-tornado savaged area of Joplin, Mo. The lower Midwest is still at great risk, as a new storm front is currently looming above the area. Five states are at the center of the weather front. There’s a very strong risk of tornadoes touching down.

Five states need to be concerned about tornadoes

About 116 people were killed on Sunday, May 22 in Joplin, Mo., where a twister hit and is starting to form once again. According to MSNBC, the storm system has been producing tornadoes in the United States after starting in the south. People are warned with a thunderstorm advisory to view for strong winds, tornadoes and hail in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and the northeast corner of Texas. A National Weather Service official was quoted as saying the risk of tornado outbreaks is “not through … not by a long shot.” There could be more tornadoes just as devastating as the one that struck Joplin, according to USA Today, but the risk will diminish throughout the week as the storm system passes by.

La Nina years bring greater storms

Tornadoes are the reason for many fatalities. Just this year 482 individuals have perished from them. Due to La Nina, or a time when the tropical Pacific Ocean gets cooler, the strength of the storms goes up. Storm systems become more severe meaning more tornadoes could occur when the Pacific cools since the jet streams get stronger and cool air rises into the atmosphere. Even though the tornado outbreaks in the Midwest have been terrible, they are ordinary storms, reports Yahoo News. Areas will get weather patterns such as low pressure systems that will stay for a long time and might mean a tornado. Just last month, there were many tornadoes that hit many states. Over 300 individuals were killed from them.

Insurance losses in the billions

Reuters explains that insurance companies expect to lose billions because of this. The recent Mississippi river flooding and other natural disasters in the United States for instance tornado outbreaks are expected to cost various insurance companies up to $10 billion this year, compared to a normal year’s outlays of $2 billion to $4 billion. Over $55 billion might have to be paid because of the Earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand. In just 2011, there have been 1,151 tornadoes that have hit. Building towns back up is what the Federal Emergency Agency is working on. Since 1947, the Joplin tornado is the deadliest one that has hit. In 1947, 181 people were killed in Woodward, Okla., from a tornado. The Joplin tornado was, at one point, three-quarters of a mile across and generated wind speeds of almost 200 miles an hour.

Articles cited

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/43147795/ns/weather/

USA Today

usatoday.com/weather/storms/tornadoes/2011-05-23-tornadoes-hit-plains_n.htm

Yahoo News

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_sci_midwest_storms_science;_ylt=AjjcCUBXXogIBRiQGeOupzqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNjM21oOHRnBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwNTI0L3VzX21pZHdlc3Rfc3Rvcm1zBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDNgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDcmVsYXRlZA–

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/05/24/us-insurance-disasters-idUSTRE74M6GH20110524

Charge card businesses still after college students

College students and campuses are off limits to marketing campaigns by charge card corporations due to the CARD Act, which restricted marketing to some groups. However, credit card companies are exploiting loopholes and many students are still signing up for credit cards.

Credit cards on campuses not ending yet

All unethical practices done by credit card corporations were supposed to be stopped by the Credit card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act. One of the provisions of the CARD Act was to prohibit charge card businesses and card issuing institutions from marketing heavily to college students, however they’re finding ways back onto campus, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. The law prohibits any free promotional gifts to students, but that does not prevent card issuers from offering other things like the $50 bonus for signing up for a card, as Citibank does. Anyone who friended the Chase Facebook group can get “karma” reward points while Facebook is being used by Chase to market to students.

No laws broken

Charge cards are typically not coming from charge card or finance businesses. They are offered by banks instead. Banks are still allowed to hand out promotional literature for checking and savings accounts, just not credit cards. However, several people see that as a canard. A University of Houston Law Center found in a survey of college students that 73 percent of credit card marketing was not on campus at all which is why financial service companies are on the same level. That survey found out that 29 percent of students applying for credit cards used loans as proof of income to get the charge card showing that students are skipping the rules to get credit cards.

The price of an education

Yearly the cost of going to a university is going up. This is why students may want a charge card to try and experience something nicer like a real meal. The debt from college is going up. Students are taking out more. The Sallie Mae foundation found that 92 percent of college students in 2009 charged an educational expense such as tuition or books and 20 percent of college seniors carried at least $7,000 in credit card debt, according to U.S. News and World Report. The class of 2011, according to Time, carries the highest average college debt ever seen. A $22,900 average debt is carried by the class of 2011. That is an 8 percent increase from 2010’s graduating class. It is a 47 percent increase from 2001 too.

Information from

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704322804576303652621312770.html?mod=WSJ_PersonalFinance_FamilyFinance#articleTabs%3Darticle

Time

newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/11/congratulations-class-of-2011-youre-the-most-indebted-graduates-ever/

U.S. News

usnews.com/education/blogs/student-loan-ranger/2011/05/11/student-credit-card-use-could-cause-problems-later

Four basic ways to increase the price you get

Be it real estate or a piece of electronics on Craigslist, everyone wants to get as much cash as possible for items being sold. In the sea of online ads, getting that best price can feel practically impossible. You can improve the price you get when you sell online. It takes just a couple simple steps, and a few additional minutes of effort. Source of article – Four easy ways to get more money for what you are selling by MoneyBlogNewz.

1. Check photography out

Look at photos to start research as an online buyer. Looking at online photos is how 83 percent of individuals choose whether or not to visit a house. Taking a picture with your cell phone seems easy enough. Still, a 5 to 30 percent increase in price happens whenever you have good photos. Make sure the item you are photographing is well-lit, and use a tripod or a fast shutter speed (or “sports” setting) to eliminate blur in the photo. In case you are marketing a high-dollar item, it could well be worth the $100-$300 to get professional photography.

2. Make sure language is appropriate

Straightforward, concise, clear copy describing the item you’ve for sale will go a long way. Rather than listing the “seriously awesome camera that will make your photos 1 billion times better,” describe the item in concrete terms: “10 megapixel camera with full manual settings to control the photo.” It sounds better, and it will sell better. Most people should be specific. Use numbers if needed. Avoid too many adjectives. Not more than three per sentence is allowed. It might cost $50 to $100 to get a professional. You may just have a friend look over it instead.

3. You will need to search around

It’s OK to be hopeful about the sales price, however asking too much can put off potential buyers. Do your research on what comparable items are marketing for and adjust your prices accordingly. If you are asking for a higher-than-going rate, be sure to explain why. Explain why you would like less than the going rate as well on some products. Buyers might be very interested with your listing if you just explain yourself rather than go from the norm.

4. Spam is just irritating

It could be tempting to post your item for sale twice a day, just in case someone misses the listing. There is search functionality in most services. This is just online. Most viewers get really annoyed when you post it so often. You look desperate to sell. Only re-post your item if you make change to the price or the terms. It takes effort and money to list something more than once in one place. Keep away from this.

Information from

MSN Real Estate

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

Small Biz Trends

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

Borrowing for college to enter billion-dollar realm

College campuses see a higher number of individuals in the form of students on a continuous basis who accept funds from financial institutions and promise to pay back the money with interest. Borrowing funds for education and the amount owed will reach the $1 trillion level this year after surpassing the total number of dollars owed by charge card borrowers in 2010. Money borrowed while a college student, most always regarded as a “good debt,” is more often becoming a “bad debt” as the cost of paying for an education, and the resultant money borrowed, are called into question as a result of low or negative return down the road for such a risk. Article resource – Student loan debt expected to hit $1 trillion and beyond in 2011 by MoneyBlogNewz.

More students have student loan debt as school costs go up

Student loan debt was something less than half of the students graduating with a bachelor’s degree had in 1993. There was a huge increase by 2008 though. It went up to two thirds. Then the average debt increased even more. By 2009, $24,000 was the average student loan debt a student left with. Total student loan debt is anticipated to reach $1 trillion this year and grow at even faster rate. Lower-income students can get Pell grants for financial aid, although Congress Republicans want to get rid of them. As cash-strapped states cut funding to universities and colleges, tuition increases will add to a mountain of debt that is anticipated to have a profound impact on the current generation of college students. The rate of student loan default is growing quite a bit with the student loan debt. There can be huge student loan payments that have to be made while credit could be damaged if they are not made. This could really hurt students in the future who are attempt! ing to have kids or attempting to buy a house. Those who have kids may have to choose between paying off their student loan debt and saving for their children’s college education.

There is some good debt

Payday loans, charge cards and auto loans are all forms of “bad debt.” Student loans, on the other hand, are considered “good debt” by many. In the aftermath of the recession, any kind of debt has become undesirable. However even as the average cost for a four-year private education has reached more than $37,000 a year, according to the College Board, student loans could be good debt if the degree outcomes in a salary that allows the debt to be paid in a reasonable amount of time. Most financial advisers suggest that individuals don’t borrow more than they could make the year after they graduate. That rule of thumb, however, highlights the risk of taking on student loan debt. Paying down the loans may be unlikely in sociology or history. The jobs for these degrees just aren’t there. The cost of debt is higher for engineering and medicine even though the risk is lower.

Loans are not always the answer

When it comes to good debt versus bad debt, the bottom line these days is simple: all debt is bad if you cannot pay it off. Default rates are rising – to almost 50 percent – among students who attended for-profit colleges. Bankruptcy doesn’t get rid of student loans. For federally guaranteed student loans, the government can garnish wages, withhold tax refunds or dock Social Security payments. Everyone in a low paying job can have the loans forgiven with the Obama administration. He made it so the debt is forgiven in 10 years if you are in a public service position or 25 years for anybody else who pays 15 percent yearly.

Citations

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/04/12/education/12college.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Creditcards.com

creditcards.com/credit-card-news/does-good-debt-still-exist-1264.php

care 2

care2.com/causes/education/blog/student-debt-for-college-likely-to-exceed-a-trillion-dollars/

Amazon to release advertisement-supported Kindle for $114

The traditional writing industry has lost ground to e-readers, tablets and other mobile devices, and Amazon is sitting quite with its Kindle platform. Once the $114 Kindle with Special Offers ships May 3, Amazon should improve its 60 percent share in the e-reader market. Yet there’s a catch – those Special Offers are advertisements, a move that has several worried about the shape of the reading experience to come.

Paying $25 less for an ad-based kindle

The price of the Amazon Kindle has fallen a few times since the first generation was introduced at $399 in 2007. This is the first time, however, that a price reduction will consist of the placement of advertisements on the popular e-reader, a move geared to capture ground from the iPad in the e-reader market. May 3 is when the kindle will start with Special Offers. The ad-supported version could be found in Best Purchase and Target for the Kindle 3.

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos sees the $114 Kindle with Special Offers as a “chicken in every pot” move:

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

Reader response to a Christian Science Monitor article about the price cut seems to echo the fears most customers have about an advertisement-based Kindle. One reader argues for a free advertisement-based Kindle with $0.99 books, however that reflects another thorny issue regarding the price of electronic books. The $25 discount isn’t enough, according to some readers. Most experts’ say it is okay though since the ads only come up on the bottom of the home screen and on the screen saver.

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

The price is needed

Getting to the $99 Kindle for Christmas 2011 is important, TechCrunch believes. That is what the $114 Amazon Kindle is leading up to with its Special Features. Traditional marketing psychology suggests the “.99″ price point is a magic number.

However, new research from New York’s Columbia Business School indicates the advantage is more imagined than it is real anymore. The “dollar-minus” approach (down to 99 cents, for instance) was actually less effective than “dollar-plus” price points (like $4.01), according to the Columbia study. Sales of goods that used the dollar-plus method increased by 3 percent, and customers felt greater trust for dollar-plus brands because the prices were perceived as being less manipulative.

Information from

Christian Science Monitor

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

Columbia Business School

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

Knowing and Making

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

TechCrunch

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

Kindle sales tripled after last price drop

youtu.be/PaAFm_fZQ2A

Government shutdown does not matter concerning Internal Revenue Service deadline

The IRS deadline for filing income taxes is still in impact, even if the federal spending budget brouhaha outcomes in a government shutdown. It was extended this year due to a city holiday in Washington D.C. That said, it is still April 18 If a shutdown occurs, refund checks will be postponed. Resource for this article – Government shutdown does not postpone IRS deadline by MoneyBlogNewz.

How the Internal Revenue Service employees are affected

In the event of a government shutdown, there can be a few agencies that are unaffected in their operations. Unfortunately, the Internal Revenue Service would shut down. That means as long as there is a shutdown, all IRS agents would be required to stay home. Bloomberg states that our tax returns have to be filed nevertheless. On April 8, the government shutdown will occur, unless a deal is made.

Electronic filing will help a lot

None of the paper returns can be received by the IRS if there’s a shut down. That means paper returns will not be sent back either, so no refunds. Taxpayers are asked to file electronically to keep away from normal processing.

How government workers could be affected

It is contended that the shutdown is going to occur because Congressional Republicans insist on defunding Planned Parenthood because the organization provides abortions. Members of Congress, according to CNN, and the president, will still get their salaries automatically. The government employees are the ones that would be most impacted. Any “unnecessary personnel” or those that are not necessary to protect the states, will not have work anymore. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the military will continue to work. These employees are required to work for free during this time. There is no guarantee they’ll get back pay.

Articles cited

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-07/shutdown-won-t-budge-april-18-tax-filing-deadline-irs-says.html

Times

curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2011/04/08/tax-refund-fears-would-a-government-shutdown-hurt-spending/

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/04/08/news/economy/shutdown_congress_pay/index.htm

Negotiation reached in federal probe into robosigning

An initial negotiation has been reached between banks and the federal investigation into the robosigning scandal. The scandal has shaken several people’s confidence in the real estate finance industry. The nation’s largest mortgage loan companies were found to have rubber stamped foreclosure documents without making sure that it had been done properly, and many people were foreclosed on that did not deserve it. A legal probe into foreclosure practices has reportedly reached a negotiation with those lenders.

JPMorgan exec discloses deal with some federal agencies

Reuters reports that JPMorgan Chase Chief Executive Officer, Jamie Dimon, explained that there was an agreement made recently with mortgage loan companies being investigated due to the robosigning. Dimon confirmed that no fines had been levied yet, but they’re likely to come. About a dozen federal agencies and every attorney general in each state was doing an investigation to the largest mortgage lenders. Only financial institutions in the Office of the comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Federal Reserve are in the negotiation that has yet to be complete. A settlement with all 50 state attorneys general has not been reached.

Possible state settlements

The controversy stemmed from the discovery that a lot of foreclosure proceedings started when paperwork to start foreclosures was approved in a robotic fashion, or "robo-signed," without proper review. The robosigning problem needs to be solved easily. This is because foreclosure practices change sometimes. Bloomberg reports that JPMorgan plans to hire 3,000 new employees to make sure every little thing works out. In other words, there could be an increased amount of regulation in the mortgage industry when it comes to foreclosures, which means it will cost the loan companies in the mortgage industry more to lend and service a loan. Those costs can be passed on to the consumer at some point, likely in the form of requiring more money up front to get a loan. Since banks have been more worried about foreclosing lately, there’s a huge backlog of foreclosures on the books.

Not much with the mortgage modification program taking place

The mortgage modification programs were some of the biggest failures in all of the stimulus programs the Obama administration put together. Any person could apply for a modification if they were about to be foreclosed upon and were behind on mortgages. Any lender that was willing to modify a borrower's mortgage would be getting incentive payments from the government. USA Today reports that few individuals really used it. Between 3 million and 4 million people were in the goal to be kept in homes. There ended up being only about 630,000 individuals helped out with permanent modifications of mortgages.

Articles cited

Reuters

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

Bloomberg

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

USA Today

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

Oil and gas determined to drop as costs pinch customer demand

Oil costs are soaring and gas prices are approaching amounts not seen since the summer of 2008. Speculators continue to drive up the numbers at gas pumps, never mind the fact there are no gas shortages in the U.S.. However reality will intrude on the markets, analysts say, when gas becomes too expensive for U.S. consumers to afford.

Prices on oil

The sweet crude for May delivery went up to its highest amounts since September 2008 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It went up to $111.90 a barrel. United States gas prices reached an average of $3.70 this week, their highest level since the summer of 2008 also. Several studied the rise in oil costs. There were several factors that brought on it. A looming government shutdown is worsening the dollar, which makes dollar-based commodities for instance crude oil more affordable for traders betting with other currencies. It doesn’t seem like the Libya conflict is about to end. The country has already stopped producing most of its oil. However as U.S. customers pay just a little more every day at the pump, the United States is awash in oil. In the week that ended April 1, United States oil inventories went up 2 million barrels the U.S. Energy Information Administration explained. There was an increase in over 14 million barrels a day in the crud refinery.

Supply and demand ignored

It used to be that OPEC was to blame for this. This hasn’t affected it at all though. There was an oil conference in Paris where the United Arab Emirates oil minister spoke. He said that prices have hardly any change anymore due to OPEC. OPEC gives enough oil to the industry according to Mohammed bin Dhaen al-Hamli. The only reason for oil prices rising is due to traders. They are betting on a worst case scenario rather than paying attention to the facts. Oil speculators are being aided and abetted by the Federal Reserve, which has been giving hedge funds and pension funds money at zero percent interest so they can bet on increasing commodity costs. Oil futures are $15 and $20 increased than they need to be at according to analysts. The next betting frenzy could be triggered by elections this weekend in Nigeria, where output of 2.2 million barrels a day could possibly be disrupted by violence.

Oil tipping point

There are signs that oil and gas prices have risen to a level that United States consumers can no longer afford. In just the last four weeks, there has been a 3.7 percent drop in gas demand. Some analysts are saying that oil prices will reach a tipping point soon, unless another crisis in the Middle East or a Nigerian meltdown play into the hands of oil speculators. Oil was around $90 a barrel until the second quantitative easing plan (QE2) started to fail the Fed had in place. The whole plan might change in June when the QE2 ends. This might end up leaving crude oil around $85 to $95 a barrel total.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110408-707562.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/04/09/business/09markets.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Industrial Fuels and Power

ifandp.com/article/0010617.html

Fortune

finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/08/oil-at-the-tipping-point/

Repaying the first-time home buyer tax credit

Taxpayers who claimed the $7,500 first-time home buyer tax credit two years ago need to be ready to pay come tax day 2011, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. On Monday, April 18, the first of 15 annual payments is due on that loan. Article source – First-time homebuyer tax credit: Get ready to pay by MoneyBlogNewz.

Using the first time home buyer credit

A segment of new United States homebuyers were eligible to claim a tax credit equal to 10 percent of the purchase price of a home, up to a maximum of $7,500. The tax credit could possibly be divided by unmarried homebuyers or married individuals filing separately could get $3,750 each, according to the House and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. Any homes bought between April 8, 2008 and January 1, 2009 was able to get the credit.

The tax credit was very popular for several individuals. The problem was that it was being called “credit.” Really it was just an interest-free loan be given out. Yearly, for 16 years, the first-time homebuyers may have equal installment payments to be repaying the government. A $7,500 first-time home buyer tax credit will break down to $500 per year, unless the home is sold before the total amount is paid off. When selling the home, the balance is due immediately. It isn’t paid over time anymore.

Tax breaks homebuyers can get

The first-time home buyer tax credit was not the only thing Congress did. There were two other tax credits extended. The first offered an $8,000 credit to first-time buyers who signed contracts between January 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. As long as the contract had been signed by April 30, the sale could be completed by September 30, 2010, and the taxpayer could qualify for the credit. There was also a $6,500 credit accessible. This was for long term homeowners that bought, between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, a new or existing home.

Both of these additional tax credits require that homebuyers repay the entire amount – either $8,000 or $6,500 – if the home is sold within three years of the purchase date or the property becomes a secondary a secondary residence within the same time period. It is simple to sell within three years nevertheless. There are ways around it. The sale of home may end up with a profit. If that profit is less than the amount of the tax credit, then only the profit needs to be paid back.

All the IRS returns trouble

Married couples filing jointly have been hard on the IRS. There have been lots of glitches in this, the Inquirer states. With the Form 5405: “First-Time Homebuyer Credit and Repayment of the Credit,” several filed before February 22, 2011. That means manual returns were required taking a long time to process.

Internal Revenue Service projections indicate that about 1 million United States households could be repaying the $7,500 first-time home buyer tax credit. You can go to IRS.gov and look at the “Where’s My Refund?” connection to discover out more if you don’t have your refund.

Information from

Housing and Economic Recovery Act

frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h3221enr.txt.pdf

IRS

irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html

Philadelphia Inquirer

philly.com/philly/phillywomen/119915874.html

How Canada helps first-time home buyers

youtube.com/watch?v=lg_i8SRhMO0

Professional compensation soaring as wages flat line

Payment for chief executive officers at United States corporations increased 12 percentage points in 2010 to reach a median figure of $9.6 million. In the final quarter of 2010 corporate profits grew faster than they have in over 60 years-30 percent. As CEOs get richer, the workers making them rich get poorer because the rising cost of food and gas is taking a bigger chunk out of stagnant wages. Source of article – CEO pay soars as flat middle class wages erode with inflation by MoneyBlogNewz.

The harder the work the more for the CEO

At a time when millions of Americans simply hope they keep their jobs, average CEO pay has risen to surpass pre-recession levels. Even as employment is increasing, employee pay isn’t, however CEO pay is. Over 13 million people are currently looking for work, yet CEO’s are getting by on what they already have and increasing their own wallets. CEO’s have no reason to hire employees when they’re making do with who they have. Economic bailout sectors were given to CEO’s in 2010 at an average of 12 percent. In the mean time, average pay for private sector workers grew about 2 percent. 8.8 percent was the average joblessness rate in March. Most economists predict the jobless rate will continue to remain high for years.

The CEO stock portfolio increases

The highest paid CEO in the U.S. this past year was Phillipe Dauman of Viacom who pocketed $84.5 million in just nine months. Ray Irani of Occidental Petroleum made $76.1 million last year, making him take the place of the second highest paid CEO. Forbes also states that Oracle’s Larry Ellison brought in $39.5 million making him the 3rd highest paid. CEOs are gaining the largest raises since 2007, with stock choice thanks to Wall Street. Several CEOs accepted stock options during the recession when they held little value, knowing that huge paydays lied ahead when the market recovered. The stock market has recovered and now the CEOs are cashing in and making the large bucks. USA Today reports that many of the CEOs cashing in their stock opportunities were making well over $20 million.

The increase in commodity costs hurts the middle-class

Middle-class has not gotten any pay increase, yet prices have risen. This combination makes it hard for middle class to enjoy the CEOs pay raises. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the average hourly wage for workers hasn’t increased by a penny in so-much-as five months. While U.S. workers who nevertheless have jobs aren’t getting raises, employers in developing nations are hiring new consumers who are pushing up demand and prices for food, oil, cotton and other commodities. The direction of costs of goods and wages are going in different direction. Gas costs alone eat up more than half the average worker’s wage increase. The average middle-class employee buys about 12 gallons of gas a week alone. Individuals have reported that filling a gas tank is costing $40 more per month than it did last year. Yet the average weekly raise only increased by about $18.

Articles cited

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/04/10/business/10comp.html?_r=2#38;ref=business

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2011-04-04-1Aoptions04_ST_N.htm

NPR

npr.org/2011/04/10/135272006/paychecks-cant-keep-up-with-rising-prices

Tax deductions you need to not try at home

Monday, April 18 is tax day 2011, and some Americans will attempt to slip some very creative tax write offs by the Internal Revenue Service. From flattop haircuts to human sperm contributions, auditors have seen it all. Don’t take these as examples, however marvel at the ingenuity – or laziness, or lunacy – that went into these crazy attempts at tax write offs. Source for this article – Bizarre tax deductions to brighten your tax day by MoneyBlogNewz.

Minister looking for real estate

Bankrate reports that CPA Ken Sibley knew a male who tried to claim travel and entertainment expenses as tax deductions as a minister. After trying for years, the minister never found real estate investment properties, even though he was trying to. This could not be considered business expense. It could have if anything were purchased.

A wedding is not a charity

Getting married isn't enough to deduct expenditures. It cannot be a part of business expenses being deducted. Clients attending the wedding doesn't make it business related. A Massachusetts CPA said it will not work, regardless how you swing it. And remember: your betrothed isn’t a charity, so there is no way can count wedding expenditures as charitable donations, either.

Expenditure taking 30 years

New Jersey CPA Don Meyer spoke of the business manager of a famous entertainer who arranged for the purchase of a $2 million office building. It would be business expense and deducted as one. The manager wanted to use it that year for it. The business manager was at a loss though since the complete expense would take over 30 years to recover. The law would not change regardless how much money there was to spare.

Don't try to count a dog

A home-based business can produce legitimate tax write offs, but claiming pets as security expenses won’t fly. Home security systems in general do not fly with the IRS, either, says the Hunter Group of Fair Lawn, N.J. One woman said that if someone came into her home and killed her, she would not be able to pay taxes anymore which mean she should be able to deduct her home security system.

Do not try to deduct adult magazines

Tax deductions for dues and subscriptions to professional and trade publications do work. You have to be in that field though. According to Quizlaw, these would go under miscellaneous as long as the 2 percent floor rule is met. This means it must account for 2 percent or more of the adjusted gross income.

Business strategy for a self-employed real estate agency should not contain adult magazines in business deductions. A Massachusetts CPA Explained this isn’t something you should be doing.

Once, Don Meyer had a prostitute client. That was different. Declaring her income was significant to her. She said her job was in "public relations."

Citations

Bankrate

bankrate.com/finance/taxes/10-craziest-tax-deductions-for-2011-1.aspx

IRS

irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=204169,00.html

Quizlaw

quizlaw.com/federal_income_tax/can_i_deduct_dues_and_subscrip.php

On deducting haircuts and sperm donations

youtube.com/watch?v=uW6HWOekZ3M

Refund anticipation loans could become endangered species

Regulatory actions are making refund anticipation loans harder to come by for customers that want them. Banks are under increasing regulatory pressure from the government not to fund the loans, which makes it harder for businesses that offer them to secure the credit. Consumer supports have been opposed these loans for some time. It is said they are very detrimental to consumers.

Tax preparers running out of options for financing

The legal underwriting needs for tax refund loan programs are becoming harder to meet making it hard for H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt, along with other tax preparation services, to discover financing. HSBC was forced by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to close its program financing H&R Block. This caused H&R Block to shut down its refund anticipation loan program, the Washington Post reports. The loss of that product causes H&R Block to lose a ton of money in a three month period ending January 31. The business, according to NPR, lost $12 million. In April 2010, Chase stopped financing short term loans for tax refunds.

Change in IRS rule brings loan product to a halt

The Internal Revenue Service had a rule that let a person's tax refund status be checked by a refund anticipation loan creditor. This is what really hurt things. That law was repealed past year, and the belief that a financial institution might not check on the borrower’s credit worthiness meant that legally mandated underwriting needs cannot be met. This year, there were Refund anticipation loans offered in the River City Bank and Republic Bank and Trust in Louisville, Ky. The Ohio Valley Bank in Gallipolis, Ohio also offered them. At the end of this tax season, both River City Bank and Ohio Valley Bank are planning on leaving the market. That means that there can be only one bank that offers them in the whole nation soon.

What you should learn about refund anticipation loans

refund anticipation loans are fairly simple. Someone goes to a tax preparation service to have taxes done. This consists of Jackson-Hewitt and H&R Block. If they are due an income tax refund, they can take out loans against their refunds. Usually, a fee of about $65 and the amount of the refund could be taken out. These are very much like payday loans. They’re loans against future earnings for several to use. There’s a fee and penalties on the loans, just like payday loans, while there is no credit check. Low-income places will get the loans more than others which get a lot of criticism. However, most people who take the loans have a pressing need for cash and don’t want to wait.

Citations

NPR

npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=134403451

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/capital_business/2011/03/25/AFNQJVkB_story.html