Reinke Faces Life

http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/millionaire/30108

Ten Steps to Cell Phone Security
by David Bach
Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007, 12:00AM

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Americans love their cell phones — most of us can’t live without them. Yet the Better Business Bureau reports that cell phone providers are the No. 1 cause of complaints among consumers. This is mostly due to incorrect billing, confusing fees, unexpected charges, and deceptive contracts. These can certainly add up, but I was shocked to learn that the most significant — even devastating — monetary damage can occur when your cell phone is lost or stolen.

A $26,000 Cell Phone Bill

A recent CBS 5 ConsumerWatch report by Jeanette Pavini profiles the plights of three consumers in California — all of whom had their cell phones stolen and were left stuck with a huge bill for unauthorized charges.

The report told the story of San Francisco resident Wendy Nguyen, who was shocked to receive a bill for $26,000 after her cell phone was unknowingly stolen before she left for an overseas vacation. Cingular held her responsible for charges incurred after the phone was taken, up until the time Wendy discovered the theft and called the carrier.

She was able to prove via airline and passport documents that she was out of the country and couldn’t possibly have made the unauthorized calls from San Francisco during that time, but Cingular still held Wendy accountable for all charges.

Not only that, they advised Wendy that if she couldn’t pay the bill she should consider filing for bankruptcy!

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What a disaster!

If you have a cell phone, then you should read this.

http://www.bullnotbull.com/archive/mandrake.html

American Federal Reserve Token

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AFARTs are brilliant 100% pure, authentically gold-colored zinc & copper clad tokens, engineered by the New American Empire and backed by the full faith and taxing power of inflation. Helicopter drops of the new FARTs are scheduled for neighborhoods soon.

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I think this is a stitch. Remember “helicopter ben” said in his conformation hearing that in a faltering economy he’d drop money by helicopter to keep the economy moving. That’s all the politicians had to hear. That told them that he make sure that they’d have all the money they could possibly spend.

Now where do you think all that “value” is going to come from? Yup, you guessed it. From us. The people. The schmoes. Anyone who has anything dollar denominated. Cash, savings, and such! They get to pay a special “inflation tax”.

Maybe that’s why they are so touchy about NORFED.

The Austrian economists teach us that fiat currency is the originator of the boom bust cycle. Eroding the value of the franc was factor in tumbling the French Kings.

Looking at — the Baby Boomer (losing productivity and putting them on the dole), Social Security Ponzi (decreasing workers will pay higher and higher taxes), unfunded pension plans in federal, state, local, and business (the promised benefits won’t be there), and the expanding Medicare and Drug benefits (that won’t be possible given the financial constriction) — you wonder where it ends.

Toyota displaces GM. College graduates can’t find work. College debt hangs on them.

Where does it end?

N.B. When we laugh at the “sovereigns”, they shrink in stature to be just men. That’s what they are. Fallible men!

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070427/D8OP24H80.html

Pricing Software Could Reshape Retail
Apr 27, 12:16 PM (ET)
By BRIAN BERGSTEIN

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A large retail chain had a problem. It sold three similar power drills: one for about $90, a purportedly better one at $120 and a top-tier one at $130. The higher the price, the more the store profited.

But while drill know-it-alls flocked to the $130 model and price-fretters grabbed its $90 cousin, shoppers often ignored the middle one.

So the store sought advice from a new breed of “price-optimization” software from DemandTec Inc. What followed offers us a clue about important shifts that technology is bringing to retail shopping.

After analyzing an array of variables, including sales history and competitors’ prices, the software suggested cutting the middle drill to $110.

That might have made the top drill seem more expensive. But drill aficionados still were fine shelling out $130. Sales of that drill didn’t change. However, now that the $90 version seemed less of a bargain, the store sold 4 percent fewer low-end drills – and 11 percent more of the mid-range model. Profits rose.

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So how do you know when you’re getting hosed? Or, drilled?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20070418145315AAvRFIm&r=w&pa=
FZptHWf.BGRX3OFMhjJcU3dTz2fL1SGSHVFFKU
ggBa3urpdU4fI94ITlgk9gyKJd5b3ZB2r5nu
_431eRPA–&paid=answered

http://tinyurl.com/2hon64

Can someone take out a mortgage on your home without you knowing?

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I got a phone call, left on answering machine, talking about a mortgage. I do not have a mortgage on the home . I am just worried that someone could fraudulently get a mortgage on my home. With people stealing identities how easy would it be?

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Vote for my answer even if you don’t like it?

Seriously, if you like it, vote it up. If not, tell me. I could be wrong. (Not bloody likely but I have to look humble.)

If you think I’m wrong, take a look at this one:

http://www.privacyrights.org/cases/victim30.htm

UPDATE: My answer was voted “best’ and I picked up another 10 Yahoo Answers points. (Hey, I play carnie games and give the tix to little kids. It’s about scoring points!)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;
_ylt=Ahza2ZJt4BzuwdD9FhFzxWLsy6IX?
qid=20070412044522AAFIP4t&show=7

http://tinyurl.com/3cl8bt

I want to consolidate my debt?

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I have great credit, but a little to much debt. I would like to consolidate my debt without hurting my credit to bad. I would like to be able to pay less than what I am paying now. Paying for many years does not bother me, some of us can only make it with payments on everything (that’s me, the world is to hard and expensive today). Does anyone know a good place to go with?

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Well, if I were you, I’d look around for a Credit Union. Almost all credit unions, at least the four that I have used extensively, had: (1) great rates; (2) an education program; (3) debt counseling — the non-rip off kind; (4) were honest with you; and (5) usually have your best interests at heart. In recent years, the membership requirements have been loosened. It’s now as exclusive as rainfall. The last one I joined, I had to deposit 25$ in my account as a “membership fee”. It paid interest, and I still don’t understand, but you have to “join”. Look around. I’m sure you can find one you can join. If all else fails, I can “adopt” you. :-)

You also have to change your thinking a little. Credit card debt is a “disaster”. You’re a slave to those payments. The interest rate is only part of the “cost”. Don’t be late or you’re socked with fees. They play games with when they “get their mail” and other dirty tricks. Finally, it affects your thinking and your future choices. You think it’s ok and you get in the habit. Next you know it’s juggundo godzilla size debt. And, you have to keep working at your current job because you “need to make your payments”. That precludes switching careers, taking time off, or just not having to remember to make a payment.

Disclaimer! I’m not “suzy orman”, don’t work on Wall Street anymore, and have not stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. But, I do blog about money from time to time. And, I’ve made a lot of mistakes with my own money. So I’ll claim “black ‘n’ blue” credentials from the University of Hard Knocks!

Hope this helps.
fjohn

*** in addition, an after thought ***

I probably could have stressed “thinking” first and “credit union” second. Consolidation, without improved thinking, will just lead to more debt. I probably should have referred to Dave Ramsey, who is the king of “i’m debt free”. That’s the other extreme.

Interesting, that the local bank where we are placing Frau’s ira cd ladder, has some special problems.

They have some lame offering schedule (i.e., 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 month terms).

[Obviously my feed back from the last visit fell on deaf ears. What a surprise. I’m shocked! A la Casablanca. A bank not listening. Maybe that’s my next career opportunity.]

Note: there is no 9 month offering. And the underlying interest rate is flat between 24 and 36.

Then, they have 9, 11, 13, and other “special offerings”.

So, it is very interesting to construct, or fill in, a ladder.

So I was king, or at least running the bank, and you came in and asked for a ladder. I’d ask you what would make you happy. You want the 4 quarters over 5 years to all have an equal amount. POOF! That’s what I would offer. If you wanted them to all come due on the 13th of the month. Poof! That’s what I’d do. If you wanted them printed on pink paper. poof! (yeah it gets old!) That’s what I’d do.

I’d also rationalize my rates to give every longer duration a time premium preference. That’s no two time periods alike. (Hey, they are making big bucks off cds.) And, I’d offer automagic roll over. You just give me your money and I’ll take care of everything for you. AND, I’ll give you the best interest rate I can afford to pay.

And, if your account goes over the FDIC insurance cap, I’ll set up the overflow with my competitor down the street.

You just come to me and all your concerns will be addressed.

http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2007/tst040907.htm

The Federal Reserve Monopoly over Money
April 9, 2007
Ron Paul
2008 Republican Presidential Candidate

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Recently I had the opportunity to question Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke when he appeared before the congressional Joint Economic committee. The topic that morning was the state of the American economy, and many of my colleagues raised questions about how the Fed might better “regulate” things to ease fears of an economic downturn. The tenor of my colleagues’ questions suggested that Mr. Bernanke’s job is nothing less than to run the U.S. economy, like some kind of Soviet central planner.

Certainly it’s true that Mr. Bernanke can drastically affect the economy at the drop of a hat, simply by making decisions about the money supply and interest rates. But why do members of Congress assume this is good? Why do we accept without objection that a small group of people on the Federal Reserve Board wields so much power over our economic well-being? Is centralized, monopoly control over our money even compatible with a supposedly free-market economy?

Few Americans give much thought to the Federal Reserve System or monetary policy in general. But even as they strive to earn a living, and hopefully save or invest for the future, Congress and the Federal Reserve Bank are working insidiously against them. Day by day, every dollar you have is being devalued.

The greatest threat facing America today is not terrorism, or foreign economic competition, or illegal immigration. The greatest threat facing America today is the disastrous fiscal policies of our own government, marked by shameless deficit spending and Federal Reserve currency devaluation. It is this one-two punch– Congress spending more than it can tax or borrow, and the Fed printing money to make up the difference– that threatens to impoverish us by further destroying the value of our dollars.

The Fed’s inflationary policies hurt older people the most. Older people generally rely on fixed incomes from pensions and Social Security, along with their savings. Inflation destroys the buying power of their fixed incomes, while low interest rates reduce any income from savings. So while Fed policies encourage younger people to overborrow because interest rates are so low, they also punish thrifty older people who saved for retirement.
The financial press sometimes criticizes Federal Reserve policy, but the validity of the fiat system itself is never challenged. Both political parties want the Fed to print more money, either to support social spending or military adventurism. Politicians want the printing presses to run faster and create more credit, so that the economy will be healed like magic- or so they believe.

Fiat dollars allow us to live beyond our means, but only for so long. History shows that when the destruction of monetary value becomes rampant, nearly everyone suffers and the economic and political structure becomes unstable. Spendthrift politicians may love a system that generates more and more money for their special interest projects, but the rest of us have good reason to be concerned about our monetary system and the future value of our dollars.

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Any doubt why I support his bid for the Presidency.

http://www.libertydollar.org/ld/legal/legalissues.htm

Legal Defense Fund
Your right to use Gold & Silver is at risk.
Bernard von NotHaus
Monetary Architect

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The US Mint would have us believe that it is illegal for Americans to exchange gold and silver (such as the Gold and Silver Eagles minted by the US Mint or any other gold and silver for that matter) on a voluntary basis between consenting adults. Just imagine that at a time when “consenting adults” can legally exchange “fluids” between themselves, the US Mint would have us believe that you and I can not trade gold and silver between ourselves. This is ridiculous and an assault on the concept of a free market.

Of course the US Mint allegation is not the law, in fact, it is a lie. For that reason, the Liberty Dollar has filed a federal lawsuit: Liberty Dollar v Henry M. Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury, Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States, Edmond C. Moy, Director, US Mint for a declaratory judgment.

Since the US Mint posted their warning, over six months ago, no further action has been taken. No arrests. No indictments. No investigation. Nothing. The warning has been purely a scare tactic. Unfortunately it has been very successful, until now. You will not be arrested for having, using, or helping the Liberty Dollar at this hour of need. Nobody is going to chase you down for a $20 Silver Liberty.

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First, everyone should support their attempt to defend our right to honest money. Let the moth out, and contribute and / or buy something.

Second, clearly the gooferment doesn’t want to turn off their “automatic theft machine”. Inflation is the gooferment’s best revenue raiser. It’s silent; no votes required. It’s insidious; you don’t realize it is happening. You really don’t think that houses, like mine, that sold in 1950 new for 8k$ are really worth 300k$ today. Did the wooden boards in them get scarce when we weren’t watching? No, it’s the dollars that are different! AND, the gooferment gets the additional benefit that everyone is inflated up the income brackets. That allows the gooferment to take more of your money and “generously give back” tax cuts! How stupid are we?

Third, A much more subtle question has been rattling around in my head. Why did the gooferment select NOW to pick a fight with the “lunatic fringe” of gold bugs. I don’t understand. The Treasury itself sells gold and silver bullion coins. SO why now? It’s not like New Hampshire is using hard currencies to the exclusion of the fiat Federal Reserve Banknote (i.e., the dollar?). Did Ithaca dollars scare them? What does the gooferment see as a threat? Even the OPEC Arab Muslims could NOT get their “gold dinar for oil” program started. (I believe that was what Iraq is all about. It wasn’t about “oil”. It was about the “oil bought and sold in gold not dollars” that Iran was pushing with Iraq. It that had happened it could have signaled the end of the USA dollar as the world’s reserve currency. If that happens the FED’s game would have been up big time as all those dollars overseas would be looking for a home.

So, I think you need to take some action now: (1) donate something to the legal fight; (2) buy some bullion to balance your investment portfolio (i.e., 5%); (3) tell your congress critter and any politician that will listen that you want the gooferment to back off; (4) read something anything even Wikapedia about the post ww1 German hyper inflation; if that does not scare you than nothing will; (5) think about how your financial plan will handle the current uncertainty (i.e., the bust of the baby boomers; the social security ponzi scheme; the medicare drug benefit; taxes; inflation).

It’s pretty bleak fmpov!

http://bbs.freetalklive.com/index.php?topic=12824.0

James Turk urges New Hampshire to remonetize gold and silver

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GoldMoney founder James Turk, editor of the Freemarket Gold & Money Report and consultant to GATA, is among those urging the New Hampshire legislature to pass a bill allowing citizens to require state government to use gold and silver in payments to them. Turk’s recent testimony to a New Hampshire legislative committee was published in the FG&MR this week and has been reprinted at Jim Puplava’s Financial Sense Internet site here:

http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/turk/2007/0326.html

To claim “economic rent” from someone Else’s labor when applied to land, which is something no one can own outright, is in itself, to claim landlord status over raw nature. It is an attempt at coercive monopoly power that is at the root of statism.

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I am as much of a gold bug as anyone. BUT, it doesn’t describe how the idea will work.

Says’ Law tells us that bad money will drive good out of circulation. So paying the Gooferment in gold or silver will not put gold or silver in circulation. The legal tender laws are what is the problem. It dictates that everyone has to take the fiat currency.

Even if bullion coins start to circulate, they won’t circulate very far. Logically, if you have a fist full of FRBies (Federal Reserve Bank pieces of paper) and an equivalent bag of gold coins, then which will you spend first?

Under the theory that you have to have an answers or options.

My personal strategy is to move a percentage of my savings into bullion coins. You can’t eliminate your use of FRBies. You can’t not save. You can’t know when the collapse is going to come.

SO what you do is think like y2k. No debt, prepare for societal breakdown, develop “real” skills, and allocate a portion of your savings to gold bullion coins.

Read about the hyperinflation in post-ww1 germany, and the other fiscal disasters.

Good Luck,
fjohn
from behind the lines in the
peepuls republik of nu jerseee

http://www.yourcreditadvisor.com/blog/
2007/03/your_identity_h.html

http://tinyurl.com/2zgbqr

Your Identity Has Been Stolen: a 24-Point Recovery Checklist

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Step 3: Change all passwords that you use online as you walk through the next 21 steps.

While you search for business contacts and download forms to fill out in this recovery process, begin to change all your online passwords (this is assuming your computer wasn’t stolen!). Thieves may have acquired your information through an online password-protected account. Use new and different passwords for each account, and stop saving your passwords online or on your computer.

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Every password should be unique!

Keeping the passwords stored separately from the computer is a lesson that I could learn.