If you travel and stay at hotels – from low-end to high-end - this is a disturbing story about the drinking glasses in hotel rooms. Never again will you drink out of hotel glasses after seeing this video.
Complete Story...
Hotel Expose: The Hidden Truth Behind Hotel Drinking Glasses
December 09, 2007 by BBN Editors,
4 credit-scoring myths. Make sure you know what will truly hurt and help your case with lenders -- and don't fall for the misinformation mortgage lenders can spread.
July 15, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msn) There's a lot of misinformation being propagated about what does and doesn't hurt your credit score, and much of it is coming from sources who should know better: mortgage lenders.
Now, let me say first that I've worked with several excellent lenders who really knew their stuff and kept up to date, not only on loan trends but on the information that's available about credit scoring. That's important, because the FICO credit score, in its various permutations, is used in three-quarters of all mortgage lending.
But what I heard from several lenders responding to my recent column, "8 big mortgage mistakes and how to avoid them," was the kind of bad advice that can cost you money and keep you from getting the best loans.
So if your mortgage broker gives you any of the following advice, take a tip from me: Find a new broker. More...
Civil Rights Groups Claim Racism Over Verizon's "TechNigga" Partnership.
July 08, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(btn) Civil rights activist Najee Ali, executive director of Project Islamic HOPE, and a coalition of civil rights organizations and media watchdog groups are calling for Verizon CEO/President, Lowell C. McAdam, to drop Verizon's contract and distribution deal with Loren Feldman, president of 1938 media charging the "TechNigga" clip on 1938's website is racist and demeaning to Africans Americans and women.
Project Islamic HOPE, the National Action Network, L. A. Humanity Foundation and Sister Lee Media Group will hold a press conference at the Verizon store 3829 S. More...
FHA Aims To Shut Down No-Money Loan Program by trying to shut down a major part of Down Payment Assistance.
July 02, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(npr) Most home loans that don't require a down payment disappeared when the housing bubble burst and lenders became more careful.
But they're surprisingly still available — and with federal government guarantees.
The Federal Housing Administration runs the down-payment assistance program that allows prospective homebuyers to get a government-backed loan without having to put up any of their own money. Instead, they can use a gift from a family member, an employer or a charitable nonprofit organization to provide the required 3 percent down. The aim is to help low- and moderate-income people buy homes. More...
Wave goodbye to Windows XP, as the nearly seven year old operating system will finally be closing its doors.
June 30, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msn) Wave goodbye to Windows XP, as the nearly seven year old operating system will finally be closing its doors because Microsoft has announced that it will no longer sell the operating system after June 30, according to reports.
Before you start having an aneurysm, there's a few key exceptions to allow you to get your XP fix beyond today. Versions of XP will still be on sale at smaller PC shops until the end of January and Microsoft will continue to produce a version of XP exclusively for low-end laptops like the Asus Eee. Dell and other PC manufacturers will also allow you to revert to XP when you buy high-end Vista systems.
. More...
Truths and myths about how to save on gas
June 26, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(chitri) A few myths and truths about gas use and how to save money during these pricey times. . . . . More...
Feds Have Arrested Hundreds in Mortgage Fraud Probe
June 19, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nysun) More than 400 real estate industry players have been indicted since March — including dozens over the last two days — in a Justice Department crackdown on incidents of mortgage fraud nationwide that have contributed to the country's housing crisis.
The FBI put the losses to homeowners and other borrowers who were victims in the schemes at over $1 billion.
"Mortgage fraud and related securities fraud pose a significant threat to our economy, to the stability of our nation's housing market and to the peace of mind to millions of Americans," the Deputy Attorney General, Mark Filip, said in a statement today. The Justice Department and FBI planed to announce the cases at an afternoon news conference in Washington.
Since March 1, 406 people have been arrested in the sting dubbed "Operation Malicious Mortgage" that saw 144 cases across the country. More...
Steve Jobs Announces a $200, 3G iPhone
June 09, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(wired) Steve Jobs announced the new 3G iPhone at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference today. After a long presentation of the new development tools and corporate features that the phone's updated operating system, "iPhone 2. 0," will support, Jobs finally got to the details about the next-generation phone that has been rumored for months. To wit:
(1). . More...
Energy drinks may put teenagers at risk. Regular consumption of highly caffeinated drinks may be a red flag.
June 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc) Health researchers have identified a surprising new predictor for risky behavior among teenagers and young adults: the energy drink.
Super-caffeinated energy drinks, with names like Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Amp, have surged in popularity in the past decade. About a third of 12-to 24-year-olds say they regularly down energy drinks, which account for more than $3 billion in annual sales in the United States.
The trend has been the source of growing concern among health researchers and school officials. Around the country, the drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits. More...
Consumer Revenge…Los Angeles to sue Time Warner Cable over poor service. City alleges the company caused 'major havoc and distress' when it became the No. 1 pay TV provider two years ago.
June 06, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(lat) The Los Angeles city attorney's office plans to sue Time Warner Cable Inc. today, alleging that the company caused "major havoc and distress" when it became the No. 1 pay TV provider in Southern California two years ago.
City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo said Wednesday that Time Warner violated state law by making false and misleading statements to subscribers. More...
A rare form of TB caused by unpasteurized dairy products, including the popular Queso Fresco cheese, is rising among Hispanic immigrants in Southern California.
June 04, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc) A rare form of tuberculosis caused by illegal, unpasteurized dairy products, including the popular queso fresco cheese, is rising among Hispanic immigrants in Southern California and raising fears about a resurgence of a strain all but eradicated in the U. S.
Cases of the Mycobacterium bovis strain of TB have increased in San Diego county, particularly among children who drink or eat dairy foods made from the milk of infected cattle, a study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases shows.
But the germ can infect anyone who eats contaminated fresh cheeses sold by street vendors, smuggled across the Mexican border or produced by families who try to make a living selling so-called “bathtub cheese” made in home tubs and backyard troughs.
Scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine are warning that improved screening, treatment and public education are necessary to prevent the spread of the disease that now accounts for about 10 percent of all new cases of TB in that border region — and, perhaps, others. More...
In Switch to Digital TV by Feb. 2009, Some Will Be Left Behind. Latino and Black Households to lose high share of access.
May 29, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) NEARLY 25 million homes have at least one television set that will stop functioning in nine months, when the nation converts to digital over-the-air television.
Ten million of those homes are considered “completely unready” for the conversion, according to a report scheduled to be released Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. Among the findings, Hispanic and African-American households stand to lose a disproportionately high share of access, and extra televisions in kitchens and bedrooms will be more likely to go dark, potentially cutting into the number of people viewing early morning and late-night television.
The survey is one of the first in-depth assessments of the nation’s readiness for the digital TV transition. In preparation for the change, the government and the broadcast industry are running a $1 billion consumer education campaign, including commercials that have started to become almost intrusive to people who watch television regularly. More...
Is Plastic Safe? Health Experts Step Up Debate Over Safety of Plastics
April 24, 2008 by editor (View Source)
There is a lot of confusion over the safety of plastic. Is it safe to heat food in plastic or freeze water in plastic bottles? These questions, concerns and more are outlined in an article you might find useful. Consumers use plastic in most everything: cookware, utensils, appliances, gadgets, toys, bags, containers, bottles, and more. (View source for a helpful article). . More...
'Gotcha Capitalism: How Hidden Fees Rip You Off Every Day — And What You Can Do About It.'
April 20, 2008 by editor (View Source)
Columnist Bob Sullivan's latest book is about the hidden fees found in credit card, phone, cable and other bills. With the help of legislation corporations are nickel-and-diming their customers to death. (BBN recommends reading Sullivan’s interview. View Source and scroll down a bit on his page to read it. You might find helpful information) . More...
Average Joe still can't afford a home. Between 2000 and mid-2007, the median home price soared 64.9% to $229,200.
April 20, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(bankrate/msnbc) One of the worst things about today's real estate market is that there doesn't seem to be any silver lining in that big black cloud.
Normally, you'd think dramatically falling prices would make homeownership possible for more moderate-income families.
But even with homes more affordable, the median price in many markets is still out of reach for a median-income family, according to "Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in America," a study by the Center for Housing Policy, or CHP, in Washington, D. C.
Comparing housing costs in 210 metropolitan areas with the wages earned by workers in 60 occupations, the study found that homeownership is often unaffordable for workers in each of the five-fastest growing occupations -- registered nurses, retail salespeople, customer-service representatives, food-preparation workers and office clerks. More...
“Illegal Immigrants Pay Up At Tax Time.” Most of that money never claimed by illegal immigrants who pay Soc. Sec., instead it covers retirement checks to legal workers.
April 10, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(usat) The tax system collects its due, even from a class of workers with little likelihood of claiming a refund and no hope of drawing a Social Security check.
Illegal immigrants are paying taxes to Uncle Sam, experts agree. Just how much they pay is hard to determine because the federal government doesn't fully tally it. But the latest figures available indicate it will amount to billions of dollars in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes this year. One rough estimate puts the amount of Social Security taxes alone at around $9 billion per year. More...
Recall: Aunt Jemima Pancake and Waffle Mixes. Potential salmonella contamination in product.
March 07, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(healthday)Aunt Jemima Pancake and Waffle Mixes Recalled
Potential salmonella contamination in product
The Editors at HealthDay
Potential salmonella contamination has prompted the recall of some batches of Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mixes, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and others with weakened immune systems. In healthy people, salmonella infection can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. More...
Nielsen Establishes Hispanic Advisory Board
February 28, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(multichannel) Nielsen has formed the Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council, an independent advisory group to help inform and enhance the rating company’s efforts to recruit, measure and accurately report on U. S. Hispanic TV households, officials said Wednesday.
The first meeting of the HLAC is scheduled for March 4 in New York.
“Nielsen is committed to pursuing outreach efforts that are as diverse as the communities we serve in order to ensure that every viewing choice counts in the television ratings system,” Catherine Herkovic, Nieslen senior vice president and managing director of National Television Client Services, said in a statement. More...
January foreclosures up 57%. 45,327 homes were lost to bank repossessions.
February 26, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(cnnmoney) If there's one thing to count on these days, it's that every month the foreclosure crisis will get worse.
January was no exception. Filings of all types, including default notices, auction notices and bank repossessions, soared by 57% compared with last year, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosure properties.
A total of 233,001 homes were affected, 8% more than in December. Of that total, 45,327 homes were lost to bank repossessions during the month. More...
809 (Dom. Rep) Area Code Scam. AT&T: Be cautious when responding to e-mails or phone calls from the 809, 284 or 876 area codes.
February 19, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(ATT) Periodically, e-mails warning of a scam involving calls from the 809 area code circulate. The e-mails contend that there has been fraud associated with unscrupulous pay-per-call operators in that area code. However, the message contains some misinformation, especially the highly exaggerated cost of a phone call to the 809 area code, which is a legitimate area code for the Dominican Republic. Fortunately, this scam is less prevalent in recent years as a result of work done by AT&T to eliminate access to fraudulent pay-per-call operators.
This long distance phone scam causes consumers to inadvertently incur high charges on their phone bills. More...
Google sued for 'stealing idea'
February 18, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(indiatimes) The blog world is abuzz with yet another case accusing search giant Google of stealing idea. This time under legal storm is Google Sky, a part of its popular programme Google Earth.
In a lawsuit filed last week in Atlanta, a former Google contract worker, Jonathan Cobb, has claimed that Google stole his idea for Google Sky and is seeking $25 million in damages.
Cobb claims in his law suit that he disclosed the idea for Google Sky idea in an internal e-mail discussion group when he worked at Google as a contractor beginning in 2006.
The discussion group, Cobb claims, included Google managers involved in Google Earth and related programmes. More...
USDA Orders Nation's Largest Beef Recall. The recall will affect beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006.
February 17, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(AP)The U. S. Department of Agriculture on Sunday ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of frozen beef from a California slaughterhouse, the subject of an animal-abuse investigation, that provided meat to school lunch programs.
Officials said it was the largest beef recall in the United States, surpassing a 1999 ban of 35 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats. No illnesses have been linked to the newly recalled meat, and officials said the health threat was likely small. More...
Feds to Unveil New Mortgage-Help Plan. At-risk borrowers with all types of mortgages could be eligible for help.
February 12, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(ap) At-risk borrowers with all types of mortgages, not just high-cost subprime loans, could be eligible for help under a new plan involving six big home lenders.
Against a backdrop of surging defaults and administration officials' prodding of the mortgage industry, the plan will allow seriously overdue homeowners to suspend foreclosures for 30 days while lenders try to work out more affordable loan terms.
On a pilot basis, the plan will involve six of the largest mortgage lenders, in hopes that more lenders will sign on.
All six are involved in Hope Now, an effort the Bush administration brokered with the mortgage industry late last year to freeze rates on some high-cost subprime mortgages for five years to aid borrowers whose teaser rates are jumping sharply higher.
The new plan applies to seriously delinquent homeowners, those whose mortgages are 90 days or more past due. More...
SubPrime Mess: Fraction of troubled borrowers getting help. Pro-consumer task force finds servicers have modified only 19% of delinquent loans.
February 10, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(charlotteobserver) If you're facing foreclosure, don't count on your lender to bail you out.
That's the emphasis of a study released Thursday by a pro-consumer task force formed last summer to brainstorm how to combat the country's rising tide of foreclosures. The group includes representatives of 11 state attorneys general and two state banking departments, including the N. C. attorney general and the N. More...
HEADS UP! Verizon Wireless Increasing Texting Cost on March 2, 2008
January 21, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(verizonFAQs) [1. ] What is the Text Messaging rate increase? Effective March 2, 2008, the price for sending Text messages to the U. S. , Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico - as well as the price for receiving Text messages from anywhere - will increase from $0. 15 to $0. More...
Warning to Parents: Do NOT Give Children Under 2 over-the-counter, multisymptom cold medicines
January 17, 2008 by editor (View Source)
(baltsun) Last fall, the Food and Drug Administration safety experts recommended a ban on over-the-counter, multisymptom cold medicines for children ages 6 years or younger.
Today, the FDA plans to announce the government's first official ruling on the issue: Don't give the drugs to children younger than 2. And it comes now because the FDA is worried that parents haven't gotten that message despite all the publicity last fall.
. . More...
Avoiding 25 Million Dangerous Toys. A Guide to Buying Safe Presents This Holiday Season.
December 09, 2007 by editor (View Source)
Check www. recalls. gov to find out if a toy on your wish list is also on a recall list.
(abc) Twenty-five million toys -- the majority made in China -- were recalled just this week.
"That's a record number of recalls," said Don Mays of Consumer Union. More...
Consumer Victory! FL woman wins multimillion-dollar jury verdict against EQUIFAX. The credit-reporting group failed to fix egregious errors.
December 09, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(orlandosentinel) Angela P. Williams says she got nothing but a runaround from Equifax as she tried for more than a decade to clear up an identity mix-up that ruined her credit. Now she's hitting the credit-reporting giant where it hurts: on the bottom line.
An Orlando jury awarded Williams a multimillion-dollar verdict against Equifax for years of failing to correct dramatic errors in Williams' credit report that led to her credit score being trashed.
Atlanta-based Equifax must pay the medical-transcription worker $219,000 in actual damages and $2. More...
'Lost in a Flood of Debt'
November 25, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(bob herbert/nyt) I’ve been visiting some of the people who have been most affected by the subprime mortgage debacle. It’s a largely bewildered, frightened group that includes people like Dorothy Levey, a 79-year-old widow who sits alone inside the small house she has lived in for 41 years, afraid to answer the telephone or the door.
She has every reason to be worried. The monthly note on her house in the city of Markham, just outside Chicago, is approximately 100 percent of her meager monthly income. Broke and behind in her payments, Ms. More...
Squalor, crime follow wave of foreclosures. Middle-class, new developments reeling from vacant homes, shady renters
November 14, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(msnbc) Eighty-five bungalows dot the cul-de-sac that joins West Ontario Avenue and East Ontario Avenue in Atlanta. Twenty-two are vacant, victims of mortgage fraud and foreclosure. Now house fires, prostitution, vandals and burglaries terrorize the residents left in this historic neighborhood called Westview Village.
"It's created a safety hazard. And if we have to sell our house tomorrow, we're out of luck," said resident Scott Smith. More...
Totino's, Jeno's Pizzas Recalled. The recall covers pizzas with pepperoni that have been produced since July.
November 02, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(AP/suntimes) General Mills on Thursday recalled 5 million frozen pizzas sold nationwide under the Totino's and Jeno's labels because of possible E. coli contamination. Cases were reported in Illinois and nine other states.
The recall covers pizzas with pepperoni that have been produced since July.
Consumers should throw away recalled pizzas. More...
Top 10 Mortgage Mistakes. The best ways to avoid falling victim to unscrupulous mortgage lenders.
October 29, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(businessweek) 1) Beware the origination fee
2) Trusting the first loan officer you interview 3) Using an interest-only adjustable-rate loan to qualify for a more expensive house
4) Thinking interest rates are the main thing
5) Not comparing final fees listed on the closing documents 6) Not knowing if the mortgage has a prepayment penalty 7)Thinking that renting means throwing money away
8) Not considering back-end yield spread
9) Paying for credit or mortgage life insurance
10) Paying extra to set up a biweekly payment plan. (view source for details)
. . . . More...
Confessions of an Ex-Mortgage Lender. Former Loan Officer Spills the Secret on the Calculated Practice of Ripping off Borrowers.
October 29, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(businessweek) The Durham based nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending estimated in July, 2001, that predatory mortgage lending is currently costing Americans more than $9. 1 billion each year.
Lenders will argue that each one of these dollars represents a legitimate fee stipulated by a legitimate contract, that they are only viewed as predatory by borrowers who overlooked the fine print in their mortgage.
But ask Ted Janusz, who spent an interim period of his career learning the ins and outs of mortgage brokering as a loan officer in Columbus, Ohio, and he'll admit that what is really going on here is a game of subterfuge being played at the expense of borrowers with low credit ratings.
CONFESSION TIME. More...
An Assault on Media Diversity and Democracy. FCC Chairman moves to lift current restrictions.
October 19, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nation) President Bush is the lamest of lame-duck chief executives, with no moral authority, no legislative majority and no popular domestic or foreign-policy agendas. So what can he do with the remaining months of a failed presidency? Make his corporate allies rich and destroy the essential underpinnings of American democracy.
To that end, Bush's chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has initiated a scheme to radically rewrite media ownership rules so that one corporation can own the daily newspapers, the weekly "alternative" newspaper, the city magazine, suburban publications, the eight largest radio stations, the dominant broadcast and cable television stations, popular internet news and calendar sites, billboards and concert halls in even the largest American city.
This "company-town" scheme, which would be achieved by lifting current limits on media cross-ownership, is the long-held dream of media moguls such as NewsCorp's Rupert Murdoch and Tribune Company-buyer Sam Zell. With one FCC vote, media billionaires will be able to become media multi-billionaires by controlling the entire communications landscapes of major metropolitan areas -- and by extension whole regions and states. More...
NYU Study: There’s no question that residents of Black and Hispanic areas pay more for their mortgages.
October 16, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nyt) Home buyers in predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhoods in New York City were more likely to get their mortgages last year from a subprime lender than home buyers in white neighborhoods with similar income levels, according to a new analysis of home loan data by researchers at New York University.
The analysis, by N. Y. U. ’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, illustrates stark racial differences between the New York City neighborhoods where subprime mortgages — which can come with higher interest rates, fees and penalties — were common and those where they were rare. More...
All 3 Credit Bureaus Agree to Allow Consumers in All 50 States to Freeze Credit History to Prevent Identity Theft.
October 09, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(usat) Major credit bureaus Experian and Equifax said they will, this year, let people in all 50 states freeze their credit histories.
Experian's service, which goes into effect Nov. 1, is the latest big victory for anyone who wants to be proactive about preventing identity theft, consumer advocates say.
The decision by all three bureaus to offer national freezes will let consumers lock down their credit histories — especially if they are victims of identity theft. Until now, a patchwork of laws in 39 states allowed consumers, to varying degrees, to protect themselves. More...
"Minority-run radio stations fear new ratings plan." What's at stake? Black and Hispanic Radio Survival.
October 09, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(nydn) The average radio listener doesn't care that Arbitron, the main source of radio ratings, has launched a new system to compile those ratings.
But the "Portable People Meter" (PPM) system already has changed what listeners hear and that train is likely to keep rolling.
One fear seeded in the first PPM markets, Philadelphia and Houston, is that black and minority stations' ratings could drop, reducing all-important ad revenues.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn cited the potential impact on minority radio recently when she asked Arbitron to halt or delay the PPM system it started here last month.
While that's considered unlikely, Arbitron quickly agreed to meet with the City Council Oct. More...
Here's the Score on Employer's Access to Your Credit Report.
October 02, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(asa aarons/nydn) Be careful - very careful - where you get your facts, even when the source is something as solid as a major financial corporation.
VISA USA recently announced only 20% of Americans know prospective employers can legally screen job applicants based on their credit scores. The survey claimed 52% mistakenly believe it is illegal for employers to use credit scores as hiring criteria.
"A bad credit score can send an otherwise well-qualified job applicant straight to the unemployment line," said Jason Alderman, director of financial education for Visa USA.
So can bad information. More...
Phone rings off hook over Verizon 'debts'
September 03, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(asa aarons/nydn) A few weeks ago, I shared the story of a Long Island man's frustration over a collection notice for a 10-year-old Verizon account. He currently has three Verizon accounts, all in good standing.
Since then, I've heard from dozens of other New York City area consumers who have received similar debt collection notices from Bloomington, Ill. -based AFNI Inc. Verizon spokeswoman Heather Wilner, who was quoted in the original column, said she has also been inundated with calls. More...
10 things you should never buy used
September 03, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(msn) #1 Laptops. #2 Car Seats. #3 Plasma TVs. #4 DVD players. #5 Vacuum cleaners. More...
For Parents and Students: Loan sharks on campus
September 03, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(Money Magazine) -- The prospect is anything but appealing: You - and possibly your offspring - will have to borrow gigantic sums to pay those college bills soon coming due.
Worse, you may be getting that money from lenders who haven't been playing fair.
Already the New York State attorney general has uncovered enough about the student-loan industry to make you shudder. Worst among its transgressions: paying kickbacks to colleges to win spots on their "preferred lender" lists, to which students and parents are steered.
Colossal Sallie Mae and two other loan companies have already agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements. More...
8 top traffic-ticket myths
September 03, 2007 by editor (View Source)
(Bankrate)Drivers of red cars get more tickets. If you don't sign a ticket, the case will be dropped. If the officer gets your hair color wrong on the ticket, you'll win. Such stories relating to traffic tickets abound, but drivers and defendants will find that few of them are true. The best advice is to simply to obey the law, know that rules and procedures vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and not count on urban myths when you hope to escape a ticket -- or its consequences. More...