Stuff sold in Unabomber sale bring over $200,000

Personal effects of the “Unabomber,” Ted Kaczynski, were recently sold at sale. Ted Kaczynski, before he decided to become a terrorist, was a statistical genius and on his way to becoming a brilliant academic. However, he ended up falling away and ultimately became an eco-terrorist, sending bombs in the mail to victims, of which three died and almost two dozen were injured. Greater than $200,000 was raised by selling Kaczynski’s belongings and artifacts. That is much more than an easy personal loan.

Payment for shades and hooded sweatshirt ended up at $20,000

The Washington Post states that the hooded sweatshirt and pair of sunglasses were sold off for $20,025. It was an online sale. The hooded sweatshirt and shades in question belonged to the notorious “Unabomber,” serial murderer Ted Kaczynski. Kaczynski turned into one of the worst domestic terrorists in the U.S. after his career as a mathematician. He sent bombs in the mail from 1978 to 1995 in the mail. Three were killed and 23 injured from the bombs. The United States Marshals service wanted to help pay some restitution to victims and their families by selling some of the objects, which got the online auction started. The sale raised $232,246, according to CNN, and was administrated by the General Services Administration.

What the typewriter was value

The Smith Corona typewriter that Kaczynski used to type the document now called the “Unabomber Manifesto” fetched $22,003. The copy of the manifesto that was the original sold for $20,053. Kaczynski’s journals, the highest grossing individual lot in the auction, went for $40,676. There were interesting reactions from victims and their families. They were mixed. Some were in favor of receiving some kind of recompense, and others just wanted to forget about the events. Ted’s brother that tipped off the FBI about Ted’s whereabouts in 1995, David Kaczynski, wrote a blog about how the “murderabilia” enthusiasts, or those obsessed with murders and serial killers, are the only individuals willing to buy the items. However, he acknowledged the cause was “entirely worthy” and that “I hope (the sale) raises a ton of money.” However, he lamented that the victims themselves received little support from the government ! after working class individuals had to cover the $8 million costs of the 17-year manhunt.

Murder menagerie

Sometimes, things that are very common can get for a lot of money as long as they’re connected to a high profile case. This is because there are so several supporters of murderabilia. The coat rack Ryan Jenkins used to hang himself was put up for auction recently for $1,750, the Toronto Sun said. Jasmine Flore was the model ex-wife of Jenkins. He killed her and killed himself later while on the run. The site murderauction.com is one of the largest auction sites for such memorabilia. On the site there was a signed letter from Jeffrey Dahmer. There was also artwork for Charles Manson and John Wayne Gacy being sold. The lots don’t sell cheap. $1,000 is the cheapest they might go.

See yourself what Kaczynski’s brain was doing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDss8h8jljk

Citations

Washington Post

wapo.st/mhfw6H

CNN

news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/03/unabomber-auction-pulls-in-big-bucks/?hpt=us_c2

David Kaczynski’s blog

blog.timesunion.com/kaczynski/423/423/

Toronto Sun

torontosun.com/2011/05/13/suicide-coat-rack-on-auction-block

Murderauction

murderauction.com/

Debt consolidation and debt relief frauds still a danger

During the last few years, many may have noticed a greater number of advertising campaigns and other media relating to debt relief or debt settlement businesses. Some of these corporations are on the level and are trustworthy. However, many of them are scams. Many debt relief businesses still try to evade the laws regarding debt services.

Rules in the Federal Trade Commission disregarded

More than half a year ago, the Federal Trade Commission created new regulations to help deal with the growing number of complaints about ineffective or fraudulent debt settlement and debt settlement companies. 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 cannot misrepresent themselves in any way. Businesses have to give customers realistic estimates of how much money they could save and disclose exactly what fees are incorporated in the service. There are still some businesses not following this law. This is a problem.

Large debt reduction company busted

Laws for debt services were not being followed by Freedom Debt Relief. This is what the states of New York and Washington found in a sting, WalletPop explains. The firm is located in California. It misled customers in the states mentioned. A settlement of about $2 million was paid to customers in both cases by the business. Four other states had settlements just like this with the business in the past and a class action lawsuit is involved with the business also. The Federal Trade Commission, according to the Wall Street Journal, recently won large settlements against two debt management businesses illegally “robocalling” customers with automated phone messages. The two businesses promised reduced debt for a hefty fee when robocalling people. These businesses were Dynamic Financial Group and Advanced Management Services NW. Advanced Management Services offered a refund if efforts were unsuccessful, but both businesses would just pocket the cash and send a c! ard telling consumers to pay credit card bills on time.

Too great to be true

Do not forget that “if it looks too great to be true, it most likely is.” This is especially true with debt settlement company promises. The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Deposit Insurance Company agree on one thing. They both suggest anything that says you can pay “pennies on the dollar” to get something removed from your credit is a scam you need to keep away from. 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. Customers can get a debt reduction plan from nonprofit debt counselors too. The FDIC advises customers look at a not-for-profit credit counseling service before looking at any for-profit debt reduction service. You can get help from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. This will be where financial advisors with your area can be found.

Information from

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/

Are you using Credit Card Act help like you need to be?

In 2009, consumers in need of credit card help were blessed with the United States Credit Card Act. Part of the law is that credit card issuers and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling must work together to provide free credit counseling to delinquent consumers. While they’ve held up their end of the bargain, recent NFCC studies have found that customers simply are not taking advantage, reports Bankrate.

Free credit counseling, fallen by the wayside

Nonprofit help is hardly ever used by United States consumers even though the NFCC and banks have access to it. NFCC spokeswoman Gail Cunningham explained that only 150,000 United States consumers that have had issues dealing with debt have accessed it. You are able to call toll-free the contact number. It can be found on credit card statements that you get. As credit card debt still weighs heavily on the average, recession-weary American, the lack of initiative is troubling.

“I certainly think one of the reasons for the low response rate from consumers could be attributed to a lack of prominence,” said Cunningham. “Perhaps the number is buried somewhere.”

There is so much public prejudice. This is where the number can be buried at. Several consumers think the toll-free Credit Card Act number is just a “service” that the credit card business has put together so they can get even more money from them. Cunningham reports the number has not even been put on some statements. This is now illegal though.

Fewer people got credit card debt in 2010

United States customer charge card debt decreased an average of $7,404 per person, an 8 percent increase, from Jan to December, according to a Credit Karma report. As much as an 11 percent improvement was shown in eight states including Connecticut, Indiana, Oklahoma, TN, Nevada, California and Colorado. Wisconsin made the biggest dent in credit card debt, slashing and burning through the credit jungle for a 31-percent improvement over 2009.

New Mexico, Nebraska, Missouri, Louisiana, Iowa and Delaware all increased credit card debt though. It went up as much as 6 percent in all states. The Credit Karma Survey states that Mississippi had the biggest increase in credit card debt. It had an 8 percent increase.

Want help with credit card debt?

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling site is where you can find non-profits to help near you. Go to nfcc.org to find the information. The Federal Reserve’s website also has a free calculator with which you can calculate how much you’ll owe if you only make the minimum monthly payment on your charge card. You are able to go to the Android Market for tools as well. The Personal Financial Calculator should be downloaded. Or, if you are seeking to compare overdraft APRs of private loans and other customer loan products, have a look at Personal Money Network’s “Loan Overdraft Calculator,” connected below.

Articles cited

Android Market

market.android.com/details?id=com.adworkz.pms.mobile.tools.calculators_2001.com

Bankrate

bankrate.com/financing/credit-cards/nfcc-credit-card-help-unused/

Federal Reserve

federalreserve.gov/creditcardcalculator/

Personal Money Store

tools.personalmoneystore.com/free-payday-loan-calculator/

National Foundation for Credit Counseling

nfcc.org/

Obama signed the Credit Card Act. Are you using its programs?

youtube.com/watch?v=OVFj2p8JeKo

Sex change coverage a thing Portland mayor would like for community staff

Portland, Ore., Mayor Sam Adams has defended the transgender area employees, claiming that community insurance should cover sex change surgery. As stated by Adams, it is only right that area health insurance cover the treatment. The Portland Community Council is expected to vote on Adams’ proposal as early as June.

’Fair, common sense,’ he says

Mayor Adams told The Oregonian newspaper that the transgender medical operation bill amounts to “fair, common sense.” If the legislation makes its way into law, it would override the previous year’s area committee decision to veto gender change medical operation coverage out of Portland’s self-insurance fund. The denial occurred as the committee could not reach the consensus needed to recommend change to city policy.

It would cost about $32,000 a year for transgender surgery benefits in Portland according to Adams’ estimates. There would be about a .08 percent increase in the self-insurance plan spending budget for the city.

The ‘medically necessary’ things are covered

In 2008, the American Medical Association has identified transgender health care as “medically necessary.” Under the AMA resolution, withholding coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder when such procedure has been prescribed by a physician isn’t allowed.

“As Mayor, it is important to me that we attract and retain the best and brightest employees to the City of Portland,” writes Adams in a press statement. “Covering basic, medically-necessary care is a matter of fairness, and it’s the right thing to do.”

Kaiser or self-insurance

Portland gives two opportunities to employees for health insurance including a self-insurance plan called CityCore and insurance through Kaiser. CityCore would cover gender change medical operation if Adams gets what he wants making the city’s plan the same as 22 percent of Fortune 100 Companies’ plans and just like many other Oregon businesses.

It all started in San Francisco

Transgender medical operation benefits became covered in 2001 in San Francisco. This made it the first U.S. city to do so. Then-Mayor Willie Brown and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a bill that extended coverage of the gender change operation for city employees, also as accompanying hormone treatments and related medical needs.

Male to female operation costs $37,000 and female to male cost $77,000 at that time. Fees were capped at $50,000 per person for life in the San Francisco ordinance while 15 percent if the surgeon is on the area health plan had to be paid.

Sam Adams at a rally for same-sex marriage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BMPgHIrjKA

Information from

Basic Rights Oregon

basicrights.org/

OregonLive.com

blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhall/2011/05/mayor_sam_adams_to_push_sex-ch.html

Portland Online

portlandonline.com/mayor/?a=350579&c=49278

SF Gate

sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/02/16/MN202072.DTL

2013 automobiles will call for brand new stickers

The U.S. Department of Energy last week introduced its new label design, required for all 2013 automobiles and light trucks. For the first time, the stickers will require estimated yearly fuel expenses and rate overall environmental influence.

Energy Independence and Security Act

The stickers stem from the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which required stickers for energy usage. Consumer information was in the agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation last year. It is there too.

Previous conceptual drafts look about the same

The labels are pretty close to the Environmental Protection Agency conceptual draft stickers that came out. The fuels for the cars are displayed to them. They have the emission ratings, levels of consumption and miles per gallon listed.

Letter grades done away with

The inclusion of letter grades on the new stickers inspired much debate in earlier drafts. The original reason of the grades was to rate from D to A PLUS the efficiency of the car. The B- was anticipated to be the average. Five-year fuel costs will be estimated on the labels instead. Harmful emissions from 1 to 10 will be rated on there too.

Hybrid and electric automobiles

The distance an automobile can drive fully charged will be put on electric and hybrid automobiles. This will help customers a lot.

Personalize with a QR rating

To be able to help out smartphone users, the stickers will have a QR code too. This is also required. The code can be used to calculate estimates on gasoline prices depending on the driver’s personal habits also as tailored to his or her locality. QR calculators will even be available online.

Washington calls it a ‘win-win’

”These new window stickers are a win-win,” according to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “They’ll help consumers make informed choices to save at the pump.”

Huge program

Much more basic information was needed in a five-year old program which the brand new sticker program will replace. It is a huge change. The 35-year-old sticker program will be swapped out.

Not done quite yet

Brand new fuel economy standards will be released for commercial buses and trucks in July by the Environmental Protection Agency. Also, new gas mileage standards will be released for all other vehicles. This will take place next fall.

The vehicles could be seen very soon even though they won’t be required until 2013 sales.

Data from

Edmonton Journal

edmontonjournal.com/cars/labels+better+reflect+fuel+costs/4865881/story.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/05/26/business/energy-environment/26label.html

Automotive

blogs.automotive.com/6730328/miscellaneous/new-fuel-economy-window-sticker-update-details/index.html

Should little banks fear the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?

The American Bankers Association has a bone to pick along with the CFPB, writes Investor’s Business Daily. Community banks and credit unions think over 1,000 of their kind will disappear, due to what they see as over-regulation from the Dodd-Frank Act. They see this action as likely, and feel it would be an abuse of power on the part of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Strong enforcement arm in consumers’ corner

Elizabeth Warren, the interim chief of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has warned that “change is coming” and that all U.S. financial institutions will have to play by new rules. Warren has spoken time and time again about how the United States consumers’ financial rights will be protected by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with the Customer Financial Protection Bureau’s budget. Half of the budget will be going to supervision and enforcement.

Community banks and credit unions fear their own Rapture

ABA representatives have stated publicly that if Dodd-Frank rules go into effect as they are currently written, more than 1,000 banks will be forced out of business before the end of the decade. Any information requested, in any format requested, must be given to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by banks. The resources taken to put this together could possibly be devastating to small banks. The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act is meant to stop predatory lending, which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would want to make sure of. The bureau will probably ask for even more information from a borrower so it can choose if there has been any discrimination.

According to Investor’s Business Daily, ABA Chairman Stephen explained that this is bad for credit unions and small community banks. They will make the loans larger banks won’t most of the time. The more small banks that shut down, the fewer capital sources remain accessible. This is passed on to customers in higher rates and fees, argues Wilson.

“If we tie up our capital system, it’s going to take money away from the people who need it to create jobs,” warned U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue.

Elizabeth Warren debated

On July 21, the CFPB will be launching. There is no permanent chairperson still. Warren will likely be nominated by President Obama, but numerous lawmakers who support the banking industry have attempted to derail the Warren nomination. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has too much power, Republicans argue. Warren is hoping the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be “toothless” she states.

By way of comparison, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 – one of the more critical pieces of financial regulatory legislation, pre-Dodd-Frank – changed sixteen rules over two-and-a-half years. The Dodd-Frank Act will require more than 250 rule changes over several years.

Articles cited

American Bankers Association

aba.com/default.htm

Florida Realtors

floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=259538

Investor’s Business Daily

investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/572889/201105201812/1000-Small-Banks-May-Be-Shut-Down-Due-To-Dodd-Frank.htm

SEC

sec.gov/about/laws/soa2002.pdf

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wisc.) fights for community banks and credit unions

youtube.com/watch?v=8yqmp_kIucQ

Joplin, Mo., may deal with 2nd tornado right after catastrophe

More than a hundred people are dead in Joplin, Mo., due to a savage tornado touchdown in the town, and a second one might soon be on the way. A storm front is at the moment converging on the lower Midwest region. There’s a strong probability of tornadoes. An extreme thunderstorm alert, including a huge chance of tornadoes, is in impact for five states.

Which states need to worry a tornado might hit

MSNBC explains that a storm system has produced tornadoes already after starting in the south of the U.S. and continuing with more tornadoes after hitting Joplin, Mo., on Sunday, May 22 and killing 116. A thunderstorm advisory is in effect for Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and the northeast corner of Texas, and people are told to view for tornadoes, hail and strong winds throughout the region. The tornado risk was commented on by a National Weather Service official. The official said the risk is “not through … not by a long shot.” As the storm progresses in the week, the chance of another tornado just like the one that hit Joplin taking place will decrease, although the chance is still there, reports USA Today.

Because it is La Nina, possibility of storms goes up

Tornadoes have been the reason for 482 fatalities this year. The increased strength of storm systems and tornadoes is being credited to La Niña, a periodic weather phenomenon caused when the tropical Pacific Ocean cools. Storm systems become more severe meaning more tornadoes may occur when the Pacific cools since the jet streams get stronger and cool air rises to the atmosphere. Yahoo News explains that meteorologists aren’t surprised by the storms. They say that the events aren’t out of the ordinary even though they are terrible events. Weather patterns, such as low pressure systems conducive to tornadoes, can form in areas and stay for long periods of time. Last month, several tornadoes tore across several states and killed more than 300 people.

Insurance losses in the billions

Billions will be lost by insurance companies. Reuters reports that a lot will have to be paid out. A normal year means only $2 billion to $4 billion would be paid out by insurance companies while this year is expected to total $10 billion with all the tornado outbreaks and river flooding in the United States happening. All of the insurance companies in the world might have to pay up to $55 billion this year. This is just for the damage the New Zealand and Japan earthquake have caused. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is trying to get towns rebuilt after the 1,151 tornadoes that have already hit in 2011. There were 181 people killed in Woodward, Okla., in 1947 making Joplin’s tornado the deadliest since then. At one point during the storm, the Joplin tornado was three-quarters of a mile across. Speeds of 200 miles per hour came from it.

Citations

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