Ford’s Idea: Pay More To Get Less
July 30, 2010Ford Motor Co. recently announced its new plan to spur interest in the redesigned 2011 Explorer: Ask customers to pay more to get less. The vehicle will come with a standard 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 290 horsepower, but, for a little extra, Ford will swap in a less powerful four-cylinder engine instead. This makes me wonder: Is there something in Detroit’s water that causes automobile executives make bizarre decisions? Ford …
Science Creates Another Storm For BP
July 29, 2010With its soon-to-be-ex-CEO set for exile to the neighborhood of Siberia, we might think things can only start getting better for BP on the public relations front. But let’s not be too hasty. Cary Nelson, the head of the American Association of Professors, wants to sink the oil company’s reputation even deeper. He has accused BP of trying to buy the silence of scientists who are researching the Gulf of …
Cleaning Up Those Automatic Charges
July 28, 2010Changing credit cards provides a good opportunity to do a little housekeeping. About a year ago, I decided to cancel my Capital One card (for reasons I discussed here at the time). As a result, services that were auto-charging that particular card had to be migrated to a new form of payment. I moved the charges to a different card before I called Capital One to cancel. Most of these …
Jailbreaking The iPhone, Legally
July 27, 2010The Library of Congress gave iPhone users a get-out-of-jail-free card yesterday. As part of a periodic review, the agency determined that “jailbreaking” the iPhone is allowed under American copyright law. Owners of iPhones (and other smartphones) have the right to unlock their devices and use applications not approved by the manufacturer or seller. The decision is important in a variety of ways, not all of which are directly related to …
Daniel Schorr’s Example
July 26, 2010If you are a National Public Radio listener under age 40, you probably knew Daniel Schorr as a longtime commentator on national and world affairs. You understood he had been around the block a few times, but, most likely, you had no idea that he was 93. Or perhaps you thought Schorr had simply been around forever, like the young NPR producer who supposedly asked the veteran journalist whether he …
Shomari Hearn in Sun Sentinel
July 26, 2010Sun Sentinel, July 26, 2010Shomari Hearn answers a question as to whether or not credit card debt settlement programs are worth the cost.
Shomari Hearn in Palm Beach Daily News
July 24, 2010Palm Beach Daily News, July 24, 2010Shomari Hearn explains some of the circumstances in which irrevocable trusts can be modified.
Recognizing America’s Less-Than-Perfect Credit
July 23, 2010The U.S. Treasury is not yet a subprime borrower, but it is no longer a top-tier credit risk, either. It took a Chinese company to finally come out and say so. Dagong International Credit Rating Co. made headlines this month when it gave the United States a lower credit rating than it assigned to up-and-coming China. That, however, is beside the point. Dagong, which says it wants to break the …
Just What Does A Spy Do, Anyway?
July 22, 2010The case of the Russian agents who allegedly spied for years but obtained no classified secrets may have convinced you that the Soviet Union’s last surviving idiots run Moscow’s security services. The Russian spymasters who reportedly wanted to keep tabs on American power brokers might have gotten more information, for a lot less money, by subscribing to The Washington Post. Instead, they dispatched a team of deep-cover agents who blended …
Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset: You!
July 21, 2010
Although young professionals starting their careers may feel they do not have any assets to protect, they are prone to overlook their most precious financial resource — their ability to earn an income. After graduation, most people are simply satisfied to obtain employment to help manage their newfound responsibilities. Worrying about protecting the few assets they have doesn’t seem as important. However, a good defense is often the best offense. …
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