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Satellite Phones Being Hacked?

Cited: MSNBC

In many areas where mobile phones are not practical or service is not available the use of satellite phones is often relied on by the military, relief agencies, and researchers working in remote areas of the world. Until now, most people believed that satellite phone transmissions were safe and secure however two researchers have recently found that this is not the case.

The researchers, Benedikt Driessen and Ralf Hund, say in a paper that they recently published that they were able to reverse engineer the encryption data that goes into securing satellite phone transmissions and thereby able to eavesdrop on these phone calls. The entire process took them less than one hour to break the code and to tap into the phone systems. The security system of the satellite phone system has now been completely brought into question by the work of the two phone hackers and will put public and private agencies on guard for the security of the people using their networks.

Both Driessen and Hund say that they used common, commercially available equipment to break the satellite phone codes along with randomly selected satellite phones. They were able to verify their findings by recording their own satellite phone conversations after infiltrating the system.

The researchers say that the purpose of their work is to alert everyone using satellite phones to the dangers posed by the wrong elements tapping into their communications and perhaps using the information for diabolical purposes. They also note that they contacted many official agencies, authorities, and government leaders to advise them of their findings long before the results of their study became public knowledge.


My take:

I’m glad to hear that these two guys are the ones to have cracked this system rather than finding out that some terrorist group or hated adversary was able to listen in on transmissions that would compromise the safety of the people involved. I will be looking for the official response to the finds of these two researchers and just what is in the works to fix the problem.


Other Resources

Popular Job Options

There are always estimates as to which jobs would offer the best security in various industries and as far as job growth, there are several occupations that are slated to be listed in help wanted adverts and at staffing services which the unemployed can look toward for potential employment. Apparently one of the most important additions to job rolls is going to be the addition of many office clerks with one study suggesting a rise of over sixteen percent in this area. Another likely area for growth will probably be in sales with another sixteen percent or so added.

Applying Feng Shui to Doors

There are a rather impressive number of options for the design of a new front door and when a person wants to design their entryway to adhere to the interesting practice of Feng Shui, it’s often a good idea to consider whether alternative materials such as Nashville TN iron doors might be appropriate for the space or whether traditional Feng Shui wisdom would suggest a different type of door so as to take advantage of the energy that subscribers to this belief believe is in everything around everywhere in life from homes to the outdoors.


Sterling Beads the Path to Big Profits

Cited: CNN

Sterling silver beads have always been a staple of the jewelry maker, using them for everything from decorative necklaces to charm bracelets and earrings. But these days, the more imaginative and creative members of the jewelry business are finding that expanding the world of the sterling silver bead is a very, very profitable business.

For one such intrepid entrepreneur his brainstorm to create sterling silver beads with the logo of sororities, fraternities, and sports logos has turned into a multi-million dollar business. Dave Schowalter, a jewelry maker from Royal Oak, Michigan was in the hospital recovering from surgery when he read an article by a woman that was recounting her frustration over not being able to find a charm with the logo of her college sorority on it.  At the time, Showalter said that the focus of his company, Collegiate Bead Co., was more on decorative stones to be used to adorn his creations, not logos. While recuperating from surgery, Showalter decided to try his hand at crafting a bead with a school logo and after three months the first prototype was finished and if he must say so himself, it was pretty darn good.

Without the benefit of capital from the banking industry to expand his business to incorporate his new product, Showalter invested $50,000 of his own money and created a new company called, The company now makes beads with the logos of over 150 colleges and universities, destinations, and sports teams with sales reaching over $1 million in 2011. However, Showalter isn’t celebrating just yet as he expects growth in the business to increase sales to over $10 million in the next couple of years.

The beads made by Showalter’s company were originally made in China but after not being entirely satisfied with the product, production was moved back to the United States, Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he says that he can keep a better on quality control. His vendors agree with many citing a huge improvement in the quality of the beads now produced in the U.S. versus those that were being manufactured in China when he first started production.


My take:

Pretty amazing; you never know where the inspiration will come from for a good idea. In this case it came while the owner of the business was away from the business. Maybe that’s a good lesson for a lot of business owners that can’t seem to get away from their work. Take some time off to brainstorm and watch what happens.


Other Resources

Understanding Limousine Types

One of the common options for anyone who is looking to put together a bachelor or bachelorette party for their friend is to get a limousine, but sometimes Las Vegas bachelor parties are best had when there is a smaller car involved because it’s just a few people who are going on a more intimate outing before a wedding such as to a nice restaurant or another low-key place. On the other hand, it’s definitely possible to have a more exuberant time with a huge style limousine which can carry everyone around town in style.

Standards Regarding Backups

One of the most important things that a company can do is ensure that the business partners with which it works are properly experienced regarding their specific types of businesses and when searching for a company specializing in RAID recovery, the same principle applies. Experience and the type of specialization regarding recovery techniques are quite important because different companies will specialize in different types of recovery methods and this can make a difference due to the specific type of digital setup that is present at a company where the potential for data loss or damage exists.

Interesting Increase in Housing

There are a lot of people wondering currently how much the economy has recovered and as far as the people in charge of organizing new projects regarding housing, it would seem that the majority of asset based equipment leasing is going toward projects involved in rental housing due to the number of people who do not want to buy homes but want to live in newer housing than what they are currently renting. The economy took a rather expensive bite out of the ability of many people to actually purchase a house but that doesn’t mean they do not want to live in a nice apartment.

Presidents Get Musical

There has been a lot of talk recently from people regarding the propensity of the presidents in the United States to enjoy music and even show up to various musical events and some people have even gone so far as to attempt some music mastering on various efforts from the Commander in Chief. Barack Obama has been quite involved in the music scene and has been known to honor various segments of the music population and apparently has a great affinity for jazz music as he invited a number of famous blues and jazz artists to the White House.

Looking into Cleaning Reputation

One of the interesting things about today’s common janitorial companies is that while there are more of them they still do rely heavily on the recommendations offered by current and past customers and this is why it’s a good idea to look up the past observations of any customers who have utilized a commercial cleaning Weston Florida company because people are generally honest about the sort of service they received while utilizing such a company. Good cleaning companies will always do what they say they will on time and in such a way that there isn’t need for additional cleaning.


Government Small Business Assistance Plan Makes a Profit

Cited: CNN

An Obama Administration plan to assist small community banks and thereby the small businesses that they serve in their neighborhoods will turn a profit this year somewhere in the neighborhood of $80 million. That is a much better result than the $1.3 billion that the plan was originally expected to cost the American taxpayers.

However, while it is certainly good to hear that the plan didn’t turn out to be a wasteful and costly bailout as many have tried to claim, not nearly as many banks benefited from the program and therefor the businesses it was supposed to help didn’t get much benefit either. The Treasury Department reported that of the proposed $30 billion allotted for the small business banking plan, only $4 billion was actually distributed to small community banks around the country. Out of a total of 7,000 small banking institutions that would qualify for consideration for the funds, only 933 actually applied and out of that total, only 332 qualified to get the government’s capital.

Part of the reason that more of the money didn’t hit the streets is that most of the banks simply weren’t in good enough standing to qualify for the money. In addition, business conditions in the small retail sector have been so weak that requests for loans from the small business community just weren’t there and so the banks had no need for the funds.

On the other hand, many in the small banking community and among retail businessmen say that the government requirements on the borrowers and the banks were just way too tough to make anyone take a big bite of the government’s proposed plan to pump capital into the retail sector of the economy through the community banking system. The Treasury plan to lend funds to these businesses is still in place and some analysts in the community banking sector say that the initial funds lent to the banks could lead to an additional $32 billion in loans.

One of the banks that benefited most from the government lending program is Alma Bank in Astoria, Queens, N.Y. Alma took nearly $19 million in government funds and has since reported one of the largest gains in their lending to small retail businesses in the Queens, N.Y. area.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner told Congress that the funds would continue to help small businesses for many years to come and that already these funds were being put to work by banks that have assisted restaurants and diners in Queens, doctors in Florida, and steel fabricators in Maryland.


My take:

This sounds like a good program and as long as it continues to help small businesses it sounds like a winner for a long time. And, this is especially true if it continues to turn a profit for the feds. It would be good if the government made it a little easier to get the capital, allowing more banks to participate.


Other Resources

Different Styles of Sunglasses

There are many people who love their sunglasses and will purchase the same kind every few years because they like that particular style, but often it can be a fashionable option to get different types of sunglasses that can be worn with different styles of clothing. Of course, not everyone has the funds to invest in a bunch of different designer sunglasses and so this is why a lot of people will get cheap sunglasses that are often made to look exactly like designer sunglasses. This is an especially smart move if someone is only going to wear those sunglasses a few dozen times a year.

Strength of Commercial Entities

There are some rather expensive options for vehicles that are commercial in nature and this often means that when a company must outfit an entire fleet with Iowa commercial lubricants, specialized tires and even digital mapping systems that the process can get expensive if there’s a significant number of vehicles which require such modification. It is best to work out a type of agreement with individuals or companies involved in offering such options for vehicles because a long standing relationship can lead to a lot of savings down the road when more money is taken off the price due to sales and coupons.

Speaking with Colleges

One of the more important aspects of interfacing with various entities that surround a particular business is finding people who aren’t necessarily part of the media and for anyone who is looking beyond standard reporters with whom a Miami top PR agency would interface with, it’s likely that the local colleges would be a great place to expand upon local influence and partnerships. Not only might college students be interested in the business itself, but they might also welcome professional contacts who will aid them when they have finished with school.


Hinckley Could Get More Time Free

Cited: CNN

John Hinckley, the man that shot and tried to kill then President Ronald Reagan, is seeking to spend more time away from the mental hospital where he has been staying since the shooting. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 1981 shooting and now resides in St. Elizabeth’s hospital, where he is being treated for mental illness. Also shot on the day when Hinckley tried to kill President Reagan were press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Thomas Delahanty.

Testifying on behalf of Hinckley at the hearing to decide if he should be allowed to spend more time with his ailing mother and eventually to be free to live with her and receive treatment as an outpatient was forensic psychologist Paul Montalbano. Montalbano has been following the Hinckley case for over 20 years and as such was asked by Hinckley’s legal advisors to testify that Hinckley was no longer a threat to the public, to himself, or anyone involved with his care and therefore should be allowed greater privileges and freedom away from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

At the present time Hinckley is allowed to visit with his mother 10 days out of the month at her home in Williamsburg, Va. The proposed plan by the administration at St. Elizabeth’s is to allow Hinckley to extend the time that he spends with his mother to two visits of 17 days followed by six visits of 24 days.

Provided that there are no incidents that would make the medical staff change their opinion on Hinckley’s visits during this time, the recommendation would be for Hinckley to be allowed to live permanently at his mother’s home while receiving treatment at the hospital as an outpatient.

Government officials and those mental health experts who oppose the plan for Hinckley say that he still presents a danger to the public, that while in the hospital he has remained somewhat isolated not engaging in any social interaction with other and that he still harbors problems with women.

The hearings on the Hinckley case are going on all this week and could be concluded by early next week at which time the court will decide if the man who shot President Reagan will be allowed to go home.


My take:

If Haley Barbour can let four convicted murders walk out of prison, why shouldn’t Hinckley be allowed to go home, provided of course that the doctors are correct and that he is no longer dangerous? There’s no way to say for certain that he is 100% cured of whatever madness led him to shoot President Reagan, Brady and the Secret Service guys, but then again is Barbour 100% certain that these cold blooded murderers won’t kill anyone else either?


Other Resources

Verbatim Reporting Requirements

One of the most important issues in the courtroom when it comes to proper methods regards how the trial’s information is recorded and it’s up to a Los Angeles court reporter to provide a verbatim recording of what was said in court because every word that was uttered during the proceeding could become important in later trial dates or if there is an appeal by one of the parties involved in a trial. When an appeal is conducted, the trial record must be perfect because the wrong words being recorded could lead to incorrect analyzing of events.

Fewer Insolvencies Recorded

It would appear that there are a nicely lower number of bankruptcies and insolvencies hitting the economy in recent months as it would appear that many people have been able to get through their financial lean times without having to declare bankruptcy or have already spoken with a bankruptcy attorney Denver and have come to an agreement with their creditors. But a lower level of bankruptcies doesn’t necessarily mean that the economy is fully recovered. In fact it’s likely that the economy itself is still sputtering along because people simply don’t have the money to go bankrupt.

Hiring a Lawyer like a Doctor

While it is never a fun thing to realize that a person might need legal representation, that doesn’t mean that the process should be completed in record time. One good way to go about finding the right Queens DWI lawyer is to consider a search for a lawyer just like the search someone might do for a doctor. Just walking up to the nearest doctor’s office for treatment doesn’t sound like a very good thing to do and neither does walking into an attorney’s office that’s simply closest to a person’s location to ask that legal representative a bunch of questions.

Speaking with the Opposing Counsel

One issue that should definitely be the first line of defense for anyone going through a divorce is to not engage in any sort of conversation with the opposing counsel unless there is the person’s own NYC divorce lawyer present at an official meeting. Engaging in unofficial conversations with the opposing counsel or even the spouse can be a danger to a divorce case that may be heavily contested and it is best to keep all contact to an official level and remain separated as far as communication goes over the course of the divorce.

Expunging a Record

Although it certainly isn’t possible in every set of circumstances, having a record expunged by the courts is something that a person who has been assisted by a Gatineau Quebec criminal lawyer if they are convicted of a crime while they remain a juvenile. This means that there will be no more record of a crime once the person who was accused and convicted of the crime has reached an age where they are considered an adult by society. This age is generally eighteen and sometimes the records are deleted while at other times they are simply hidden.

Knowing When Things Occur

One of the most important aspects of any type of divorce case is the level of research done by the person who is getting a divorce and the Ramsey NJ divorce attorney working alongside that individual.  Most people do not usually have a notebook full of all the exact dates when things happened but as soon as someone starts to believe that they might need to entertain the idea of a divorce, it’s vital that the person starts recording the days and hours of any important events that start to occur so that a solid record can be shared with the court if necessary.


Teen Pregnancy and Abortion Rates Drop

Cited: MSNBC

The number of teenage girls getting pregnant has dropped to its lowest levels since the 1970’s while abortions are also down to levels not seen in decades. A recent report on the pregnancy and abortion rates in the U.S. attributes much of the progress in the data to the increased use and availability of contraceptives.

However, while the overall statistics are reason for optimism, the disparity in the data between ethnic groups remains stark with African American and Hispanic girls still experiencing rates of pregnancy and abortion far above those of white female women, from two to four times higher. The research was conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, which is a non-profit working in the field of sexual health.

The Guttmacher group conducted their study using data from 2008, which is the last year for which all of the relevant data is available. They found that in 2008 almost 750,000 women under the age of 20 became pregnant with most of those between the ages of 15 and 19. This was the lowest pregnancy rate seen for teens since 1972.

The researchers point out that this rate of teen pregnancy is also down significantly from the peak seen in 1990 when teen pregnancies rose to nearly 117 per 1000 girls. They also go on to highlight their findings that the lower levels of pregnancy can be attributed to much greater availability and greater use of contraceptives both teenage boys and teenage girls. They also note that the number of pregnancies, births and abortions are much lower because of a decrease in sexual activity among teens age 15 to 17.


My Take:

With all of the usual suspects lined-up against Planned Parenthood and the services that they provide to communities around the United States it’s a wonder that they are able function at all. However, this study shows that along with other awareness programs, they perform a vital service to the community and are at the forefront of fighting to help people raise their standard of living. Now if their work in minority communities can show the same results that would be terrific.


Other Resources

Different Ways of Counseling

Not every psychologist specializes in the same type of treatment and this often means that when a person looks to figure out what type of treatment would be best regarding a Douglas Manor NY psychotherapy visit, there are some individuals who might specialize with the work of family problems that go very deep into the emotional psyche of the patients while other individuals might choose to work in with a different part of the psyche with individuals who have had a problem with substance abuse which has negatively impacted the delicate balance of having a family.

Keeping the Kidneys Healthy

For some individuals who otherwise believe that they are treating their bodies well, things like kidney disorders can still develop and this can be devastating to people who might otherwise believe they are in a very good condition. Some issues have nothing to do with lifestyle and are hereditary and may require Long Island robotic kidney surgery if a person is not otherwise aware of potential problems caused by issues of hereditary. Diseases of the kidneys are rather significant issues for many ethnic populations and will often be more common problems for African Americans than people in the Caucasian population.

Understanding a Crown

When it comes to dentistry, just about everyone knows what a crown is although not everyone has had their teeth degrade to a point to where they have had to visit Springfield VA dentists to get a crown on a tooth. Essentially a crown in an implant of sorts that is designed to help a tooth remain viable even after it has become threatened by a very large cavity. A crown will be placed on top of a tooth to protect its structural integrity and a crown is also quite important as a tool to enhance the look of a tooth as well when it has become degraded.


Small Brokerage Houses Feeling the Pinch

Cited: CNN

Wall Street financial firms certainly seem to have recovered from the depths of the financial meltdown that threatened to crater the entire banking system. A few, Lehman Brothers for one, didn’t make it through the maelstrom to enjoy the rise to the top but for most of the rest, profits are significantly higher and they are riding the wave to bonus time once again; well, some but not all of them.

While the larger firms like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, and Citi Group are recovering nicely, many of the smaller brokerage houses are still feeling the pinch and are in danger of having to close shop. Three have already been thrown onto the trash heap that will be the history of the crisis for some; WJB Capital Group, Ticonderoga Securities, and Kauffman Brothers have all been forced out of the business.

There are over 4000 brokerage houses with less than 150 traders, all of whom are concerned that they could be the next ones to fold. And their concern is justified because most of these firms depend on making a margin on every trade they execute for their clients as well as the market research that they sell to them. The problem is that an extreme lack of confidence in the entire financial system on the part of the investors that this group services and the snowball effect of any problems in the industry leading these clients to other, larger firms or to simply park the funds on the sidelines in relatively safe, liquid investments.

Total volume of trades in the equities markets has been down significantly with even the largest firms seeing a decrease of over 20% in revenue from lost from lower trading volume. However, these bigger firms have many other sources of revenue to make up for the shortfall in trading volume and therefore better able to withstand the downturn; certainly much better than those firms who depend almost exclusively on churning trades.


My Take:

The downsizing of the industry is only natural and has happened in many other sectors of the financial community. After the S&L crisis the number of small banks was slashed by the hundreds if not thousands nationwide. The same holds true for all of the brokerage companies in other markets that could not keep up with the technology stealing away their business.


Other Resources

Secured versus Unsecured

There are a number of different financing options that are available for various acquisitions projects within the realm of business and when looking at entering into an agreement for equipment loans, there will generally be two different, common options for loans that will either involve putting down collateral as assurance of loan repayment in the form of a secured loan, or there will be no collateral put down which will mean that a company will likely require a very good credit rating or a higher interest rate as part of the collateral-free and general leasing agreement.

Small Business Financing Options

Any owner of a small company should be aware that their options regarding financing aren’t going to be nearly as simple and easy to accomplish as a company that is much larger and is able to enjoy a huge budget that can be specifically designated for expansion and upgrades. Obtaining construction working capital as a smaller business might take some creativity, but even if a company is low on extra funds for such expansions, there are indeed options that exist for such financing options that will make it easy for someone to figure out how to obtain the equipment that is needed.

Understanding Budgetary Changes

It is a good idea for any company of any size to always reevaluate how much money they are spending and whether such spending habits are good for the business or whether they might require the company invest in business working capital so as to keep in operation. Sometimes heavy spending is all but required due to the economy, current sales patterns or a requirement that the company expands and upgrades certain elements such as retail facilities or manufacturing capabilities and because such issues often change, it’s important to consider such funding requirements on a quarterly basis.

Keeping Items in Bankruptcy

There are many items that a person might want to keep should they decide that their only option is to declare bankruptcy and often such a project is going to require that they take an inventory of everything they own and make sure that they are aware of any potential exemptions that could be taken to avoid having certain things sold. Generally a Rockland County NY bankruptcy lawyer would be able to define and expand upon items that could be kept during a bankruptcy and it’s easy to figure out the general list of things that won’t be going to the auction.

Ornate or Simple Chandelier

Although most people tend to think that a chandelier is a hugely ornate piece of lighting that has many different sources of illumination on it, technically proper chandelier lighting needs only two sources of illumination to be considered a chandelier. Of course, most of the chandeliers that people associate with modern lighting are much more complex and utilize pieces of crystal or glass to reflect the light of a series of candles or light bulbs to spread around the natural amount of light that is amplified by the inclusion of various sources of reflection like crystals.

Energy Efficient Lighting

For businesses where it’s important to showcase items that must be inspected closely for their value, it’s often the case that a lot of energy is used to light those options and as far as a jewelry store is concerned, there are many companies such as jewelry stores that must actually engage in a rather specific method of jewelry lighting because of how much light is truly needed in the store. And given the lighting directly on the jewelry and the lighting overhead, it can be a good idea to look for energy efficient lighting because it can cost a fortune to run all those lights.


Mexican Education Problems Documented on New Film

Cited: Google News/Chicago Tribune

We hear so much about the problems in the American education system that we sometimes are led to believe that our students are the only ones that are falling behind and that the rest of the world is passing us by. While it certainly isn’t comforting to know that we aren’t alone in our classroom calamity, it is worth noting that other countries are dealing with similar, if not more severe calamities in their schools as well.

A new documentary film based on the problems with the education system in Mexico, called De Panzazo, or barely passing, is raising some ruckus south of the border and the filmmakers are happy for it. Juan Carlos Rulfo and journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, thought that the best way to bring attention to the pervasive problems in the Mexican school system would be a documentary and if the stir that they have created is any indication, they have certainly achieved their goal.

The film highlights the fact that more than half of Mexican students aged 14 and 15 lack even the most basic math skills such as long multiplication problems. In addition they throw the camera lens on the fact that authorities in charge of the school system don’t even know how many teachers actually work in Mexico, that teachers routinely don’t show up for class, and that many others spend long hours on their cell phones rather than teaching in the classroom.

And the problem isn’t limited to the public schools in Mexico as the film points out that private schools also suffer from the same ills as their publicly run counterparts. Part of the blame, actually a large share of the blame is placed at the feet of the bureaucracy and the teacher’s union, the SNTE, whose leader Elba Ester Gordillo, has been in charge of the powerful union since 1989. One of the main issues brought up in Da Panzazo is the lack of any teacher assessments, which Gordillo dismisses as false. He also claims that all the ills of the Mexican school system are always blamed on the teachers instead of those running the schools.

There were several studies cited during the film to drive home the point that Mexican students lack even the most basic skills and therefore are ill prepared for any higher education. One such study concluded that less than 1% of Mexican students aged 15 have advanced math skills, compared to 10% in the U.S. and 31% in Hong Kong.

One method used by the filmmakers was to give cameras to the students to let them film the conditions in their schools. What they found on the students film were scenes of schools with broken windows, broken desks, teachers talking on cell phones, and other inappropriate conditions for a proper education.

The filmmakers hope that their film will pressure the Mexican government to reveal the total expenditures on education and to force the teacher’s unions to end the practice of passing their jobs on to relatives, to end the award of false teaching documents by corrupt officials, and to make the system work for Mexican students.


My Take:

It sounds like the Mexican school system is a complete mess and once again corruption is probably at the heart of the problem. Mexico has had a problem with corruption in every corner of the government and unless a strong leader emerges to take charge and weed out this culture of corruption, Mexico will never be able to raise the standard of living in that country.


Other Resources

Framing Becomes Popular

A lot of people put puzzles together as a diversion or as a way to spend time when they’re at home and the neat thing about today’s 1000 piece puzzles is that they’re often quite beautiful and might even be considered a work of art once they’re put together. This is why many people have started mounting especially beautiful puzzles for eventual framing because not only are they fun to put together, but they’re also something that would look great on the wall of any home. Puzzles of all sizes can be framed so it’s easy to choose a design for such a purpose.

Quilting Fun with Jim Shore

There have long been many people who have loved to decorate with the decorative objects that are available through the Jim Shore collection of figurines and with the rise in popularity of quilting there has been a corresponding connection that has been made between the ability to make quilts with designs based on the designs that Jim Shore has created. The designs offered by Jim Shore often perfectly compliment items that are available for crafting in the world of quilting and combining the two creative elements is generally a lot of fun for anyone who is already a fan of Jim Shore designs.

Knowing When Pork is Cooked

General wisdom regarding the appropriate temperature for pork has always suggested that the pork should be made in such a way that it reaches at least a hundred and eighty degrees or so during its time in the oven or caja china and generally speaking, a large piece of pork that’s being grilled outside should probably reach the proper temperature after around three hours. Today’s modern caja china boxes are often nice enough to simply be left for three hours with a virtual guarantee that after three hours the roast will be completely cooked and safe to eat.


Honda Civic Not Delivering On Gas Mileage Claims

Cited: MSNBC

One of the biggest selling points for the Honda Civic, as well as other compact cars in the same class, is that it is an extremely fuel efficient vehicle; or at least that’s what we were led to believe. A recent verdict in small claims court that awarded a $10,000 settlement to a California woman, who sued Honda over the gas mileage of her Civic not living up to the claims made by the automaker, is being appealed and should the court uphold the judgment Honda fears that a flood of similar law suits will be brought against them.

The plaintiff in the case, Ms. Heather Peters chose to sue Honda in small claims court, where she knew going in that the settlements awarded in small claims court are capped. However, as a former corporate attorney she also knew that she would not be facing a battery of attorneys representing Honda because they are not permitted in small claims courts so Ms. Peters felt that this advantage was worth the possibility of a smaller settlement.

Other suits are pending against Honda for similar claims but they are part of a larger class action suit now pending in a San Diego court. Those plaintiffs are hoping that the judgment awarded to Ms. Peters holds up on appeal because this will make their class action suit that much stronger against Honda.

For its part, Honda and other car makers also being sued over their gas mileage claims, say that they are simply posting the EPA figures for the vehicles. This is a number that the vehicle achieved as a maximum gas mileage during testing, not the lower levels that most cars get in actual everyday driving. The car companies can post the lower figures but with competition so fierce among the automakers, most choose to go with the higher numbers even though they know that most drivers won’t get this actual mileage per gallon.

The biggest fear of all the automakers is that the settlement in small claims court awarded to Ms. Peters might prompt many other car owners to use small claims court rather than a class action suit when suing the automakers, who in general prefer to battle those litigants in a class action suit. The appeal of the Peters decision will be watched by all of the automakers, not just Honda.


My Take:

It seems to me that the EPA should be part of this process and mandate that the automakers post actual fuel efficiency numbers, not hypothetical nonsense that can only be replicated under ideal test conditions. You have to believe that all of the car companies would be ok with this rather than having to face thousands of lawsuits; provided of course that all of them have to play by the same rules.


Other Resources

Total Carpet Cleaning

Something that should generally be done on at least a yearly basis is that of getting the carpets cleaned because of the high amount of traffic that generally goes through a place with a lot of employees. And there are a few ways to accomplish this type of necessary cleaning. One such method is to look into whether the contracted janitorial services Weston FL would be able to handle such a cleaning option or whether it would be better for a specialized company to come in for such jobs. Generally it is a tossup as to whether a smaller company will have access to bigger carpeting equipment.

Getting Rid of Scuff Marks

There’s nothing worse than cleaning something only to have it made dirty again and even if a parent tells their child to always take off their shoes inside the home, it’s still possible that things like scuff marks will appear right after the Alexandria VA 22314 house cleaning has finished up and a child comes running into the house with dirty sneakers. A good way to get rid of scuff marks between professional cleanings is to put some trisodium phosphate into a gallon of water. This solution is a great way to remove scuff marks.

Reducing Clutter in a Secure Way

For families that aren’t otherwise able to move into a larger apartment, one good option is to look into how the family might be able to keep their belongings in a Sayville NY self storage unit which is often a far less expensive option than actually upgrading the space in which someone lives but it is also a pretty secure option for storing items. In addition to getting clutter out of the way, it’s a lot safer to place things in storage than it is to just stack them up in a garage where they can be seen and stolen.