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Want a good investment? Like to eat? Eat up your profits!
Submitted by Richard Rider on 26 June, 2008 - 15:00.Rider's Financial Advice of the Week: Buy food.
Three reasons:
1. Inflation -– our dollar is losing value because we put so many in circulation via the mechanics of the Federal Reserve.
2. Growing demand for food worldwide -– especially in the rapidly developing nations such as China and India.
3. Floods in the U.S., and droughts elsewhere -– especially Australia. More than usual this year, apparently.
To my library-loving critics
Submitted by Richard Rider on 26 June, 2008 - 06:00.My column in North County Times questioning the ancillary functions of public libraries brought a storm of protest from library lovers. Well, a squall at least.
http://nctimes.com/articles/2008/05/29/opinion/rider/doc483ee3f9b66bd295...
What struck me about the criticism is that many of these supposedly well-educated folks apparently read no further than the headline before firing away in the online comments section. Either that, or their vaunted reading comprehension remains at third-grade level.
Windfall Taxes on Big Oil Exposed as Economic Lunacy
Submitted by Richard Rider on 22 June, 2008 - 09:07.Here's an excellent article from an odd source: Karl Rove. Printed in the Wall Street Journal, this piece exposes the economic nonsense of both Obama and McCain when it comes to raising taxes on oil companies. Good stuff.
For Richer, for Poorer
Getting married in later life can have you wondering, "Is this a marriage or a merger?" The truth is, it's probably a little of both.
Will Reduce My Carbon Footprint for Cash
Submitted by Richard Rider on 10 May, 2008 - 15:00.Much is being made of "reducing our carbon footprint." I'm in favor of that -– to a point. I look for carbon-reducing steps that also save me money and/or make my life more pleasant! As I see it, if a carbon reducing strategy costs more, then often the wisdom of selecting that option is highly suspect.
For instance, I like using energy-saving florescent bulbs. I've used the big florescent lights in my fully equipped, professional office in the home for about 30 years. I also use the newer compact florescent bulbs whenever they fit with the demand, which fortunately is most of the time.
Companies Must Work to Avoid Boomer Brain Drain
In 2007, leading-edge Boomers turned 62 and reached potential retirement age. By the end of 2008, 17 percent of the Boomers holding executive, administrative, and managerial occupations in the private sector are expected to have left. Where will this brain drain leave U.S. companies?
Families with College-Bound Kids Get a Break
Several Ivy League schools are offering reduced or even free tuition for students who come from lower- and middle-class families.
Long-Term Care Insurance: Are You Covered? Really?
Long-term care insurance -- whether you have it, how much it covers, and for how long -- determines how well you'll be taken care of when you can't take care of yourself.
Californians: Want Great Jobs? Leave the State.
Submitted by Richard Rider on 23 June, 2008 - 15:00.The California unemployment figures for May 2008 constitute some misleading good news. We moved from the third worst state in April to the fifth worst state in May.
The bad news is that California's improvement is due to the fact that a handful of other states' unemployment rates are rising even faster. Michigan -– which used to build cars -– is in the toilet with an 8.5% unemployment rate.
Feel any better?
Putting an Actual Dollar Value on Gas Saved from Driving Slower
Submitted by Richard Rider on 13 June, 2008 - 15:00.I've been suspicious about all the exhortations to save gas by driving slower. Of course, it is true -– to some degree. But just how much? And what's that savings worth per hour?
How Competition Can Benefit You – Starting NOW
Submitted by Richard Rider on 27 May, 2008 - 15:00.A small financial tip for these hard times: If you have cable TV service, AT&T is starting to compete in some areas. Not to say they are necessarily better, but the competition itself is indeed beneficial.
I just called my cable company, Time Warner, and told them that I was considering switching to AT&T cable and high speed Internet services. That prompted the sales clerk to suddenly note that I was under an "old" plan (established less than a year earlier), and that now there are better deals.
California Leads by Example -- Highest Gas Taxes in the Nation
Submitted by Richard Rider on 10 May, 2008 - 11:54.Did you see the excellent map of gasoline taxes, state by state, across America, May 6 on the front page of the San Diego Union-Tribune? If you didn't look too closely, or read the entire story you might have missed a salient fact -– we're number one!
Yup, California has the highest total taxes on gas of any of the 50 states (not just "among the highest" as the newspaper writes). As of January, we wealthy West Coast folks paid 63.9 cents of federal and state taxes a gallon, vs. the national average of about 47.0 cents.
Thinking of leaving California? You're not alone.
Submitted by Richard Rider on 17 April, 2008 - 15:00.The recession is upon us.
While still not official, most agree that we are in an economic downturn. Unemployment is rising, housing prices are plummeting and energy costs are soaring. As a result, in this election year, the federal government is offering tax rebates (admittedly ill-advised) to lessen the pain.
But in California, politicians think there are only two times to raise taxes -- good times and bad times. Oddly enough, this is one of those times.
5 Key Steps to Creating a Living Trust
There are many benefits to having a living trust but, as with any legal document, it requires careful planning. In this article, you'll learn exactly what a living trust is, and explore five basic steps you should consider when establishing your own living trust.
Insurance Companies Pay the Price for Allegedly Swindling Seniors
California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and Attorney General Jerry Brown have announced a multi-million-dollar settlement in a case where seniors were potentially mislead into purchasing unsuitable annuities.
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