One of the World's Top 10 Spammers Arrested!

Have you noticed over the past day a decline in the volume of spam-junk mail that seems to consistently, exasperatingly permeate your inbox?

If you have, this quite possibly is in direct correlation with the arrest of Robert Alan Soloway, reportedly one of the top 10 spammers in the world. Soloway used “zombie” computers infected with malicious code to send out millions upon millions of junk e-mails to unsuspecting computer owners, that likely had no inkling they were infected, since 2003 in fact.

This will be the first case in the country in which federal prosecutors have used identity theft statutes to prosecute a spammer for taking over another’s Internet domain name. With a 35-count Federal Grand Jury indictment against him for mail fraud, wire fraud, e-mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, Soloway could face decades in prison.

The computer world may perhaps be little less polluted today than yesterday.

Read the complete article here

Cheers ~

20 Ways You Waste Money on Your Car

How much money do you waste on your car?

Some people pamper their cars; they obediently change the oil every 3,000 miles, splurge on premium gasoline and top dollar car washes, they even run to the dealer every time the car hiccups. While others, on the other hand, gas it up, peddle to the metal, and off they go without a care until it breaks down.

To which mindset do you conform? Well whichever approach, you’re likely spending many unnecessary dollars on your car.

Is it essential to have your car’s oil changed every 3,000 miles?
Is premium gas better for your car than regular?
Where is the best place to take your car for repairs, the dealer or an independent shop?

To get the answers to these questions and more, see 20 ways you waste money on your car. You may be surprised by the answers and what you learn.

Cheers ~

Immigration Reform Bill

While Immigration reform has been under way for some time now, it seems that both sides of the Senate have finally agreed on a new “point” system of deciding who gets to come in and who doesn’t along with who, that is already hear, gets to stay (at least for the moment) and what requirements they must meet in order to stay on a more permanent basis.

Based on the reformations being reported, the portions that seem practical are almost negated by the requirements of the process. In other words, it sounds good but I don’t believe it solves anything, I’m not even sure it band-aides the problem.

1. We’re first going to require that illegal immigrants, who can’t afford to live, pay a $5,000 fine to even “get out of jail” and “pass go” to get on the road to legalization only to
2. Temporarily stay and work legally as a “guest worker” for a period of two (2) years then
3. “Require” [force] them to go back to their home country for one (1) year and
4. Apply for a renewal of their “guest worker” permit for an additional two (2) years. Permits are only renewable twice with one entire year between each renewal.
5. After the expiration of the initial and two renewal permits, the immigrant must return to their home county until the “permanent residency” process is completed and we say “ok you can come back and stay permanently,” which could take anywhere from eight (8) to thirteen (13) years to complete.

How exactly does this help? An immigrant is here with a spouse and child, they work for two years, then uproot the family go back to the home country and do what? If the illegal immigrants could find lucrative work in their home country, would they be here working for minimal money, putting themselves and their families at risk? Meanwhile, what is the U.S. employer to do for that year? Obviously the employer isn’t going to wait a year for the immigrant’s return only to be faced with this same quandary two years down the road.

What do you think, you tell me?

Read more here.

Cheers ~

What Would You Do With $5,000?

If $5,000 fell into your lap today, what would you do with it? Would you go on a vacation, save it for a rainy day, go on a shopping spree? Would you pay off a debt or put it toward bills? Would you invest it in the stock market, CDs, property? What would you do?

To help determine the most lucrative and rewarding options for $5,000, here are Money Magazine's suggestions based on the following goals:

• Building Wealth
• Retiring Rich
• Enhancing your Home
• Protecting your Family
• Enhancing your Life

Click here to discover the best place for your $5,000.

Cheers ~

Gas Saving Tips

As gas prices continue to rise with no relief in site, here are a few gas saving tips; they won't save you millions or even thousands of dollars but may help take some of the edge off.

• Make sure your tires are properly inflated for starters. Besides posing a safety hazard, underinflated tires can reduce your fuel economy slightly, based on Edmunds.com's 2005 study.

• Removing excess weight from your car can also help save you gas. The Department of Energy estimates that drivers can save anywhere between 3 and 6 cents a gallon (assuming gas prices of $2.97 a gallon) just by removing those golf clubs and other unnecessary weight from your trunk.

• If your car comes equipped with cruise control, make sure you use it, especially on long trips. Edmunds.com's study revealed that using cruise control at highway speeds offered an average fuel economy savings of 7 percent.

• But the biggest fuel saver is driving the speed limit and driving sensibly. Rapid starts and stops and exceeding the speed limit will dent your pocketbook. Just by adhering to one of those, the Department of Energy estimates that drivers can save anywhere between 15 and 98 cents a gallon, again assuming pump prices are at $2.97 a gallon. (cnnmoney.com)
  

Look here to see some tips that you thought saved gas but really offer little or no savings. Myths

Cheers ~

7 Net Worth Killers

Saving and spending aren't the only factors affecting your net worth. How you manage (or don't manage) your assets and liabilities can make a big difference, too.

1. Ignoring your money
2. Buying too much house
3. Driving too much car
4. Paying the IRS, not yourself
5. Always getting what you want
6. Letting your assets linger
7. Letting your debt lie

Read more here

Cheers ~

Graffiti - Vanlalism or Art?

Graffiti, as described by Wikipedia, are images or letters applied without permission to publicly viewable surfaces. When graffiti painting is done without the property owner's consent, it can be considered vandalism, which is punishable by law. Graffiti is also considered a modern art form, and can be seen in galleries around the world.

Graffiti took off in the US during World War II with the phrase “Kilroy was here” created by American servicemen and appearing everywhere the American military traveled, both home and abroad.

Modern Graffiti as we know it today is said to have been born on the subway trains of New York City in the late 1960s and consisted of “Tags,” which were the artists signature scribbled in one color with the goal of tagging as many subway trains as possible.

After a time, space became sparse and writers need a way of distinguishing their tags from those of other writers. As the tags became bigger, bubblier and colors and shapes were added, a new form of graffiti was developed know as “Piece” graffiti, short for masterpiece.

A “Throw Up” falls somewhere between, typically a quick sketch with or without fill in color, it’s not quite a piece but more than a tag.

A piece today is the most elaborate and time consuming graffiti painting frequently integrating color transitions and 3-D and a variety of other effects.

Photos courtesy of Duncan Cummings

So is Graffiti vandalism that should be punished or art that should be celebrated? What do you think? Do you love it or hate it?

Cheers ~