S came over to the apartment last night and things were well. He's so cute!!! I can see myself with him for a long time for many reasons but S is as eccentric as I am but way, way mellower. Which for me is good because at time I can go off the deep end and I need that balance or I will forget why I am doing what ever it is that I am doing. He met my sister and I hope it was a good impression. Well I know it was because I don't introduce my partners to my family unless they are a good person. After leaving here we went back to his place well I didn’t make it there. It was so odd to have what happen to me occur.
I was driving right next to S and I wanted to speed up. Once I started to speed up the car accelerated which I was ok with but then it jumped to 110 mph. Now keep in mind that I am in a SUV going down a some what busy street at 110mph and the kicker was that I could not stop the car. At the point I realized that the car would not stop I freaked. Ok I lost my damn mind. I ran through two red lights and almost got hit , but I knew that before I got to the next major intersection ,which had way more traffic, I needed to get the car under control. So I attempt to stop the car by placing it into park. BIG MISTAKE!! The car lost control and I went into a huge circle over two lanes, which were separated by and five to six inch median. I started screaming just out of fear of 1) flipping the truck over 2) hitting someone’s car and 3) hitting the office buildings I was near. Here I am at 11:45pm going in a circle, not being able to stop, and almost creating an accident. Wouldn't you freak but then again some people have been in other circumstances and handled it better than I did. Finally after I would say 15 minutes of going in a screaming, uncontrollable circle, t the mad car kicks into reverse and then jumps the curb into a pile of shrubs. Here I am in this demonic car feeling relieved it's over and anguished that I could not stop the car. I guess my screaming was so loud it caused some of the residents in the area to come over and help me out. They were really nice people and it made me glad that I am the type of person that would stop if I see a person in need of assistance. Well one of the onlookers called the police because she was not certain if any one was hurt which made me feel a little better. The highway patrol come to the area and asks if I was ok and ask if I need a tow service. Of course I would but before I could answer the male officer ask if he could get in the car to see if it was moveable. He moves the seat back and then proceeds to turn off the radio, he then turns to me and says, "Ma'am your floor mat was wedged into the gas pedal which caused the uncontrollable acceleration of the car." I almost fainted which then turned into embarrassment that I caused all this commotions because the damn floor mat was the reason I almost died. The officer drives the car out of the bush and tells me it is safe to drive the car. I did not want to get back into that car but the office reassures me that it is fine and that all I needed to do was removed the floor mat. As I am getting into the car S shows up and I was so happy to see him but at the same time I was so upset towards myself that I could not have figured that out. I allowed my fear to override my sense of reason that I could not figure out it was a small thing that prevented me from stopping. Honestly I don't want to drive ever again but I want to.
So, I drive off with S tailing me to make sure I'll be ok. I am sitting in the car driving shaken up from the whole experience’s pull over because I am fearful of anything else bad happening to me. Once I pulled over I started to cry, I don't know why but the tears just kept flowing. S pulls over as well and asks if I am ok. I feebly shake my head no and the tears just got worse. He opens the door and helps me out of the car. He then gives me the best hug I have ever had and tells me I am going to be fine. The skeptic that I am would have told him no but this time it felt genuine and I could not argue with his choice of words. For the first time in my life I let my guard down in front of someone. I usually hold back everything and give the idea that I am ok even though I am not. I felt really great to do that for one to show someone that I'm not ok. S was very reassuring, concerned, and in a sense protective. I thank the Supreme One for him at this point in my life and at that time last night. He was what I needed. Well I have to go; we're being a domesticated couple tonight. Ha-ha laundry, cooking and a movie. Really eventful there eh but I'm glad after the week I've had I need to not go clubbing this weekend.
Last note: Honestly I don't want to drive ever again but since RT is hella slow I guess I have no choice huh. It will take a week or two for me to make a joke out of this but I see it as a sign for some kind of change in my life. Now what is that I don't know but I'll figure it out?
:) Me remaining positive at all cost
Friday, October 21, 2005
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Guesstimate
Guesstimate
Function: verb [with object]
Inflected forms:
Guesstimates; guesstimated; guesstimating
Status: informal
Meaning:
: To make a quick estimate of (something)
Example:
Derived form:
Guesstimate noun [count]
Plural: guesstimates
Status: informal
Example:
I was floored when I got this word in my email today. Guesstimate is a word *ahhhhhhrr* I have been using this word forever. Seeing this in my email for the new word of the day was a very funny start to my day. To give clear understanding why I get a new word of the day is because of my college composition teacher. Professor Moniet stated that we as Americans are loosing our ability to speak with a variety of vocabulary. I heard that and it rang very true for me, so I went online to Miriam Webster dictionary online (www.m-w.com) and signed up for the new word of the day. When I get the word I write a sentence and try to use it in every day conversation, just like I used to do when I was in grade school. The teacher would give our class a list of 25 vocabulary words for the week and by the end of the week the words would have to be written out 10 times used twice in a sentence. I would say from grade 1-5 I knew a lot of words, then I was introduced to public school and vocabulary disappeared which was sad.
I guess I have always been learning words because I like to read. When I read it is with a notebook and dictionary in hand. The reason I have those two items is for words I don't know or understand in their context. If I read a word I don't know or understand I would write the word or sentence down, then look it up in the dictionary, afterwards write the definition and then keep reading. I know reading a book may take forever since I spend a lot of time looking things up. Then that statement bright up this question: Would spending time looking up words I don't understand and going through the whole process to gain an understanding of words I do not know, create for me the ability to become a critical thinker and reader?
I don't know that answer but I guess I would need to spend time evaluating that question for myself since I have to read a book for the American history class I am taking. The book is titled, " The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap”, by Stephanie Coontz. In the words of the author the book,” examines the myths and half-truths that surround our understanding of American families, both past and present." I am going to write about my views and understandings of this book while reading this for a final essay in my history class. I will create another blog website titled after the book and go from there. Also any other books I happen to read as well will go here :
booksreaders.blogspot.com
:)Me
Function: verb [with object]
Inflected forms:
Guesstimates; guesstimated; guesstimating
Status: informal
Meaning:
: To make a quick estimate of (something)
Example:
Derived form:
Guesstimate noun [count]
Plural: guesstimates
Status: informal
Example:
I was floored when I got this word in my email today. Guesstimate is a word *ahhhhhhrr* I have been using this word forever. Seeing this in my email for the new word of the day was a very funny start to my day. To give clear understanding why I get a new word of the day is because of my college composition teacher. Professor Moniet stated that we as Americans are loosing our ability to speak with a variety of vocabulary. I heard that and it rang very true for me, so I went online to Miriam Webster dictionary online (www.m-w.com) and signed up for the new word of the day. When I get the word I write a sentence and try to use it in every day conversation, just like I used to do when I was in grade school. The teacher would give our class a list of 25 vocabulary words for the week and by the end of the week the words would have to be written out 10 times used twice in a sentence. I would say from grade 1-5 I knew a lot of words, then I was introduced to public school and vocabulary disappeared which was sad.
I guess I have always been learning words because I like to read. When I read it is with a notebook and dictionary in hand. The reason I have those two items is for words I don't know or understand in their context. If I read a word I don't know or understand I would write the word or sentence down, then look it up in the dictionary, afterwards write the definition and then keep reading. I know reading a book may take forever since I spend a lot of time looking things up. Then that statement bright up this question: Would spending time looking up words I don't understand and going through the whole process to gain an understanding of words I do not know, create for me the ability to become a critical thinker and reader?
I don't know that answer but I guess I would need to spend time evaluating that question for myself since I have to read a book for the American history class I am taking. The book is titled, " The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap”, by Stephanie Coontz. In the words of the author the book,” examines the myths and half-truths that surround our understanding of American families, both past and present." I am going to write about my views and understandings of this book while reading this for a final essay in my history class. I will create another blog website titled after the book and go from there. Also any other books I happen to read as well will go here :
booksreaders.blogspot.com
:)Me
10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges
10 ways to avoid outrageous hospital overcharges
Profit-hungry hospitals are overcharging consumers an estimated $10 billion a year. Some deliberately work to keep bills indecipherable. Here's how to fight back. By Peter Davidson,
Bankrate.com
-I want people to read this and understand that we as Americans are getting ripped off because we do not take the time to know what we are being charged for by our medical providers. It is a very hard process to get answers but it will save hundreds even thousands of dollars if the extra initiative is put in. Talk to the lawmakers in your area to create ideas for billing in the medical industry understandable. Keep pushing till something is done.
American hospitals are fleecing patients out of billions of dollars annually, and experts say that while some of the overcharges are honest errors, many are deliberate. That's because hospital bills are next to impossible for consumers to understand, which means hospitals can hide improper charges behind mysterious medical terminology and baffling codes.That's what Nora Johnson found when her 56-year-old husband, Bill, underwent hip-replacement surgery in 1999. The cost of the operation was $25,000. Knowing that her family would have to pay a percentage of the costs, she requested an itemized bill.$129 for a box of tissues"What I got was five feet of single-spaced names and codes," recalls Johnson. Written in "hospital-speak," some of it made sense, she says, while some of it was absurd. Like the charge for newborn blood tests and a crib mobile. That stopped me in my tracks," recalls Johnson. "As far as I know, my husband never had a baby."Johnson, from Caldwell, W.Va., was so shocked by the overcharges she became a trained medical billing advocate. Today, she audits hospital bills for consumers and for state employees in West Virginia."More than 90% of the hospital bills I've audited have gross overcharges," says Johnson. Estimates on hospital overcharges run up to $10 billion a year, with an average of $1,300 per hospital stay. Other experts say overcharges make up approximately 5% of hospital bills. "I've seen $90 charged for a 70-cent I.V. How about $129 for a mucous recovery system? That's a box of Kleenex," Johnson adds.
She's also seen charges for ordinary supplies, such as towels and sheets, that should be included in the room charges.Johnson says some overcharges are mistakes, but many are deliberate. "Hospitals are huge moneymakers," she explains. "Their executives enjoy big bonuses." As a result, "Hospitals have become highly innovative when it comes to billing, and ordinary citizens have no idea they're being ripped off," says Johnson, who is affiliated with Salem, Va.-based Medical Billing Advocates of America.Experts baffled, tooBut making sure that you are charged correctly can be a daunting task. That's what Richard Clarke found out firsthand shortly after his father died in 2000.Despite the fact that he is a former hospital chief financial officer, Clarke admits, sorting through the bills took him a year. In the end he found $2,000 in errors.
That's because bills from just one hospital stay will come pouring in, and they come from many providers: Your surgeon, anesthesiologist, pathologist, labs, as well as the hospital.Bill Mahon is executive director of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, a group of insurers and law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. He says patients are helpless to decipher their bills. As a result, says Mahon, providers can slip in overcharges."The medical billing system is complicated and confusing," admits Rick H. Wade, senior vice president of the American Hospital Association, which represents most of the hospitals in the United States. On Dec. 27, 2002, he told a "Dateline NBC" investigative team, "Trying to understand all the code words and jargon can turn your brain into oatmeal."Hospitals discourage consumers from checking billsBecause health insurance plans have different contracts with differing payment schedules, there is no single rate sheet you can consult.Nevertheless, experts say reviewing your bill for overcharges is vital. For one thing, if you are required to pay some of your hospital expenses, either as a deductible or a co-payment, overcharges will come out of your pocket. What's more, most insurance plans have a cap, meaning, "Money siphoned off by errors or fraud can chip away at your lifetime total," says Tom Brennan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield's director of special investigations.Your credit rating may be at risk too. "Hospitals have become very aggressive about collecting money," says Nora Johnson. And, according to a 1998 study of hospital billing procedures, they go to extraordinary lengths to discourage patients from delving too deeply into their bills. "Citizens are becoming more educated about hospital billing and taking responsibility of ensuring that their charges are correct," said the study's principal author, Dr. Kimberly Elsbach, of the University of California, Davis. "Hospitals are countering that with their own efforts to discourage people from becoming involved with challenges or audits because it costs them a great deal of time and money."And they waste no time turning accounts over to collection agencies or filing liens.
Don't be taken for a rideNevertheless, experts say you can take these steps to make sure that you're not taken for a ride.
If your hospitalization isn't for an emergency, check your insurance policy to find out just what it will cover and how much it will pay. Be sure to carefully review the section on "exceptions and exclusions." It will tell you what your plan will not cover.
Phone the hospital's billing department and ask them what you will be charged for the room, and just what the room charges cover. If tissues aren't included, for example, bring your own.
Ask your doctor to estimate your cost of treatment. Also, ask if you can bring your regular prescriptions from home to avoid paying for medications administered at the hospital.
Make sure that everyone who will be treating you -- the surgeon, anesthesiologist, radiologist, pathologist, etc. -- participates in your insurance plan.
If you can, keep your own log of tests, medications, and treatments. If you are not able to, ask a friend or loved one to do it for you.
At some point you will receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurance company (if you're on Medicare, you will receive a summary notice). It will say, "This is not a bill." Don't toss it in the trash. Examine it. It will tell you how much the hospital is charging, what your insurance plan will cover, and what you will have to pay out of your own pocket in deductibles and co-payments.
Never pay your bill before leaving the hospital -- even if you're told that it's required.
When you get your bill, read it carefully. Compare it to the log you made, to the EOB, and to the estimate of costs you requested before you were admitted.
If there are items you don't understand, call the billing department and your insurer, and ask them to explain. Don't accept bills that use terms like "lab fees," or "miscellaneous fees." Demand an itemization. If you don't get satisfaction from the hospital billing department -- and you probably won't -- appeal in writing to the hospital administrator or patient ombudsman.
If you are still scratching your head, ask for an itemized bill as well as your medical records to confirm whether or not you received the treatments and medications you've been billed for. Every state now requires hospitals to provide itemized bills.Since helping sort out his late father's medical bills, Richard Clarke, the former hospital CFO, has became founder and president of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, an Illinois-based association of medical finance officers who work with the American Hospital Association and other groups to develop more consumer-friendly billing.They're aiming for easy-to-read bills and printed pamphlets that will help consumers understand hospital-speak. Until that happens, however, consumers will be on their own.
Profit-hungry hospitals are overcharging consumers an estimated $10 billion a year. Some deliberately work to keep bills indecipherable. Here's how to fight back. By Peter Davidson,
Bankrate.com
-I want people to read this and understand that we as Americans are getting ripped off because we do not take the time to know what we are being charged for by our medical providers. It is a very hard process to get answers but it will save hundreds even thousands of dollars if the extra initiative is put in. Talk to the lawmakers in your area to create ideas for billing in the medical industry understandable. Keep pushing till something is done.
American hospitals are fleecing patients out of billions of dollars annually, and experts say that while some of the overcharges are honest errors, many are deliberate. That's because hospital bills are next to impossible for consumers to understand, which means hospitals can hide improper charges behind mysterious medical terminology and baffling codes.That's what Nora Johnson found when her 56-year-old husband, Bill, underwent hip-replacement surgery in 1999. The cost of the operation was $25,000. Knowing that her family would have to pay a percentage of the costs, she requested an itemized bill.$129 for a box of tissues"What I got was five feet of single-spaced names and codes," recalls Johnson. Written in "hospital-speak," some of it made sense, she says, while some of it was absurd. Like the charge for newborn blood tests and a crib mobile. That stopped me in my tracks," recalls Johnson. "As far as I know, my husband never had a baby."Johnson, from Caldwell, W.Va., was so shocked by the overcharges she became a trained medical billing advocate. Today, she audits hospital bills for consumers and for state employees in West Virginia."More than 90% of the hospital bills I've audited have gross overcharges," says Johnson. Estimates on hospital overcharges run up to $10 billion a year, with an average of $1,300 per hospital stay. Other experts say overcharges make up approximately 5% of hospital bills. "I've seen $90 charged for a 70-cent I.V. How about $129 for a mucous recovery system? That's a box of Kleenex," Johnson adds.
She's also seen charges for ordinary supplies, such as towels and sheets, that should be included in the room charges.Johnson says some overcharges are mistakes, but many are deliberate. "Hospitals are huge moneymakers," she explains. "Their executives enjoy big bonuses." As a result, "Hospitals have become highly innovative when it comes to billing, and ordinary citizens have no idea they're being ripped off," says Johnson, who is affiliated with Salem, Va.-based Medical Billing Advocates of America.Experts baffled, tooBut making sure that you are charged correctly can be a daunting task. That's what Richard Clarke found out firsthand shortly after his father died in 2000.Despite the fact that he is a former hospital chief financial officer, Clarke admits, sorting through the bills took him a year. In the end he found $2,000 in errors.
That's because bills from just one hospital stay will come pouring in, and they come from many providers: Your surgeon, anesthesiologist, pathologist, labs, as well as the hospital.Bill Mahon is executive director of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, a group of insurers and law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. He says patients are helpless to decipher their bills. As a result, says Mahon, providers can slip in overcharges."The medical billing system is complicated and confusing," admits Rick H. Wade, senior vice president of the American Hospital Association, which represents most of the hospitals in the United States. On Dec. 27, 2002, he told a "Dateline NBC" investigative team, "Trying to understand all the code words and jargon can turn your brain into oatmeal."Hospitals discourage consumers from checking billsBecause health insurance plans have different contracts with differing payment schedules, there is no single rate sheet you can consult.Nevertheless, experts say reviewing your bill for overcharges is vital. For one thing, if you are required to pay some of your hospital expenses, either as a deductible or a co-payment, overcharges will come out of your pocket. What's more, most insurance plans have a cap, meaning, "Money siphoned off by errors or fraud can chip away at your lifetime total," says Tom Brennan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield's director of special investigations.Your credit rating may be at risk too. "Hospitals have become very aggressive about collecting money," says Nora Johnson. And, according to a 1998 study of hospital billing procedures, they go to extraordinary lengths to discourage patients from delving too deeply into their bills. "Citizens are becoming more educated about hospital billing and taking responsibility of ensuring that their charges are correct," said the study's principal author, Dr. Kimberly Elsbach, of the University of California, Davis. "Hospitals are countering that with their own efforts to discourage people from becoming involved with challenges or audits because it costs them a great deal of time and money."And they waste no time turning accounts over to collection agencies or filing liens.
Don't be taken for a rideNevertheless, experts say you can take these steps to make sure that you're not taken for a ride.
If your hospitalization isn't for an emergency, check your insurance policy to find out just what it will cover and how much it will pay. Be sure to carefully review the section on "exceptions and exclusions." It will tell you what your plan will not cover.
Phone the hospital's billing department and ask them what you will be charged for the room, and just what the room charges cover. If tissues aren't included, for example, bring your own.
Ask your doctor to estimate your cost of treatment. Also, ask if you can bring your regular prescriptions from home to avoid paying for medications administered at the hospital.
Make sure that everyone who will be treating you -- the surgeon, anesthesiologist, radiologist, pathologist, etc. -- participates in your insurance plan.
If you can, keep your own log of tests, medications, and treatments. If you are not able to, ask a friend or loved one to do it for you.
At some point you will receive an explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurance company (if you're on Medicare, you will receive a summary notice). It will say, "This is not a bill." Don't toss it in the trash. Examine it. It will tell you how much the hospital is charging, what your insurance plan will cover, and what you will have to pay out of your own pocket in deductibles and co-payments.
Never pay your bill before leaving the hospital -- even if you're told that it's required.
When you get your bill, read it carefully. Compare it to the log you made, to the EOB, and to the estimate of costs you requested before you were admitted.
If there are items you don't understand, call the billing department and your insurer, and ask them to explain. Don't accept bills that use terms like "lab fees," or "miscellaneous fees." Demand an itemization. If you don't get satisfaction from the hospital billing department -- and you probably won't -- appeal in writing to the hospital administrator or patient ombudsman.
If you are still scratching your head, ask for an itemized bill as well as your medical records to confirm whether or not you received the treatments and medications you've been billed for. Every state now requires hospitals to provide itemized bills.Since helping sort out his late father's medical bills, Richard Clarke, the former hospital CFO, has became founder and president of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, an Illinois-based association of medical finance officers who work with the American Hospital Association and other groups to develop more consumer-friendly billing.They're aiming for easy-to-read bills and printed pamphlets that will help consumers understand hospital-speak. Until that happens, however, consumers will be on their own.
Safeguard your Social Security number
Safeguard your Social Security number
Protect yourself from identity theft by keeping a tight rein on your Social Security number. Only a few organizations have the right to demand it. Here's how to fend off the rest. By Bankrate.com
- Laziness is the condemnation of the person who thinks convenience is with the universal all. Everyone be careful. Since we are a society who believes that one size fits all, one place for all needs, one system to hold every thing we are condemned to have these issues. Reason being variety is the fruit of life as well safety. If you don't need to give extra information about yourself don't. A side note if someone calls you don't give up your extra sensitive information , but if you call them rule of thumb you can give your sensitive info but get the name, ext, location, and superiors name of the person you give this information to . No one else is going to keep tabs for you but you.
"I think it's spooky.Everybody has that one number, and everything about you is tied to it," worries Jim Edwards, program director at WJNO in West Palm Beach, Fla."Put it in a computer and poof -- here's your bank account, your phone number, where you work."The key to all that private information? Your Social Security number. Edwards was way ahead of most people. Back in the early '80s, he refused to give his Social Security number when he enrolled at Miami Dade Community College. The school wanted to use it as a student identification number, but Edwards held his ground and the school gave him a different number -- all zeros, as he recalls.Today, schools, phone companies, utilities, health clubs, insurance companies, video stores -- just about everybody wants your Social Security number. Some of the more prevalent uses are to get your credit rating and determine whether you pay your bills, and to keep track of you through name and address changes. But companies also use your Social Security number to develop marketing lists, which they can sell to other companies. A list with the numbers is more valuable than one without.Why should you care who sees your Social Security number? The more people who see it, the more susceptible you are to identity theft, where you are victimized by someone fraudulently using your name and credit report to steal money.Identity theft costs American businesses billions each year, costs that are eventually passed on to all consumers. The toll on victims is heavy, too. The California Public Interest Research Group estimates that, on average, an identity theft victim will spend 175 hours and $800 trying to clear their record of fraudulent charges.
"I've seen accounts opened with wrong names and different addresses. As long as there's a SSN, that's all some of them care about," says Linda Foley of the Identity Theft Research Center in San Diego.Who has the right to ask for your digits?While any business can ask for your Social Security number, there are very few entities that can actually demand it -- motor vehicle departments, tax departments and welfare departments, for example. Also, SSNs are required for transactions involving taxes, so that means banks, brokerages, employers, and the like also have a legitimate need for your SSN. Most other businesses have no legal right to demand your number."There is no law prohibiting a business from asking for your Social Security number, but people don't know they can say no," says Carolyn Cheezum of the Social Security Administration."We recommend that you ask if they'll accept an alternative piece of identification. If they don't, flat-out refuse to do business with them. Bear in mind that there's a possibility they'll refuse to provide whatever product or service you're seeking."Edwards, for example, won't give his Social Security number to his doctor's office."When you go to the doctor's office and fill out the medical information, they ask for the SSN. I leave it blank. Nothing happens. I'm not reporting income from them."In fact, chances are good that many companies that routinely ask for Social Security numbers will do business with you even if they can't have your number."We ask for a Social Security number to open an account, but it's not required," says Michael Lowndes of the Long Island Power Authority."The Social Security number is just part of the customer's record. A common problem with utility accounts is people open an account, default and reopen another account using the same Social. We can use that to discover the problem."Kimberly Brown at Bell South headquarters in Atlanta says there's a procedure the company follows if someone doesn't want to give his number."We ask them to fill out a questionnaire to determine their payment history. We don't do a credit check; we depend on them being honest. The questionnaire determines the Bell South rating for them, and then that determines whether they'll have to pay a deposit to establish service."Your cat is sick? Give us your Social Security numberLinda Foley of the Identity Theft Research Center says she brought her critically ill cat to a vet's office and balked when she was asked for her SSN."I said why? Will it be my cat's ID number? They said no, but if you give us a check we want a driver's license and a SSN in case the check bounces. I said I'd pay by credit card. They said it's our policy to get the number. "I said if I give you a credit card and refuse to give you my Social Security number, you'd let my cat die right now? They looked at me and the cat and said, 'Give us the card; we'll take care of it.' I was upset about the cat, but I was frustrated by the way I was being treated. It was unnecessary."Social Security numbers and identity theftSocial Security numbers exist for the purpose of tracking earnings and paying benefits, Cheezum says. Although President Franklin Roosevelt signed an order requiring federal agencies to use SSNs for record-keeping systems, they were never meant to be used by businesses as an identifier, but have taken on that role because everyone has one.But the snowballing problem of identity theft is spurring some governments to limit the use of SSNs.
California is leading the way with its law barring businesses, health care providers and schools from:
Publicly posting Social Security numbers or requiring them for access to products or services.
Printing of Social Security numbers on cards required for accessing products or services.
Requiring an individual to use his or her Social Security number to access a Web site unless a password is also required to access the site.Printing an individual's SSN on any materials that are mailed to the individual.
The state of New York limits the use of Social Security numbers in schools and colleges. New York public and private schools cannot publicly display Social Security numbers. Many are opting to assign students identification numbers.
Arizona has passed similar legislation.Foley says she hopes other states will follow suit and be even more restrictive so that SSNs will eventually be used only for a few selective purposes.
But, Foley says, until that happens, the first defense against the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers are the companies that issue credit."Are they verifying that the person applying for credit is the true consumer? Are they looking carefully for red flags that might alert them to possible fraudulent use? If a credit application has a last name spelled incorrectly or an address different from the credit record, that should provoke someone into calling the consumer."Some privacy rights proponents say Social Security numbers shouldn't be used for obtaining credit. Does that mean a second number would have to be issued for people seeking credit? Would that be any better than the current system?More protections in CaliforniaPerhaps California's newly enacted privacy law offers a better option.In addition to limiting the use of Social Security numbers, the law allows a consumer to place a "security freeze" on his credit report. The freeze prohibits consumer-credit-reporting agencies from releasing the consumer's credit report or any information from it without express authorization from the consumer.
Time will tell if that provision works better than the more common "alerts" that many people put on their credit reports. With an "alert" a consumer is supposed to be notified that someone is attempting to obtain credit in his or her name. But stories abound of breakdowns in the system. If someone uses your Social Security number to obtain credit and doesn't pay the bills, you'll discover the fraud as soon as the bill collectors come calling. But sometimes an identity thief actually pays the bills and, in those instances, it could be a long time before you discover the fraud.The best way to find out if someone is fraudulently using your Social Security number is to request copies of your credit reports at least once a year. There are three main credit-reporting agencies. It's a good idea to get a copy of your report from each agency so you can check for discrepancies. You can order your credit report from: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.
Protect yourself from identity theft by keeping a tight rein on your Social Security number. Only a few organizations have the right to demand it. Here's how to fend off the rest. By Bankrate.com
- Laziness is the condemnation of the person who thinks convenience is with the universal all. Everyone be careful. Since we are a society who believes that one size fits all, one place for all needs, one system to hold every thing we are condemned to have these issues. Reason being variety is the fruit of life as well safety. If you don't need to give extra information about yourself don't. A side note if someone calls you don't give up your extra sensitive information , but if you call them rule of thumb you can give your sensitive info but get the name, ext, location, and superiors name of the person you give this information to . No one else is going to keep tabs for you but you.
"I think it's spooky.Everybody has that one number, and everything about you is tied to it," worries Jim Edwards, program director at WJNO in West Palm Beach, Fla."Put it in a computer and poof -- here's your bank account, your phone number, where you work."The key to all that private information? Your Social Security number. Edwards was way ahead of most people. Back in the early '80s, he refused to give his Social Security number when he enrolled at Miami Dade Community College. The school wanted to use it as a student identification number, but Edwards held his ground and the school gave him a different number -- all zeros, as he recalls.Today, schools, phone companies, utilities, health clubs, insurance companies, video stores -- just about everybody wants your Social Security number. Some of the more prevalent uses are to get your credit rating and determine whether you pay your bills, and to keep track of you through name and address changes. But companies also use your Social Security number to develop marketing lists, which they can sell to other companies. A list with the numbers is more valuable than one without.Why should you care who sees your Social Security number? The more people who see it, the more susceptible you are to identity theft, where you are victimized by someone fraudulently using your name and credit report to steal money.Identity theft costs American businesses billions each year, costs that are eventually passed on to all consumers. The toll on victims is heavy, too. The California Public Interest Research Group estimates that, on average, an identity theft victim will spend 175 hours and $800 trying to clear their record of fraudulent charges.
"I've seen accounts opened with wrong names and different addresses. As long as there's a SSN, that's all some of them care about," says Linda Foley of the Identity Theft Research Center in San Diego.Who has the right to ask for your digits?While any business can ask for your Social Security number, there are very few entities that can actually demand it -- motor vehicle departments, tax departments and welfare departments, for example. Also, SSNs are required for transactions involving taxes, so that means banks, brokerages, employers, and the like also have a legitimate need for your SSN. Most other businesses have no legal right to demand your number."There is no law prohibiting a business from asking for your Social Security number, but people don't know they can say no," says Carolyn Cheezum of the Social Security Administration."We recommend that you ask if they'll accept an alternative piece of identification. If they don't, flat-out refuse to do business with them. Bear in mind that there's a possibility they'll refuse to provide whatever product or service you're seeking."Edwards, for example, won't give his Social Security number to his doctor's office."When you go to the doctor's office and fill out the medical information, they ask for the SSN. I leave it blank. Nothing happens. I'm not reporting income from them."In fact, chances are good that many companies that routinely ask for Social Security numbers will do business with you even if they can't have your number."We ask for a Social Security number to open an account, but it's not required," says Michael Lowndes of the Long Island Power Authority."The Social Security number is just part of the customer's record. A common problem with utility accounts is people open an account, default and reopen another account using the same Social. We can use that to discover the problem."Kimberly Brown at Bell South headquarters in Atlanta says there's a procedure the company follows if someone doesn't want to give his number."We ask them to fill out a questionnaire to determine their payment history. We don't do a credit check; we depend on them being honest. The questionnaire determines the Bell South rating for them, and then that determines whether they'll have to pay a deposit to establish service."Your cat is sick? Give us your Social Security numberLinda Foley of the Identity Theft Research Center says she brought her critically ill cat to a vet's office and balked when she was asked for her SSN."I said why? Will it be my cat's ID number? They said no, but if you give us a check we want a driver's license and a SSN in case the check bounces. I said I'd pay by credit card. They said it's our policy to get the number. "I said if I give you a credit card and refuse to give you my Social Security number, you'd let my cat die right now? They looked at me and the cat and said, 'Give us the card; we'll take care of it.' I was upset about the cat, but I was frustrated by the way I was being treated. It was unnecessary."Social Security numbers and identity theftSocial Security numbers exist for the purpose of tracking earnings and paying benefits, Cheezum says. Although President Franklin Roosevelt signed an order requiring federal agencies to use SSNs for record-keeping systems, they were never meant to be used by businesses as an identifier, but have taken on that role because everyone has one.But the snowballing problem of identity theft is spurring some governments to limit the use of SSNs.
California is leading the way with its law barring businesses, health care providers and schools from:
Publicly posting Social Security numbers or requiring them for access to products or services.
Printing of Social Security numbers on cards required for accessing products or services.
Requiring an individual to use his or her Social Security number to access a Web site unless a password is also required to access the site.Printing an individual's SSN on any materials that are mailed to the individual.
The state of New York limits the use of Social Security numbers in schools and colleges. New York public and private schools cannot publicly display Social Security numbers. Many are opting to assign students identification numbers.
Arizona has passed similar legislation.Foley says she hopes other states will follow suit and be even more restrictive so that SSNs will eventually be used only for a few selective purposes.
But, Foley says, until that happens, the first defense against the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers are the companies that issue credit."Are they verifying that the person applying for credit is the true consumer? Are they looking carefully for red flags that might alert them to possible fraudulent use? If a credit application has a last name spelled incorrectly or an address different from the credit record, that should provoke someone into calling the consumer."Some privacy rights proponents say Social Security numbers shouldn't be used for obtaining credit. Does that mean a second number would have to be issued for people seeking credit? Would that be any better than the current system?More protections in CaliforniaPerhaps California's newly enacted privacy law offers a better option.In addition to limiting the use of Social Security numbers, the law allows a consumer to place a "security freeze" on his credit report. The freeze prohibits consumer-credit-reporting agencies from releasing the consumer's credit report or any information from it without express authorization from the consumer.
Time will tell if that provision works better than the more common "alerts" that many people put on their credit reports. With an "alert" a consumer is supposed to be notified that someone is attempting to obtain credit in his or her name. But stories abound of breakdowns in the system. If someone uses your Social Security number to obtain credit and doesn't pay the bills, you'll discover the fraud as soon as the bill collectors come calling. But sometimes an identity thief actually pays the bills and, in those instances, it could be a long time before you discover the fraud.The best way to find out if someone is fraudulently using your Social Security number is to request copies of your credit reports at least once a year. There are three main credit-reporting agencies. It's a good idea to get a copy of your report from each agency so you can check for discrepancies. You can order your credit report from: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.
A way to abloish Crime in America
White House criticizes Bennett for comments Ex-education secretary tied crime rate to aborting black babies
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:55 p.m. ET Sept. 30, 2005
-I was appaled when I read this article. Crime is not an African American cause it is a cause of people who declined to follow the moral standards. What next how to get rid of racism? Abort all the White American babies. When people speak they do not speak what is true from logic and facts but instead from emotions and an unbais fear.
WASHINGTON - The White House on Friday criticized former Education Secretary William Bennett for remarks linking the crime rate and the abortion of black babies.
“The president believes the comments were not appropriate,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.
Bennett, on his radio show, “Morning in America,” was answering a caller’s question when he took issue with the hypothesis put forth in a recent book that one reason crime is down is that abortion is up.
“But I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down,” said Bennett, author of “The Book of Virtues.”
He went on to call that “an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky.”
Democrats demand apologyOn Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats demanded that Bennett apologize for the remarks.
Responding later to criticism, Bennett said his comments had been mischaracterized and that his point was that the idea of supporting abortion to reduce crime was “morally reprehensible.”
On his show Thursday, Bennett, who opposes abortion, said he was “pointing out that abortion should not be opposed for economic reasons any more than racism ... should be supported or opposed for economic reasons. Immoral policies are wrong because they are wrong, not because of an economic calculation.”
Reid, D-Nev., said he was “appalled by Mr. Bennett’s remarks” and called on him “to issue an immediate apology not only to African Americans but to the nation.”
Rep. Raum Emanuel, D-Ill., said in a statement, “At the very time our country yearns for national unity in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, these comments reflect a spirit of hate and division.”
The Associated Press
Updated: 7:55 p.m. ET Sept. 30, 2005
-I was appaled when I read this article. Crime is not an African American cause it is a cause of people who declined to follow the moral standards. What next how to get rid of racism? Abort all the White American babies. When people speak they do not speak what is true from logic and facts but instead from emotions and an unbais fear.
WASHINGTON - The White House on Friday criticized former Education Secretary William Bennett for remarks linking the crime rate and the abortion of black babies.
“The president believes the comments were not appropriate,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.
Bennett, on his radio show, “Morning in America,” was answering a caller’s question when he took issue with the hypothesis put forth in a recent book that one reason crime is down is that abortion is up.
“But I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down,” said Bennett, author of “The Book of Virtues.”
He went on to call that “an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky.”
Democrats demand apologyOn Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats demanded that Bennett apologize for the remarks.
Responding later to criticism, Bennett said his comments had been mischaracterized and that his point was that the idea of supporting abortion to reduce crime was “morally reprehensible.”
On his show Thursday, Bennett, who opposes abortion, said he was “pointing out that abortion should not be opposed for economic reasons any more than racism ... should be supported or opposed for economic reasons. Immoral policies are wrong because they are wrong, not because of an economic calculation.”
Reid, D-Nev., said he was “appalled by Mr. Bennett’s remarks” and called on him “to issue an immediate apology not only to African Americans but to the nation.”
Rep. Raum Emanuel, D-Ill., said in a statement, “At the very time our country yearns for national unity in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, these comments reflect a spirit of hate and division.”
Monday, October 17, 2005
Understand, Who me ?
It is so hard to understand why I keep loosing guys,for instance with S, I thought we were back on track after our conversation; I suppose I was mistaken. The last week I have called and tried to spend time together and it seems as if he is ignoring me, which previously he has not. So at this point with S I am just going to keep my distance and wait to see if I have to cut my ties. Then there is J who told me he did not have time to create a relationship, but I find out J started dating another girl. J tells me that he wanted me to be the one he was dating but did not know where I stood with the relationship we had. I knew at that point when he said that I needed to let J go. I told him what I wanted and he didn’t want to listen which is not my fault. The exciting thing was when I told J best of luck I was hurt and frustrated ,again this month, I began to get to the point where I didn’t care anymore and was relieved it was over since I was leaning towards that anyways. This weekend was interesting over all though besides those two issues (which aren’t issues any more).
I went out to Tunel 21 a bar/club here in town with my sis and usually when I go clubbing I dance on the floor. My sister, as a side note this was my first time clubbing with her, did not want to go to the floor because it was packed. I enjoy a packed dance floor because of the people co-mingling, the sexual tension, all the people keeping up to the beat the DJ is throwing out, and just the vibe you pick up from people dancing close to you. The dance floor is networking at its best! Well here we are standing along the wall and I look pretty bored and agitated, on the other hand she is fine just dancing by herself as she is drinking an apple martini. Ok, I was dancing a little but not as much as if I were on the floor dancing. The guy I am standing next to speaks to me for a few seconds and o my he was a cutie. I was about 5’5 with heels on mind you I’m 5’2. He was about 6’5 (another side note I am very attracted to tall guys I guess it’s the small, short girl that wants a big tall guy to protect her) light hazel eyes which attracted me first and a very soothing voice. I wasn’t feeling his choice of clothing (ok the materialistic side of me) but overall he seemed like a nice person just as I was getting into the convo.;my sis ask me to walk with her to the bar for another drink, so I walk with her over to the bar.
When I come back Mr. Tall with a soothing voice was going and in his place was another group of guys. I stand there bobbing my head and looking around at the scenery. All of a sudden I see a hand hit the back of this guys head as he is walking past. My face frowned in anguish because I don’t want a fight in my vicinity that I have to break up. The guy that is hit turns around in anger he recognizes the face that hit him and laughs as he walks away. You wanted to know the true feeling of relived, that was me in one that moment! I guess the guy that hit him saw my relief pokes my waist and told me,” You have my permission to hit him and anyone else in here.” He was nice but not as cute as the first guy. Well at any point to make a long story short. I and Daniel had a nice conversation for the rest of the night. I didn’t take his number and he didn’t ask for mine which was ok. The conversation gave me a view that there are interesting, intelligent, put together men out there. I just need to be patent and take more time for I and maybe he’ll come around. I’m slowly coming around to that view of life. :) Me
I went out to Tunel 21 a bar/club here in town with my sis and usually when I go clubbing I dance on the floor. My sister, as a side note this was my first time clubbing with her, did not want to go to the floor because it was packed. I enjoy a packed dance floor because of the people co-mingling, the sexual tension, all the people keeping up to the beat the DJ is throwing out, and just the vibe you pick up from people dancing close to you. The dance floor is networking at its best! Well here we are standing along the wall and I look pretty bored and agitated, on the other hand she is fine just dancing by herself as she is drinking an apple martini. Ok, I was dancing a little but not as much as if I were on the floor dancing. The guy I am standing next to speaks to me for a few seconds and o my he was a cutie. I was about 5’5 with heels on mind you I’m 5’2. He was about 6’5 (another side note I am very attracted to tall guys I guess it’s the small, short girl that wants a big tall guy to protect her) light hazel eyes which attracted me first and a very soothing voice. I wasn’t feeling his choice of clothing (ok the materialistic side of me) but overall he seemed like a nice person just as I was getting into the convo.;my sis ask me to walk with her to the bar for another drink, so I walk with her over to the bar.
When I come back Mr. Tall with a soothing voice was going and in his place was another group of guys. I stand there bobbing my head and looking around at the scenery. All of a sudden I see a hand hit the back of this guys head as he is walking past. My face frowned in anguish because I don’t want a fight in my vicinity that I have to break up. The guy that is hit turns around in anger he recognizes the face that hit him and laughs as he walks away. You wanted to know the true feeling of relived, that was me in one that moment! I guess the guy that hit him saw my relief pokes my waist and told me,” You have my permission to hit him and anyone else in here.” He was nice but not as cute as the first guy. Well at any point to make a long story short. I and Daniel had a nice conversation for the rest of the night. I didn’t take his number and he didn’t ask for mine which was ok. The conversation gave me a view that there are interesting, intelligent, put together men out there. I just need to be patent and take more time for I and maybe he’ll come around. I’m slowly coming around to that view of life. :) Me
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Could people come this easily with directions
5 parts anger
5 parts self-sufficiency
1 part instinct
1 part jealousy
3 parts courage
3 parts ego
5 parts success
5 parts brilliance
3 parts instinct
1 part competitiveness
1 part craziness
Layer ingredients in a shot glass.
Then combine in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice.
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Add a little caring if desired!
Add curiosity to taste! Do not overindulge! Top it off with a sprinkle of emotion and enjoy! Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of lustfulness
5 parts self-sufficiency
1 part instinct
1 part jealousy
3 parts courage
3 parts ego
5 parts success
5 parts brilliance
3 parts instinct
1 part competitiveness
1 part craziness
Layer ingredients in a shot glass.
Then combine in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice.
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Add a little caring if desired!
Add curiosity to taste! Do not overindulge! Top it off with a sprinkle of emotion and enjoy! Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of lustfulness
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