March Madness, Wildcat Style :o)

This entry is a Public Service Announcement for Frank and Wildcat. Click the picture or the link in the text. Add Wildcat to your follower list, you will not be disappointed :o)

The fun on the infamous Ides of March (that's March 15th, for those not up on their Latin and "Julius Caesar") when the teams selected to compete in the tournament will be announced.

From there, you'll get to watch the drama play out within the Wildcat's Lair as we find out just who's bracket will be the ultimate winner.Since things can change daily with these bracket battles, don't be surprised if I post a few extra episodes along with the regularly scheduled ones for Wildcat Wednesdays and Frank Fridays.

I'll also post some updates on the score in-between each round of the Tournament. The previous Bracket Battle in the Lair in 2007 included four brackets between me, Frank, Hip and Uncle Kerouac. I won that year's battle, but the odds of winning will be even tougher this year with as many as six brackets in play.

Airline Identification Changes

If you are John T. Smith or Katherine A. Jones on your driver’s license and listed as Johnny Smith or Kathy Jones on your airline frequent flyer program(s), you could miss out on upgrade opportunities or other perks later this year.

New rules for pre-screening passengers will require the name on your booking information, including your frequent flyer programs, to match your government-issued ID. "Long story short, the name you registered in your frequent flyer program has to match the name on the document used to verify your identity at the airport -- usually a driver’s license or passport."

“It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure all documents match.” The change is happening because the Department of Homeland Security, in its "Final Rule on Secure Flight," is shifting pre-departure terrorist watch list matching responsibilities from individual airlines to the Transportation Safety Administration. The frequent flyer rule, along with others, will be phased in through the second half of the year.

Here are two examples to illustrate the change:

An American Airlines frequent flyer for 14 years has booked reservations under R. David Baker. His ID reads Robert David Baker and his frequent flyer account reads Robert Baker. American advised him to either change his reservation name to match his frequent flyer account in order to receive miles and upgrades, or he must change his frequent flyer account to match his reservation name. Ultimately, his government ID name will trump either process.

A traveler’s Continental OnePass account is listed as “Shawn,” but his ID and passport is listed as “Shaun.” In 10 years, he has never had a problem until he went to check-in for international flight. “On the surface, it would seem easy to change the name on your frequent flyer account to match your government-issued ID, but each airline has a different procedure for name changes,” Huffman said. “Some allow a letter to be faxed, some will do it by phone and some require documentation to be sent via email only.”

To prevent problems, frequent flyers should start the process now. Attached are links to most major airline website name change information pages or phone numbers if they do not have online information:

American Continental Delta (see “Name and Address Changes)
JetBlue
Northwest: call 1-800-447-3757
Southwest: call 1-800-445-5764
USAir
United

There is concern recently about the Autorun feature using CD-ROM's on your computer.

What is Auto Run, Auto Play? When an Autorun-enabled CD-ROM is inserted into a CD-ROM drive, Windows automatically launches the program contained on the disk, whether you want it to or not.

Due to increasing threats from the Conficker-Downadup Worm and other malware, US-CERT strongly recommends that Autorun/Autoplay be disabled on all computers.

What the Stimulus Means for You :o)

So, what are we going to get for $800 Billion, and is there a chance that us average citizens will see anything? Below are the details that we can expect:

A bigger paycheck: Starting in April, you can expect to see a little bit more in your paycheck, and income tax reduction of $400 for individuals and $800 for couples. Assuming this is for the whole year, it should be $50 to $60 per month.

A bonus for retirees: If you collect social security, look for a $250 check this summer.

Relief from the AMT: A $500 increase in the alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption for individuals, to $46,700, and a $1000 increase for couples, up to $70,950.

A tax break on new wheels: If you buy a new car, light truck, motorcycle or motor home this year and spend up to $49,500, you can deduct state and local sales taxes (average is 6%). Individuals who make less than $125,000 and families making less than $250,000 qualify.

An incentive for home buyers: A tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time buyers has been extended through November. If you buy in 2009, you will not have to pay the credit back. For all homeowners, the cap on credits for energy-efficiency improvements, such as new windows or insulation, has been raised from $500 to $1,500.

A break on college tuition: A beefed-up Hope (now American Opportunity) credit will max out at $2,500, up from $1,800. Qualifying income limits rise to $80,000 for singles and $160,000 for couples. Does your college student need a PC? You can use money in your 529 account to buy one - or Internet access - this year or next.

Lifeboats for the laid-off: Those who remain on their former employer's health-insurance plan will get a 65% subsidy for up to nine months. The first $2,400 in unemployment -insurance benefits this year will be tax-exempt.

Economic Depression - Are we there???

A Depression doesn't have to be Great — bread lines, rampant unemployment, a wipe-out in the stock market.

The economy can sink into a milder depression, the kind spelled with a lower-cased "d."

By one definition, it's a downturn of three years or more with a 10 percent drop in economic output and unemployment above 10 percent. The current downturn doesn't qualify yet: 15 months old and 7.6 percent unemployment. But both unemployment and the 6.2 percent contraction for late last year could easily worsen.

By one definition, it's a downturn of three years or more with a 10 percent drop in economic output and unemployment above 10 percent. The current downturn doesn't qualify yet: 15 months old and 7.6 percent unemployment.

But both unemployment and the 6.2 percent contraction for late last year could easily worsen. The Great Depression retains the heavyweight crown. Unemployment peaked at more than 25 percent. From 1929 to 1933, the economy shrank 27 percent. The stock market lost 90 percent of its value from boom to bust. And while last year in the stock market was the worst since 1931, the Dow Jones industrials would have to fall about 5,000 more points to approach what happened in the Depression.

Despite the tempered optimism, the economic outlook remains grim. Consumer confidence has fallen off the table, stocks are at 12-year lows, layoffs come by the tens of thousands, and credit remains tight. The current downturn has many of the 1930s characteristics, including being primed by big stock market and real estate booms that turned to busts. Policymakers and economists note there are safeguards in place that weren't there in the 1930s: deposit insurance, unemployment insurance and an ability by the government to hurl trillions of dollars at the problem, even if it means printing money.

Sunday Silliness - Delusions :o)

There is no greater joy than soaring high on the wings of your dreams, except maybe the joy of watching a dreamer who has nowhere to land but in the ocean of reality.

Stock Broker Hell :o)

For the first eight years with my current company, I was at our local headquarters location (25 minute drive vs. 45 minute drive to plant). Lately, I have been spending more time in the office that I still maintain there.

So today, while at my desk, the phone rings from an outside number.... I innocently answer, and #*$^& if it is not a stock broker looking to score. After I politely explained that I have an online stock account, and that we are soon going to help my Mom move to be near us, and after he mentioned that he was just a good ole Jewish boy, I stated that I am not interested in buying Bank Of America stock at the moment.

His angry response was "Is it because I am Jewish". I bruised my chin as my jaw dropped and bounced several times off of my desk. I calmly replied that there was no reason to be "rude", and he replied that he was not being rude, just being "real".

I guess the trends we are reading about recently where customer is King does not apply to the battered and tattered investment community. So, good riddance you sleaze ball.

Strategic Thinking Days :o)

The past few days have been very refreshing, a win-win type of thing.

First, I have had to only go to our design offices the last two days, eliminating 40 miles round trip. That is the first "win".

Second, a team of five of us have spent numerous hours on developing our long range and strategic planning input process. Basically, figuring out how our processes need to be modified to "feed" the beast.


The part that is the second "win" is that we have spent more than six hours in the past two days focusing on the process and how we do things better to come up with a 5-10 year plan for our station. It is very refreshing and, in a sense, inspirational.

So, my wish to you is that you have the time to think about your future, and spend the appropriate amount of time to actually plan for it :o)

2010 Budget Breakdown

The charts below outline the budget breakdown for the 10 year budget proposal from President Obama. I have to admit that looking at the charts below, I think we are biting off more than we can chew. The increase in spending does not seem to be the proper thing to be doing now. I hope that as these proposals are examined and evaluated, that we trim some of the proposed increases and have the discipline to avoid, and eliminate, earmarks.

Sunday Silliness - Defeat :o)

For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.