During these tough, economic times, people that have lost their jobs, their hours cut back have lost their health, dental and vision insurance benefits. It is a scary thought for an individual or family without any health insurance coverage. If you are drawing unemployment benefits, you know full well that you can't afford to pay for even temporary health coverage for yourself (or family).
Many folks take prescription drugs on a daily basis. For the majority, their health coverage plan does include (most) prescription drugs. Yes, there are alternatives such as what the Wal-Mart Pharmacies offer, 30-day supply for $4.00 or 90-day supply for $10.00. The prescription that I take isn't included in the Wal-Mart R/X plan. Many can barely afford to pay for their medications.
What is really daunting is the fact that many people of all age groups have paid taxes all their lives through payroll taxes, IRS, State income taxes, and when their back is against the wall and need assistance with health care, prescription drugs and other necessary medical services, it's not available to them for a myriad of government guidelines (I call them excuses).
Good, decent, taxpaying citizens are left without decent health care, while illegal immigrants come to this country and are given medical cards (Medicaid) plus other U.S. Government benefits at the blink of an eye. This is wrong, and as Americans, we need to start taking care of our own (legal) citizens who pay taxes to the federal, state, local and county governments. Many people and families are struggling to stay afloat and they should not have the door shut in their faces if they need assistance such as health care for themselves and their families.
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Sociable
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Dawn
Most folks that follow me are aware that I encourage and promote products that are not tested on animals. Animal testing is horrendous and it should be outlawed.
One thing that has remained constant in saving wildlife, marine birds and some marine animals, Dawn dish soap. Dawn does save lives! Our newest arrivals at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois, were rescued off the shores of Louisiana. They were covered with oil. The first thing they were treated with was a bath in Dawn dish soap. Now, they are going to live out their lives at the Brookfield Zoo, with plenty of room to roam, fresh food and water.
That blue bottle of Dawn has been a life saver for countless wildlife. I tip my hat to the good folks at Proctor & Gamble for formulating a wonderful, phosphate free and life-saving product!
Ellen R. Day is the Founder & Director of Friends of the Animal Kingdom, Inc., an Illinois non-profit organization. www.foak.giving.officelive.com
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
One thing that has remained constant in saving wildlife, marine birds and some marine animals, Dawn dish soap. Dawn does save lives! Our newest arrivals at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois, were rescued off the shores of Louisiana. They were covered with oil. The first thing they were treated with was a bath in Dawn dish soap. Now, they are going to live out their lives at the Brookfield Zoo, with plenty of room to roam, fresh food and water.
That blue bottle of Dawn has been a life saver for countless wildlife. I tip my hat to the good folks at Proctor & Gamble for formulating a wonderful, phosphate free and life-saving product!
Ellen R. Day is the Founder & Director of Friends of the Animal Kingdom, Inc., an Illinois non-profit organization. www.foak.giving.officelive.com
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Collection Agency Hijinks
Are you afraid to answer your phone for fear of another debt collector making threats? Well, you are not alone. Debt collectors have become very aggressive and currently, the debt collection and bad debt buyer industries have become a booming business. Some debt collectors follow The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, however, others behave in ways that are simply outrageous and downright illegal.
With an outside debt-collection agency (a/k/a third party collector), the collector’s job often is based on what they are able to collect. The fastest way to get you to pay up is with aggression and fear factor in unsuspecting consumers. Other methods employed by third-party debt collectors and bad debt buyers are harassment, embarrassment or shaming a person.
Here are some recent collection agency dirty tricks:
You’re going to be arrested and put in jail!
Earlier this year, I received a call from an elderly lady who lives alone. She was in tears and stated, “some collection agency person called and said they had the police outside. If she didn't pay immediately, she was going to be served with an arrest warrant and the police were ready to haul her off to jail”.
No matter what you have heard in the past, owing money on a credit card, car loan, car lease, medical bill, parking ticket, NSF checks (unless the check was written on a closed account) IS a civil matter, and not criminal matter. There is no such thing as debtor's prison. If collection agencies are making illegal threats such as jail time, deportation or physical violence, you can report the harassment to your State Attorney General.
Third-party debt collectors are not allowed to call you at work if you ask them to stop, reveal to anyone else that you have a debt, publish or threaten to publish your debt, harass you by phone or use profanity. They can't threaten illegal punishment such as jail, loss of child custody, loss of property, deportation or physical harm. They are prohibited from phoning your home before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., or even call at all if you or your attorney requests them in writing to cease contact.
We're going to file a foreclosure action against your home!
I recently had a client that was contacted by a collection agency over an $18,000 in credit card debt. The collector called and indicated to her that the collection agency was prepared to begin foreclosure proceedings against her and were prepared to take her home. Furthermore, the collector told my client they weren't willing to negotiate a payment plan and the final offer was the $18,000 she owed and needed a cashier’s check by 5:00 p.m, Friday. Needless to say, she was scared out of her wits!
During this past year, I’ve discovered collection agencies have been doing a lot of research on consumers that owe money. The collection agency will threaten specific assets like a home or income source. However, in many states, your home is protected from debt collection.
If a debt collector is mistreating you, there are two things you can do:
You have a legal right to request proof and validation of any debt (in writing) you are being pursued by a debt collector. Ask the collection agency for the name of the original creditor, copies of papers, agreements and contracts (proof that you agreed to pay) a billing statement is NOT proof! The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires debt collectors to comply. Tell the collection agency you want the date of the original debt, the date the debt went into default, how the company acquired the debt and a copy of the assignment showing the collection agency is legally able to pursue collection.
Let’s make you a deal! (P.S. It's not a game show either)
Earlier this month, a very nice man who indicated to me that he received a great offer contacted me: A settlement from a bad debt buyer, offering to take just $800 for his $1,100 cell phone bill. He tossed it the circular file.
Smart move, because it was a disputed debt from 2001. The original creditor verified that it wasn’t his billing statement and if fact, they had the wrong person.
Each state has a Statute of Limitations on debts and legal enforcement. Furthermore, unsecured debts also can be discharged in bankruptcy or settled. If the rogue collector places derogatory information on a consumer credit report for something like this, now you have a cause of action for violations not only the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, also the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Remember, states have time limits on how long a debt collector can legally pursue old debt, so I advise you to check with your State Attorney General to find out the limitations on enforcement. If you discover the debt is beyond the statute of limitations for collection, you cannot be forced to pay the debt. This is why validation of debt is so important.
Bad debt buyers are notorious for running around purchasing up old debt portfolios containing old credit card accounts, old cell phone accounts, old utility bills, old car loans, many which have been poorly documented and are well beyond legal enforcement. Attempting to re-age a debt that is time-barred is illegal and placing derogatory and false information on a consumer credit file is illegal.
For consumers, knowledge of your legal rights is key and real power. Be informed; be educated and in the know.
Ellen R. Day, LLB, JD is an expert in the field of credit law, debt collection law and identity theft. Ms. Day is the Author of "The Ultimate Credit & Debt Handbook" which describes in depth how you can address credit reporting error, dispute and validate alleged debts and taking action against identity theft. The Ultimate Credit & Debt Handbook is available only at: www.findlegalforms.com.
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Kai Ma
I am going to depart from the usual Friday blog whereas I usually shine a spotlight on someone that you should know.
Like a lot of people, I'm a member of a few social network sites. I've meet some really incredible, wonderful and great men and women on these particular sites. I've formed lasting friendships and have learned a lot from other small business owners. Most small business owners (myself included) have taken a direct hit in during the past two (2) years. However, not everyone that joins a social network community website is there for the right reasons. Today, I am going to bring to light an investigation into one such member of a truly wonderful women's social network sight that I have been a member of almost two years.
At first, when I met this person, she seemed to be genuinely a good person. Her profile lists her as a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong and that her English isn't so great. Well, I soon found out that was simply not the case at all as she speaks very good English. Her postings were all over the map....questions soon began to pop up such as "Am I still loved?". It was one "great crisis" after the other, high drama such as "I'm now going through a divorce" all in a effort to gain oodles of sympathy and to have other members feel sorry for her.
Everything changed as of October of 2009. A very tragic event took place in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. An 18-year-old young man unexpectedly passed away. Any parent would be paralyzed with grief and sorrow. I fully realize that we all handle grief in our own way, however, Ms. Kai Ma went on a full, blown blog posting spree! Several variations of how she found her son on the end of a rope, then it was hanging from a ceiling fan fixture, posting photos of a casket with black magic marker writings all over it, talking about how the kids all took turns shaving her son's head, it was disturbing! These postings had the desired effect because the real motive was laid out for all to see, which was money. Right from the get go, it was "please make donations to the family". Boy, did a series of red flags begin to fly!
Soon after this saga began, I was contacted by several members of the site and asked to investigate these wild claims. Well, here is what I discovered during the past eight (8) months of my investigation:
1. Kai Ma has used at least 26 alias names. Why? I do not believe personal privacy is at issue here, it shows motive and intent.
2. When a person passes away many families establish a Memorial Fund in honor of the deceased person. A third party such as a non-profit organization or a financial institution establishes a fund for the surviving family members, including any minor children. Sending cash donations to a family member is not advisable because you really do not know how the money is being spent and it becomes taxable income.
3. Asking a private investigator to pull a credit report on her now-deceased son. For anyone that is unfamiliar with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, this is illegal unless you have a legitimate or permissible purpose. The P.I. was 100% correct in turning down Kai Ma's request.
4. The way this young man died was not in the dramatic manner as described by his mother, Kai Ma. I have a copy of the report from the Midvale Police Department which proves otherwise.
5. Divorce. What divorce are you referring to? Please provide this writer a valid Salt Lake County Case Number.
I've been a member of the legal profession since 1985 and I have seen a lot over the past 25 years. This entire situation has really sickened me.
To exploit your son's untimely passing to go on a world-wide begging spree for money is revolting to say the least. Your methods of extracting hard-earned money from some very nice women and men through postings such as "your niece needs scholarship money for college, so please vote for her in the "Best Smile Contest" is truly far-reaching and it borders on one thing: your greed. Scholarships are awarded by good academics and getting top grades in school, not by a "great smile".
I, however, will pray for your son's soul and hope that he will never know how you turned his untimely passing into an ugly, obscene plot for monetary gain. You owe a lot of some really terrific and wonderful people a full explanation.
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Like a lot of people, I'm a member of a few social network sites. I've meet some really incredible, wonderful and great men and women on these particular sites. I've formed lasting friendships and have learned a lot from other small business owners. Most small business owners (myself included) have taken a direct hit in during the past two (2) years. However, not everyone that joins a social network community website is there for the right reasons. Today, I am going to bring to light an investigation into one such member of a truly wonderful women's social network sight that I have been a member of almost two years.
At first, when I met this person, she seemed to be genuinely a good person. Her profile lists her as a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong and that her English isn't so great. Well, I soon found out that was simply not the case at all as she speaks very good English. Her postings were all over the map....questions soon began to pop up such as "Am I still loved?". It was one "great crisis" after the other, high drama such as "I'm now going through a divorce" all in a effort to gain oodles of sympathy and to have other members feel sorry for her.
Everything changed as of October of 2009. A very tragic event took place in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. An 18-year-old young man unexpectedly passed away. Any parent would be paralyzed with grief and sorrow. I fully realize that we all handle grief in our own way, however, Ms. Kai Ma went on a full, blown blog posting spree! Several variations of how she found her son on the end of a rope, then it was hanging from a ceiling fan fixture, posting photos of a casket with black magic marker writings all over it, talking about how the kids all took turns shaving her son's head, it was disturbing! These postings had the desired effect because the real motive was laid out for all to see, which was money. Right from the get go, it was "please make donations to the family". Boy, did a series of red flags begin to fly!
Soon after this saga began, I was contacted by several members of the site and asked to investigate these wild claims. Well, here is what I discovered during the past eight (8) months of my investigation:
1. Kai Ma has used at least 26 alias names. Why? I do not believe personal privacy is at issue here, it shows motive and intent.
2. When a person passes away many families establish a Memorial Fund in honor of the deceased person. A third party such as a non-profit organization or a financial institution establishes a fund for the surviving family members, including any minor children. Sending cash donations to a family member is not advisable because you really do not know how the money is being spent and it becomes taxable income.
3. Asking a private investigator to pull a credit report on her now-deceased son. For anyone that is unfamiliar with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, this is illegal unless you have a legitimate or permissible purpose. The P.I. was 100% correct in turning down Kai Ma's request.
4. The way this young man died was not in the dramatic manner as described by his mother, Kai Ma. I have a copy of the report from the Midvale Police Department which proves otherwise.
5. Divorce. What divorce are you referring to? Please provide this writer a valid Salt Lake County Case Number.
I've been a member of the legal profession since 1985 and I have seen a lot over the past 25 years. This entire situation has really sickened me.
To exploit your son's untimely passing to go on a world-wide begging spree for money is revolting to say the least. Your methods of extracting hard-earned money from some very nice women and men through postings such as "your niece needs scholarship money for college, so please vote for her in the "Best Smile Contest" is truly far-reaching and it borders on one thing: your greed. Scholarships are awarded by good academics and getting top grades in school, not by a "great smile".
I, however, will pray for your son's soul and hope that he will never know how you turned his untimely passing into an ugly, obscene plot for monetary gain. You owe a lot of some really terrific and wonderful people a full explanation.
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Friday, July 16, 2010
SPOTLIGHT ON: Tracy Radford
Hello All!
I would like to shine the Friday Spotlight on Tracy Radford, a/k/a Mz Tracy. Who is she? She is a wonderful California jewelry designer, wife and mom to three beautiful children who is living with MS.
I met Tracy through a social network site in 2008 and was immediately awestruck with the way she has lived with a chronic and debilitating illness called Multiple Sclerosis. In the near future, I hope (and pray) that our scientists and doctors will be able to find a cure for MS through stem cell research.
Tracy is a gifted jewelry designer and obviously has not let MS get in the way of designing and creating some very beautiful and one-of-a-kind earrings, bracelets and necklaces. I invite you to visit her store at: http://mztracyr.etsy.com.
Tracy Radford, a person you ought to know. I know I'm happy to know her!
(((HUGS))) Ellen & Peeper
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
I would like to shine the Friday Spotlight on Tracy Radford, a/k/a Mz Tracy. Who is she? She is a wonderful California jewelry designer, wife and mom to three beautiful children who is living with MS.
I met Tracy through a social network site in 2008 and was immediately awestruck with the way she has lived with a chronic and debilitating illness called Multiple Sclerosis. In the near future, I hope (and pray) that our scientists and doctors will be able to find a cure for MS through stem cell research.
Tracy is a gifted jewelry designer and obviously has not let MS get in the way of designing and creating some very beautiful and one-of-a-kind earrings, bracelets and necklaces. I invite you to visit her store at: http://mztracyr.etsy.com.
Tracy Radford, a person you ought to know. I know I'm happy to know her!
(((HUGS))) Ellen & Peeper
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
So Far, So Good!
Hi Everyone!
Hope you all are enjoying the summer weather! We are having a bit of a heat wave, but I'm not complaining....no sirree!!!! When it's January, I'll be wishing for that warm, summer weather!
Well, so far, so good! On Tuesday, July 13, 2010, Friends of the Animal Kingdom, Inc., provided a family with four cats (fur children) with pet food assistance and kitty litter. Last night, my heart was a peace because it makes me so very proud to be able to do this job. How can I do this job? Well, that's simple and they only way Friends of the Animal Kingdom can do this is because of you! As the Founder & Director I feel so enlightened by your compassion and generosity.
Kathy, the caller and Mommy to 4 delightful fur children was so overwhelmed with happiness when I told her that Friends of the Animal Kingdom would be able to provide her help. That's what life is all about at times....lending a helping hand to a person or family struggling, just to get them over the hump and be able to regroup and try to get ahead.
Thank you, Kathy, for contacting us. We wish you and your beloved fur children, peace, joy, happiness, good health, prosperity, love and God's Blessings, always!
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Spotlight on: Cynthia Schmidt, The Chocolatier
Hi everyone! Hope you all have had a nice week so far! Shorter work weeks are sometimes hectic, well, for me, anyways!
I would like to shine the Friday Spotlight on the fabulous Cynthia Schmidt. Cyn is a Chocolatier and whips up some really yummy and wonderful homemade chocolates. I've know Cyn for about two years after meeting her on a social network site. She's from Hawaii, Maui to be exact. Cyn is not only a master chocolatier but an animal lover as well, her beloved fur child, Murphy, is one precious, beloved and pampered feline.
If you are scheduling a party or would like to give someone a gift that is truly special, please log on to: www.cynthiaschmidt.com. Everyone needs some chocolate now and then, especially when they are handmade chocolate candies and goodies. You go girl, Cyn!
~Ellen & Peeper~
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
I would like to shine the Friday Spotlight on the fabulous Cynthia Schmidt. Cyn is a Chocolatier and whips up some really yummy and wonderful homemade chocolates. I've know Cyn for about two years after meeting her on a social network site. She's from Hawaii, Maui to be exact. Cyn is not only a master chocolatier but an animal lover as well, her beloved fur child, Murphy, is one precious, beloved and pampered feline.
If you are scheduling a party or would like to give someone a gift that is truly special, please log on to: www.cynthiaschmidt.com. Everyone needs some chocolate now and then, especially when they are handmade chocolate candies and goodies. You go girl, Cyn!
~Ellen & Peeper~
Copyright, 2010, by Peeper Talk. All rights reserved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)