Event:  The 16th Annual Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure®

Date:  Sunday, October 17, 2010

Time:  7:00 AM

Location:  Kapiolani Park, Honolulu, HI

Race Length:  Coed 5K (3.1 miles) race and a 1-mile fun walk/run.

Course:  5K: USATF certified course (HI-07008-TLB), flat & fast.

Entrants:  More than 6500 male and female runners and walkers are expected.

Registration:  Online Registration is now open. View 2010 Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure registration information.

Packet Pickup:
Kewalo Conference Room at Ward Warehouse, 2nd Floor

Teams
Monday, October 11 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm
Tuesday, October 12 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm

Individuals
Wednesday, October 13 through Friday, October 15 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 16 from 9:00 am – 12 noon

On Race Day, there will be late registration and packet pick-up at Kapiolani Park from 5:00 to 6:00 am.

Race Day Schedule:  Sunday, October 17, 2010

4:00 am  Volunteer Check-in
5:00-6:00 am  Race Day Registration
6:00 am  Welcome/aerobic warm up
7:00 am  START, 5K run/walk
7:15 am  START, One Mile fun walk
8:00 am  Awards Ceremony, Entertainment Expo
8:15 am  Survivor Recognition and photo at Bandstand

Beneficiaries: Up to 75% of the net proceeds from the Race will go to fund local area breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs (view Grants) and at least 25% will help fund the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Award and Research Grant Program.

The Hawaii Race will appeal to the serious and casual runner, but most importantly it will appeal to those that have been touched by the disease and those who recognize the need to combat it. Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, friends and family members of those that have lost their battle to breast cancer and breast cancer survivors will be at the race running individually as well as part of corporate teams.

The Obama administration just reported the 2010 budget deficit will be $1,470,000,000,000.  That’s just for one year.  The administration tells us not to worry; the 2011 deficit will be a mere $1,420,000,000,000.

I just saw a television news report that said the U.S. government is borrowing 41 cents of every dollar it spends.  Let me say that again; 41 cents of every dollar it spends.  That’s like you earning $59,000 this year, but deciding to spend $100,000.  Could you really do that for one year?  Two years?  How long do you think this nation can do this?  What kind of leadership do we have in Washington?

Once the United States entered World War II, it took less than four years to defeat Germany, Japan and Italy.  We’ve been fighting in Afghanistan for nearly nine years.  I am more convinced than ever that we’ve chosen to conduct this war in the wrong way.  This enemy cannot be bought off with dollars, running water or electricity.

The Chinese New Year is just two weeks away.  To help celebrate, Mr. Clear Englebert, author of Feng Shui for Hawaii, will give free feng shui lectures at four Oahu libraries.

As reported in the Honolulu Advertiser, these lectures will focus on the different schools of feng shui and explain chi energy and how to attract and maximize its positive flow.  Englebert explains why some energy is considered negative and how to deflect it.  He will also discuss furniture selection/placement, locating powerful spots in a room, harmonizing your home with the surrounding land and using feng shui in a tropical garden.

The lecture dates, times and locations are:

Tuesday, Feb. 2, 6:30pm at the Kapolei Library (693-7050)

Thursday, Feb. 4, 6:30pm at the Kailua Library (266-9911)

Saturday, Feb. 6, 2:30pm at the Mililani Library (627-7470)

Sunday, Feb. 7, 2:30pm at the Kaneohe Library (233-5676)

Contact Michael Zimmerman if you need a referral to a Certified Feng Shui Practitioner.

Are you looking for a special place to take your sweetie for a nice relaxing lunch?  Well, I’ve got just the place!

Tea at 1024
1024 Nuuanu Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96817

Michele Henry is the owner and she is always so friendly.

I take my wife to Tea at 1024 on a “date” three to four times a year and we thoroughly enjoy it every time.  We’ve been to afternoon tea at Neiman Marcus’ Mariposa and the Royal Hawaiian, but we get the most enjoyment at Tea at 1024 by far.

This place is different.  Everyone gets to choose their own tea cup to drink from.  There are Victorian hats and feather boas available for the women.  The decor was redone in 2009, is bright and is very relaxing.

Tea Service begins with your choice of tea and a house salad (usually spinach) lightly dressed with Vidalia onion vinaigrette dressing and feta cheese.  This is followed by chicken curry, egg salad, cheddar cheese & tomato and crab & olive tea sandwiches (they’re all outstanding).  Homemade scones with clotted cream & strawberry jam and assorted pastries complete this tasty meal.  My wife and I always leave with a full stomach and the price is right.

Tea at 1024 is great for a private get together, small parties or even wedding showers.  They are open Tuesday through Saturday.  Space is limited, so make a reservation at 808-521-9596, especially if you want to go on the weekend.

 
Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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My wife and I have lived in the Kakaako area for three and a half years and we love it.  Here are the top 10 reasons we think you should consider living here too.

1.  Several diverse living choices ranging from new to more established luxury condominium buildings.  Examples include Hawaiki Tower, Hokua At 1288 Ala Moana, Ko’olani, Moana Pacific, Nauru Tower and One Waterfront Towers.

2.  Several health care providers are close by such as Straub Hospital, Kapiolani Medical Center and Queen’s Medical Center.

3.  Healthy recreation areas at your doorstep include Ala Moana Beach Park, Magic Island and Kakaako Waterfront Park.

4.  Easy and convenient access to H-1 (both east and west directions) and major bus lines.

5.  Wonderful restaurant choices range from fine dining to local mom & pop eateries.  Additionally, terrific shopping is available at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, Ward Centers and the Nordstrom store located on Kapiolani Blvd.

6.  Great beach and surfing access at nearby Ala Moana and Waikiki beaches.

7.  Entertainment and the arts are here.  The Blaisdell Center, Concert Hall, Exhibition Center, Honolulu Academy of Arts and Ward 16 Theaters are just minutes away.

8.  Many interesting adjacent neighborhoods to explore include Chinatown, Downtown, Makiki, McCully and Waikiki.

9.  Controlled growth.  The Hawaii Community Development Authority is developing the Ward Neighborhood Master Plan.

10.  Majestic mauka to makai views include Diamond Head, Punchbowl and the Ko’olaus to Honolulu Harbor and the Waikiki shore.

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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The 25th Honolulu City Lights will open this Saturday, December 5, 2009.  Over the last 24 years, the month-long event has expanded considerably, but has always included a lighted 50-foot Christmas tree.  The holiday tree connects lighted Christmas trees and buildings spread out over a “corridor of Christmas lights” through Chinatown, Downtown, the Capitol District and the Civic Center area.

The Opening Night Celebration occurs on the first Saturday in December.  Thousands attend the opening night festivities featuring the popular Electric Light Parade, a holiday concert, decorated Christmas trees and wreaths in the Honolulu Hale courtyard and the traditional lighting of the huge City Christmas tree.

For more, please visit the Honolulu City Lights homepage.

 
Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.michael-zimmerman.com
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The President promised change.  The question is; change to what?  If you haven’t asked that question, and millions of Americans haven’t, you’re doing yourself and your family a disservice.  Change for the pure sake of change is foolish.

Reform means different things to different people and the House and Senate continue their quest to “reform health care.”  We may be nearing the point of no return on this issue.  If the House and Senate leaders pass anything resembling the 2,000 page (that’s 4 reams of paper and sits over 8 inches high) bill currently being discussed, it will dramatically change the way Americans receive their medical care, probably forever.

I urge everyone to read the following four thought-provoking articles, written by Stanford University economist Thomas Sowell.  He has common sense, he’s not a politician and he writes in plain English.  These articles should make you think twice before trusting the House and Senate to alter the American health care system.

The “Costs” of Medical Care

The “Costs” of Medical Care:  Part II

The “Costs” of Medical Care:  Part III

The “Costs” of Medical Care:  Part IV

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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The Centers for Disease Control reported that influenza activity continued to increase in the United States during the week of October 11-17, 2009.  Flu activity is now widespread in 46 states, but Hawaii is not one of them (see the map below).  

Visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness are increasing sharply and are higher than the number seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons.  If you’re experiencing flu systems, it’s imperative that you seek medical attention immediately.

H1N1 symptoms are different from the common cold:

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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When the Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives in 2006, they pledged to work five days a week.  On October 7, 2009, they backed away from that pledge and adopted a 2.5 day work week.  Talk about aiming high.  This gives them plenty of time to focus on what’s really important to them; running for re-election.

I think reducing the number of hours Congress works is a great idea.  The less time they spend legislating, the less damage they do and the less of our money they spend on their pet projects.  A half-day of work is plenty.  I do have one objection to this 50% cut in their work week:  their pay remains the same.  No matter how good or bad our economy is, regular people will never be allowed to work 50% of the time for full pay.  The Congressmen should reduce their pay as well.

I truly wonder what kind of parents Hollywood elites make.  I wonder if Whoopi Goldberg, Harrison Ford or Debra Winger would willingly deliver their 13 year-old daughter into the arms of someone like Roman Polanski.  Why they would defend Polanski’s rape of a 13 year-old girl in 1977 is beyond me.  Watch Whoopi Goldberg and you decide if we should listen to the Hollywood “stars”:

By the way, what do you think would happen if a man said it wasn’t (using Whoopi’s words) “rape-rape”? 

Immediately after the Obama administration reported a record budget deficit for the fiscal year ended September 2009 of $1.4 trillion, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said the United States must live within its means once its economy recovers if it is to preserve global confidence in the U.S. dollar’s status.  One wonders if Mr. Geithner has attended any of the health care reform conferences held at the White House.  To put it lightly, his statement seems to be at odds with the administration’s agenda.

The day Michael Moore freely distributes all of his wealth is the day he can speak to the rest of America about redistributing its wealth.

We live in an entitlement culture and the entitlement appetite gets more ravenous as time passes.  There will be no Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) next year.  Why?  Because the cost of living actually declined 4% last year.  Not to worry; President Obama says 57 million Social Security recipients are entitled, yes entitled, to $250 each to alleviate their “disappointment” that they were not injured by inflation last year.  This is a clear case of the President, and all members of Congress who vote for this payout, creating an entitlement where none exists.  No wonder they can’t balance the budget.  How can we possibly trust them to enact 2000-page laws totally remaking the way health care is delivered in this country?

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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The Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure is only five days away.  Help Susan G. Komen for the Cure realize its vision of a world without breast cancer by participating in the Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure.  The race will be held at Kapiolani Park on Sunday, October 18 at 7:00 a.m.

Read the Race details

This year’s theme:  the power of 15

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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In part 1, we learned more about your airline passenger rights.  In the second part of this series, we’ll discuss how you can contribute to this debate and how to prepare before you fly.

What Can You Do?
The national debate is gaining momentum and now’s the time to make sure your voice is heard.  There are a number of ways that you can join the discussion.

You may want to join the effort to put more stringent rules into the law books.  For example, the Coalition for an Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights has proposed a set of rights to be written into law, including a requirement that airlines “establish procedures for returning passengers to the terminal when delays occur so that no plane sits on the tarmac for longer than three hours without connecting to a gate.”  You can view the proposed Bill of Rights on FlyersRights.org.

In addition, you can sign a Petition for the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights.  You can also contact your state’s Senators and Congressmen to make sure they take this issue seriously and work to protect your rights.  If you don’t know how to contact your Senators and Representative, you can quickly find their names and telephone numbers by visiting the Congressional Directory.

Finally, if you have your own bad experience on the tarmac, you can submit a complaint form to make sure the incident is recorded.

Prepare Before You Fly
Before you get on your next flight, visit FlyersRights.org to download and print two important documents that you can carry on the plane.  The first document is the Emergency Kit Document, which lists items you should keep handy on your next flight.  The second document is the Stranded Passenger Survival Guide, which features information on what you can do if your plane is stranded on the tarmac for an unreasonable amount of time.

In summary, take some time to learn your rights and prepare before you fly.  You decide if you’d like to take part in the conversation.

Read Part 1

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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The mark of any good leader is the ability to surround oneself with a highly competent team of professionals who know what they’re doing.  No one, not even this President, can be all-knowing.  So, when seven past CIA Directors all speak with one voice and provide specific advice about how to preserve the Nation’s security (in this case, halt the Attorney General’s criminal investigation into alleged abuses in the CIA’s interrogation program), the President should listen and follow that advice.  This advice is doubly true for the President who has no executive experience, no foreign policy experience, no experience in intelligence and no national security experience.

The President appeared on no less than five Sunday morning news programs on September 20.  When asked about the additional troops requested by the very General (Stanley McChrystal) that Obama installed in May 2009, the President responded by saying no troops would be sent until he evaluates our strategy.  That indicates we are just beginning to review our Afghanistan policy.  Isn’t it odd, actually it’s quite sad, that the President failed to recall that he just concluded a “careful policy review” and adopted a “comprehensive, new strategy for Afghanistan” on March 27, 2009.  Meanwhile, General McChrystal’s report and troop request have been languishing on the President’s desk since the end of August.  The President has time to give countless health care speeches and appear on Sunday morning news programs.  Why doesn’t he take the time to read the General’s report and make a decision?

While addressing a joint session of Congress on September 9, President Obama said he would largely solve the cost problem of his health care proposal by eliminating “hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and fraud” from Medicare.  Isn’t he just insulting the American public’s intelligence?  If Obama is right and $500 billion can be painlessly removed from the Medicare budget, what is he waiting for?  Health care reform isn’t a necessary element to saving half a trillion dollars.  Why didn’t the administration begin harvesting these painless billions in savings when they took office eight months ago?  I think the American people know the answer.

Israel is undoubtedly America’s staunchest ally in the Middle East.  Did the President sell out Israel in his speech to the United Nations on September 23?  In that speech, he called for an “independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory that ends the occupation that began in 1967…”  First, Gaza and the West Bank have never been contiguous.  To make them so would divide a now contiguous Israel in half.  While I’m sure the Palestinians love this concept, shouldn’t the President support Israel, the target of hundreds of Palestinian terror attacks?  Finally, the President speaks of “the occupation that began in 1967.”  Has he forgotten that the territory in question was gained following the 1967 war between Israel and several Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, and Syria)?

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
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In 2004, Mississippi Governor, Haley Barbour, signed a wide-ranging tort reform bill.  It included a $500,000 limit on pain-and-suffering awards in medical malpractice cases and $1 million in other cases, punitive damage caps, venue reform, joint and several liability limitation, relief of premises owners from liability to contractors’ employees for hazards known to the contractor and product liability relief for “innocent sellers”.  Prior to the 2004 reforms, Mississippi’s legal system was tilted against civil defendants.  The 2004 law changed all that.

So, what were the results?  Simply put, the number of medical malpractice claims plummet by 91% from the peak.  The state’s largest medical liability insurer dropped its premiums by 42% and has offered an additional 20% rebate each year since tort reform went into effect.

Given four years of impressive results, why haven’t the health care reform bills in Congress included this type of measure?  Some would say–probably rightly–it’s about payback to lobbyists and hefty campaign contributors.

Furthermore, tort reform shouldn’t apply solely to the medical field.  It should apply to everything as was done in Mississippi and the entire nation would benefit immensely.  Read the Wall Street Journal article, Mississippi’s Tort Reform Triumph, for more on the positive effects on Missisippi’s business.

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.michael-zimmerman.com
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The Susan G. Komen 2009 Race for the Cure’s theme is “The Power of 15.”

This year marks the 15th Anniversary of the Komen Race for the Cure in Hawaii.  Your fundraising can make a significant impact when you ask 15 friends to each donate $15, for a total of $225, which is the average cost of a mammogram in Hawaii.

The Online Team Registration deadline has been extended to 6:00 pm Sunday, 09/27/2009.

Visit the Registration Website

Read more specific details about the Race

This New York Post article by Ralph Peters titled, “Forgetting the vows we made“, is very appropriate for today, September 11.

Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) recently spoke at a National Press Club luncheon.  Listen to this short clip about health care reform legislation:

Here are some questions that I hope are on most Americans’ minds:

We live in a republic.  We elect officials, in this case, Congressmen and Senators, to represent us.  To truly represent us, shouldn’t these officials read bills that they vote into law or vote against to prevent from becoming law?  Isn’t that one of the primary reasons they are there in Washington?

Conyers’ professed attitude (Why should I read the bill?) in the clip leads me to wonder, do any of our Congressmen or Senators read the bills they routinely vote on?

The Congressman states he needs two days to review the bill.  Permission granted.  Who said the Nation’s health care system required a complete overhaul in a matter of hours?

Conyers states he needs lawyers to help him understand the bill.  He has a law degree.  Conyers has been in the House of Representatives since 1964.  If he can’t understand bills as written, who can?

Moreover, if 1000 page bills cannot be understood, then why didn’t attorney Conyers join forces with others who can’t or won’t read 1000 page bills to prevent 8-inch-thick bills from being written?  After all, he’s been in Congress for 35 years.  Why don’t they require bills to be written so they can understand them?

Who writes 1000 page bills that, apparently, no Congressman or Senator can understand, even if they took the time to read the bill?

Is it possible that no one on Capitol Hill wants us to read and understand the bill?

What were the citizens of Detroit, Michigan thinking when they elected John Conyers?  What were they thinking when they re-elected him 20 times?

In February, the $787 billion stimulus passed after Congressmen and Senators had just a few hours to review the bill.  Didn’t our elected officials learn then that this process should not be repeated?

Doesn’t this cavalier attitude make you question the qualifications of every Congressman and Senator in Washington?

Note:  John Conyers is not alone in his failure to read bills before voting.  He is merely the one Congressman to make his sentiments known to the public in the clip above.

Contributed by Michael Zimmerman
Direct:  808-457-9683
Michael@Michael-Zimmerman.com
www.Michael-Zimmerman.com
Subscribe to Honolulu Real Estate and Community News

The Hawaii Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure presents
The 15th Annual Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure

Visit the Registration Website

Time:  7:00 AM – 5K Run 
            7:15 AM – 1 Mile Fun Walk / Run

Location:  Kapiolani Park, Honolulu, HI

Length of Race:  Coed 5K (3.1 miles) race and a 1-mile fun walk/run

A question for all Honolulu homeowners:  are you truly prepared should Hurricane Felicia, or another storm later this season, hit Oahu?  It’s been over 15 years since the islands were struck by Hurricane Iniki, but that’s all the more reason to be prepared right now.

At 6:00pm last night, Felicia was 1300 miles east of Hawaii with winds around 135 miles per hour.  Tropical Depression Enrique is further away and is falling apart.  Felicia’s path is still very uncertain, but it appears the hurricane will continue moving west.  As Enrique weakens, high pressure may push Felicia toward the islands at a faster rate than forecasted.  We should expect this system to affect our weather by Sunday (August 9, 2009) morning and rain may fall for six to ten hours on Monday.

View the KHNL-8 Hurricane Tracker

If you don’t have a disaster supply kit, there’s still time to assemble one.  View KHNL-8’s disaster supply kit suggestions.

Identity theft is a growing problem in Honolulu and the rest of the United States.  Thieves steal personal information and use it for their personal gain or sell it to other criminals.

With good reason, many people are afraid thieves will gain access to their private information via the computer.  This is possible for them to do, but there are ways to protect yourself.  Installing antivirus, antispyware, firewall protection and hardware firewalls are just the beginning.  Given the horrible consequences of having your identity stolen, always err on the side of caution to protect your personal information.  Here are some suggestions to keep your computer safe:

• When setting up wireless internet access, learn more about wireless security.
• Store your back up data away from your computer.
• Avoid opening emails from people you don’t know.
• Never open attachments unless you know who they are coming from.
• Make sure you enable your browser to block pop-ups.
• Never use your credit card on a website that does not direct you to a secure page with a URL starting with https://.
• Use different passwords for each site that requires one.  Build strong passwords by mixing letters, numbers and other keyboard symbols.

For more information on computer safety, visit Internet Safety Solutions.

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

Americans are concerned about their future medical care.  Most are worried because it costs much more than it did in the past.

Why does medical care cost so much more than it did years ago?  It’s safe to say we spend more for advanced medical procedures and new drugs because they didn’t exist in the past.  Health care isn’t the only industry with this phenomenon.  Autos and homes are excellent examples as well.  Twenty years ago, cars were cheaper because they didn’t have air conditioning, air bags and anti-lock brakes.  Homes were cheaper too because they were smaller and lacked today’s modern conveniences.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have all these health care services and worldly possessions at 1989 prices?  Why do the current administration and so many Congressmen think this is easily obtainable?  Do they really believe they can deliver these benefits and ignore the costs?

I’ve read that the United States has four times as many Magnetic Resonance Imaging units (MRIs) per capita as does Great Britain or Canada.  We shouldn’t be surprised that these things cost money.  I’ve also read that it costs pharmaceutical companies a BILLION dollars to develop a new drug.  If new drugs could be developed for less, don’t you think the for-profit corporations would do so?  No matter how much the government wishes, it cannot make those costs disappear.

How do we lessen health care costs?  Buy less of it.  How many Americans are willing to do that?  That is the most likely outcome of a government run health care system.  That means we’ll wait longer to see our doctor, just as people do in countries with medical systems run by the government.  I’ve read that 27% of Canadians who have surgery wait at least four months.  In Great Britain, it’s 38% and in America, only 5% wait that long.  Let’s not forget that a lot of bad things can happen while people wait four months for surgery.

Our representatives in Washington talk and talk and talk about lowering the cost of medical care.  What they’re really talking about is paying less.  Don’t be surprised if we get less when we pay less.  Americans should think long and hard before blindly supporting the administration’s “health care reform” plans.

Identity theft is a growing problem in Honolulu and the rest of the United States.  Thieves steal personal information and use it for their personal gain or sell it to other criminals.  Approximately five percent of identity theft victims are children.  Children are targeted because the crime may not be detected for several years.  Many victims do not recognize the theft until they apply for their first credit card.  In Part 1, we discussed how thieves use the internet to steal private information.  In Part 2 of this series, we’ll cover some things you can do to protect your personal information.

• Create and safely store a list of all credit card and bank card numbers that you keep in your wallet.
• Never keep your social security card or any information with your social security number on it in your wallet.
• Do not provide private information via email.
• Go paperless; cease all bank and credit card mailings.
• Promptly reconcile bank statements and verify charges on credit card bills.  Some thieves start small to see who pays attention.
• Do not use a public computer for business or to make a purchase.
• Memorize your ATM pin and make sure no one is standing nearby when you use your ATM card.
• Never save financial information on your cell phone.
• Do not apply for a job online, unless the employer has a verifiable, secure web address (https://).

For more information about safer online banking, read this going paperless article.

Read Part 1

Read Part 3

Identity theft is a growing problem in Honolulu and the rest of the United States.  Thieves steal personal information; many use it for their personal gain and others simply sell it to other criminals.  Typically, they use others’ personal information to obtain cash and credit cards.  In Part 1 of this series, we’ll discuss the thieves’ extensive use of the internet and other ploys they use to steal your private information.  In Parts 2 and 3, we’ll cover some preventive measures you can take to protect your personal information.

Phishing – This is accomplished by sending an email to you claiming to be from your bank, PayPal or eBay, or another online service.  The email asks you to click on a link and enter your personal information.

Spoofing and Pharming – Thieves redirect legitimate website traffic to an imposter site, where they ask unwitting victims to enter personal information.

Spyware – It is very common for people to mistakenly download illicit software and accidentally click on a pop-up.  This opens the door for thieves to steal your credit card numbers and passwords by accessing information on your computer hard drive.

Vishing - ”Voice phishing” is facilitated by using Voice over IP to gain access to your personal and financial information.

Bank card skimming – Thieves add a fake ATM slot and camera to a legitimate cash machine so they can copy your account information.  Servers at restaurants can also be armed with a portable card reader.

If you are concerned that you are an identity theft victim, go to the Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft website for more information.

Read Part 2

Read Part 3

The purpose of the Memorial Day holiday is to commemorate the many U.S. military men and women who died serving our country.  Tomorrow, before you begin celebrating the holiday with friends and family, I hope you’ll take a moment to honor and remember the soldiers, sailors and airmen who paid the ultimate price for the freedom we enjoy.  In addition, let’s honor and pray for the safe return of our military forces stationed around the world.  Considering what they sacrifice every day, how can we do less?

I am bothered by the fact that the federal government has taken a tremendous financial and management role in a number of critical U.S. industries such as the auto makers, banks/insurance and broadcasting.  In the last six months, the government loaned billions to the Big Three in Detroit, effectively removed the CEO of General Motors and is taking a much stronger role in deciding what cars will be manufactured.  At the same time, hundreds of billions were loaned to several financial institutions including affiliates of General Electric, the parent of NBC.  In effect, GE is beholden to the federal government and that calls NBC’s objectivity into question.

I recently read that Chrysler’s Union Retiree Health Fund (United Auto Workers Union) will eventually own 55% of Chrysler.  Well, isn’t it ironic that one of the entities responsible for driving Chrysler into bankruptcy will now be the majority shareholder?  One wonders if the union’s compensation appetite will be as voracious as it was when the union sat on the other side of the bargaining table.

I wonder if advocates of “universal health care” understand the difference between health care insurance and medical care.  Do they truly understand that universal health care does not entitle anyone to better or more medical care?

Now that Supreme Court Justice David Souter has announced his retirement, why are so many people worrying about what group (Hispanic, a woman, etc.) the next nominee will represent?  Isn’t it much more important that the next nominee be the best qualified person–whether a woman, man, black, white, whatever–for the job?

In the past, other countries around the world have issued huge sums of debt or merely printed money to finance government spending deficits just as we are doing now.  This often leads to inflation, which ultimately erodes the value of the currency.  Are you old enough to remember the double digit inflation the U.S. experienced in the late 1970s and early 1980s?  Inflation hurts everyone, no matter what their income level is.  Is it really wise to run deficits that average nearly a TRILLION dollars a year as the current administration proposes?  Should our Nation shoulder this monumental burden (bailouts and feckless stimulus plans) approved with as little as a few hours of forethought by Congress and the President?

Just because someone uses a word to describe something, that doesn’t make it so.  The words “investment” and “stimulus” are perfect examples.  Remember the $600 and $1200 “stimulus” checks we received last year?  Those checks didn’t stimulate anything.  What about the “investments” the federal government is funding by issuing hundreds of billions of dollars worth of government bonds right now?  Most honest people call that pork barrel or pet project spending.  Let’s not forget; Bernie Madoff made “investments” too.

When Iran or North Korea develop functional nuclear weapons and have the misguided will to use them (or worse, sell them to terrorist organizations), the current administration’s desire to talk and talk won’t save us or any other target of these weapons.  Russia, China and the United Nations won’t help us either.

I was watching the news on KHNL 8, the Honolulu NBC affiliate, last week.  The news anchor reported that Hawaii foreclosures rose 503% in March.  I wondered why they didn’t report the actual number of foreclosures.  Then I realized 503% is a sensational headline.  Bad news sells and hyped bad news sells even more.  The actual numbers NBC failed to provide are these:  there were 120 foreclosures in March 2008 vs. 724 foreclosures in March 2009.  A 503% increase sounds much worse than merely saying the number of foreclosures rose from 120 to 724.

“Concepts like parliaments or women’s rights may strike Saudi princes as alien. On the other hand, they have no difficulty grasping the significance of a B-2 bomber or a carrier battle group.”

- Andrew J. Bacevich

As President Bush leaves office, he’s receiving far more negative media attention than he deserves.  Has he made mistakes during the last eight years?  No doubt.  We cannot and must not forget that he kept the country safe during the last seven years.  On September 12, 2001, who among us was sure that could be achieved?

The media won’t let us forget how bad the economy is today.  Practically every night, NBC anchor Brian Williams is positively giddy as he “reports” another weak economic indicator.  Economic conditions weren’t great when Bush took office, but they were quite strong in the intervening six to seven years.  Why doesn’t anyone give him credit for that?

I am consistently amazed by much of the world’s response to the never-ending Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  In the current rendition, why are so many countries demanding that Israel cease its retaliatory measures against the Palestinians who have fired thousands of rockets indiscriminately into Israeli population centers?

Israel Map

Israel is surrounded by land in the hands of terrorists.  HAMAS controls the West Bank and Gaza, Hezbollah controls much of Lebanon to the north and Syria, which has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism, lies to the northeast.

How would the U.S. respond if Mexico showered San Diego with rockets day after day and killed Americans?  I’m certain we would not listen to the pleas of France or the United Nations urging a cease fire.  Imagine what the world might be like if the U.S. had followed that kind of advice after Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Isn’t it ironic that the same members of Congress who oversaw mortgage lending that eventually led to the Nation’s current financial crisis now want to meddle with the auto industry.

During his inauguration speech, Barack Obama said, “…On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.”  This would be a welcome respite, but I’m not holding my breath.  I’m not confident our elected officials are capable of fulfilling this vision for more than a day or two.