Personal Money Store may be your portal for payday loans, but if you have your eye on an appliance, electronic device or piece of furniture and want to must up the liquidity to be able to get what you want, payday loans may not always be the most direct route. Utilizing the services of a rent-to-own company in order to pay the bill over time has been a popular method for some consumers, and Rent-A-Center is one of America's largest, most publicized rent-to-own companies.

3,000-plus stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico

According to rentacenter.com, the Plano, Texas-based Rent-A-Center and its 19,000 employees offers consumers "an easy, affordable way to furnish their homes without incurring a continuing obligation and without needing access to credit." Name brands are on the menu, as well as same-day delivery, 90 days same as cash and an early purchase option. Interesting, Rent-A-Center repairs merchandise still on rent at no charge to the consumer and they offer them a substitute while the original is being repaired.

In addition, Rent-A-Center offers the "RAC Worry-Free Guarantee," which is billed as "100% satisfaction or your money back." Not only do you not need credit to apply, but RAC will match competitor prices. If you aren't satisfied with your Rent-A-Center item, you can return it within the first week and the full first payment will be refunded.

Online traffic for rentacenter.com: Recovering after a fall

According to the online metric site compete.com, rentacenter.com hit 600,000 unique visitors in January 2009. Unfortunately, a steep decline followed. Numbers for December 2009 were 505,014 unique visitors, which was a 7.92 percent improvement over the previous month. The trend since the heights of January 2009 has been to increase, but there's still road to travel. Total visitors for December 2009 was 687,185, a 6.71 percent increase over the previous month.

Getting to rentacenter.com meant using Google.com (20.63 percent of traffic), Yahoo.com (10 percent) and Facebook (5.63 percent). It comes as no surprise that "rent a center" is the most frequently used search term (netting a whopping 42.98 percent), while "rentacenter.com" (4.01 percent) and "rentacenter" (2.87 percent) followed up.

If it's good enough for Magic, Rent-A-Center may be good enough for you

Related Video:

Image from Flickr.

It seems when Google sees a good idea, the humongous company just can't seem to keep its hands off of it. From everything I have read about Google's new product, which people are referring to as Gmail Buzz or Googlebuzz, it's the same thing as Facebook. PC World reports:

Using Buzz, you can share pictures, videos, and links, pulling in media from other sites like YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, Google Reader, and even Twitter. Google put an emphasis on sharing media, with features like inline video playback and a custom photo viewer that lets you quickly skim through shared photos.

That sounds pretty much exactly like what Facebook does. It does automatic compilation of information for the sites mentioned, but I am not so certain that is a good thing. I don't want to have to think through all my gmail contacts and whether they want to see every picture I ever post online. I'm just glad that I can still get a cash until payday loan and be sure that my privacy will be protected.

Signing up for Gmail Buzz

You can check out this new service for yourself at www.google.com/buzz. A lot of people who know more about technology than I do are saying good things about the fact that "the data is geotagged." But I also read that you will get an email every time someone comments on your status or comments on your comments. I am sure that will be easy to turn off just as it is with Facebook, but that sounds pretty annoying.

So here is my question: Why would people, who already have a social network built  up on Facebook want to start from scratch with Gmail Buzz? Sure, all of your gmail contacts will automatically be a part of your social network, but I think that only people who have gmail can use Googlebuzz. So what about my sister, who still stubbornly sticks with her Yahoo address?

More info on Gmail Buzz

For articles by people more technologically savvy than I, check out these articles from The Seattle P.I. and PC World for more information.

Will you be signing up for Gmail Buzz, or Googlebuzz?

For anyone who loves math, there are high-paying careers waiting. We all know them.  The people who can work a scientific calculator like no one else. The people who can tell you the payment on any principal amount money amortized over a given period of time at a given interest rate. The people who can create entire spreadsheets in minutes. The people who seem to have been born to calculate.

Not everyone has the ability to understand and apply math, but those who do have some valuable career options. Here are some of today's most lucrative mathematical careers.

Actuary

Hands down, an actuary is the number-one career choice for a math buff. Actuaries are affiliated with insurance companies and other businesses that operate on the probability that certain events will happen. It’s a lot like predicting the future by basing the prediction on past performance. To become an actuary, college students normally major in business, statistics, or. According to the US Department of Labor, an actuary makes an average salary of about $83,000. It’s a great career choice for someone who loves math and statistics.

Marketing manager

Though it may sound odd, since marketing isn’t traditionally affiliated with math, there is a connection. Rather than predicting events involving people, marketing managers predict the performance of products and services. A marketing manager’s job is to create a viable plan for a company to introduce products, including the lifespan of the product and the curve of profitability the product will create. The Department of Labor reports the average salary of a marketing manager to be $118,100. Students interested in the field should focus on sales and marketing.

Accountant

At one time or another, most business owners need help from an accountant. Accountants provide financial information and can analyze the financial documents to offer the solutions to business problems. Accounting services include preparation of tax documents, statements for business start-ups and acquisitions, and growth and exit strategies. The Department of Labor reports the average accountant salary to be $68,000, but larger corporations can offer considerably higher compensation. Most accounting jobs require at least least a bachelor’s degree in the field.

Information technology

Computer languages, networks and systems are all based on numbers and call for a very analytical mind. IT workers handle the planning, implementation, and operations of all computer-related activities in a workplace. Due to the growth in technology, information-technology workers’ salaries average about $101,580 according to the Department of Labor. A career in information technology requires a degree in IT and computer science. Information technology is a constantly and rapidly changing field.  People specializing in information technology can expect to have to periodically update their educations and work skills and add various certifications to their educational history.

Mathematical calculations at work

Being mathematically minded can provide much more than just a hobby. Today more than ever before, math skills can be parlayed into lucrative careers. Anyone who enjoys math and has the requisite skills should consider their options in the business world. Overall, math skills translate into top-paying career opportunities.

People without kids are more likely to walk away from their homes.

Many people have reasons for wanting to stay in their home, regardless of how much they're paying. People don't want to uproot their families or don't want to go through the hassle of moving. However, some people are so fed up with the housing market that they're willing to allow their mortgages to go into default and walk away from their property.

Those who choose this option generally don't have a whole lot of money already invested in the home, don't have kids or actually cannot afford the monthly payments anymore. Even those who got the best personal loan rates are looking at what their house is worth versus what they are paying for it and deciding that allowing foreclosure is the best decision. Here are some reasons people have chosen to do so.

10. Cheaper monthly payments

Some homeowners, realizing that it could be years before they'd be able to make a profit on their home, have decided to let their mortgages default in favor of paying less expensive rent each month.

9. Too long to wait for profit

People who purchased property before the recession and have owned it only a few years, believe they'll save money in the long run if they simply let the bank take the house. One condo owner in Miami says he believes it could take until 2025, possibly 2040, for his condo to be worth what he paid for it again.

8. Need to move now

Many people who have to move because of employment or other reasons are finding that letting the bank take the house is simply faster and easier than trying to sell right now, in a market where no one wants to buy.

7. Political outrage

A lot of people simply are angry that the Wall Street executives who got bailed out by the government are getting bonuses again, while they are struggling to pay mortgages on practically worthless property.

6. Loan modification disappointing

The federal loan modification helped some people somewhat, but many feel it wasn't enough. The New York Times says the plan "raised the expectations of many but satisfied only a few."

5. Home is worth 75 percent of purchase price

Research cited in the New York Times says that once property loses 25 percent of its value, homeowners begin to seriously consider walking away.

4. Fear of future deflation

Though many economic experts believe the housing market will eventually return to normal levels, some people worry that their property will only depreciate in value. They don't want to continue to pay for something that is losing value every day.

3. No encouragement or improvement

Though some economic indicators point to improvement, the housing market has stayed stagnant. Many people who aren't planning to stay in one place for long, and thus foresee ending up trying to sell worthless property, would rather just let the bank deal with it.

2. No sentimental value

Sam Khater, a senior economist with First American CoreLogic, the firm that conducted the recent research, said part of what motivates people is that they simply become unattached to their homes when they decrease in value so much. “People’s emotional attachment to their property is melting into the air,” he said.

1. All of the above

For most people who decide to go through with walking away from their homes, it's a combination. The frustration of "feeling like a sucker," the  lack of government intervention, the high monthly payments, low property value and bleak outlook are too much. They'd rather simply mail their keys to the bank and walk away, free from future financial burden and a failed investment.

Baby boomers may need extra savings, personal loans and family help to make it through their retirement. The bailout of 2009 was huge. It was supposed to spur on the economy and return the lending and auto industries to successful operations. Though its long-lasting effect has yet to be seen, another aspect of the economy is now calling for help. It’s the Social Security system that is the next big problem for the government to tackle. According to the Congressional Budget Office, for the first time in a quarter of a century the Social Security system is taking in less in taxes than it is putting out in benefits. The system is the biggest social program around today and that makes it a priority warranting quick action. It needs help from the Treasury to avoid bouncing benefit checks.

The negative Social Security fund

The government hasn’t officially announced that the Social Security fund is negative, but the numbers have been released to calculate proof. The interest that Social Security earns on its trust fund for 2010 will be $120 billion and the overall Social Security surplus for 2010 is $92 billion. That leaves a $28 billion deficit in the year’s fund on September 30th, the end of the fiscal year. Though some would argue that interest isn’t factored into the equation, there is good reason for that. Interest includes IOUs the fund gets on holds of government securities, but it isn’t liquid and, therefore, pays no money into the system to count on.

Social Security hasn’t been negative since the 1980s when the same issue arose. The Greenspan Commission report resulted and created money by instructing Congress to trim benefits and raise taxes. The moves created cash surpluses, but those have been used for the last 20 years to help finance the rest of the government. Though it was predicted the surplus would last much longer, the reality is that the cash-strapped government went through the money quicker than hoped.

Social affect of the deficiency

Social Security currently makes up more than 50% of a retirees' total income. That’s bad news for people who were relying on Social Security benefits, along with personal loans and family aid to make monthly payments. Add to their problems the fact that housing values are down, savings are depleted and credit is sparse, and that creates a difficult retirement for the average senior citizen. To make it through the recession most seniors tapped heavily into their cash reserves and no longer have the funds needed to sustain themselves without help.

A few years ago, it would have been simpler to fix the issue. The government could have used Social Security’s cash surplus to buy non-Treasury securities. Government-backed mortgage bonds or high-grade corporate could have substantially helped to cover the shortfall of funds. Now, that is no longer an option.

The future of seniors in retirement

Only time will tell how the government will overcome the shortfall of Social Security. With the huge number of retirees counting on their benefits, and a new generation entering the system monthly, something will need to be done quickly. Creating a new stimulus may be the only option to fuel the fund. Until then, seniors may need to rely on personal loans, savings and family help to make it through retirement.

Start your Personal Loans application HERE!

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Ready for Rock on the Range? Image from Flickr.

Between the Rock on the Range 2010 lineup and the Bonnaroo 2010 lineup, today is a day of huge announcements about huge music festivals. Rock on the Range takes place May 22 and 23 in Columbus, Ohio. Today marks the start of the layaway sale. In order to buy tickets today, which cost $99 to $120 each, you must buy at least four tickets and pay a down payment of 34 percent of the total price of tickets you purchase.

If you buy four tickets at $120 each, 34 percent of the price is more than $160, but if you're worried that tickets will sell out, you can always get payday loans online to make your down payment on layaway tickets. Some of the biggest names in rock are included in the Rock on the Range 2010 lineup. Presale tickets will be available Feb. 16 through Feb. 19, and the rest of the tickets go on sale Feb. 20.

Full Rock on the Range 2010 lineup

The Rock on the Range 2010 lineup is pretty extensive, but I know that's what you're here for, so here it is in its entirety.

• Godsmack
• Rob Zombie
• Three Days Grace
• Limp Bizkit
• Rise Against
• Seether
• Slash
• Deftones
• Papa Roach
• Five Finger Death Punch
• Coheed and Cambria
• Bullet for My Valentine
• Mastadon
• Killswitch Engage
• Theory of a Deadman
• Puddle of Mud
• Sevendust
• Drowning Pool
• Skillet
• Apocalyptica
• Halestorm
• Airbourne
• Mushroomhead
• Adelitas Way
• Helmet
• Anberlin
• Escape the Fate
• Cold
• Nonpoint
• 2Cents
• Violent Soho
• Janus
• Shaman's Harvest
• Year Long Disaster
• Taddy Porter
• Like a Storm
• Noiseauction

So, in short, every hard rock band I have ever heard of and then some. To get all of the details, check out the Rock on the Range 2010 web site. I am betting a whole lot of people will take advantage of the layaway deal to make sure that they get tickets and don't run the risk of the festival selling out. Check out my other article to see the full Bonnaroo 2010 lineup.

"They might think they’ve got a pretty jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids can't all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne."
- President Barack Obama

I'll be the first one to admit that I'm not a part of Lil' Wayne's target audience. I take my hip hop more old school, when I'm in the mood. I prefer something like Grandmaster Flash, for instance, or even Gil Scott-Heron. Better yet, give me Leadbelly and Robert Creeley.

But I digress. Today more than ever, rap is more about image and street cred than music. "Artists" burn through more money than most people will ever see, but never let go of that street flow. That isn't a good thing. If you need payday loans to keep up with the Weezys and Jeezys of the world when it comes to your gold teeth collection, there's a problem. Get your act together, produce good music and stay out of jail.

And Lil Wayne goes to jail today

It went down as an illegal weapons charge back in 2007. Now Lil Wayne is doing the time at Rikers Island. Gotta stay ahead of Plaxico Burress and Gilbert Arenas in the arms race, I suppose. But Joy Daily in the video below makes a good point. If you want to carry around guns, fine. But they should be licensed and you should have your security carry them. If you have to have them on stage or in the club, you're posturing. You're a blow-hard who could accidentally kill yourself or others. That's Lil Wayne, ladies and gentlemen.

With Twitter and iPod, he won't miss a beat

While incarcerated, Rolling Stone reports that Lil Wayne will still be able to work on "Tha Carter IV," thanks to iPods loaded with beats. He'll also be able to keep up with his Twitter account from jail, allegedly. Do you see anything wrong with this picture? Are resort prisons for celebrities and Bernie Madoffs of the world a waste of taxpayer funds? Do you apply for payday loans to keep up with bills while Lil Wayne still earns money from jail, and is that OK with you?

UPDATE: Lil Wayne had a dental appointment, so he didn't check into Rikers today after all. Would that garden variety offenders could be so lucky.

Related Video (Really, Joy Daily? He's a "great rapper?"):

Maybe I should ask him if he wants a Chillow Pillow.

My boyfriend and I have an ongoing disagreement about temperature; when it's time to go to sleep, he wants the fan on and I want it off. I had kind of accepted that this would just be the way it is -- that sometimes I'd have to put up with having the fan on, and sometimes he had to put up with leaving it off.

However, today I learned about the Chillow Pillow, and though I don't believe in miracle products that solve all of your problems, I am curious about whether it would help. It just might be worth the $25 to find out, especially because Valentine's Day is coming up, so I'll be spending some money on him anyway. Sure, it's not super romantic, but it is something that very well might make him more comfortable, and it's not so expensive that I'd need a low rate personal loan to afford it.

What is a Chillow Pillow?

From what I can see on the web site, the Chillow Pillow is a pad you place on top of your pillow. The Chillow Store says "The Chillow acts as a radiator for your body. It uses water to absorb, and then dissipate heat back to the surrounding air, leaving a cool sensation." Though the Chillow Pillow is filled with water, the web site assures that it stays dry on the outside.

It seems to me the Chillow is basically a specially shaped water bottle. My friend who had one said there's a sponge inside that holds the water, and it needs to be changed sometimes. While most users report that the Chillow Pillow did, in fact, stay dry, there is always the threat of the Chillow Pillow sprouting a leak or getting a hole in it somehow.

Will I buy a Chillow Pillow?

I haven't quite decided yet, though I should really kick this plan into action, seeing as Valentine's Day is this weekend. The Chillow Store is having a buy one, get one half off sale, so now would be a good time if I want to try it, too. It sure would be nice to sleep without the fan on from now on.

What do you think? Have any of you used a Chillow Pillow? Do you think I should get it?

Drew Brees was on David Letterman, but Biff Henderson took one for the team. (Photo: Wikipedia.org)

The New Orleans Saints have risen from being the worst franchise in NFL history to Super Bowl XLIV champs, thanks in no small part to the strong arm of quarterback Drew Brees On David Letterman, the victorious signal caller rubbed some salt in the wound for the Indiana born-and-bred host. A Colts victory was predicted, but the Saints took the game to them and prevailed. Like payday loans during a budget emergency, the Saints' offense delivered.

Letterman was disappointed, but not overly so

According to the Huffington Post, David Letterman told Brees he was sorry to see his beloved Indianapolis Colts lose. However, the image of Drew Brees and son Baylen celebrating after the victory was timeless. That Drew Brees' son has Down syndrome adds poignancy to daddy's victory.

As touching as Letterman's touch pass to Biff Henderson

Popeater tunes us in to something that happened before Drew Brees came on David Letterman for his interview. Apparently, Letterman threw a pass to long-time stage manager Biff Henderson. The sure-handed receiver hauled it down, but his momentum carried him into a stage dive that landed him in a hospital bed. Paramedics had to take him out on a gurney, but reports indicate that Henderson is now back on his feet.

At first, it seemed like a joke. "I can smell a lawsuit," Letterman mused. However, once Henderson said that he couldn't move his knees, the cameras went dark and the band played filler until the paramedics carted Biff away.

Did you see Drew Brees on David Letterman?

How did Biff Henderson's injury show up in the telecast? Have you ever hurt your knees playing football and needed payday loans to pay the doctor's bill?

Related Video:

Never too old to ride a bike; never too young to plan for retirement

There was a time when planning for retirement was relatively straight-forward. A person simply worked at a job until age 65 and then retired to live off pension plans and Social Security benefits. This was the reward for years of hard work with one employer and paying into a dependable government-sponsored retirement fund.

Life has changed

Much has changed in terms of retirement planning and benefits. Years ago, life expectancy for most seniors was much lower than it is today. Today, people are living longer, which is good news. On the other hand, retiring at age 65 isn't always financially feasible with people living to age 90 or longer. As life expectancies increase, it becomes more difficult to acquire adequate funds for a comfortable retirement.

Jobs have changed

Today, most people change jobs or careers several times during their working years. In many of these jobs, pension benefits do not exist. To compound the problem, Social Security benefits have not kept up with cost of living increases, and most people cannot live comfortably on them today.

Health care has changed

The problem becomes overwhelming when you add health care costs to the mix. Health care costs, especially for older people, tend to be uncertain even as they continue to rise. Because of this, the future support of many elderly individuals is in question.

Have you started to think about your retirement?

With all these retirement issues facing every person in the United States, it would seem reasonable that we would find alternatives to existing retirement plans and begin saving money for our retirement years. Planning ahead makes sense, but a lot of people are at a loss when it comes to taking action.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best

Experts agree that everyone should begin their retirement planning by assuming the absolute worst-case scenario. We should assume that Social Security benefits will not be available or, at least that they will not be sufficient to support us. Also, we should assume that medical care will create a significant financial burden. No one hopes that these worst-case scenarios will materialize, but we should plan as though they will so that we are prepared. In the unlikely case that they assumptions don’t materialize, we’ll have more than enough money to live on, and what could be wrong with having a little extra to do the things you’d like to do?

Plan for a comfortable retirement

Here are a few suggestions for insuring that your retirement is a comfortable one:

Start an emergency fund. Save as much as possible or, at the very least, have six months of living expenses in a savings account earmarked for emergencies. If you’re like a lot of people today, your living expenses may exceed your wages or salary and you may have to rely on payday loans or credit cards to get through a month. When you figure out how much you need to save and set aside, consider your actual living expenses and not just your income.
When available, participate in your employer’s retirement plan. If you don’t have a retirement plan at work, invest in an Individual Retirement Account, (IRA). Sometimes employers will match a portion of the contributions you make.
Set financial goals and stick to them. Many people dream of sending their children to college, retiring early, and traveling the world. The reality is, however, that these things will not happen without proper planning. Taking the time to sit down and seriously assess the financial backing that will be needed to support these goals, and then creating a plan to invest and grow money over time is the only way to make dreams like these come true.

Start planning now!

Almost everyone who lives long enough will eventually have to retire from working. Some people look forward to retirement, while others dread it, fearing that they won’t be able to survive. The sooner you start to think about and prepare for retirement, the better off you will be. Retirement planning is not just for the elderly. The more time you have to plan and the more time you have to save, the more you’ll look forward to the day you retire, so the best time to start planning is right now.

Image of the Weezer symbol from Flickr.

The publicity machine behind this summer's Bonnaroo music and arts festival has decided to turn the announcement of which bands will play into a lengthy event. Tickets are already on sale, and you can purchase them at bonnarootickets.com.

Tickets for the four-day festival, June 10 through 13, are pretty pricey. There were a limited number of tickets for $234.50. Once those are gone, the rest are $249.50, but before you take out payday installment loans to get a ticket, make sure you check out the payment plans available through the Bonnaroo web site or Bonnaroo MySpace page.

Bonnaroo 2010 confirmed bands

Every six minutes, the Bonnaroo MySpace page is announcing one musical artist who will appear at the festival. However, several bands have announced on their own web sites or Facebook pages that they'll be there. Here is the list so far; I'll update it later today:

• Dave Matthews Band
• Stevie Wonder
• Gwar
• Madeski Martin & Wood
• Cross Canadian Ragweed
• John Fogerty
• Weezer
• The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs
• The Avett Brothers
• Phoenix
• OK GO
• Punch Brothers
• Jeff Beck
• Neon Indian
• Ingrid Michaelson
• Bassnectar
• Carolina Chocolate Drops
• The XX
• Isis
• Regina Spektor
• Norah Jones
• Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
• Wale
• Mayer Hawthorne and the County
• Thievery Corporation
• Jay-Z
• Monte Montgomery
• Baroness
• Kings of Leon
• Blues Traveler
• Chromeo with Daryl Hall
• The Postelles
• Jay Electronica
• Manchester Orchestra
• Dropkick Murphys
• Local Natives
• Dave Rawlings Machine
• John Prine
• The National
• Zac Brown Band
• Baaba Maal
• Dr. Dog
• Japandroids
• Kid Cudi
• Tokyo Police Club
• Jimmy Cliff
• She and Him

There will be more announcements throughout the day, but most people are rushing to buy tickets as quickly as they can. During a special pre-sale event in December, before any bands had confirmed, the bottom two tiers of tickets, which cost $209 and $224, sold out.

Details on Bonnaroo 2010

The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is held each year in Manchester, Tenn. Every year the festival takes place on a 700-acre farm in Coffee County. VIP tickets for $1,349.50 per pair are available, as well. Those tickets come with preferred parking, special VIP entrance, special shower and restroom facilities with attendants, a pre-event party, access to special viewing areas and lounges and a T-shirt and poster.

There is also a payment plan for VIP tickets; 5 payments of $285. RV passes are an additional $150, or $175 for an RV plus a vehicle. Check out the Bonnaroo 2010 MySpace page to get updates on all of the bands who announce they are in.

Oh Superman where are you now
When everything's gone wrong somehow
The men of steel, men of power
We're losing control by the hour
- Genesis "Land of Confusion"

I buy into the escapism of superhero comics. That's what good storytelling does for the mind, regardless of where the story originates. Such virtues as honor and commitment to justice – as well as the eternal inner struggle – are there in easily digestible yet satisfying form. Modern comic book writing has added many more shades of gray, and this adds a healthy dose of reality to the mix. If collecting wasn't so expensive that payday loans become necessary (at least $3.50 per book, per title), I'd still be haunting my local comic shop.

Superman's archetype tends to exist outside modern reality

Think about it. He was created in the 1930s to represent American ideals. His powers were so far above anyone else's that catching rank-and-file criminals rarely posed a challenge. Sure, there's the occasional kryptonite MacGuffin to knock him down a peg, but Superman has tended over time to be less interesting because of his invincibility and absolute purity. The same has held true for Superman movies – until now, perhaps. Christopher Nolan of "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" fame is on tap for a Superman reboot.

"Not a follow-up to 'Superman Returns'"

Brandon Routh may have nailed some of Christopher Reeves' Clark Kent mannerisms, but the overall consensus is that he wasn't Superman. Routh's role as a gay porn star in Kevin Smith's "Zak and Miri Make a Porno" cemented that fact in my mind. As a whole, "Superman Returns" wasn't well-received. The plot was too derivative of the original "Superman" film, and it failed to create an interesting conflict. Kevin Spacey may be a talented actor, but I didn't believe him as Lex Luthor. I would have preferred the voice actor Clancy Brown, who voices Luthor in the cartoons. Don't even get me started with that Michael Rosenbaum goof. Kate Bosworth certainly wasn't Lois Lane, although she did have a 1UP over Margot Kidder in that she wasn't found foaming at the mouth in someone's wood pile.

How should Chris Nolan treat the Superman reboot?

I have confidence that if anyone can resurrect the Superman franchise, it's Christopher Nolan. But the Superman back story doesn't have the same juiciness as Batman. Batman was born of trauma and has struggled to become the Dark Knight. Superman came from a dead world and became a messianic figure for a disillusioned world. Where's the dramatic conflict? Saving Lois Lane for the umpteenth time won't cut it; a more sophisticated story is needed. My suggestion would be an exploration of the comic storyline where Superman's father Jor-El was responsible for the destruction of Krypton. In that sense, Kal-El's rocket spirited him away from the proverbial torch-carrying mob. Throw in Brainiac and Doomsday are you're cooking with gas.

Even if it ends up being made in IMAX 3D and I need payday loans to get in the door, I'll consider attending that party.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanchan222/ / CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Mortgage and personal loans are perfect breeding grounds for con artist's tactics. The recession created problems for consumers nationwide. Foreclosure rates soared, unemployment was at an all-time high and debt was unmanageable. Consumers everywhere felt the crunch of the economic downturn and frantically looked to find aid for the difficult times. There was a lot of help from the government and non-profit agencies that stepped in to save consumers from disaster. Unfortunately, there also were a lot of scam artists entering the market. They preyed on people's desperation and made matters even worse for the consumer.

The Better Business Bureau

According to the Better Business Bureau, 2009 was a premiere year for scams. Particularly it was the jobless who were targeted by job offers requiring upfront fees. For example, some consumers looking for jobs were told that they needed to pay an upfront $39.99 fee for a pre-employment credit check. When the applicants paid the fee, they unknowingly were signed up by a credit-monitoring service to be charged monthly.

It is scams like this and others that caused the BBB to introduce a Top Ten list of the more prevalent fraudulent activities in 2009. Here are the biggest:

1. Acai Supplements. There are many ads out there that offer free trials, but it turns out they aren’t really free. According to the BBB, consumers should be wary of any "free trial" that asks for a credit card number to pay for "shipping only."
2. Government Grants. This scam has been around for a while. It comes from "experts" who say they can help anyone tap into the "millions of dollars" in grant money the government is holding onto. They charge anywhere from $6.99 to $99.99 for special CDs with interactive information.
3. Robocalls. These are the automated calls that plagued people across the country offering special deals on auto warranties, debt consolidation, help getting personal loans or lowering interest rates. The FTC eventually stepped in due to the prevalence of the scam and increased restrictions on the practice.
4. Lottery Scams. These scams take the form of the Publisher's Clearing House or Reader's Digest sweepstakes. These are fraudulent letters that claim the recipient has won millions. Of course to get the money, the winner has to send in money to cover taxes.
5. Job Hunter Scams. These are the scams that involve charging applicants for credit checks and then enrolling them in monthly credit monitoring services.
6. Google. This was a big one in 2009. Websites claimed that anyone could make thousands of dollars using Google or Twitter. People were required to send in a fee, of course, for the information and then the company did the same thing as job hunter scams. They were enrolled in a monthly service whose details were hidden in the fine print.
7. Mortgage Rescue. The huge numbers of foreclosures opened the door for scammers to step in and take advantage of stressed homeowners. They claimed that with an upfront fee they would be able to negotiate with mortgage companies to save companies. The fee was anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars.
8. Mystery Shoppers. There are some verified mystery shopping positions, but the one consumers see normally are scams. Shoppers are asked to wire money to the scammer in exchange for a fraudulent check.
9. Over-payment Scams. These are scams where the thief sends the applicant a check that is for more than requested. Then the applicant is supposed to cash the check and send the overage back to the check issuer. Of course, the check is a fraud and the applicant is out of hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.
10. Phishing Emails. These come in the form of emails requesting personal information. The scammers then use the information to gain access to bank accounts and drain funds from the unsuspecting victim.

Scams in 2009

In 2009 the Better Business Bureau noted a huge growth in scams. Personal loans, mortgage loans, phishing and free-trials were all used to steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting consumers. In 2010, consumers have to be smarter and be aware of the huge number of fraudulent activities in the market.

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For consumers with bad credit, getting quick cash access from debit cards is a priceless advantage. Credit lenders are stricter these days. After having faced the lending crash of the recession, many lenders are closing their doors to even moderate-level scorers. That leaves few options for people with bad credit and many turn to the debit card option for purchases. The debit card is useful because it has the “Visa” or “MasterCard” logo and is accepted by merchants who accept credit cards. Using a debit card also helps consumers manage a budget. By limiting purchases to the total in the funding account, consumers don’t have to worry about going over limit or incurring fees. It’s a great safeguard against more fees that can eat away at savings.

The downside of debit cards

There are some downsides to using debit cards, though. First of all, there are annual fees charged to consumers. An annual fee is normal, but some debit card providers charge more fees than others. There can be start-up fees that eat away at money. For example, the GoNow debit card offers the services of a bank account on a debit card, but charges $14.99 monthly and a $49.99 start-up fee. That means that if a consumer deposits $100 to the card, 65% of it is gone in the first month.

There is another downside to debit cards. Visa, for example, makes billions of dollars each year from pennies it charges to merchants every time a customer pays with their debit card. These fees are called “interchange fees” or “merchant fees.” Andrew Martin, of the New York Times, said, “Critics complain that Visa does not fight fair, and that it used its market power to force merchants to accept higher costs for debit cards. Merchants say they cannot refuse Visa cards because it would result in lower sales.” According to a study done by the US Government Accountability Office, consumers pay higher prices for items because more merchants are building in the interchange fees into retail costs. It’s illegal to directly charge debit card users added fees, but adding interchange fees into the actual cost is not illegal. Consumers looking for fast cash may be surprised when they realize how much of their cards is going to the issuer and not creating more buying power for them.

Despite the pitfalls

Despite the bad news, there are still some better debit card options available. Experts cite that consumers should be looking for cards with no application fee, no monthly fee and low annual fees. Every debit card issuer charges an annual fee, but the fees range widely. Some charge $14.99 while others hike the cost up to $69.99. It’s best to do a search and compare various options. The application and monthly fee both can be factored out of the equation with some searches.

Those with bad credit

Those with bad credit may have no option but to start off with a debit card for credit card purchases. They aren’t bad products, they just have to be managed closely to avoid wasting money. Consumers looking for a quick cash option with their debit cards have to be even more vigilant before picking a card. They may be harder to find, but good debit card products are out there.

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This isn't the "Miss me yet?" billboard, but it's close. (Photo: synthstuff.com)

You know how these things go. A story begins on the World Wide Web that seems outlandish, but there's just enough truth to it for the idea to stick. Like payday loans for what ails your budget, there is a real connection to the waking world. And the idea spreads virally, snowballing until it becomes a mass of sticky, gooey fun – a guilty pleasure people can dive into with grasping hands. Forget Photoshop and digital image alteration and check your brain at the door.

But sometimes these stories have a way of being true

Considering President Obama's struggles with stimulus, bailouts, Nobel prizes and universal healthcare, it comes as no surprise that some Americans have questions. That's the real-world connection that makes the "Miss me yet" billboard so believable. But as Bob Collins of Minnesota NPR reports, it's also quite real.

It's on the I-35 outside Wyoming, Minnesota. As you can see from the video below, former President George W. Bush has a question for all of us: "Miss Me Yet?"

Who-what-when-where-why?

It's unclear at this time who paid for the billboard, but I think it is safe to say that Mr. Bush has better things to do with his time. Collins claims that his currently investigating the matter and will inform the nation once the secret is uncovered. My guess is that those who posted this "Miss me yet?" billboard gem won't be too far removed from the people who erected the Barack Hussein Obama turban billboard. Yes, I chose the word "erected" intentionally, as certain folks get excited by racial malice. I am not one of those people; I just report about it, then taint the notion of impartiality with my rhapsodical wax.

Or did the "Miss me yet?" billboard come from ironic Obama supporters

I'll leave that one to falsely accused ironists like Alanis Morrisette. I'm just a payday loans blogger today.

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