John Cusack stars in "2012." Image from Picasa.

The world is going to end — again. Previews of and commentary surrounding the film “2012″ remind me of the constant speculating and paranoia during the two years or so before the year 2000 hit. I’m not really sure exactly how rumors that the world was going to end or that we could expect the Second Coming of Christ began, but they were everywhere and even easier to find than money lenders.

Furthermore, most people were pretty sure that all of the computers in the world would somehow be rendered useless as soon as the clock struck Jan. 1, 2000. Well, now that that’s passed and we’re all still here, it’s time to start focusing on the next end of the world, which is featured in the movie “2012.” I don’t personally know any people who believe that the world will really end in 2010, when the Mayan Calendar says it will, but I do know that people are fascinated by thoughts of the world ending.

‘2012′ pulls in the big bucks

The film “2012,” which stars John Cusack and details the upcoming apocalypse, beat out all of the other films in theaters in terms of ticket sales over the weekend. Perhaps it’s because it was the only new wide release, as “Pirate Radio” only was released in a few hundred theaters across the country.

“2012″ made $65 million, pushing “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” from the No. 1 spot to No. 2. “The Men Who Stare at Goats” came in third for ticket sales with $6.1 million. “Precious,” a Tyler Perry/Oprah project expanded and did well, snagging the No. 4 spot with $6.1 million in ticket sales. That’s a pretty amazing feat, considering that “Precious” is showing in less than 200 theaters. “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” remained in the top five, making $5.1 million.

More about ‘2012′

The Mayan Long Count calendar comes to an end on Dec. 21, 2012. This is actually the year 5125 on that calendar. Some theories state that this date marks a positive spiritual experience or awakening for humankind. Others say it marks the apocalypse.

Of course, the film “2012″ focuses on the idea that disaster will strike. Filmmakers have made it pretty clear that the film is only loosely based on the Mayan calendar. It’s not really meant to reflect the beliefs of the people who follow that calendar, it’s just a disaster movie designed to sell tickets — and sell tickets it did.

Box office top 10

Amazingly, despite horrible reviews, both “Fourth Kind” and “Couples Retreat” did well at the box office, coming in sixth and seventh place, respectively. I am pretty surprised that “Couples Retreat” is still pulling in viewers. It has been out for five weeks. “Paranormal Activity” came in eighth place at the box office.

This weekend alone, “Paranormal Activity” made more than $4 million, even though it only cost $11,000 to make. It has made more than $100 million to date. Rounding out the top 10 box office moneymakers, “Law Abiding Citzen” made $3.9 million, and “The Box” pulled in $3.2 million.

Hacking into others' phones? Yep, unfortunately, there's an app for that. Image from Flickr.

SpoofCard is, put simply, a service that allows you to change the phone number that shows up on someone else’s phone when you call. It sells its services under the slogan “Be who you want to be,” and advertises itself as a tool to protect your privacy. It costs about 20 cents per use.

Seems pretty harmless so far, eh? Well SpoofCard also advertises that you can use it to prank call your friends. That’s a little questionable, but still OK if it’s all in good fun. Because no one would ever use a service for something it wasn’t intended for, right? Say, harassment or hacking into someone’s voicemail.

Yes, hacking

Sure enough, some people have figured out how to use SpoofCard to hack into people’s voicemails. Malicious people can use SpoofCard to hack into the voicemails of anyone whose number they know. That means people can listen to others’ messages, change their outgoing greeting, you name it.

In fact, if you were to take it even further, you could use services such as pizza delivery and money lenders who use phone numbers as people’s account numbers. Doesn’t sound so harmless now, does it?

SpoofCard malice and mayhem

Instances of maliciously using SpoofCard have started to pop up in the press. First it was reported that celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton had their phones hacked. Brickhouse Security reports that Dolce and Gabbana Publicity Director Ali Wise was fired from her job after she used SpoofCard to hack into people’s phones more than 700 times. Ahem, I said SEVEN HUNDRED TIMES.

And if that isn’t enough, guess what she was doing. She was hacking into the voicemails of her ex-boyfriends’ new girlfriends, listening to their voicemails and deleting them as she saw fit. Can we say psycho? Also, there have been instances of people using SpoofCard to disguise their numbers while making fraudulent 911 calls.

Yes, SpoofCard is still available. No, I am not going to tell you how to use it.

That's no message in a bottle. There's a light bulb ban on, and that's an enemy of green living. Destroy! (Photo: flickr.com)

This reminds me of when Americans were stocking up on firearms as the fear of Obama clawed at their hearts. Unfounded or not, when there’s talk that something people need or like is perhaps going to be taken away, people race to the stores and fill their arms with as many of the offending items as they can carry to the register and out the door. In a similar fashion, if governments begin to crack down on small-scale consumer money lenders, you’ll see a drive for loans before the fall.

But what about the light bulb ban?

According to the New York Times, the European Union (EU) has restricted the sale of incandescent bulbs across Europe in an effort to combat global warming and save energy. Now shops can’t buy or import incandescent frosted glass bulbs; retailers are being allowed to sell out their stock. The United States and Canada expect to follow a similar path by 2012. We’ll see. I’m not sure how much faith I have in America’s ability to do anything quickly, unless it’s Cash for Clunkers (and that was done TOO quickly).

C’mon, America. Australia and Cuba have already done it. Do you want Castro to bask in the harsh glow of fluorescents before hard-working American citizens? Well, perhaps you do… perhaps it will be more effective than the exploding cigar the CIA once considered. In his current weakened condition, perhaps the harsh glare will push him over the edge.

The current move is on to switch incandescent bulbs out for fluorescent (CFL) bulbs or even LED lighting. The former use around 80 percent less energy and do not burn out as quickly, but the lighting is harsh and the individual bulbs are much more expensive (as much as 15 to 20 times more expensive than one incandescent bulb. Sure, they’ll save a family in the long term. But in the short term, when families need all the recession help they can get, spending $15 on a CFL bulb can be prohibitive.

What about the mercury in CFLs?

Environmental mercury is a concern many have over the light bulb ban and switch, which makes the EU light bulb ban a kind of test case for what the U.S. and Canada may experience. CFL bulbs contain mercury (a toxic metal element), and as the EPA direction sheet shows, cleaning up mercury is no simple matter. If a bulb breaks, you have a lot of work to do. Is energy efficiency and reduced problem of incandescent bulbs in landfills worth the chance that excess mercury is entering the atmosphere? Plus, entire industries will be crippled by this changeover. Some will adapt, many won’t. Workforce displacement is definitely a factor in the debate. If they are hired in lower paying jobs and need some help from money lenders, they can click the button to apply here.

Stephen Russell of ANEC, an EU consumer product safety standards group, said that the allowed limit for mercury in CFL bulbs is too high. Currently five milligrams are allowed per bulb, but EU officials would like to see that reduced to two milligrams.

This says nothing for aesthetics

From photography to reading to interior design, lighting plays an essential role. This light bulb ban creates a definite strain upon EU citizens’ ability to capture images, read and be comfortable in their homes. From my point of view, CFL bulbs are horrible, but perhaps a necessary evil until LED lighting becomes more affordable for the general public. As you can see from the video below, LEDs use around a quarter of the electricity of fluorescents. However, where CFLs may cost around $15 per bulb, the cheapest LED home light bulbs are closer to $100 in America as of this writing.

So the Swedes have come up with a mercury-free CFL option, eh? Leave it to the creators of IKEA to set the tone. But it looks a bit dim… (Photo: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/2751088844_3e4f74549e.jpg)

Some argue that CFLs also don’t stand up to the wear and tear of being turned on and off regularly. In fact, some studies show they expire before some incandescent bulbs under those conditions. In response to this, various EU officials have recommended halogen bulbs. However, environmental groups believe those should have been banned along with incandescent, as they’re similarly wasteful.

The light bulb ban also doesn’t address the mental health issue. There are those who suffer from epilepsy and anxiety who depend upon incandescent lighting for normal function. By comparison, CFL bulbs can cause adverse effects.

Clear incandescent bulbs OK until 2012

EU officials want this to be gradual, so 60-watt clear incandescent bulbs will be available until September 2011, while 40-watt will be around until 2012, says the Times. The United States and Canada have similar plans for gradual phase out. But after that time, if CFLs aren’t an option, LED lighting will have to be more affordable for the average consumer.

Turn on your heart light

Let it shine wherever you go. Yes, I’m talking the Neil Diamond song about E.T. It takes some heart to make the right choice for the environment in this light bulb ban fracas. Sure, incandescent bulbs are more convenient in the short term – and the quality of light is definitely better. But what must happen is that we must press manufacturers of LED lighting to produce it more cheaply. Whatever legislation and research is necessary to make this happen needs to commence or be augmented, because CFL bulbs are not a viable option. People may have mercury fillings in their teeth and justify CFL bulbs on those grounds, but we don’t know what the long-term effects of mercury in teeth will be. I would wager it isn’t exactly harmless. If it means I’ll need to contact money lenders to find money for LED lighting in my home, I’ll consider it. But please, throw the people a bone.

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There were rumors that Michael Jackson’s last will was not Michael Jackson’s last will. There were rumors about what was in it. There were crazy women claiming to be MJ’s wife.

However, now it’s all out in the open. Copies of Michael Jackson’s last will have hit the internet. His last will is, in fact, the one written in 2002. I found a scanned-in copy of the will at The Smoking Gun.

Where the money will go

In Michael Jackson’s last will, regarding his money and property it says:

I give my entire estate to the Trustee or Trustees then acting under that certain Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust executed on March 22, 2002 by me as Trustee and Trustor which is called the MICHAEL JACKSON FAMILY TRUST, giving effect to my amendments thereto made prior to my death. All such assets shall be held, managed and distributed as a part of said Trust according to its terms and not as a separate testamentary trust.

Michael Jackson left his estate and his kids to his mother, Katherine. I wonder how he knew she would outlast him?

I guess that doesn’t really clarify who is responsible for paying all the money lenders MJ owes, but I’ll be honest — I didn’t read all eight pages of Michael Jackson’s last will. The will estimates his estate to be worth $618 million. Let’s not forget, though, this will is from seven years ago.

The kids are off to grandma’s house

It has been common knowledge for quite a while that Michael Jackson wanted his mother to have the kids in the event of his death. However, just in case there was any lingering confusion, the text is now available for all to see:

If any of my children are minors at the time of my death, I nominate my mother, KATHERINE JACKSON as guardian of the persons and estates of such minor children. If KATHERINE JACKSON fails to survive me, or is unable or unwilling to act as guardian, I nominate DIANA ROSS as guardian of the persons and estates of such minor children.

Because of this stipulation that Diana Ross gets the children if Katherine is not around, many people have wondered about Ross’ age. She is 65. Michael Jackson and Diana Ross shared the screen in the 1978 movie release of “The Wiz,” and many sources refer to Michael Jackson as Diana Ross’ “protege.”

Old wives tales

Just to make it perfectly clear, in case Nona Paris Lola Ankhesenamun Jackson, the seemingly random woman who has been claiming for years to be Michael Jackson’s “secret wife,” Michael Jackson’s last will says:

I declare that I am not married. My marriage to DEBROAH JEAN ROWE JACKSON has been dissolved. I have three children now living, PRINCE MICHAEL JACKSON, JR., PARIS MICHAEL KATHERINE JACKSON and PRINCE MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON, II. I have no other children, living or deceased.

So, should any seemingly random women have intentions to cry “baby mama” to a Michael Jackson offspring, that issue has already been clarified as well. Good thinking. Michael Jackson’s last will also clarifies that Debbie Rowe gets nothing, in no uncertain terms:

Except as otherwise provided in this Will or in the Trust referred to in Article III hereof, I have intentionally omitted to provide for my heirs. I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, DEBORAH JEAN ROWE JACKSON.

Off of Neverland

In other news of legal rights, it seems no one, not even Michael Jackson, is above the law. The plan was to bury him at Neverland Ranch, but people can’t go around burying bodies wherever they wish, and the Jacksons are no exception. X 17 Online reports:

In order to bury Jackson on the property, the family would need to get permission from local land-use officials and submit an application and paperwork with the state Cemetery and Funeral Bureau. The state application would then need to be approved by the funeral board, a process that could take anywhere from seven to 30 days.

Mathematics holds a vital place in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences and finance. Number calculations have proved the viability of countless scientific phenomenon. Money lenders generally need statistical data to evaluate a consumer’s financial situation before granting them a loan (although installment loans are easier to come by). Whatever the field, math leads to results.

According to David Landes of the Swedish news publication The Local, a 16-year-old student named Mohamed Altoumaimi from Falu Frigymnasium high school has achieved a significant accomplishment in the field of mathematics. He has derived a formula with Bernoulli numbers that is normally the territory for only seasoned professional mathematicians. Professors at prestigious Uppsala University have recognized the young man’s accomplishment, and hope to see more from him.

What are Bernoulli numbers?

Bernoulli numbers are “a sequence of rational numbers with deep connections to number theory,” according to Wikipedia. They’re named for the 17th century Swiss mathematician Jacob Bernoulli. There a number of practical applications to number theory, which is sometimes referred to as “pure” math. Such applications include cryptography, cryptanalysis, computer science and numerous uses in physics, such as (reference here):

• Analytic regularizations in quantum theories
• Selberg Trace formula, is very similar to Gutzwiller formula for the trace of resolvent (E-H+i\epsilon)^{-1}
• Negative values of Zeta function \zeta (-m) or Bernoulli Numbers (related to negative value of Zeta) can be used to compute divergent series and integrals
• Combinatorial problems of Number theory has application to Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac statistics

… in case you were wondering and weren’t familiar…

Go over their heads if they won’t help you

Mohamed Altoumaimi, a Swedish citizen originally from Iraq, has long been interested in math. His efforts to write a formula to explain the relationships between Bernoulli numbers took about four months for him to complete. Once he announced to his high school instructors that he’d derived a formula on his own, they were understandably skeptical.

“When I first presented it to my teachers, none of them believed that the formula I had written down really worked,” Altoumaimi told the newspaper Falu Kuriren.

But the boy was undeterred. He contacted a professor at Uppsala University so that his work could be validated.

“Right away, he wanted to take a look at all my calculations and the documents where I show that the formula really works,” said Altoumaimi.

“A very clever guy”

While this isn’t the first time a person has established Bernoulli numbers relationships, the fact that a 16-year-old high school student has done it is impressive, said Uppsala University senior mathematics lecturer Lars-Åke Lindahl. The calculations are difficult, to say the least.

“He’s a very clever guy,” Lindahl told Landes. “What he did isn’t necessarily new, but it is quite remarkable for a first year high school student to take on these types of problems all on his own. It’s certainly an achievement.”

Beyond the help of high school

Lindahl verified Mohamed Altoumaimi’s formula and proof, which led to the student’s increased recognition.

“We’re going to keep our eye on him,” said Lindahl. He also encouraged Altoumaimi to attend Uppsala University after high school. In the meantime, he’s offered books and tutoring to help the young man in his continued quest to develop his math skills.

“I think he’s likely beyond being able to get the kind of help he needs from high school math teachers,” said Lindahl.

So make him a teacher

Jacob Bernoulli

Since Mohamed Altoumaimi’s math skills are beyond those of his high school instructors, Falu Frigymnasium plans to use the young man in a teaching capacity – to teach the teachers. In the fall, Altoumaimi will serve as an instructor for a number of the math teachers. He’ll explain his Bernoulli numbers work to them with the hope that they’ll be able to pick up on his computations and pass them on to other students who aren’t quite as advanced.

“It’s really exciting, now all the teachers have come and congratulated me,” said Altoumaimi.

School is not out for the summer

This summer, Altoumaimi has plans to continue his studies of  advanced mathematics and physics. School is never out, and the exciting opportunities mathematics like Bernoulli numbers have opened for the high school student are yet another motivation to continue on the path of discovery.

“I wanted to be a researcher in physics or mathematics; I really like those subjects. But I have to get better at English and social science,” he told Falu-Kuriren.

Depending upon his religion, Mohamed Altoumaimi may not be allowed to go to money lenders for a loan once he graduates school and enters the working world. But with his number skill, he might not even need the service.

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Last night I was listening to my neighbor complain about having just paid $7 for a pack of cigarettes. Weary as I am of picking her cigarette butts out of my yard, I am nothing if not a helpful neighbor. So I suggested she could either get a quick payday loan or slap on one of those nicotine patches. She’s considering a loan.

Tax increases cause many smokers to quit

According to a recent article in The Washington Post, all across the country, smokers are burning up telephone “quit” lines and enrolling in stop-smoking programs. Despite the ready availability of low cost loans to finance smoking habits, the latest boost in federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes — from 39 cents to $1.01 — is driving people to wean themselves from their potentially deadly habits. Whenever the federal or state governments boost cigarette taxes, droves of smokers quit, or try to.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke caused 438,000 premature deaths in the United States each year from 1997 through 2001. Tobacco smoking cost the United States over $193 billion in 2004, including $97 billion in lost productivity and $96 billion in direct health care expenditures, or an average of $4,260 per adult smoker.

So what could be wrong with even greater tax hikes?

Given these social costs, it would seem that few tax increases could have higher upsides. So why not tack on another $5? According to an article by Michael Daly in the New York Daily News, a pack of cigarettes now costs about $10 in New York City, and the smoking rate among teens is 13.8 percent. In Kentucky where a pack sells for $4.80, the teen smoking rate is 28 percent.

If cigarettes were $15 a pack everywhere, we’d save millions of dollars and avoid all those slow, painful deaths from pulmonary disease, heart disease, stroke, aneurysm, and bladder, esophageal, laryngeal, lung, oral, throat, cervical, kidney, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. And for those who still opted to smoke, even at $15 a pack money lenders would be available to finance the habit. What could be the downside of a plan like that?

Genetic predispositions, personal freedoms, earning abilities . . .

For one thing, plenty of people believe they were born to smoke, and plenty more resent being told what to do with their bodies. There are also income-related inequities. Among Americans, smoking increases as income decreases, and lower income brackets are particularly hard hit by cigarette tax increases. According to a 2008 Gallup Poll, in the United States the annual income bracket with the highest percentage of smokers (34%) is $6,000 to $12,000. And that economic truth causes a lot of grumbling among lower-income smokers like my neighbor.

Balancing the equities Hershell Gordon Lewis-style

Like many other cost-of-living increases, increased cigarette taxes are felt acutely by the working poor. The inequities are not insurmountable, however.  Hershell Gordon Lewis proposed this solution in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: “Let’s agree to cancel increases in cigarette taxes but in return, smokers will pledge never to sue Big Tobacco or anyone else when they get cancer or emphysema. And they’ll promise, in writing, not to ask Medicare or Medicaid or any insurance plan – not to mention all the non-smokers who support these programs with their taxes and insurance payments – to pay a single cent for their medical costs, hospice and ultimately their tombstone.”

GQ food critic Alan Richman has declared the pies from Great Lake Pizza in Chicago the best in the United States. Richman traveled 20,000 miles, visited 109 pizzerias and sampled 386 pizzas. According to him, “The simple truth is that pizza in its most primal form—cheese, tomato, crust—is perfect food.”

For me, one of the world’s best luxuries is to be able to call or order pizza online and have it delivered to my door. This usually happens about every two weeks, right after I get paid, as it can get pretty expensive. That’s why it’s important, when it comes to pizza, to get the best bang for your buck.

Don’t waste a dime

If you’re lucky enough to live in Chicago, Great Lake Pizza is the obvious choice to get the most for your money. However, I hope the owner is talking to money lenders right now about getting some capital to stock up on product.

Small, single-owner Great Lake Pizza in Chicago is undoubtedly about to get a big jump in business now that Richman’s recommendation has made it to the public. Richman named the top 25 best pizzas in the country, and I’ve picked a few that are scattered around the U.S. so you can pick the one closest to you and make sure you don’t waste your money on sub-par pizza.

Lucali in Brooklyn

If you live in New York, Richman says your money will be well-spent at Lucali in Brooklyn. This place holds the No. 2 spot on the list, which is pretty impressive because it has only been around for three years.

West Coast: Pizzeria Delfina, San Francisco

Not only does Delfina have the best crust and overall pizza in the West, it’s surprisingly inexpensive. Richman got a pie there for $10 — pretty good for handmade, gourmet fare. Delfina is No. 3 on Richman’s list.

Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix

For those who live a little farther south — in Arizona, to be exact — your hard-earned  pizza money will be best spent at Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix. He recommends the Margherita with prosciutto. Bianco is No. 4 on the list.

Pizza in Michigan

As is often the case with many things, the Midwest seems to be largely overlooked in this study, despite the winning spot in Chicago. Serious pizza connoisseurs in Michigan might be tempted to visit Great Lake Pizza in Chicago. However, three pizza places in Michigan made the list.

After a sprinkling of pizza places in New York, New England and California, Luigi’s “the Original” in Harrison Township, Mich., shows up at No. 13 on the list for its gourmet veggie pizza. If you prefer a simple pepperoni pie, head to Tomatoes Apizza in Farmington Hills. That place makes No. 21 on the list. Niki’s in Detroit is No. 24 in the country, according to Richman.

Pennsylvania pies

Two Pennsylvania pizzerias made the list, both in Philadelphia. Tacconelli’s in Philadelphia holds the No. 9 spot for its “white pie.” Osteria sits at No. 22 for its “zucca pie,” which is topped with squash, raisins and pine nuts.

Check out Richman’s 13-page account of his pizza journey, where he names Great Lake Pizza in Chicago the best in the country, at men.style.com, and don’t waste your money on mediocre pizza ever again.