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The holiday season is just around the corner. Surely, many consumers are already on their heels to plan for a wide variety of gifts that they could afford to buy to please their families, relatives and friends alike. And the most convenient way to pay for all the things we purchase is either through the use of debit or credit card. Besides, it also safer to use the debit card because even if it is lost, access to the account is protected by a secret pin number. It's not the same as the credit card which can be used by anyone who gets hold of it. But not too many people think that using these plastic instruments to purchase stuffs or pay for gas at the pumps can expose them to excessive overdraft fees, especially if they fail to take heed of the expenses that they have. That's true. In fact,  there are dangers that go with it.  I went through this sad experience a couple of months back due to my own ignorance for not being too careful to monitor my purchases. As alwa...

The International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) will open its doors to the first ever international Master in Anti-Corruption Studies. A two-year, part-time program, the Master is designed for working professionals from all around the globe who wish to remain fully employed while pursuing their degree. Upon completion, they will receive an MA in Anti-Corruption Studies. The Master programme will start in February 2013 with the first module. Applications will be accepted until 26 October 2012. The program combines distance learning with seven, twelve-day on-site modules. Six will take place at the IACA campus in Laxenburg, Austria and one at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "The Master provides participants from both the public and the private sector with a better understanding of corruption. They acquire knowledge and skills for building capacity in the field and tools for helping bridge the gap between theory and practice," stated Marti...

At least, 14 data breaches by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) had affected 13,775 medicare beneficiaries whose identification numbers and other personal information may have been used illegally. In its October 2012 report,  the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said these breaches were covered during the period betwen Sept. 23, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2011, which were considered a clear violation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The report titled "CMS Response to Medicaid and Identity Theft",  prepared under the direction of Jodi Nudelman, regional  inspector general for evaluation and inspections in the New York regional office, the CMS was tasked to provide notification if it reasonably believed the information was accessed, acquired, used or disclosed as a result of these breaches. The IG Office claimed the breaches involved the beneficiaries' Medicare identification numbers, dates of birth, diagno...

Kids of the late Michael Jackson The Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel was nothing short of a star-studded evening on October 11, 2012, as some of Hollywood's top entertainers, professional athletes and musicians came together to celebrate the launch of the Mr. Pink Ginseng Drink, the newest wellness beverage all of the celebrities have been raving about.  The streets of Wilshire and the famous Rodeo Drive were covered with fans waiting for the arrival of their favorite stars.  The pink carpet was graced by the famous faces of the Jackson children, Prince, Paris and Blanket accompanied by their aunt LaToya. Other stars that are active supporters of the beverage that showed-up for the unveiling of the freshest new wellness beverage included Lindsay Lohan, Anna Kendrick, Kimora Lee Simmons, Audrina Patridge, Wayne Gretzky, Matt Kemp, Metta World Peace, Michael Bay, Robert Shapiro, David Arquette and Mario Lopez.  Aimed at the average individual with an ...

Uncertainty over economic conditions may drag small businesses across America into recession. This fear was reflected in the October 2012 report of the National Federation of Independent Business, which showed that 38 percent of the respondents viewed the problem as critical.  The cost of health insurance, another factor that caused worry among the respondents, topped the same survey at 52 percent. Tied for the number three spot are issues that impinge on the cost of fuel and uncertainty over government actions, which garnered 35 percent each. Other worries of small businesses are unreasonable government regulations, 34 percent; imposition of federal taxes on business income, 30 percent; and  tax complicity, 29 percent. While other factors include frequent changes to federal rules, property taxes, and state taxes on business income, with 24 percent each. "At the beginning of next year, federal tax increases and spending cuts equivalent to 15 percent of the GDP will autom...

The shooting by the Taliban gunman of a Pakistani school girl identified as Malala Yousufzai for speaking out in public was an incident that could be hailed by the international communities as a clear aggression against women. She's now undergoing treatment at a hospital in the United Kingdom and being guarded to ward off further attacks by the other Muslim militants. The Pakistani girl's experience is only one among the many incidents that took place in Muslim countries where speaking out in public against society's shenanigans and ills are common cause of being beaten up or killed by suspected Muslim extremists. If I'm not wrong,  being knowledgeable on issues that affect our lives, injure the Talibans'  sensibilities and religious beliefs? If not, what's the major reason why until they continue to become ignorant of what's going on around the world. In fact, during the Talibans' occupation of Afghanistan many years back, women are barred from ge...

Relatives and allies of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are overjoyed over the Philippine government's move that finally paved the way for the approval of the frameworks that created the Bangsamoro State in Mindanao. While the moros are celebrating the success of this peace agreement, I'm sure some sectors of the Philippine society are a bit lukewarm to the idea of setting up another autonomous government in place of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which, in essence, was the same set up except for the officials that will run the Bangsamoro government. To many Moros in Mindanao, the creation of the Bangsamoro State was a crowning glory. But to most Filipinos, the junking of the ARMM was nothing but an insult to the time, efforts and money that were spent to seal off the Tripoli Agreement. I don't want to explore further into the nitty gritty on how the Tripoli Agreement was reached that led to the creation of the ARMM. But surely it was meant t...