Wanna inherit Mom's (or Grandma's) money sooner? Make her baby-sit your brats kids: A new study released by Harvard indicates that Granny will cash out sooner if you make her take care of your tax deductions-it appears there's a 55% greater risk of heart disease among child-caring Grandmas.....

Would you put a dookie-covered cellphone up to your ear? Apparently some people will do anything in the spirit of "can you hear me now?" Uggghhh. Not only did this dolt try to fish a phone outta the toilet, he inflicted immeasurable inconvenience on thousands of New York City commuters. This guy's head should be flushed.....

Soft music. Candlelight. A seductive dinner...at McDonald's?!? It's the latest trend in the fast food industry and as silly as it might sound, Ronald's People are testing "The Arch Bistro," think Big Macs with chandeliers, leather couches and extra cholesterol. Can you say McSilly?

Because you don't have enough crap in your e-mail's "Inbox," here's one more reason for you to find your next travel on Orbitz...not! A recent security breach on the popular travel website allowed spammers to acquire customer's e-mail addresses. Here's one more reason why they should give the death penalty to these scumbag cyber-abusers.....

Didja hear where the latest spies are showing up in America? Try high school football games on Friday nights! How and why are they doing it? The first is easy to answer-and can be found in your friendly neighborhood Radio Shack. And #2? Because they can. Do you use a cordless phone at home? You might be surprised who's listening in on your not-so-private conversations....there's a lesson to be learned from this one, kids. Oh yeah: Loose lips (still) sink ships.....

Do you write hot checks? I'll betcha do...and you're not a criminal, either: You're just mailing out checks with the expectation that future deposits will cover your paper-promises-to-pay...but "W" just cut you off at the check-clearing pass-it's called the Check Clearing For The 21^st Century Act (don't blame me, I didn't name it). Add float to the list of distant (and fond) memories from the good 'ole 20^th century. More importantly, here's why you'd better have the cash before you mail that check or whip out your ATM card.....

I wonder if this thief took the movie "My Left Foot" too seriously? How do you say "oops" in Japanese, anyway? Tokyo Police arrested a man for stealing shoes from a hospital-then found a collection of 440 women's shoes...all for the left foot! Hmmmmm...'nuff said, Dr. Scholl. Read more, ya sicko.....

Quit focusing on Thanksgiving, and focus on something you can really feast on-like declining interest rates! What...you didn't think I'd miss a chance to for a shameless plug of the best mortgage company in the country, didja? C'mon...mortgage rates are down this week, so why not do something financially-positive for the coming New Year?   Take the Dover-proven route to stress-free finance, and take advantage while interest rates are STILL at incredibly-low levels!  Ben's no-brainer choice for any/all of your mortgage needs? Easy...do it all on-line or on the phone with the official mortgage company of www.benjamindover.com and your first (and only) stop: W.R. Starkey Mortgage.

Since we're talking about moving, let's go down your "things to do" checklist: Moved your phone service and utilities? [Check!] Put in your change of address on your mail? [Check!!]  Have all of your belongings held hostage by some rogue movers? [Check...not!!!]  Do your homework (first) and choose the right moving company!  Ben's Moving Tips will save you time, money and lots-o-heartache.....

Bad customer service really stinks! Wanna get a little revenge, and get paid for it? Yes, some dreams can come true, here's how to make some extra dough in your.....

Wal-Mart says they're revamping their website, hoping to appeal to holiday shoppers. I wonder if they're selling Green Cards on Aisle 5 this year? C'mon...just a little Bentonville-based humor for ya.  According to The Wall Street Journal: "Drawing on extensive research into its potential customers, Walmart.com is going into this holiday season with gift baskets featuring Starbucks Corp. products, an expanded electronics department and a fine-jewelry department showcasing diamonds. Three years after an extensive overhaul, the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Web site has ditched household products such as Tide, Tylenol and toilet paper in favor of furniture and special tires. Overall Internet sales this holiday season are expected to grow 30% from a year earlier."

Hmmmmm, I wonder if they're feeling some pressure from Costco? Read more about what the planet's biggest retailer is doing to increase holiday cyber-sales this year.....

I wonder if these latest airliner terrorists were from a third world swamp...like Louisiana? Didja hear about the latest reign of terror at 30,000 feet? It's possible that these instigators could end up getting the death penalty and, in an unusual stroke of justice, be turned into a pair of shoes, a belt or even a wallet. Have we descended to the same primitive levels of "justice" as some of the recently-televised Saddamites? It's possible...read more and decide for yourself.....

Still looking for a cool birthday (or other special occasion) gift that'll keep on giving, all year long?  Then give 'em a subscription to the Dose of Dover...the most reliable source of insight and no s*** ideas available on the planet.  (You can afford it...it's free!)  Time to share the wealth!  Sign-up for a subscription to the weekly Dose of Dover Newsletter right here!

Decrease your chances of an automobile accident-and no, I'm not gonna whip you over talking on your cell phone: Here's the one simple thing that you can do to lessen your chances of a visit to the body shop, or the ER.....

Speaking of automobiles: DON'T get taken in by radio-commercial claims from car leasing companies out to get you hooked and then set to wear you down and beat the emotional (and maybe financial) daylights out of you!  Check out Ben's free Smart Car Seminar automotive acquisition tips right here!

 

Yo, yo, yo! Part II-Quit pickin' on Puffy, or is it Puffy Daddy? Or is it P. Diddy? Or the Puffenator? Hell, I can't keep track-but if you've got any non-Americans doing any work for you around the house, you shouldn't be throwing stones at Sean "Puffy" Combs: I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be coming to the defense of Puffy Combs, but this recent "controversy" about his clothing company being supplied with the work of Honduran sweat shop workers is silly. As long as America imports any sort of clothing from outside U.S. borders, you're going to see sweatshop conditions providing these cheap(er) products. While we're at it, let's start checking the green cards of yard-care workers from coast-to-coast. Or maybe at your neighborhood Wal-Mart. Set the mood with some old Run-DMC and read more here.....

Not a fan of the IRS? (Part I)...Then why are so many of you leaving your own money on the tax table? More specifically, over a 116,000 of you have left over $50 million on the table. Here's how to figure out if you're one of the generous (or is it forgetful?) ones....

Not a fan of the IRS?(Part II)...Then maybe that's why more Americans say it's okay to cheat 'em? Recent numbers released by the biggest-and-baddest debt collector on the planet indicate that the "it's okay to cheat" attitude has risen by 50% over the last four years. Before you sign-and-seal that next tax return, you might want to review this latest warning of bad things to come.....

Not a fan of the IRS? Part III-Don't even think about trying to make a deal with the IRS on your own! Lousy advice could not only cost you dearly, it could really jack up your total tax bill eventually owed...late fees, interest and/or fines can jump to levels that'll make you think about learning Spanish and heading south of the border. If you've got some tax-related challenges, now's the time to tie down those loose-ends on your terms and get a deal worked out before it's too late.  Non-filers...innocent spouses...941 (payroll taxes) for the entrepreneurs amongst us: Know all your options and learn why hiring an Enrolled Agent probably makes the most sense.

Now that they're off the financial ropes, there's something really special in the air at American Airlines. It's called more flights: More choices are in store for fliers of the world's biggest airline...just in time for the holidays. Please remove all sharp objects from your carry on bag and read all about it....

You'd better get off your rear and start making travel plans for the Thanksgiving holidays now! (Especially since it's just 23 days away):  Get more bang for your turkey buck by getting Thanksgiving and Christmas-time travel planning handled now.  Check out Ben's reliable, no-brainer choice for consistently affordable and competitively priced hotel room or condo deals: www.hotels.com.  

 

Speaking of Thanksgiving: Why not be a hero this year for a change? Instead of showing up at someone's house with a cheapo bottle of wine that either nobody will drink or it'll end up being "re-gifted" somewhere down the road, bring something that's sure to set you apart!  Screw-off tops or canned cranberry sauce can be the quickest way to be de-invited for future events so spend a few bucks and do a little planning today to bring beautiful flowers, direct from Hawaii with you.  Ben's affordable choice?  Tropical Colors.  Order on-line or give 'em a call toll-free (remember to call after 1p ET/12n CT/11a MT and 10a PT because of the time difference): (800) 965-9732.

Are you as sick as I am of reading stories about spoiled punks from the world of athletics? Then you're gonna love this breath of fresh air that'll restore your faith in young-mankind: You've gotta read about this Illinois high school senior football star who showed a better sense of fairness and ethics than any of the adults coaching him. Yea for the good guys!

Do the frogs in your garden sound like they're loaded? (And no...I'm not talkin' about my alma mater TCU Horned Frogs-this time, anyway): Researchers have discovered developmental problems in frogs and fish that have been exposed to antidepressants via sewage treatment systems. Yes, it is a small world after all...and those Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac pills you've been taking are finding their way into the lower-rungs of our eco-system. Before you start spraying that DDT around the yard, you might wanna renew your Sierra Club membership and read more...

"Take this cell phone and shove it!" More Americans are going to relish expressing this sentiment to their (cellular) phone company 20 days from now (when the Cellphone Number Portability Act that I was among the first to report about on this website months ago becomes law) but the onslaught of change could have a huge impact on our eco-system. Geez...I'm really starting to sound like a shill for the Sierra Club-but seriously folks, have you thought about what happens to old cell phones?

When you switch cell phone companies, in most cases your current phone won't work worth a damn, so you'll trade up to a new model...and then what? Toss your old phone in a drawer for future use on a rainy day? That's a waste, because you'll never use it again. Give it a real second life that'll benefit older consumers or battered women: I beat the rest of the pack years ago when I first reported the second life use of old cell phones-as 911 only emergency phones. (Read my December 1998 article on the topic here.) Grandma or Grandpa want to have a cell phone for emergencies only? Perfect! Here's another terrific use: Donate the old phone to your local women's shelter, and let them arm those seeking refuge with a little extra emergency-only cellular protection.  Or help fund breast cancer research by recycling your phone...click here for more info.

Bottom line? Don't throw your phone away. Read how they'll end up in landfills and begin their toxic disintegration, leaching toxic metals and chemicals into the ground and eventually, into the water that those Prozac-loaded frogs and fish are swimming in. Yummy...