"In prosperity, our friends know us.
In adversity, we know our friends."
Could your
Grandmother or Grandfather be implicated in a fraudulent Medicare billing
scheme? Maybe...it's a $167 million deal gone bad, uncovered
during "Operation Wheeler Dealer," the government's latest
crackdown on the easily-scammed Medicare claims world.....
There is
a God...(or is it Goddess?) Over 40 years after the debut of
the birth control pill comes Seasonale,
a new oral contraceptive that lowers the number of PMS-induced nightmare
cycles from 13 to only four a year. Whew...read
more about the best news for men (since women, that is) that became
available last week.
Guess who the IRS isn't chasing to collect fines
from?
Amazing...they'll go after us
for the dough we owe, but they'll let this group of rogues get away with
what amounts to taxman murder! Click
here before you file your annual tell all with the world's biggest-and-baddest
debt collection agency.
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...late fees, interest and/or fines can jump to levels that'll make
you think about 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.
Technology's giving self-serve a
whole new meaning, and it's not necessarily good news:
While I love American
Airlines' Self Service Check-In feature,
I'm no fan of the brain-damage facing us at the check-out lines of places
like Kroger's and Home Depot. The
New York Times helps you check out self-check out...so (sorry for the
word-play) check it out.
Didja hear about the mortgage company that
was able to step in and close a tough loan on less than 24 hours notice?
Despite all of the paperwork and (perceived)
brain-damage that goes with the home buying process, the first mortgage
company that was supposed to close fell apart and set the stage for the save
of the century by my friends at W.R.
Starkey Mortgage. And what's really
amazing about this story are the facts of the deal: A pock-marked
credit report, a non-conforming loan and a short-fuse couldn't keep Starkey
from delivering the goods for a grateful homeowner, which brings me to the
moral of the story...
Don't screw around with a buncha pikers
that make mortgage promises they'll never be able to keep!
You might think you're getting a good deal, but it'll likely blow up in
your face when push-comes-to-shove and they can't close. Then your
problems really begin. W.R.
Starkey has the Dover Seal of Approval because they're the best, no-b.s.
mortgage company in the nation...period.
They deliver and make home buyers the winners
and long-term beneficiaries of Starkey's commitment to their
company positioning statement: "A
different kind or mortgage company where people come first."
You really can bank on it, folks.
Speaking of mortgage companies, interest
rates edged up slightly last week:
C'mon...with
mortgage rates still at incredibly low levels (45-year lows, anyway)
it's time to put the wheels in motion for something
financially-positive in 2004!
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.
Wanna know Dover's test for predicting
either the success or profitability of a new product or service? See
if Wal-Mart jumps into the fray: Nobody's
ever accused them of being afraid to jump on selling products or
concepts that they didn't create, so
the folks over at Apple shouldn't be offended (just validated) by the
news that the retailing behemoth plans to jump into the
"pay-per-song" download business. I hope
Wal-Mart's downloaded songs are easier to open and manipulate than the
pain-in-the-butt BuyMusic.com
website.
Dontcha
love the amazing resources I compile every week in the Dose of
Dover? Good! Then don't whine about having to sign-up for free access:
Like anything in life, there's always gonna be a
trade-off on some level. I embed dozens of links in every edition of this
newsletter, and my frequent sources, The
New York Times, The
Dallas Morning News, The
Los Angeles Times, The
Orange County Register and USA
Today require varying levels of
registration in order to access their websites for free...with
one small caveat: If you try to hit an older story, there's a
reasonable chance that the news organization has either moved the story to a
new URL, or to their archives. If it's archived, there's a high
probability that they'll charge you for access to the story...usually under
$3. Don't whine about it...just pay 'em if you wanna read it--or not.
It's always your choice.
Also
worth noting: Nowhere
is it written that you have to give accurate information when you sign up
for free access on their website. They'd like you to,
but they'll never really know. So use a disposable e-mail address (like Hotmail
or Yahoo)
and get creative when you register. But just
remember: They/we are giving you a tremendous service
for a great price...free! So no complaining...
Know someone who's
retired and still making a mortgage payment? New
data indicates that 28.3% of homeowners aged 65 or older owe on their homes,
up from 20.7% in 1990. Why not let Mom & Dad (or
Grandma & Grandpa) do a little financial footwork and not only live in
their homes until they pass on without a mortgage payment, or even pull
a wad of cash outta the deal while they're at it? If
you don't do your research on reverse mortgages, you're allowing older
homeowners to not take advantage of a really terrific financial product.
Call 'em McWhiners over at the golden
arches: They're upset with the
upcoming edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate dictionary over the term
McJob. Put
down that Big Mac and read why. (McCry-babies.....)
Here's to your health, Part I-Could
Homer Simpson have had better insights than the Surgeon General's office?
It appears so...if you're worried about your health, it might be worth a
quick stop at your local watering hole for a cutting-edge adult
beverage. Before
you order that Shiner Bock or Guinness, click here and then go pound a
heart-healthy beer.
Here's to your health, Part II-Too
bad they didn't pass on the Kool-Aid 25 years ago today! Wow...talk
about "time flies." It was on this date in
1978 that Jim
Jones put Guyana
on the map-and almost a thousand people in the
grave. Check
out this fascinating retrospective from the Miami Herald.
Here's to your health, Part III-Wanna
avoid a severe case of heartburn? Then don't get
suckered in by countless radio-commercial claims from car leasing
companies out to hooked you and then wear you down and beat
you into an emotional (and maybe financial) pulp! Check
out Ben's free Smart Car Seminar automotive acquisition tips right
here!
This
is a no-brainer, and they're the first and last automobile
leasing company you'll ever need to deal with, no matter where you
live...Benjamin Dover-endorsed Manufacturers
Auto Leasing! They have loyal
clients across the entire state of Texas and around the nation.
Why? Because they'll
take care of you better than anyone else out there!
By the way:
If you're facing one of those upside-down scenarios
(car business term meaning you're financially buried), or maybe you simply
want to bail on your current vehicle and need someone to get creative on
your behalf, Manufacturers
Auto Leasing is the best in
the business. Period.
Trying to find a plane ticket at a price
you can afford? Coffee's the key. What's this? You're not a
coffee fan? Then try a coupla cans of Red Bull: Rob
Turner's recent blurb in The
Wall Street Journal hammers home a trick
many savvy travelers have known for years...the airlines and railroads
update their computer systems overnight, since unpaid reservations usually
expire at midnight (your local time) and are returned to the available
inventory. Amtrak
refreshes their inventory at 12:15 am Pacific
Time...and you can thank me later.
By the way Einstein,
you might wanna get off your rear and start making travel plans for Thanksgiving travel,
especially since it's just 9
days away, and Christmas is now only 37
days off!: Get
more bang for your turkey bucks...check out Ben's reliable, no-brainer choice
for consistently affordable and competitively priced hotel room or condo
deals: www.hotels.com.
Since Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas and
Kwanzaa are coming up fast, why not be a hero this year (for a
change)! Leave that lousy bottle of wine (that nobody will
drink and will end up being "re-gifted") at home and bring
something that's sure to make you a hero! 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.
Speaking of traveling, do you know what the
rules are (this week, anyway) when it comes to locking your luggage the next
time you fly? I
do (and now you can too) thanks to Joe Sharkey's recent story from The New
York Times.
Want further proof that Louisiana is still
a foreign country? You'll call your
closest Cajun
friends after you read the story about the Shreveport Police
Department being forced to discontinue it's voice recognition system.
Break
out the beignets and read more.....
How much is that doggie in the window?
(Try $47,000 at your closest Petco parking lot.) Read
about one dog lover's revenge-turned-monetary gain...
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!
Want further proof that money buys freedom
in this nation? One
cross-dressing whack-job dodges a murder conviction because
he's got the dough to buy the best legal representation available, while
suspected pedi-purveyor Michael Jackson reveals he wants to adopt more kids.
Cute.....
Is it horrible to be relieved when someone
finally passes away? A
recent study reveals that taking care of someone afflicted with Alzheimer's
is so physically and emotionally grueling that nearly
three-quarters of those who do it are relieved when their loved one finally
dies.
Wanna make a difference this holiday
season? Here's your chance to help the millions of Americans going
toe-to-toe with Alzheimer's. Do
me a favor and follow my lead...please consider
making a donation in the name of a family member, friend or business
associate to Leeza's Place.
Founded by my friend Leeza Gibbons, you too can join
the fight against this worldwide epidemic by making a tax-deductible
donation this holiday season. It's money that'll fuel the
expansion of Leeza's Memory
Foundation and will benefit
caregivers, families and their recently diagnosed loved ones in the
Alzheimer's-based battles that lie ahead. Click
here for contact information and instructions on how and where to send your
donation.
The first Leeza's Place just opened in New
York City...and
more are coming to a city near you. And
the best news of all? No matter where you're located, Leeza's Place is
developing information and assistance that'll help families across the
nation, regardless of location. (Thanks for helping to make a
difference...)
NostraDover strikes again! Bankruptcies
have nearly doubled in the past decade...more
than 1.6 million consumers filed for personal bankruptcy in the fiscal
year that ended on September 30, up almost 8% over the previous year.
Don't take another phone call from a tele-terrorist...read
this first!
