Discovery World History: March 2012

Your Consumer Rights

If you have ever fallen behind on your debts you already know
that dealing with your creditors can be a hassle. Sometimes
it can be downright humiliating. It doesn't have to be that
way.

With millions of people experiencing financial problems it
is absolutely necessary for everyone to know and understand
their rights as a consumer.

History

Federal law requires that you receive fair and equal treatment
from businesses issuing credit. This law applies when they
evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment,
and even leases.

The one area where I receive the most complaints are from
individuals that are being harassed by debt collectors. These
complaints range from debt collectors contacting their work and
family members to being called names. All of these are a direct

violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).
This article spells out exactly what your rights are as a consumer.

I have copied some areas of this article directly from the
Federal Trade Commission's web site to ensure that the
information is explained exactly as the law applies. These
areas are identified.

The FDCPA lists the following guidelines that must be followed
by all debt collectors:

(Copied from the Federal Trade Commission web site)

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~~Debt collectors may contact you only between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

~~Debt collectors may not contact you at work if they know your
employer disapproves.

~~Debt collectors may not harass, oppress, or abuse you.

~~Debt collectors may not lie when collecting debts, such as
falsely implying that you have committed a crime.

~~Debt collectors must identify themselves to you on the phone.

~~Debt collectors must stop contacting you if you ask them to in
writing.

It also prohibits debt collectors from engaging in unfair,
deceptive, or abusive practices while collecting these debts.

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It is very important to keep a record of any contact you make
with your creditors especially when there is a dispute or
misunderstanding regarding your account. You should list the
name and address of the company, date and time of the call, the
name of the person you spoke with and the content of the call.
I have developed a form that can be used for this purpose. You
can find it at http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/ccrs.html

Another important aspect of your consumer rights is Credit
Reporting. Derogatory information in your Credit Report can
have serious consequences. It is ultimately your responsibility
to ensure that the information in your credit report is accurate
and up to date.

There are numerous companies that offer "Free Credit Reports",
however, you are obligated to sign up for their "Debt Monitoring
Service" which usually costs about . You will receive a free
credit report and if you cancel your monitoring service within
30 days it will cost you nothing. Your best bet is to order your
credit report directly from a Credit Reporting Agency. It will
only cost you about . Below is a list of the three main
companies:

Equifax
PO Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 03074-0241
(800) 685-1111

Experian
PO Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013-2104
(888) EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)

Trans Union
PO Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
(800) 916-8800

I would advise you to visit the below link to find out exactly
how to obtain your credit report:

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/money/fair-credit/fair-crd.htm
Having knowledge of your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (FCRA)can save you a lot of time and trouble when you apply
for credit. The following explains these rights.

(Copied from the Federal Trade Commission web site)

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Your Credit Report
Your credit payment history is recorded in a file or report.
These files or reports are maintained and sold by "consumer
reporting agencies" (CRAs). One type of CRA is commonly known
as a credit bureau. You have a credit record on file at a credit
bureau if you have ever applied for a credit or charge account,
a personal loan, insurance, or a job. Your credit record
contains information about your income, debts, and credit
payment history. It also indicates whether you have been sued,
arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is designed to help ensure
that CRAs furnish correct and complete information to businesses
to use when evaluating your application.

Your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act:

~~You have the right to receive a copy of your credit report. The
copy of your report must contain all of the information in your
file at the time of your request.

~~You have the right to know the name of anyone who received
your credit report in the last ~~year for most purposes or in
the last two years for employment purposes.

~~Any company that denies your application must supply the
name and address of the CRA they contacted, provided the denial
was based on information given by the CRA.

~~You have the right to a free copy of your credit report when
your application is denied because of information supplied by
the CRA. Your request must be made within 60 days of receiving
your denial notice.

~~If you contest the completeness or accuracy of information in
your report, you should file a dispute with the CRA and with the
company that furnished the information to the CRA. Both the CRA
and the furnisher of information are legally obligated to
reinvestigate your dispute.

~~You have a right to add a summary explanation to your credit
report if your dispute is not resolved to your satisfaction.

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If you believe that your rights have been violated under one of
these laws you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade
Commission online at:
[https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq]$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

While these laws won't eliminate your obligation to pay your
just debts they can prevent debt collectors and others from
taking advantage of you.

Your Consumer Rights

Terry Rigg is the author of Living Within Your Means - The Easy Way http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/ebookadpage.html and editor of The FREE Budget Stretcher Newsletter and Budget Stretcher web site http://www.homemoneyhelp.com. He has 25 years of experience counseling individuals and families concerning their personal finances.

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The Gift of Independence - Thumb Rings!

For those of you who don't know thumb rings are rings worn on the thumb rather than any of the other four fingers. Thumb rings can and are worn by both men and women. The thumb is associated with a person's strength of will both for themselves and how strongly they affect others.

Esoterically the practice of wearing a thumb ring means you're either trying to emphasis your independence and individuality or inhibiting some aspect of the self. I guess its whatever you feel like or you may be doing both.

History

Historically, (ie, the 1500's) wearing a thumb ring meant you were a doctor or pretending to be one. Also, centuries ago women would wear their husbands wedding rings on their thumbs when they left for battle or died.

You can also choose which thumb to wear a thumb ring on. To wear a ring on the left hand is a reflection on the subconscious or your instincts, beliefs, and basic attitudes. To wear a ring on the right is a focus on the conscious, reflecting logic, awareness, and the material world. More recently to wear a thumb ring on the right indicates that you are into same sex relations.

Many people seem to be concerned about whether or not its okay for them to wear a thumb ring. I say forget the current trend in meaning and wear one if you want because it constantly changes. Interestingly thumb rings are usually interchangeable with your index or middle finger. They are also more comfortable when worn on the non-dominant hand.

Currently thumb rings are sold everywhere from gumball machines to upscale jewelry manufacturers. They can be made of plastic or platinum and made in a simple band or elaborate framing with braiding, or shapes like hearts inside.

The Gift of Independence - Thumb Rings!

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. A complete selection Thumb Rings. Place a Thumb Ring in a gift basket to surprise that someone special.

The History of Obesity

Obesity is simply fatness in a degree higher than being overweight. The energy intake coming from food is stored as fat because the body does not use it. Obesity has quite an impact in one's physical health that many degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked to obesity as observed in the history of obesity. It may even have a much worse impact on a person's mental health. Throughout the history of obesity, its reputation varies from appreciation and the opposite among cultures and in time.

Take a look in the history of obesity and we'll learn that this is truly an age-old health condition. Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. Perhaps the most famous and earliest evidence of obesity is the Venus figurines, statuettes of an obese female torso that probably had a major role in rituals. Ancient China have also been aware of obesity and the dangers that come with it. They have always been a believer of prevention as a key to longevity. The Aztecs believed that obesity was supernatural, an affliction of the gods. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was aware of sudden deaths being more common among obese men than lean ones as stated in his writings. In certain cultures and areas where food is scarce and poverty is prevalent obesity is viewed as a symbol of wealth and social status. To date, an African tribe purposely plumps up a bride to prepare her for child bearing. Before a wedding can be set, a slim bride is pampered to gain weight until she reaches the suitable weight.

History

Throughout the history of obesity, the public's view and status of obesity changed considerably in the 1900's. It was regarded as unfashionable by the French designer, Paul Poiret who designed skin-revealing clothes for women. About the same time, the incidence of obesity began to increase and become widespread. Later in the 1940's, Metropolitan Life Insurance published a chart of ideal weights for various heights. They also advocated that weight gain parallel to age is not ok. The government and the medical society became more hands-on with obesity by initiating a campaign against it. This was preceded by a study of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases revealing obesity among the high ranks. Since then various diet and exercise programs have emerged. In 1996, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was published. This statistical calculation and index determined if a person is obese or not. At this time, obesity incidence have soared, led by children and adolescent obesity, tripling in just a few short years, greater than any number in the history of obesity.

Perhaps the most controversial is the independent film, Super Size Me. Released in 2004, Super Size Me was written, produced and directed by American independent filmmaker, Martin Spurlock in an exploration of the prevalence of obesity in the USA. He documented 30 days of his life in an experiment of eating only McDonald's food with completely no exercise. He began the project as healthy and lean but ended up overweight. It was later followed by several other documentaries and a few changes in the McDonald's menu. The history of obesity should be well studied so precautions can be practiced and thus prevent obesity from spreading.

Over the years and in the history of obesity, it seems to worsen despite growing awareness and combating techniques that it has been called an epidemic.

The History of Obesity

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Weight Loss and Obesity and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Obesity web site. For more articles and resources on Obesity and Weight Loss related topics, symptoms and treatments visit his site at:

=>http://obesity.need-to-know.net/

The Art of the French Revolution

The art of pre-revolutionary France was decidedly frivolous in its subject matter and deliciously detailed in style. Paintings were commissioned by the wealthy for their grant chateaus and palaces in delicate pastel colors. This period of art was called "rococo," from the French decorative term rocaille, and was highly ornamental. Common subjects of rococo art include young lovers, pastoral scenes, outdoor games, and then-fashionable portraits. Cherubs are omnipresent in rococo art, and more often than not are accompanied by scrolls, inexplicable clouds of flower petals, and swathes of fabric. One highly recognizable piece of Rococo art is a painting called The Swing by Jean Honor-Fragonard. It depicts a woman in a voluminous pink dress enjoying a ride on a swing, while two men look on cheerfully. The subtle sexual undertones of the painting - it's implied that the woman isn't wearing undergarments - made the painting a scandalous success when it debuted.

Rococo decorative art was exceptionally elaborate and very expensively made. Rococo pieces are the pride of decorative arts collections in museums worldwide. The palace of Versailles was decorated in the Rococo style. Versailles is ornately detailed, and can best be described as a palace of luxury overload. Floors are made of intricately tiled panels of marble. Mirrors are several feet tall, and many feature intricate cherub sculptures at the corners. Busts of Roman emperors are prominent as the classical period was very fashionable in the eighteenth century. Even sofas, upholstered in finest floral silk are trimmed by gilded wooden sculptures of leaves. Asymmetry was popular in Rococo designs, which meant that the leaves on one side of the sofa were unlikely to mirror exactly the leaves on the other side.

Prehistory

A shift in the political climate meant a shift in aesthetic preference. After the political upheaval of the French Revolution, the lower classes wanted nothing to do with the oppressively wealthy upper classes and their prissy art preference. The levity of Rococo art was abandoned in favor of emotional, intense imagery with a revolutionary energy about it. This period of art was known as Baroque art, from a French word describing irregularly shaped pearls. An easily recognizable piece of Baroque art is the cover of the recent Coldplay album, whatsthepaintingsname. In this painting, a rather disheveled woman is depicted leading fervent troops to battle. Enemy corpses are being trampled upon as the proud woman raises the French flag. This painting contains all the hallmarks of Baroque painting - excitement on a grand emotional level, with violent undertones.

While there certainly was nothing wrong with the art of the Rococo era, the lower classes understandably found fault with the unequal distribution of wealth in French society. Marie Antoinette famously had little regard for the welfare of her subjects. Rococo art represented to the French revolutionaries all that was wrong with French society at the time. It was no wonder then that the Revolutionaries set about hacking to pieces Rococo portraits of nobility as they stormed the estates of Paris.

The Art of the French Revolution

Charles Bloom

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