Economic History Today » financial penalties

warrenh — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:24:02 +0000

Bigger, softer, less-nutritious tomatoes, with higher acreage yields, faster growing, bacteria-resistant, high-yield corn, barley and wheat that will grow in climates and regions unnatural to these cash crops. Human possibility for manipulating and “controlling” Mother Nature’s formula’s are infinite, virtually untapped, dangerous and possibly beneficial to mankind as a group if implemented properly.

Scientists prod, poke and alter experimentally processes of nature that have operated successfully and efficiently for millions of years, without the intervention of god-like humans trying to discover and understand the hidden mechanisms of the universe’s inner clockwork.

But, just how much about the possible results of their experiments are the scientists today aware of before their inquiries begin. An experiment by experiment comparison of results would clear up this question, the results indicate that accuracy in scientific inquiry is more likely the result of chance, than human genius, while this doesn’t invalidate the results obtained, it does give us an indication of just how much about the results of their scientific inquiries they do understand. “The more we discover, the less we understand. Beyond every door of scientific discovery, lies another hallway of doors, each with its own hallway and set of doors of discover.” (Warren Hayashi)

Scientists of ages past hid their discoveries and associated beliefs from the fearful eye of traditional religions and associations, behind jargon or code, renouncing their beliefs if questioned by authorities. Scientists of today hide their discoveries behind corporate borders, professional-specific terms and expressions, and societies and associations requiring specific education, training and understanding to access.

The battle to open the doors of scientific inquiry to the non-scientist hoping to lift the veil of mystery surrounding scientific inquiry has raged since humans discovered the power of knowledge and the benefits of secrecy, a battle that has intensified with the increased refinement and specialization of all scientific disciplines.

Today, the god-like power being wielded by scientists, corporations and institutions is presently beyond the comprehension and understanding of the human intellect, despite what the human ego maybe telling us. Maybe with time, if we survive our own devices, we may develop the ability to truly comprehend what we witness in a logical, rational, and non-emotional way, at least in the beginning of new inquiries.

The desire of scientists and corporations to hide their discoveries is certainly rooted in fear of misunderstanding and non-comprehension; humans fear what they don’t truly comprehend. Just as the human need to understand and ultimately manipulate nature is human fear and insecurity of the unknown at work. Fear has been and is still a powerful force that shapes the human mind and choice, a tool that can destroy life or create it, that if used constructively with logic and rationality, maybe able to help save us from ourselves.

Monsanto Corporation’s discovery of hidden scrolls detailing the process to produce synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), in 1994, has enflamed the battle between corporations and organizations dedicated to unveiling the mystery around many of today’s “discoveries”, by attempting to thwart attempts by consumers groups to provide consumers interested in trying to understand the facts surrounding these discoveries, with the information to make their own determinations about the safety of products obtained from today’s scientific discoveries.

Since 1994, Monsanto’s synthetic replacement for naturally occurring BST protein hormone cows, rBGH, has become widely accepted and used as a management tool to increase dairy cow production. In 2007, of the 9 million cows in the United States, approximately one third, are in herds supplemented with Monsanto’s Posilac bovine somatotropin. Posilac is currently sold in all 50 states and to meet growing world wide demand for Posilac, Monsanto has sought and received FDA approval for a new multi-million dollar manufacturing facility in Augusta, Georgia.

Customer approval ratings have been excellent, with dairy farmers using Posilac reporting thirteen years of continuous use, with no “recorded” or “registered” problems with the synthetic product. In fact, they attest to Posilac’s efficacy in increasing dairy cow production in their herds.

To date, products produced by dairy cows enhanced with rBGH aren’t labelled as produced by hormone-enhanced cows. But recently, farmers choosing not to supplement their herds with Posilac decided that it was time to “tell the world”. They began drawing up plans to label their dairy products as produced from cows not supplemented with Posilac, a normal business undertaking, and then announced their undertaking to the world, it was at this time their idea got caught up on a snag that wasn’t there before they decided to implement their new labelling plans.

In stepped “Big Brother Pennsylvania State to inform these farmers that the state would impose a February 1^st, 2008 ban on farmers labelling their dairy products as obtained from cows not supplemented with Posilac. The motivations of such a decision leaves much for the imagination to play with, a misguided attempt to protect little brother-consumer from some unseen danger. Certainly, there is a danger of creating a two-tiered pricing system, where the non-hormone enhanced product is valued more, but is this really a danger or free market theory at work?

In response to this decision, a messenger rode out of the low-sun on the horizon, carrying a letter for Pennsylvania State governor, Edward Rendell. Signed, notarised and sealed for delivery by a coalition of 65 organizations protesting the proposed labelling ban as an attack on free speech, free markets, sustainable farming and the consumer’s right to know. The coalition is currently resisting similar proposed bans by other states, their letter moved governor Rendell to state recently, “The public has a right to complete information about how the milk they buy is produced.”

This came as he announced that Pennsylvania would accede to consumer advocates desire for the state to retract its announcement of a proposed ban on farmers labelling their products as produced from cows not supplement with Posilac. By issuing new guidelines that allow dairy farmers to label their products as produced by dairy cows not supplemented with Posilac, a decision that is a victory for all consumers.

Compare different cell phone wireless carriers

warrenh — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 17:34:36 +0000

Let’s Compare Wireless Carriers

We’ve listed the five carriers in order or relative overall performance below, because we feel a carriers performance is most customers primary consideration when first considering a carrier. However, if you tend to travel a lot internationally or through backwash rural areas of the United States, the type of network that your carrier uses and the way you use your phone maybe worth examining as well. After the list below you will find our suggestions if you’ve decided to change your carrier and you want some advice on how to go about this complicated process.

VERIZON WIRELESS

How good - consistently a top performer in customers surveys by independent sources like Consumer Reports and in our own independent surveys. Always among the better national carriers in responsiveness to customer questions, inquiries and complaints. Networks – CDMA and analog. Verizon offers analog access on only a few of its new phones, which could mean less coverage in some rural areas of the country.

ALLTELL

How good – Alltel has been a consistent top performer in all three metro areas where they have sufficient data to rate it, but only three of course. Notably good for both connectivity and customer service in all areas, including helpfulness in responding to questions, inquiries or complaints. Networks – CDMA or analog.

T-MOBILE

How good - A solid consistent performer in all the metro areas where there is sufficient data to rate their service, but marred by lack of service in some places. Also ranked among the better providers in responsiveness to customers questions, inquiries and complaints. Networks - GSM only. Most of its phones can be used outside the United States because of this fact though.

CINGULAR

How good - Middle to low levels of consumer satisfaction with sound and voice quality. Static and busy circuits were common problems, as they have been in previous surveys conducted. Relatively low performance for helpfulness in handling customer questions, inquiries and complaints. Networks – Primarily GSM, some TDMA and analog. Most GSM phones can also be used in many parts of the world.

SPRINT

How good – One of the poorest performers in terms of overall performance and customer satisfaction. Had more dropped calls than other carriers in all situations? Sprint merged with Nextel in 2005, and out results do not include former Nextel customers or those who receive Nextel service from Sprint, because their phones operate on a different network than Sprint customers. Networks - Sprint uses CDMA but can roam using analog. If you’re ready to switch to a different cell service provider, here’s how to find a carrier more likely to meet your personal standards:

If you live in a major metropolitan area focus your search on the carriers at the top of the list, in most of these population centres there are up to three carriers to choose from when making your choice. To choose from the top carriers in your area, check the online coverage maps for each carrier at their Web sites, paying special attention to where you live, work and plan on traveling. These on line maps can vary in detail and accuracy, so you should go one step further and ask people you know who travel, work and live on the same streets as you which carrier they use and if they get consistently good service.

Depending on how often you use your cell phone while in rural areas or outside the continental United States, you’ll want to pay close attention to which network the carrier operates on. The major digital networks are CDMA (code division multiple access) and GSM (global system for mobile). The advantage of CDMA is that many CDMA phones incorporate analog backup for roaming in areas where a digital signal is unavailable. Many GSM phones, however, provide coverage in other countries, a plus for those of us planning to spend a lot of time away from home.

Once you choose a carrier, be sure to take advantage of the trial period most carrier offer. If you find that the service is poor of nonexistent in places where you need it most, cancel that contract and try another of the highly rated carriers on the list.

If you’ve settled on a carrier, you can go directly to its Web site and compare the plans it offers. As we’ve noted in the past, however, you might have to poke around a little to find the cheapest plan the carrier offers, or else call the carrier directly and ask. Comparing plans of different carriers is relatively simple at Web sites like Letstalk.com (click on Service Plans, then compare).

If the amount of shekels you spend is your primary concern, the best way to compare is on a per-minute basis. For example, when we recently checked rates for Tampa, Florida, Sprint and Verizon were both offering 450-minute plans for $39.99 a month, or about 9 cents a minute. T-Mobile offered 600 minutes for the same $39.99, or about 7 cents a minute.

If you only use your cell phone for roadside emergencies or make very few calls, consider a prepaid or “pay as you go” plan. When comparing prepaid plans, pay special attention to what the carrier charges per minute, how soon minutes expire, and whether your minutes can be roller over. Although we haven’t rated prepaid carriers, some of the major providers are T-Mobile, TracFone, Verizon, and Virgin. You can buy prepaid phones and refill minutes at electronics and office supply stores, as well as online and in Canada online or at specified stores.

Saying goodbye to your old carrier will be very easy if your contract has expired. Just ask your new carrier to switch your existing (and, by law, portable) cell number to your new cell phone. If however, you still have months or years to go on your contract with your current carrier, the switch is a little trickier, especially since you could be facing a whopping early termination fee. If you’re desperately unhappy with your plan and carrier, you may want to just pay the fee and get them out of your life forever. As much as we hate to admit it, paying a penalty of $150 to get out of a deal may be no worse then paying $50 month after month for service you’re not getting or drives you insane. Well that’s it for this hub, join me next time as we will talk about the new fee-based features cell phone makers are adding to your friend and some things to pay attention to. Happy talking!

Looking for a new cell phone deal

warrenh — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:30:44 +0000

How To Find The Best Cell Phone Deal

After bringing you the best cell phones in the world the we would feel irresponsible if we didn’t tell you how to find the best deal for the phone, service provider and calling plan.

Cell phones rock! But if you thought choosing your last piece of Star Trek spawned technology, service provider, and calling plan was tough as asking a Klingon to refuse a physical challenge, just wait until you use the list of the world’s best cell phones to find one and try it. The convoluted puzzles that are the latest plans are confusing to figure out and the multitude of phones themselves have become complex beyond comprehension to the average Mary or Joe. Digital camera are commonplace on even the most basic of models, and MP3 players are increasingly popular. With each new feature hatching new services and new costs as manufacturers rush to be the first to bring new, innovative, features onto the marketplace and reap the financial benefits.

This is where we can help by providing you with the information to make your own informed choices about the cell phone, service provider and calling plan you choose. If your planning on replacing your phone check out my hub “The Best Web Browsing Phones In The World”, but if your looking for a better deal on your service provider and calling plan then the last one you had, stick around we have what your looking for here.

If your just looking for a new cell phone because the contract with your carrier is up, check to see which cell phones will work with your present carrier. Unless your familiar with the model your considering purchasing, there is no substitute for visiting a walk-in store and assessing the feel of the model your considering with your own hands. Surveys indicate readers experiences have been better with online transactions, so you might get better results completing the deal online.

In a recent survey of 18,000 subscribers of Consumer Reports, 65% of respondents to the survey bought a cell phone from a service provider’s Web site and were completely satisfied with the service, compared to 55% who bought at the provider’s walk-in store.

When browsing for a new cell phone or carrier, don’t be swayed by someone offering you a discount, discounts have become the standard, with 89% of the people involved in the survey saying they got one.

If you want to try a new provider, competition is a good thing. In a separate survey conducted by industry experts; nearly twenty-five percent of respondents reported switching to a new carrier during the first three years, mostly due to poor service. If this struck a nerve then start looking for a new provider here.

A prospective buyer should note that even if your happy with your current cell phone, chances are you won’t be able to take it with you when you go to a new provider. This is because providers sometimes use incompatible networks, but also because providers “lock” their phones electronically to discourage customers from going to another provider. A recent federal ruling allows consumers to unlock their cell phones for use with other networks, but this can only be done easily with a few cell phones.

If you have a cell phone that works on the GSM network, used by T-Mobile and Cingular, ask the new provider whether your old phone will work on their network. Even if you can keep using your old cell phone though you may have to pay your new provider or a third party, such as www.unlockmyphonenow.com, $10 to $40 to free it up. Unfortunately, if your phone works on the older CDMA network if probably can’t be transferred to your new provider, so your next option may be to donate or recycle it. For more information on what to do with an old cell phone, visit the website www.GreenerChoices.org.

If your under contract currently switching providers in the middle of the contract can have financial consequences, with you paying around $200 in early termination fees per phone number. If you can tolerate your existing service, try living with the contract until it is over, it will simplify you’re life.

If the price is the issue, remember you can usually make a deal with the provider to move to one of your current carrier’s other plans, without additional financial penalties. But be aware that switching can mean having to extend your current contract, pay new activation fees, or surrender any rollover minutes you’ve accumulated while using your original agreement.

Surveys indicate that nearly half of respondents who switched plans did so because they wanted more minutes, a move that can save you nasty charges for exceeding your monthly allotment. But, if you don’t use your cell phone much, consider switching to a more basic monthly plan with fewer minutes and this will save you money.

Replacing your cell phone is usually not a good idea while your still under contract with a provider, unless you absolutely need to, because the carrier or other authorized dealer won’t be as generous with discounts. If you have lost or broken your cell phone and don’t want to pay through the nose for a replacement, don’t worry, you can often find a less expensive replacement on eBay or other related websites.

That’s it for this hub, look for additional hubs on related material to this article in the next few days, I will be talking about my survey of carriers and which one maybe the best for your needs and purposes. Happy phoning!