What’s in a name? Your check book, credit card and social security card all hold critical information, that in the wrong hands gives thieves the tools they need to assume your identity. In fact, some of the fastest growing financial crimes in America today are check fraud and identity theft, with check fraud growing at 25 percent each year (according to the American Bankers Association), and the Federal Trade Commission reporting the cost of identity theft to banks and businesses at $56 billion annually.

Despite living in a digital world, “traditional” methods of identity theft are more popular than ever, from dumpster diving to check washing. In fact, check fraud – the paper check’s evil twin – is the most dominant method of fraudulent payment, producing the greatest losses. Check fraud is also the least prosecuted financial crime, and every checking account holder, company, and organization is at risk of becoming a victim.

Consider this: a visit to your doctor’s office, a meeting with the mortgage company, and mailing utility bills can put you at risk. When you visit your doctor and fill out new patient forms, the receptionist copies your insurance card, which includes your Social Security number. You remit your co-pay with a check drawn on your bank account. You have just provided enough information for someone to become you.  read more »

Which came first, the wallet or the money clip? A good question that I can not find the answer to at the moment. Wikipedia has a definition of the money clip, and the one sentence that stands out to me on this definition is, “Depending on the design, it may also be difficult to push the bills into the clip.” The MoneyClamp from beza has solved this problem.

I started using a money clip many years ago when I started to have pain in my right leg. I went to see my Doctor who asked me to hand him my wallet, and I handed it to him. The alligator skin billfold held my checkbook, membership cards, credit cards, IDs, receipts, cash, and probably a picture or two. The Doctor said, “use a money clip and your pain will go away.” The sciatic nerve pain was gone, and I have been with a money clip ever since.  read more »

OK guys...no more excuses. Men are embracing grooming in record numbers. Your face and body need serious attention. Here are some simple guidelines and "must have" tricks to get celebrity skin. Remember look good=feel good=confidence=success.  read more »

• by Michele Probst

Generally, the ideal locations for home theater speakers will be: Left/Right front speakers located to either side of the TV screen, at least 1.5 to 2 feet away from the screen itself. It´s actually best to have the speakers a little forward of the screen and out away from the side and back walls. For the best audiophile performance it helps to be sure that the distances from the back and side walls to the speaker is different. The speakers should be placed with the tweeters as close as possible to ear height, when seated. You can try them 'toed in' towards the prime listening position or straight out into the room.

Center Channel Ideally located directly on top of or below the center of the TV screen. The center channel is arguably the single most important speaker in a home theater system, because up to 85% of the dialogue and 65% of the special effects come through it! Putting a speaker directly adjacent to the TV screen does, however, cause certain problems. Sounds that normally would radiate equally from the face of the speaker are immediately reflected from the screen. This causes undesirable sonic 'colorations' that make the center channel sound different than the left/right front speakers, even if they are precisely matched to begin with. Many Atlantic Technology center channel speakers include one or more controls to allow tailoring their sound to better match the L/R speakers. Additionally, these controls also allow you to match them to other brand L/R speakers should you be upgrading from a stereo system to a multi-channel set-up and want to add a center channel to your existing system. Additionally, most Atlantic center channel speakers come with an adjustable mounting base that allows precise aiming towards the prime listening position for better dialogue intelligibility.  read more »