Social Security Online

As the Baby Boomer Generation continue to get older, one of the hot topics will continue to be Social Security. Critics claim that Social Security is going bankrupt, and that it needs to be privatized as soon as possible, or people will lose their benefits. This rant examines if Social Security needs to be privatized, and if it is actually going broke.

Thanks to various search engines, and thanks to the Information Superhighway, there is much data to suggest that Social Security—even at the going rate—will be able to pay full benefits at least until 2032, and some research indicates it could survive as long as 2042. Also, seventy-five percent of Social Security funding comes from the payroll tax, which guarantees that Social Security will never go broke. The trick is—in about thirty or forty years, to come up with a system to make up the other twenty-five percent. Those who like to crunch numbers, and those who are familiar with the mathematical formula claim that a raise in the payroll tax by two percent—one percent by the employer, and one percent by the employee, will guarantee the survival of Social Security until the Second Coming. Analysts like to stress the fact that a tax increase—no matter how meager it may or may not be, is not the only solution. With the advancement of technology and medical science, people are living longer than they ever have before. Also, various amounts of disease have been quelled. About ninety years ago, the number one killer in the world was Spanish Influenza. Today, the flu is no longer a serious threat. Also, polio used to be a scourge on society, but these days, that disease has been virtually eradicated off the face of the planet. Thus, it makes sense that the retirement age will—and should—be raised to about 70. Actually, seventy years of age is not old. In fact, it is about the average age, in this country, and well below the average in many industrialized nations in the world.

Of course claiming that Social Security is under-funded is not telling the whole story. Let us look at the facts. So far, on this war on terror, the United States has spent over 300 billion dollars. If that amount is divided by the present population, that equals to about a thousand dollars for every man, woman, and child in the country. Also, do not forget about the hundreds of millions of dollars that “loaned” to other countries in the world. Instead of saying, “Social Security is going broke because of the population”, the correct statement should be, “the president believes that there are more important things to spend money on rather than insuring that benefits will be around for years to come.”

Whenever Social Security Reform is mentioned, there are always a select few that love to clamor that the system should be privatized. Statistically we know that people spend more than they save. If Social Security should be privatized, what about the millions of people that do not have a bank account? Should those people automatically receive an account? And who is going to make sure that these people get an account--the federal government? That would defeat the purpose of privatizing Social Security in the first place. It’s kind of like saying, “let’s fix our brakes so we can take the car to the mechanic so he can fix the brakes.”

I could do a lot of research and list a lot of data and list a lot of references, or I could use history and common sense to prove that Social Security should never be put in the hands of a private institution. It is certainly true that there have been many government scandals that have cost the taxpayer billions throughout the history of this country. The failure of the Savings and Loans is one example, and the list is quite lengthy. Also, there have been many scandals in the private realm that has wiped out the life savings of countless people. Enron is just one example in a list that I am sure is exhaustive. Thus, the conclusion is that history shows that it government bureaucracy is safer than the private realm, thus leave Social Security alone.

I love debating history and politics. I have two college degrees in those fields. I am glad I have a chance to share some of my thoughts with the rest of the world. Please visit my site today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

WHAT ARE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

Social Security Disability is a benefit received from the Social Security Administration by disabled workers and in some cases their dependents, similar to those received by retired workers.

WHO QUALIFIES?

To receive benefits under the Social Security Disability program, you must have a physical or mental health problem (or a combination of problems) severe enough to keep you from working in any regular paying job for at least one year. The test isn't whether or not you are able to go back to your old job, and the test isn't whether or not you have been able to find a job lately. Rather, the test is whether you are capable of doing any job available in the national economy. By using an extensive set of regulations, the Social Security Administration takes into account your medical condition, your age, your abilities, your training and your work experience in deciding your case.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

If you are found eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, you will get paid retroactive benefits beginning 5 full months after you become disabled, but only for a maximum of 12 months before you applied for benefits. (Please see below for additional information on duration and amount.)

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I RECEIVE IF I QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

A disabled claimant will receive the same monthly benefit that he would receive had he retired at full retirement age (65 years old or more depending on age). The sum of money received will depend on one's previous work record.

HOW LONG WILL I BE ABLE TO RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

You will receive Social Security Disability benefits as long as you remain disabled and unable to work. Your benefits will not run out because you did not contribute enough into the Social Security system.

WHEN SHOULD I APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

You should apply for Social Security Disability benefits as soon as possible after you become disabled and unable to work. You do not need to wait 12 months to apply, your disability need only be expected to last for at least one year or will result in death.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

You can fill out an application for Social Security Disability benefits at the local Social Security office nearest to your home or by telephone. The address and telephone number of your local Social Security office can be obtained by calling 1-800-772-1213. When applying you should be prepared to give Social Security a list with the names, addresses and phone numbers of all the doctors, hospitals or clinics who have treated you for your condition. You should also bring a list of where you have worked in the past 15 years.

You will also need to provide Social Security with an original or certified copy of your birth certificate, your last earnings documents (W-2, last pay stub, statement of your employer, etc.) and copies (keep the originals) of any medical records you may be able to obtain.

Please note, however, that you should not delay filing for benefits if all documents are not immediately available.

WHAT DO I DO IF I AM DENIED BENEFITS?

Appeal! Many disabled people become disheartened and frustrated after they receive a disability benefits denial notice and do not appeal. This is often a mistake. Nationally, about 75% of all applicants are denied intially and about 90% are denied at the first appeal stage--Reconsideration. But many of these people ultimately receive their benefits, nationally about 70%.

What may be most frustrating about applying for Social Security Disability benefits is the process itself. Those who apply are often made to feel like they are asking for something that they do not deserve, and nothing could be further from the truth. Social Security Disability is not a welfare program; these benefits are paid for by you and were intended to act as a financial buffer in case you or a family member became seriously ill or injured. Therefore if you are unable to work, but you have been denied benefits, you should appeal.

DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY?

You have the right to have an Attorney represent you in your Social Security Disability case. Statistics have shown that claimants represented by Attorneys have been much more successful than people without representation. You should seriously consider the advantages of having an Attorny represent you by examining what an Attorney would do in your Social Security Disability case.

WHAT WOULD MY ATTORNEY DO TO REPRESENT ME IN MY SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CASE?

Every case is different. Your Attorney's role depends on the particular facts of your case. However, a few of the things an Attorney may do are:

* Gather medical and other evidence

* Analyze your case under Social Security Regulations

* Contact your doctor and explain Social Security Regulations to obtain a report consistent with those regulations

* Obtain documents from your Social Security Disability file

* Ask that a prior application for benefits be reopened

* Advise you how to best prepare yourself to testify at your hearing

* Protect your right to a fair hearing by objecting to improper evidence and procedures

* If you win, make sure that the Social Security Administration correctly calculates your benefits

* If you lose, request review of the hearing decision by the Social Security Administration's Appeals Council

* If necessary, represent you in a Federal Court review of your case

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY?

Most Attorneys who handle Social Security Disability cases will accept them on a contingent fee basis of 25% of past-due benefit or $5,300 whichever is less. That is, there is no fee if you lose, although you will be obligated to pay any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Attorny in your representation. Such expenses usually involve charges for photocopying and payments to doctors and hospitals for medical records and reports, and other miscellaneous charges. Total expenses usually are less than $100.

WHEN SHOULD I CONTACT AN ATTORNEY?

As soon as possible, preferably as soon as your inital application is denied. An Attorney will then be able to start assisting you in determining if you are disabled, as that term is defined by the Social Security Act. You will then be able to decide whether or not you want to pursue the first appeal stage--Reconsideration; and your Attorney can begin developing ways to prove to the Social Security Administration that you are disabled.

Attorneys in Social Security Disability cases do much more than sit in at a hearing and ask a few questions. Much pre-hearing preparation, analysis and evidence gathering go into adequate representation for your case. For this reason you should not wait until a week or two before your hearing to contact an Attorney. The earlier an Attorney is able to start working on your case, the better your chances of winning.

Please note that not all Attorneys practice before the Social Security Administration. You will do best to find an Attorney familiar with the complex Social Security Disability regulations and the somewhat unusual Social Security Disability procedures.

About The Author

Sheri R. Abrams, is an Attorney who practices Social Security Disability Law in Virginia, DC and Maryland. Ms. Abrams graduated from the George Washington University Law School and the Boston University School of Management. For more information please see Ms. Abrams's web site at http://www.sheriabrams.com

sheri@sheriabrams.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Calling the tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. -- Abraham Lincoln

Whew! I almost wrote a really long article about the Social Security System and what it means to Black folks.

Fortunately, I fell asleep while writing it just like you would have reading it. I can't think of anything more boring then an in depth analysis of what is wrong with Social Security.

I think that one thing the under 40, Black American, internet savvy crowd already knows is that the Social Security system is in trouble and that it won't be there for us when we retire the same way it is for our parents and grandparents. Something has to give.

One thing is definitely true, the Social Security system won't exist in the same form and with the same level of promise that it has now.

So, with all the boring stuff out of the way, I want to say a few things about private accounts and what I think they mean for African Americans. I'll start with the bottom line up front. I think that Social Security private accounts are a good deal for African Americans but with some very serious reservations.

First of all, a private account is the government's attempt to add an ownership component to the system. However, in this case, your ownership rights will be severely restricted.

I can invest MY money in stocks, bonds, cash, real estate, businesses, mutual funds and any other investment vehicles I so choose. The private accounts system will likely offer a limited range of choices in nothing but paper assets like stocks, bonds and money market accounts that are managed by large Wall Street brokerages and mutual funds - the so-called experts.

Ownership with restrictions is merely the illusion of ownership. Very few things you own will have as many complex rules, restrictions and legal entanglements as private account will have attached to it.

Second, the government is forcing every American to become an investor without committing the resources to raise the level of basic financial literacy in this country. Alan Greenspan has said that basic financial literacy should be taught in our public schools.

The government did this very thing before when they created the 401K retirement system. That system has been a boon to Wall Street, Corporate America and many fellow Americans. However, the pain felt when the 401K gets hurt is not shared as freely as the benefits. Ask employees at Sun Microsystems, Enron, Martha Stewart Omni Media and other companies that have gone belly up or otherwise taken a brutal pounding in the stock market because of mismanagement and corruption.

Who will get hurt when Social Security private accounts take a beating? Will the average citizen be the last to know, as is already the case, when their private accounts hit rock bottom? Without a major, national effort to boost the financial literacy in this country, how will people react to negative news about private accounts? Will the government restrict our ability to react to negative news?

Third, what will the government do should you out-live your private account? Because the account only offers limited ownership not real ownership, I expect that we won't be able to bet their private account at the casino on the day they retire. I do expect the withdrawals from our private accounts to be amortized over a period of time based on something like the average life expectancy. What happens if you are the lucky somebody that lives a long, healthy life to 120 years old? If your account goes broke, what will the government do for you? If you enroll in private accounts, you agree to a cut in your benefits. Will you suffer if your private account suffers?

Fourth, the new promises are just as shady as the old ones. Private accounts will salvage the system for some time but ultimately will become plagued by their own, new and different challenges that will need to be fixed by a future generation.

No one in either political party wants the truth to get out about Social Security. Socialism is a miserable failure. Taxes will ultimately have to be increased on us no what fix we decide today for the system. When and by how much are the only questions that need to be answered. Cuts and elimination of some benefits are inevitable. Retirement will become anathema in the future.

In the past 10,000 or so years of human history, retirement didn't exist in any way, shape or form as it does today. People either got too sick to work or died. We've tried to change history with our current system but we can't change humans.

If you send someone a check and tell them they don't have to work anymore, they won't work. There are able-bodied and able-minded senior citizens that are not working because the governments sends them a check every month regardless. The truth is, a system set up like this will collapse one day on its own because its not the way of humanity.

I think its good that my generation believes more in UFOs then in Social Security being there for us when we retire. maybe that belief will be the motivation we need to save outside of Social Security to secure our own retirement.

So, with all of these reservations, you may wonder why I think that Social Security private accounts are a good for Black Americans. The answer to that is simple math.

Simple Math Reason Number One: Black males live to an average age of 66 years old. The average Black male now collects one year of full Social Security retirement benefits. The age of full retirement for the under 40 crowd is now set at 67. Watch for proposals to raise that age even more. The average Black female has a live span of 72 years meaning that she collects 5 years of benefits. The average White male and White female have life spans of 76 and 78 years, respectively.

Personally, I would rather pass my life time of Social Security tax dollars on to my children and grandchildren then to a little, old white lady I've never known in my life like we do now under the current system. You may not like this truth but that is who is getting your benefits now.

Simple Math Reason Number Two: It is not hard at all for the to earn more then the 2% return on investment that Social Security provides now. A money market mutual fund is paying anywhere from 3% - 5% interest at this time. You could easily and safely earn double what Social Security offers.

Simple Math Reason Number Three: The average Black American has a net worth less then $5,000 and that is only one-tenth of the average White American. Social Security private accounts, because they are form of forced savings, will add to the net worth of Black Americans. All other Americans will see their personal wealth build also so I don't expect that private accounts will close the racial wealth gap. I do believe that private accounts will inject much needed wealth into the accounts of African Americans and we need the boost most of all.

Also, because we don't live as long beyond the retirement age (which I hope will one day change), more of the wealth in our private accounts will get passed to our children, helping them to build wealth. So, a legacy of wealth will begin to grow from the seeds of investment into private accounts.

Simple Math Reason Number Four: This relates to what I said about bucking human history by creating this artificially constructed, man-made system of retirement and actually believing that it will sustain us unchanged in perpetuity. The system is breaking down. We need to start taking complete ownership - and control - for our retirement security.

Partial privatization is a step in the right direction. Even if the step is one small incremental one, we must begin somewhere. I don't think the destitute and disabled should be left out in the cold without our help and support. I do believe that the truth needs to be told and that no one is telling it today.

So, here is what I have to say: make a plan to provide for your own financial independence, invest heavily into your own financial education, invest your money wisely, prepare for the absolute worst and hope for the absolute best.

God Bless

Bret Searles wrote the book titled "The 7 Simple Secrets to Wealth Building: An African American’s Guide to Wealth Building in the 21 st Century and Beyond" and publishes the ezine Black Wealth Now at http://www.blackwealthnow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Reform Social Security has been talked of Capital Hill for many years. However, it is just put in a real action by President Bush recently. The reason is Social Security could have shortage to pay retirees by year 2018 and bankruptcy by year 2042 because the growth of retirees is faster than the contributors of Social Security. Privatization is the process of putting percentage of payroll tax of Social Security into private account that can be invested into stocks and bounds markets. Stocks and Bounds usually make more interest than the growth of Social Security. Thus, in turn, we respect more money to make up the shortage of Social Security. If it does, the Social Security is saved. Otherwise, It does not. This involves timing, ratio, management, and evidence.

Timing. Someone says SS is not in danger. If legal retirement is 65 years old, then from 2005 to 2018 is 13-year, 65 - 13 = 52. This means if you are 52 years old or older, you have not in the era of the shortage of Social Security Fund. So, Social Security is not in danger for you. From 2005 to 2042 is 37 years, 65 - 37 = 28. This means if you are 28 years old in 2005, you will meet the SS bankruptcy by the time you retire. So, Social Security is in danger for you. However, 37 - 13 = 24 (period from shortage to bankruptcy) If in 2042 you are 65 years old, 65 - 24 = 41. This means you are 41 years old now and you need to do something right now before it is too late. If you are 20 years old in 2005, 28 - 20 = 8. This means that the timing of SS reform is 8 years too late. If we get it done 8 years ago, we won't have bankruptcy in 2042.

Ratio. Argument on what percentage should we deduct from SS tax for private account. There are so many theories. But I believe that SS should keep 60% and private account 40% because we need 60% of SS tax to support the people who retired now. If 60% cannot cover, it means we have shortage now. For example, you start to work at 20 years old, you have 45 years working history. Your total life income is 45 thousands. 60% is 27 thousands and 40% is 18 thousands. 27000 x 0.3 = 8100 (Interest made from SS. Social Security pay 3% interest). 18000 x 1.1 = 19800 (Interest made from stocks and bounds. Interest is from 11% to 15% ). 45000 x 0.3 = 13500 (stay in SS only). 8100 + 19800 = 27900 (SS + Stocks and bounds).27900 - 13500 = 14400. This means even if your SS is bankrupt you still have 14400 in your private account. Under this ratio, private account can save SS. This is a hypothetical answer. We can choose a real person to reconstruct his working history base on his real 60% SS tax and past 45-year income of stock average on 40% of private account. We will see the real picture and the feasibility of privatization of SS.

Management. Is it true this transition from regular SS to privatization cost us a trillion? And our kids of kids will suffer from this big deficit? It really depends on how we manage private account. If we manage this private account with our regular bank deposit and employers send 40% SS tax to employees' bank account directly and give a copy to SSA at the same time. There won't be any transition cost. What trillion dollars are just 40% of private account and our kids of kids are the beneficiaries of this privatization. However, You do not always gain on stocks and bounds, and you may have a chance to lose. Therefore, the new laws need to be established so that investors can move their account from stock account to CD deposit freely and vice versa. When stocks price fall, you move it to saving account. Although the interest of saving account is lower than paid by SS, (current 1.25%) yet you won't have a complete loss. The government should encourage financial institutions to compete for this business by telling investors how much you can benefit from their financial programs and the government is hand off but supervise the activities. I don't know who designs the transition plan for the president. Is this plan aim for saving SS? Or boosting the stock market? Or both?

Evidence. President says that he just widens the coverage of federal employees used to have to the general public. I took his words for it. My own experience to prove the advantage of private account is that I put my IRA (Individual Retirement Account) into stock market and was handling by Washington Mutual Bank. The result is much better than my regular IRA account. If it is not for the down fall stock market in 2003, I would have made 4 times more interest than regular IRA account. This is why I suggest to establish new law to governing the practice of financial institutions and ask them to tell the investors when the stock market has big turbulence. Thus, investors' loss will be minimal. Now everything is on internet, and I can watch stock IRA account closely. I don't think there will be any big loss. Not all stocks are expensive one. Some stocks, called 'Small Caps,' cost only 38 cents per share and turn into $1.25 within a month. So, government should not limit certain stocks for private account. The limitation is financial institutions' promise what they can do for the investors. All government does is watch financial institution closely and be sure they do what they have said.

In conclusion, majority of Americans go for president's privatization of SS, but hate the cost of the transition plan. My friend Danny says 'It is the bankrupt of America.' Even president has said the transition cost 700 millions. I would rather leave SS alone because it may have some chances for next 37 years that can save SS. Such as 'Increase immigration.' 'Encourage baby booming.'. And 'Double the interests of SS.' etc. It will not be too late on spending 700 millions or trillions to save SS then. If everybody follows my simple transition plan and opens a private account in his/her bank. Either 60% or 40% is lost, and he or she still has a manageable income to live. If he or she can have both in success, he or she will have a swell retirement.

Footnote.

Increase immigration. Start from year 2018 we increase immigrants to meet the shortage of workers who contribute the SS tax. Encourage baby booming. Give more birth of babies from year 2005 to year 2010. They become part of work force when they are 20-25 years old in year 2025 to year 2030. 2025 - 2018 = 7 this means that we only need portions of 700 million to support seven years. Or increase immigrants to cover that. 2042 - 2025 = 17. This means that new work force has 17 years to save SS bankruptcy. Double the interest of SS. There are 3 ways. 1. Lend SS tax for governmental projects (e.g., build highways.) Then collect the money from the users of highways to pay back SSA with interests. 2. Sell SS tax as bounds. The price of bounds goes up when more people use the highway. 3. Make the rich pay more tax because they enjoy society more. SS is a social program and is meant to help the poor and disables. The SS account is closed after you died but the private account can be passed on next generation. So, the rich have to pay more for it. We can apply all three in the same time. That is, we need the privatization of SS now but we don't need to spend so much money for the time being.

Click on Translator choose language, just type in URL & click. You only type in once, it will translate the entire page. And page after page until all done. This page URL is http://drmasiw.tripod.com/privatiz.htm

Dr. Alexander Ma graduated from School of Language and Linguistics, Georgetown Unuversity, Washington D.C.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

It is a common question when investors review their retirement plan—should we include social security benefits into our retirement income projections?

It seems the closer an investor is to retirement, the more likely he/she will include social security benefits into the analysis. Younger investors, however, may feel compelled to omit such benefits. They must then become mavericks on the retirement front. The choice is yours, but before you decide the influence of social security on your future, remember the following points:

When Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the social security act in 1935, he stated that social security gives some protection to American families. One reoccurring theme of his statement focused on assistance, not 100% protection. In the President’s words, “the law will flatten out the peaks and valleys of deflation and of inflation (source: http://www.ssa.gov)

For many, the Social Security Administration has raised the age of full retirement from 65 to adopt a more stringent schedule. This may be an addition of a couple of months or a couple of years. The administration justifies the increases due to longer life expectancies and general healthier life styles.

For example, those born after 1960, your full retirement age is 67. Going forward, we should ask ourselves “what other changes will be made to social security?” If you would like a complete schedule of retirement ages for full benefits, I recommend you visit Social Security's website at http://www.ssa.gov

An opinion adopted by many is to consider social security in part the closer you are to retirement. For example, if you are sixty years of age and plan on full retirement in five years, you should consider an analysis based on your current projected benefits. Even with the proposed reform plans, preservation of benefits is a priority for eligible citizens age 50-55 and older.

If however you are thirty, it may be better for you to omit such projections. The result will be overfunded personal savings. Thus social security will be an added benefit and not the benefit.

Consider the troubling issues of the 2004 OASDI Trustees Report: future scheduled benefits for today's young workers could be reduced by 27% or more if amendments to the current plan are not adopted.

Young workers should take note of this report. Do not rely on social security and concentrate on personal savings.

In conclusion, you have a risky option—there is only one way to justify social security, don't save for retirement. If this is your chosen route, be prepared for difficult times ahead.

About The Author

Wardlaw's belief is that familiar life elements best illustrate practical investment strategies; not typical investment jargon. With that philosophy, the author assists financial planners / advisors, brokerage firms, periodicals, and other investment information syndicates create informative and entertaining articles. For comments and questions, please contact the author at mailto:tools2invest@yahoo.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Introduction

This document explains topics relating to wireless networks. The main topics discussed include, what type of vulnerabilities exist today in 802.11 networks and ways that you can help prevent these vulnerabilities from happening. Wireless networks have not been around for many years. Federal Express has been using a type of wireless networks, common to the 802.11 networks used today, but the general public has recently just started to use wireless networking technology. Because of weak security that exists in wireless networks, companies such as Best Buy have decided to postpone the roll-out of wireless technology. The United States Government has done likewise and is suspending the use of wireless until a more universal, secure solution is available.

Background

What is Wireless?

Wireless LANs or Wi-Fi is a technology used to connect computers and devices together. Wireless LANs give persons more mobility and flexibility by allowing workers to stay connected to the Internet and to the network as they roam from one coverage area to another. This increases efficiency by allowing data to be entered and accessed on site.

Besides being very simple to install, WLANs are easy to understand and use. With few exceptions, everything to do with wired LANs applies to wireless LANs. They function like, and are commonly connected to, wired Ethernet networks.

The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance [WECA] is the industry organization that certifies 802.11 products that are deemed to meet a base standard of interoperability. The first family of products to be certified by WECA is that based on the 802.11b standard. This set of products is what we will be studying. Also more standards exist such as 802.11a and 802.11g.

The original 802.11 standard was published in 1999 and provides for data rates at up to 2 Mbps at 2.4 GHz, using either FHSS or DSSS. Since that time many task groups have been formed to create supplements and enhancements to the original 802.11 standard.

The 802.11b TG created a supplement to the original 802.11 standard, called 802.11b, which has become the industry standard for WLANs. It uses DSSS and provides data rates up to 11 Mbps at 2.4 Ghz. 802.11b will eventually be replaced by standards which have better QoS features, and better security.

Network Topology

There are two main topologies in wireless networks which can be configured:

Peer-to-peer (ad hoc mode) – This configuration is identical to its wired counterpart, except without the wires. Two or more devices can talk to each other without an AP.

Client/Server (infrastructure networking) – This configuration is identical to its wired counterpart, except without the wires. This is the most common wireless network used today, and what most of the concepts in this paper apply to.

Benefits of Wireless LANs

* WLANs can be used to replace wired LANs, or as an extension of a wired infrastructure. It costs far less to deploy a wireless LAN than to deploy a wired one. A major cost of installing and modifying a wired network is the expense to run network and power cables, all in accordance with local building codes. Example of additional applications where the decision to deploy WLANs include:

* Additions or moves of computers.

* Installation of temporary networks

* Installation of hard-to-wire locations

Wireless LANs give you more mobility and flexibility by allowing you to stay connected to the Internet and to the network as you roam.

Cons of Wireless LANs

Wireless LANs are a relatively new technology which has only been around since 1999. With any new technology, standards are always improving, but in the beginning are unreliable and insecure. Wired networks send traffic over a dedicated line that is physically private; WLANs send their traffic over shared space, airwaves. This introduces interference from other traffic and the need for additional security. Besides interference from other wireless LAN devices, the 2.4 GHz is also used by cordless phones and microwaves.

Security Issues of WLANs

* War-driving


War-driving is a process in which an individual uses a wireless device such as a laptop or PDA to drive around looking for wireless networks. Some people do this as a hobby and map out different wireless networks which they find. Other people, who can be considered hackers, will look for wireless networks and then break into the networks. If a wireless is not secure, it can be fairly easy to break into the network and obtain confidential information. Even with security, hackers can break the security and hack. One of the most prevalent tools used on PDAs and Microsoft windows devices is, Network Stumbler, which can be downloaded at http://www.netstumbler.com. Equipped with the software and device, a person can map out wireless access points if a GPS unit is attached. Adding an antenna to the wireless card increases the capabilities of Wi-Fi. More information can be found at: http://www.wardriving.info and http://www.wardriving.com to name a few.

* War-chalking


War-chalking is a method of marking wireless networks by using chalk most commonly. War-driving is usually the method used to search for networks, and then the person will mark the network with chalk that gives information about the network. Some of the information would include, what the network name is, whether the network has security, and possibly the contact information of who owns the network. If your wireless network is War-chalked and you don't realize it, your network can be used and/or broken into faster, because of information shown about your network.

Eavesdropping & Espionage

Because wireless communication is broadcast over radio waves, eavesdroppers who just listen over the airwaves can easily pick up unencrypted messages. These intruders put businesses at risk of exposing sensitive information to corporate espionage. Wireless LAN Security – What Hackers Know That You Don't www.airdefense.net Copyright 2002

Internal Vulnerabilities

Within an organization network security can be compromised by ways such as, Rouge WLANs (or Rouge Aps), Insecure Network Configuration, and Accidental Associations to name a few.

Rouge Access Points – An employee of an organization might hook up an access point without the permission or even knowledge of IT. This is simple to do, all a person has to do is plug an Access point or wireless router into an existing live LAN jack and they are on the network. One statistic in 2001 by Gartner said that, “at least 20 percent of enterprises already have rouge access points.” Another type of attack would be if, someone from outside the organization, enters into the workplace and adds an Access Point by means of Social Engineering.

Insecure Network Configurations- Many companies think that if they are using a firewall or a technology such as VPN, they are automatically secure. This is not necessarily true because all security holes, big and small, can be exploited. Also if devices and technologies, such as VPNs, firewalls or routers, are mis-configured, the network can be compromised.

Accidental Associations – This can happen if a wireless network is setup using the same SSID as your network and within range of your wireless device. You may accidentally associate with their network without your knowledge. Connecting to another wireless LAN can divulge passwords or sensitive document to anyone on the neighboring network. Wireless LAN Security – What Hackers Know That You Don't www.airdefense.net Copyright 2002

Social Engineering – Social Engineering is one of the most effective and scariest types of attacks that can be done. This type of attack really scares me and can be done for many other purposes besides compromising security in wireless networks. A scenario: Someone dressed up as a support person from Cisco enters the workplace. The secretary sees his fake credentials and lets him get pass the front desk. The impersonator walks from cubicle to cubicle, collecting user names and passwords as he/she goes. After finding a hidden corner, which seems to be lightly traveled, he plugs an insecure Access Point into the network. At the same time he configures the Access Point to not broadcast its SSID and modifies a few other settings to make it hard for the IT department to find this Rouge Access Point. He then leaves without ever being questioned by anyone because it looks like he just fits in. Now, all he has to do is be within 300 feet from the access point, (more if he added an antenna), and now has access to all kinds of secure documents and data. This can be a devastating blow to any corporation and could eventually lead to bankruptcy if the secrets of the company were revealed to competitors.

Bruce Schneier came to my classroom and said the following about Social Engineering, “Someone is just trying to do their job, and be nice. Someone takes advantage of that by targeting this human nature. Social Engineering is unsolvable.”

Securing Wireless Networks

According to Bruce Schneier and others such as Kevin Mitnick, you can never have a totally secure computing environment. What is often suggested is to try and control the damage which can be done if security is breached. One can try many different tools on the market which can help prevent security breaches.

WEP – WEP supports both 64 and 128-bit keys. Both are vulnerable, however, because the initialization vector is only 24-bits long in each case. Its RC4 algorithm, which is used securely in other implementations, such as SSL, is quite vulnerable in WEP. Http://www.infosecuritymag.com/2002/jan/cover.shtml Wireless Insecurities By Dale Gardner. Different tools exist to break WEP keys, including AirSnort, which can be found at www.airsnort.net. Although this method is not a secure solution, it can be used to help slowdown an attacker if other means are not possible financially or otherwise.

VPN and IPSec- IPSec VPNs let companies connect remote offices or wireless connections using the public Internet rather than expensive leased lines or a managed data service. Encryption and authentication systems protect the data as it crosses the public network, so companies don't have to sacrifice data privacy and integrity for lower costs. A lot of VPN's exist on the market today. An important note about VPNs is, interoperability does not really exist, and whatever you use for your server has to be the same brand as your clients most of the time. Some VPNs include:

* Borderware

* BroadConnex Networks

* CheckPoint

* Cisco

* Computer Associates

DMZ – Adding this to your network enables you to put your wireless network on an untrusted segment of your network.

Firewalls – Firewalls are all over the place. Firewalls range from hardware to software versions. By adding a firewall between the wireless network and wired network helps prevent hackers from accessing your wired network. This paper doesn't go into specifics about different firewalls and how to set them up, but there are many. Some of the firewalls include:

* ZoneAlarm (an inexpensive based software firewall) Zonelabs.com

* Symantec has many different firewalls depending what you require.

PKI - Public-key infrastructure (PKI) is the combination of software, encryption technologies, and services that enables enterprises to protect the security of their communications and business transactions on the Internet. What is PKI? http://verisign.netscape.com/security/pki/understanding.html

Site Surveys – Site Surveys involve using a software package and a wireless device to probe your network for Access Points and security risks.

Proactive Approaches

Since wireless technology is insecure, companies or anyone can take a proactive approach to try and identify hackers trying to gain access via wireless networks.

Honeypots – are fake networks setup to try and lure in hackers. This enables administrators to find out more about what type of techniques hackers are using to gain access. One product is Mantrap created by Symantec.

“ManTrap has the unique ability to detect both host- and network-based attacks, providing hybrid detection in a single solution. No matter how an internal or external attacker tries to compromise the system, Symantec ManTrap's decoy sensors will deliver holistic detection and response and provide detailed information through its system of data collection modules.”

http://enterprisesecurity.symantec.com/products/products.cfm?ProductID=157

Intrusion Detection – Intrusion Detection is software that monitors traffic on the network. It sounds out a warning if a hacker it trying to access the network. One such free product is Snort.

“Before we proceed, there are a few basic concepts you should understand about Snort. There are three main modes in which Snort can be configured: sniffer, packet logger, and network intrusion detection system. Sniffer mode simply reads the packets off of the network and displays them for you in a continuous stream on the console. Packet logger mode logs the packets to the disk. Network intrusion detection mode is the most complex and configurable configuration, allowing Snort to analyze network traffic for matches against a user defined rule set and perform several actions based upon what it sees.” http://www.snort.org/docs/writing_rules/chap1.html#tth_chAp1

Network Monitoring- Network Monitoring would be products such as snort that monitor the flow of traffic over the network.

Quick tips and tricks

* When setting up wireless networks and access points there are a few quick steps that can be taken to immediately secure the network, even though it does not make it secure. Some of these ways include:

* Change your default SSID: each router or access point comes with a default SSID. By changing this it can take longer for an attacker to know what type of device he is trying to hack.

* Change the default password – generic default passwords are assigned to access points and routers. Sometimes the password is admin. By changing this password, the attacker cannot modify settings on your router as easily.

* Disable broadcasting SSID: By default AP's broadcast their SSIDs, if you shutoff this setting it is harder for outsiders to find your AP.

* Enable MAC filtering: WARNING: this can only work in smaller environments where a centralized access list does not need to be maintained. You can enable only specific wireless cards to access the AP by only enabling those MAC addresses.

* Turn off shares: If security is important, scanning for shares and turning off the shares on the network can help. Also encrypting sensitive data can prevent hackers from accessing the data.

* Put your wireless access points in a hard to find and reach spot.

* Keep your drivers on all wireless equipment updated. This helps patch existing security vulnerabilities.

* Read current press releases about emerging wireless news.

About The Author

Richard J Johnson

Network+ Certified

RJ Computer Consulting

http://rjcomputerconsulting.com

Richard@johnsorichard.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

 

Hacking Threats and Protective Security

The 1998 Data Protection Act was not an extension to, but rather a replacement which retains the existing provisions of the data protection system established by the 1984 legislation. The Act was to come into force from 24 October 1998 but was delayed until 1st March 2000.

In addition to data, manual records were to be brought within the terms of the new data protection system, thus allowing subject access rights to access to such records.

Due to the allowances made for existing institutions to be brought into compliance with the new legislation, manual data processing that began before 24 October 1998 was to comply with the new subject access accommodations of the Act until 2001.

Now 4 years later there are still unresolved issues such as the security threats presented by computerisation, these can be broadly divided into 3 broad categories:

Incompatible usage:
Where the problem is caused by an incompatible combination of hardware and software designed to do two unconnected but useful things which creates weak links between them which can be compromised into doing things which they should not be able to.

Physical:
Where the potential problem is caused by giving unauthorised persons physical access to the machine, might allow user to perform things that they should not be able to.

Software:
Where the problem is caused by badly written items of "privileged" software which can be compromised into doing things which they should not be able to.

Security philosophy:
A systems security implementations (software, protected hardware, and compatible) can be rendered essentially worthless without appropriate administrative procedures for computer system use.

The following details the results of the threat analysis. If a computer system was setup to mimic the current running of the health practice the following considerations should be understood:

Assets To Be Protected:
That due to the nature of the institution, stable arrangements would need to be made to protect the:

Data: Programs and data held in primary (random access and read only memory) and secondary (magnetic) storage media.

Hardware: Microprocessors, communications links, routers, and primary / secondary storage media.

Security Threats:
The following details the relevant security threats to the institution and the more common causes of security compromise.

Disclosure:
Due to both the sensitive nature of the information to be stored and processed there are more stringent requirements of the new data protection legislation, all reasonable precautions must be taken to insure against this threat.

Attackers:
Although the vast majority of unauthorized access is committed by hackers to learn more about the way computer systems work, cracker activities could have serious consequences that may jeopardize an organisation due to the subsequent violation of the seventh data protection principle ie that personal data shall be surrounded by proper security.

The staff:
It is widely believed that unauthorized access comes from the outside, however, 80% of security compromises are committed by hackers and crackers internal to the organisation.

operators:
The people responsible for the installation and configuration of a system are of critical risk to security. Inasmuch as they may:

[1] Have unlimited access to the system thus the data.

[2] Be able to bypass the system protection mechanisms.

[3] Commit their passwords for your system to a book, or loose notes.

[4] A tendency to use common passwords on all systems they create, so that a breach on one system may extend to others.

The data subject:
The data subject invoking the right to access personal data creates a breach in security by definition. To comply with such a request the data must be ‘unlocked’ to provide access to it, thus creating additional risks to security. Inasmuch as:

[1] If copies have to be made, this will normally be by clerical staff who would not normally have such rights themselves.

[2] The copies may go astray whilst being made available.

[3] Verification of the identity of the data subject becomes very important.

Software:
Many business have database applications that are typically designed to allow one to two staff to handle a greater work load. Therefore such software does not allow validation (confirming that data entries are sensible) of the details the staff enter.

This is a critical security risk as it allows basic acts of fraud to be committed, such as, bogus data entry (entering additional unauthorised information).

Importance Of Good Security:
Data is valuable in terms of time and money spent on gathering and processing it. Poor or inadequate system protection mechanisms canlead to malicious computer system attacks (illegal penetration and use of computer equipment).

One or more devious, vandalising, crackers may damage a computer system and / or data, such damage could have serious consequences other than those of the subsequent violation of the seventh data protection principle that may jeopardize the organisation. For example:

Loss of information: Which can cost money to recreate.

False information: With possible legal action taken.

Bad management: Due to incorrect information.

Principles Of Computer Security:
The publication and exploration of inefficiencies and bugs in security programs that exit in all complex computer programs (including operating systems), methods of entry and ease of access to such technical information has meant that a system is only as secure as the people who have access to it and that good system security cannot be guaranteed by the application of a device or operating system.

Computerisation:
Media reports that draw public attention to the security threats inherent in the nature of programable technology and the safety of individuals information has given rise to situations where institutions entrusted with sensitive information need to spend as much time and energy to gain public trust in such systems as they do in providing serveries.

Although this scenario does not yet apply to the health industry inasmuch as the public are not yet the end users of the system, such social impressions must be considered:

This leads us to the question: if life with computers is so wonderous, how do you leave it? Simply flip a switch and everything will shut down and you can explore the marvels of the oustide world. Computers are only tools and, just like an electric screwdriver, computers can save time and effort without taking anything away from you. All you have to decide is when you want to use a computer and when you don't, you're still in complete control of your life.

Principles Of Inference:
One of the new concepts introduced by the data protection legislation is ‘inference’, and data is now regarded as itself sensitive if sensitive data can be inferred from it. For example, if an estate agent displays complete details about one terraced house, you can infer what the neighbouring house is like. In a medical practice, full patient details about three members of a family could probably allow you to construct the details of a fourth.

This must be linked to the proposition that, in the last 10 years or so more information has been stored about individuals than in all of previous history, and, because of computerisation, all of that information is capable of being pulled together from the different organisations (banks, stores, state, etc) which hold it.

Right To Privacy:
It can be seen that the statement ‘The processing of personal computerised data represents a threat to the individual’s right to privacy’ is well founded. Unfortunately, until now, there has been no statutory right in English law to personal privacy.

For this reason, a right to privacy of that information has been set into the data protection legislation, and, it is only such legislation that prevents complete dossiers from being compiled on any given individual.

Health professionals are exempted from the need for prior approval before processing personal information, for example, as it is clear the health of the individual overrides the individual’s right to privacy, and the consent can be taken for granted.

This does not prevent health professionals from having the full burden of protecting that information from unauthorised access, specifically due to the higher obligations placed on them by the Hippocratic oath which states that a member of the medical profession should respect the secrets which are confided them, even after the patient has died.

However, as can be seen from the exemptions and exceptions, a difficult balance has to be achieved between the right to privacy, and the needs of the individual (and/or the organisation).

In the case of the any entity or practice, the data subject’s rights to the protection of the data that relates to them creates a conflict of interests between them and the practice inasmuch the complex security system needed for this requires extra administration and the navigation of a complex system every time data is need may place extra stress on the staff, both things the management may wish to avoid.

© I am the website administrator of the Wandle industrial museum (http://www.wandle.org). Established in 1983 by local people to ensure that the history of the valley was no longer neglected but enhanced awareness its heritage for the use and benefits of the community.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Identity theft is a growing concern among Americans, and rates among the top five complaints received by states’ Attorney General’s offices. A stolen identity can lead to tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt in the victim’s name and it can take years to completely undo the damage done to the victim’s credit report. Identity thieves can successfully commit crime with as little as a driver’s license number or credit card number, but the ideal target of such criminals is the Social Security number. With that number in hand, the identity thief can pass themselves off as the victim and open credit card accounts, bank accounts, and even obtain home equity loans. As more Americans become aware of the problems posed by identity theft, consumers are doing more to protect themselves. This has inspired thieves to look to a new source of identities to steal, and they have found one. They are now stealing the identities of children.

Established in the 1930’s the Social Security Administration was set up to provide benefits for retired Americans. Taxes are withdrawn from the paychecks of eligible workers, and each worker is issued a Social Security number in order to keep track of his or her benefits. Over the years, and despite the intentions of those who created the system, the Social Security number has become a de facto national identity number. It is difficult, if not impossible, to engage in most financial transactions without providing that number to the other party in the transaction. In fact, the number itself has become as important as the name of the person who holds it. Over the years, criminals have discovered that by obtaining the Social Security number of someone else, all kinds of illegal activities are possible, including obtaining loans in the names of the owner’s of the stolen numbers.

With more people now aware of the potential of identity theft, consumers are more carefully protecting their personal information. As a result, thieves are now targeting the Social Security numbers of children. A law passed in 1989 requires parents of newborn infants to register for a Social Security number for their child. That child will probably not need that number until he or she is a teenager, when the number might be necessary to obtain a driver’s license, open a bank account, or get a job. In the meantime, the number is not only unused, but the theft of it may go unnoticed. Thieves who obtain a Social Security number of a child know that they can probably use it for a decade without being caught. How can you protect your child from identity theft? Treat your child’s personal information as if it were your own, and guard it carefully. Don’t give out the Social Security number of your child unless it is absolutely necessary, and if you aren’t sure if it’s necessary, ask. Some doctors and hospitals, for instance, request the number as a matter of course, but they may not actually need it.

Check to see if your child has a credit report. You can obtain one for free at the free credit report Website. Your child, if not working, shouldn’t have a credit report, so if the credit bureaus have one on file, you may have a problem. A child’s personal information is as useful to an identity thief as that of an adult. Guard yours and your children’s identification carefully.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing.

Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to personal bankruptcy, debt consolidation and credit counseling, and HomeEquityHelp.com, a site devoted to information regarding mortgages and home equity loans.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Monday morning, 6am; the electric rooster is telling you it's time to start a new work week. A shower, some coffee, and you're in the car and off. On the way to work you're thinking of all you need to accomplished this week. Then, on top of that there's the recent merger between your company and a competitor. One of your associates told you, you better be on your toes because rumors of layoffs are floating around.

You arrive at the office and stop by the restroom to make sure you look your best. You straighten your tie, and turn to head to your cube when you notice, sitting on the back of the sink, is a CD-ROM. Someone must have left this behind by accident. You pick it up and notice there is a label on it. The label reads "2005 Financials & Layoff's". You get a sinking feeling in your stomach and hurry to your desk. It looks like your associate has good reasons for concern, and you're about to find out for your self.

And The "Social Engineering" Game Is In Play:

People Are The Easiest Target
--------------------------------------------
You make it to your desk and insert the CD-ROM. You find several files on the CD, including a spreadsheet which you quickly open. The spreadsheet contains a list of employee names, start dates, salaries, and a note field that says "Release" or "Retain". You quickly search for your name but cannot find it. In fact, many of the names don't seem familiar. Why would they, this is pretty large company, you don't know everyone. Since your name is not on the list you feel a bit of relief. It's time to turn this over to your boss. Your boss thanks you and you head back to your desk. You have just become a victim of social engineering.

When Did I Become a Victim of Social Engineering?
--------------------------------------------
Ok, let's take a step back in time. The CD you found in the restroom, it was not left there by accident. It was strategically placed there by me, or one of my employees. You see, my firm has been hired to perform a Network Security Assessment on your company. In reality, we've been contracted to hack into your company from the Internet and have been authorized to utilize social engineering techniques.

The spreadsheet you opened was not the only thing executing on your computer. The moment you open that file you caused a script to execute which installed a few files on your computer. Those files were designed to call home and make a connection to one of our servers on the Internet. Once the connection was made the software on our servers responded by pushing (or downloading) several software tools to your computer. Tools designed to give us complete control of your computer. Now we have a platform, inside your company's network, where we can continue to hack the network. And, we can do it from inside without even being there.

This is what we call a 180 degree attack. Meaning, we did not have to defeat the security measures of your company's firewall from the Internet. You took care of that for us. Many organizations give their employees unfettered access (or impose limited control) to the Internet. Given this fact, we devised a method for attacking the network from within with the explicit purpose of gaining control of a computer on the private network. All we had to do is get someone inside to do it for us - Social Engineering! What would you have done if you found a CD with this type of information on it?

What Does It Mean to Be "Human"
--------------------------------------------
As human beings we are pretty bad at evaluating risk. Self preservation, whether it be from physical danger or any other event that could cause harm, like the loss of a job or income, is a pretty strong human trait. The odd thing is, we tend to worry about things that are not likely to happen. Many people think nothing of climbing a 12 foot ladder to replace an old ceiling fan (sometimes doing so with the electricity still on), but fear getting on a plane. You have a better chance severely inuring yourself climbing a ladder than you do taking a plane ride.

This knowledge gives the social engineer the tools needed to entice another person to take a certain course of action. Because of human weaknesses, inability to properly assess certain risk, and need to believe most people are good, we are an easy target.

In fact, chances are you have been a victim of social engineering many times during the course of your life. For instance, it is my opinion that peer pressure is a form of social engineering. Some of the best sales people I've known are very effective social engineers. Direct marketing can be considered a form of social engineering. How many times have you purchased something only to find out you really did not need it? Why did you purchase it? Because you were lead to believe you must.

Conclusion
--------------------------------------------
Defining The Term "Social Engineering": In the world of computers and technology, social engineering is a technique used to obtain or attempt to obtain secure information by tricking an individual into revealing the information. Social engineering is normally quite successful because most targets (or victims) want to trust people and provide as much help as possible. Victims of social engineering typically have no idea they have been conned out of useful information or have been tricked into performing a particular task.

The main thing to remember is to rely on common sense. If some one calls you asking for your login and password information and states they are from the technical department, do not give them the information. Even if the number on your phone display seems to be from within your company. I can't tell you how many times we have successfully used that technique. A good way of reducing your risk of becoming a victim of social engineering is to ask questions. Most hackers don't have time for this and will not consider someone who asks questions an easy target.

About The Author
----------------
Darren Miller is an Industry leading computer and internet security consultant. At the website - http://www.defendingthenet.com you will find information about computer security specifically design to assist home, home office, and small business computer users. Sign up for defending the nets newsletter and become empowered to stay safe on the Internet. You can reach Darren at darren.miller@paralogic.net or at defendthenet@paralogic.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

YOU APPLIED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY AND YOUR CLAIM WAS DENIED AND YOU WONDER IF YOU SHOULD APPEAL?

The answer is if you are working you usually cannot obtain disabilty especially if you make more than $840.00 per month.

Also, if your disabilty is temporary less than 12 months in duration then you cannot obtain disabilty.

You also have to have a severe impairment in order to qualify.

The impairment would be such that it prevents you from working.

If you are under age 50, then it is difficult to obtain disability if you retain the capacity to do any form of light work.

If you are over 50 but not yet 55, it can also be difficult to obtain disability if you can still do light work.

WHEN SHOULD I TALK TO AN ATTORNEY ABOUT MY CASE?

If you feel you have a meritorious case, then you should call an attorney who specializes in Social Security Disability after being denied by the Social Security local office. Do not do a hearing without first consulting an experienced Social Security Attorney.

He will screen your case and will advise you if it is worthwhile to continue to appeal.

This may be considered AN ADVERTISEMENT or Advertising Material under the Rules of Professional Conduct governing lawyers in Virginia. This article is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

About The Author

Gerald G. Lutkenhaus has been representing disabled people in Social Security Hearings for over 30 years. He has been given Martindale and Hubbell's highest rating for his legal work. For more information please review our website at http://www.geraldlutkenhaus.com. or http://www.virginiadisabilitylawyer.com

jervalaw@aol.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development issued a report Monday that pointed out that even though the US proposals will yield a system that reaches the poor in a more redistributive way than many other countries, the average pay outs of the government pensions are rather low at around 51% of a retiree's previously earned salary as compared to over 70% in other OECD countries.

Only New Zealand and Ireland outperform the US in reaching its poorest nationals because they have simple flat-rate state pensions. The rather low proposed US pensions payouts will safeguard the wider economy from serious risks that economists have warned of for ages, yet it also shows just how serious the issue of funding pensions has become.

Some people are not quite convinced that all has been done to avert a disaster. IF nothing would be done, the system would prove insolvent by estimated dates between 2018 and 2040, and this would pose considerable dangers for the wider economy. "I believe that 2018 is in fact the time when the difficulties will begin [if nothing is done]. The reason is that the government securities held by the Social Security system are not any kind of actual asset", says George Reisman, an economist professor who issued an article on the subject for the Mises Institute, which subscribes to the Austrian Theory of Economics (www.mises.org)

He adds that government securities as such are not the only investments held by the country's institutional investor base, but pretty much a claim against the US Government to pay money that it does not possess. At a time that a negative gap comes into being, the US government will simply have to raise taxes taxes, borrow more from the public, or inflate the money supply to make ends meet.

"Probably, just as has been the case many times since the system was established seventy years ago, social security payroll taxes will be increased one or more times again between now and 2018, and that will provide the funds", says Reisman.

Yet President Bush opted for as few tax increases as possible. In what is described as a rather Democrat-style move, the US leader has chosen to recast the 70-year-old retirement program under a 'progressive indexation' design. This means that the lowest income earners are not becoming any worse off but that the people with middle and high incomes will suffer a severe setback in income soon after they retire. Talk of the system becoming an 'empty shell' for the better off is resultantly fashionable.

The plans make US Social Security is one of the least generous public pension systems in advanced countries, providing an employee on average earnings a pension after tax of 51 per cent of pre-retirement income, according to a comparative study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development issued this Monday.

The average employee in an advanced country can expect a government pension of 70 per cent of his or her after-tax earnings at retirement compared with 39 per cent for an equivalent US citizen.

The sustainability of pension systems is a large issue worldwide and countries around the globe are generally drawing up rather similar systems to cope putting the burden with the private sector and with the workers themselves. The OECD says there is more variety in the pay outs and distributions of the systems per country, with improving fiscal sustainability overshadowing the attention they devote to pension adequacy.

Angelique van Engelen is an international writer, specialing in content creation. If you are interested in tailor made articles, content, brochures, features or news, contact her via angeliqueve@contentclix.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Social Security benefits can affect child support in two ways. First, if either the parent paying child support (the "obligor") or the parent receiving child support (the "obligee") receives Social Security benefits, the Arizona Child Support Guidelines require that the Social Security benefits be included in determining either parents income. Thus, the Social Security benefits help to determine the initial child support obligation.

Second, the Social Security benefits can affect the amount of child support that must be paid out of pocket by the parent paying child support. Section 26 of the Arizona Child Support Guidelines addresses this issue and states verbatim as follows:

A. Income earned or money received by a child from any source other than court-ordered child support shall not be counted toward either parent’s child support obligation except as stated herein. However, income earned or money received by or on behalf of a person for whom child support is ordered to continue past the age of majority pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute Sections 25-320.B and 25-809.F may be credited against any child support obligation.

B. Benefits, such as Social Security Disability or Insurance, received by a custodial parent on behalf of a child, as a result of contributions made by the parent paying child support shall be credited as follows:

1. If the amount of the child's benefit for a given month is equal to or greater than the paying parent's child support obligation, then that parent's obligation is satisfied.

2. Any benefit received by the child for a given month in excess of the child support obligation shall not be treated as an arrearage payment nor as a credit toward future child support payments.

3. If the amount of the child's benefit for a given month is less than the parent's child support obligation, the parent shall pay the difference unless the court, in its discretion, modifies the child support order to equal the benefits being received at that time.

C. Except as otherwise provided in section 5.B, any benefits received directly, and not on behalf of a child, by either the custodial parent or the parent paying child support as a result of his or her own contributions, shall be included as part of that parent’s gross income.

The interpretation of Section 26, above, minus some of the legalese, is really pretty simple:

A. If a child receives benefits from a source outside of the parent paying child support, it will not normally diminish the paying parent's child support obligation unless the Arizona Child Support Guidelines provide a specific exception. However, if a mentally or physically disabled child receives child support past the age of majority, those amounts may be credited toward the paying parent's child support obligation. Notice this is a "may" and not a "shall," meaning that the court has discretion in this child support matter.

B. If a child receives benefits, such as social security or insurance, because the paying parent made the child eligible to receive such benefits by paying into the system, those amounts will be credited toward the paying parent's child support obligation in the manners described. Notice this is a "shall" and not a "may," meaning that the court has no discretion in this child support matter.

C. As mentioned above, a parent who receives payments directly on his or her behalf must include those amounts in income totals used to calculate child support. However, the exception to this provision is provided by the Child Support Guidelines Section 5(B) which states, "Gross income does not include sums received as child support or benefits received from means-tested public assistance programs including, but not limited to, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Food Stamps and General Assistance."

Wilcox & Wilcox, P.C. Trent Wilcox For the Firm

Phoenix office: 3030 N. Central Ave., Ste. 705 Phoenix, Arizona 85012 Ph: 602-631-9555 Fx: 602-631-4004

Goodyear office: 1616 N. Litchfield Rd., Ste. 240 Goodyear, Arizona 85338 Ph: 623-344-7880 Fx: 602-631-4004

Visit our website: www.wilcoxlegal.com Check out our weblog: www.arizonafamilylaw.blogspot.com

Disclaimer: Providing the above information does not establish an attorney-client relationship. To create such a relationship, both the attorney and potential client must sign a written fee agreement. The information contained herein is meant only as general information and is not meant to be relied upon for the purpose of taking legal action. You should contact an attorney in person for further and specific information. Wilcox & Wilcox, P.C. attorneys are licensed in Arizona only except for personal injury attorney Robert N. Edwards, who is licensed in Arizona and Minnesota. Information in this article may not apply to states other than Arizona.

Attorney Trent R. Wilcox is the managing partner of Wilcox & Wilcox, P.C. Mr. Wilcox practices in the areas of family law, employment disputes and general civil litigation. Mr. Wilcox is admitted to practice in the Arizona state courts and federal district court and is a member of the Maricopa County, Arizona State and American Bar Associations.

Mr. Wilcox has worked closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to return abducted children to the custodial parent. He has assisted parents from various countries in cases brought under The Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Mr. Wilcox plays golf professionally when time remains after family and the demands of the law office have been met and when he gets a chance to practice, carries a +3 to +4 handicap.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Social Security has a set of Impairment Listings. At one time "obesity" had an impairment listing. Thus, if the applicant was of a certain height and weight, then the applicant received Disability. For example, if you were 5'2" and 300 pounds, then you were well on your way to winning a Disability Case if you had any impairments in addition to your "obesity".

In 1999, Social Security changed the Rules and deleted the Impairment Listing for "obesity". Social Security did say it would consider the effects of "obesity" with regard to other listed impairments such as respiratory impairments, cardiovascular impairments, and muscoloskeletal impairments (back problems).

In a recent case I had a young lady who was 400 pounds and had spinal stenosis. Prior to 1999, she probably would have met the Impairment Listing for "obesity". Since the rules have changed, we had to go to a hearing before a judge and demonstrate the severity of her back problem. We won but the primary focus of the decision was on the back problem and not her "obesity."

In another case I had the applicant was a man who was over 375 pounds with congestive heart failure. Again, prior to 1999 he would have met the "obesity" listing. Instead, we had the hearing and the judge denied the claim on the grounds he had not done enough to lose weight. The United States District Court reversed the social security judge and we are awaiting a new hearing. But again, this case shows the rules have changed and "obesity" no longer is the "slam dunk" winner it once was.

This may be considered AN ADVERTISEMENT or Advertising Material under the Rules of Professional Conduct governing lawyers in Virginia. This note is designed for general information only. The information presented in this note should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

Gerald G. Lutkenhaus, has been representing Social Security Disability claimants for 30 years in the Central Richmond Area in Virginia. He was given Martindale Hubbell's highest rating in 2003, for more information check our websites at http://www.virginiadisabilitylawyer.com or http://www.geraldlutkenhaus.com or email us at jervalaw@aol.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Social Security Disability is not available for everyone who has an impairment. If you are under age 50 and are still capable of some kind of employment in the national economy then you probably cannot get Social Security Disability. What you can do is contact your state Department of Rehabilitation and seek help in obtaining retraining or job placement. This service should be free for anyone who has an impairment. Of course, if you are still working and making $840.00 or over then you are presumed not to be disabled.

If you are over 50, then proving disability gets somewhat easier. However, your age really does not help you until you are 55 or over. If you are 55 or over, have a severe impairment that prevents past relevant work (PRW), then you are a better candidate for disability. If you have less than a high school education, are over 55, and have only a history of unskilled work, then you are even a better candidate for disability provided you have a severe impairment. As the above discussion shows, when applying for Disability, it is better to be older than 55, uneducated, and have no skills. If you lack any of these, then the case for Disability becomes harder. Alternatively, it is also helpful if the skills you acquired from your work are job specific and are not readily transferable to other occupations.

Of course, there are those cases in which the impairment is so severe that all employment is precluded even though the claimant is young or highly skilled or highly educated. But most cases involve claimants who because of their impairment cannot do their past relevant work (PRW). Then the Big Question becomes can they do other light work or perhaps sedentary (sit down work) in the national economy despite their impairment.

Where an individual case fits in the process can be determined by an experienced Social Security Attorney. He or she can evaluate the case and advise whether or not it is worth going forward.

For more advice, you can contact us at www.virginiadisabilitylawyer.com or email us at jervalaw@aol.com or reach us at www.geraldlutkenhaus.com

This may be considered AN ADVERTISEMENT or Advertising Material under the Rules of Professional Conduct governing lawyers in Virginia. This note is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed as legal advice.

Gerald G. Lutkenhaus has been representing Social Security Disability claimants for 30 years in the Central Richmond Area in Virginia. He was given Martindale Hubbell's highest rating in 2003. In the July 1999 issue of Richmond Magazine he was also recognized as the One of the Best Workers' Compensation Attorneys in Central Virginia. http://www.virginiadisabilitylawyer.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Like I said, If you are poor and on social security do not, and I repeat do not read this article.

Why? Cause I am going to blast the recent article that was in USATODAY on August 16, 2005.

The one that read "Millions of Americans get by on Social Security alone".

Stand back... I warned you.

Here goes...

What the hell are you people thinking. And by 'you people' I mean you poor dumb ass non success driven, slacker, good for cat food people.

WHY DON'T YOU HAVE ANY MONEY?

What comes out of your mouth will now be an excuse...Plain and simple. Because I was a homemaker or a farmer, or I didn't work much, or I was this or I was that.

10.6 million Americans live on Social Security alone. It makes me sick. The U.S. is the land of opportunity and some people can't even feed themselves.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

If we were still living in the trees in Africa and hadn't evolved yet, your ass would have starved off a long time ago.

Only the strong survive.

Now that can be strong willed, strong minded, or any sort of strength where you aren't going to allow yourself to eat cat food.

Here's part of the article I laugh at:

"For some of the elderly, just admitting they need the help is tough. They are proud people, says Hulsey. They want to live independently for as long as possible....One reason they hold on: They don't want to have to depend on Medicaid, the governments health program. If they get Medicaid, they can't have much else. Johnson says that in Oregon, if you go on Medicaid, the state can get reimbursed by your estate when you die, leaving your heirs with little.People want to leave an estate when they pass on, Johnson says. They hold on to the deseperate last."

Okay...now 99/100 when you die and you're only living on Social Security, you don't have an estate. Your heir's will get stuck with the bill.

Now I am done ranting.

While it may be too late for those 10.6 million Americans who live on Social Security, it's not too late for some of us. I urge everyone to read about building wealth and then take action to do it. I don't want to read in the newspapers about you too.

Social Security should be used to pay for your green fees.

Yours for success

Owen Stobbe

Click here to learn how rich people think ==>http://www.howrichpeoplethink.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Despite a series of three letters and three news articles sent directly to then-Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans, Secretary Evans sidestepped burgeoning problems at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which were surfaced by PTO whistleblowers in three earlier news articles sent to him.

History of Sidesteps

First letter and article

On Aug. 18, 2003, this reporter sent a multiple-addressee letter to Commerce Secretary Evans and to Director John H. Marburger III, of the White House’s Office of Science & Technology Policy, among others, discussing the need for counterintelligence and counterespionage measures at the PTO to avert or to mitigate the intelligence threat posed by the peculiar Asian tilt among the ranks of patent examiners and supervisory patent examiners.

This tilt is said to risk the United States’ military and economic advantages attributable to U.S. technologies in both classified and unclassified technology areas.

The Aug. 18 letter enclosed a copy of an Aug. 5, 2003, news article, “Asian Tilt at Patent Office Raises Cause for Concern,” published as the first of a series of articles in the Justicegate News-Messenger.

Neither Secretary Evans nor Dr. Marburger responded to the Aug. 18 letter, which had been addressed to and Federal Expressed to each of them separately.

Apparently, after receipt, the Aug. 18 letter was passed to then-director James E. Rogan of the Patent Office, who responded on his own behalf with a letter that appeared to be back dated as Sep. 5, as explained below.

PTO Director Rogan’s letter

Mr. Rogan sent this reporter a letter, dated as Sep. 5, 2003, but mailed four days later on Sep. 9, did not respond substantively to the six security risk areas identified in the Sep. 5 article, which stated:

Six security risk areas are said by the source to exist at the patent office.

These risk areas are:

1. Physical Access Security
2. Document Security
3. Computer Access Control
4. Non-U.S. Citizen Workers
5. Security Background Investigations
6. Dial-in Computer Access

Instead of a substantive response, however, Mr. Rogan sidestepped the issues which included detailed examples of security breaches within the six areas and wrote that the PTO hires and retains “individuals with the highest standards of integrity and trust.”

In his letter dated as Sep. 5, Mr. Rogan then wrote this reporter: “If you have any specific knowledge of a security breach at the USPTO, please contact our Office of Security at (703) 306-9000, and a security investigation will be initiated immediately.”

PTO sources have suggested that Mr. Rogan’s letter may have been backdated to appear not to be in response to the Sep. 5 article.

Second letter and article

On Sep. 15, 2003, this reporter sent a second multiple-addressee letter to Secretary Evans and to Director John H. Marburger III, among others, discussing an additional notice of need for counterintelligence and counterespionage measures at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to avert or to mitigate the intelligence threat posed by six identified security risks that threaten the secrecy of United States’ military technologies in classified technology areas. This letter enclosed a copy of a Sep. 5 news article, “Patented, Secret Technology May be at Risk to Spies,” published in the Justicegate News-Messenger.

Secretary Evans did not respond to the Sep. 15 letter, which had been addressed and Federal Expressed to him.

Marburger’s response

On Oct. 2, Director Marburger, sent this reporter a letter (personally signed), in response to the Sep. 15 letter, sidestepping the issue of six security risk areas and stating:

“Thank you for your [Sep. 15] letter regarding the need for counterintelligence and counterespionage measures at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to avert or mitigate a possible intelligence threat posed by employees at the USPTO.”

“I am aware of the response sent to you by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, James Rogan, on September 5, 2003. Given the USPTO’s expertise on such matters, it is the appropriate agency to have responded substantively to your concerns.”

CFO Barnard sends letter

In a later, Oct. 23 letter to this reporter from Ms. Jo-Anne D. Barnard, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of PTO -- following this reporter’s Sep. 5 article, “Patented, Secret Technology May be at Risk to Spies,” and Sep. 15 letter that went to the U.S. intelligence community -- Ms. Barnard admitted that the “USPTO is taking appropriate security measures to ensure sensitive technology is protected.” (Italic emphasis added.)

OIG report corroborates PTO security risks previously-disclosed

The Sep. 5 article in the Justicegate News-Messenger (the second in this series of articles) disclosed the six security risk areas already listed, including computer access control.

And, during the third quarter -- July, August, and September -- of FY 2003, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the USPTO’s Information Technology Security Program.

In its review, the OIG recommended declaring material weaknesses in the PTO’s computer systems until certification and accreditation had been completed for all mission critical and classified computer systems. The OIG’s report was disclosed in the USPTO’s Performance and Accountability Report, Fiscal Year 2003, posted on the PTO web site.

In this performance report is a statement dated Dec. 1, 2003, from Department of Commerce Inspector General Johnnie E. Frazier that: “Because of the security weaknesses identified by the certification process and the lack of final accreditations, we [OIG] believe USPTO should continue to report information security as a material weakness for FY 2003.”

The cover letter from Inspector General Frazier to Director Rogan dated Dec. 1, states that the audit of the USPTO’s financial statements by KPMG LLP was conducted for the year ended Sep. 30, 2003.

Thus, both the USPTO’s Performance and Accountability Report for FY 2003 and the KPMG audit covered the period when the Aug. 18 and Sep. 15 letters from this reporter -- highlighting security problems at the patent office -- were received by Commerce Secretary Evans and by White House Science & Technology Director Marburger.

Third letter and article

On Dec. 8, 2003, this reporter sent a third multiple-addressee letter to Secretary Evans and to Director Marburger, among others, discussing that the core mission of the Patent Office was threatened; that whistleblowers had disclosed the corrupt granting of patents in exchange for bonuses; and that an October 2003 study of 3,761 examiners had documented the previously-reported, pronounced Asian tilt in the patent office and had highlighted that the highest percentages of Asian examiners occurred in sensitive technology classes -- up to 85 percent Asians in critical art units.

Sources have described that non-Asian patent examiners at the PTO refer to a “City College” [of New York] group and a “Hong Kong” group among the Asian examiners.

The Dec. 8 letter enclosed a copy of a Nov. 3 Justicegate News- Messenger article, “Patent Office Denies High Percentages of Chinese, Asian Examiners; Corrupt Granting of False Patents Exposed; Study [reveals] Highest Asian Tilt in Sensitive Technology Areas -- Up to 85%” (the third in this series of articles).

Neither Secretary Evans nor Dr. Marburger responded to the Dec. 8, letter, which had been addressed to and Federal Expressed to each of them separately.

Timing of PTO Director Rogan’s resignation

On the same day as the Dec. 8. 2003, letter was received at the offices of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham (at 9:19 a.m.) and of Commerce Secretary Evans (10:30 a.m.) -- two of the letter’s multiple addressees -- Mr. James E. Rogan announced to PTO employees his resignation from his positions as undersecretary of commerce and as director of the Patent and Trademark Office.

The internal PTO announcement of director Rogan’s resignation came within two hours after the Dec. 8 letter’s receipt at the Commerce department; the PTO’s public press release announced Mr. Rogan’s resignation on the internet at 3:17 p.m. Mr. Rogan’s resignation was announced to be effective Jan. 9, 2004.

Among the Federal Express delivery confirmations for the six addressees of the Dec. 8 letter, is the fact that the two deliveries to the White House -- for Dec. 9 -- were delayed because the White House requested redelivery at a later date.

The White House picked up the two FedEx letter packs from the Federal Express station the next day, Dec. 10, at 11:14 a.m.

Rogan’s temporary replacement

On Jan. 12, 2004, Mr. Jon W. Dudas, Director Rogan’s serving deputy director of the PTO, was appointed by succession to succeed Mr. Rogan, as acting undersecretary of commerce and as acting director of the Patent and Trademark Office.

It is easy to understand the practicality of appointing Mr. Dudas as acting undersecretary of commerce and as acting director of the PTO in light of the precipitous resignation by undersecretary and director Rogan.

However, Mr. Dudas was Rogan’s deputy director of the PTO during the time when problems involving the Asian tilt at the patent office, loose security for classified patents, and the corrupt granting of patents for bonuses were blossoming at the PTO, under Mr. Rogan’s and Mr. Dudas’s very noses, on their watch.

Marburger’s 2nd letter cover-up

On Feb. 24, 2004, Dr. Mar-burger sent another letter to this reporter (again personally sign-ed), reprising his Oct. 2, 2003, letter and referring for a second time only to the Sep. 15, 2003, letter, sidestepping and ignoring both the intervening Dec. 8, 2003, letter addressed to and Federal Expressed to him and its enclosed Nov. 3, 2003, news article, “Patent Office Denies High Percentages of Chinese, Asian Examiners; Corrupt Granting of False Patents Exposed.”

Dr. Marburger’s Feb. 24, 2004, letter to this reporter recycled much of the same wording as on Oct. 2:

“Thank you for your [Sep. 15] letter regarding the need for counterintelligence and counterespionage measures at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to avert or mitigate a possible intelligence threat posed by employees at the USPTO.

“Given the USPTO’s expertise on such matters, it is the appropriate agency to have responded substan-tively to your concerns.

“Thank you again for your letter. I appreciate hearing of your concerns.”

If Dr. Marburger’s letter meant to refer to Ms. Jo-Anne Barnard’s Oct. 23, 2003, letter (see ante), that letter response was far from being substantive.

The Feb. 24 Marburger letter appears to be an affirmative act of cover- up, for failing to address the issues of the Dec. 8, 2003, letter, effecting the core mission of the PTO.

The problems remain

Mr. Rogan’s resignation, and his replacement with Mr. Dudas, Rogan’s deputy, do not resolve the PTO problems already surfaced.

New information now surfacing from inside the patent office reveals just how serious these problems have become.

Reprinted from The Justicegate News-Messenger; used with permission. This article published originally on Mar. 3, 2004. Free license granted to reprint and redistribute.

Ken Breedlove, Investigative Writer, The Justicegate News-Messenger
This is the fourth of a series of articles on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Just about everything you have been told about Social Security is an obfuscation. That is a big word for convoluted truth or lie.

In a recently published obscure government document by the presidential Social Security commission there are two pages that expose the truth. Neither Democrats nor Republicans want you to read this. Shining the light of truth on the weirdness of politicians seldom makes them happy; however, you owe to yourself to know the truth.

When they take out from your paycheck for FICA - that's the SS deduction - the money is sent to the Social Security Trust Fund. Your money is held in the fund for some future date when it is returned to you upon retirement. During that time it is gaining interest at about 2%. Pretty shabby, but better than nothing. This is all well and good as long as the money is really there, but it isn't. What?

Now follow me with this beautiful bit of political sleight of hand. The money is invested in U.S. Treasury bills. Good, sound and safe as it gets. Right? Wait. Let's understand what has happened here. The Federal government has issued pieces of paper called Treasury bills which they have created out of thin air and replaced your real money. The Fed has borrowed your money in the "trust fund" and given you a promissory note in the form of a Treasury Bill. That money has now been transferred to the General Fund where our honest politicians spend it on whatever piece of pork they want. That does include necessities such the Army, Navy and Marines, welfare recipients and government employees like Senators and Congressmen.

Let's jump ahead to your retirement date maybe 20 or 30 years from now. You and thousands like you have been putting in billions for all these years and Uncle has been printing T-Bills. Now you want your money back. Shucks, anyone knows you just cash in the T-Bills. Where does the money come from for the T-bill? From the government that created it. That means those funds must come back out of the General Fund, which is composed of taxes. But they already spent it. It's gone. Something is wrong here.

The Fed took your money and put a piece of paper in its place as a promise to pay when the time came, but they did not back it up with anything except a promise to pay. All returns to SS retirees comes back out of payments by others now paying into SS. But what if there is less money being deducted for FICA at that time? It is called a shortfall. What the Fed has created is a giant Ponzie scheme where the first people who invested in it get paid, but those who came in later get less, little or maybe nothing.

As long as there is a Federal surplus or a balanced budget you are OK, but when that disappears it means taxes on everyone must be raised to pay for the SS benefits. Smoke and mirrors.

Politicians don't want you to be able to invest any of your own money because it means they will have less to spend and could care less what happens 10, 20 or 30 years from now as they will be long gone.

That is the truth about your Social Security "Trust Fund". There isn't any and never has been.

Perhaps we were asking the wrong questions this past election.

Our Senators/Congressmen do not pay into Social Security, and therefore they do not collect from it. Social Security benefits were not suitable for them.

They felt they should have a special plan. Many years ago they voted in their benefit plan. In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan. For all practical purposes, their plan works like this:

When they retire, no matter how long they have been in office, they continue to draw their same pay until they die, except that it may be increased from time to time by the cost-of-living adjustments. For example, former Senator Bill Bradley (New Jersey) and his wife may be expected to draw $7,900,000 over an average life span, with Mrs. Bradley drawing $275,000.00 during the last year of her life. Their cost for this excellent plan is zero, nada, zilch.This little perk they voted in for themselves is free to them.

You and I pick up the tab for this plan. Our tax dollars at work! From Social Security, which you and I pay into every payday for our own retirement, with an equal amount paid in by our employer, we can expect to receive an averageof $1,000 per month. We would have to collect our benefits for 68 years and 1month to equal the Bradley's benefits.

Imagine for a moment that you could structure a retirement plan so desirable, that worked so well, that Railroad Employees, Postal Workers,and others who were not in the plan would clamor to be included. This is how good Social Security could be, if only one small change were made.

That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan out from under the Congressmen & Senators. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Watch how fast they fix it!

If enough people receive this message, maybe a seed will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

Our girl Hillary Rodham Clinton now comes under this Congressional Retirement Plan. Sspeaking of the Clinton's, it's common knowledge that in order for her to establish NY State residency, they purchased a $million-plus house in upscale Chappaqua, NY. Makes sense.

Now, they are entitled to Secret Service protection for life. Still makes sense. Here is where it becomes interesting. A residence had to be built in order to house the Secret Service agents. The Clintons now charge the Secret Service rent for the use of said residence and that rent is just about equal to their mortgage payment, meaning that we, the tax payers, are paying the Clinton's mortgage.

And it's all perfectly legal.

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

Copyright 2005

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

There are many things in life that are worth protecting. Our children, our valuables, our resources and of course, ourselves. Only twenty years ago, if security was mentioned, you were speaking of protecting your home. And you were most likely discussing a security system, monitoring, watchdogs, firearms and cameras.

With the explosion of the personal computer, and the internet’s ease of access to information, security has now taken on additional roles. With over 605 million people online at any given moment worldwide, criminals are no longer bound by geographic location. Today’s cyber criminal can hack from the comfort of his home just by getting online.

There are software programs that do nothing but scan the internet for un-secure ports and open networks so that they can enter into those unprotected machines to access critical information. There are many users who know little about internet security and rely on their ISP to provide it for them.

To look deeper into this topic, let’s examine the qualities that make security both similar and different. With your home, you have a physical area that you can protect with fire and motion sensors, cameras, glass-break detectors and decals strategically placed to deter would-be thieves. For your computer, you protect a virtual space usually containing sensitive information relevant to your personal finances or key identity theft items such as family names and social security numbers. To protect these resources, one must install software (anti-virus, port scanners, Trojan hunting software, firewalls) as one level of protection. You can also add another layer of security through a hardware firewall of connectivity to and from the internet or network.

Both home security and computer security have maintenance costs associated with them. Reliable home security will usually consist of a one-time fee to install the hardware in your home, and then an agreement to have 24-hour monitoring service for a given length of time. Computer security will consist of buying the software and then either a monthly or yearly subscription fee to receive the latest information and protection from internet threats.

One difference between the two are the methods of monitoring. While computer security is only responsive while the computer is active or online, home security monitoring is responsive at all times provided the system is properly armed.

Another distinction is the method of response. In home security, a human will respond by dispatching police, fire or EMS directly to your home or business site. On a computer, the response is when the software vendor becomes aware of the problem, creates a solution, and has an update available for download.

With the advances of technology, monthly fees for home security monitoring are reasonable for the service they provide. Be warned: not all monitoring companies have the same capabilities when it comes to quick response. That’s one reason why it’s a good idea to make sure that any security company you choose has a UL certification. This can be critical as it indicates that the security company has met stringent standards for management system compliance (such as a back up source of power).

The same methodology should apply for a security software provider. Just because they say they’re the best, doesn’t mean that they are. Due diligence is the user’s responsibility. Your information is too valuable to be taken lightly.

Both home security and cyber security are similar to having insurance. You have it, but you hope you never need it. And if you do need it, you want a company or vendor that has a history of excellent customer service.

There are those people who think that having a firearm is all they need for protection. While that may hold true in some form, a firearm won’t let you know if someone is trying to enter your home through the back door while you are sleeping and notify you or the authorities. Another common perception is that a watchdog will alert a homeowner to intrusion, but again, man’s best friend sleeps 10 to 12 hours a day and can’t notify the police.

There are some computer users who claim that they can detect a virus by the email that is sent with some obvious taglines meant for the user to open and infect the machine.

Not all viruses are in emails, although that is the most common form. They can also be uploaded to a website, or embedded in Java Applets or Active X controls.

Trojans, which can log all of the users keystrokes and sites visited, are secretly downloaded in the form of free games or free software, and are undetectable by anti-virus software. This is the preferred method of attack by a hacker on a machine. By not altering the performance of a machine (like a virus or worm does), the user blissfully continues to use their machine to make online purchases, and enter sensitive information, thinking they are secure, while the Trojan secretly records all of the information and will simply send all of the user’s information at designated intervals to the hacker.

Many times a decision about security measures for your home or computer is based on budgetary constraints. But always consider what it is that you are protecting and how much you would pay to get back whatever was stolen, lost or destroyed if an unfortunate event occurred in your life.

About The Author

Written by Paul Bliss

http://www.guardianprotection.com; pjbliss@gpsx.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/