BERKELEY, Calif. —The campaigns for the 17 measures on California’s ballot raised more than $446 million combined. MapLight, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that tracks money in politics took a look at the money behind the biggest winners and losers in those races: Winner: The Pharmaceutical Industry The industry spent more than $109 million…
A judge June 3 ordered a robber suspected of being the “Peep Bandit” to stand trial for five robberies of adult bookstores and three other hold-ups. Four detectives who interviewed the employees of Mercury Books, Adult Emporium, 7-Eleven and two Subway sandwich shops were the witnesses in the preliminary hearing of Oscar Augustin Smith Jr.,…
All working adults should have an emergency fund. It is that important! In fact, I believe it is the very first thing to get in place once out of school and working full-time. An emergency fund is cash set aside in a savings account for those unexpected expenses and life events that inevitably occur. An…
I was thrilled to see Michael Sam become the first openly gay player drafted into the National Football League (NFL). The coverage of his emotional response, including kissing his boyfriend, was tremendous. I remain skeptical, though, of the idea that his sexual orientation didn’t hurt him in the draft. You’ve probably heard the current narrative….
Many people want to know how they compare to others financially. Do they have as much saved up as other people their age? Are they ahead or behind everyone else? It is just one of those human traits we have. There is an interesting Web site that provides a comparison to the average net worth…
I had a chance this week to sit down with Matt Young and talk about financing. Matt is a loan officer at MDC Financial Services Group and was recognized in 2012 and 2013 as a member of the elite class of the top 1 percent of mortgage originators in the U.S. He knows his stuff….
DJIA, S&P 500, NASDAQ, and EAFE. Does this feel like reading a menu in a foreign country? For most, it definitely shouldn’t mean much to you. Sure the pretty newscaster says things like “the S&P 500 is up 25 points today”, but you have no clue what S&P 500 stands for. These acronyms mentioned above…
North or south, always a dichotomy! Each possesses attributes that are polar opposites. Wherever you look around the world there is always a split between the two. Northern and Southern Europe; North and South Korea, Vietnam … The Northeast and the South in the U.S.A., Northern and Southern Italian cuisine! I have heard it explained…
It’s great when people ask me finance questions. Many are embarrassed or afraid to ask financial questions, but that should not be the case. Remember, none of us have been taught about personal finance or investments. It’s just not something we learn in high school or college. There is no reason why you should know…
