| Volume 100 Number 8 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
You can bring a Small Claims Case in Justice Court for up to $10,000 and you do not need an attorney to assist you.
Next time you have a dispute, consider the real people's court. Although rules governing Justice Court have recently changed, Justice Court is still quick, informal and easy to use.
In many cases, once the other person knows you know your legal rights and will assert them, they quickly try to settle the dispute.
For more general information about the law, check out my website.
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Understanding Flight Safety & Managing Anxiety
If you're an anxious air traveler, the past few weeks probably haven't helped to calm your nerves. With multiple recent incidents, 2014 is already the deadliest year for air travel since 2010. However, you shouldn't let the numbers startle you. There doesn't appear to be any underlying safety issue causing the string of accidents. In fact, flying remains the safest form of transportation. Although there may be a drop in demand for air travel, industry insiders insist it'll be short-lived. Taking a flight on one of the world's major airlines, the chance of fatality is 1 in 4.7 million.
There are some common in-flight occurrences that can startle passengers. Turbulence can be scary for passengers, but for pilots it's part of the routine. What may seem like unusual noises during takeoff and landing are probably normal parts of the flight, like lifting and dropping the landing gear.
If you are stressed out about an upcoming flight, try to relax. If that sounds tough, bring a book or mobile device with you. Most airlines now allow electronic devices gate-to-gate.
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The Price of a Big Mac
In 1986, the Economist created an unofficial way to track consumer buying power across the globe. The idea is to compare and buying power using a single product.
It's known as the Big Mac index.
The concept is simple. How much does a Big Mac cost in the United States compared to China? Or India? Or Brazil?
In the United States, a Big Mac will run you about $4.80. So what about the extremes? The world's most expensive Big Mac will cost you about $7.76 (converted to US dollars) in Norway while the cheapest Big Mac can be had for $1.63 (converted to US dollars) in Ukraine.
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Geico Becomes #2 in Car Insurance
Geico spent $935 million in advertising in 2013, nearly three times the average of the top ten insurance companies. The company, known for goofy commercials with a gecko, has bumped its premium income by 11.2%. As a result, it has passed Allstate as the second-largest provider in the car insurance market with $18.57 billion in premiums.
State Farm remains the largest car insurance provider with $33.4 billion in premiums.
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Your Money
Want to enjoy the benefit of higher interest CDs, but want to maintain liquidity? Try this certificate of deposit (CD) laddering strategy!
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For the Lawyers
Government is not immune from suits under FCRA.
FCRA applies to paper receipts not emails. The Seventh Circuit held that the FCRA does waive the U.S.’s immunity from suit for damages. The court held that this conclusion follows easily from FCRA’s text.
The court of appeals then turned to the alleged FCRA violation: Does the FCRA prohibit an email receipt that includes both the last four digits and the expiration date?
The court held that the relevant statutory provision addresses only paper receipts given to a consumer at the point of sale, not to email receipts.
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