Are You Risking Dollars to Save Pennies?

Money is the root of all evil, the saying goes.

It seems to be no different in the repossession industry. I have been a recovery professional for almost ten years. Three years ago this month, I opened my own business because I was convinced that I could compete with a quality product in an industry where quality was hardly important any more.

This was the worst time in the history of our industry to open a shop. You will likely recall that loan volume was decreasing; banks were beginning to fail; 'forwarders' and franchisers had exploited the market and consolidated most of the existing providers.

BUT, I started anyway.

Without the risk of failure victory just isn't the same.

In developing a business plan, my major concern was to separate this company from the 'herd', offering a quality product with exceptional customer service. I believed I could achieve this through staff training and experience; associating with the best insurance providers; owning and offering the best, most modern equipment; and affiliating with the best and brightest associations and operators in the business. These things, I believed, would help me to rise to the top and ensure survival. I invested an extraordinary amount of time, research, analysis and money... convinced that this would differentiate our operation from the reality TV "repo rangers" and appeal to clients who understood the risks associated with employing sub-par agencies.

I couldn't have been more wrong...

It seems that, for most clients, the major concern when selecting a repossession professional is none of these things, it is my rate. Granted, it is a bit higher than the average recovery operator you might find in the 'phone' book. For some folks, this is a reason to shop on... Perhaps I can explain why this is a mistake.

As a business owner, I understand the need to protect the bottom line. I have made many efforts to reduce my costs. We run a very lean and efficient crew; we operate hybrid spotter cars to save fuel; we operate a paperless office, track marketing expenses, and constantly follow up with clients to learn how we can improve service. We also have a PhD economist on staff who works for free.

But, we have not cut costs where we would expose ourselves or our clients to any of the risks involved in a recovery operation.

Remarkably, the small banks, credit unions, and BHPH dealers that we serve recognize the value of using a professional and appreciate our investment. Contracting with a professional is not a preference, it is a necessity. These folks cannot afford the risk associated with working with someone who is not fully insured and experienced in asset recovery. Defending a lawsuit would bankrupt them.

Risk mitigation is what we do.

Our clients understand that our quoted rate is much different from the ultimate cost of a repossession gone wrong.

Many large lenders have moved their collection operations to national forwarding companies. While consolidation makes sense at many levels, it rarely makes sense when lives are at risk.

But it seems "risk" does not concern some of the larger lenders. When there is news coverage, the story is almost always about a guy with a truck and a gun who tried to take a car. Professional association members rarely appear on the news explaining why they had to block a car in and draw firearms to effect the repossession. It just does not happen!

Incidents like these that show up in the press almost always the tell a story of the actions of individuals that have no place in the recovery industry. They are adrenalin junkies that have watched one too many TV shows. These are the agents that national forwarders and major lenders are hiring... sometimes to save money or out of ignorance.

How does this make sense? Why would a major lender choose to use an agent like this? There is only one answer, money.

My company and others like us have spared no expense to protect ourselves and our clientele. We have A+ insurance, a state of the art storage facility, the finest equipment, membership in one of the finest associations in the industry, TFA, which screens all applicants. We also have a $5,000,00.00 bond, protecting our clients and us. These are expenses that have a direct impact on the cost of doing business and the fees that we charge.

How can other operators afford insurance through a carrier that could sustain a wrongful repossession claim? Do they have a bond to protect clients against you employee theft or bad acts? In reality, they can't. These amateurs are able continue to operate and make a profit at these rates because they have chosen to omit a piece of the 'puzzle'. Without all of the pieces, someone suffers.

So, where is the advantage in conducting business as a professional?

Honestly, I am having a hard time answering that question these days. Why should I have the best insurance? Why do I employ trained professionals? Why should I invest in a secure storage facility?

Sometimes I wonder if these are attributes have value any more.

Savings that large banks and forwarders realize come at the cost of the general public. The short-term benefit to their "pocketbook" implies a long-term cost to safety and well being. Many of these entities are the same banks that received Federal bail-out money; your money; and they are using sub-par recovery agents to generate even more revenue.

Try some simple math. Assume a lender contracts for 30,000 vehicle repossessions a year. If we charge $395.00 a repossession, but the lender can find a less qualified agent who will work for $275.00, the $120.00 difference over 30,000 repossessions works out to 3.6 million dollars. $3.6 million... I wonder what the other $120.00 would pay for. Are those few dollars worth the expense over the long run: personal injury, lawsuits for wrongful repossession, property damage, reputation damage, loss of life?

I cannot tell you how many times the first two questions I hear from a potential client are,

"How much do you charge" and

"How many days free storage do I get?"

These should be the last questions you ask.

I believe you should be asking:

1. Do you have wrongful repossession coverage?

2. Do you have a secure vehicle storage facility?

3. Do you employ felons?

4. Do you have bond coverage if I choose to remarket my vehicle at your location?

5. Can you produce a loss run report from your insurance carrier?

6. Are you a member of a trade association?

These are just a few of the many questions that can save your money AND reputation in the long run. A few extra dollars invested now can save millions later.

The business plan for Texas Hide and Seek anticipates that we will be here to serve you for many years in the future. Do you plan to be there with us?

13 Quick and Easy Ways to Stretch Your Dollars

We don't need to watch the daily news to learn the latest unpleasant facts about the current economic situation. The stack of bills we retrieve from the mailbox is reminder enough, and the recently-reported 10 percent unemployment rate is causing many of us to look for ways to spend less and make our money go a little further until things improve. The following hints can help you get started.

1. Try to keep a close watch on the temperature inside your living space. Keeping your home too warm in the winter or too cool in summer is not good for your budget. Have your furnace tuned every two years and set your thermostat for a comfortable 68 - 72 degrees. If a young or elderly person needs more warmth in a particular room, use a small electric space heater (look for one with an automatic off switch for safety) in the specific room where they will spend a chunk of time. Wear sweaters and use throws when necessary. In the summer, allow most of the house to get warmer, and only cool the room where you will spend a lot of time. Even with a fairly large house, you can easily save money on heating and cooling costs.

2. Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees. Turn off all appliances and lights that are not being used; unplug energy-draining appliances that have a clock or operate by a remote, and phone chargers unless they are in use. Repair leaking faucets to avoid wasting water. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs; their initial higher cost will quickly yield savings in energy costs.

3. While the cost per gallon of gasoline has gone down in recent weeks, owning and driving a car still takes a big chunk out of everyone's budget. Improve your car's efficiency by maintaining proper tire pressure and having regular maintenance done to keep your car running well. Have regular oil changes and follow through with the manufacturer's recommended schedule of vehicle maintenance. You don't want to skimp on taking care of your vehicle and let something slip by that might result in even more expensive repairs.

4. Make a list of places to go before leaving to do errands and follow a logical route. You don't want to go somewhere and then have to backtrack and waste gasoline along the way. Try to do your errands in a semi-circular route.

5. We all want to present ourselves well, and we want the same for our kids, but that does not mean spending money you don't have on overpriced designer clothes and shoes. Children grow quickly and can move from one size clothing to another in a matter of months-often before their clothes are hardly worn at all. Even though neither you nor your child want to wear hand-me-downs, now that times are tough you may have no other option. Make sure your clothes are clean and neat-maybe even ironed-and fit well. And everyone should have one special-relatively new-outfit to wear for special occasions.

6. Good second-hand-and some cases, even new-clothes for adults and children can be had for pennies on the dollar at thrift stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries. Some cities also have church-affiliated or other organization-affiliated second-hand stores where you can buy similar items at good prices and, at the same time, help others through the organization's work.

7. Learn nutrition basics to ensure that your family is properly and adequately fed. Learn to make smart choices by understanding food labels. Buy locally-grown produce in season, and don't ignore non-national-brand-name (generic) food. Most of the generic products are actually produced by the same factories that make the brand-name products. The only real difference is generally the label put on the can or the box.

8. Make a list before you go shopping and stick to it. Don't buy impulse items. Clip coupons. Watch newspaper flyers for specials. Check out internet coupon sites for some great deals. And after you save all that money with your coupons, remember to cook at home more often.

If you need help, apply for Food Stamps or WIC (Women, Infants and Children). Eligibility guidelines and application instructions can be found online at [http://www.fns.usda.gov/FSP] (Food Stamps) and http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic (WIC). If you are having a particularly hard time and need emergency food, search the Internet (or your local telephone directory) for Food Bank (your city and state). Most communities have some sort of program to provide food and grocery products from food drives, purchases, and donations from manufacturers and supermarkets. Additionally, many churches have similar food distribution programs, and you usually do not need to be a church member to receive food.

9. Now is the time to protect your job. Dress neatly and appropriately. Show up early and don't rush out the door right at quitting time. Do your best to do what you're asked to do, efficiently and in a professional manner. Go beyond what you're told to do-show that you're aware of what needs to be done and that you're willing to go the extra mile. Be pleasant and don't grumble or waste time and perhaps learn additional skills in another position within your own department to make yourself even more valuable to your employer.

10. Everyone likes to be pampered, but if you're trying to cut financial corners, look at your personal care expenses. Remember to shower daily and keep your hairstyle simple and neat. You still want to look good, so professional haircuts at proper intervals are probably important to you. But can you style your own hair between cuts in order to avoid a weekly in-salon style? Do you really need weekly manicures and pedicures? And, Ladies, an $8.50 drugstore foundation will cover just as well as a $40 department store foundation.

11. Never allow your health or life insurance to lapse. Never, ever. If you're having trouble paying your health insurance premiums, talk to your agent about changing your coverage, but do not allow your insurance to lapse. A major illness or injury can happen at any time and could wipe you out. If you don't have health insurance coverage, contact your state Medicaid office. If your family meets certain income and asset tests, you may receive coverage.

Additionally, don't be without life insurance. People of all ages die every day, and the cost of even a simple funeral can be exorbitant. Avoid whole life insurance; term insurance, with higher coverage, costs less.

12. Even in difficult times, everyone wants to have some fun. If you haven't already done so, introduce your kids to reading. Public libraries are free and often have special programs for all ages. Instead of buying that $10 movie ticket to the Big-Deal Movie theater, borrow a movie classic from the library. Or, if you have a little money to spend, invite some friends over and share the cost of a rented movie and snacks.

If your city has a museum, look into free programs that may be available. Look into your city's daily newspaper or alternative weekly for information about local free activities. Go for a hike; go to the beach; go to the mountains. Boys and Girls Clubs provide free and low-cost fun, as do local community centers.

13. Don't buy things you don't need. Always think "wants" versus "needs". Use cash for most purchases-you'll be better aware of how much you're spending. Reuse things when you can.

Taking these relatively-painless steps can yield surprising savings in your pocket, and you can start today!

Deborah Clark Ebel is a registered psychiatric nurse and the author of The Forgotten Future: Adolescents in Crisis.

http://www.debebel.com

Five Hundred Million Dollars Pledged To Fight Childhood Obesity Nationally, Including Texas

The New York Times reported, in an April 2007 article, that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation plans to spend more than $500 million over the next five years to reverse the increase in childhood obesity nationally, including Texas. It is one of the largest public health initiatives ever tried by a private philanthropy.

"This is an epidemic that is going to cost the country in terms of morbidity and mortality and economically," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, the foundation's president and chief executive. "The younger generation is going to live sicker and die younger than their parents because of obesity."

The foundation estimates that roughly 25 million children 17 and under are obese or overweight, nearly a third of the 74 million in that age group, according to Census Bureau data and a 2006 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Many of those children are poor and live in neighborhoods where outdoor play is unsafe and access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited. "In many cases, the environment makes it almost impossible for them to choose healthy lifestyles," Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. "We're going to try to change that."

The foundation plans to invest in programs to improve access to healthy food, encourage the development of safe play spaces, increase research to enhance understanding of obesity and prod governments into adopting policies to address the problem, among other things.

Experts on childhood obesity welcomed the foundation's plans.

"Government grants for biomedical research in general, including obesity research, are being funded at the lowest levels I've seen in my career," said Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life Clinic at Children's Hospital Boston and author of a new book, "Ending the Food Fight." "So we are especially dependent on philanthropic support."

Philanthropy has long fueled improvements in health, from John D. Rockefeller, whose money produced a yellow fever vaccine, to Bill and Melinda Gates, who are underwriting new health technologies and vaccines to address a variety of global problems.

Robert Wood Johnson, who built Johnson & Johnson into one of the world's largest health and medical care products companies, established his foundation at his death in 1968 with 10,204,377 shares of the company's stock. He committed it to improving the health of Americans.

The foundation played a major role in curbing tobacco use in this country, spending $446 million from 1991 to 2003 toward that goal, and it plans to use those experiences to shape its attack on childhood fat.

Since 1995, the number of adult and teenage smokers has declined 12.6 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

"It was a very carefully thought-out strategic initiative," said Joel L. Fleishman, a professor of law and public policy at Duke University. The foundation underwrote research, prevention and smoking-cessation programs, and increased awareness of smoking's dangers.

Over the last few years, the foundation has pledged $80 million to childhood obesity programs, like grants to the Food Trust to persuade supermarket operators to return to poor neighborhoods.

Its new effort intends to capitalize on and enhance efforts by the food industry and school districts and governments to address the problem, Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. Several snack food producers are making changes in their packaging and ingredients, and three soft-drink companies said they would no longer supply sweetened drinks to school cafeterias and vending machines.

Several states have mandated changes in school menus, increased physical education requirements and begun reporting students' body mass index scores to parents.

In Arkansas, which has one of the most comprehensive programs aimed at the problem, obesity among the 450,000 children in 1,300 public schools has plateaued.

Obesity is a growing American epidemic that takes root early in life. It imposes a variety of health risks that can appear at any phase in life. As you'll discover, what affects your health also will eventually affect your bank account. So if you're a young individual who tries to keep healthy, you should take a look at the revolutionary, comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for you. For more information, visit us at our website, [http://www.precedent.com]. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans and an unparalleled "real time" application and acceptance experience.

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at [http://www.precedent.com].

Junior Uranium Miners Flooded by Dollars

Since the October 23rd announcement of Cameco's Cigar Lake uranium mine flooding, several junior uranium companies have behaved in the same way mining markets sometimes react to a major exploration discovery. The massive cobalt-copper- nickel discovery at Voisey's Bay in Labrador comes to mind. Call it a world-class exploration discovery in reverse.

When a junior exploration company makes a discovery, investors pile into the nearby moose, antelope or orangutan pasture hoping their favorite company will catch a piece of the discovery trend. It's called an 'area play,' and most fail to repeat the prime mover's success. In this case, the exploration discovery was the force majeure clause in Cameco's supply contracts with U.S. and other utilities, leaving them with empty hands to fuel their nuclear reactors. Many had been counting upon readily available uranium supply about two to four years hence.

Unlike the typical area play, this one is not geographically isolated to one region. Any company, which can quickly get uranium out of the ground, becomes the horse to bet on. And investors have been flooding their favorite juniors with new money to help propel them into production faster.

The discovery deposit now being mined by the junior uranium companies is the 'complacency' of the world's utilities. Twenty years of relatively inexpensive uranium lulled utilities into believing nuclear fuel would always be available. True, there is no shortage of uranium below the Earth's surface or in the oceans, but it's not cheap to extract. During the uranium depression of the 1980s and 1990s, environmentalists re-wrote the rule book, sending the permitting costs into orbit. Unless one is opening a mine in Namibia, as Paladin has done, or mining in Kazakhstan, one can have 'environmental delays,' that can last a number of years.

In his Weekly Insights, FNArena editor Rudi Filapek-Vandyck wrote last night, "Cigar Lake was scheduled to ramp up over three years from the end of 2007 to reach full production of over 8000 tonnes of U3O8 a year." He put the loss of that much uranium supply to the market in context, "Australia's largest producing mine, Energy Resources of Australia's (ERA) Ranger mine produced around 5200 tonnes in the year to June 2006. BHP Billiton's (BHP) Olympic Dam mine produced just under 4000 tonnes during the period. Paladin Resources' (PDN) Langer Heinrich project in Namibia, still on schedule to ramp up in December this year, is forecast to produce circa 1180 tonnes per year."

Which Junior Uranium Miners Can Help Replace

Cigar Lake's Lost Uranium Production?

The cold, hard reality of Cigar Lake's lost uranium production dawned upon the crowd of uranium suppliers, near-term producers, fuel brokers and global utility fuel managers when the announcement was made at the commencement of last week's Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Annual Uranium Conference in Quebec City. Cigar Lake's mine flood was the big story - the trapdoor that spelled 'doom' for utilities lacking secure uranium supply sources beyond 2008.

Investors quickly reacted to the news with frenzied bidding for shares in near-term producers SXR Uranium One and Paladin Resources. Potential near-term producers Energy Metals Corp and UR-Energy got the nod. Others among this elite category began attracting the aggressive investor dollars: Forsys Metals, Uranerz Energy and Strathmore Minerals.

Logic dictated the loss of Cigar Lake would drive up the uranium price much higher, possibly to the very limit utilities might pay for nuclear fuel to ensure their reactors would not be closed down for lack of the now very-precious uranium oxide. "Where is the safe haven for my money?" investors asked. On the face of it, the answers appeared to be simple: (a) go the near-term producers and (b) uranium friendly U.S. states, such as Wyoming and Texas.

We tapped on the Chief Executives of companies we featured in Chapter Nine of "Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market," for their insights into the Cigar Lake disaster. SXR Uranium One Chief Executive Neal Froneman wrote bluntly, "The challenges of bringing new mines into production are very significant." He hopes to not err with overconfidence on his flagship uranium mine in South Africa, "I do not under estimate the challenges of bringing even Dominion into production even though it has a low technical risk." But he added, "Investors are now recognizing the low risk nature of Dominion."

Froneman was clear about his views on becoming a U.S. uranium producer, "Our entry into the United States looks well timed, and at $60/pound a steal. We have always envisioned supplying U.S. uranium to U.S. end users. The uranium supply constraints will make this a natural progression."

He wasn't as optimistic about the time projections of some developing projects as many investors, writing, "Supply constraints for the next few years will intensify as imminent producers will not meet their promises." Froneman concluded, "This will drive uranium prices much higher." Another insight he brought to our attention, "We have put our money where our mouth is by being totally unhedged." Why is that important? He told us, "We have avoided bank debt so that we can avoid being forced by banks to hedge our uranium production." And so, that will indeed help uranium prices climb higher.

We exchanged phone calls and emails with Bill Boberg, Chief Executive of UR-Energy about Cameco's catastrophe. He wrote, "I will that it did not happen, but it is a reflection on the current thin uranium supply and demonstrates why some of us juniors working to bring mines into production in the next few years are worthy of investment." He added, "I think all juniors, but especially those with production relatively near term, have benefited from Cameco's bad news."

But why do we see such strong market activity in the juniors? "I think we have been seeing increasing knowledge of the uranium sector in the past couple years and, with that, an increase in market activity," he told us. "The StockInterview guide to the uranium sector has been a real player in that increase in knowledge base by investors. The rapidity at which the Cigar Lake flooding affected the market activity in junior uranium stocks is a reflection of the knowledge that uranium supply is tight, and that the Cigar Lake flooding made it even tighter for the next few years."

The biggest percentage gainer among junior uranium development companies on Monday, as a result of the recent 7-percent jump in the spot uranium price, was Strathmore Minerals. We talked with Strathmore Minerals Chief Executive Dev Randhawa about the company's 20-percent price rise accompanied by nearly 2.8 million shares of trading. "Investors are looking for a stable environment," Randhawa told us. "The market is demonstrating how tight supplies really are." He also pointed out there was in his company by foreign interests, but would not specify anyone in particular. "Strathmore is a turnkey operation in the United States with proven resources and a highly qualified technical team with many decades of in situ recovery mining experience," he explained.

"All along our strategy, with David Miller, was to acquire uranium properties which could be produced at, or less than, $30/pound," he said. "When we first started this strategy, there were only three or four other companies on the radar screen, so we got the jump on many of the best uranium properties." He explained, "We are well diversified in the United States, Canada and have holdings in Peru." The company is reportedly the largest landholder in the Athabasca Basin as well.

We asked about his Dieter Lake property in Quebec, which previous work suggests might contain as much as 110 million pounds of U3O8 contained. Because it is not compliant with National Instrument 43-101, we don't hear much about it. How does the recent spot uranium spike affect moving forward on Dieter Lake? "Projects and properties which were not previously on the radar screen are now going to be economic," Randhawa responded. "Dieter makes sense now," he added.

Strathmore Minerals also benefited from across the pond on Monday, after Jamie Strauss, Head of Institutional Sales for London-based Hargreave Hale, issued a buy recommendation. His thumbs-up for Strathmore blew the company's shares past the strong buy recommendation and C$2.50/share price target issued by Bart Jaworski of Raymond James on October 20th.

In his desk notes, Strauss wrote, "...the quality and diversity of its asset base, increasing confidence that the company is approaching the title of 'near term producer', a highly competent technical team and above all a valuation which offers not only equity funds the opportunity to invest but also consolidators within the industry..." Strauss added, "Using code-compliant resources only, Strathmore could therefore more than double the share price before hitting fair value." Strathmore Minerals, along with SXR Uranium One and Energy Metals, are among the favorites of Sprott Asset Management.

While numerous uranium mining executives rejoiced over the spot price jump to US$60/pound, one CEO took it with a grain of salt. When we phoned Uranerz Energy Chief Executive Glenn Catchpole for his reaction to the market's behavior, he took it in stride. After we informed him of the 7 percent jump in spot uranium, he dryly responded, "We as a company can benefit - the company will benefit from the increased prices." He did acknowledge Uranerz was getting large trading volume. "We thought the stock would dip, but it hasn't," he told us, referring to large number of share which recently became free trading. Other than that, it was business as usual for Catchpole - getting his in situ uranium recovery operation through the final hurdles to join the ranks of uranium producers. After all, if Cameco won't be mining uranium in Cigar Lake in the foreseeable future, someone has to.

Until then, we anticipate mining analysts will be upwardly revising their price targets on these and other companies. And so the flooding will continue, perhaps at both Cigar Lake and in the junior uranium sector.

COPYRIGHT © 2006 by StockInterview, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and other publications. StockInterview’s “Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market” has become the most popular book ever published for uranium mining stock investors. Visit [http://www.stockinterview.com]

A National Outrage: Our Tax Dollars Subsidize Foods That Make Us Fat and Unhealthy

At the same time that our Surgeon General has declared we have an epidemic of obesity, our government is using our tax dollars to cater to special interests and is subsidizing the very foods that are making us fat. Thanks to lobbying, Congress chooses to subsidize foods that we're supposed to eat less of.

Take a look at these numbers which tell the how the percentage of federal food subsidies spending is allocated:

•Meat/Dairy -- 73.8 percent

•Grains -- 13.2 percent

•Sugar/Oil/Starch/Alcohol -- 10.7 percent

•Nuts/Legumes -- 1.9 percent

•Vegetables/Fruits -- 0.4 percent

Just 2.3 percent of subsidies go to nuts, legumes, fruits and vegetables while 84.5% goes to meat, dairy, sugar, oil, starch and alcohol. Is it any wonder that a salad often costs you more than a Big Mac?

The average 18-year-old today is 15 pounds heavier than the average 18 year-old in the late 1970s. The average woman in her 60s is 20 pounds heavier than in the late 1970s and the average 60s man is 25 pounds heavier.

With the exceptions of cookies, unhealthful foods have gotten a lot cheaper relative to everything else in the economy. Sodas are 33 percent cheaper than they were in 1978. Butter is 29 percent cheaper and beer is 15 percent cheaper.

Fish, by contrast, is 2 percent more expensive. Vegetables are 41 percent more expensive. Fruits are 46 percent more expensive. The price of oranges has more than doubled. In 1978 a bag of oranges cost the same as one big bottle of soda. Today that bag costs the same as three big bottles of soda.

Of course, there are surely other reasons why unhealthful foods are cheaper than healthful ones, but whatever the causes, healthful foods have gotten much more expensive relative to unhealthful ones.

A University of Washington study determined that a dollar buys 1200 calories of cookies or chips but only 250 calories of carrots. For example, a package of Twinkies costs less than a bag of carrots. Compared to carrots Twinkies are highly complicated. Like most processed foods, they are basically an arrangement of carbohydrates and fats from corn, soybeans and wheat - three of the five crops the farm bill supports to the tune of $25 billion a year. (Rice and cotton are the others.)

For the last several decades, U.S. agricultural policy has been designed in such a way as to promote the overproduction of these five commodities, especially corn and soy. Soy, corn and wheat are also three of the most genetically modified crops in existence.

How is it that a pair of synthetic cream-filled pseudo-cakes cost less than a bag of carrots? Look no farther than the farm bill. Despite an early pledge to cut Big Ag subsidies, Obama caved to special interests and the bill as written provides billions of dollars in subsidies, much of which goes to huge agribusinesses producing feed crops, such as corn and soy, which are then fed to animals. By funding these crops, the government supports the production of meat and dairy products - the same products which contribute to our growing rates of obesity and chronic disease.

The farm bill also sets the rules for the American food system and governs what children are fed in schools, as well as what foods assistance programs can distribute. As currently written, the farm bill offers a lot more support to Twinkies than carrots.

Our tax dollars are also used to purchase surplus foods like cheese, milk, pork and beef for distribution to food assistance programs - including school lunches. The government is not required to purchase nutritious foods.

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health researcher and author of books and articles about natural health including " Cancer's Natural Enemy " and is a featured writer for such natural and alternative health venues as Natural News, The Crusader, Healthiernewstalk and more. Mr. Isaacs also has The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to live longer, healthier and happier lives and he serves as a featured writer and consultant to the nationally famous Utopia Silver colloidal silver and natural supplement company. He is currently working on a major book project due for publication next year.

Five Hundred Million Dollars Pledged To Fight Childhood Obesity Nationally, Including Texas

The New York Times reported, in an April 2007 article, that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation plans to spend more than $500 million over the next five years to reverse the increase in childhood obesity nationally, including Texas. It is one of the largest public health initiatives ever tried by a private philanthropy.

"This is an epidemic that is going to cost the country in terms of morbidity and mortality and economically," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, the foundation's president and chief executive. "The younger generation is going to live sicker and die younger than their parents because of obesity."

The foundation estimates that roughly 25 million children 17 and under are obese or overweight, nearly a third of the 74 million in that age group, according to Census Bureau data and a 2006 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Many of those children are poor and live in neighborhoods where outdoor play is unsafe and access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited. "In many cases, the environment makes it almost impossible for them to choose healthy lifestyles," Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. "We're going to try to change that."

The foundation plans to invest in programs to improve access to healthy food, encourage the development of safe play spaces, increase research to enhance understanding of obesity and prod governments into adopting policies to address the problem, among other things.

Experts on childhood obesity welcomed the foundation's plans.

"Government grants for biomedical research in general, including obesity research, are being funded at the lowest levels I've seen in my career," said Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life Clinic at Children's Hospital Boston and author of a new book, "Ending the Food Fight." "So we are especially dependent on philanthropic support."

Philanthropy has long fueled improvements in health, from John D. Rockefeller, whose money produced a yellow fever vaccine, to Bill and Melinda Gates, who are underwriting new health technologies and vaccines to address a variety of global problems.

Robert Wood Johnson, who built Johnson & Johnson into one of the world's largest health and medical care products companies, established his foundation at his death in 1968 with 10,204,377 shares of the company's stock. He committed it to improving the health of Americans.

The foundation played a major role in curbing tobacco use in this country, spending $446 million from 1991 to 2003 toward that goal, and it plans to use those experiences to shape its attack on childhood fat.

Since 1995, the number of adult and teenage smokers has declined 12.6 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

"It was a very carefully thought-out strategic initiative," said Joel L. Fleishman, a professor of law and public policy at Duke University. The foundation underwrote research, prevention and smoking-cessation programs, and increased awareness of smoking's dangers.

Over the last few years, the foundation has pledged $80 million to childhood obesity programs, like grants to the Food Trust to persuade supermarket operators to return to poor neighborhoods.

Its new effort intends to capitalize on and enhance efforts by the food industry and school districts and governments to address the problem, Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. Several snack food producers are making changes in their packaging and ingredients, and three soft-drink companies said they would no longer supply sweetened drinks to school cafeterias and vending machines.

Several states have mandated changes in school menus, increased physical education requirements and begun reporting students' body mass index scores to parents.

In Arkansas, which has one of the most comprehensive programs aimed at the problem, obesity among the 450,000 children in 1,300 public schools has plateaued.

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Dialing for Dollars: Memorable Phone Numbers Can Boost Sales for Small Businesses

Like most car dealerships, Maroone Honda of Hollywood, Fla., wanted to drive more business to its showroom floor. So the dealer added a catchy, easy-to-remember phone number to its ongoing print and radio ad campaign. Maroone was soon flooded with a thousand additional phone calls from prospective buyers each month and enough additional sales to make it one of the nation's top 10 Honda sellers.

"The reason we got this number is simple: If someone in the South Florida area wants a Honda, all they need to know or remember to call is 1 800 NEW HONDA," says general manager Bobby Yoxall. The company added the vanity number three years ago. "Other (local) dealers are just ticked off because they didn't think of it first," Yoxall says.

Easy-to-remember, toll-free numbers such as Maroone's are a "cash register" for businesses, especially "vanity numbers" using a word associated with the company or its service, says Judith Oppenheimer, an industry analyst and president of ICB Toll-Free Consultancy in New York. But with the pool of toll-free 800 numbers all but drained, and buying and selling phone numbers illegal, snagging a memorable number can be an exercise in futility. There are a few tricks that can help small businesses find a magic number, despite the competition.

Ringing the Cash Register

Vanity numbers such as 800-FLOWERS and 800 CALL ATT are known to generate a minimum of 40 percent more calls than non-memorable numbers, says Oppenheimer, who believes the average is much higher.

The pool of 800 numbers available to companies is fairly small at any given time. Telephone carriers have attempted to accommodate growing demand by introducing other toll-free prefixes. But those prefixes - 888, 877, 866 - typically produce less traffic. "Some will tell you that 877 and 866 are fine. They're not," Oppenheimer says.

Few studies have been done, but plenty of anecdotal evidence supports that claim. Oppenheimer points to a client that included its toll-free 877 number in a series of radio ads. It also owned the 800 version of the same number, but didn't include it in the ad. But the 800 number received more than twice the number of calls as the 877 number.

Why? Consumers tend to remember vanity numbers as "800," no matter what the prefix. "It's not whether you know that 888 or 877 are toll-free prefixes," Oppenheimer says. "It's whether those numbers have been branded in your mind in a way that gets you to respond." So when a company uses an 888 or other toll-free, non-800 prefix, many of its calls - perhaps 40 percent - end up going to whomever owns the 800 version of the number, which may very well be a competitor, she says.

There are other reasons to hold out for an 800 prefix. "Across the board, when people call a vanity number, they are raising their hand to buy," says Oppenheimer. "They are not tire kickers. When you're dialing a word, there's a different mind set and behavioral process." People are ready to buy at that point, she asserts.

Yoxall won't reveal how many more cars he's selling with the number. But the dealership has moved from the list of the nation's top 20 Honda dealers into the top 10 during the past three years. Yoxall attributes much of that success to adding an easy-to-remember phone number.

Shared Use

In 1997, the Federal Communications Commission ruled that buying and selling phone numbers is illegal and reinforced its edict last December. The thinking, in part, is that phone numbers themselves shouldn't be profit-generating commodities bought and sold on the open market. But while snagging your own 800 number may be next to impossible, sharing one is a much more likely, affordable and legal alternative.

Next page: Pick a number, any number.

Here's how it works: Companies typically receive a listing of all the phone numbers that dial their 800 number. If most of their business is done in a limited region, they may agree to share their number with another company outside their region. The phone company configures things so that incoming calls are detected by area code and routed to the proper company.

It's the same technology used by big players like Pizza Hut to route customers to the nearest store when they call 800 PIZZA HUT. So the recycling outfit in New Jersey, which receives mostly local calls, can share with the surf shop in Los Angeles that sells on the West Coast and the boot maker in Dallas, all of whom need the same digits to spell out their vanity number.

Maroone Honda shares its number with Honda dealers in other parts of Florida that don't compete for the same buyers. How much should a company pay for the luxury? The price can be very reasonable, Oppenheimer says. "You could pay anywhere from about $40 to $200 per month," she says. "Or the company that owns the number might charge by the minute or $1 per call." They'll typically charge a little more than they pay per call, on top of a monthly fee.

Small businesses can start their quest by contacting a company specializing in making these number-sharing matches, such as Dial800 and Response Marketing, which set up the arrangement and then allow customers to track the number of calls, peak traffic times and other data online. Or simply call the number you want and bargain with the current owner, Oppenheimer says.

If all else fails, a local vanity number might be appropriate. If you have a pizzeria in New York and most of your business comes from the 212 area code, (212) JOES PIZZA could be a profitable phone number.

Another option for some businesses might include snagging a number with easy-to-remember digits, such as 654-4321. The most obvious easy-to-recall numbers are likely taken, but they're worth asking for, Oppenheimer says. It's in the phone carriers' best interest to make business clients happy.

Hide Your Cards

In either case, don't tip your hand, Oppenheimer says. Phone companies have been known to reserve such numbers for larger corporations with huge advertising budgets. They know the number will likely generate more traffic and thus, bigger profits for the phone carrier itself. Revealing the actual vanity number, whether local or not, may tip the phone company off that this is a good number for another business.

"Never ask them for a vanity number. Tell them the actual number you want (using numeric digits)," Oppenheimer says. And if AT&T says it doesn't have the number, go to MCI, Sprint or other carriers, including wireless and cable telephone providers.

What's considered a good number? The vanity number should reflect the company's brand name, if it's well known, or otherwise, the product or service itself. And numbers of more than seven digits after the 800 prefix won't work from cell phones.

By Lisa Plendl

Lisa Plendl is a highly seasoned freelance writer for small business, technology marketing writer and journalist. She writes marketing articles, web content, brochures, white papers, solution sheets and other promotional copy that drives traffic and gets results.

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