These include:
* Prepare a holiday budget before you start shopping and stick to it. Don't spend more than you can afford.
* Ask each store about its refund policy before buying gifts. Be aware that each store has the right to set its own refund policy: some refund the full amount, some offer partial refunds, and others give no refunds at all. Save your receipts, as proof of purchase may be required.
* When buying children's gifts, examine toys for parts that might come off and be swallowed. Additionally, look for sharp edges and note what age group the item is recommended for.
* Be "e-wise" when buying via the Internet. Guard your personal information, including Social Security Number or Internet passwords. Paying by credit card gives you certain legal protections if the merchandise is not received. Consider taxes, shipping costs, and return/cancellation policies.
* If you buy on credit, be sure you understand all the terms of your credit agreement. Pay special attention to the interest rate and the total amount you will have to pay and when.
* Protect your personal identifiable information by not carrying your social security card, birth certificate or passport unless necessary. Do not put your address, telephone number or driver's license number on a credit card receipt.
* If you buy on lay-away, be sure you understand all of the applicable terms. Make your payments on time and keep track of them. Remember, if you change your mind, you can't always get your money back.
* When buying decorations, think safety! Don't buy more lights than your circuits can handle and avoid decorations that require the use of extension cords.
* If you're making mail order purchases, deal with well known companies, order early, and consider paying by credit card for additional protection.
* Compare warranties when choosing products.
* Avoid purchasing pets during the holidays. Remember that many pets end up at the animal shelter once the holiday excitement wears off.
* When doing your holiday shopping, never leave your valuables unattended or out of your sight.
Knabe adds that if you have a dispute involving a purchase, call the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs for information and assistance at no cost to you. The phone number is (213) 974-1452 or visit their website at http://consumer-affairs.co.la.ca.us.
Berkeley, California bans U.S. flags from being displayed on city fire trucks because they didn't want to offend anyone in the community. In an "act of tolerance" the head of the public library at Florida Gulf Coast University ordered all "Proud to be an American" signs removed so as to not offend international students.
It's time for Americans to take back our country and stand united and firm on our American rights and quit worrying about the minority rights of those that have their own personal agendas and don't stand for America.
I, for one, am quite disturbed by these actions of so-called American citizens; and I am tired of this nation worrying about whether or not we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled in New York and Washington, D.C. when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others.
I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. In fact, our country's population is almost entirely comprised of descendants of immigrants; however, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some Americans, need to understand.
First of all, it is not our responsibility to continually try not to offend you in any way. This idea of America being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture, called the "American Way" has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. Our forefathers fought, bled, and died at places such as Bunker Hill, Antietam, San Juan, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Korea, Vietnam.
We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore if you wish to become part of our society-learn our language!
"In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some off-the-wall, Christian, Right Wing political slogan; it is our national motto. It is engraved in stone in the House of Representatives in our Capitol and it is printed on our currency. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation; and this is clearly documented throughout our history. If it is appropriate for our motto to be inscribed in the halls of our highest level of Government then it is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools.
God is in our pledge, our National Anthem, nearly every patriotic song, and in our founding documents. We honor His birth, death, and resurrection as holidays, and we turn to Him in prayer in times of crisis. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture and we are proud to have Him.
We are proud of our heritage and those who have so honorably defended our freedoms. We celebrate Independence Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day. We have parades, picnics, and barbecues where we proudly wave our flag. As an American, I have the right to wave my flag, sing my national anthem, quote my national motto, and cite my pledge whenever and wherever I choose. If the Stars and Stripes offend you, or you don't like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.
The American culture is our way of life, our heritage, and we are proud of it. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you come from; if it was so superior, go home. We are Americans; like it or not, this is our country, our land, and our lifestyle.
Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion about our government, culture, or society, and we will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great American freedom, the right to leave.
It is time to take a stand! May God bless America.
Now, however, we have learned that deadly attacks against the United States do not need sophisticated weaponry, just extraordinary ill will and diabolical planning, some of which took place in our midst.
There has never been a greater need for homeland security than now, and that security effort must provide close cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Of particular concern is the federal government's ability and willingness to share intelligence information with state and local agencies.
There are a number of federal databases filled with information, some of which are available to local law enforcement departments. The Department of Justice and its agencies-the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Agency-all have sophisticated intelligence databases. The Department of State holds additional information on many of those who enter the United States on visas.
In far too many cases however, these computerized systems cannot communicate with each other. That problem is even greater for computer systems of many state and local law enforcement agencies.
Following the September 11th attacks, federal officials acknowledged that two of the terrorists should not have been in this country at all. Yet, poor communication among federal agencies allowed these terrorists to move freely about the country as they trained and prepared for their unspeakably evil mission.
One might logically expect that the State Department, the FBI, the INS, and the Customs Service would share intelligence. Despite the important role that each plays in deciding who and what enters the United States, their systems cannot communicate with each other. Although the FBI had placed two of the September 11th terrorists on a watch list, neither the State Department nor the Immigration and Naturalization Service had access to that information. Part of the problem is technical. Over the years, federal agencies have independently built databases using various computer systems that simply do not speak the same language.
These agencies and the Department of Justice are making modest attempts to improve this technical problem. Nonetheless, it is clear that agency concerns over protecting "turf," or jurisdiction, have precluded any real progress toward developing a well-coordinated system to share intelligence information.
This issue is vitally important to the nation's security and needs to be promptly resolved by Attorney General John Ashcroft and our new Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge.
An additional impediment to sharing intelligence information with local authorities was outlined during a recent hearing on this subject conducted by the Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations, which I chair. The hearing, held on November 13th of this year, included witnesses from several federal agencies. In addition, the panel of witnesses included local officials from several large cities.
Uniformly, local authorities testified that a serious impediment to information sharing involved their inability to obtain the proper security clearances that are required for them to gain access to classified intelligence involving their communities.
Clearly, local law enforcement agencies need timely access to classified information when there is no specific threat or danger to the community. As one police chief pointed out, "There is no federal 911." It is the local police departments who respond to those calls. And it is the local police who are on the front lines of protecting our communities against those who seek to destroy them.
I will be introducing legislation soon to resolve this issue. Although certain sensitive intelligence information must be closely protected, local officials who are on the front lines of homeland security must have the best information available.
Being loyal citizens, many of us respond by doling out money to help things around, only to find that we, in turn, spent ourselves into a sort of domestic dilemma wherein our own finances went south. And that, all things considered, can only make the nation's economy even worse.
So, here we are in the early 21st Century, getting the same old "do your part" suggestion common during just about every 20th Century economic downturn. Only this time it seems apparent that a number of things-i.e.: growing unemployment, record high corporate bankruptcies (can individual bankruptcies be far behind?), money market accounts and CDs popular for seniors savings reduced in value by interest rate cuts, et al-are making the validity of that suggestion even more questionable.
Some "experts" insist this is no depression, but it sure is depressing. Maybe we should just use as our mantra a line from an old song that goes "have a little faith and trust in what tomorrow brings."
The economic well-being of local businesses is essential to the economic well-being of the entire community. Local businesses pay taxes, provide jobs, and their success enhances residential and other property values. They are all part of "the family."
And in turbulent times like these, what their income might be this holiday shopping season could be the deciding factor in determining success or failure, and thus influence whether they stay in business here or move on to some other community.
We've all seen what happens to an entire community when its businesses are closed and abandoned. Pathetic, that's what it is. Don't think it can't happen here, because it can. But you, each one of you, can help keep that from happening by shopping locally, this holiday season and throughout the year.
Speaking of patriotism, the following is from a letter in 1782 from Abigail Adams to husband John, America's second president: "Patriotism in the female sex is the most disinterested of virtues. Excluded from honors and from office, we cannot attach ourselves to the state or government. ... Even in the freest country our property is subject to the control and disposal of our partners to whom the law has given a sovereign authority. Deprived of a voice in legislation, obliged to submit to those laws imposed upon us, is it not sufficient to make us indifferent to the public welfare? ..."