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Al's Morning Meeting

Home > Reporting, Writing & Editing > Al's Morning Meeting
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Al Tompkins
Al Tompkins provides best practices & story ideas that you can localize & enterprise.
The 15-Year Home Loan Rises in Popularity
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:05 AM on Sep. 2, 2010
In the first six months of 2010, about one-fourth of the homeowners who refinanced their home loans shortened the length of their loan. The Wall Street Journal says a higher percentage of borrowers chose that path this year compared to last year:

"Between January and June, 26% of homeowners who refinanced chose a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, according to data from CoreLogic, a provider of financial, property and consumer information. During all of 2009, 18.5% of borrowers who refinanced opted for a 15-year term."

Read on to find out about interest rates for 15-year loans.

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A dozen sites
I'm diggin'

*1. What is Facebook Places and how does it work?

*2. The lead in bridges is posing a contamination issue in some communities.

3. Find out about the potential risks of posting geotagged data online.

4. See The Times-Picayune's amazing multimedia project on the BP oil disaster.
 
5. Are more birds likely to die each day from wind farms than from the BP oil spill? PolitiFact investigates George Will's claims.

6. See how big the Gulf oil spill is compared to your community.

7. The Society of Environmental Journalists has a great collection of resources to help journalists cover the Gulf oil spill.

8. Trend Hunter highlights new audio gadgets.

*9. Exactly how many military band members are there?

10. How to know if you can use that video you found online.

11. Here are the dates for 2010 primary and runoff elections.

12. See how much international trade your state produces.

All of my Diggin' sites are saved on Poynter's del.icio.us page. The asterisks indicate the newest additions to the list.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Al's Morning Meeting is a compendium of ideas, edited story excerpts and other materials from a variety of Web sites, as well as original concepts and analysis. When the information comes directly from another source, it will be attributed and a link will be provided whenever possible. The column is fact-checked, but relies on the accuracy and integrity of the original sources cited. We will correct errors and inaccuracies when we become aware of them.


Sep. 1, 2010

Electric Shock Danger Lurks in Fresh Water
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:10 AM on Sep. 1, 2010
Freelance reporter Terry Gardner wrote a piece that describes Electric Shock Drowning, something I had not heard of before. Gardner's piece is a cautionary tale that could provide important and timely content for the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

The story says some power boats leak electricity into fresh water, which can be a big problem around marinas where there are lots of boats and swimmers in the water at the same time.

Gardner says boats need something called an Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter (ELCI) and that marinas should have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) to prevent people in the water from being shocked.

Read on for examples of Electric Shock Drowning.

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How to Save Big Money on Rental Cars
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:05 AM on Sep. 1, 2010
One of my favorite consumer websites, Mouse Print, has found a little secret regarding how rental car prices are set. Mouse Print checked prices weeks away from the date a car was needed and then checked back several more times as the date got closer.

Read on to see how they saved money.

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Aug. 31, 2010

Investigation Finds Grocery Stores Not Complying with Pricing Laws
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:10 AM on Aug. 31, 2010
The odds of getting charged incorrectly at a grocery store are higher than you might think. That's the case in New York City, at least.

The city's Department of Consumer Affairs investigated more than 900 supermarkets and found about half did not comply with pricing laws. In the neighborhoods with the highest poverty levels, compliance was even worse at 36 percent. While this investigation is limited to one city, it should be an eye-opener for us all.

Read on for details about the New York investigation.

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New Travel Site Called Hipmunk Earns Rave Reviews
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:05 AM on Aug. 31, 2010
Here is one of those great ideas that is so simple to use you have to wonder why somebody didn't invent it sooner. It is Hipmunk, a new travel website that sorts flights by cost, time and -- my favorite category -- "agony."

The site is getting raves from lots of important voices.

Read on for some of the reasons the site is winning fans.

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Computer Connections Are Slower Than Advertised
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:01 AM on Aug. 31, 2010
You are not getting the online speed that you thought you were getting, a new FCC report says. Last year, residential users bought broadband service that advertised download speeds of 7 to 8 Mbit/sec., on average. What they received was about half the speed they expected (4 Mbit/sec., on average).

The problem, the FCC said, is that advertisers are using the "maximum speeds" their services might reach. But with net congestion the users don't usually get service that is at maximum speed.

Read on for the government's plans to improve accuracy.

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Aug. 30, 2010

Many Wonder if Hindenburg Omen is Sending False Signals
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:10 AM on Aug. 30, 2010
As we approach September, you will likely hear more about the Hindenburg Omen, a technical indicator that makes stock investors nervous.

The omen suggests the stock market is at risk of crashing whenever there is a large number of new 52-weeks highs and new 52-week lows on the New York Stock Exchange. It's largely the creation of Jim Miekka, a blind mathematician who lives in Maine and who's been getting a lot of publicity lately. It is also related to a theory developed by a fellow named Norman Fosback who, in the 1970s, created what's known as the High Low Logic Index.

Read on to find out why the omen may not be true.

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Rules That Prohibit Your Senator From Using Skype
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:05 AM on Aug. 30, 2010
Wouldn't it be nice if citizens could just use Skype to talk to their senator or representative in Congress? What if journalists could interview them by Skype? Ever wonder why you can't?

CNNMoney.com found that the problem begins with a congressional ban on peer-to-peer communications. Skype falls under that heading:

"A 2006 ban on running peer-to-peer applications behind House and Senate firewalls. Such programs allow computers to share files (remember Napster?), which could pose a security risk."

Read on to find out how some on the Hill are trying to work around the issue.



Read on for a glimpse at a political battle shaping up.

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Why Used Car Prices Are Rising
Posted by Al Tompkins at 12:01 AM on Aug. 30, 2010
Used car prices are through the roof right now and, in some cases, are 30 percent higher than a year ago. Many consumers are buying used rather than new models. Luxury used cars are among the segments that are selling for a premium.

Edmunds.com is a site that estimates car values as part of its coverage of the automotive market. It reports that the high prices are partly due to the public's flagging confidence in the economy.


Read on for the percentages of the increases.

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Friday, August 27, 2010 Headlines
– States Deal with Impact of Death Penalty Drug Shortage
– 17 States Go After Craigslist's 'Adult Services'
– Gift Cards to Have Longer Expiration Periods Under New Credit Card Act Rules
Thursday, August 26, 2010 Headlines
– Using Crowdsourced Data to Report on BP Oil Spill

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