Interest Rate Burden

April 11, 2011, 7:43 am

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Do you have a financial question?Ask Michelle Singletary

Q: I have high credit card balances with high interest rates. I have not been late, nor am I behind on payments; however, it is a burden. Can you help?

Evans Mills, NY

A: For folks overwhelmed with credit card debt, I suggest they go to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling Web site to seek help in coming up with a debt repayment plan. Under such a plan, you may be able to get those interest rates reduced. It's not a guarantee, but the consumer credit counseling agency can try on your behalf.

You will have to pay a small monthly fee to the agency to set up the plan and manage the payments, which will be sent to your credit card companies.

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Charlie Sheen Didn't Invent Tasteless Onstage Rants

April 11, 2011, 5:31 pm

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Klaus Kinski did. Or, in all likelihood, he stole the concept from someone else older and more obscure. In any case, Sheen's current "Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour", which is bafflingly (but hardly surprisingly) selling out everywhere it goes -- including two nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York -- reminds me a lot of Kinski's infamous 1971 Jesus Christus Erlöser reading.

Klaus Kinski was never regarded as a particularly conventional man (even for Berlin in the 1970s); so when he took the stage to give what was billed to be a reading of the life of Jesus Christ, he had no problems filling the seats of Berlin's Deutschlandhalle. What followed began with some reading, before disintegrating into Kinski hurling abuse at his audience and making Christ-like comparisons to himself. He eventually fled the stage to chants of "Kinski is a fascist".

Pieces of Kinski's rant appeared in Werner Herzog's semi-biographical film about the actor, My Best Fiend, and a full-length documentary dedicated to the performance came out in 2008. Most of it is on YouTube as well, and you can check out a good clip here.

In any case, as Sheen continues to wave his Torpedo of Truth at his audiences, I just want to put it out there that this has been done before, and better. 

Credit Reports and Your Rights

April 14, 2011, 4:03 am

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Do you have a financial question?Ask Michelle Singletary

Q: I need help getting my credit report without paying for it. I also need help fixing my credit.

Dracut, MA

A: By law, getting your credit report for free is your right. The Fair Credit Reporting Act was amended to open up the credit monitoring process by forcing each bureau to provide all its customers, upon request, with a free credit report. So, you are entitled to a free credit report from all three credit bureaus--Experian, Equifax and TransUnion--every 12 months.

Go to AnnualCreditReport.com for the free reports or call 877-322-8228. When you get the reports, check to make sure all the information is accurate. Please be mindful that AnnualCreditReport.com is the only official site for consumers to obtain their free credit report.

You are also entitled to a free report because of where you live. Consumers in some states are eligible for a free credit report under state law. The following states have laws that make free credit reports available to consumers: Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont.

Now, about fixing inaccuracies you may find in your reports. First, don't fall for claims from companies that they can fix your credit. Many of these promises are scams. If the information in your credit files is correct, it cannot be fixed or removed.

You can, however, legally dispute any inaccurate information. There's no cost to do it, and you can do it yourself. The Federal Trade Commission Web site has a lot of information about your rights and disputing errors, including a sample letter you can use.

HBO's "Game of Thrones" Hits the Spot

April 14, 2011, 4:57 pm

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As a devoted watcher of hour-long cable dramas, a genre that by most accounts seems to be in its golden age right now, I was thrilled when my advanced screening copies of Game of Thrones landed on my desk this week.

While I wasn't familiar with A Song of Ice and Fire, the best-selling series of novels upon which the new HBO series is based (and am no huge fan of the fantasy genre in particular), I have spent so many happy hours watching the network's previous shows that I was ready to jump into this one headfirst, expecting all of the great writing, acting and production values that have distinguished series like The Wire and Rome.

As it turns out, Game of Thrones is just as good as I'd hoped, and allows plenty of room for the uninitiated to make inroads into its world. In a nutshell, the series is about a power struggle between rulers of the fictional continent of Westeros and is as full of suspenseful politics, intrigue, sex and violence as we've come to expect from the boundary-pushers at HBO.

Salon.com's Andrew Leonard puts it nicely: "A Song of Ice and Fire is to normal fantasy what The Wire was to typical cops-and-robbers drama, packed with grit, complexity and flawed human beings making their way through a corrupt and intimidating world."

With True Blood past its prime, and a new season of Mad Men still far in the distance, Game of Thrones fills the void in the current cable drama lineup regimen nicely. Check out the premiere on Sunday, April 17th and let me know if you agree.

Will Ferrell en Espanol

April 16, 2011, 7:52 am

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Let me just point out that this looks awesome. And hilarious. And yes, it is totally in Spanish.

This Week in Nic Cage Lore

April 16, 2011, 8:25 am

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GQ editor Jim Nelson is reporting in the glossy men's tome's May issue that he witnessed Nicolas Cage being thrown out of a New Orleans restaurant for being drunk and aggressive and generally making an ass of himself.

Neither this blog nor GQ are strangers to commenting on Cage's antics, including the actor's dubious spending habits and the bevvy of poor film choices that may or may not have resulted from them. On that score, I'd highly recommend Tom Carson's surprisingly affectionate tribute piece from GQ's February issue, which is as accurate an assessment of the Cage phenomenon as has ever been put to paper.

As for Nelson's editorial, it does seem a bit strange for the editor of a national magazine to devote his column to relating what amounts to a tawdry and inconsequential bit of celebrity gossip, and it does come off as a tad sleazy. What would Lewis Lapham say?? That said, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and here I am telling you about it. Which is more than I can say for Lewis Lapham's editorials.

But that probably says more about me than about Lewis Lapham, anyway.

Teens Should Take Adults to Task

April 17, 2011, 1:29 pm

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Around this time last year, a USA Todaysurvey was released indicating how teenagers view religion. While most teens identified themselves as Christians, more respondents admitted they were more spiritual than religious. I can't say that I'm really surprised here.

Over the years, report after report has been issued in which more and more religious figures have been made suspect in everything from sex scandals and Koran burnings to getting away from actually preaching the Gospel. So, it stands to reason that teens probably aren't too thrilled with the concept of attending church every Sunday; especially if they feel the folks talking to them aren't practicing what they preach. 

If young people aren't impressed by what they see in their churches or places of faith, my advice would be to address it head on. Begin to really examine and evaluate what it takes to be a religious man or woman and become the example you never saw. Challenge the adults in your faith community on whether they're living up to the standards that they profess and teach. Most importantly -- and this one is powerful -- don't mistake the flaws of the messenger with the overall message of peace, love and salvation that religion teaches. If you do, you'll miss the whole concept of what faith, religion and forgiveness is all about.

Rebuilding Credit after Bankruptcy

April 18, 2011, 7:43 am

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Do you have a financial question?Ask Michelle Singletary

Q: What is the best course of action, after successfully completing a bankruptcy, to begin rebuilding/re-establishing credit?

Longview, TX

A: Pay your bills on time.

Seriously, it's really that simple. The best way to improve your credit is to pay your bills on time all the time. Time will be your greatest friend.

As you may already know, a bankruptcy can stay in your credit files for 10 years. But, every year you move away from the bankruptcy, it has less impact on your credit scores.

Recent delinquency information has a greater impact on your scores. So, a 30-day late payment can ding your credit more than a bankruptcy that may be five or six years old.

Additionally, now that you have wiped away some debts, be sure you don't pile up the debt again. The second category that impacts your scores is the amount of debt you have. And, despite your bankruptcy, you still will be able to eventually get credit because creditors know you can't file for bankruptcy for another 8 years under Chapter 7.

So, in time, your credit scores will increase if you pay your bills on time and keep your debt level down.

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Religious Casualties

April 18, 2011, 4:12 pm

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On the surface, it appears that doing religious work on the job is what caused Douglas Kmiec to be ousted from his position in Malta.

But, was it really Kmiec's faith that got him into trouble? No. It was politics. Critics will argue it was his willingness to dedicate time to his religious work to the detriment of official government activities. Some will even point to an audit of government resources that stated his "outside activities" were beyond the scope of his governmental role as ambassador; but I don't believe that either.

I suspect that the individuals who wanted to see him removed were the same ones who didn't like seeing Kmiec, a longtime supporter of Republican leaders, adamantly supporting Obama while he ran for office. As a result of Kmiec's decision, political hardball was played, and he became a casualty of political warfare at the expense of his religious convictions.

It's unfortunate to see this happen; but in a greater theme of things, it is probably better off this way. Why? Because, for some people, religion is truly their life's greatest work. If religion fulfills Kmiec or anyone else to the point that it is all you want to do and live for, then other jobs will certainly pale in comparison -- especially when people are trying to use religion to score political points.

If Mr. Kmiec is indeed as devout to his religion as reported, then perhaps his spiritual workis more important than his diplomat work. And, while I believe we need more individuals of faith working in public service, this is yet another example of why more people don't.

Stuck With a Huge Hospital Bill

April 21, 2011, 9:35 am

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Do you have a financial question?Ask Michelle Singletary

Q: Three years ago, I was involved in a traffic accident and was taken to the emergency room. A few months later, the hospital billed me for $35,000. I gave them my insurance information, but they never billed them. The insurance company now says it's too late for them to pay. I plan to buy a home with my boyfriend. Could the hospital put a lien against my new home? The hospital has not filed any lawsuit to collect. I am not aware of any judgment against me for the money.

California

A: You should check all three of your credit reports to make sure there hasn't been some adverse action taken against you. Just because you have not gotten any notices doesn't mean the hospital hasn't taken action.

You should also file a complaint with your state insurance commission. If you presented valid insurance information when you received treatment, then the bill should have been paid if you were covered. You may be able to resolve this through the commission. [In your case, that would be the California Department of Insurance.]

Next, check to see what your state's statute of limitations is for debt collection. [In California, the statute of limitations for debt related to a written contract is four years.] However, that doesn't mean the creditor can't still file a lawsuit. If the statute of limitations is up, you have to let the court know.

If it's not up, the hospital could still come after you--and any assets--to settle the debt. You should consult an attorney if you find action has been taken or will be taken.

You are right to be proactive about this issue. Don't just assume it's been settled.

Larry Flynt: "Nobody would want to read a history book written by a pornographer."

April 22, 2011, 10:17 am

≫ Next: Everynone

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How do you write about the sex lives of past presidents without being salacious? If you're controversial publisher Larry Flynt, you co-write a book with history professor David Eisenbach and call it One Nation Under Sex.

"I knew nobody would want to read a history book written by a pornographer, so I was just covering myself there," says Flynt in the Web-exclusive video below.

Flynt's book has been well received, with Publishers Weekly writing, "Flynt and Eisenbach favor analysis over sensationalism, providing a new perspective of the men and women who have shaped our nation."

In this Web-exclusive video, Flynt explains what he feels we can learn from the sexual transgressions of past presidents and answers the tough question of why Americans seem to be so obsessed with sex.

"People, I think now, want more information, and no book has ever been written like this. Publishers of history books are conservative; they tend to only want politics and policy. They don't want to know about sex," Flynt says, adding, "Well, I know that there's a market out there that does want to know about the sex lives of politicians."

Be sure to watch the Web-exclusive video below, tune in to the full conversation tonight and share your thoughts. Do the private lives of presidents and elected officials matter? Should we care? Why do we?

Everynone

April 23, 2011, 10:14 am

≫ Next: The Life and Death of a War Photographer

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I've just come across the work of a filmmaking team called Everynone, and I thought I'd share it. Films on simple ideas...symmetry, words or even just moments in time where not much happens. They're all beautifully shot and perfectly simple. Economy of style at its best.

I like this one quite a lot, but they're all good.

WORDS from Everynone on Vimeo.

The Life and Death of a War Photographer

April 24, 2011, 4:29 pm

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Last week, two photojournalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, were killed while covering the popular uprising in Libya. For most of us, who see the images captured by journalists like these in the news every day, it's easy to forget the real danger that goes into reporting from conflict zones.

Hetherington was known recently for his work on the Academy Award-nominated documentary Restrepo, which he co-directed with author Sebastian Junger. He was also winner of the World Press Photo of the Year award for his shot of an exhausted soldier in Afghanistan. Hondros, too, was an accomplished photographer, who had also worked in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo and had been awarded the Robert Capa Gold Medal, an esteemed war photography commendation.

Here's an interview with Hetherington on PBS' NewsHour, in which he discusses his work, as well as his new book of photos from Afghanistan, Infidel. And here's a gallery of some of Hondros' work put together by the Guardian.

Of course, for Hetherington and Hondros, they would likely have been the first to tell you that it's not their own stories that matter, but rather the ones they are trying to capture and send out to the world.

Terry Jones' Approach is Ugly and Shameful

April 25, 2011, 9:26 am

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There's nothing in Christianity that would defend Terry Jones' recent actions in Michigan. In fact, the Bible teaches that in order to win a person to the faith, one should employ methods of turning the other cheek, demonstrating compassion and being what the Bible calls the "salt of the earth." Unfortunately for Mr. Jones, it appears there's no salt at all -- only venom in his hate speech against Islam, which is pretty bad when you consider he's supposed to be a minister.

And, seeing as how Jones is a minister, he should be familiar with Matthew 5:9, which says, "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Apparently, Jones must have missed that scripture. Yet, more important than making peace, something tells me that Mr. Jones was looking to make something entirely different: A name for himself.
 
After a firestorm of controversy last year, when he declared he would burn Qurans outside his Florida church, you would think he learned a valuable lesson on how to approach matters of faith and the spirit in which those talks should occur. Instead, I think he learned how to make a name for himself and used religion as his meal ticket to draw the attention he currently receives.

If Jones wanted to be really effective in doing something positive to bridge the gap between Muslim and Christian Americans, he could have placed his energies in creating a dialogue built on the efforts of peace, respect and understanding. Instead, he chose this bullish, chaotic, half-cocked idea of standing before a house of faith and condemning it, as a way to bring attention to himself and play on the fears of those who are uninformed about true Muslim faith.

This has to stop. Members of the media, people of faith and religious leaders alike have to continuously be the first ones to take a stand and denounce this type of behavior whenever they see it. Jones' actions are shameful, ugly and, if left unchecked, extremely pervasive. It's time people call Mr. Jones for what he is: An opportunist, a fear monger and not a man that's doing something in the name of God.

How Do I Raise My Credit Score?

April 25, 2011, 10:15 am

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Do you have a financial question?Ask Michelle Singletary

Q: I've paid off all my old debt, and my debt-to-income ratio is under 10%. Most of my old debt was bad debt that was in collection or almost written off. It's been a year, and my credit score still hasn't budged at all. What can I do to bring up my score, now that my bad debt is all gone?

A: First, you should understand that your bad debt might still be impacting your scores, depending on how long ago you fell into default. Negative information stays on your credit report for seven years. The further you get away from when the negative information was first reported, the less impact it has on your credit scores. But, it's still there and can still keep your scores down.

Give it some more time. Be patient. A year is not that long, especially if you have many negative items on your reports.

Most importantly, pay your bills on time. Any late payments will add to an already negative credit history and, thus, keep your scores from rising.

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