Ask Fite

Register to Vote Online

Now registering to vote has got even easier! For those busy Americans who don't have the time to go to the DMV or other state offices offering the services, now we can take full advantage of the technological age. The website Declare Yourself has made it possible to do the registration process online, and all it requires is to mail in the form!

Voting is one of those inalienable rights that we have as citizens of this country; many, many people have fought for this and we are blessed with free elections. Please take advantage of this process and get out and express your opinion! Everyone has an opinion about something that is important to them, but it may not be your opinion, why let someone else have their say for you?? If we can vote for American Idol, or Dancing With the Stars, surely the importance of local and federal elections will hit home!

More on Voter Registration

What Power Do You Possess??

Personal MySpace Postings Can Damage Careers

**This Article is courtesy of the National Educators Association newsletter and website. Link to be provided at the bottom. It is also important to note that this problem does not just affect teachers, this can effect anyone in any career.

The Whole World (Wide Web) is Watching

Cautionary tales from the 'what-were-you-thinking' department.

Way back in 1974, California teacher and aspiring actor Lou Zivkovich famously was fired for posing nude in Playgirl magazine. His response, as reported by Newsweek, "I didn't murder anyone."

Nowadays, thanks to advances in technology, you don't even need a major publisher to get fired; just post your racy photos, sexually graphic writings, or wild party stories on a personal Web blog. You'll be amazed by how quickly tech-savvy students can disseminate your postings to their friends and your employer.

Continue Reading

Voter Registration

Any citizen of the United States over the age of 18, and who meets certain state requirements, may vote in Federal elections. This has not always been the case. When the United States first won its independence, there were many restrictions on who could vote. In some states, only white male landowners over the age of 21 could vote. Beginning in 1870, however, a series of Constitutional Amendments (15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th) and passage of certain pieces of legislation have extended voting privileges to more and more citizens.

It is everyone's civic responsibility to vote, but in order to do so you must be registered. Requirements for registration and registration deadlines vary from state to state and the District of Columbia. North Dakota is the only state that does not require voters to register.

Any citizen of the United States over the age of 18, and who meets certain state requirements, may vote in Federal elections. This has not always been the case. When the United States first won its independence, there were many restrictions on who could vote. In some states, only white male landowners over the age of 21 could vote. Beginning in 1870, however, a series of Constitutional Amendments (15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th) and passage of certain pieces of legislation have extended voting privileges to more and more citizens.

It is everyone's civic responsibility to vote, but in order to do so you must be registered. Requirements for registration and registration deadlines vary from state to state and the District of Columbia. North Dakota is the only state that does not require voters to register.

Monogramming Rules

Been wondering how to do that stationery you have been meaning to buy? Want to buy towels with your monogram on them, but don’t know how to do the letters?? Then read on…

     Monograms can take on a number of different forms. The simplest monogram is the single initial: using the initial of your last name is traditional, your first name fun and informal. Three-letter monograms get a little more complicated. Here are some generally accepted standards:

Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens

You’ve probably learned a long list of important safety and privacy lessons already: Look both ways before crossing the street; buckle up; hide your diary where your nosy brother can’t find it; don’t talk to strangers.

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, is urging kids to add one more lesson to the list: Don’t post information about yourself online that you don’t want the whole world to know. The Internet is the world’s biggest information exchange: many more people could see your information than you intend, including your parents, your teachers, your employer, the police — and strangers, some of whom could be dangerous.

Social networking sites have added a new factor to the “friends of friends” equation. By providing information about yourself and using blogs, chat rooms, email, or instant messaging, you can communicate, either within a limited community, or with the world at large. But while the sites can increase your circle of friends, they also can increase your exposure to people who have less-than-friendly intentions. You’ve heard the stories about people who were stalked by someone they met online, had their identity stolen, or had their computer hacked.

Identity Theft: What To Do If Your Personal Information Has Been Compromised

Quick Facts

It’s important to protect your personal information, and to take certain steps quickly to minimize the potential damage from identity theft if your information is accidentally disclosed or deliberately stolen:

• Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, and review those reports carefully.  Notifying one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies is sufficient.
• Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently.
• File a police report with local law enforcement officials.  This is an essential step in claiming your rights.
• Report your theft to the Federal Trade Commission, online, by phone, or by mail.

And before ID theft happens, learn how to safeguard your information at ftc.gov/idtheft.

The bottom line for online threats like phishing, spyware, and hackers is identity theft. ID theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other personal information without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. That’s why it’s important to protect your personal information.  To find out how to deter and detect identity theft, visit ftc.gov/idtheft.

But, according to OnGuard Online, if your personal information is accidentally disclosed or deliberately stolen, taking certain steps quickly can minimize the potential for the theft of your identity.

21 Strategies for Creating an Emergency Fund, and Why It’s Critical

Building up an emergency fund, if you haven’t already, is one of the most important things you can do to help your finances.

But you knew that.

It’s common financial advice, actually, but what’s not so common is how to actually do it. Obviously those who haven’t saved up an emergency fund have a difficult time saving money, even if they know they should.

So today we’ll look at some strategies for building up an emergency fund, for those of us who don’t have it so easy.

Real ID raises real concerns about privacy and convenience

New state drivers licenses are soon going to be required of all US citizens born after December 1, 1964. The Department of Homeland Security is seeking compliance to the Act signed into law in 2005, which will weave together drivers licenses and state ID cards into a federal database. While there is baseline criteria of what the ID's must contain on them, each state will get to choose the specific data that it will print. These cards would be required for anything that is considered federal jurisdiction, such as boarding a plane, going into a federal building, and even being in a national park.

How To Write A Complaint Letter That Gets Results

Writing a complaint letter is often a task that is undertaken when you have had enough. STOP breath and think, if you take your time and write the letter well, the end result can be very rewarding. Complaint letters can be used for the purpose of having products replaced or money refunded, for changing company policy or government legislation, for influencing the media, and so forth.

Often a complaint letter is more effective than a simple phone call or e-mail message. Furthermore, in many cases, the formality of a complaint letter can add seriousness to the situation that will bring results. When writing your complaint letter, definite purpose and outcome that you want to achieve, and indicate those ideas clearly in your letter.