11/30: Prize details, Firefox 1.5, illegal aliens, Ronald McDonald Scholarships, Saving money, Natalie Brown, Todd Lerner, Matthew Ebel, #127
Tomorrow is the iPod Nano drawing. In addition to the Nano, we are giving away:
+ Two copies of Todd Lerner’s If Right Now Played Guitar CD
+ 4 iTunes Music Store $15 Gift Cards
Here’s the prize breakdown:
+ Grand prize: iPod Nano Shuffle plus Lanyard Headphones OR a $300 student loan payment
+ Second prize: $30 iTunes Music Store Gift Card plus Todd Lerner CD
+ Third prize: $15 iTunes Music Store Gift Card plus Todd …

11/29: 11% tuition increases, Landscape Scholarship, Interest rate update, Inflation, Jill Parr, Matthew Ebel, Butterfly Catchers, #126
Student Financial Aid News
+ NCES Study Results for 2004 – 2005
+ Public 4-year institutions and public 2-year institutions raised tuitions in 2004–05, by 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively
+ Average tuition and fees at public 4-year institutions to $5,132 and $2,076 at public 2-year institutions
+ Private not-for-profit, 4-year institutions also raised tuitions in 2004–05 by about 6 percent, bringing the average tuition to $20,082
+ Marking the fourth year in a row that private not-for-profit, …

11/28: Diploma mills, gifting money, energy costs, Scholarship from the New England Patriots, Eye on the Economy, Smallfish, Matthew Ebel, Jill Parr, #125
Student Financial Aid News
+ Advent of high school diploma mills
+ Primary audience: top athletes with lackluster academic skills
+ Newly remodeled: InternationalStudentLoan.com
+ 617-535-7001
+ Cosigners for international student loans are required, no exceptions
+ College energy costs for heating up 20% – 40% nationwide
+ Some colleges cutting back, conserving
+ Look for energy fees in tuition bills
News You Can Use
+ Gifting of money – limited to $11,000 per person per year under …

… so, here’s a good one for you. One article from the Associated Press says that the holiday shopping season got off to a lukewarm start. Another from CBS Marketwatch says that the holiday shopping season got off to a spending spree.
So, who’s right?
Well, once you get past the soundbyte headlines, you discover that usage of credit cards is up 14% (hence the CBS article, which bases its conclusions on sales data from VISA USA) but overall spending is down year over year. Consumers are shopping – but using debt …

… and I’m doing interest rate yields again. Very possibly, I may have no life. Actually, I just have a keen interest in the area I’m researching now, macroeconomics. Jedi powers of foresight. Why? Well, the uncomfortable reality is that money makes the wheels in the American society turn, so if you don’t understand money, you probably don’t understand our society – or what the future holds.
The focus on interest rate yields is important when it comes to Treasury securities. Why? One of the best indicators of a recession is …

The Fellowes PDA screen protector overlays are wonderful. Goodbye, scratches!
I’m so impressed with these that I am going to include a sample overlay in the iPod Nano giveaway this week!

11/25: The Show Mo’ Promo Show, Promos from around the podosphere, #124
Out of the office today, folks, for the Thanksgiving holiday, but I thought I’d give you an interesting treat and play promos from around the podosphere. I warn you in advance – the shows mentioned may not be suitable for work or young children.
Show Mo Promos!
+ Alaska Podshow
+ Amateur Traveler
+ Podcast Outlaws
+ Mr. Nice Guy
+ Podcast 411
+ Geography for Travelers Podcast
+ The DV Show
+ The Sound of Young America
New England Podcasters!
+ 5 Questions
+ CC Radio
+ C.C. Chapman’s U-Turn Cafe
+ …

11/24: Happy Thanksgiving Music Show, #123
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! This show is very obviously being recorded in advance since we’re all out of the office enjoying the holiday.
Podsafe Music
+ Peeper Radio Theater, Peeper Brand Powdered Meat
+ Todd Lerner, Song for Free
+ Rob Costlow, Family
+ Adrina Thorpe, More than Seventeen
+ Allison Crowe, Silent Night
+ Allison Crowe, What Child Is This
+ Via the Podsafe Music Network
Reminders
+ iPod Nano Contest (plus a secret add on to the contest!)
+ Grace periods ending soon – consolidate now!
+ Student loan consolidation web site
+ Toll-free
Financial Aid Podcast Show …

11/23: Shorter show, 46% don’t graduate, Washington University scholarships, Rob Costlow, Allison Crowe, #122
Shorter show today in advance of the holiday weekend. Schedule coming up: holiday music on Thursday, Show Mo’ Promo show on Friday, resuming our regular show on Monday. Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!
Student Financial Aid News
+ What about the other 46%?
+ Article on CNN about why college students aren’t graduating in greater numbers
+ General consensus about getting students more involved
+ Unorthodox view: maybe they’re not meant to get there?
Scholarship Update
+ Washington University in St. Louis Honorary …

11/22: Bad diplomas in Utah, interest rate update, where to find a cosigner, Jennifer Helane, Delphinium Blue, Todd Lerner, #121
Student Financial Aid News
+ Utah Alternative Completion Diploma may be ineligible for financial aid
+ Bloomberg: find a college you can afford instead of one that you want to go to
+ Science unimportant to US government for 2006
Interest rate update
+ 91 day T-bill up to 4.034%
+ Stafford equivalent: 6.334%
+ PLUS equivalent: 7.134%
+ PLUS Loans are now approaching alternative loan rates
+ Alternative loans have the added advantage of not being in the parent’s …