Dave Baker

Here's some stuff I received via email -- looks like good information/advice: ------------ The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your check book they will NOT know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name but your bank will know how you sign your checks. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" or "Memo" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks (DUH!) -- you can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards, etc. Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know: We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never even thought to do this). Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks. The numbers are: Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742 Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289 Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

For high-speed connections: http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/jcesoft/cca/c...a0/sampmovs.htm

See the Flintstones light up, from the early '60s: http://www.tvparty.com/vaultcomcig.html

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,912123,00.asp is the "Top 100 Web Sites (You didn't know you couldn't live without)," from the March 2003 issue. Related story: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,912429,00.asp is the "Top 100 Classics - These classics are the well established and typically well-known Web sites that you know you can't live without and that you're glad that you don't have to."

http://www.lostlabor.com/ "LOST LABOR: Images of Vanished American Workers 1900-1980 is a selection of 155 photographs excerpted from a collection of more than 1100 company histories, pamphlets, and technical brochures documenting America's business and corporate industrial history ... Since the images document factories, machinery, and jobs that no longer exist, LOST LABOR provides an unusual visual and historical record of work in 20th century America."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/25/p...0.ap/index.html A man-made object is now 7.6 billion miles from Earth.

http://www.google.com/search?q=phonebook:407-644-4146 Try changing the phone number to your own! Or somebody else's -- e.g., a phone number on your long distance bill that you don't recognize. Finds the person's name and address, with links to online maps to his or her location.

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dsads/index.shtml "Before Theodore Seuss Geisel found fame as a children's book author, the primary outlet for his creative efforts was magazines. His first steady job after he left Oxford was as a cartoonist for Judge, a New York City publication. In 1927 one of these cartoons opened the way to a more profitable career, as well as greater public exposure, as an advertising illustrator. This fortuitous cartoon depicts a medieval knight in his bed, facing an dragon who had invaded his room, and lamenting, "Darn it all, another dragon. And just after I'd sprayed the whole castle with Flit" (a well-known brand of bug spray)."

Thanks! Here's the new URL, now that the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration has been renamed to the Employee Benefits Security Administration: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/Publications/qdros.html Appendix C to that document discusses a sample QDRO the IRS issued in 1997: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/qdros_appC.html The sample QDRO is at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/Publications/qdros_appD.html

Tell us more! What's the Dol QDRO book?

More here: http://www.benefitslink.com/yellowpages/pa...pant_comm.shtml

http://benefitslink.com/IRS/i5500ez.pdf (9 pages)

Whee! This java applet starts from outer space and then magnifies each successive view by a power of 10. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/sc...csu/powersof10/

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Midwest/01/28/s...s.ap/index.html

Some of the classic artists have re-released their greatest hits with lyrics to accommodate their aging audience. Some examples: Herman's Hermits- "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Walker" The Rolling Stones- "You Can't Always Pee When You Want" Paul Simon- "Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver" Carly Simon- "You're So Varicose Vein" The Bee Gees- "How Can You Mend a Broken Hip" Roberta Flack- "The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face" Johnny Nash- "I Can't See Clearly Now" The Temptations- "Papa's Got a Kidney Stone" Nancy Sinatra- "These Boots Are Made for Bunions" Abba- "Denture Queen" Leo Sayer- "You Make Me Feel Like Napping" Commodores- "Once, Twice, Three Trips to the Bathroom" Procol Harem- "A Whiter Shade of Hair" Steely Dan- "Rikki Don't Lose That Clapper" Credence Clearwater Revival- "Bad Prune Rising" Marvin Gaye- "I Heard It Through the Grape Nuts" The Who- "Talkin 'Bout My Medication" ... and everybody's favorite, The Beatles- "I Get By with a Little Help From Depends"

Here's an amazing site: http://www.panoramas.dk/ Travel the world using your web browser and the free Apple Quicktime plug-in! You're able to use "virtual reality" to swing your view 360 degrees once the view has been downloaded to your computer -- go into caves in Slovenia, visit Beale Street in Memphis, etc. The site is described here: http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0202/21.qtvr.php Seems to require a high-speed Internet connection to be used effectively.

Here's something cute that came to my emailbox: ------- After every flight, pilots complete a gripe sheet which conveys to the mechanics problems encountered with the aircraft during the flight that need repair or correction. The form is a piece of paper that the pilot completes, and then the mechanics read and correct the problem. They then respond by writing on the lower half of the form what remedial action was taken and the pilot reviews the gripe sheets before the next flight. Here are some actual logged maintenance complaints and problems, as submitted by QANTAS Pilots, and the solution recorded by maintenance engineers. By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident. P = The problem logged by the pilot S = The solution and action taken by the engineers P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. S: Almost replaced left inside main tire. P: Test flight OK, except autoland very rough. S: Autoland not installed on this aircraft. P: Something loose in cockpit. S: Something tightened in cockpit. P: Dead bugs on windshield. S: Live bugs on backorder. P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 FPM descent. S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground. P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. S: Evidence removed. P: DME volume unbelievably loud. S: DME volume set to more believable level. P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. S: That's what they're there for. P: IFF inoperative. S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode. P: Suspected crack in windshield. S: Suspect you're right. P: Number 3 engine missing. S: Engine found on right wing after brief search. P: Aircraft handles funny. S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious. P: Target radar hums. S: Reprogrammed target radar with words. P: Mouse in cockpit. S: Cat installed.

Tom, do you write regulations for the IRS in your spare time ?

Old actuaries never die; they just recalculate their life expectancies.

It's fun you want, pax? http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/slp29/insane.html

I have been released. Almost got to sit on a misdemeanor criminal trial, but the whole batch of us were sent home shortly after we came into the courtroom. Apparently the sight of one's peers in a judgment mode can induce the settlement juices to flow more freely. Great to hear from everybody, though!

Hello, BenefitsLinkers! Your humble webmaster is writing to you this morning from jury duty at the Orange County (Fl.) Courthouse, where I have discovered a Cyber Cafe. Just bought a cup of canteloupe from the blind coffee shop owner/operator here. One of the few aspects of "community" that I've seen in this overpopulated part of the world occurred when the blind merchant lost his contract because some bureaucrat decided he couldn't keep up once the big, new courthouse was built. He got his job back after a public outcry, and seems to be keeping up just fine. But you have to be honest when you tell him what you're buying. There are dozens of people here, mostly nicely dressed. Each seems to be strategizing as to how he or she will be able to escape from magazine-waiting-room hell ... My plan is to answer that "why sure, they're all guilty ... otherwise why would they have been arrested?" We'll see if it works. Maybe I can say that 18,000 people are eagerly anticipating their copies of today's BenefitsLink Newsletter and it won't go out if I have to be on the crew that re-tries OJ. Do you have any suggestions? I'll check this message thread when I get a break. I'll sign off for now and see if I can get caught up on all these Reader's Digests -- Have a nice day and let's be careful out there Dave Baker

Wild! But would John Bogle approve?

Jimmy received a parrot for Christmas. The parrot was fully-grown, with a very bad attitude and worse vocabulary. Every other word was an expletive; those that weren't expletives were, to say the least, rude. Jimmy tried to change the bird's attitude by constantly saying polite words, playing soft music... anything he could think of. Nothing worked. He yelled at the bird, and the bird got worse. He shook the bird, and the bird got madder and more rude. Finally, in a moment of desperation, Jimmy put the parrot in the freezer. For a few moments he heard the bird swearing, squawking, kicking and screaming and then, suddenly, there was absolute quiet. Jimmy was frightened that he might have actually hurt the bird, and quickly opened the freezer door. The parrot calmly stepped out onto Jimmy's extended arm and said, "I'm so sorry that I offended you with my language and my actions, and I beg your forgiveness. I will endeavor to correct my behavior." Jimmy was astounded at the changes in the bird's attitude and was about to ask what had changed him, when the parrot continued, "May I ask what the chicken did?"

Prominent ERISA attorney Mark Dray wrote a letter to the IRS airing his concerns about the need to make plan amendments for "CRA" (the definition of 415 comp as affected by qualified transportation fringe benefit plans -- even if the plan sponsor doesn't have such a fringe benefit plan): http://benefitslink.com/articles/dray20020909.pdf (should be a clickable link; requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view - see http://www.adobe.com if needed) Do you agree with his point that the IRS shouldn't be requiring CRA amendments as part of the GUST amendment process?