Smoking ban proposed

Smoking ban proposed for San Diego parks and beaches

Smoking would be prohibited at all San Diego city beaches and parks if an ordinance proposed today by two City Council members is ultimately passed into law.

The measure, crafted by Councilman Jim Madaffer and Council President Scott Peters, is intended to reduce litter from cigarette butts.

“We know that cigarette butts are a disgusting health hazard that not only can be ingested by animals, but by small children and marine life,” Madaffer said at a news conference at La Jolla Shores.

“This is really a reasonable law that is designed to prevent litter and protect nonsmokers alike,” he said.

Violators of the proposed law would be fined, though the amount has not yet been set, according to Madaffer’s office. The revenues collected would be used to help cover some of the city’s costs to pick up cigarette butts at beaches and parks.

Keeping Your Identity Safe

Your identity is a valuable commodity and it can be very costly and hazardous to your credit when someone takes your identity as their own. Here are some simple tips to keep your identity safe.

Do not sign the back of your credit cards! Instead simply write SEE PHOTO ID or PHOTO ID REQUIRED. The last thing you want is for someone who stole your cards to see exactly how to sign your name.

If you still make payments on credit card balances by mail, do not put the full account number on the check. The last four numbers will make the account clear to the creditor and no one handling the checks as they are processed will have your account number and signature in one place.

Photocopy front and back all credit cards and forms of ID in your wallet. In the event that your wallet is stolen you will have all the contact numbers and account numbers you need to cancel the cards quickly. You would also need to file a police report immediately to prove to creditors that you are diligent and proactive. This will work in your favor if charges are investigated. You would also need to contact the three credit reporting agencies AND the Social Security Administration to place a fraud alert on your name andsocial security number. Keep the numbers for the three agencies on or with the photo copy of your wallet’s contents.

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, Experian: 1-888-397-3742, Transunion: 1-800-680-7289, Social Security Fraud Line:1-800-269-0271

One last safety note is to put a PO Box or work address on your checks instead of your home address. This prevents your cards from being used for on-line purchases if your checks are with your credit cards when they are stolen. If the address entered from your checks and the address your cards are billed to do not match that will usually be enough to make the transaction fail.

If the address entered from your checks and the address your cards are billed to do not match that will usually be enough to make the transaction fail.

Hold On To Your Butts

The San Diego Surfrider chapter, along with I Love A Clean San Diego and the American Heart Association, are working with the Californian Highway Patrol (CHP) and San Diego Fire Department to crack down on smokers who throw their butts out the car window while driving. The CHP set up a hotline for San Diegans to call if they see cigarette butts being tossed onto our streets. After the phone call is received the CHP sends a warning letter to the violator. In the first three months 15, 906 calls were received. With your help even more people will receive these letters. No one needs to rehash the laundry list of toxic chemicals that are in cigarettes, we are all aware. What you may not know is that these chemicals are ending up in our soil and water due to the negligence of smokers who do not hold on to their butts. To learn more about the campaign log on to the sponsors websites; www.surfridersd.org, www.ilacsd.org, or www.americanheart.org and get the whole story.

It’s easy to participate…
1. See someone throwing a cigarette butt out their car window
2. Dial 1-800-NOSMOKE and read in the license plate. (Save 1-800-667-6653 in your cell phone)
3. The CHP will send a warning letter to the alleged violator.

Automatic Millionaire Homeowner

Bestselling author, David Bach, offers a great book that first-time homeowners and anyone toying with the notion of investing in real estate will find immensely practical. From questions to ask a realtor to explanations of the fine print in loan contracts, Bach offers universally good advice on how to begin saving and building wealth through homeownership. The book is also wildly motivational; frequent asides urge readers to finish the book quickly and start accumulating assets. True to its promise, the book is a swift read, arming readers with everything they need to know in a simple, accessible manner. Joy and I have loved David Bach’s FINISH RICH series of books and would recommend them to our community. I am giving away one of the Automatic Millionaire Homeowner books every week for the rest of the year to people who register at my open houses. The next time you are out and about and see one of my open house signs, I invite you to stop by and register. It just might be your lucky day.

You can now get the paperback for 60% off (only $5.18) at Amazon by clicking here.