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Show Page 14 The Ogden Valley news Volume XIV Issue XV May 1, 2007 Valley Elementary Students Learn Savings Skills From Zions Bank Valley Elementary School’s entire 1st grade learned financial ABCs from Zions Banker Melanie Eyres on April 24. Eyres, financial services representative at Zions Bank’s Eden Office, was one of more than 185 Zions employees who volunteered to teach 10,000-plus students in Utah and Idaho in honor of the National Teach Children to Save Day. Students in classes taught by Kathy Anderson, Chris Montgomery, and Angel Truitt learned the values of different coins and discovered the importance of savings. For the first time since the Great Depression, the average savings rate of Americans has dropped into negative numbers in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Americans spend $1.22 for every $1 they earn, according to the Myvesta Foundation. “At Zions Bank, we volunteer on National Teach Children to Save Day to encourage tomorrow’s generation to learn good savings habits so that they can reverse the negative savings trend,” said Eyres. “It’s never too early for kids to learn how to Google Provides Private Information for Public Use Google has implemented a new feature that enables the public to type a telephone number into the search bar and hit enter in order to retrieve the person’s name and address. If you then hit MapQuest, a map is provided that directs you to the person’s home. Essentially, this is a nationwide reverse telephone book and address mapping service. If a child gives out his/her phone number, someone can now look it up to find out where he/she lives. Safety issues should be obvious—and alarming. Please note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked by filling out a short and simple removal form on the same site. Please look up your own number and pay themselves first by saving money and earning interest.” Just ten hours of financial education can help students learn to manage their money better, according to a 2004 evaluation by the National Endowment for Financial Education. Julie Felshaw, economics and financial education specialist with the Utah State Office of Education, believes volunteer efforts from local bankers can make a difference in the financial futures of students. “The lessons we teach Utah’s students today create good habits for consumers tomorrow,” said Felshaw. “Kids like to learn about money because they see the things their parents do with it. They can be very impressionable. The prospect of being able to save their money for a special toy can help them learn the importance of setting financial goals and understanding willpower.” National Teach Children to Save Day is an annual nationwide program sponsored by the American Bankers Association The words “evolving viruses” conjure Education Foundation. up images of illnesses silently mutating until Additional information on Zions Bank they can evade the defenses of their victim is available at <www.zionsbank.com> or the latest medication. But another form of mutating threat is claiming thousands of unsuspecting victims each year: cybercrime. As the security features on computers have become more robust, high-tech crimilesson plans, song lyrics, books, etc. that nals have developed a revolving door of endanger us all. increasingly sophisticated scams, particuThere is now, and there has been, a high- larly because cybercrime has evolved from geared effort, as Robert Welch warned back a hobby for hackers to a lucrative profesin 1961, “to convert the American republic sion. The direct financial losses from these into a democracy and to make the American crimes exceed $1 billion a year accordpeople accept the change without even ing to research commissioned by the U.S. knowing there has been one.” Knowing the Department of Homeland Security. truth is a positive, even unpleasant truth, A form of social engineering, online scams because now something can be done before that con people into sharing personal informait grows too late. tion or downloading programs that steal their Uncensored history teaches us that information or harm their computer are expectdemocracy is the pathway to national sui- ed to be the most common Internet threat this cide and then to the tyranny of an oligar- year, according to security experts at Microsoft chy! Our Constitution is hanging by a Corp. Experts say there are no quick fixes thread! It is my hope and prayer that the against these mutating online threats, but peoAmerican people will awake, shake off ple can avoid becoming a victim by educating apathy, become accurately informed; and themselves on the latest threats, and updating with peaceful, organized, principled citi- their PCs with the latest protections. zen activism motivate Congress to reassert Social engineering is what tricked Judy and restore our Constitutional Republic, Melloon. After receiving several e-mail repeal NAFTA, and defend our cherished messages that appeared to be legitimate, freedoms! she opened one and typed in the requested bank account information. Her account, Genise Martin, which contained several hundred dollars, North Ogden was soon empty. “You have to think before you click,” said Melloon, who no longer opens e-mail from unknown senders. Education will be particularly important throughout 2007, predicts Microsoft senior Adapting To Scams Is Vital To Internet Safety Guest Commentaries COMMENTARY cont. from page 3 be? Why have radical changes been made from the time of our nations founding and the definition of democracy distorted? Think of the Pledge of Allegiance, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands…” also the hymn, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Are we going to be idle spectators while the rising generation in schools and elsewhere are being taught repeatedly through music, lessons and even cartoons that our nation was founded as a “democracy?” Has anyone else noticed the “Democracy Project” for the educators on the PBS Kids website? The lesson plans for teachers on that website are calling our nation a “constitutional democracy.” That is a false educational idea and a serious contradiction! Please read The Federalist papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Our inspired Founding Fathers forewarned us repeatedly of the perils of democracy. This letter is not against our schools or its teachers, but the incorrect test whether your phone number is mapped. You can do this by visiting Google at <http://www.google.com/>, and then typing your phone number in the search bar (i.e. 555-555-1212). To complete the task hit enter. If you want to block Google from divulging your private information, simply click on your telephone number and then click on the Removal Form. The removal procedure takes 48-hours to process. Google also lists other sites that have a similar service of providing a reverse telephone directory. Google provides the links to access these sites also. Check your own number. While this may not apply to you if you have an unlisted number or cell phone as primary contact, you may know someone who it does apply to and would be better served by having their number and mapped address removed. director of Security Outreach, Kristin Johnsen, because many of today’s most prevalent online threats attempt to manipulate people rather than exploit flaws in computers. “People understand the need to protect their homes or cars in the physical world by locking doors or installing alarms,” Johnsen explained. “Applying the same measures to computer use will be the first step to help people protect their PCs, themselves, and their families in the cyberworld.” To combat such practices, experts recommend taking these steps: • Invest 30 minutes up front. That’s all the time it takes to set up and monitor an Internet firewall, update your security software, and install and run anti-virus and anti-spyware software. • Think first, click later. Don’t click on e-mail attachments from senders you don’t know or recognize, and avoid entering personal information into anything directed to you via e-mail. • Stay current. Regularly visit sites that provide the latest PC security information, including <http://www.microsoft. com/protect> and <http://www.staysafe. org> Invest in software and services that offer security features, such as Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system, which automatically maintains many recommended protection features. PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT! 1 YEAR SUPPLY! SEPTIC TANK ENZYME $40.00 + 5.00 S&H. (801) 430-7286 Garden & Landscape Design Project Management www.theardentgardener.net |