Show ngTf "ij wrMy?ipltcrriiiftjrtii' ji ni irf iu Protect Yourself TRENDS Read the Fine Flint Compiled by Cherrill Crosby THINKING ABOUT FUTURE students Todays college first-yea- r already are thinking about what kinds of investments they need for a secure financial future according to a survey commissioned by Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co In the poll of 2000 students 81 percent said owning a home is important to them 74 percent said life insurance is important and 46 percent said individual retirement accounts and pensions are priorities But it appears many students may be concerned about volatility in the financial markets Only 30 percent said stocks bonds and mutual funds are important for their security The Associated Press a SWAYING EATING HABITS McDonalds Corp long the reigning king with younger kids and early teens is launching one of its most aggressive marketing pushes in recent years to stay on the minds of these age groups And McDonalds wont be alone With the largest crop of kids entering schools since the Baby Boomers ruled the playgrounds expect a whole new emphasis on kids from a number of marketers Its a huge market said Dennis Lombardi a restaurant analyst with Chicago-base- d consultant Technomic Inc The Boomers have almost replaced themselves While Boomers born between 1945 and 1964 account for 76 million Americans kids under 19 number close to 74 million Ive always said that kids are x y born with three chromozones and an arch said Lombardi So important are kids to the burger chain that the giant has launched an animated guest character called lam Hungry to complement its spokesclown Ronald McDonald in kids advertising during Saturday morning cartoon programming Chicago Tribune fast-foo- d fast-foo- d long-runni- WAR ON VIRUSES Viruses are one of the biggest con- cerns of computer users but according to Popular Science magazine a new system can detect and eradicate viruses using the Internet The magazine reports that under the system a computer in a local area network can detect a possible virus and send a copy of the problem code or file to an administrator PC The administrator in turn sends the possible troublemaker to an analysis lab that can identify it as a virus and come up with a way to eliminate it A prescription is then sent back to the administrator which can fix the PC with the virus According to the magazine this can all be accomplished in a matter of minutes The Associated Press ECONOMIC MORALE The US economy is strong many companies are posting record profits and job fairs are more common than ever So why ail the whining? Experts say some workers may feel like they are not getting any of the profits rolling in to their employers Others may bemoan a lack of control over their work lives and complain that they are not appreciated by their bosses And still others might just be natural bom whiners who could find fault in the most generous and supportive of companies I dont think were a nation of whiners but we know how to voice our discontent says Allan Lind professor of management at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in Durham NC So in some ways theres always something of a morale problem Even though job satisfaction is high its not off the top of the scales A Roper Retaken eight times beports survey tween 1973 and 1996 shows workers have become less satisfied with their work In 1996 when the US economy had revived itself just 31 percent of the 2000 Americans surveyed reported they were satisfied The Orlando Sentinel RECORD REJECTIONS Mail solicitations for platinum-colore- d Visa and MasterCards many of were rethem from Banc One Corp jected in record numbers last year by consumers worn out by all the credit-car- d offers they receive The response rate on the total 301 billion credit-car- d solicitations sent out in 1997 fell to a record low 13 percent according to Behavioral Analysis Inc a market-re-searc- h firm based in Tarrytown NY 14 That is down from an already-lopercent in 1996 BAI said Platinum-car- d mailings which accounted for about 40 percent of all mailings last year were rejected most heavily with a response rate of 1 percent for 1997 according to BAI The falling percentage of consumers who respond is due to the fact that the credit-car- d market is gluttoo many offers too many cards ted already in circulation And even consumers are beginning to wise up about the high interest rates issuers charged by credit-car- d Dow Jones News ? COPY Policy Changes Mean Homeowners May Not Have Sufficient Disaster Insurance Rates listed below provide a way to compare a basic policy for brick and frame structure homes worth $80000 and $150000 Bnck homes in general are less expensive to insure because the risk for fire damage is less For more information on this study including how 0 the ratios are figured call the state Insurance Department at (801) BY LESLEY MITCHELL 538-360- THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Homeowners insurance is pretty easy to forget about Rolled into the monthly mortgage payment policyholders never have to write a single check for the coverage which typicaUy costs less than $50 a month But not knowing enough about their coverage can leave homeowners underinsured and at great financial risk iu the event of a disaster such as fire earthquake or flood Its important to read your policy says John Wal-ste- r examiner for the state Insurance Department in Salt Lake City Many people who have complaints about what their homeowners policy does or doesnt cover havent even read it They may have had that policy for years but dont know whats in there There are plenty of things a standard homeowners policy does not cover such as damage caused by earthquakes and floods and property or liability claims relatbusinesses ing to home-base- d And what is covered by homeowners policies continues to change with many insurers doing away with the most generous provisions such as guaranteed replacement coverage Such coverage ensures that in the event of a total loss a home will be rebuilt no matter how much coverage the policyholder carries State Farm Insurance and Allstate Insurance Co the two largest insurers of homes in Utah both recently notified policyholders they are doing away with guaranteed replacement cost There have been some major catastrophes in Florida and California where homes weren't insured properly explained Jeff Hoffman a spokesman for Allstate which like other insurers has suffered huge losses in some disaster-pron- e areas in recent years As a way to put more responsibility for buying the correct amount of insurance on the homeowner and to limit its own liability Allstate no longer will pay more than 120 percent of the coverage limit on the policy That means a Salt Lake City homeowner who insures their home for $100000 would receive no more than $120000 toward rebuilding in the event of a total loss even if the true cost to rebuild a comparable home is $200000 Under guaranteed replacement cost the homeowner would have received the full $200000 State Farm also recently announced plans to discontinue the open-ende- d coverage not only because of losses in other markets but because of the potential for future losses When the cost to rebuild was guaranteed consumer-servic- e Source: State of Utah Insurance Department Steve Baker Thu Salt Lake Tribune company representatives say homeowners didnt pay attention to how much coverage they had and many were under insured Many people simply did not carry enough insurance to actually cover the cost of rebuilding their home says May Hendershot a spokeswoman for State Farm For the first time homeowners are solely responsible for figuring how much it would cost to rebuild their home in the event of a total loss and face the consequences if they are wrong Some agents will provide homeowners with an estimate of the cost to rebuild but insurers also are encouraging customers to talk to people such as real estate agents contractors and even appraisers who can help pinpoint the cost of rebuilding The cost of land is not covered by homeowners policies Another area homeowners may want to take more time to understand is coverage for water damage says Kenneth Adams spokesman for the Western Insurance Information Service in Los Angeles a nonprofit consumer education organization Water damage a common claim in Utah generally is covered only when the water comes into contact with the home before not after it comes into contact with the ground according to the information agency For example damage to a roof from a heavy rain or damage caused by a hailstorm smashing into a window are generally covered But damage from a heavy rain that causes a basement See POLICY CHANGES Page E-- 5 Independent Video Stores Feel Brunt of Slowdown Increasing Competition BY LISA CARR1CABURU THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE It started out in the 1980s a mom-and-po- p operation of sorts for an age when taking in a flick the newfangled way meant sliding a rented tape into a factory-fres- h videocassette recorder and sinking into an easy chair with a bowl of popcorn Video Verns staked out a prime spot in downtown Holiaday for a family enterprise formed so the kids could grow up and have a job Jon Dickman said The business thrived growing to four locations in Salt Lake County and Price he said Each year its revenues increased But like all independent Utah videorental firms Video Verns faces a challenging future Competition in the industry has grown fierce as the nations two largest videoDallas-base- d Blockbustrental chains er Video and competitor Hollywood Video of Wilsonville Ore have invaded Utah with a vengeance Dickman said two Blockbusters are located within two miles of his Holiaday store indusMore generally the video-renttry is experiencing declining revenues after years of rapid growth as more film aficionados buy tapes rather than renting them and choose alternatives such as cable and satellite television Independents have to find their niche to thrive Dickman said Building customer satisfaction and loyalty are more important than ever Dickman added he and others like him must capitalize on their competitive ad w vantages such as the flexibility they have to tailor their offerings to the communities in which they operate We can adapt and change quickly without having to go through all the red tape Small video-rentfirms nationwide are hurt by buildup A Video Business magazine study of eight cities found independents suffer most from Blockbuster and Hollywood Videos duel for market dominance According to data for 1995 1996 and the first three quarters of 1997 Hollywoods market share in Chicago Houston Phoenix San Diego Tucson Ariz Wichita Kan Cincinnati and Columbus Ohio grew from 14 percent to 7 percent Blockbusters share increased from 326 percent to 344 percent while independents share fell from 659 percent to 587 percent The magazine pointed out intense competition between big players prompts them to advertise more than they normally might building the industry for large and small players alike But that is small consolation when trends show the industry overall is losing ground revenues fell Nationwide video-rent4 3 percent in 1997 to $738 billion said Robert Liuag research director for the Video Software Encino Calif-baseDealers Association So far this year they are down another 28 percent Industry observers say the video-rentmarket is mature Nearly all US households already have VCRs meaning video renters cannot rely on new business from new VCR owners as they once did Wal-MaMedia Play and other dis al d al rt A1 HartmannThe Salt Lake Tribune Independent video store owners such as Video Verns of Holiaday have seen increased competition from chains count retailers sell new tapes at prices only a few dollars more than it costs to rent them leading more consumers to build their own video libraries Video-rentstores face fierce price competition from grocery stores which typically offer less variety but often offer rentals at prices Grocery stores are able to charge less because they count on customers to make other purchases that make up the difference And new entertainment options abound whether they be cable satellite television or greater penetration of the Internet in homes It Isnt a sexy growth industry anymore but theres still a lot of money out there thats up for grabs" said Doug Gordon Hollywood Video senior vice president of finance Our goal is to get an ever larger share of the pie Hollywood Video opened its first Utah store in 1994 and since has grown to have rock-botto- Jon Dick-ma- n 18 in the state The chain has 782 stores in 39 states and intends to open another 400 in 1998 he said While no specific plans have been announced some of the new stores will be in Utah Our goal is to have one store for every 40000 people in each of our markets Gordon said Blockbuster which has 44 Utah stores and more than 5300 nationwide does not discuss expansion plans because it does not want competitors to have the information spokeswoman Karen Raskopf said When a new sign goes up thats our announcement she said Blockbuster however recently acquired locally owned Video Shark and has converted most of its stores See VIDEO GIANTS Page E-- 2 The Bathroom Crisis: ManyWorkers Forced to Ignore Natures Call BY MAGGIE JACKSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS teacher brings her entire class to the bathroom with her when she needs to go and cant find a An Iowa substitute A North Carolina meatpacker had to wait so long for permission to go that she soiled her clothes For most people using the toilet at work hardly causes trouble they just get up and go But for teachers factory workers telemarketers farm workers and others meeting this simple need can mean humiliating pleas for permission and even risking the loss of their job Some try not to drink liquids or go to the toilet all day habits that court medical problems Federal law currently requires employers only to have enough bathrooms not to allow workers to use them That is to change this spring when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will issue its first explicit directive requiring bathroom access When I first heard about this problem I was horri- - 'i : fied to learn that employers can get away with this said Marc Linder who wrote Void Where Prohibited a book with on the issue published in January and Ingrid Nygaard a Des Moines Iowa urogynecologist This isnt a problem in every workplace but its much more widespread than we had originally believed said Linder who teaches at the University of Iowas College of Law In part because of Linders research Iowa in January became only the second state to explicitly protect workers legal rights in this area Minnesota enacted a statute in 1988 Rising concern about the issue didnt save Daisy Brock from humiliation last year while cleaning chitlins at the Smithfield Foods pigs intestines plant in Tar Heel NC Brock suffering from a stomachache asked repeatedly for permission to go to the bathroom since company rules require workers in Brocks department to wait for a replacement before going No replacement was found 7 and Brock went to the bathroom in her clothes I couldnt hold it until I got to the bathroom said Brock who was fired last summer after she stayed home a week with pneumonia If you say you had to leave the line they said theyd fire you Joann Graham a worker at the same plant said the problem varies by department In her current work she is able to go at will But in her last job hanging newly slaughtered pigs on hooks You had to talk noise to go she said It dont make no sense When asked about bathroom access at the plant Smithfield spokesman Arron Trub said he didn't know anything about the issue and refused to comment further factories especially poultry have the worst record on bathroom access according to OSHA officials and unions Every time I work on a campaign in the poultry in- Food-processi- See NO BREAKS Page ? 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