Emergency

Imagine that the worst does happen again: A major attack. Chaos and disorder. Banks could be closed, ATMs down. Electricity could be out. Your credit cards? Suddenly useless. So how much money -- good old folding cash -- do you need to be able to put your hands on to get through the aftermath?

Social-media tools like Twitter and Facebook could soon help the U.S. government respond more effectively to disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it will take advantage of social media and mobile-device portals to reach people during federal disasters.

As we become more mobile and have unlimited or high-minute cell phone plans, the traditional landline has given up its role as our connection to friends and become instead a connection to our wallet, sucking out a monthly stipend for the simple act of sitting there waiting to be put to work. Still,...

The situation in Tracy, Calif., is not quite as bad as the local news made it out to be. (Damn those sound bites!) Yes, you residents will have to pay the city $300 if you call 911 -- but only if you call because of a medical emergency. Phew, right? That could have been so bad! Well, it's still...

If nothing unexpected ever happened life would be a bit boring, but there are some unexpected things we can all do without. For example: being in the middle of a natural disaster, having a child wander off, losing our identity or losing our cell phones and laptops. Life360 can't put a protective...

When the world ends, it's pretty much a given that you won't know it's coming. But what if you did know what was going to happen? In Sony's new disaster flick, "2012," an end-of-world prophecy is being fulfilled which leaves some people more prepared than others. In a Facebook Poll on the...

If you're one of the 0.057 percent of Americans -- roughly 175,000 out of 305 million -- who are in line for $140 billion in Wall Street bonuses this year, you may be wondering why the government is spending $787 billion of your hard-earned tax dollars for "economic stimulus." After all, your...

The quickest way to end the honeymoon stage of your new life together is to get off on the wrong foot when it comes to your new financial life together. Unfortunately for all the effort that many churches and groups put into pre-marital counseling, many miss the mark when it comes to money. If you...

One of the best-paid public employees in all of the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area wasn't a mayor or a chief operating officer; he didn't have an advanced degree or irreplaceable skills. He didn't even have a fancy title, like "sergeant" or "lieutenant." He just worked a lot. In an article...

The combination of cell phones and driving is a hot button issue these days, and well it should be. My research indicates that cell phone- related crash statistics are sketchy at best but it seems that almost everyone agrees talking on a cell phone while driving can quickly lead to tragedy. I have...