
Despite the use of over 322 million wireless devices in the U.S., according to telecommunication industry records, it is unclear how long service providers keep cell tower records of their customers’ phone use and messaging exchanges, creating a concern for many wireless customers. Customers seeking either new phones or rate plans usually agree to a two-year contract with a...
As the banking industry faces harsh criticism for solely pursuing profits while ignoring risks and the need for solid long term business plans that don’t ruin the economy, recent news from the world of finance seems to suggest that banks haven’t made any serious changes to their strategy. In the next few days, Hagens Berman, a respected law firm specializing in investor rights, will likely file a class action lawsuit against Bank of America claiming it misled investors about...
College is becoming increasingly more expensive for students all across the country, and along with the recent increases in average student loan debt, many students are graduating into a harsh environment. Student loan debt has actually surpassed credit card debt among Americans, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Average student loan debt across the country rose last year by approximately five percent to $25,250 though this average is comparatively low for indebted students in California. This...

Small local video rental stores are having difficulty maintaining business with the expansion of Internet sales and accessibility in the entertainment industry, however there has been a few local successes. With the boom of technology in recent years, many customers rent movies through Netflix or Redbox, where they can easily have the movie sent to them or make a...

A largely Internet-based movement called Bank Transfer Day (BTD) culminated on Nov. 5 in thousands of consumers switching their bank accounts from large for-profit banking institutions to smaller and more localized credit unions. BTD arose out of the frustration many consumers felt towards financial institutions for a slew of perceived grievances banks enacted upon their customers, such as the...

The California Faculty Association (CFA) announced Monday they will hold a one day strike on the CSU East Bay and CSU Dominguez Hills campuses on Nov. 17 in response to stalled contract negotiations with Chancellor Charles Reed. “The ultimate goals of the Nov. 17 concerted action are to push the CSU to move on contract negotiations and also to...

Last week the Federal Communications Commission announced new guidelines for the wireless industry that will potentially benefit 97 percent of cell phone users in the United States. The new voluntary guidelines will require wireless carriers to create a free alert system to warn cell phone users as they approach plan limits, are about to incur international roaming charges not...

As the sun rises on the verdant pastures and quiescent farm animals at Hidden Villa, it hits the photovoltaic panels on their education center, converting the light into electricity for the use of the facility. Nestled away in the Los Altos Hills, the non-profit organization Hidden Villa constructed the sustainable building, the Wolken Center, between 1999 and 2001, along...