| DEPARTURES: One thing to do before you die: Read this
Missed opportunities dominate my list, which I call "An Unspecified Number of Places I Want to Go Before I Cross Them All Off and Start a New List." In 1990, as I've related before in these pages, I was all set to visit the storied Vale of Kashmir, but canceled the trip when a bomb went off in the Srinigar marketplace. I figured I'd give things a year or two to cool off and then rebook. Eighteen years later, I'm resigned to the fact that they may never cool off, at least not in my lifetime. Then there was the trip to Burundi to see mountain gorillas. We had to call that one off when the genocidal rage of Rwanda spilled over the border, and now my wife Jeri's beleaguered immune system has forced her to permanently cross that part of the world off her list. For a couple of decades now I've had Turkey's Mount Ararat on my "watch list." It's a colossal, snow-covered volcano in far eastern Turkey, near the borders of Iran and Armenia.
Zogby: 52 Percent Would Support U.S. Military Strike Against Iran
Men slightly prefer McCain (18%) to Clinton (17%) on this issue, while 15% said Giuliani is best equipped to deal with Iran. The survey also shows there is a significant amount of uncertainty if any of the long list of declared candidates would be best equipped to deal the Iran – 19% overall said they weren’t sure which candidate to choose. The bottom line: Iran will continue to be an issue that will likely grow not necessarily because of candidates' pronouncements or even the attitude in the White House but by the statements and behavior of the government of Iran. Which — if past behavior and statements are any indication — means it could be a major issue by Election Day…with or without a military strike. .
MAKING CENTS - Use your credit card with care
Credit cards: They can be a short-term financial savior or a jump-start to long-term debt. With the proper use, credit cards can be a positive component of your spending habits.This may seem simplistic, but be sure you really need to make that purchase before you swipe your card. Credit cards are best used as a financial rescue mechanism, saved for larger items you need but don't have the cash to spend on. That piece of plastic is not free money.''And while we're on the subject, it's never a good idea to use a credit card as a substitute for cash. Routine purchases like groceries, gas and even clothing are best made with cash. Those cash back'' and rewards'' points can be enticing, but they're not really worth much.It's a good rule of thumb to stay within 25 percent to 30 percent of your credit limit.
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