AScribe Business & Economics News Service articles from December 2005

AScribe Business & Economics News Service archives from December 2005

PolicyLink Appoints New Associate Director for Development and Planning; Announces Departure of Senior Staff Member.
December 1, 2005... Byline: PolicyLink NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (AScribe Newswire) -- PolicyLink, the Oakland, California-based national nonprofit organization, announced today that Josh Kirschenbaum, senior associate, has been named the organization's associate...

Tennessee HIV/AIDS Community Calls for Increased Funding, Swift Reauthorization of Ryan White Care Act; World AIDS Day 'Town Hall Meeting' Highlights Growing Impact of HIV/AIDS on South, Minorities.
December 1, 2005... Byline: Lipman Hearne, Inc. NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 1 (AScribe Newswire) -- Community leaders in Central Tennessee today urged Congress to renew the Ryan White CARE Act, which is crucial to providing care and treatment for people with...

Christmas Tree Allergies: It's Everything but the Tree.
December 2, 2005... Byline: National Jewish Medical and Research Center DENVER, Dec. 2 (AScribe Newswire) -- Christmas trees are often cited as the source of allergy attacks during the holidays, but molds, associated with watering live trees, and the chemicals...

Affiliation of Middlebury College, Monterey Institute of International Studies to Be Final Dec. 2; Representatives of Both Institutions to Sign Affiliation Agreement at Ceremony; Members of New MIIS Board to Be Announced.
December 2, 2005... Byline: Middlebury College MIDDLEBURY, Vt., Dec. 2 (AScribe Newswire) -- Two institutions renowned for their expertise in international education, language teaching and cultural studies are combining forces. Administrators from...

New Website Tackles Seafood Fears, Offers Internet's First Realistic Mercury Calculator; Mercury Fears Overblown, Health Benefits of Fish Downplayed, Says Consumer Group.
December 5, 2005... Byline: The Center for Consumer Freedom WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- A new website from the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom tackles the politics of fish fears, explaining that the health benefits of eating fish far...

Mayo Clinic Researchers: Stroke Risk Significant in Month Following Heart Attack.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- A Mayo Clinic research team discovered that heart attack patients have a 44-fold increased risk of stroke in the 30 days following the heart attack, compared with the...

Threat of Avian Influenza Pandemic Grows, but People Can Take Precautions; Mayo Clinic Proceedings Editorial Answers Questions From Patients.(Editorial)
December 5, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- An editorial in the December issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings paints a picture of a world population very susceptible to an avian flu pandemic, but also offers suggestions...

Consumer Reports Rates 2006 Mazda5 Best Overall Among Wagons, Hatchbacks; Mazda5 Posts 'Excellent' Score in CR's Tests; Vehicle Tested Against Three Other 'Tall Wagons'.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Mazda5 is Consumer Reports' new top-rated vehicle among wagons and hatchbacks, following tests of four "tall wagons" for the January 2006 issue. The Ford Focus wagon...

Consumer Reports' Annual Cell Phone Survey Shows Problems With AT&T/Cingular Merger; Satisfaction Rates Remain Among Lowest of CR's Rated Services; Carriers Show No Improvement Since Benchmark Survey; Important Information on 911 Access.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The recent AT&T/Cingular merger has brought a whole new cache of problems, according to Consumer Reports' annual cell phone report published in the January 2006 issue of...

New Demand for Mercury-Fish Warnings: Not Science, Not in the Public Interest; Food Police Ignore 'Brain Food,' Want FDA Warning Labels on Fish.
December 5, 2005... Byline: The Center for Consumer Freedom WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Food and Drug Administration should ignore the Center for Science in the Public Interest's (CSPI's) ill-advised demand for nationwide mercury warning...

According to Consumer Reports, VoIP Users Find Lower Cost, More Features, but Also 911 Risks.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- Consumers tired of paying big bills for traditional landline telephone service are increasingly turning to Internet phone service programs for some financial relief....

Consumer Reports Medical Guide Helps Consumers Understand Risks, Benefits of Prescription Drugs; Understanding Trade-Offs Helps Consumers Protect Themselves, Make Right Health Care Decisions.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- The nation's drug-safety system has extensive weaknesses that put users of prescription drugs at risk, according to "Prescription for Trouble," published in the January 2006...

Prescription for Trouble: Consumer Reports Examines Weaknesses of Current Drug-Safety System.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- In its January investigative report, "Prescription for Trouble," Consumer Reports (CR) found that tens of millions of people may have been unknowingly exposed to the rare...

New Report on Marketing of Educational Media for Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers to Be Released by Kaiser Family Foundation.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Kaiser Family Foundation WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- Amid an explosion in the development of media products for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, the Kaiser Family Foundation will host a roundtable discussion on the...

Merck Submits Biologics License Application to FDA for Gardasil(r), the Company's Investigational Vaccine for Cervical Cancer.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Edelman Public Relations WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the Company submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) for Gardasil(r) (quadrivalent human papillomavirus...

Banks Defraud Military Personnel; Investigation by Inner City Press Uncovers Evasion of Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by Citigroup, HSBC, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and MBNA; Regulators Urged to Act.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Inner City Press NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- Military personnel on active duty are being overcharged on high interest loans by some of the largest banks in the United States, a new investigation of compliance with the...

Consumer Reports Updates Annual Holiday Giving Guide With Free Expert Advice for Online Shopping, Gift Cards, Charities.
December 5, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 5 (AScribe Newswire) -- Consumer Reports today updated its annual Holiday Giving Guide with valuable information on the finest online shopping sites, useful advice on bank gift cards, and tips...

Woman-Run Businesses in Massachusetts Outpace Nation in Growth; Study Identifies Top Woman-Led Companies; Research Conducted Over Five Years Shows Productivity Gains.(Company Profile)
December 6, 2005... Byline: Babson College WELLESLEY, Mass., Dec. 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- A major research study released by Babson College and The Commonwealth Institute finds that 54 percent of woman-led businesses in Massachusetts haveachieved annual...

Ford Foundation Report Offers Effective Strategies to Engage Business in Improving Low-Income Communities; Lessons for Achieving 'Win-Win' Outcomes.
December 6, 2005... Byline: Ford Foundation NEW YORK, Dec. 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- Grant makers are continually looking for high-impact approaches with the potential to strengthen communities and improve people's lives in the long term. A report released by...

Center for Consumer Freedom Asks: 'Where's the Proof?' Consumer Group Questions New Study on Advertising and Childhood Obesity.
December 6, 2005... Byline: The Center for Consumer Freedom WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- Despite its claim to be the most exhaustive examination of marketing and the diets of children, today's study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) failed to find...

Purdue Security Experts: 'Patch' to Protect New Computers.
December 6, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Dec. 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- To protect the millions of computers flying off store shelves this Christmas shopping season, Purdue University computer security experts recommend that buyers...

Consumer Action's New Prepaid Wireless Survey Finds Clear Benefits, Many Alternatives to 'Postpaid' Cell Phone Plans.
December 7, 2005... Byline: Consumer Action WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- In a new survey released today, Consumer Action (CA) looks at prepaid wireless plans offered by 12 companies and finds that prepaid wireless is a viable option to postpaid...

Historic Health Coverage Plan for Children to Be Discussed at Press Briefing; Illinois Is First State to Provide Comprehensive Health Coverage for All Children.
December 7, 2005... Byline: Families USA WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- Governor Rod Blagojevich's "All Kids" plan was recently approved by the General Assembly and subsequently signed into law. The legislation makes Illinois the first state in the...

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Northwest Health Foundation Launch Initiative to Address Nursing Issues in Communities Nationwide; Partners Investing in Nursing's Future Will Support Local Foundations' Efforts to Improve Nursing; Proposals Accepted Through Feb. 16, 2006.
December 7, 2005... Byline: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- To ameliorate the myriad challenges contributing to the nation's nursing shortage, the Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF) and the Robert Wood Johnson...

Convio Reports 250 Percent Growth in Online Donations During 2005; As Nonprofit Marketplace Matures, Organizations Increasingly Adopt Advanced Internet Tools to Drive Giving and Support.
December 7, 2005... Byline: Convio AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 7 (AScribe Newswire) -- Online donations raised by nonprofit organizations using Convio have increased by 250 percent in 2005 year-to-date compared to all of 2004 - suggesting that 2005 has been another...

Expert Offers Tips for Last-Minute Online Holiday Shopping.
December 8, 2005... Byline: Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Dec. 8 (AScribe Newswire) -- Online shopping may help holiday procrastinators with gift buying, but a Purdue University expert has additional tips gift givers can use when they find...

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Reports Advancements and Solutions for Quality of Life Assessments.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Dec. 9 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic Cancer Center researchers recently published the first series of chapters in a two-part monograph discussing quality of life (QOL) assessment - best practices,...

CiviConnections -- Call for Applications.
December 9, 2005... Byline: National Council for the Social Studies SILVER SPRING, Md., Dec. 9 (AScribe Newswire) -- The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) issued a call for applicants for the 2006-07 CiviConnections program. This is the third year...

New Film Promotes Alternatives to Institutions for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
December 9, 2005... Byline: Open Society Institute ZAGREB, Croatia, Dec. 9 (AScribe Newswire) -- A short film released today documents a groundbreaking initiative to provide alternatives to institutional confinement for Croatians with intellectual...

Consumer Action, American Express Partner to Create Free, Multilingual Education Initiative About Credit Cards.
December 12, 2005... Byline: Consumer Action SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Here's one thing you can check off your holiday list -- getting to know the terms on your credit card. Credit cards get a lot of use during the holiday season, but...

The Pew Charitable Trusts Supports U.S. Pandemic Planning Project; $1.5 Million Will Assess Adequacy of Federal, State Pandemic Disease Preparations; Work With Businesses to Develop and Put Plans in Place.
December 12, 2005... Byline: The Pew Charitable Trusts PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- In response to the threat that avian flu could transition into a human pandemic, The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today a $1.5 million investment to ensure...

Holiday Shopping Made Easy: Consumer Reports ShopSmart Mobile Subscription Service Helps On-the-Go Holiday Shoppers Buy the Best Gifts at the Best Prices; The Power of Consumer Reports Now Available on Cell Phones.
December 12, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Shoppers hunting for the perfect holiday gift now have the best prices on the best gifts in the palm of their hands with today's launch of Consumer Reports ShopSmart...

Study: Scientists Focusing Less on Longevity, More on How We Age and Why We Die; Optimism on Aging Research Advances Tempered by Perceptions of Major Obstacles.
December 12, 2005... Byline: Public Agenda NEW YORK, Dec. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Scientists say the aging research field is on the threshold of a new way of thinking - shifting focus from specific age-related illnesses to searching to understand aging itself...

WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong: Boston College International Trade Expert David Deese Available for Comment; Summit Results Will Be Fundamentally Important to Global Trading System.
December 12, 2005... Byline: Boston College CHESTNUT HILL, Mass., Dec. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- David A. Deese, associate professor of political science at Boston College and an expert on the politics of international economic relations, will be available for...

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Awards New Grants to Increase Adoption of Hospital 'Rapid Response Teams'; Projects Aim to Improve Hospital Experience for Patients, Nurses and Other Staff.
December 13, 2005... Byline: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- As part of its efforts to improve the quality of care in the nation's hospitals and to improve the work environment for nurses, the Robert Wood Johnson...

Holiday Giving Season Complicated by Shifting Norms on Gratuities, Psychologist Suggests.
December 13, 2005... Byline: Washington University, St. Louis ST. LOUIS, Dec. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- With the holiday season fast approaching, Americans are grappling more than ever with what's appropriate when it comes to rewarding service providers with...

Smart Usage of Auctions Can Save Industrial Buyers Millions, According to Stanford Business School Study.
December 13, 2005... Byline: Stanford Graduate School of Business STANFORD, Dec. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- Buyers for some major corporations may be able to shave time and substantial costs from purchasing goods and services simply by employing procurement...

Co-Financing Doesn't Make Movies More Profitable, According to Stanford Business School Research.
December 13, 2005... Byline: Stanford Graduate School of Business STANFORD, Dec. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- When Fox decided to make the movie "Titanic," the studio called upon Paramount to put up $65 million to help finance the film in exchange for a portion of...

Society of Professional Journalists Criticizes Radio Station's Sale of Naming Rights.
December 13, 2005... Byline: Society of Professional Journalists INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Society of Professional Journalists urges Clear Channel radio group to stop allowing its stations to sell naming rights to their newsrooms. WIBA, a...

Stanford Business School Study Finds Strategies for Getting Users to Adopt Computer Software Security Patches.
December 13, 2005... Byline: Stanford Graduate School of Business STANFORD, Calif., Dec. 13 (AScribe Newswire) -- In the summer of 2001, a computer worm called Code Red II invaded hundreds of thousands of computers, giving hackers unauthorized access to systems...

Public Health Agencies to Explore Use of Information Technology to Improve Health.
December 14, 2005... Byline: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced new grants today to support the participation of state and local public health agencies in health...

Franchisers Protect Valuable Brands Through Higher Company Ownership, Stanford Business School Research Finds.
December 14, 2005... Byline: Stanford Graduate School of Business STANFORD, Calif., Dec. 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- Companies that spend heavily on advertising to build their brand's reputation own a higher percentage of franchise outlets for that brand as a way...

Effective Hospital Patient 'Handoffs' Require Better Training for Physicians.
December 14, 2005... Byline: Indiana University School of Medicine INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- A study in the December issue of Academic Medicine asks: What happens when a hospital patient's physician goes off duty and another physician assumes...

Carnegie Mellon Professor Andrew W. Moore Chosen to Head Google Engineering Office in Pittsburgh.
December 15, 2005... Byline: Carnegie Mellon University PITTSBURGH, Dec. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- Andrew W. Moore, Carnegie Mellon University professor of computer science and robotics, has been chosen by Google Inc., developer of the award-winning search...

University of Illinois at Chicago Business Professor Receives Entrepreneurial Advocacy Award.
December 15, 2005... Byline: University of Illinois at Chicago CHICAGO, Dec. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- Gerald Hills, professor of entrepreneurship and marketing at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is the recipient of the 2005 John E. Hughes/United States...

Study: Unrealistic HIV/AIDS Prevention Campaigns Largely Ineffective.
December 15, 2005... Byline: University of Florida GAINESVILLE, Fla., Dec. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- Fear of HIV infection is not enough to get everyone to practice safe sex, according to a University of Florida research team's comprehensive study of AIDS...

Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute Analyzes Global Effects of Recent U.S. Proposal for WTO Agriculture Negotiations.
December 15, 2005... Byline: Iowa State University AMES, Iowa, Dec. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- In October, the U.S. Trade Representative released a proposal for agricultural trade reform in the ongoing World Trade Organization negotiations. The Food and...

Convio and MPower Systems Partner to Enable Christian Ministries to Strengthen Relationships, Increase Fundraising, Advance Missions.
December 15, 2005... Byline: Convio AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- Convio, Inc. and MPower Systems today announced a partnership that will enable joint customers to establish stronger, more constant connections with donors and constituents to...

Kellogg Foundation's 75th Anniversary Year Ends With 7 Percent Growth in Assets.
December 16, 2005... Byline: W.K. Kellogg Foundation BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Dec. 16 (AScribe Newswire) -- As it concludes its historic 75th Anniversary year, the Kellogg Foundation has reported assets of $7.3 billion - a $500 million increase over last year. ...

Kellogg Foundation Elects Lincoln, Nebraska, Resident as New Board Chair.
December 16, 2005... Byline: W.K. Kellogg Foundation BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Dec. 16 (AScribe Newswire) -- Cynthia Hardin Milligan of Lincoln, Nebraska, has been elected chair of the board of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Milligan, who has served on the...

It's the Most Stressful Time of the Year: Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Sutter Health Offer Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season.
December 19, 2005... Byline: Palo Alto Medical Foundation PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 19 (AScribe Newswire) -- Balancing work and family is difficult enough on a normal day, but the stress of juggling holiday responsibilities can push anyone to the breaking point....

Simmons College Names Renowned Public Health Leader and Academician as New President; Susan C. Scrimshaw, Internationally Respected Public Health Scholar and Dean of University of Illinois School of Public Health, Takes Reins July 1.
December 20, 2005... Byline: Simmons College BOSTON, Dec. 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Simmons College Board of Trustees today announced the appointment of Susan C. Scrimshaw, an internationally respected public health scholar and dean of the School of Public...

Fair Trade Links to Los Angeles Thais Needed to Sustain Thai Rice Farmers, Report Says.
December 20, 2005... Byline: Occidental College LOS ANGELES, Dec. 20 (AScribe Newswire) -- An innovative new relationship between rice farmers in Thailand and Thai immigrants in Southern California could create a new model for sustaining the Thai rice industry...

Drug Prices in Medicare Plans 48 Percent Higher Than Veterans' Prices; New Survey Finds Medicare Prices for Top 20 Drugs Used by Seniors Much Higher Than Prices Negotiated by Department of Veterans Affairs; Very High Medicare Drug Prices Costly To Seniors, Taxpayers.
December 21, 2005... Byline: Families USA WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- A survey released today found that drug prices under the new Medicare drug program will be considerably higher than the prices negotiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs...

Maintaining Consumption Styles Will Mean Longer Workdays for U.S. Workers in New Year and Beyond; 'Keeping Up With the Joneses' Increasingly Means Keeping Up Work Hours; Flat Tax Is No Solution, Researchers Find.
December 21, 2005... Byline: Connecticut College NEW LONDON, Conn., Dec. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- Those who think that "keeping up with the Joneses" is tough now, better prepare themselves for longer, harder workdays in the future, according to new economic...

TechSoup NetSquared Brings Together Diverse Community of Supporters; Conference Host Committee Comprised of Visionaries From Tech, Nonprofit, Corporate, Philanthropy Worlds.
December 21, 2005... Byline: CompuMentor SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- TechSoup NetSquared (http://www.netsquared.org), the initiative to increase nonprofit effectiveness through Web-based social tools, announced today the preliminary list of...

The Perfect New Year's Resolution: a 'No Sweat' Exercise Plan.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Harvard University Medical School BOSTON, Dec. 23 (AScribe Newswire) -- With the sharp increase in obesity rates, Americans are looking more and more for an exercise plan that will keep health risks at bay and that will fit into...

Chrome-Plated Fraud: How PG&E's Scientists-for-Hire Reversed Findings of a Cancer Study.
December 23, 2005... Byline: Environmental Working Group OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 23 (AScribe Newswire) -- A consulting firm hired by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) to fight the "Erin Brockovich" lawsuit distorted data from a Chinese study to plant an article...

Survey Shows Americans' Personal Misery Has Increased Since Early 1990s.
December 28, 2005... Byline: University of Chicago CHICAGO, Dec. 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- As Americans pause to reflect on time gone by on the threshold of a new year, many will have reason to think that their lives have not gotten better, according to a new...

Medicare Drug Benefit Could Do Harm to Poor, Elderly, Disabled.
December 28, 2005... Byline: Harvard University Medical School BOSTON, Dec. 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- A perspective article by Stephen Soumerai, professor in the Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention (of Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health...

Positive Outcome of Medicare Drug Benefit: a Resource for Surveying Medication Use.
December 28, 2005... Byline: Harvard University Medical School BOSTON, Dec. 28 (AScribe Newswire) -- An editorial by Richard Platt, professor and chair of the Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention (of Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health...

Free Teleseminars to Offer Expert Mission-Based Advocacy Tactics; Nonprofits Invited by Alliance for Children and Families to Take Part.
December 29, 2005... Byline: Alliance for Children and Families MILWAUKEE, Dec. 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- Beginning Jan. 10, 2006, the Alliance for Children and Families is offering staff and board members of all nonprofits access to a series of six teleseminars...

Minnesota Council on Foundations Elects New Board Members, Officers.
December 29, 2005... Byline: Minnesota Council on Foundations MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Minnesota Council on Foundations, a membership organization that works actively to strengthen and expand philanthropy, elected Karl Stauber, president...

Vertebroplasty Improves Back Pain, Activity Level, Mayo Clinic Study Reports.
December 29, 2005... Byline: Mayo Clinic ROCHESTER, Minn., Dec. 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- A Mayo Clinic study has found patients report less back pain at rest and while active following vertebroplasty, a procedure in which medical cement is injected into...

Consumer Reports Money Adviser: Five Ways to Get Emergency Cash; Simple Personal Finance Steps to Get Out of Credit Card Debt; How to Cut Down on Property Taxes in Retirement.
December 30, 2005... Byline: Consumers Union YONKERS, N.Y., Dec. 30 (AScribe Newswire) -- Because most consumers need funds to fall back on, the January 2006 issue of the Consumer Reports Money Adviser, a monthly personal finance newsletter published by the...