FitSugar

Most Dangerous States for Driving This Summer

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 14:15:00 PDT

The national Center for Excellence in Rural Safety (CERS) at the University of Minnesota recently released a list of the states where Americans are more likely to die in a traffic crash on a rural road. To see where your state falls in the top 15 most dangerous states to drive,

1.) Maine
2.) North Dakota
3.) South Dakota
4.) Iowa
4.) Vermont
5.) Montana
6.) Wyoming
7.) South Carolina
8.) Mississippi
9.) Arkansas
10.) West Virginia
11.) Kansas
12.) Nebraska
13.) New Hampshire
13.) Kentucky
13.) Idaho
14.) Oklahoma
15.) Missouri
15.) Minnesota

...And no, I am not losing my mind. There are double numbers because some states tied.

So please be extra careful this summer if you're going to be taking a trip in the car and buckle-up too!

The Most-Overlooked Tax Deductions

Kiplinger — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:50:44 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Every year, the IRS dutifully reports the most common blunders that taxpayers make on their returns. And every year, at or near the top of the “oops” list is forgetting to enter their Social Security number at the top of the tax form - or making a mistake when entering those nine digits.

But think about it for a minute: Do you think that’s the most common mistake . . . or simply the easiest to notice?

One thing we know for sure is that the opportunity to make mistakes is almost unlimited, and missed deductions can be the most costly. About 45 million of us itemize on our 1040s - claiming more than $1 trillion worth of deductions. That’s right: $1,000,000,000,000, a number rarely spoken out loud until Congress started tying itself up in knots trying to deal with the budget deficit and national debt.

Another 92 million taxpayers claim about $700 billion worth using standard deductions - and some of you who take the easy way out probably shortchange yourselves. (If you turned 65 in 2011, remember that you now deserve a bigger standard deduction than the younger folks.)

Yes, friends, tax time is a dangerous time. It’s all too easy to miss a trick and pay too much. Years ago, the fellow who ran the IRS at the time told Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine that he figured millions of taxpayers overpay their taxes every year by overlooking just one of the money-savers listed below

5 Tech-Etiquette Mistakes to Avoid on Friday the 13th (and Every Day)

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 12 May 2011 10:29:50 PDT

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th of May, and while this day is usually associated with unlucky events, it doesn't have to turn into a tech-etiquette nightmare. National Etiquette Week is coming to a close, so let's chat about the five biggest tech-etiquette mistakes you can make tomorrow, and every day of the week.

Walking or driving while texting - Not only is texting while driving illegal in most states, texting while walking is just as dangerous to you and innocent walkers around you. If you must send a text while you're on foot, pull it over to the edge of the sidewalk and wait until you click "send" to keep moving. It'll save you time, embarrassment, and possible medical bills if you happen to slip, trip, or fall down on uneven pavement.
Using your cell in the bathroom - Chitchatting while on the toilet has been labeled rude, gross, and unnecessary by our readers, and it's just plain uncomfortable to have to listen to someone's conversation while you're doing your business. Save the calls for the halls, please.

See the rest of the list, including the most heinous, mobile-etiquette offender after the jump.

Drive: A White Knuckle Thrill Ride

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:15:13 PDT

In Drive, Ryan Gosling plays a man whose exceptional skill at driving makes him the perfect stunt man, and, more lucratively, an ideal chauffeur for crime scene getaways. He doesn't commit them, he just gets other perps away from them - no more, no less. That desire to keep things simple quickly dissolves after he participates in a heist that goes wrong, and thus begins an intense race for his life that makes your stomach twist and your heart pound.

The driver (as Gosling's nameless character is known) develops feelings for the literal girl next door, Irene (Carey Mulligan), a young mother and wife who is waiting for her husband to finish his prison sentence. The driver's attachment to her is what gets him involved in the situation that puts him in danger, and it provides a surprisingly emotional angle to a movie that could have otherwise been a simple bloodbath with an emphasis on fast cars. To find out why I was riveted by Drive, just keep reading

How Are Your Mobile Manners? Not Good, Says Intel

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:00:16 PST

Internet etiquette has been a hot topic around these parts for a while, but it seems that the majority of Americans' mobile manners are getting worse. Texting while sexing may be the most heinous mobile etiquette offender, but people are breaking manner rules left and right while out in public as well.

A new study by Intel reveals that keeping your phone handy while at the dinner table may not be the biggest pet peeve. According to the report, 73 percent of respondents say that using a mobile device while driving is not only dangerous (and illegal in some states), but it also happens to be the biggest annoyance.

Find out what other mobile habits make people cringe after the break.

5 Tech Etiquette Slip-Ups to Avoid

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:46:00 PDT

It's easy to forget basic tech etiquette when we're busy catching up on emails, phone calls, projects, and deadlines, but be sure to check yourself before you wreck yourself in the etiquette department by following these five rules every day.

Walking or driving while texting - Not only is texting while driving illegal in most states, texting while walking is just as dangerous to you and innocent walkers around you. If you must send a text while you're on foot, pull it over to the edge of the sidewalk and wait until you click "send" to keep moving. It'll save you time, embarrassment, and possible medical bills if you happen to slip, trip, or fall down on uneven pavement.
Using your cell in the bathroom - Chitchatting while on the toilet has been labeled rude, gross, and unnecessary by our readers, and it's just plain uncomfortable to have to listen to someone's conversation. Save the calls for the halls, please.

See the rest of the list, including the most heinous, mobile-etiquette offender after the jump.