LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles is about to elect its next mayor.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge has given three-year prison sentences to two San Diego defense contractors convicted of fraud in a scheme to bribe Navy officials with more than $1 million in cash and gifts.

I believe that a newspaper should carry balanced reporting. That way we can be aware of what the enemy is doing. The Creators Syndicate columns carried in the Lodi News-Sentinel is an example of that premise. They have conservative writers such as John Stossel and Thomas Sowell. Other writers endorse everything Obama says. Higher taxes, more government agencies, more welfare programs — they're all for it.

(NAPSI)—If you’re ever invited to a free seminar that promises to teach you about investing or managing money in retirement, and that comes with a free meal, there may be a few facts you should digest first.

Ups and downs in the current market and recent corporate and banking scandals have prompted many people to seek ways to have more control over their retirement funds. Self-directed IRAs allow consumers to use their knowledge and expertise to invest in assets beyond stocks, bonds and mutual funds. While self-directed IRAs provide a new way to grow retirement savings, they may not be the best option for everyone.

(StatePoint) There’s a good reason why many people dream of owning a home. Homeownership offers benefits such as stable monthly payments and the opportunity to establish a sense of community.  It can also be a way to build equity over time. 

(StatePoint) Most people spend Mother’s Day bestowing flowers, gifts and heartfelt sentiments upon their moms. But for some, knowing how to honor their mother is not so easy. After all, mothers are only human, and not all of them are perfect.

(BPT) - Need a bike to start getting into shape? Looking for a new job? Interested in renting a condo for that long-desired trip?

(NAPSI)—How do you know if a telemarketing call is a scam? That friendly voice on the phone may belong to an honest salesperson who is just trying to make a living or a crook who wants to trick you out of your money. Three-quarters of the adults recently surveyed by Consumer Federation of America (CFA) said that they think it is hard for most consumers to tell the difference. And while nine in ten are concerned that telemarketing calls from companies they haven’t done business with before might be fraudulent, many do not know their basic telemarketing rights.

Paula Wells quickly realized she was being scammed. After purchasing a Ford F350 from a Sacramento-area Ford dealership, Wells, of Lodi, received a letter in the mail, saying her warranty was about to expire.

(StatePoint) Each year, thousands of trusting homeowners hire contractors for home repairs or renovation projects. But for many, dreams of a remodeled kitchen, new roof or updated patio are dashed by contractor fraud.

(BPT) - Numbers span all languages and cultures, creating what is known as the language of business: accounting. The earliest accounting records date back thousands of years to the use of an abacus, a rudimentary counting tool. As the workplace has progressed, so has the role of the accounting professional. This has been particularly evident in recent years; the integration of technology in accounting has created many specializations and job opportunities within the field – from forensic accounting to health care IT auditors.

(BPT) - Everyone makes money mistakes. Some are harmless – like writing last year’s date on checks or buying a big-screen TV the day before they go on sale. Others can be downright harmful, especially when they could mean the difference between getting a good interest rate and paying thousands more in interest over the life of a loan.

(BPT) - Saving for retirement is a scary prospect for many Americans. In fact, just 14 percent feel confident they will have enough money to live on when they retire, according to the 2012 Retirement Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. And 60 percent say they have less than $25,000 saved for retirement, the survey reveals.

(BPT) - Fights over finances are a commonly known cause of stress and divorce, and a new survey indicates that while the average couple fights over money five times a year, they discuss finances reasonably fewer than two times a month. Every couple knows there are some topics you just don’t bring up – his mother’s dreadful cooking, your uncle’s bad manners. Money, however, should never be among those subjects you don’t discuss – especially if you’re planning your wedding.

(StatePoint) While we are all taught to use good manners when answering the telephone, not everyone who calls you necessarily has good intentions. 

(BPT) - When it comes to the excesses and indulgences of vacation, you might like to think that “what happens in Vegas (or wherever you travel) stays in Vegas.” Unfortunately, poor spending and credit choices made on vacation definitely come home with you, so it’s important to take steps to protect your credit – both before and while you travel.

(BPT) - The last thing anyone wants is for his or her insurance rates to increase. Most policyholders would be surprised to know it’s the last thing their insurance company wants to happen, too. That's why most major carriers have a department of investigators dedicated to stopping one of the primary causes of rate hikes: insurance fraud. In fact, fraudulent insurance claims are the second most costly white-collar crime in America – to the tune of $40 billion annually.

(NAPSI)—Protecting your health is important to everyone. That’s why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants you to know that there are many dangerous products unlawfully marketed as “dietary supplements” that contain hidden drugs and chemicals. These products are sold for all sorts of conditions including weight loss, sexual enhancement, bodybuilding, arthritis and diabetes. They can contain hidden prescription ingredients at levels much higher than those found in approved drugs.

As the sequester looms, here are some examples of our government's wise spending: There has been $600 billion taken from Medicare and the elderly to prop up Obamacare; $50.7 billion in foreign aid; $4 million for the IRS to run its own TV studio; EPA sends $100 million in grants to foreign countries; FAA spends $500 million a year on consultants; $500 million to illegal immigrants in Los Angeles County alone; the National Science Foundation awarded a $1.2 million grant to seniors to play the video game "World of Warcraft" to analyze the impact it had on their brains; $125 billion in documented waste and fraud abuse; the EPA awarded $140,000 to study Chinese swine manure; the National Institutes of Health funded studies on the hookah smoking habits of Jordanian students; the Department of Agriculture funded a $20 million reality TV show in India promoting U.S. cotton; and on and on.

Now let's see if I have this straight: If it's colder, it's global warming. If it's hotter, it's global warming. If there's more snow, it's the same answer. If there's less snow? Well, you guessed it.

(BPT) - Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions across the United States. More than 6 million Americans abuse prescription drugs and much of the abuse begins at home, according to a national survey on drug use and health. In fact, more than 70 percent of those who illegally use prescription pain relievers obtained them through friends or family, including surreptitiously raiding the home medicine cabinet. However, a recent study revealed that only 19 percent of parents are concerned about the misuse of narcotic pain medicines in their own families, showing that many do not recognize the severity of the problem.