The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators says that 1 out of 8 people have money waiting for them to claim.  Most unclaimed assets - forgotten bank accounts, utility bill deposits, you name it - are turned over to states.  But states hold them only a certain number of years.  Check them all at www.unclaimed.org. 

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     The best reason to buy a hot new smartphone may be the idea from https://squareup.com.  You can swipe a credit card anywhere, on a mobile phone, with its gear.  Sign-up is free right now.  The company just raised $27.5 million in a new round of financing, so it's here to stay.  It offers a small credit card reader that plugs into most smartphones.  Works for iPhones 3G and 4, and for most Android phones, like the HTC Nexus and Evo, LG Allay, Motorola Droid, and Samsung Galaxy.

Mental aerobics.

Skip the Wii and the X boxes.  Shot 'em ups get tired fast.  Flip to  www.Riddler.com.  Play IQ Trivia, Wheel of Fortune, card games, even cyber darts.   

Meth labs?

Check  www.justice.gov/dea/seizures/ky.pdf.  Pick a state, then scroll to county, city and street address. Date included. 

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     CE courses from 4 or 5 providers are exempted from Board "review or approval" -- and from any KBHI sanctions. It's not clear exactly how many providers. But it's clearly an unlimited number of courses -- dogs, doozies, or just plain dumb. Sec. 1(2).

     It applies whether or not they're out of state sellers, or so-called "distance" providers (remember "mail order" degrees and "diploma mills"?).

     So whether a course is garbage or gold, the KBHI will automatically let them take your money and treat you however they want.  "'Exempt' means exempt," as a Board attorney put it.

     For the first time, if this goes through, you will not know if a CE course you like was approved or not, reviewed or not, subject to Board sanctions or not -- unless you stay with your known and reliable PLI.  All PLI courses and instructors are approved by the KBHI and PLI has posted a surety bond with the Board of Proprietary Education.  

     The new provider "disciplinary" rule only covers suspending or revoking "approval" of any CE providers. Sec. 5(1). So "unapproved" sellers go scot free from KBHI discipline. That means a seller can lie to you, cheat you out of money, and teach such misinformation you get sued (for example), and the KBHI will have tied its own hands.  That's a learning experience!

     You can bet that "anything goes" version of quality control will speedily elevate respect for home inspectors and guarantee excellence for your CE cash. On second thought, don't bet on that.

     The purpose of CE, of course, was to help improve service to the public with basic standards. Exempting CE courses from any standards, and any review or approval, does exactly the opposite. That's where "basket-weaving" college courses (cont.)

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You can speak up at a hearing on the proposed regulations.  You also can send in written comments.  None of it has to be fancy.  If you've commented on a web posting, you can comment on this!  Any comment is better than nothing, whether you appear in person or write in.  

The hearing is set for Jan. 21.  Written comments must be received by Jan. 31.  If there's no hearing and no comments, the proposed regulations likely would go before the Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee meeting February 8, 2011.  That hearing can be waived or rescheduled.  Stay posted with PLI.                                                                   Hearing 

All inspectors and real estate participants are welcome to appear and comment at the hearing on the regulations.  It will be Jan. 21, 2011, at 10 a.m. at the office of the Division of Occupations & Professions, 911 Leawood Ave., Frankfort, 40601.  If you plan to speak, you must send in a written notice of your intent to appear at the hearing, at least 5 days before the hearing, or by Jan. 13. The public comment hearing would be canceled 5 workdays before then if no one requests a public hearing.  We believe there will be a hearing, so if you decide to speak at the last minute, show up anyway.  We doubt anyone would tell you to zip it -- but to be sure, try to send in the notice.                                                              Comments

Written comments on the proposed regulations are due by January 31.

If you decide to do either, then your notice that you plan to appear, or your written comments, should be sent to the contact person.  That's Mark Brengelman, Office of the Attorney General, Office of Civil and Environmental Law, Capitol Building, Suite 118, 700 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601-3449, Phone: 502-696-5627; Fax: 502-564-6801; E-mail: Mark.Brengelman@ag.ky.gov.