No. 176 September 1997
CAR THEFT COSTS, ETC With the invention of the Leach automobile in 1900, there came the removable steering wheel to deter unwanted users. It seems car theft has been continuing since that date but Uniform Crime Report statistics begin with 1937 car theft data. In addition to statistics, a few related issues include prevention, recovery, and the resulting economic impact on automobile manufacturing, recovery, and insurance costs. There are many passenger car model lines like the Jeep Cherokee and the BMW Z3, which are, each year, designated by the automobile industry as "high-theft lines." These model lines are also targeted for federal parts-marking and anti-theft devise vehicle requirements. Annually, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publishes a list of the names of the high-theft vehicle lines (of passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and multipurpose passenger vehicles) in the Federal Register. "Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard; Final Listing of Model Year 1998 High-Theft Vehicle Lines, Final Rule," Federal Register, V. 62, No. 147 pages 40949-40953, July 31 1997 is the latest list of the 1998 cars which are likely to be stolen. On April 8, 1996, in the Federal Register V.61, No. 68 on pages 15390-15394 you would have found the list of the 1997 cars which were likely to be stolen in 1997. To find out what was stolen check for the annual list of car theft data for each model line: "Final Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, Publication of Final Theft Data" Federal Register V. 62, No. 162, August 21 1997. Data for the 1995 model lines is the latest data. For a compilation of car theft data 1984-1995 and economic impact, try "Auto Theft and Recovery Effects of the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992 and the Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act of 1984. Preliminary Report," June 1997. This report is discussed in the Federal Register, V. 62, No. 123, June 26 1997 on pages 34494-34497 (AE 2.106:62/123). A copy can be obtained by sending a self-addressed mailing label to: Walter Culbreath, Publications Ordering and Distribution Services (NAD-51), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Ave. SW., Washington, D C 20590. This volume and the Federal Register annual vehicle lists will let you know how your a car fits into the theft rates on the high-theft models. The web address for the Federal Register site is http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.
A NAME IS JUST A NAME, OR IS IT? This is the 1990's; we have just begun the age of the Internet. The age of electronic communication, fast and furious, between any two (or more) people who have access to a computer and know how to use it. Communication is without geographic bounds, but can be limited by language(s). Any American who doesn't read Chinese and communicates only in English will have trouble communicating by e-mail with a Chinese person (in China) who doesn't read English. Name(s) could be obstacles such as searching for a Chinese name such as Wong Kin-Kwok or Italian name such as Giuseppe Esposito di Giovanni e di Francesca Ferrara in the Internet's Switchboard or other personal name finding search engine. How about tapping into an Italian or Chinese equivalent of Switchboard if such a thing exists? Do you know enough about the Italian and Chinese name structure to know how well your search technique is working? What about the basic problem of a simple spelling mistake, or legitimate spelling variation in the personal or family name you have? What about a spelling mistake in the database you are searching? Are you absolutely sure the name you have is in the database? "A Name is just a Name--Or is it?" by J. Philip Boller, Jr. pages 6-8 and "A Guide to Chinese Names" by C. Fredric Anderson and Henriette Liu Levy pages10-15 of the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin V. 61, No. 3 March 1992 (J 1.14/8:61/3) show that both given names and surnames of people who are not English/American can be a problem for the law enforcement officer. Those names, which appear only in the Chinese, Cyrillic, Arabic, or other non-romanized alphabet, are even more of a problem. Windows 95 and other software are designed to function in foreign languages to handle all these non-English names. Can you handle the foreign names you have or want to research?
QUICK CITIZENSHIP ANSWERS Do you know the five eligibility requirements and three steps which are required of most aliens to become United States Citizens? What are the few special exceptions, what forms are used to apply, and how do you obtain them? Fast answers, in English and Spanish, to the above questions can be found in the Immigration and Naturalization Service Fact Sheet: How to Become a United States Citizen compiled on November 29, 1996. This one page factsheet can be found in many depository libraries under J 21.6/3:C 49/3.
MEDICARE: WHO PAYS FIRST? If you qualify for Mediare and also get other medical benefits through the Black Lung, CHAMPUS, Veterans Benefits, Workers' Compensation, or your current employer's health program, who pays first when the medical bills start coming? Does Medicare ever become the primary payer? No, I don't think so and to find out for sure you should read: Medicare And Other Health Benefits: Who Pays First? (HE 22.2:M46/38/996).
COLOR OF THE GREEN CARD The Green Card is the term, which refers to the card a foreigner (in the U.S.) must have to be able to be in the United States. There are several "green cards", some of, which are red, pink, white, blue, beige, and of course green. What Color Is Your Green Card? Document Reference Guide 93R-01, issued 9/1/93 by the Immigration and Naturalization Service covers nine of the "green cards" issued to aliens. The Resident Alien gets the Pink I-551 Card and the Border Crosser who just works in the United States get the Beige I-586 card or the I-186 card. Now the Temporary Resident get the Green Card I-688 and other aliens get a Red I-688A Employment Authorization card. These are some of the colors to look for in our Green card publication found under J 21.6/3:G82.
IS A DOG REALLY MAN'S BEST FRIEND? I wonder if man (i.e. the race) has a best friend. A dog may be the best friend of one man or woman (the dog's owner) and the rest of the world should take heed. Some dogs are more friendly or at least, less dangerous than others. "Which Dogs Bite? A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors" by Kenneth A Gershman, et al. Pediatrics V. 93, No. 6, June 1994 pages 913-917 and "Dog-bite---Related Fatalities---United States 1995-1996" Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: MMWR V.46, No. 21 May 30 1997 pages 463-467 (HE 20.7009:46/21). From these articles you will learn which dogs may be best friends with their masters/mistresses, but can be very unfriendly toward strangers. You will also find in the MMWR article the 9 measures for preventing dog bites. There are 10 basic bits of advice children should follow when around strange dogs to keep from getting bitten. Adults could also practice these.
HATE CRIMES The massacre of the Huguenot Protestants by the Catholics in Paris was a religious based deed as were the Salem Witch Trials in the U.S. Colonies. Both fit the new term Hate Crime that came with Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990. The definition of hates crimes: crimes that "manifest evidence of prejudice based upon race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity." 1993 was the first year of hate crime statistics and the textual discussion of hate crimes and their statistics have been developing since the implementation of the law in 1990. Now, seven years later, the Department of Justice has issued a 60 page monograph covering Hate Crimes in terms of: origins, scope (of the problem), characteristics, targets, climate, profile of offenders and victims, significance of, role of hate groups in, (States') laws, and social responses to hate crimes. A Policymaker's Guide to Hate Crimes, March 1997 is what to look for and eventhough this may not be the only comprehensive treatment of the topic, it is one of the best federal sources which are currently available. You will find this volume on the Internet at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA or in your local depository library with the SuDoc number J 28.30:H28.
UNIFORMS: RANK AND FILE Did you know there are ten states, which have enacted school uniform regulations? There are about 14 large cities, which have schools with either mandatory or voluntary uniform policies. On the internet http://www.ed.gov/updates/uniforms.html you will find eight pages of information about: school uniforms, where they are, why they work, how to adopt them, and a brief view of how the uniform policy has worked in six large cities school systems. There is also an 800 (1-800-624-0100) Dept of Education phone number for more information. You might also try the Education Commission of the States http://www.ecs.org/. For more information about state policies if need be. Traditionally, Catholic and private schools have required students wear uniforms, but this now the concept of uniforms seems to become a public school issue. I guess all the boys won't be able to wear the stylish blue jeans and white tee-shirts and big floppy tennis shoes which represents the "latest (boys') style". I'm currently at a loss as to the latest (girls') style which will be replaced by a uniform. All the individuality, which is currently present, will be lost when uniforms are required. However, there are currently rumors that the school uniform law is unconstitutional in public schools, this is a good topic for a future issue, see you then.
http://www.nku.edu/~yannarella/news9709.html
September 15, 1997