Cash Value on Coupons, Sunrise And Sunset Times, Mothers: 5/10/02

Q: I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE BOTTOM OF MANY COUPONS SAY, CASH VALUE ONE TWENTIETH OF A CENT. WHY IS THAT STATEMENT IS ON COUPONS?

A: WE CALLED THE COUPON COUNCIL FOR YOUR ANSWER. AND IT SAYS, SOME STATE LAWS REQUIRE THAT IF A CONSUMER DOES NOT WANT TO PURCHASE THE PRODUCT ON THE FACE OF THE COUPON, THAT THE CONSUMER CAN REDEEM THE COUPON FOR ITS CASH VALUE.

AND SINCE MANY COUPONS ARE PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED ON A NATIONAL BASIS, MOST MANUFACTURERS HAVE DECIDED TO PUT THE CASH VALUE ON THE COUPON TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS. THINK OF IT AS A PROMOTION THAT HAS TO HAVE A STATED VALUE.

Q: WHEN NBC GIVES SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES EACH DAY, WHAT IS NBC4 USING AS A POINT OF REFERENCE?

A: WE TURNED AGAIN TO STORM CENTER-4, AND IT SAYS, THE US NAVAL OBSERVATORY DETERMINES SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES.

THEY DO THIS BY USING LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR DC, IT USES, LATITUDE, 38.53 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 77.02 WEST

THAT LOCATION IS NEAR THE MALL AND WHEN THE UPPER EDGE OF THE DISK OF THE SUN IS ON THE HORIZON RIGHT THERE, THAT'S SUNRISE AND SUNSET.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SUN AND MOON RISE AND SET TIMES, ECLIPSES AND OTHER DATA VISIT US NAVAL OBSERVATORY HOMEPAGE.

Q: IS THERE A CALCULATION THAT PUTS A MOTHER'S WORTH INTO REAL DOLLARS?

A: WELL ROSE, ODDLY ENOUGH THERE IS A CALCULATION FOR A MOTHER'S WORTH. THE FOLKS AT EDELMAN FINANCIAL SERVICES FIGURE A MOM PERFORMS 17 OCCUPATIONAL SERVICES FOR HER FAMILY, AND THE DOLLAR FIGURE OF THOSE SERVICES ARE ASTOUNDING.

FOR INSTANCE, CHEF, THAT'S WORTH 25-THOUSAND A YEAR. REGISTERED NURSE, ALMOST 46-THOUSAND A YEAR, CHILD CARE WORKER, 18-THOUSAND YEARLY, HOUSEKEEPER, 15-THOUSAND A YEAR, NUTRITIONIST, 38-THOUSAND A YEAR, AND RECREATION WORKER, ALMOST 31-THOUSAND A YEAR.

ALL TOLD, A MOTHER PERFORMS $635-THOUSAND, 724-DOLLARS WORTH OF SERVICES EACH YEAR, NEARLY 53-THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH PER MONTH, UP 40-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM LAST YEAR. SO WHILE YOUR MOTHER MAY BE PRICELESS TO YOU, HER VALUE IN THE JOB MARKET IS HIGH IN THE 6-FIGURES AND RISING RAPIDLY. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.