There have been ten new publications added to the Forum. The first seven can be found posted under the GM, Ford and Chrysler tab. The first article comes from the Detroit News. It reports that when General Motors Co. Chairman and CEO Ed “old coot” Whitacre Jr. disclosed unexpectedly on Aug. 12 that he was stepping down and fellow board member Daniel “melon head” Akerson would take over, he seemed confident the worst was behind the automaker. Melon head Dan has already met with UAW President Bob King and has worked with the UAW before. The second article, also from the Detroit News, states that GM said on Tuesday that it’s ramping up production of its 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, a new compact critical to its lineup, which will start rolling into showrooms this month. The third article tells that Ford Motor Co. will be offering two versions of their police car. One is the Interceptor sedan based on the Ford Taurus and the other is the Interceptor utility based on the Ford Explorer, so bad guys beware. The fourth article comes from the Detroit News giving information on General Motors Co. announcing an 11% drop in auto sales in August compared with a year ago when sales were fueled by the government’s Cash for Clunkers incentives. The fifth article comes from a Free Press Business Writer reporting that Dan Akerson officially took over Wednesday as General Motors’ latest CEO. The sixth article states that Chrysler Group LLC reported a 7% sales increase in August while cross-town rivals Ford and GM saw declines for the month compared with a year ago. The seventh article comes from the Detroit News Washington Bureau revealing information that California motorists who buy Chevrolet Volts can qualify for permits permitting them to drive solo in the state’s coveted carpool lanes. But they’ll have to wait until 2012.

One new post has been entered into the Open Discussion section. The article comes from a Free Press Business Writer. It tells that General Motors Co. is planning a “road show”, which will consist of 2-3 weeks of meetings, designed to woo investors in the U.S. and overseas. This all leads up to a tentative date of Nov. 3 for its IPO.

Well, it’s Wednesday and that means that it is time for this week’s edition of bcb monitor money matters. We post articles concerning money in the hope that there will be some information you might come across that might help make you feel more financially secure and happier in your retirement years. Two new posts have been placed in the Personal Finance category and both are from Smart Money Magazine. The first gives information on 10 things that funeral directors won’t tell you. These are all money saving tips that could help you during a time of mourning, which is a time that is ripe for unethical businesses to take advantage of you and your money. The second article tells that according to a new survey, retirees are swiping their credit cards more often and loosening their purse strings when it comes to entertainment and travel. The result raises the issue of how seniors should make the most of their credit card in retirement. It also gives a list of the best credit cards for retirees and some advice to follow, foremost of which is, if possible, not carrying a balance.   Our philosophy on money management at Blue Collar Benefit Monitor is that all the decisions should be made by you and if you need help, go with a proven reputable firm that has low maintenance fees, while offering a vast amount of options for you to make decisions on.