European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 25 2007 stars and stripes Page 13 your Money make your movie at Home its easier than you think with windows ask Jim q to a pc user wanting to edit some Avi format video files for use on my web site my goal is to do some titles fades Etc is there anything better less expensive and easier to use than Roxie Media Cre Ator Rothacker Rotha Kernet a heres another question or r what seek be abroad that is not to be found at Home in other words you Al ready have a passable movie edit Ingan creating program As part of the Microsoft windows operating system on that pc of yours Click on Start and then select All programs open the folder called accessories at the top of the list of programs you should find the windows movie maker either in the list of windows accessories or in the folder called entertain ment sometimes the windows movie maker is listed in the All programs list somewhere in those three areas you Are almost certain to find one of the worlds least appreciated software gems through the years Microsoft has included movie making Powers in windows and the first reception was a global hokum because it was drastically outclassed by standalone dedicated movie software such As the Roxie Media creator software you mention windows movie maker improved however both the latest version in windows up and the new windows Vista deliver modest but also Exten Sive movie making tools for family and business use each scene change is clipped As a separate ele ment of the whole which makes Quick work of edit ing out junk like shots of your shoes or the ceiling transitions included now approach the variety in standalone programs and the same can be said of the Slick and simple text overlay editor that turns out stuff that could pass for Hollywood credits the Library of video effects int up to powerhouse programs along the Roxie line but there Are nevertheless a rather Large number of possibilities Jim coasts once a movie is edited the windows software per mits exporting it in the full Gamut of file types and resolutions audio editing and syncing still is pretty limited but there is a simple Slider tool that lets one Crank up or shut Down sounds after years of Messing around with Home videos and youtube Type nonsense Little of what Ive done cannot be matched by care Ful use of the windows Builtin software q my teenagers computer with the win Dows up version of Microsoft office has died we purchased a new computer for her and could not find one with windows up so we ended up getting one with Vista no one seems to know if we can Load the windows up office onto her computer or if i have to go out and buy office 2007 for Vista Hall a on the upside is h there is no Trou ble loading earlier versions of Microsoft of fice such As office 2003 on computers running the Vista operating system which As you note Are just about the Only ones available in stores anymore so while the computer Industry is twisting your Arm to acquire a Vista machine you  fret Over add ing the expensive new office 2007 on the Downside there Are vexing compatibility issues because Microsoft added so Many Bells and whistles to office 2007 that they can be contained Only in a new file Type such As Docx in word unfortunately Docx files cannot be read by the earlier ver Sions of office that the overwhelmingly majority of people Are still using so Microsoft offers a compatibility pack that can be downloaded to let office View of fice 2007 documents but with a number of features of 2007 absent go to  and use the search term office 2007 compatibility got a question on Persona technology Send a note to Jim Coates at questions can be answered Only through the column mondays Market summary 52week net Ltd 52wk High Low name last chg 1296629 1068332 Dow Jones industrials 1291940 4258 33 524245 413472 Dow Jones transportation 516176 4410 85 521 55 38097 Dow Jones 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defense stocks Armor computer general general Harris corp Allied l3 Lockheed Rockwell Texas text Ron United key Mutual funds name Nav Ltd chg ret Fidelity invest Greco 7250 14 Fidelity invest Grolnic 3205 07 Fidelity spartan  5206 06 Putnam funds a Grina p 2070 03 Amer Century inv Ultra 2801 17 Fidelity invest Amorso 1666 02 Fidelity invest Oversea 4831 21 Fidelity invest us i 1030 01 aim investments a const p 2750 05 Frnk a Sec Para 4112 25 aim investments a Char tap 1627 01 2258 03 Fidelity advisor 3117 04 Fidelity advisor Truro put 3740 24 Putnam funds  1187 06  6621 37 Fidelity advisor 2414 10  1831 15 1271 01 Putnam funds a gig vap 1232 Exchange rates military rates euro costs april Dollar buys april British Pound april japanese yen april South korean won april commercial rates Bahrain British Pound 420005 Canada China Denmark Egypt Hong Kong Hungary Israel Japan yen f11872 Kuwait Philippines Poland saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea won 92593 Switzerland Thailand Turkey new military Exchange rates Are those available to customers at military Bank ing facilities in the country of issuance for Japan South Korea Germany the Netherlands and the United kingdom for no local currency Exchange rates in purchasing British pounds in Germa Check with your local military Bank ing facility commercial rates Are inter Bank rates provided for reference when buying currency All figures Are foreign currencies to one Dollar except for the British Pound which is represented in dollars Pound and the euro which is dollars euro metals new York merc close Gold Silver 459060 414033 interest prime rate825 discount rate Federal funds Market rate 525 3month 30year Bond sources the associated press Bank of America various calamities extend tax season by Gene Meyer Mcclatchy newspapers Kansas City to now it seems that this years tax season May never end it might just Peter out instead the internal Revenue service and Revenue directors in some states including Kansas have moved filing deadlines four times since tuesday the filing target that most of the nations approximately 136 million expected Fil ing households were hitting the reason a variety of Calami ties hitting the system and now As returns continue dribbling in online tax service giant Block inc in Kansas City said thursday that it would even pick up at least part of any late filing fees that the irs might charge clients Block said thursday that it would reimburse up to for late filing penalties charged to tax payers who file 2006 returns be fore Midnight saturday using the company tax Cut online service or its tax Cut packaged software Block said it didst have any prob lems with Las Day filing jams that Many Intuit Turbo tax customers encountered we want to extend late filing benefits to All taxpayers not just those impacted by the Northeast storms or another company file issues said Tom Allanson blocks digital tax solutions group chief tuesdays filing deadline began unravelling monday when massive storms throughout the northeastern us knocked out Power disrupted traffic and generally raised so much havoc that the irs pushed deadlines Back 48 hours to Midnight thursday and then until Midnight april 26 for those affected to file returns or formally request extensions with out paying penalties storm delayed taxpayers can claim the additional week simply by writing april 16 storm on the returns they file the irs also granted six month filing and payment extensions for anyone directly affected by the Virginia tech shootings taxes Are the last things the Virginia tech should be worried about at this time irs commissioner Mark Evers said taxpayers needing to claim this extra time should Call the irs at 866 5625227 meanwhile so Many taxpayers were filing Las minute returns the irs free file Alliance Mem Bers received a record 17 million returns tuesday that the nations largest online provider tur botox began falling behind and then blocked taxpayers out As the deadline approached Julie Miller a spokeswoman for Intuit which publishes tur botox will continue to work with Federal and state Revenue depart ments to further extend the Grace period for any clients who still  meet thursdays dead line she said the company will pay late filing penalties that custom ers incur because of the delay plus offer refunds to buyers of its software whose returns were shut out our focus is on doing the right thing for our customers Miller said and sensibility Money tip of the Day think twice about using store credit cards Marke watch new York do you have a Macy banana store name Here card you cant buy a did player or a dress at a National retailer without being asked if you carry the stores credit card if your answer is no the salesperson inevitably encourages you to open an account and get a percentage off the Price of your Purchase such offers Are tempting youre going to buy the goods anyway so Why not open another charge card and save 15 per cent and you May even be Eligi ble for other recurring discounts offered Only to such cardholders but before you hand Over your social Security number and take on another card know that you May be hurting your credit score and if your credit score goes Down you could pay in a number of higher interest rates on Loans and on insurance premiums according to consumer re ports having too Many credit cards from retailers can cause you to be penalized by the credit agencies and dont even think about cheating the system that is open an account to get the discount and then immediately cancel the card your cred it May still be affected that Doest mean you should ignore such offers altogether just weigh the savings against the possible credit score Pitfalls if you shop regularly at a store and using its charge card will re sult in savings Over Many Pur chases it May be Worth it