NATION

NATION
End of the year meansmore job cuts, study says
NEW YORK -- Here's a sobering thought for the Labor Day weekend -- if your company is still shedding workers, you're more likely to be laid off in the final third of the year.
The culprit is next-year planning, when tweaking budgets and business plans often dictates staffing levels, according to a review of job-cutting data from 1995 through 2002 by Challenger, Gray & amp; Christmas Inc., the Chicago-based outplacement and research firm.
Average monthly cuts were 80,858 jobs from September through December for those years, compared with 64,914 jobs in the preceding eight months.
Had a computer infection?You're far from alone
NEW YORK -- Windows users have been treated to a steady stream of worms, viruses and other bugs exploiting the ubiquitous Microsoft Corp. operating system, even before the appearance of the "blaster" and "Sobig" viruses this month.
According to a survey of more than 1,000 adults, nearly a third had dealt personally with a computer infection in the past two years. Additionally, more people (43 percent) said they considered their work computers more secure than their machines at home. Only 17 percent said they were less protected from viruses and hackers at work.
The random-dialing telephone survey was conducted last month for Edelman, an international public-relations company based in Chicago and New York.
Paying off student loans
NEW YORK -- Student loans are a huge financial albatross for many people, way into their 30s or longer. That's hardly surprising, given the high costs of college tuition, tight labor markets and stagnant wages.
However, many people overlook one source of cash for retiring student debts -- Uncle Sam. All branches of the armed forces, including the Coast Guard, offer programs for paying back college loans if you enlist after graduation. The Army, for example, will pay up to $65,000 for three years of service, according to the summer issue of Young Money magazine.
The Peace Corps will pay back up to 30 percent of Perkins loans. For other federal loans, backed by a bank or the government, service in the Peace Corps will allow you to defer repayment for as long as two years.
Another option, for teachers, lies in tight labor markets. Many states will repay or cancel loans in exchange for service in a school system that needs teachers, the magazine said.
Associated Press