In a business column dated January 20, Baltimore Sun writer Jay Hancock seems to be thrilled by the fact that a prominent accounts receivable management firm filed bankruptcy in the midst of an unemployment-driven recession. Speculation suggests Hancock’s intentions were to threaten violence against collectors.

Your credit history. It could be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Most of the time it’s like a nosy mother in law coming to visit. You know that she’s coming, and that’s always bad news, but you are too afraid to ask or even consider how long she will be staying. Even though that was the worst analogy ever, read on to see how long negative marks stay on your credit history!