Background checks: What employers can find out about you

Potential employers may not conduct a background check on you without your written consent. And they typically won't do one unless you're a top candidate for the job.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

To cover their bases, many companies are hiring third-party screening firms to do a background check that goes well beyond checking your references and verifying your employment history.

Legally, they have to get your consent first. But once they start digging, they can find out everything from whether you have a penchant for drinking and driving to whether you have a hard time paying your bills on time.

Background reports may check for any number of items: criminal records, sex offenses, liens, judgments and bankruptcies, drug test results, as well as your education and income history.

And some items in a background check are very job-specific. For instance, if you're applying to be a truck driver or a traveling salesman, they may check your driving record to see if you've had any serious violations, such as DUIs, or if your license has ever been revoked.

Want to work for the financial services industry? They may run your credit report. While credit report requests have been on the decline -- and some states now prohibit employers from using them altogether -- federal guidelines allow employers to access credit reports as long as they have a "compelling business rationale."

Related: These resume lies are whoppers

If the job you're seeking is in law enforcement, they will ask for your fingerprints because it's required by law, said Angela Preston, vice president of compliance at Employee Screen IQ. Screeners and employment law experts both note, however, that the FBI fingerprint database used to check your criminal record is neither complete nor always accurate.

Employers may also check to see that you don't appear on any terrorist watch lists. While publicly available, some private companies have compiled them in one place, kept them updated and made them searchable, said Lester Rosen, CEO of Employment Screening Resources.

So what happens if a prospective employer finds something bad in your background check?

First, they must send you a letter that says something in your background report is a red flag and they must attach a copy of the report from the third-party screener.

Related: Big data is secretly scoring you

The employer must then give you time to correct the record or explain the issue. How long? The Fair Credit Reporting Act, which governs the treatment of consumer reports, doesn't specify but typically the minimum is 5 days, unless an individual state requires longer, according to NAPBS.

In reality, though, that's probably not enough time to correct any disputed information in your report, said Paul Stephen, director of policy and advocacy at the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

And the employer may still decide it's ultimately easier to move on to another candidate.

If it does, it must send you another letter - called an "adverse action" letter - indicating that the decision not to hire you was based on something in your background check, and it must furnish you with contact information for the firm that generated the report.

Want to get an idea of what employers might see about you? Stephen recommends requesting your own Lexis/Nexis Accurint Person Report, which is free.

There are other ways, of course, for an employer to get a beat on you: for instance, scanning social media. But employers are learning they can't necessarily rely on that information since they can't verify it.

At one point, companies were actually asking job applicants for their social media passwords, said Christine Cunneen, a board member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. But then some states, such as Arkansas and New Mexico, prohibited the practice and other states have proposed legislation to do so, although it is not prohibited at the federal level.

Employers looking to hire a C-suite candidate, meanwhile, may do a deeper search in court records, social media and news reports to ensure that he or she isn't embroiled in some nasty divorce, lawsuit or anything else that might attract negative publicity.

The good news in all this: if a company is conducting a background check on you it typically means you are a top contender for the job. Companies typically only screen the candidates that they really want.

First Published: January 5, 2015: 6:03 PM ET

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Some OnStar users may get a break on car insurance

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But the move also raises fresh concerns about driving data and privacy in the age of connected cars.

GM (GM) will use its OnStar onboard communications system to evaluate a car owner's driving record for 90 days, measuring factors such as how fast they accelerate and how hard they brake. At the end of the evaluation period, drivers that get a good score can elect to have their information sent to Progressive Insurance, which could issue them a discount on car insurance.

Related: GM will beam discounts directly to drivers

There will be privacy protections for the driver rating program, according to spokesman Stuart Fowle. Drivers will need to opt into the program, and will then have the choice as to whether to send their rating to Progressive.

"We're only storing the data if the customer opts in and says they want to participate," he said.

But some privacy advocates are worried about connected cars. A Ford executive stoked those concerns with comments at last year's Consumer Electronics Show.

"We know everyone who breaks the law; we know when you're doing it.," said Jim Farley, executive vice president of global marketing at the automaker. Ford and Farley eventually backed away from the statement, saying that Ford does not have information on driving activity.

Related: A year of super-cool cars

Progressive has a similar program of its own that work with almost any automaker's vehicles. The insurer's Snapshot program has a monitor that plugs into almost every late model car and collects data on distance traveled, how often the car is driven between midnight and 4 a.m., and how hard the driver brakes. Drivers can qualify for insurance discounts based on the results.

Exactly how OnStar will measure a driver's safety has yet to be determined, Fowle said. For example, some GM cars can measure when a driver drifts out of their lane or get too close to the car in front of them. Other cars don't have that safety feature. The program is due to start this summer.

GM will use OnStar to rate the safety record of drivers of its cars.

If a driver is not happy with the score, he or she can have a second 90-day evaluation period. And there is no charge to participate for active OnStar subscribers, although OnStar itself does charge a monthly fee.

GM is willing to team with other insurers to offer discounts, but it has yet to reach any such agreements.

Several insurers already grant discounts to OnStar drivers who drive a limited number of miles a year. And there are also discounts available from some insurers thanks to OnStar's anti-theft features, which can track where a stolen car is and disable it.

GM also just announced earlier Monday a different OnStar program, dubbed "AtYourService," which will send drivers discounts to nearby retailers such as Dunkin Donuts (DNKN).

First Published: January 5, 2015: 5:01 PM ET

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Former CBS correspondent sues the feds for alleged hacking

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The lawsuit, filed last week in a Washington, D.C., court, names Attorney General Eric Holder and Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe as defendants.

Many of the incidents described in the suit were covered in Attkisson's 2014 book, "Stonewalled," which chronicles the electronic intrusions and the repeated push-back she says she drew from the Obama administration.

But the filing marks her most explicit accusation yet that government agencies were involved in the intrusions.

Attkisson has previously hinted at that possibility. In her book, she wrote, "Can you really turn to the Justice Department's FBI when the Justice Department might be part of the plot?"

Attkisson left CBS News in early 2014, claiming that her bosses had stifled her reporting on stories that were unkind to the Obama administration.

After her resignation, a CBS News spokeswoman rebutted her claims by saying the network "maintains the highest journalistic standards in what it chooses to put on the air."

Related: Attkisson takes on her critics

The network has repeatedly declined to comment on the specifics of Attkisson's hacking allegations.

Attkisson's lawsuit was first reported Monday by Fox News host Howard Kurtz. (Attkisson has recently emerged as a fixture on his program "MediaBuzz.")

The Justice Department responded Monday by saying "we stand by our statement from 2013," when Attkisson first divulged her hacking claims.

The 2013 statement said, "To our knowledge, the Justice Department has never compromised Ms. Attkisson's computers, or otherwise sought any information from or concerning any telephone, computer, or other media device she may own or use."

In one alleged hacking episode, Attkisson says data was wiped off her laptop. She recorded that incident and in October, days before her book hit the shelves, released the footage of her computer malfunctioning.

Many were skeptical of the footage she provided. The liberal watchdog group Media Matters, a longstanding critic of Attkisson's claims, cited computer security experts who said the malfunction was probably a result of a stuck backspace key.

Attkisson's suit says her job as a reporter "was compromised" by the alleged hacking because it meant she couldn't protect her sources.

Related: read the lawsuit

"This created a substantial amount of anxiety, jeopardized Ms. Attkisson's success as a journalist, and made her job more difficult than it would otherwise have been," the suit states.

Attkisson first went public with her hacking claims in May 2013, telling a Philadelphia radio host that she had dealt with "an issue with [her] computer that's gone on for quite a long time." CBS News later confirmed that Attkisson's computer had been "accessed by an unauthorized, external, unknown party on multiple occasions late in 2012."

First Published: January 5, 2015: 6:01 PM ET

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ESPN 'SportsCenter' anchor Stuart Scott dies after battle with cancer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The veteran and energetic ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor has died after a years-long battle with cancer, the network said Sunday.

He was 49.

Scott spent the last 21 years on the air for ESPN, and his anchoring included coverage NFL, NBA and MLB games.

Viewers may remember him for his trademark catchphrases, such as, "Boo-yah" ... "He's as cool as the other side of the pillow" ... "He must be butter because he's on a roll" ... and "See, what had happened was ..."

His first diagnosis of stomach cancer came in November 2007, after he felt ill during a broadcast of "Monday Night Football," and ESPN said Scott "went through several surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials to stay strong and ward off cancer for as long as humanly possible."

Related: Scott inspired those with cancer

Despite the cancer, he was resilient.

"Here's what I do right (after) chemo. Leave the infusion center & go STRAIGHT 2 either do a p90x wkout or train MMA..THATS how you #LIVESTRONG," he posted online in January when he received a third diagnosis.

Scott also found the strength to continue anchoring. He would frequently "lean back in his chair and relax during commercial breaks, often not hearing much of what his producer said," read a New York Times profile of Scott last spring.

In November, Scott responded to rumors that he was in hospice: "Not True. Airball. Swing & a miss."

Beloved as an anchor, colleague and father

Scott was remembered as a dedicated family man. He called his two daughters "my heartbeat."

In September, he was in the hospital when his youngest started in her first high school varsity soccer game.

"I DIDNT miss it," he posted online. "A friend I love ... FACETIMED me all game. Saw my daughtrs 3-goal "HATRICK" in a 3-1 win. I was cryin & yelling so ... Loud, nurses came in worried."

That was the "best day I ever had in a hospital," he wrote.

President Obama remembered Scott as a reliable presence in his life even when "public service and campaigns have kept me from my family."

"I will miss Stuart Scott," Obama said in a statement. "Twenty years ago, Stu helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day's best plays. ... Over the years, he entertained us, and in the end, he inspired us -- with courage and love."

On Sunday morning, there was an immediate outpouring of love and grief from Scott's longtime colleagues.

ESPN's Rick Reilly wrote on Twitter that he was heartbroken: Scott "lived with such panache. He battled his disease with such dignity. Unforgettable man."

Afternoon "SportsCenter" host Linda Cohn wrote, "I can't believe he is gone. There was nobody like Stuart Scott, There will never be again. A big presence with even a bigger heart."

And ESPN President John Skipper praised Scott for "energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work" throughout the ordeal.

Stared down cancer with strength, intelligence

Scott was honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award, named for the late coach and broadcaster Jimmy Valvano, at last year's ESPY Awards. (ESPN said Scott's family requested donations in his memory be made to The V Foundation.)

"When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer," Scott said in his acceptance speech. "You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live. So live, live, fight like hell. And when you get too tired, lay down, rest and let someone else fight for you.

"This whole fight, this journey, is not a solo venture. This is something that requires support."

--CNNMoney's Brian Stelter contributed to this report.

Related: Mega ratings for ESPN's college football playoffs make cable TV history

First Published: January 4, 2015: 10:07 AM ET

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Subprime auto loans are up. Here's why that's not a crisis

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The number of new auto loans made to borrowers with poor credit rose in September to the highest level since 2007, according to Equifax.

So, is there another subprime financial crisis in the making? Experts say it's not likely.

For one thing, the overall auto loan market is comparatively small -- $900 billion -- compared to $8 trillion of mortgage loans. Subprime currently makes up about 30% of overall car loans.

Cars cost a lot less than homes. And, historically, borrowers tend to make car payments a higher priority than mortgage payments or credit card bills.

The thinking is that subprime auto loan borrowers will not default in big numbers the way homeowners did because they need their cars to get to work, school and for many other daily necessities.

The numbers back that up. In November, 0.71% of all subprime auto loans were in default, barely higher than the 0.69% in default a year earlier, according to Equifax.

Analysts also point out that subprime loans are rising along with an overall rise in lending.

The main reason overall auto loans are up is because car sales have been strong: U.S. auto sales are on track to reach 16.5 million this year, up from last year and near a record high.

"The reason subprime is growing is because sales are growing," said Marc Cannon, a spokesman for AutoNation (AN), the nation's largest auto retailer.

Auto sales have soared as the economy has improved and unemployment has declined. The low interest rates are also making it more affordable to finance a new vehicle.

Related: Best cars to buy

Even so, the rise in subprime auto loans has caught the attention of regulators.

The concern is that lightly-regulated finance companies, as opposed to banks, are fueling the subprime market, according to Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

"In this market, as in others, subprime borrowers may be more vulnerable to predatory practices, so direct oversight of their lending practices is essential," Cordray pointed out in September.

First Published: January 4, 2015: 11:25 AM ET

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CBO at center of next Capitol Hill showdown

Congress' top budget wonk, Douglas Elmendorf.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

He's the director of the Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, the non-partisan bean counter that tallies, or "scores," legislation and calculates estimates for lawmakers.

Those scores and answers can be controversial -- for example, how much does the sprawling Affordable Care Act cost? -- and some Republicans want the CBO to use a method they say produces more accurate results.

On Friday, several prominent Democratic senators -- including Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren -- as well as independent Bernie Sanders want to keep Elmendorf in place and keep politics out of their decision.

"We acknowledge that it is the right of the new Republican majority to name a new director if it chooses to do so," the six senators wrote in a letter. "However, we strongly object to any effort to politicize this important office. Appointing a new CBO Director on the basis of ideology would fundamentally compromise the integrity of an institution that has served as a trusted scorekeeper."

They wrote there "are compelling reasons why he should remain in the position," including "continuity" in the role, and cited praise for Elmendorf from a key economic adviser to President George W. Bush.

The senators also criticized proposed changes to the way CBO scores legislation.

"We are also extremely concerned about the possible appointment of a new CBO Director who would use 'dynamic scoring' to hide the true costs of tax cuts or make critical government lending programs for students, veterans, small businesses, and others appear more costly than they actually are," they wrote.

But Republicans who support dynamic scoring say it would better account for economic growth that is a result of changes like tax breaks. Critics say producing an accurate dynamic score is very difficult. CBO says it has a longstanding tradition of scoring legislation without including "macroeconomic effects," which are "highly uncertain."

Related: Fire the Obamacare scorekeeper

Incoming House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price is a proponent, and outgoing chairman Paul Ryan prepared a fact sheet that responds to the criticism.

"Uncertainty is inherent in the process of estimating the future fiscal and economic impact of proposed legislation," the committee wrote. "This uncertainty is present today in the conventional estimates prepared by CBO and JCT."

They continued: "As noted budget expert Yogi Berra once said, 'It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.'"

First Published: January 4, 2015: 1:11 PM ET

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Oprah suffers Twitter backlash for comments about protesters

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

In a recent interview, Winfrey explained what she would like to see emerge from the recent spate of protests against police killings, but what her comment sparked instead was a swift social media backlash.

Winfrey said she thought it was "wonderful" to see so many demonstrators take to the streets after recent grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City to clear police officers involved in the deaths of unarmed black men.

But the billionaire media mogul also qualified her praise.

"What I'm looking for is some kind of leadership to come out of this to say, 'This is what we want. This is what has to change, and these are the steps that we need to take to make these changes, and this is what we're willing to do to get it,'" Winfrey told People magazine.

The comment sparked considerable push-back on Twitter after People published the interview online on Thursday evening. For much of Friday, Winfrey, who boasts more than 26 million followers on the social media site, was inundated with messages from individuals who took umbrage to her characterization of the movement.

"So MY question, @oprah, is are YOU the leader that many thought you were and that you purported yourself to be?!" asked Charles Wade, an activist who's been involved in the Ferguson protests.

He asserted that "this is about ticket sales," since Winfrey was being interviewed about "Selma," a new movie about the 1960s civil rights movement that she produced and appeared in.

DeRay Mckesson, another Ferguson activist, told Winfrey to "ask before you assume."

"I thought you taught us that -- the radical power of the question," Mckesson said. "Stand with us. There are many 'leading.'"

Jamilah Lemieux, a senior editor at Ebony.com, offered to introduce Winfrey to leaders involved in the protests aimed at countering police brutality and other excesses by law enforcement.

Shaun King, who blogs at the Daily Kos, said that Winfrey's wish was superfluous.

"Everything she says should happen already has," King said.

"Selma" has been met with widespread critical acclaim, and many commentators have noted that its story may resonate with moviegoers today.

David Oyelowo, who portrays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the movie, told Variety in November that the movie "feels very timely and very necessary."

And Winfrey told People that the movie contains a valuable lesson.

"I think what can be gleaned from our film is to take note of the strategic, peaceful intention required when you want real change," Winfrey said.

She did not reply to any of the protesters' comments on Twitter on Friday.

First Published: January 2, 2015: 7:46 PM ET

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A year in super-cool cars

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Huayra, a gorgeous and ultra-rare Italian supercar, was one of two huge highlights in a year that was filled with cars that would have been tough to top in any ordinary year.

The other highpoint took me back in time, to shortly before the actual day I was born. The jet-powered 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car was unveiled at New York World's Fair. Of the 55 that were originally built, only three remain running. Getting to drive this car, even at parking lot speeds, was incredible.

The Turbine Car was, in its day, forward thinking technology that would, despite decades of research and development, ultimately yield absolutely zero in terms of a car customers could buy.

Many of the cars I drove in 2014 are very rare and very expensive. And they, too, show the way to the future.

Chrysler Turbine Car

The $845,000 Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid, for instance, might be more than you or I can afford but its technology is already making its way into more affordable models, relatively speaking, like the Porsche Panamera plug-in.

Porsche 918

And the beautiful BMW i8 plug-in hybrid, with its three-cylinder engine, is a relative bargain at $136,000. Plus, it's seriously a blast to drive, as a BMW should be.

BMW i8

For those with an eye for the classics, but still wanting to jump on the electric car wave, let me tell you about the Zelectric Bug. A small shop near San Diego takes the noisy gasoline engines out of classic Volkswagen Beetles and replaces them with electric motors. In the process, they hugely improve the little car's performance.

Zelectric Bug

Toyota let me take a spin in its Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car. It'll be available for sale or lease soon in a handful of states.

Toyota Mirai

Not everyone is looking to save on gas, of course. The economy's improving and gas prices are low so Ferrari is doing quite well selling cars like the Ferrari 458 Speciale, a performance monster that ranks as of the most fun cars I drove last year.

Lamborghini Especiale

Lamborghini, meanwhile, is hitting sales records thanks, in large part, to the new Lamborghini Huracán. I called it the best Lamborghini I'd ever driven and apparently a lot of people agree.

Lamborghini Huracan

Britain's Aston Martin, meanwhile, is still creating new versions of its cars. Last year I drove two versions of the Aston Martin Vantage. First there was the top-dollar V12 Vantage S, Aston Martin's high-powered answer to the muscle car craze. Then there was the bargain-priced -- well, relatively speaking -- Aston Martin GT with a V8 engine, a manual transmission and a price tag starting ever so slightly under $100,000. I ended up thinking that the original Aston Martin V8 Vantage still had the best balance of beauty, luxury and performance.

Aston Martin Vantage GT

From McLaren, another British carmaker that's maybe less familiar than Aston Martin, came the replacement for what had been one of my favorite sports cars. The McLacen 650S is, essentially, a significantly updated version of the McLaren 12C. The 650S felt quicker, more natural and even more pleasant to drive at any speed.

McLaren 650S

I also spent some in time in a couple of Bentley's newest models, both featuring the luxury brand's new turbocharged V8. The Bentley Continental V8 S offered only slightly better performance than the non-turbo V8 but, in the Flying Spur sedan -- which is otherwise only available with a V12 -- it made the car feel more spirited, nimble and surprisingly fun.

Bentley Continental V8 S

Jaguar brought itself back to the sports car world with the F-type. I used to think this car, with its $65,000 base price, was just too expensive. That was before I actually drove it. Between the V6 and V8 versions, I liked the V8 better. Loads of power and, otherwise, just crazy fun to drive. Plus, whatever's under the hood, it is flat out gorgeous.

Jaguar F-type

For the more practical-minded, may I show you something in a station wagon? Check out the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with its 577 horsepower turbocharged V8. I thought it was the perfect mix of outrageousness and cargo space.

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

For the less practical minded, there was also the Alfa Romeo 4C. I couldn't really decide whether I loved it or hated it. On smooth curvy roads it was magnificent. With no power steering, hard suspension and a noisy four-cylinder engine, it felt wonderfully connected and "real." But, let's face it... All those things are also a recipe for a really killer headache when you're not out on a perfect country road.

Alfa Romeo 4C

For those on really tight budgets, Elio Motors is promising a price of just $6,800 for a three-wheeled two-seater that, they say, will get 84 miles per gallon. Like the Alfa Rome 4C, the Elio prototype I drove was noisy and had a brutal ride. But this was just a prototype. Elio promises the production car will be considerably more pleasant.

Elio

We'll see when they actually start building it, something that's supposed to happen later this year.

First Published: January 2, 2015: 5:20 PM ET

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'Downton Abbey's' 5 great money lessons

Downton Abbey Season 5 premieres January 4 on PBS.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

As the Dowager Countess quips, "If I were to search for logic, I would not look for it among the English upper class."

But behind the dinner parties and grand gowns, the Crawley family is often one step away from financial ruin. There's a lot to learn from their troubles.

In honor of the Season 5 premiere in the U.S. on Sunday, here are the top financial takeaways:

1. Don't put all your money in 1 stock: Downton's patriarch, the Earl of Grantham, needs a little Investing 101. He loses the entire family fortune at the start of Season 3 by betting on a Canadian railroad company that goes belly up.

"It wasn't just me. Everyone said we couldn't lose," he protests.

His wife, Cora, sums it up best: "Why were you so heavily invested in one enterprise. Wasn't it foolish?

Yes, it was. Learn from the earl and make sure your portfolio is diversified.

Related: How to invest like a billionaire

2. Ask for a raise: The most interesting drama often takes place "downstairs" in Downton's servants quarters. Several characters aren't content to spend their lives as maids and footmen.

Take Daisy, who begins the series as a kitchen maid, but stages a protest for better pay and conditions.

Daisy goes from kitchen maid to assistant cook at Downton Abbey.

"You've still kept me here with a dishonest representation," Daisy complains when she goes on strike.

"Oh dear. Have you swallowed a dictionary?" replies head cook Mrs. Patmore.

It's a comical exchange, but Daisy does end up with a raise and a promotion to assistant cook. Look for even more assertiveness from her in Season 5.

Then there's Alfred, who manages to go from being a second footman at Downton to a prestigious chef training course in London. He ultimately lands at The Ritz.

Sheryl Sandberg would be proud: Even at Downton, people aren't just "leaning in" to serve at the dinner table.

Related: Three reasons you'll likely to get a raise in 2015

3. Make a will ... and revisit it! The whole "Downton Abbey" series kicks off in a crisis to find a new heir. The man who was to inherit the vast estate -- and marry Lady Mary -- dies on the Titanic in 1912.

It's a good reminder to get your will in order.

None of the earl's three daughters is legally allowed to take over the fortune. That's how Matthew Crawley -- a distant and solidly middle class relative -- gets lucky.

Sadly, Matthew dies at the end of Season 3, but not before he weds Lady Mary and finds a way to lawfully make her his sole heir.

Related: Shakespeare's 5 best investing tips

4. Know the basics of supply & demand: Thomas Barrow is the most devious of Downton's residents. A servant known for causing trouble, he injures his hand on purpose to get out of World War I. But he could use a basic economics lesson.

After returning from the war, he tries to make it as a black market salesman. Getting quality goods is hard during the war, especially of the kind Downton is accustomed to for meals.

Thomas meets a man at a bar who sells him a bunch of supposedly high-end food, but it turns out the stuff is rotten or watered down. Downton won't buy it, and Thomas has blown his savings.

If the price is too good to be true, it probably is, especially for items in high demand.

5. Be an active shareholder: Activism in the Downton era looks a little different than how hedge fund moguls Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman do it today.

But the principle is the same: No one will be as protective of your money as you are. Stay informed and involved in the businesses you invest in.

Lady Mary is quite the love interest at Downton, but she's also becoming more of a business woman.

When Matthew uses his inheritance from Mr. Swire to save Downton, he insists on getting a say in how things are run. After all, Lord Grantham squandered the family money before. Matthew even appoints his brother-in-law Tom as the new estate manager.

After Matthew tragically passes away, his widow Lady Mary steps in. The grand lady can even be seen mucking about in a pig stall in Season 4 to save the animals -- and the family's investment.

"We must rise to life's challenges," Lady Mary says.

Bonus tip: Beware the gold diggers. A constant theme in "Downton Abbey" is whether to marry for love or money.

"Everyone goes down the aisle with half the story hidden," the Dowager Countess says.

The biggest gold digger of all is Lord Grantham, who admits he only married the American Cora for her money. Fortunately for him, he falls in love after the wedding.

In contrast, Lady Sybil marries the family chauffeur and makes a bold choice to leave the world of Downton behind.

But it's the rich widows who have to be most on guard.

Lady Rosamund Painswick, daughter of the Dowager Countess, has to fend off the men who want her for her money. And Cora's mother, the feisty Mrs. Levinson from America, is pursued by an impoverished British lord.

"I have no wish to be a great lady," Mrs. Levinson says at the end of Season 4. "My world is coming nearer and yours is slipping further and further away."

First Published: January 3, 2015: 8:02 AM ET

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Mega ratings for ESPN's college football playoffs make cable TV history

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

On Thursday, 28.2 million viewers watched Oregon blow out Florida State 59 to 20 in the Rose Bowl. Later in the night, 28.3 million tuned in as Ohio State upset top-seed Alabama 42 to 35 in the Sugar Bowl.

These numbers make the semifinal games the two most-watched broadcasts in cable TV history.

"These record setting numbers illustrate the enormous fan interest in college football and the wide ranging appeal of the new College Football Playoff format," John Wildhack, ESPN's executive VP of programming, said in a statement.

This year marked the first time that the college football champion will be decided by playoffs.

The Oregon Ducks beat the Florida State Seminoles 59 to 20 in Thursday night's Rose Bowl.

In prior years, computer rankings and coaching polls were used to determine which teams would compete for the crown.

ESPN now holds the largest 18 audiences in cable TV history.

While the network's ratings are huge, they pale in comparison to the 111 million viewers that tuned in for the Super Bowl on network TV last year.

Related: TV contracts keep sports programming steady for next decade.

The ratings are welcome news for ESPN, which reportedly paid $7.3 billion for the rights to the playoff through 2025.

The coverage did have a bumpy start. The network's online TV and mobile app, WatchESPN, went down during the Rose Bowl.

Yet, the games themselves were widely praised by fans watching on social media.

"So that college football playoff was worth waiting for," tweeted the sports media blog Awful Announcing.

Thursday night's games also drew huge live crowds: Attendance at Pasadena's Rose Bowl was 91,322, while the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans was attended by more than 70,000 fans.

The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will now meet for the national championship, which will be played on January 12 in Arlington, Texas.

First Published: January 2, 2015: 4:57 PM ET

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