Wednesday, September 29, 2010

foreclosure listings


Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Survival Guide

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. These are only a few of the more common tools we think of when we hear the term social media. To grapple with this brand new.

Murata Seisakusho Robot Learns New Skill « Akihabara <b>News</b>

To pursue its growth Akihabara News is seeking for several more editors via an intership program for 6 to 9 months. Please send us a mail @ jobs@akihabaranews.com. Message. We are moving away from Feedburner, please update your RSS ...

3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our 3DS news of 3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year.


benchcraft company scam
bench craft company rip off

Charlotte Foreclosures North Carolina, 4 Bd, 2.5 Ba, $ 79,900.00 : ForeclosureDataBank.com by ForeclosureDataBank


Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Survival Guide

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. These are only a few of the more common tools we think of when we hear the term social media. To grapple with this brand new.

Murata Seisakusho Robot Learns New Skill « Akihabara <b>News</b>

To pursue its growth Akihabara News is seeking for several more editors via an intership program for 6 to 9 months. Please send us a mail @ jobs@akihabaranews.com. Message. We are moving away from Feedburner, please update your RSS ...

3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our 3DS news of 3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year.


bench craft company rip off benchcraft company scam

benchcraft company scam

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Survival Guide

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. These are only a few of the more common tools we think of when we hear the term social media. To grapple with this brand new.

Murata Seisakusho Robot Learns New Skill « Akihabara <b>News</b>

To pursue its growth Akihabara News is seeking for several more editors via an intership program for 6 to 9 months. Please send us a mail @ jobs@akihabaranews.com. Message. We are moving away from Feedburner, please update your RSS ...

3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our 3DS news of 3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year.


benchcraft company scam benchcraft company scam

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Survival Guide

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. These are only a few of the more common tools we think of when we hear the term social media. To grapple with this brand new.

Murata Seisakusho Robot Learns New Skill « Akihabara <b>News</b>

To pursue its growth Akihabara News is seeking for several more editors via an intership program for 6 to 9 months. Please send us a mail @ jobs@akihabaranews.com. Message. We are moving away from Feedburner, please update your RSS ...

3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our 3DS news of 3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year.


benchcraft company scam bench craft company rip off

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Survival Guide

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. These are only a few of the more common tools we think of when we hear the term social media. To grapple with this brand new.

Murata Seisakusho Robot Learns New Skill « Akihabara <b>News</b>

To pursue its growth Akihabara News is seeking for several more editors via an intership program for 6 to 9 months. Please send us a mail @ jobs@akihabaranews.com. Message. We are moving away from Feedburner, please update your RSS ...

3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our 3DS news of 3DS Super Monkey Ball out next year.


benchcraft company scam












































Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Being Right or Making Money





Hullabaloo








Saturday, September 25, 2010




 

NY Times Miss Manners Hints At Truth

by digby

The New York Times features an interesting story this morning about a move across teh country to remove judges by people who don't like their decisions:

After the State Supreme Court here stunned the nation by making this the first state in the heartland to allow same-sex marriage, Iowa braced for its sleepy judicial elections to turn into referendums on gay marriage.

The three Supreme Court justices on the ballot this year are indeed the targets of a well-financed campaign to oust them. But the effort has less to do with undoing same-sex marriage — which will remain even if the judges do not — than sending a broader message far beyond this state’s borders: voters can remove judges whose opinions they dislike.

Around the country, judicial elections that were designed to be as apolitical as possible are suddenly as contentious as any another race.

In Kansas, anti-abortion activists are seeking to recall a justice. In Illinois, business interests are campaigning against the chief justice after a case that removed a cap on malpractice liability, prompting him to run a television ad that opens with the declaration, “I am not a politician.” And a conservative group called Clear the Bench Colorado is citing a host of decisions in seeking to oust the full slate of justices on the ballot there, urging voters, “Be a citizen, not a subject.”


It goes on to point out that the laws many of them were using were designed to remove corrupt or incompetent judges but are now being used to send a message that judges who do not adhere to certain views will be kicked out of office.

It also points out that there is big money involved, with the campaigns being underwritten by corporate interests and wealthy Christian groups.

But they forgot to connect the dots in this story. Do you notice something that all these cases around the country have in common? Yes, I knew that you could -- they are all being waged by right wingers. This "trend" is decidedly one-sided, run by a minority faction in America who have decided that their interpretation of the laws and the constitution will be imposed upon everyone.

Far be it for me to suggest that intimidating judges and replacing ones you don't like with social conservatives might be just a little bit theocratic and surely nobody can believe thatcorporate sponsored removal campaigns are designed to make it impossible for moderate or conservative judges to compete against business friendly judges. It would be very impolite to point any of that out, which is why, I'm sure that the New York Times didn't bother to do it.

They simply left some little hints for the discerning reader to sift through:

Brian S. Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, which has spent $230,000 on television ads criticizing the Iowa judges, said he understood that removing the three judges would not change the same-sex marriage ruling. (It was a unanimous ruling by the state’s seven justices.) But Mr. Brown said he hoped the judges’ ouster would help prevent similar rulings elsewhere by making judges around the nation aware that their jobs are on the line.

“It sends a powerful message,” he said, “That if justices go outside the bounds of their oaths, if the justices go outside the bounds of the U.S. and state constitutions they’re going to be held accountable.”

Bob Vander Plaats, who made opposition to same-sex marriage a centerpiece of his unsuccessful run for governor in Iowa, is leading the ouster campaign on behalf of the political arm of the American Family Association, a conservative Christian organization based in Tupelo, Miss.

“My bigger fear isn’t about injecting politics into judicial retention elections. The bigger fear is that we don’t hold them in check,” he said, warning that gun and property rights could be at risk.


Make of that what you will dear reader. But never say that the NY Times stooped to the level of shrill bloggers who suggest that the far right might have a radical agenda. Let no one say that the old Gray Lady is anything but well mannered.




.




|








Among those charged was Robert Rizzo, the former city manager of Bell, whose compensation package led the way with annual salary and benefits totaling more than $1.5 million. Prosecutors accused him of illegally writing his own employment contracts and steering nearly $1.9 million in unauthorized city loans to himself and others. He was booked into Los Angeles County Jail and was being held on $3.2-million bail.


The charges follow months of nationwide outrage and renewed debate over public employee compensation since The Times reported in July that the city's leaders were among the nation's highest paid municipal officials.


Cooley described Rizzo as the "unelected and unaccountable czar" of Bell, accusing him of going to elaborate lengths to keep his salary secret. Prosecutors alleged that Rizzo gave himself huge pay raises without the City Council's approval.

"This was calculated greed and theft accomplished by deceit and secrecy," Cooley said.

Rizzo's attorney, James W. Spertus, said the charges came as no surprise and were politically motivated by Cooley, who is running for California attorney general.

"The allegations are mistaken," Spertus said. "They are factually untrue in many readily provable ways."

Cooley denied that his election effort played any part in the decision to file charges.

At a news conference, Cooley accused City Council members of failing to oversee Rizzo's actions, saying that they instead had collected more than $1.2 million in total pay since 2006 for presiding over city agency meetings that never occurred or lasted just a few minutes.

Many city residents greeted news of the charges with joy.

"Finally the crooks are going to suffer what the city suffered for many years," said Carmen Bella, a longtime Bell activist.

About two dozen Bell residents gathered outside City Hall to celebrate. One man used a bullhorn to broadcast the Queen rock song, "Another One Bites the Dust," while others laughed, cheered and applauded.

But at least one resident wondered what would happen to his embattled city.


"Who's going to call the shots?" asked Hassan Mourad, 32. "That's the most important thing right now."


-- Richard Winton and Jack Leonard


Photo: Booking shots of Robert Rizzo, former city manager, and Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez. Credit: L.A. County Sheriff's Department.



Photos: Arrests in Bell



Obama Says Fox <b>News</b> Promotes &#39;Destructive&#39; Viewpoint - NYTimes.com

Fox News Channel responds to President Obama's sharp critique of the channel in a Rolling Stone interview.

Obama Calls Fox <b>News</b> a `Destructive&#39; Channel - NYTimes.com

President Obama tells Rolling Stone magazine that Fox News promotes a point of view that is "destructive" to the growth of the United States.

Bad <b>News</b>: Yahoo Media Boss Out. Good <b>News</b>: Bartz Won&#39;t Have To Ask <b>...</b>

Yahoo's media boss Jimmy Pitaro is quitting the company.

halloween costumes

Obama Says Fox <b>News</b> Promotes &#39;Destructive&#39; Viewpoint - NYTimes.com

Fox News Channel responds to President Obama's sharp critique of the channel in a Rolling Stone interview.

Obama Calls Fox <b>News</b> a `Destructive&#39; Channel - NYTimes.com

President Obama tells Rolling Stone magazine that Fox News promotes a point of view that is "destructive" to the growth of the United States.

Bad <b>News</b>: Yahoo Media Boss Out. Good <b>News</b>: Bartz Won&#39;t Have To Ask <b>...</b>

Yahoo's media boss Jimmy Pitaro is quitting the company.





Hullabaloo








Saturday, September 25, 2010




 

NY Times Miss Manners Hints At Truth

by digby

The New York Times features an interesting story this morning about a move across teh country to remove judges by people who don't like their decisions:

After the State Supreme Court here stunned the nation by making this the first state in the heartland to allow same-sex marriage, Iowa braced for its sleepy judicial elections to turn into referendums on gay marriage.

The three Supreme Court justices on the ballot this year are indeed the targets of a well-financed campaign to oust them. But the effort has less to do with undoing same-sex marriage — which will remain even if the judges do not — than sending a broader message far beyond this state’s borders: voters can remove judges whose opinions they dislike.

Around the country, judicial elections that were designed to be as apolitical as possible are suddenly as contentious as any another race.

In Kansas, anti-abortion activists are seeking to recall a justice. In Illinois, business interests are campaigning against the chief justice after a case that removed a cap on malpractice liability, prompting him to run a television ad that opens with the declaration, “I am not a politician.” And a conservative group called Clear the Bench Colorado is citing a host of decisions in seeking to oust the full slate of justices on the ballot there, urging voters, “Be a citizen, not a subject.”


It goes on to point out that the laws many of them were using were designed to remove corrupt or incompetent judges but are now being used to send a message that judges who do not adhere to certain views will be kicked out of office.

It also points out that there is big money involved, with the campaigns being underwritten by corporate interests and wealthy Christian groups.

But they forgot to connect the dots in this story. Do you notice something that all these cases around the country have in common? Yes, I knew that you could -- they are all being waged by right wingers. This "trend" is decidedly one-sided, run by a minority faction in America who have decided that their interpretation of the laws and the constitution will be imposed upon everyone.

Far be it for me to suggest that intimidating judges and replacing ones you don't like with social conservatives might be just a little bit theocratic and surely nobody can believe thatcorporate sponsored removal campaigns are designed to make it impossible for moderate or conservative judges to compete against business friendly judges. It would be very impolite to point any of that out, which is why, I'm sure that the New York Times didn't bother to do it.

They simply left some little hints for the discerning reader to sift through:

Brian S. Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, which has spent $230,000 on television ads criticizing the Iowa judges, said he understood that removing the three judges would not change the same-sex marriage ruling. (It was a unanimous ruling by the state’s seven justices.) But Mr. Brown said he hoped the judges’ ouster would help prevent similar rulings elsewhere by making judges around the nation aware that their jobs are on the line.

“It sends a powerful message,” he said, “That if justices go outside the bounds of their oaths, if the justices go outside the bounds of the U.S. and state constitutions they’re going to be held accountable.”

Bob Vander Plaats, who made opposition to same-sex marriage a centerpiece of his unsuccessful run for governor in Iowa, is leading the ouster campaign on behalf of the political arm of the American Family Association, a conservative Christian organization based in Tupelo, Miss.

“My bigger fear isn’t about injecting politics into judicial retention elections. The bigger fear is that we don’t hold them in check,” he said, warning that gun and property rights could be at risk.


Make of that what you will dear reader. But never say that the NY Times stooped to the level of shrill bloggers who suggest that the far right might have a radical agenda. Let no one say that the old Gray Lady is anything but well mannered.




.




|








Among those charged was Robert Rizzo, the former city manager of Bell, whose compensation package led the way with annual salary and benefits totaling more than $1.5 million. Prosecutors accused him of illegally writing his own employment contracts and steering nearly $1.9 million in unauthorized city loans to himself and others. He was booked into Los Angeles County Jail and was being held on $3.2-million bail.


The charges follow months of nationwide outrage and renewed debate over public employee compensation since The Times reported in July that the city's leaders were among the nation's highest paid municipal officials.


Cooley described Rizzo as the "unelected and unaccountable czar" of Bell, accusing him of going to elaborate lengths to keep his salary secret. Prosecutors alleged that Rizzo gave himself huge pay raises without the City Council's approval.

"This was calculated greed and theft accomplished by deceit and secrecy," Cooley said.

Rizzo's attorney, James W. Spertus, said the charges came as no surprise and were politically motivated by Cooley, who is running for California attorney general.

"The allegations are mistaken," Spertus said. "They are factually untrue in many readily provable ways."

Cooley denied that his election effort played any part in the decision to file charges.

At a news conference, Cooley accused City Council members of failing to oversee Rizzo's actions, saying that they instead had collected more than $1.2 million in total pay since 2006 for presiding over city agency meetings that never occurred or lasted just a few minutes.

Many city residents greeted news of the charges with joy.

"Finally the crooks are going to suffer what the city suffered for many years," said Carmen Bella, a longtime Bell activist.

About two dozen Bell residents gathered outside City Hall to celebrate. One man used a bullhorn to broadcast the Queen rock song, "Another One Bites the Dust," while others laughed, cheered and applauded.

But at least one resident wondered what would happen to his embattled city.


"Who's going to call the shots?" asked Hassan Mourad, 32. "That's the most important thing right now."


-- Richard Winton and Jack Leonard


Photo: Booking shots of Robert Rizzo, former city manager, and Bell Mayor Oscar Hernandez. Credit: L.A. County Sheriff's Department.



Photos: Arrests in Bell




make-money-blogging by thespotter

corporate reputation management

Obama Says Fox <b>News</b> Promotes &#39;Destructive&#39; Viewpoint - NYTimes.com

Fox News Channel responds to President Obama's sharp critique of the channel in a Rolling Stone interview.

Obama Calls Fox <b>News</b> a `Destructive&#39; Channel - NYTimes.com

President Obama tells Rolling Stone magazine that Fox News promotes a point of view that is "destructive" to the growth of the United States.

Bad <b>News</b>: Yahoo Media Boss Out. Good <b>News</b>: Bartz Won&#39;t Have To Ask <b>...</b>

Yahoo's media boss Jimmy Pitaro is quitting the company.

skin and vein center

Obama Says Fox <b>News</b> Promotes &#39;Destructive&#39; Viewpoint - NYTimes.com

Fox News Channel responds to President Obama's sharp critique of the channel in a Rolling Stone interview.

Obama Calls Fox <b>News</b> a `Destructive&#39; Channel - NYTimes.com

President Obama tells Rolling Stone magazine that Fox News promotes a point of view that is "destructive" to the growth of the United States.

Bad <b>News</b>: Yahoo Media Boss Out. Good <b>News</b>: Bartz Won&#39;t Have To Ask <b>...</b>

Yahoo's media boss Jimmy Pitaro is quitting the company.


make-money-blogging by thespotter

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_18/b4032066.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_18/b4032066.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_18/b4032066.htm

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/10/25/267811/index.htm

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/10/25/267811/index.htm

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/10/25/267811/index.htm

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_18/b4032066.htm

Friday, September 24, 2010

managing your personal finance


A lot of people are unemployed in this country, 14.9 million as of the latest BLS release a couple of days ago, and for some of those people, this has become what is coyly referred to as ‘the entrepreneurial moment’, the ‘ah-ha’ light-bulb realization that if they don’t create a job for themselves, there will be no job, no income, no mortgage payment, no groceries, no light, no heat, no gas for the car, nuthin’. Since 2008, over 5 million jobs have been lost, many of which will never, ever come back.


Welcome to Labor Day, 2010.


Some of these ‘lost’ jobs have been outsourced overseas. Some have just been cut. Some companies are using their cash to invest in technologies which will insure that they will never have to hire these folks back, at least not with the skills that they had when they were given a cardboard box and five minutes to empty their desks and get out the front door.


If there are people out there who have or are considering building their own ‘life raft’ it would surprise absolutely no one; though for some folks, entrepreneurship is so scary, they can’t imagine anything other than hiring on to someone else’s deal, no matter how horrible it is.


Sometimes, though, you don’t have any choice. One thing to remember, is that many of the most successful entrepreneurs in this country have not invented fuel cells, high tech photovoltaic films, high speed transit, a cure for cancer (or the common cold), or the answer for peace in our time. They are cleaning houses, making pizza, fixing computers/ipods/iphones/cars/furnaces/plumbing/household electric, managing other people’s systems, giving advice, making clothing for people who are outside the common size ranges in the stores.


Not exactly operating a basement boiler room financial situation, doing crazy financial stuff, or stirring up the pot on international finance.


At its most basic, it’s local; at its most interesting, it might even be regional. But it is still person to person; it’s still me doing business with you. Face to face. My hands and brain doing stuff to help you. Some of this is amazingly low tech – some of it is almost medieval.


This week’s fascinating story comes from the New York Times about a family of knife sharpeners who have thrown a new curve on this ancient of trades by providing two sets of knives to butchers, restaurants, food services (in Yankee Stadium, for heaven’s sake), and calling on a weekly basis to pick up the used set and providing the newly sharpened set.


Anyone who does any real work in a kitchen at all knows that your most important tools are a good set of knives and a good frying and sauce pan. With those three things, you can do almost anything (and yes, I have made cookies in the bottom of a frying pan; thank you for asking), but if your knives are dull, cutting anything becomes horrible work and you can injure yourself badly. “Every week, the company visits more than 800 clients and collects more than 8,000 knives to be replaced with freshly sharpened blades. The service costs $2.50 to $3.50 per knife.


The business started servicing mainly butchers and meatpackers, in territories handed down from father to son. To preserve the business for his children, Mr. Ambrosi expanded it to restaurants and even Yankee Stadium, in some cases deviating from long-held tradition. Many cooks and chefs take personal pride in their knives and their ability to maintain them, and would hesitate to release them to anyone else’s care. But sharpening a knife takes time and skill — and not every chef has both.”


Having a skill and honing (sorry) that so that you can provide something that someone else can not (or will not) do, whether it is being an electrician, a plumber, a welder, a knife sharpener, a shoe repair shop, a hair dresser, whatever it is – can make the difference in today’s international economy between being able to make a living for your family and holding your head in your hands. One of America’s biggest mistakes as far as education is concerned (and others might just argue with me) is that we “jumped the shark” in terms of absorbing people coming out of colleges.


Since the 1980s, kids coming out of college have had fewer and lower level opportunities. Jobs which absorbed high schoolers, now require a 2 or 4 year degree; job that required a college degree started to require a masters degree; some jobs which required a college degree and some internal training, now require advanced degrees – I even know of jobs that now require a legal degree to be hired which 30 years ago required a college degree and passing a test. So much emphasis was placed on going to college – and vocational training and the trades were so downgraded and derided that any family with a kid with two brain cells to rub together would not even THINK of encouraging that kid to go into the trades, unless the family was already in the business.


We’re now at a situation where companies, which shot themselves in the foot by sending skilled jobs overseas and now want to bring them back because costs overseas have risen and/or they are tired of their intellectual property being stolen and sold to others, can’t find the skills they want. Not to put too fine a point on this – those same companies have not done any training themselves; nor are they willing to do so. They got into the habit a long time ago of pushing the investment in training off on others. The government for one.


The other, which has willingly and consistently provided training in the trades for years are the unions. Organized labor. The Great Satan of the industrial world. The guys everyone loves to hate. The organizations which, according to many employers, stand in their way of succeeding in business.


But still, the organization which has kept skills alive in this country despite outsourcing, overseas sourcing, attacks from business and government, and general antipathy from great swaths of the American population in certain parts of the country.


So. On this frankly very sad Labor Day, 2010, I’d like to thank the American Labor Movement for remembering what America and Americans do best and what we need to do on an increasing basis if we are to put people back to work – or if we are to have businesses to call our own: Do stuff with our hands.


Thanks folks. You’re not perfection, but you’re willing to invest in Americans.


Happy Labor Day





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big white booty

Scripting <b>News</b>: Angelgate in a Nutshell

Recent stories. Twitter links. My 40 most-recent Twitter links, ranked by number of clicks. My bike. People are always asking about my bike. A picture named bikesmall.jpg. Here's a picture. AFP news pic. Calendar ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39; is a Thursday Ratings Hit, Bret <b>...</b>

In Thursday night's ultra-competitive TV landscape, several shows managed to break away from the pack. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 'The Big B.

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...


Scripting <b>News</b>: Angelgate in a Nutshell

Recent stories. Twitter links. My 40 most-recent Twitter links, ranked by number of clicks. My bike. People are always asking about my bike. A picture named bikesmall.jpg. Here's a picture. AFP news pic. Calendar ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39; is a Thursday Ratings Hit, Bret <b>...</b>

In Thursday night's ultra-competitive TV landscape, several shows managed to break away from the pack. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 'The Big B.

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...


big white booty

Scripting <b>News</b>: Angelgate in a Nutshell

Recent stories. Twitter links. My 40 most-recent Twitter links, ranked by number of clicks. My bike. People are always asking about my bike. A picture named bikesmall.jpg. Here's a picture. AFP news pic. Calendar ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39; is a Thursday Ratings Hit, Bret <b>...</b>

In Thursday night's ultra-competitive TV landscape, several shows managed to break away from the pack. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 'The Big B.

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...



Tokyo Cinema by Danny Choo







Tokyo Cinema by Danny Choo






























managing your personal finances





Are you a fan of the GTD personal productivity system? Well if you like "Getting Things Done," here's GFD, Getting Finances Done, which shows you how to map David Allen's same principals to managing your personal finance and achieving your financial goals.



Applying GTD principles to your personal finances - Part 1 [Getting Finances Done]










Are you a fan of the GTD personal productivity system? Well if you like "Getting Things Done," here's GFD, Getting Finances Done, which shows you how to map David Allen's same principals to managing your personal finance and achieving your financial goals.



Applying GTD principles to your personal finances - Part 1 [Getting Finances Done]








big white booty directory

Official Google Blog: Google <b>News</b> turns eight

Today we celebrate the eighth birthday of Google News. Not long after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we started building and testing Google News with the aim of helping you find current events from a wide variety of global and ...

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: Lindsay Lohan Ordered Back To Jail; Bail Revoked <b>...</b>

Lindsay Lohan is going back to jail. In a stunning move, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox threw the book at Lohan Friday morning in Beverly Hills, revoking her bail and ordering her back to jail. PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan Arrives ...


Official Google Blog: Google <b>News</b> turns eight

Today we celebrate the eighth birthday of Google News. Not long after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we started building and testing Google News with the aim of helping you find current events from a wide variety of global and ...

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: Lindsay Lohan Ordered Back To Jail; Bail Revoked <b>...</b>

Lindsay Lohan is going back to jail. In a stunning move, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox threw the book at Lohan Friday morning in Beverly Hills, revoking her bail and ordering her back to jail. PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan Arrives ...


big white booty

Official Google Blog: Google <b>News</b> turns eight

Today we celebrate the eighth birthday of Google News. Not long after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we started building and testing Google News with the aim of helping you find current events from a wide variety of global and ...

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: Lindsay Lohan Ordered Back To Jail; Bail Revoked <b>...</b>

Lindsay Lohan is going back to jail. In a stunning move, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elden Fox threw the book at Lohan Friday morning in Beverly Hills, revoking her bail and ordering her back to jail. PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan Arrives ...



G20 Summit, London, G20 London, G20 Protests, G20 Demonstrations by G20London2009







G20 Summit, London, G20 London, G20 Protests, G20 Demonstrations by G20London2009






























Thursday, September 23, 2010

foreclosure homes


From the Associated Press:



One in 10 American households with a mortgage was at risk of foreclosure this summer as the government’s efforts to help have had little impact stemming the housing crisis.


About 9.9 percent of homeowners had missed at least one mortgage payment as of June 30, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Thursday.


That number, which is adjusted for seasonal factors, was down slightly from a record-high of more than 10 percent as of April 30.


In a worrisome sign, the number of homeowners starting to have problems with their mortgages rose after trending downward last year. The number of homes in the foreclosure process fell slightly, the first drop in four years.



More than 2.3 million homes have been repossessed by lenders since the recession began in December 2007, according to foreclosure listing service RealtyTrac Inc. Economists expect the number of foreclosures to grow well into next year.


The number of Americans missing payments and falling into foreclosure has followed the upward trend in unemployment, which has been near double digits all year and has shown no sign of dropping soon.


“Ultimately the housing story, whether it is delinquencies, homes sales or housing starts, is an employment story,” Jay Brinkmann, the trade group’s top economist, said in a statement. “Only when we see a consistent increase in employment will we see an increase in sales and starts, and a sustained improvement in the delinquency numbers.”


Read the whole thing here.



We have been filing paperwork with first Wachovia and now Wells Fargo Financial since early 2010 and have not made a mortgage payment since December 2009 as we waited for our paperwork to be completed and our new loan to start. I have faxed and mailed over 30 pages of documents including bank account statements, Social Security payment statements, health care payments, income statements and house and credit card monthly bills for this year. We also had to get current with all our personal and business taxes and send in copies of 2007 and 2008 to show that we had not received any income from our business


The point of all of this was at no time during our discussions with Wells Fargo going back to at least February of this year were our 2009 taxes mentioned. Now we are being told that there is a new government regulation requiring that we have our 2009 taxes also done or an extension on file with the IRS. If we don’t have any extension for this year or our 2009 taxes completed we will lose our application for the HAMP and then possibly lose our home due to foreclosure.


Olbermann On Sharron Angle Video | Fox <b>News</b> | Media Matters | Mediaite

You'll never believe this one, but it appears Keith Olbermann isn't the biggest fan of Fox News. But in case there was any doubt, on last night's Countdown he made it clear again, going after what he sees as the network blatantly ...

<b>News</b> - Katy Perry&#39;s Sesame Street Segment Cut Over Her Cleavage <b>...</b>

"Katy Perry fans will still be able to view the video on You Tube," says a show rep.

Breaking <b>News</b>: Eliza Dushku Has a &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39;

'The Big Bang Theory' is no stranger to sexy sci-fi starlets, having scored geektastic cameos from Katee Sackhoff and Summer Glau in seasons past (wit.


robert shumake

Olbermann On Sharron Angle Video | Fox <b>News</b> | Media Matters | Mediaite

You'll never believe this one, but it appears Keith Olbermann isn't the biggest fan of Fox News. But in case there was any doubt, on last night's Countdown he made it clear again, going after what he sees as the network blatantly ...

<b>News</b> - Katy Perry&#39;s Sesame Street Segment Cut Over Her Cleavage <b>...</b>

"Katy Perry fans will still be able to view the video on You Tube," says a show rep.

Breaking <b>News</b>: Eliza Dushku Has a &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39;

'The Big Bang Theory' is no stranger to sexy sci-fi starlets, having scored geektastic cameos from Katee Sackhoff and Summer Glau in seasons past (wit.



From the Associated Press:



One in 10 American households with a mortgage was at risk of foreclosure this summer as the government’s efforts to help have had little impact stemming the housing crisis.


About 9.9 percent of homeowners had missed at least one mortgage payment as of June 30, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Thursday.


That number, which is adjusted for seasonal factors, was down slightly from a record-high of more than 10 percent as of April 30.


In a worrisome sign, the number of homeowners starting to have problems with their mortgages rose after trending downward last year. The number of homes in the foreclosure process fell slightly, the first drop in four years.



More than 2.3 million homes have been repossessed by lenders since the recession began in December 2007, according to foreclosure listing service RealtyTrac Inc. Economists expect the number of foreclosures to grow well into next year.


The number of Americans missing payments and falling into foreclosure has followed the upward trend in unemployment, which has been near double digits all year and has shown no sign of dropping soon.


“Ultimately the housing story, whether it is delinquencies, homes sales or housing starts, is an employment story,” Jay Brinkmann, the trade group’s top economist, said in a statement. “Only when we see a consistent increase in employment will we see an increase in sales and starts, and a sustained improvement in the delinquency numbers.”


Read the whole thing here.



We have been filing paperwork with first Wachovia and now Wells Fargo Financial since early 2010 and have not made a mortgage payment since December 2009 as we waited for our paperwork to be completed and our new loan to start. I have faxed and mailed over 30 pages of documents including bank account statements, Social Security payment statements, health care payments, income statements and house and credit card monthly bills for this year. We also had to get current with all our personal and business taxes and send in copies of 2007 and 2008 to show that we had not received any income from our business


The point of all of this was at no time during our discussions with Wells Fargo going back to at least February of this year were our 2009 taxes mentioned. Now we are being told that there is a new government regulation requiring that we have our 2009 taxes also done or an extension on file with the IRS. If we don’t have any extension for this year or our 2009 taxes completed we will lose our application for the HAMP and then possibly lose our home due to foreclosure.



Miami Foreclosures Florida, 3 Bd, 2 Ba, $ 99,900.00 : ForeclosureConnections.com by ForeclosureConnections


robert shumake

Olbermann On Sharron Angle Video | Fox <b>News</b> | Media Matters | Mediaite

You'll never believe this one, but it appears Keith Olbermann isn't the biggest fan of Fox News. But in case there was any doubt, on last night's Countdown he made it clear again, going after what he sees as the network blatantly ...

<b>News</b> - Katy Perry&#39;s Sesame Street Segment Cut Over Her Cleavage <b>...</b>

"Katy Perry fans will still be able to view the video on You Tube," says a show rep.

Breaking <b>News</b>: Eliza Dushku Has a &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39;

'The Big Bang Theory' is no stranger to sexy sci-fi starlets, having scored geektastic cameos from Katee Sackhoff and Summer Glau in seasons past (wit.


robert shumake

Olbermann On Sharron Angle Video | Fox <b>News</b> | Media Matters | Mediaite

You'll never believe this one, but it appears Keith Olbermann isn't the biggest fan of Fox News. But in case there was any doubt, on last night's Countdown he made it clear again, going after what he sees as the network blatantly ...

<b>News</b> - Katy Perry&#39;s Sesame Street Segment Cut Over Her Cleavage <b>...</b>

"Katy Perry fans will still be able to view the video on You Tube," says a show rep.

Breaking <b>News</b>: Eliza Dushku Has a &#39;Big Bang Theory&#39;

'The Big Bang Theory' is no stranger to sexy sci-fi starlets, having scored geektastic cameos from Katee Sackhoff and Summer Glau in seasons past (wit.

















Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Making Money in Wotlk


Cave Story DS on the way? DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our DS news of Cave Story DS on the way?. ... Email news@eurogamer.net. Related Games. Cave Story WII. Latest Features. Cave Story Review . Cave Story Hands On . Latest News. Upcoming DSiWare/WiiWare titles listed ...

Phil Pruitt Joins Yahoo! <b>News</b> As Politics Editor

USA Today Deputy Managing Editor/News Phil Pruitt has left the newspaper to join Yahoo! News as its new Politics editor.

Small Business <b>News</b>: ROI Realities

To understand how to run a small business is to understand ROI. That is, we must understand how to bring a return on investment for every decision we make when.


robert shumake

Cave Story DS on the way? DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our DS news of Cave Story DS on the way?. ... Email news@eurogamer.net. Related Games. Cave Story WII. Latest Features. Cave Story Review . Cave Story Hands On . Latest News. Upcoming DSiWare/WiiWare titles listed ...

Phil Pruitt Joins Yahoo! <b>News</b> As Politics Editor

USA Today Deputy Managing Editor/News Phil Pruitt has left the newspaper to join Yahoo! News as its new Politics editor.

Small Business <b>News</b>: ROI Realities

To understand how to run a small business is to understand ROI. That is, we must understand how to bring a return on investment for every decision we make when.




Mechanopeep! by Eurcynia


robert shumake

Cave Story DS on the way? DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our DS news of Cave Story DS on the way?. ... Email news@eurogamer.net. Related Games. Cave Story WII. Latest Features. Cave Story Review . Cave Story Hands On . Latest News. Upcoming DSiWare/WiiWare titles listed ...

Phil Pruitt Joins Yahoo! <b>News</b> As Politics Editor

USA Today Deputy Managing Editor/News Phil Pruitt has left the newspaper to join Yahoo! News as its new Politics editor.

Small Business <b>News</b>: ROI Realities

To understand how to run a small business is to understand ROI. That is, we must understand how to bring a return on investment for every decision we make when.


robert shumake

Cave Story DS on the way? DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our DS news of Cave Story DS on the way?. ... Email news@eurogamer.net. Related Games. Cave Story WII. Latest Features. Cave Story Review . Cave Story Hands On . Latest News. Upcoming DSiWare/WiiWare titles listed ...

Phil Pruitt Joins Yahoo! <b>News</b> As Politics Editor

USA Today Deputy Managing Editor/News Phil Pruitt has left the newspaper to join Yahoo! News as its new Politics editor.

Small Business <b>News</b>: ROI Realities

To understand how to run a small business is to understand ROI. That is, we must understand how to bring a return on investment for every decision we make when.

















Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Making Money Online Forum


Most of this is from a post I popped in Sunday night.


Somehow, I think this matters right now and will pop up from the whack-a-mole game board in the future to bite everyone…… Then again, it all may be nothing.


————


Interpol’s boss is a gent named Ronald K. Noble and right about now he’s got a bug on his back about cyber crime.


Part of that bug is buzzing because Mr. Noble had his ID compromised and phony FaceBook pages were set up in his name. Now, there’s a big meeting about ‘cyber crime’.


Don’t know Mr. Noble ?….. I actually think you do…….. Here’s something from Lloyd Bentsen (Sec. Treas. under Pres. Bill Clinton) on Mr. Noble’s past experience: Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Ronald K. Noble has conducted a comprehensive review of the adequacy of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms’ (”ATF’s”) procedures, policies, and practices, and whether they were followed during ATF’s investigation of Vernon Howell, a/k/a “David Koresh,” and his followers.


A background and other stuff on Mr. Noble is at Wiki……. take anything at Wiki as you may, but it all seems to be sourced proper-like……… Mr. Ronald K. Noble, Secretary General Of Interpol.


================


My two (and a half) cents: Looks like the recent exec order ‘change’ giving Interpol open access to America is starting to come into a bit more focus now.


Given the current governmental attitude for giving a ‘nudge’ to and sidestepping all things legal and Constitutional, my guess is (begin snark) none of the following is even remotely possible (end snark). However, inquiring minds want to know……..


Approximately when was Mr. Noble’s ID compromised and those Facebook pages run up ?


If the deeds were done after the exec order……. Hmmmmmmm.


If the deeds were before the exec order, life is beautiful - for about two minutes……….


That’s because, with all that’s going and the true Statist/Totalitarian power grab involving ‘net neutrality’, (to use the legal term) is it “beyond a reasonable doubt” this is not some sort of a setup ?………. Meaning that it’s within the realm of possibility that Mr. Noble’s ID was ‘put out there’ and the ‘unauthorized’ Facebook pages set in as just one more reason to force in ‘net neutrality’ and maybe more dire, for Interpol to actually begin operating here - not just being ok’d on paper to do so by exec order.


Think about it - really think - try and lose the ‘it can’t happen here’ idea……….. Let the extrapolations begin as to what truly is possible in the current socio-political scene through technology…… legally or otherwise.


To people like Cass Sunstein, Eric Holder, Harold Koh and our current president - plus orgs like ICR2P, The UN and others - there isn’t much more dangerous of an ‘international crime’ than published simple dissent that instantly goes world-wide.


Thanks for your time.


……. and Neil……. Thank you again for keeping Tech at Night going……. We’re entering some seriously dangerous territory for individual Rights and overall freedom….. with many more than just the average person completely unaware of it all.


PS…….. I’d give a nice donation to some Minnesota children’s charity to see Senator Franken perp-walked out of the Dirksen Building, or even better still……. from his home at 3am in a rain storm.


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Mobile payments are the logical extension of online shopping; a way for customers to buy what you have while they’re on the go. But the technology has some added perks that make it a powerful purchasing tool for small businesses.

There are a lot of resources and articles out there telling businesses to pay attention to location-based networking or to maximize their social media presences, but there is a lack of information on the monetary benefits of these investments. Mobile payments, however, are a great way for businesses to make money.

It should be noted, there are two related fields of mobile payment: First, using your phone as a credit card in-store, and second, paying while on the go. We’ll be focusing largely on the latter.

Below is just a selection of reasons that small businesses should care about mobile payments. Add your voice to the comments below: Is this just another fad? Are mobile payments still years away? Why has North America been so slow to adopt?

It’s Going to be Everywhere/>

We already use our phones for everything: Calling, texting, surfing the web, video chats (thank you, Phone), and updating our social networks. class='blippr-nobr'>Societyclass="blippr-nobr">society, by and large, has grown accustomed to using phones for daily activities. Why shouldn’t instant purchasing be added to that list?

Total worldwide mobile payments stood at USD $68.7 billion in 2009, according to a study from Telecoms Market Research. That number is predicted to rise by more than 800% in the next four years. Simple, DIY credit card processing solutions, like the Complete Credit Card Solution and Square, have already hit the iPhone market, and more services are expected in the future for all platforms.

Social Impulse/>

Phones are inherently social, and advanced functions like geo-location are making it easier for users to connect with others in their networks to share consumption habits and recommendations. Location-based services, for example, enable users to recommend their favorite restaurants, shops and others venues. And group buying sites like Groupon have expanded the possibilities for quick, social purchases.

By adding a mobile payment option, small businesses can capitalize on these peer recommendations with a purchase. Rather than direct your customers to an online shop site or have them note it down for later, they can instantly buy your product.

Mobile payments take advantage of impulse purchases; essentially when you buy something based on spur-of-the-moment decision making. class='blippr-nobr'>Impulseclass="blippr-nobr">Impulse buys are usually associated with emotional reactions to a product. They are partly why ringtone sales have been so successful. Like a tone? You can often download it instantly with just a couple clicks, no secondary sites necessary. Make sure your customers are able to buy your product the instant they want it.

Micro-Transactions/>

The real heart of small business mobile payments is the micro-transaction. Paying less is generally better than paying more. People are also more willing to pay frequent small payments rather than throw down a lump sum. Using ringtones as an example, more people would pay $1 for several ringtones than shell out $5 in one go for five ringtones.

Small business can follow this trend by selling less-expensive goods online, as smaller goods could be a real hit for the mobile payment crowd. Customers can more easily rationalize those smaller purchases and drive more sales to your business.

Another perk for biz owners is that mobile transaction fees are usually less than credit card fees. Sales through mobile could save you a small amount on every purchase.

Customer Data/>

Mobile payments enable merchants to collect data in much the same way as your everyday credit card purchases. Adding mobile payments to your business can help keep track of customer phone numbers, buying histories, and any other necessary information. Having this extra source of data about customers and their purchasing habits will enable you to offer more targeted and relevant deals, discounts and products to specific purchasers.

Collecting data can be a bit tricky, since it gets into privacy rights and issues (e.g., Facebook privacy concerns), so make sure your business is aware of how you can and cannot use customer information.

Regardless of your purposes, whether it be data, profit, or social loyalty, mobile payments are definitely an area for small businesses to watch.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Choose the Best Workspace for Your Business/> - 5 Winning Social Media Campaigns to Learn From/> - 10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them/> - 10 Free WordPress Themes for Small Businesses/> - 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, photo_smart

For more Business coverage:

    class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Digital <b>...</b>

Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Fujifilm has announced the X100, a large-sensor compact camera aimed at professional and enthusiast photographers. Based around a 12Mp APS-C CMOS sensor, Fuji EXR processor and 23mm F2 ...

Eric Boehlert: Fox <b>News</b> Has a Christine O&#39;Donnell Problem

Why? Because now Fox News has to explain to viewers why O'Donnell is ready to serve in the US Senate even though she's not ready to appear on Fox News Sunday. Awkward.

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robert shumake

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Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Fujifilm has announced the X100, a large-sensor compact camera aimed at professional and enthusiast photographers. Based around a 12Mp APS-C CMOS sensor, Fuji EXR processor and 23mm F2 ...

Eric Boehlert: Fox <b>News</b> Has a Christine O&#39;Donnell Problem

Why? Because now Fox News has to explain to viewers why O'Donnell is ready to serve in the US Senate even though she's not ready to appear on Fox News Sunday. Awkward.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 announced and previewed: Digital <b>...</b>

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 announced and previewed: Photokina 2010: Panasonic has announced the DMC-GH2 Micro Four Thirds camera. The successor to the GH1 continues with its 'hybrid' stills/video philosophy but adds a host of tweaks and ...



Most of this is from a post I popped in Sunday night.


Somehow, I think this matters right now and will pop up from the whack-a-mole game board in the future to bite everyone…… Then again, it all may be nothing.


————


Interpol’s boss is a gent named Ronald K. Noble and right about now he’s got a bug on his back about cyber crime.


Part of that bug is buzzing because Mr. Noble had his ID compromised and phony FaceBook pages were set up in his name. Now, there’s a big meeting about ‘cyber crime’.


Don’t know Mr. Noble ?….. I actually think you do…….. Here’s something from Lloyd Bentsen (Sec. Treas. under Pres. Bill Clinton) on Mr. Noble’s past experience: Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Ronald K. Noble has conducted a comprehensive review of the adequacy of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms’ (”ATF’s”) procedures, policies, and practices, and whether they were followed during ATF’s investigation of Vernon Howell, a/k/a “David Koresh,” and his followers.


A background and other stuff on Mr. Noble is at Wiki……. take anything at Wiki as you may, but it all seems to be sourced proper-like……… Mr. Ronald K. Noble, Secretary General Of Interpol.


================


My two (and a half) cents: Looks like the recent exec order ‘change’ giving Interpol open access to America is starting to come into a bit more focus now.


Given the current governmental attitude for giving a ‘nudge’ to and sidestepping all things legal and Constitutional, my guess is (begin snark) none of the following is even remotely possible (end snark). However, inquiring minds want to know……..


Approximately when was Mr. Noble’s ID compromised and those Facebook pages run up ?


If the deeds were done after the exec order……. Hmmmmmmm.


If the deeds were before the exec order, life is beautiful - for about two minutes……….


That’s because, with all that’s going and the true Statist/Totalitarian power grab involving ‘net neutrality’, (to use the legal term) is it “beyond a reasonable doubt” this is not some sort of a setup ?………. Meaning that it’s within the realm of possibility that Mr. Noble’s ID was ‘put out there’ and the ‘unauthorized’ Facebook pages set in as just one more reason to force in ‘net neutrality’ and maybe more dire, for Interpol to actually begin operating here - not just being ok’d on paper to do so by exec order.


Think about it - really think - try and lose the ‘it can’t happen here’ idea……….. Let the extrapolations begin as to what truly is possible in the current socio-political scene through technology…… legally or otherwise.


To people like Cass Sunstein, Eric Holder, Harold Koh and our current president - plus orgs like ICR2P, The UN and others - there isn’t much more dangerous of an ‘international crime’ than published simple dissent that instantly goes world-wide.


Thanks for your time.


……. and Neil……. Thank you again for keeping Tech at Night going……. We’re entering some seriously dangerous territory for individual Rights and overall freedom….. with many more than just the average person completely unaware of it all.


PS…….. I’d give a nice donation to some Minnesota children’s charity to see Senator Franken perp-walked out of the Dirksen Building, or even better still……. from his home at 3am in a rain storm.


This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

Mobile payments are the logical extension of online shopping; a way for customers to buy what you have while they’re on the go. But the technology has some added perks that make it a powerful purchasing tool for small businesses.

There are a lot of resources and articles out there telling businesses to pay attention to location-based networking or to maximize their social media presences, but there is a lack of information on the monetary benefits of these investments. Mobile payments, however, are a great way for businesses to make money.

It should be noted, there are two related fields of mobile payment: First, using your phone as a credit card in-store, and second, paying while on the go. We’ll be focusing largely on the latter.

Below is just a selection of reasons that small businesses should care about mobile payments. Add your voice to the comments below: Is this just another fad? Are mobile payments still years away? Why has North America been so slow to adopt?

It’s Going to be Everywhere/>

We already use our phones for everything: Calling, texting, surfing the web, video chats (thank you, Phone), and updating our social networks. class='blippr-nobr'>Societyclass="blippr-nobr">society, by and large, has grown accustomed to using phones for daily activities. Why shouldn’t instant purchasing be added to that list?

Total worldwide mobile payments stood at USD $68.7 billion in 2009, according to a study from Telecoms Market Research. That number is predicted to rise by more than 800% in the next four years. Simple, DIY credit card processing solutions, like the Complete Credit Card Solution and Square, have already hit the iPhone market, and more services are expected in the future for all platforms.

Social Impulse/>

Phones are inherently social, and advanced functions like geo-location are making it easier for users to connect with others in their networks to share consumption habits and recommendations. Location-based services, for example, enable users to recommend their favorite restaurants, shops and others venues. And group buying sites like Groupon have expanded the possibilities for quick, social purchases.

By adding a mobile payment option, small businesses can capitalize on these peer recommendations with a purchase. Rather than direct your customers to an online shop site or have them note it down for later, they can instantly buy your product.

Mobile payments take advantage of impulse purchases; essentially when you buy something based on spur-of-the-moment decision making. class='blippr-nobr'>Impulseclass="blippr-nobr">Impulse buys are usually associated with emotional reactions to a product. They are partly why ringtone sales have been so successful. Like a tone? You can often download it instantly with just a couple clicks, no secondary sites necessary. Make sure your customers are able to buy your product the instant they want it.

Micro-Transactions/>

The real heart of small business mobile payments is the micro-transaction. Paying less is generally better than paying more. People are also more willing to pay frequent small payments rather than throw down a lump sum. Using ringtones as an example, more people would pay $1 for several ringtones than shell out $5 in one go for five ringtones.

Small business can follow this trend by selling less-expensive goods online, as smaller goods could be a real hit for the mobile payment crowd. Customers can more easily rationalize those smaller purchases and drive more sales to your business.

Another perk for biz owners is that mobile transaction fees are usually less than credit card fees. Sales through mobile could save you a small amount on every purchase.

Customer Data/>

Mobile payments enable merchants to collect data in much the same way as your everyday credit card purchases. Adding mobile payments to your business can help keep track of customer phone numbers, buying histories, and any other necessary information. Having this extra source of data about customers and their purchasing habits will enable you to offer more targeted and relevant deals, discounts and products to specific purchasers.

Collecting data can be a bit tricky, since it gets into privacy rights and issues (e.g., Facebook privacy concerns), so make sure your business is aware of how you can and cannot use customer information.

Regardless of your purposes, whether it be data, profit, or social loyalty, mobile payments are definitely an area for small businesses to watch.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Choose the Best Workspace for Your Business/> - 5 Winning Social Media Campaigns to Learn From/> - 10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them/> - 10 Free WordPress Themes for Small Businesses/> - 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, photo_smart

For more Business coverage:

    class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad


Final Preview - Content Aware Fill in Photoshop CS5 by honeytech


robert shumake

Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Digital <b>...</b>

Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Fujifilm has announced the X100, a large-sensor compact camera aimed at professional and enthusiast photographers. Based around a 12Mp APS-C CMOS sensor, Fuji EXR processor and 23mm F2 ...

Eric Boehlert: Fox <b>News</b> Has a Christine O&#39;Donnell Problem

Why? Because now Fox News has to explain to viewers why O'Donnell is ready to serve in the US Senate even though she's not ready to appear on Fox News Sunday. Awkward.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 announced and previewed: Digital <b>...</b>

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 announced and previewed: Photokina 2010: Panasonic has announced the DMC-GH2 Micro Four Thirds camera. The successor to the GH1 continues with its 'hybrid' stills/video philosophy but adds a host of tweaks and ...


robert shumake

Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Digital <b>...</b>

Fujifilm unveils FinePix X100 large-sensor compact: Fujifilm has announced the X100, a large-sensor compact camera aimed at professional and enthusiast photographers. Based around a 12Mp APS-C CMOS sensor, Fuji EXR processor and 23mm F2 ...

Eric Boehlert: Fox <b>News</b> Has a Christine O&#39;Donnell Problem

Why? Because now Fox News has to explain to viewers why O'Donnell is ready to serve in the US Senate even though she's not ready to appear on Fox News Sunday. Awkward.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 announced and previewed: Digital <b>...</b>

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 announced and previewed: Photokina 2010: Panasonic has announced the DMC-GH2 Micro Four Thirds camera. The successor to the GH1 continues with its 'hybrid' stills/video philosophy but adds a host of tweaks and ...

















Saturday, September 18, 2010

managing personal finances





Are you a fan of the GTD personal productivity system? Well if you like "Getting Things Done," here's GFD, Getting Finances Done, which shows you how to map David Allen's same principals to managing your personal finance and achieving your financial goals.



Applying GTD principles to your personal finances - Part 1 [Getting Finances Done]










Are you a fan of the GTD personal productivity system? Well if you like "Getting Things Done," here's GFD, Getting Finances Done, which shows you how to map David Allen's same principals to managing your personal finance and achieving your financial goals.



Applying GTD principles to your personal finances - Part 1 [Getting Finances Done]







eric seiger dermatology how to lose weight fast penis extender

The Hockey <b>News</b>: Getting To Know: Getting To Know: Gordie Howe

Mr. Hockey answers questions about funny stories from his NHL career, plus his earliest hockey memories and more.

<b>News</b> from across the pond: Russell Brand allegedly attacks a <b>...</b>

Russell Brand allegedly attacks a photographer: here Kim Kardashian's body worries: here Justin Bieber's love for him mom: here 201009.

Sarah Palin Calls On Fox <b>News</b> To Help Republicans Campaign For <b>...</b>

In a speech at the Iowa Republican Party's Reagan Dinner fundraiser on Friday, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin called on the GOP to come together and support the party's nominees in November.



MABUHAY ALLIANCE HOST THE 6TH ANNUAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE by mabuhayalliance




































Tuesday, September 14, 2010

how to manage personal finances


From Hotline (HT: Mataconis):


O'Donnell, a perennial conservative candidate in Delaware, is challenging moderate Rep. Mike Castle (R), the clear favorite of the GOP establishment. But she has come under fire recently for her personal financial problems. Reports have surfaced that she owed $10K in back taxes, defaulted on her mortgage and holds outstanding campaign debt.


Levi Russell, a spokesman for the group, told Hotline On Call that the group was not aware of O'Donnell's personal financial problems before it endorsed her.


"We don't know the exact situation," he said.


When asked if the group discussed the issues with O'Donnell, Russell responded: "No we haven't. We don't really have any contact with the campaign or the candidate."


We have blogged before reasons why we support Mike Castle over O'Donnell. But this report raises even more questions, such as:



  1. If the Tea Party really stands for fiscal conservatism, why would they endorse somebody who can't even manage her personal finances?

  2. Does it give you confidence in the Tea Party that they go around endorsing people without having any contact with the candidate? How do they know that this female version of Harold Stassen is really worthy of such an endorsement?

  3. Christine O'Donnell has run for office 4 times. Her sole victory was an uncontested Republican primary.

  4. In 2008, O'Donnell lost the Delaware senate race to Joe Biden by 65-35. She later falsely claimed to have won two counties in that race. Biden's percentage of the vote in 2008 was the largest of any of his senatorial campaigns.

  5. In 2008, one of the great Democratic landslides, Mike Castle beat his Democratic challenger for Delaware's sole Congressional seat by 23 points. Castle has won 13 consecutive state-wide races as a candidate either for Governor or Congressman. He's way ahead of the Democrat in the polls while O'Donnell trails the Democrat by 10 points.


As a student of Delaware corporate governance, I am firmly convinced that Delaware needs quality representation in Congress if it is to fend off the creeping federalization of corporate law. As a big tent Republican, I'm inclined to support smart, electable, centrists like Mike Castle over someone like O'Donnell. The perfect must not be allowed to become the enemy of the good. Especially when the supposed perfect candidate is pretty seriously flawed and probably unelectable.


This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. This post is part of Book Week at Get Rich Slowly.


Since my twin victories of paying off our last credit card and funding a summer of travel, my husband has begun to show interest in personal finance.


It’s not that he wasn’t supportive of my efforts before — he just preferred to support them from a safe, ignorant distance. A distance from which I handed him an envelope of cash each week to do the grocery shopping, he didn’t ask too many questions, and somehow we were climbing out of debt. He was more than happy to adopt any frugal-living strategy I suggested, as long as he didn’t have to think about the Big Picture.


That system worked, but I longed for more active participation from him. Not only because I wanted us to share equally in the journey toward financial freedom — I do want that — but also for a selfish reason. I wanted him to participate because he’s better at this stuff than I am. He’s a whiz at spreadsheets. The man has a Ph.d in Physical Chemistry. You don’t get one of those without doing a few math problems.


Lately, I’ve been getting my wish. My husband has been talking with a financial advisor at the university he works for, and having clear, honest conversations with me about our money.


This seemed like the perfect time for me to read Mary Hunt’s How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage.


Relationship first

Hunt’s book covers the basics of personal finance and debt destruction, with a special focus on doing it as a couple. Before she even begins talking about financial management, Hunt talks about strengthening the foundations of your marriage. You can’t have financial harmony without emotional intimacy, she says.


I couldn’t agree more. It’s clear in my own marriage that spending time relaxing together on vacation helped my husband and me both chill out and have better conversations during our family finance meetings too.


Hunt and I part ways in the chapters about how to achieve that emotional intimacy, though. She bases her prescription for marital bliss on traditional gender roles. She includes chapters for each sex on how to make deposits in the other’s Love Bank — a metaphorical bank of goodwill made of small, loving gestures.


The Love Bank is an adorable idea, one I’m tempted to put into practice here in my own home. I’m pretty sure I won’t be making my deposits to my husband’s Love Bank by biting my tongue when I disagree with him, though. Likewise, I don’t expect him to express his love for me by bringing me flowers and handling all the tough decisions for me like the natural leader of our family should.


Hunt is a generation (or two) older than I am, and what works for her marriage is so foreign to my young, feminist mind that it was actually a little hard to read. But leaving aside the details of how you get to an intimate marriage, though, she and I agree wholeheartedly that it’s important to get your emotional needs met before you can effectively work together with your spouse to manage your finances.


Money second

The personal-finance half of the book will be familiar to most GRS readers. Hunt advocates an approach similar to Your Money or Your Life and Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, one that begins with calculating your net worth and tracking your expenses. From there, she covers the basics of setting up an emergency fund, creating a spending plan, and starting a debt snowball (though she uses different terms for these steps).


Like her ideal of a healthy relationship, Hunt’s financial advice seems a little dated in places. A lot of it has to do with how to organize your three-ring binders, or how to painstakingly accomplish by-hand calculations that Mint can do for you in a few minutes. If you’re a devotee of the pen-and-paper approach, though, her chapters on how to track and plan your spending are rock solid and detailed enough to easily follow.


The one thing in this book that made me want to put it down, run to my office, and implement it on the spot was, in fact, her filing system. Hunt takes a few pages to go over exactly what personal records you should be keeping, and outlines an elegant effective way to organize them. I spent an hour tearing apart my filing cabinet yesterday as soon as I read those pages. I may not want my marriage to look much like hers, but I’m delighted to have made over my filing cabinet in Mary Hunt’s image.


Different views

There are a few areas where Mary’s financial advice deviates from the usual Get Rich Slowly formula. One is the matter of the debt snowball. She encourages readers to start saving 10% of their income towards an emergency fund immediately, while still paying the minimums on their credit cards. Only after saving up a fully funded six-month emergency fund would Hunt advise you to roll those savings into your credit card payments.


Given the relative interest rates on credit cards and savings accounts, this approach will almost certainly cost you money. If it works for you psychologically, though, by all means pursue it. No matter what order you do them in, the key steps of tracking your spending, creating an emergency fund, and snowballing your debt payments will lead you to financial security.


Another place where she breaks with conventional wisdom is in her savings and spending ratios. GRS readers are familiar with the Balanced Money Formula that encourages us to use 50% of our money for living expenses, 30% for fun and 20% for savings. Hunt advises 10% for giving, 10% for saving and 80% for spending.


The order of those percentages is vital to her. A devout Christian, Hunt feels that all the money that comes into your life is a blessing from God, and promptly giving 10% of it back to God shows you can be trusted with this blessing, and more of it will come your way.


I’m not a Christian, but I admire Mary’s faith and devotion to charitable giving. It’s a goal of mine to give 10% of my income. I’ve written about that here before, and readers made a persuasive case for waiting until my debts were paid before giving so much away. For now, I give a modest amount and look forward to giving more in the future.


I think that for Hunt, the psychological benefits of giving 10% and saving 10% before you make any spending decisions at all outweigh the financial benefits of paying off your debts as fast as possible and then beginning to accumulate and donate wealth.


It’s an interesting approach, and one that might work for a lot of people. Particularly if you’re a devoted Christian and looking for a personal-finance book that reflects your values, you’ll find a lot of good in How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage. If you’re looking for a book that’s totally focused on financial savvy and relationship skills, though, this might not be your best bet.










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