Wow, want to live the American dream and build your own empire? Ok, but it's a long road, so let's start at the basics. Here are the first 5 things you need to think about:
Well the correct thing to do would be to pay off debt, but I guess taking a vacation at North Padre Island rentals would be nice too... If you want to help stimulate the U.S., economy as these checks are supposed to do, make sure you travel within the U.S. or at least book through a U.S. travel agency. This way the money sees some action in the U.S. economy and does what it is intended to.
ELPUOC DDO EHT is a special version of Gnarls Barkley's latest album The Odd Couple. It is the entire album, as a single track, played in reverse order. You can download the album free from Danger Mouse's site Fronttobackbacktofront.com. No joke -- all I can say is...
The Stark Museum of Art is located in Orange, Texas and is known for its definitive collective of American Western Art. If you love all things American West, you have got to visit the Stark Museum of Art. From Native American Art to Western influenced, the Stark has amazing collections. Visit them online and get a taste. The Stark Museum of Art is made possible through funding from the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation. Founded in 1961, this foundation's objective is "to enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas through education and the arts."
Have you seen the amazing infomercials for Shamwow? As Slate Magazine writes, the guy running the show will probably by the next "Billy Mays" -- all-star pitch man.
http://www.slate.com/id/2190658/
The guy at the center of this, one Vince "Can I Make You An" Offer, seems like a newcomer but he has actually been in the public eye once before.... for suing his Church of Scientology! Read this Press Release (thanks Slate for the link!)
It seems Vince was an amateur film maker before turning pitch man and created a super-sick film called "The Underground Comedy Movie". Allegedly Scientology tried to keep him down!
Going on sightseeing tours is a great way to catch the flavor of a new city and get acquainted. That's what I did when I first moved to Atlanta. I saw the sights -- the Coca-Cola Museum, the High Museum of Art, and even a tour based on Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind -- and got a really good introduction to this great city. Here's a list of Things to do in Atlanta from Trusted Tours & Attractions. It was a really wild time -- after the tours, I hit the town for a wild night in the city going from Midtown to Buckhead and everywhere in between.
Visit Trusted Tours & Attractions's site and check out all the great deals for not only the ATL but dozens of other cities across America. Chances are that the city you will be visiting next is listed and you'll find a really interesting tour to take! I like this list of things to do in Chicago -- I was just there last month and missed a lot! Next time I'll take time to take a tour.
While you are on the site Trustedtours.com, sign up for their newsletter and you will not only get the latest news on great travel tour deals but you will qualify for the chance to win a $150 iTunes gift card. It's quick and free!
Well it's not OK for me... but that's because I'm a vegetarian. But according to the FDA's "Final Risk Assessment", meat and milk from cloned cows, pigs, and goats is fine for consumption. Furthermore, there will be no specific labeling requirements for such products. It is not expected that cloned meat or milk will be on shelves before the next few years, but as far as safety is concerned, the FDA's case is closed.
Which company will be the first to have $1 U.S. in gross revenue for a single year? Will it be an oil company like Exxon or will it be a software company like Microsoft? Exxon has been hitting over the $300 or $400 billion mark with high oil prices. Wal-Mart has gone over $200 billion on strong sales. Who will make it to $1 trillion first? Place your bets now! I am betting that the first company to create a weight loss pill like lipovox that makes you lose all the weight you want and eat as much as you can will have a good shot!
Ah, magazine economics. Publishers make a lot of their money on advertising although sales do count towards income. But in order to sell adverts, publishers need to show advertisers how much reach (circulation) they can expect and even which demographics are involved. As such, publishers can offer deep discounts on subscriptions so that they can say for sure that they will ship 12 copies to a single person. Also subscription data includes you name and address which could be used for demographics. So why is cover price so much higher? To encourage subscriptions, of course! It's negative reinforcement to convince people to subscribe (thus accomplishing the aforementioned goals).
Is it acceptable these days to plan a party using only online invitations or are party invitations sent by snail mail still proper etiquette? Well I'm not etiquette expert, but I would say that all depends on the type of get together and who is invited. If its a gathering for close friends and family members, then online invitations are fine in my opinion. But if you are inviting other people, like acquaintances or distant relatives (especially those traveling from out of town), an old-fashion paper invitation sent my postal service is better.
The Pursuit of Self Interest is an economic and behavioral theory created by Scottish Economist Adam Smith. The theory explains the sources of self interest and the apparent benefit of self-interest practices to the economy. Smith writes that people do act in a self-interested behavior and, on a macroeconomic level, this self-interest benefits the free market.
In terms of addiction, recovery is the condition where someone is maintaining control of addiction. It is an ongoing process which never ends -- once the habit has been "kicked", the person is in recovery perhaps the rest of their life. This is an important concept in the subject of drug rehab. To prevent relapses, one has to understand they will be fighting to control their urges for a long time after treatment. Ignoring this important fact can mean failure when it comes to lasting recovery.
Ah - old school economics! I love it. Another one of economist Adam Smith's main tenants, the division of labor created a more efficient economy. Instead of wasting time and lacking skill across a variety of jobs, when work is divided and concentrated to specific tasks, it becomes more efficient. While this idea was not new (it had been around since Plato), Smith's exploration of it in his Magnum Opus "The Wealth of Nations" permanently tied it to his legacy.
Have you seen the show Sell This House! on A&E? Well if you have then you'll recognize the lovely Tayna Memme. She has joined onto a new contest from Renuzit TriScents and the prize is really cool.
Visit the semi-finalist gallery and vote for their favorite submission through June 7, 2008. You can vote up to once a day, no vote now and vote often! The lucky winner as determined by the most votes will win -- get this -- a $20,000 home makeover by Tayna Memme! Wow that is some serious prize -- I wish I could have gotten in on this action! Oh well, at least there is time to participate in the voting. Pick your favorite entry and help them win the big prize.
Here's my favorite entry into the contest. And old house (and a stinky bathroom) has been made new smelling again thanks to Renuzit TriScents.
Renuzit TriScents freshens your home's air with ease. Check out the site for some great stories and even see some of Tanya's Transforming Tips for your home. Quick and easy makeover tips you can do for not too much money. Either way -- someone will win big!
The riskiest type of procurement contract when it comes to the Buyer's part is Cost-plus Percentage of Cost (CPPC). Why? In this agreement, the buyer covers all the sellers costs (no matter what the overrun, if applicable) and then on top of that, pays a fixed percentage of those costs as a fee.
Well that really all depends how far you plan to be traveling at your destination. If you are going to a major city or a foreign land, then probably renting a car is not a good or useful idea. But if you are traveling elsewhere, especially within the U.S., it's probably a good idea to rent a car. Advantage has some great offers right now including rates starting at just $19.99/day! I like the fact that they offer large size SUVs for a low price -- this helps when you are traveling with more than 3 other people. Check out their site for great car rental deals.
The riskiest type of procurement contract when it comes to the Seller's part is Firm Fixed Price (FP). In this contract, the work scope is defined and it is up to the seller to complete it to the contractual level of completion. Any delays or overruns on the seller's side will only hurt them and they will not be able to asked for more money.
SocialSpark is the newest idea out of those geniuses at IZEA. You might know the IZEA guys as the people behind PayPerPost, a major disruptor in the blogging world and subject to a lot of discussion. Hate them or love them, IZEA's new SocialSpark is a great idea in blogging and social networking. It's actually something totally new -- a Social Marketing Network! Isn't that a cool idea?
SocialSpark is a social network which allows bloggers and advertisers to interact in a natural and intuitive way. Advertisers can still create blogging opportunities like PayPerPost but now they can do a lot more like sponsor blogs and create brand advocate teams. Now that's something refreshing that I really like about SocialSpark.
One of my favorite blogs, The BenSpark, is already up on SocialSpark. On Drew's profile you can read his latest post, check out his stats, see which advertisers are visiting and which bloggers have stopped by. This sort of information and interactivity is what SocialSpark is all about. The BenSpark's photography is probably what draws me most to his site time and time again. It's what blogging is all about -- sharing, interacting, learning and making friends.
This Post was Supported by the Folks at SocialSpark! Thanks!
Corporate Personhood is not a person in the human sense of the word but it is in the legal sense. When a corporation is formed, it takes on many legal rights that people enjoy. This is referred to as corporate personhood. In as much a corporation enjoys the right to own property, enter into binding contracts, pay taxes, and have certain constitutional rights. It cannot, though, vote or become a citizen. But unlike a natural person, a corporation can live, in theory, forever (in perpetuity).
Ah, the mystical "weight loss in a pill". It seems like a myth or just a daydream, but I think that one day soon we'll see a pill that can help you really lose weight. Think of all the money the company that invents it will make. You though Viagra was a big seller? Well imagine if a true weight loss pill was created and then approved by the FDA. Until then you'll have to settle for unregulated supplements like Phentermine and TrimSpa to help lose weight.
PMI, or Primate Mortgage Insurance, was not tax deductible -- until this year. The U.S. Congress has passed a law which allows the full amount of PMI paid to be tax deductible this year. This law was made in effort to provide some tax relief to the heavily damaged mortgage industry. The law is set to expire by next year if it is not renewed or extended.
Its really getting ridiculous how fast medical insurance and medical expenses are increasing -- we'd all like to know which candidate for President will be the most effective. I don't want to get political one this one, so I leave it to you readers to comment on your choice. All I know is that whether its North Carolina health insurance or New York health insurance we're talking about, the prices are going up and there doesn't seem anything we can do about it! Help!
Long distance can be expensive. Trust me -- I once use a hotel phone in Mexico to call the U.S. and got charged over $5 a minute! If your calling within the U.S., you cell phone might be the best option. Check to see if you have nationwide calling included. It could be very cheap (just use minutes) or even free (if you calling during unlimited times). If you are calling internationally, I recommend using a calling card. Find a good calling card like Pingo to keep your fees low and your rates cheap.
How about by telling an embarrassing story to the whole Internet! It would look something like this:
Yup that certainly was an embarrassing thing to happen. I mean, I was like 26 years old! You'd think I'd be able to pass a driving test. Well I do think that sharing this story has helped be to come out of my shell and get it into the open. Speaking of "coming out of your shell", have you heard about the site BeOysterAware.com? It's all about Oysters, how to cook them and how to prepare them safely. Don't be embarrassed -- check out the site and be safe! Gulf oysters can be a treat -- come out of your shell and share a story with me.
Although far from a penny in value, these class of stocks range in price up to $5 per share and/or does not trade on a major stock exchange. This is not an exact definition. In fact, the U.S. SEC defines penny stock as:
While penny stocks generally trade over-the-counter, such as on the OTC Bulletin Board or in the Pink Sheets, they may also trade on securities exchanges, including foreign securities exchanges. In addition, penny stocks include the securities of certain private companies with no active trading market.They also refer to penny stocks as "microcaps" which relate directly to the underlying tiny market capitalization. One of the biggest risks with penny stocks is that they can be so small that they do not report their financial data to the SEC and thus are not subject to financial scrutiny.
Why use a moving company like these New York movers? Doesn't it cost you more than doing it yourself? It might, or it might seem that way, but in the long run, it's probably worth your money to pay someone to do it. I've moved several times. The first couple were by myself and it was OK. But once I got married and acquired more stuff (and had less free time), paying movers is really a great deal, especially if you are moving out of town!
An educated investor is a successful investor. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has a great webpage for this topic. The offer a clear look at the biggest risks involved. These include a lack of publicly available information and the susceptibility of these stocks to fraud. A lack of public information means that information is not readily available such as analyst coverage, financial reports, balance sheets, cash flow information and accurate sales figures.
R&D stands for Research and Develop. In business, you need to stay on top of trends and provide new products or services to stay relevant. For many businesses that involves experiments, prototypes, using clinical laboratory service plans, and market research to develop the future. R&D spending can amount to a large percent of a company's use of free cash flow, especially in medical, pharmaceutical, and software companies.
It's a dangerous scam, to fall for, so read up and what out! The Pump-and-Dump scheme is used in penny stocks and other low quality securities. A stock is hyped on the Internet, on the phone, or in public (a tip at the bar) in order to pump the price up. Once it goes up, the people behind the scheme sell their shares for a big profit. Since the run-up in price was not backed by any real news, the value of the shares quickly fall thereafter, usually below the initial price.
In the case that your current health insurance does not cover you when you travel internationally or if its not enough coverage, then you'd buy something called travel health insurance. Its a supplemental policy which fills in the gaps or provides total foreign coverage. It might even be the case that your "regular" health insurance covers you in most countries but not certain ones, perhaps deemed dangerous or higher risk. That could mean the Middle East, South America or Africa.
Dollar cost averaging is perhaps the greatest way to accumulate wealth. Investing over the long run is the only sure fire way to make money in the stock market. Dollar cost averaging means that you repeatably invest in the same security over time, each time adding to your total holdings. This not only helps you accumulate a large amount of a stock (or fund), but also smooth out any short term price fluctuations. As long as the security goes up over the long term, you make money. It's called dollar cost averaging because each time you buy you average your purchase price.
A lot! Teens not only have a big influence on household spending practices but also have a lot of spending power from part time jobs. So what are teens spending their money on? Well its NOT on music CDs! CD sales are down all decade long and teen spending habits are the culprit. A whole generation of music lovers are growing up without needing necessarily to buy entire albums. Instead they're spending their money on clothes, shoes, the best acne treatment, and Video Games!
Who doesn't want to be the person who finds an Enron? Whether it be the Pump-and-Dump scheme, email spam, high pressure cold calls, or anonymous voice mail messages (a new variation of the Pump-and-Dump), you should report these unsavory practices to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (U.S. SEC). They offer many ways to report:
1. Online Form http://www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml
2. Email enforcement@sec.gov
3. Fax 202-772-9295
4. Telephone 1-800-SEC-0330
I think the online form might be the anonymous format to report this stuff, but don't be afraid to step up to the plate!
Practical Completion is a term in Project Management which denotes a milestone in a project where the work is complete with an agreed upon open points list. The open points list is very important in that it must be specific and agreed upon by both parties. This milestone usually corresponds with a payment of a large portion of the contract.
I love to save money and cut corners in costs, but there is one area where I refuse -- dress shoes! No seriously, a hand-crafted mens dress shoe is not only good looking but really an investment in footwear. I've had a pair of Rockports (pre-Adidas ownership) that lasted over 8 years of constant use. Sure they cost $175 a pair, but they were worth every penny. Look for quality shoes from Johnston and Murphy, Cole Haan, and smaller Italian designers. Spending $150 to $400 a pair is not outrageous when you factor in the style, usage, durability, and comfort.
It's OK if you don't know -- Ben Bernanke is the current Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve. He took that position over from the legendary Alan Greenspan. So what qualified him for the job? Well a lot! Here's a list of his previous titles:
If you live outside the U.S, then chances are you can. It gets trickier and muddier when you live in the U.S.... that is, until now! USPlayersWelcome.net is the best site to find Online casinos available for most U.S. residents to play in. This site lists online casinos which accept US players from all states except from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon, Louisiana and South Dakota. If you live in the other 41 states, then party on! These USA online casinos are fun and available 24/7. I like to check out those Online casinos which offer free casino games online. Why not have fun online, especially if its for free. If you are planning to go to Vegas or AC, visit these sites first and sharpen your skillz.
A Hostile Takeover is when the bidder (either a company, a group of investors, or an individual) makes an offer for a company either without informing the target company's board first, or if the board rejects the offer and the bidder makes the offer anyways. The shareholders then decide whether or not to accept the bid. In this case, a hostile takeover may actually be beneficial to the shareholders if the board is not acting in their best interest. There are added risks to the bidder with a hostile takeover because they usually don't have as much company info to base their decision on as they would if they had had the cooperation of the board.
A gaming chair is a chair customize and optimized for playing video games. It can be as simple as a floor sitting chair with a comfortable back. More advanced models include built-in speakers, vibrations, and lights. Of course you can always buy even fancier models that are more like a massage chair than anything else. Hey, why not get a massage while you kick back and play Shadow of the Colossus.
I've said this before, but it bears repeating: Pay Yourself First. Figure out a budget and determine how much money you should have left over each month. If it's not at least 5% of your income, then rebalance your budget, make cuts, and then figure it out again. Once you get a budget where you can save 5% or more a month, set up an automatic transfer of that amount to a savings account like ING Direct.
It's sort of like knowing where you were when Kennedy was shot -- you probably have a clear memory of how your first adventures with the Internet were. My first memories was searching for travel deals on Travelocity. The sites were primitive but they got the job done. Before then I remember doing research for school using the primitive Internet. In the same memory I am also printing out my report on a dot matrix printer and tearing off the feed margins.
529 Plans are savings accounts for education costs. Sort of like the Roth IRA is to retirement savings, the 529 plan is an investment account to help you save for higher education expenses. They are a little more regulated than Roth IRAs meaning that there is only 1 offered by each state government. They get commercial investment firms to manage these accounts for them but at a reduced expense. So basically you have 50 plans to choose from since you aren't limited to your own state's. Some are better than others and you can find ranking of them on the Internet. But if your state's plan is near the top, then check if they offer a tax deduction for contributions.
Coins are a great collectible, but I wouldn't consider them primarily as an investment. Instead I think of them as a collectible that has the secondary benefit of keeping its value and gaining in value over time. The financial aspect is a side effect of this great and rewarding hobby. If you want to start a rare coin collection, Monaco Rare Coin can get you started in a big way. As a part of the Monex family of companies, you can rest assured that the coins you get will not only be top quality but also backed by almost 40 years experience and expertise. No matter how big or small your budget is, Monaco can get you great coins. If you are a big time collector, Monaco has some of the rarest coins on the market. Their staff are members of the Professional Numismatic Guild and many other professional societies. You are truly dealing with experts and it shows. Get started by asking Monaco for a trial subscription to “The Rare Coin Insider” (it's free!). Then you can start reading up on the exciting ventures in this field.
