by Christine Kennard
We know from a number of studies that exercise can help reduce the risk of dementia, such as Alzheimer's. The most recent research from the University of Washington suggests that risk reduction through exercise may be as high as 40%.
Dr Larson and his team followed 1,740 people aged over 65, who did not show any signs of dementia, for over six years. Their findings showed that regular exercise cut the risk of dementia. It also indicated that exercise helped delay progression of Alzheimer's and dementia in people who had began to develop symptoms.
Exercise makes us feel better, physically and emotionally. This is true for people with dementia too. Exercise improves strength and endurance, it decreases body fat, improves appetite as well as improving movement to joints, muscles and increases oxygen delivery throughout the body. Exercise can also be fun and open up a world of social interaction for the person with Alzheimer's and their caregiver.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Staying on the Fast Track to Success
From The Millionaire Inside
When you first set a goal it?s pretty easy to stay on track. You?ve got a plan, you?re working the plan and your motivation is strong.
As time goes on, however, there exists the possibility of losing steam and getting off-track. In order to develop the momentum and stamina required to achieve your goals, there are several qualities you?ll need to work on:
1) Belief. It is absolutely crucial that you believe in what you?re doing. This is easy at the beginning because you?re focused on what you stand to gain from achieving your goal. As time goes on, you may gradually forget how excited you were and start to lose that inner fire.
To avoid this possibility, be sure to keep your vision strong and clear in your mind. Write it out in full detail, or create a visual reminder with drawings, paintings or magazine photos that represent your goals. Revisit these reminders frequently.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
When you first set a goal it?s pretty easy to stay on track. You?ve got a plan, you?re working the plan and your motivation is strong.
As time goes on, however, there exists the possibility of losing steam and getting off-track. In order to develop the momentum and stamina required to achieve your goals, there are several qualities you?ll need to work on:
1) Belief. It is absolutely crucial that you believe in what you?re doing. This is easy at the beginning because you?re focused on what you stand to gain from achieving your goal. As time goes on, you may gradually forget how excited you were and start to lose that inner fire.
To avoid this possibility, be sure to keep your vision strong and clear in your mind. Write it out in full detail, or create a visual reminder with drawings, paintings or magazine photos that represent your goals. Revisit these reminders frequently.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Increasing Your Tips: Bartender Tricks!
Always cater to the ladies. Over the past 5 years, I’ve discovered the best ways to engage in fun contact with hot girls, here are a few…
Before your shift starts – arrange with management to showboat through the crowd with your shirt off. Have a bottle of Cuervo in one hand, and a bottle of lime juice in the other. Cherry pick the place for the hottest girls, and do some “tequila laybacks.
(If an open bar or long table is available, have her lie down, and pour from both bottles at once into her mouth. If not, have her kneel, or sit on a chair. This gives hot girls a close contact opportunity to grope you, take pictures with you, and introduce themselves, which ultimately brings them over to your bar when your shift starts.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Before your shift starts – arrange with management to showboat through the crowd with your shirt off. Have a bottle of Cuervo in one hand, and a bottle of lime juice in the other. Cherry pick the place for the hottest girls, and do some “tequila laybacks.
(If an open bar or long table is available, have her lie down, and pour from both bottles at once into her mouth. If not, have her kneel, or sit on a chair. This gives hot girls a close contact opportunity to grope you, take pictures with you, and introduce themselves, which ultimately brings them over to your bar when your shift starts.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Scammers exploit online trust factor
By David Colker
When Pierre Omidyar founded the EBay auction website in 1995, he built it around a simple core value: "People are basically good." Ah, the good old days.
Although most transactions come off without a hitch, anyone who regularly uses EBay knows that fraud is a danger on a site that depends to a great extent on trust, both for buyers and sellers.
When you make a winning bid and pay for an item, you have to depend on the seller -- who is probably someone you've never met -- to actually send it to you. You also have to trust that the item is genuine and in the condition described in the listing.
On the seller side, you have to rely on the buyer to send the payment in a timely fashion for the total amount, and trust that a check, if that's the method of payment, is genuine.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
When Pierre Omidyar founded the EBay auction website in 1995, he built it around a simple core value: "People are basically good." Ah, the good old days.
Although most transactions come off without a hitch, anyone who regularly uses EBay knows that fraud is a danger on a site that depends to a great extent on trust, both for buyers and sellers.
When you make a winning bid and pay for an item, you have to depend on the seller -- who is probably someone you've never met -- to actually send it to you. You also have to trust that the item is genuine and in the condition described in the listing.
On the seller side, you have to rely on the buyer to send the payment in a timely fashion for the total amount, and trust that a check, if that's the method of payment, is genuine.
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Uncomfortable Answers to Questions on the Economy
by Peter S. Goodman
You have heard that Fannie and Freddie, their gentle names notwithstanding, may cripple the financial system without a large infusion of taxpayer money. You have gleaned that jobs are disappearing, housing prices are plummeting, and paychecks are effectively shrinking as food and energy prices soar.
You have noted the disturbing talk of crisis hovering over Wall Street. Something has clearly gone wrong with the economy. But how bad are things, really? And how bad might they get before better days return?
Even to many economists who recently thought the gloom was overblown, the situation looks grim. The economy is in the midst of a very rough patch. The worst is probably still ahead.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
You have heard that Fannie and Freddie, their gentle names notwithstanding, may cripple the financial system without a large infusion of taxpayer money. You have gleaned that jobs are disappearing, housing prices are plummeting, and paychecks are effectively shrinking as food and energy prices soar.
You have noted the disturbing talk of crisis hovering over Wall Street. Something has clearly gone wrong with the economy. But how bad are things, really? And how bad might they get before better days return?
Even to many economists who recently thought the gloom was overblown, the situation looks grim. The economy is in the midst of a very rough patch. The worst is probably still ahead.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
5 ways to Increase Your Bartending Tips - Tip Jar
Never underestimate your tip jars role in increasing your bartending tips. Here are the main points to consider in regards to your tip jar:
1. Make sure that it does not blend in with it’s surroundings - It needs to be very obviously a tip jar. Your customers should be able to see it out of their peripheral vision. A large tip jar that stands out is best. Even throwing a glowstick in there to attract attention will help.
2. Make sure that it is see-through - Never overlook the power of suggestion. If a customer sees that everyone else is tipping you, they will feel pressured to match their peers. (One unfortunate side effect is that people are much more likely to try to steal out of your tip jar when they can see the attractive money pile you have built)
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1. Make sure that it does not blend in with it’s surroundings - It needs to be very obviously a tip jar. Your customers should be able to see it out of their peripheral vision. A large tip jar that stands out is best. Even throwing a glowstick in there to attract attention will help.
2. Make sure that it is see-through - Never overlook the power of suggestion. If a customer sees that everyone else is tipping you, they will feel pressured to match their peers. (One unfortunate side effect is that people are much more likely to try to steal out of your tip jar when they can see the attractive money pile you have built)
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Monday, July 28, 2008
Money Matters
By Paris
Some of the many problems which continue to face our communities have to do with financial instability and poor money management. However, many of these issues can be cured for most by simply becoming aware of one's options and creating a plan.
It's one thing to be afraid and distrusting of money management -- it's another thing altogether to master the system and use it for our benefit. Contrary to the belief of some, there is a considerable amount of wealth and purchasing power in the Black Community -- it just needs to be channeled correctly.
And while many people often express interest in learning more about proper money management, they are unaware of credible and easy-to-understand sources of such information.
It's important that you understand and adapt to the system if we want to bring about change. Use it for your benefit to enact change. Remember, change and revolution are one and the same - economic depression is oppression.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Some of the many problems which continue to face our communities have to do with financial instability and poor money management. However, many of these issues can be cured for most by simply becoming aware of one's options and creating a plan.
It's one thing to be afraid and distrusting of money management -- it's another thing altogether to master the system and use it for our benefit. Contrary to the belief of some, there is a considerable amount of wealth and purchasing power in the Black Community -- it just needs to be channeled correctly.
And while many people often express interest in learning more about proper money management, they are unaware of credible and easy-to-understand sources of such information.
It's important that you understand and adapt to the system if we want to bring about change. Use it for your benefit to enact change. Remember, change and revolution are one and the same - economic depression is oppression.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Different shades of green for wine fans
By Rob Kasper
Green wines are growing. These are "eco" green wines that their makers say are made in harmony with nature. In the United States their sales are up, as is the number of vineyards using organic farming methods.There are various grades of green.
First, there is wine made from vineyards that practice "sustainable farming." This is a rather loosely defined designation, which means that the wineries use a minimum of chemical treatments and preserve the natural balance of the soil.There is also "biodynamic" wine.
This is wine that has been made following the holistic farming methods advocated by the late Rudolph Steiner and certified by a group called the Demeter Association. Some of these methods include planting and harvesting the crop in harmony with the position of the sun and moon.
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Green wines are growing. These are "eco" green wines that their makers say are made in harmony with nature. In the United States their sales are up, as is the number of vineyards using organic farming methods.There are various grades of green.
First, there is wine made from vineyards that practice "sustainable farming." This is a rather loosely defined designation, which means that the wineries use a minimum of chemical treatments and preserve the natural balance of the soil.There is also "biodynamic" wine.
This is wine that has been made following the holistic farming methods advocated by the late Rudolph Steiner and certified by a group called the Demeter Association. Some of these methods include planting and harvesting the crop in harmony with the position of the sun and moon.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Best Investment You Can Make
By Dan Caplinger
Stocks go up and down -- mostly down, lately. Commodities have made a mint for investors in recent months, but with oil down $9 in the past two days, they're far from a sure thing.
But there's one investment you can make that's sure to pay dividends, both now and for the rest of your life. If you're in debt, you owe it to yourself to get it paid down as soon as you can.
Good for business, good for you
Wall Street has learned the hard way what being overleveraged can do to your financial condition. Institutional giants like Citigroup (NYSE: C) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) have suffered multibillion-dollar losses trying to recover from the subprime mess. Even smaller regional banks, such as Fifth Third (Nasdaq: FITB) and SunTrust Banks (NYSE: STI), are hurting to raise capital.
Similarly, lots of families have found their budgets increasingly stretched. Higher food and fuel prices mean less disposable income for other needs. And while stimulus payments have given many people a temporary reprieve, $600 won't be enough to deal with high costs for very long.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Stocks go up and down -- mostly down, lately. Commodities have made a mint for investors in recent months, but with oil down $9 in the past two days, they're far from a sure thing.
But there's one investment you can make that's sure to pay dividends, both now and for the rest of your life. If you're in debt, you owe it to yourself to get it paid down as soon as you can.
Good for business, good for you
Wall Street has learned the hard way what being overleveraged can do to your financial condition. Institutional giants like Citigroup (NYSE: C) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) have suffered multibillion-dollar losses trying to recover from the subprime mess. Even smaller regional banks, such as Fifth Third (Nasdaq: FITB) and SunTrust Banks (NYSE: STI), are hurting to raise capital.
Similarly, lots of families have found their budgets increasingly stretched. Higher food and fuel prices mean less disposable income for other needs. And while stimulus payments have given many people a temporary reprieve, $600 won't be enough to deal with high costs for very long.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
In Silicon Valley, Real Estate Remains Strong
By Prashant Gopal
Mountain Home Road in Silicon Valley's Woodside community is a pleasant, tree-lined street. At first glance it might seem like any other upscale suburb, until it becomes apparent that few of the homes are visible from the road. That's because this, and streets like it all over California's San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, are where Silicon Valley's most powerful people live -- and they like their privacy.
Silicon Valley's technology titans also try to keep a low profile when they put their mansions up for sale -- especially when the prices equal the value of many of the area's startups. The most expensive properties in America's technology capital are often sold privately and without the help of the multiple listing service.
But many of the homes themselves are decidedly high-profile. Take, for instance, Oracle (NasdaqGS:ORCL - News) Chief Executive Larry Ellison's 23-acre estate in Woodside, which he bought in 1995 for $12 million before spending more than $200 million to remake it into a 16th-century Japanese palace, complete with an authentic tea house and strolling garden.
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Mountain Home Road in Silicon Valley's Woodside community is a pleasant, tree-lined street. At first glance it might seem like any other upscale suburb, until it becomes apparent that few of the homes are visible from the road. That's because this, and streets like it all over California's San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, are where Silicon Valley's most powerful people live -- and they like their privacy.
Silicon Valley's technology titans also try to keep a low profile when they put their mansions up for sale -- especially when the prices equal the value of many of the area's startups. The most expensive properties in America's technology capital are often sold privately and without the help of the multiple listing service.
But many of the homes themselves are decidedly high-profile. Take, for instance, Oracle (NasdaqGS:ORCL - News) Chief Executive Larry Ellison's 23-acre estate in Woodside, which he bought in 1995 for $12 million before spending more than $200 million to remake it into a 16th-century Japanese palace, complete with an authentic tea house and strolling garden.
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Struggle in Bordeaux :- The thirst for international wines forces change in France's iconic region
By Bill Daley
Would you buy a rosé wine from a guy whose rugby team nickname was "Cricket"? Winemaker Pierre Seillan is betting you will, especially after taking a gander at the bottle's silvery label adorned with a pink cricket--hence the wine's name, "Pink Criquet"--and an appreciative taste.
Greeting visitors at the 17th Century Chateau Lassegue, Seillan clearly has fun with the wine, a fruity yet crisp blend made with the juice of merlot and cabernet franc and closed with--heresy!--a screwcap instead of a cork.
But then this Frenchman doesn't match America's stereotypical view of a Bordeaux winemaker as some haughty ascot-wearing aristocrat following ancient rules. He dresses casually for work in the vineyard and doesn't mind innovations that work.
And though Seillan is lauded by consumers and critics for the wines he makes here, in Tuscany and in California, he humbly doesn't take the credit.
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Would you buy a rosé wine from a guy whose rugby team nickname was "Cricket"? Winemaker Pierre Seillan is betting you will, especially after taking a gander at the bottle's silvery label adorned with a pink cricket--hence the wine's name, "Pink Criquet"--and an appreciative taste.
Greeting visitors at the 17th Century Chateau Lassegue, Seillan clearly has fun with the wine, a fruity yet crisp blend made with the juice of merlot and cabernet franc and closed with--heresy!--a screwcap instead of a cork.
But then this Frenchman doesn't match America's stereotypical view of a Bordeaux winemaker as some haughty ascot-wearing aristocrat following ancient rules. He dresses casually for work in the vineyard and doesn't mind innovations that work.
And though Seillan is lauded by consumers and critics for the wines he makes here, in Tuscany and in California, he humbly doesn't take the credit.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Can You Live on $845.89 Per Month?
By Chuck Saletta
If you think you can count on Social Security for anything resembling a comfortable retirement, think again. Don't just take my word for it. Here's what the Social Security Administration itself claims:
As of June 2008, the average monthly benefit paid to a retired worker was $1,084.47. In 2041, Social Security will only be able to pay 78% of scheduled benefits. Put those two points together, and it means that in 2041, the average retiree can expect to receive the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $845.89 per month.
That may be enough to squeak by on the most meager of lifestyles, but it's also well below what a full-time minimum-wage job pays.
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If you think you can count on Social Security for anything resembling a comfortable retirement, think again. Don't just take my word for it. Here's what the Social Security Administration itself claims:
As of June 2008, the average monthly benefit paid to a retired worker was $1,084.47. In 2041, Social Security will only be able to pay 78% of scheduled benefits. Put those two points together, and it means that in 2041, the average retiree can expect to receive the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $845.89 per month.
That may be enough to squeak by on the most meager of lifestyles, but it's also well below what a full-time minimum-wage job pays.
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T. Boone Pickens could gain from his energy plan, but so might we
David Lazarus
When a guy heavily invested in natural gas and wind power says the answer to our energy woes is natural gas and wind power, it's hard not to smirk at his Texas-size gumption.But let's not be hasty. Energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens unveiled a plan Tuesday to wean the United States from its dependence on foreign oil.
By shifting to natural gas as a transportation fuel and increasing our reliance on wind power, he said, we could cut oil imports by as much as 38%."Our dependence on imported oil is killing our economy," Pickens said in a statement. "It is the single biggest problem facing America today."
He called the country's oil purchases from places like Saudi Arabia "the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind, sending billions of our dollars overseas to buy . . . a commodity that lasts 90 days until burned in our gas tanks."Pickens, a legendary oilman, said his plan could change things within five to 10 years "if we can get Congress and the administration to act quickly."
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
When a guy heavily invested in natural gas and wind power says the answer to our energy woes is natural gas and wind power, it's hard not to smirk at his Texas-size gumption.But let's not be hasty. Energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens unveiled a plan Tuesday to wean the United States from its dependence on foreign oil.
By shifting to natural gas as a transportation fuel and increasing our reliance on wind power, he said, we could cut oil imports by as much as 38%."Our dependence on imported oil is killing our economy," Pickens said in a statement. "It is the single biggest problem facing America today."
He called the country's oil purchases from places like Saudi Arabia "the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind, sending billions of our dollars overseas to buy . . . a commodity that lasts 90 days until burned in our gas tanks."Pickens, a legendary oilman, said his plan could change things within five to 10 years "if we can get Congress and the administration to act quickly."
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Increase Your Bartending Tips - Show Vs. Go
To increase your tips you need to realize that your customers fall into two distinct categories:
Those that want to chat, party and have a great time at your bar (Show)The quiet, serious(ish) customers that want their drink asap (Go)The good news is that both customer categories are equally profitable.
The better news is that if you follow the steps detailed below you will squeeze maximum dollars out of each group. Your first step is to identify the category a customer falls into which is pretty obvious once you’re looking for it (Go = Quiet, Show = Loud).
Your second step is to treat them accordingly:
Show: Most important thing is that you remember their name. Once you’ve identified that they are there to party, introduce yourself to them. I’m really bad with names so I’ll even write them down if I have time.
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Those that want to chat, party and have a great time at your bar (Show)The quiet, serious(ish) customers that want their drink asap (Go)The good news is that both customer categories are equally profitable.
The better news is that if you follow the steps detailed below you will squeeze maximum dollars out of each group. Your first step is to identify the category a customer falls into which is pretty obvious once you’re looking for it (Go = Quiet, Show = Loud).
Your second step is to treat them accordingly:
Show: Most important thing is that you remember their name. Once you’ve identified that they are there to party, introduce yourself to them. I’m really bad with names so I’ll even write them down if I have time.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Attract Wealth with Visualization
From The Millionaire Inside
Visualization can be used for a wide range of purposes, but one of the most beneficial is making yourself feel prosperous and attract more money into your life. Some refer to this as the “law of Attraction.”
You may wonder how seeing simple images in your mind can help attract anything – but when you think about it, a consistent focus on lack causes you to expect the worst and think and act in ways that emphasize lack – which simply creates more lack in your life!
On the other hand, when you change your perception of lack into a stronger focus on abundance, you find yourself thinking and acting in ways that can be more prosperous.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Visualization can be used for a wide range of purposes, but one of the most beneficial is making yourself feel prosperous and attract more money into your life. Some refer to this as the “law of Attraction.”
You may wonder how seeing simple images in your mind can help attract anything – but when you think about it, a consistent focus on lack causes you to expect the worst and think and act in ways that emphasize lack – which simply creates more lack in your life!
On the other hand, when you change your perception of lack into a stronger focus on abundance, you find yourself thinking and acting in ways that can be more prosperous.
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The Best Recession-Proof Stock Is
By Dan Caplinger
We know you've been frustrated with the stock market lately. That's why we decided to try to give you some relief -- by looking at a list of nine stocks that might be best able to weather the current troubles in the economy and stay profitable for investors.
After laying out our case, we asked our Motley Fool CAPS community to chime in with their thoughts. They've spoken, and so it's time to see which stocks will get shareholders through the tough times.
A diamond in the rough
CAPS players picked deepwater driller Diamond Offshore Drilling (NYSE: DO) as our third-place winner. As Fool contributor David Lee Smith pointed out, oil wouldn't have to keep reaching record highs in order for oil services companies like Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) and Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) to keep cranking out big profits.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
We know you've been frustrated with the stock market lately. That's why we decided to try to give you some relief -- by looking at a list of nine stocks that might be best able to weather the current troubles in the economy and stay profitable for investors.
After laying out our case, we asked our Motley Fool CAPS community to chime in with their thoughts. They've spoken, and so it's time to see which stocks will get shareholders through the tough times.
A diamond in the rough
CAPS players picked deepwater driller Diamond Offshore Drilling (NYSE: DO) as our third-place winner. As Fool contributor David Lee Smith pointed out, oil wouldn't have to keep reaching record highs in order for oil services companies like Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) and Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) to keep cranking out big profits.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Learning Bartending With the Bartender Guide
Mixing drinks and coming up with new drink ideas can be an enjoyable hobby. Having a good bartender guide that will help give you new ideas and mixed drink recipes can be a very useful tool. Bartender guides are normally filled with numerous how-to guides and a variety of drink recipes that you can try and perfect at your leisure.
You can be the life of your next house party when you mix up cocktails for your guests and show off your bartending talents. There are many different bartending books available on the market. Some show how to mix a few cocktails and some that dive deep into how to mix many different varieties of exotic beverages.
There are also a variety of guides available from individuals who have made up their own recipes and decided to market them.
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You can be the life of your next house party when you mix up cocktails for your guests and show off your bartending talents. There are many different bartending books available on the market. Some show how to mix a few cocktails and some that dive deep into how to mix many different varieties of exotic beverages.
There are also a variety of guides available from individuals who have made up their own recipes and decided to market them.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Risk Take Your Way to Success
From http://www.millionaireinside.com/
Have you ever noticed a theme with successful people? Nine times out of ten, there was a risk involved and the person needed to take a chance in order to succeed. Risk-taking is scary for most of us.
We?ve been taught to be careful and take baby steps toward our dreams. There?s nothing wrong with this approach, except that it can limit our progress if we hang back for too long! And the longer we hang back, the harder it is to keep moving forward.
We get locked into a rut of inertia and can?t seem to move past it. Believe it or not, risk is not such a terrible thing if you view it from the right perspective. Most people look at it from the perspective of what they stand to lose if it doesn?t work out. But what do you stand to gain if it DOES work out?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Have you ever noticed a theme with successful people? Nine times out of ten, there was a risk involved and the person needed to take a chance in order to succeed. Risk-taking is scary for most of us.
We?ve been taught to be careful and take baby steps toward our dreams. There?s nothing wrong with this approach, except that it can limit our progress if we hang back for too long! And the longer we hang back, the harder it is to keep moving forward.
We get locked into a rut of inertia and can?t seem to move past it. Believe it or not, risk is not such a terrible thing if you view it from the right perspective. Most people look at it from the perspective of what they stand to lose if it doesn?t work out. But what do you stand to gain if it DOES work out?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Financial advisors at mutual fund companies help you invest less in fees
By Walter Hamilton
When Sam Ahmed needed help investing the proceeds from the sale of his overnight-delivery business, he didn't want to hire a pricey advisor or rely on generic information from the Internet. So he turned to a financial planner at Vanguard Group Inc., who recommended a slate of mutual funds.
Because Ahmed's portfolio exceeded $500,000, the advice was free. "It was an excellent middle ground for me," the 55-year-old Missouri resident said. "I didn't have to pay $2,000 or $3,000."
Aware that even the hardiest do-it-yourselfers want occasional hand holding, fund companies such as Vanguard, Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price Group Inc. offer individualized portfolio advice at modest prices.
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When Sam Ahmed needed help investing the proceeds from the sale of his overnight-delivery business, he didn't want to hire a pricey advisor or rely on generic information from the Internet. So he turned to a financial planner at Vanguard Group Inc., who recommended a slate of mutual funds.
Because Ahmed's portfolio exceeded $500,000, the advice was free. "It was an excellent middle ground for me," the 55-year-old Missouri resident said. "I didn't have to pay $2,000 or $3,000."
Aware that even the hardiest do-it-yourselfers want occasional hand holding, fund companies such as Vanguard, Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price Group Inc. offer individualized portfolio advice at modest prices.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Bartending: How To Memorize All Those Recipes
Posted by: Joe Bartender
When someone looks at the number of alcoholic drinks that a bar tender has to serve, the professions does appear scary. How can anyone know all the recipes and the ingredients?
Well, what no bartender really tells you is that in real life you do not have to know all the recipes.
The majority of bars and hotels all over the country usually serve 20-40 standard drinks which make up 99% of the business. So one does not have to remember all the 1000s of recipes but just the common every day drinks.
If you pay attention you can learn the common 50 or so recipes in no time. However, it is always worth knowing some unusual recipes.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
When someone looks at the number of alcoholic drinks that a bar tender has to serve, the professions does appear scary. How can anyone know all the recipes and the ingredients?
Well, what no bartender really tells you is that in real life you do not have to know all the recipes.
The majority of bars and hotels all over the country usually serve 20-40 standard drinks which make up 99% of the business. So one does not have to remember all the 1000s of recipes but just the common every day drinks.
If you pay attention you can learn the common 50 or so recipes in no time. However, it is always worth knowing some unusual recipes.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Web Barterers' Tricks of the Trade
By JILIAN MINCER
Cash-strapped consumers and businesses are coming up with creative ways to fight higher costs. One practice gaining popularity: the ancient custom of bartering. Teia Henderson, a self-employed accountant in Cary, N.C., says there has been less demand for her services lately amid a sputtering economy.
So rather than plunk down cash for new bunk beds for her children, she posted an online ad offering to exchange accounting services for a set. "It's not about charging clients money," says the 35-year-old Ms. Henderson.
"It's about the end product -- getting the bunk beds." This method of doing business also helps her add to her client list. She now does the books for a contractor, for example, who in exchange installed a patio in her backyard.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Cash-strapped consumers and businesses are coming up with creative ways to fight higher costs. One practice gaining popularity: the ancient custom of bartering. Teia Henderson, a self-employed accountant in Cary, N.C., says there has been less demand for her services lately amid a sputtering economy.
So rather than plunk down cash for new bunk beds for her children, she posted an online ad offering to exchange accounting services for a set. "It's not about charging clients money," says the 35-year-old Ms. Henderson.
"It's about the end product -- getting the bunk beds." This method of doing business also helps her add to her client list. She now does the books for a contractor, for example, who in exchange installed a patio in her backyard.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
How to Enjoy a Scam-Free Retirement
By Mara Der Hovanesian
Let's face it -- there are a lot of scam artists out there itching to get their grubby hands on your hard-earned nest egg. Don't fall prey to those "free lunch" seminars or "retire early" frauds. Here are some common schemes to avoid and Web sites that can help you stay out of trouble.
Tips to Avoid Being Taken
1. Be skeptical of "free lunch" seminars. Even if they take place at or near the workplace, don't assume that your employer is backing the event.
2. Be wary of early-retirement pitches based on "little-known loopholes." While IRS Section 72(t) is a little-known loophole that allows you to access your retirement funds early, there's a lot more to a successful early retirement than avoiding a 10% tax penalty.
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Let's face it -- there are a lot of scam artists out there itching to get their grubby hands on your hard-earned nest egg. Don't fall prey to those "free lunch" seminars or "retire early" frauds. Here are some common schemes to avoid and Web sites that can help you stay out of trouble.
Tips to Avoid Being Taken
1. Be skeptical of "free lunch" seminars. Even if they take place at or near the workplace, don't assume that your employer is backing the event.
2. Be wary of early-retirement pitches based on "little-known loopholes." While IRS Section 72(t) is a little-known loophole that allows you to access your retirement funds early, there's a lot more to a successful early retirement than avoiding a 10% tax penalty.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Cask-conditioned ales hit the beer-lover scene
By Jenn Garbee
It's eight minutes past the tapping hour on a recent Friday night, and the crowd gathered at the Daily Pint in Santa Monica is restless. "Have we been teased? I don't even see a firkin," says a fiftysomething guy sporting a beer festival T-shirt, a member of the Culver City-based home brew club Pacific Gravity.
Members had been tipped off by rival Woodland Hills brew club the Maltose Falcons about the chance to buy a pint from tonight's firkin, the traditional container (historically wood but now most often metal) for unpasteurized cask-conditioned beer.
And they're tired of waiting for a taste of one of these rarely available aromatic brews known for distinctly fresh yeasty flavors.
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It's eight minutes past the tapping hour on a recent Friday night, and the crowd gathered at the Daily Pint in Santa Monica is restless. "Have we been teased? I don't even see a firkin," says a fiftysomething guy sporting a beer festival T-shirt, a member of the Culver City-based home brew club Pacific Gravity.
Members had been tipped off by rival Woodland Hills brew club the Maltose Falcons about the chance to buy a pint from tonight's firkin, the traditional container (historically wood but now most often metal) for unpasteurized cask-conditioned beer.
And they're tired of waiting for a taste of one of these rarely available aromatic brews known for distinctly fresh yeasty flavors.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Friday, July 11, 2008
New York is worst city to build wealth - survey
from CNNMoney.com
If you'd like to build a nest egg with your paycheck, it may be time to give up New York and head for Plano, Texas. A survey by pay experts at Salary.com evaluated 69 cities with more than 250,000 people and ranked the Big Apple last.
Plano came in first among American cities in which to build personal wealth. The survey, based on census data and Salary.com analysis, focused on local salaries, the cost of living and unemployment.
Secondary factors, such as diversity of the local economy, residents' education, percentage of population below poverty level and commute time were also measured.
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If you'd like to build a nest egg with your paycheck, it may be time to give up New York and head for Plano, Texas. A survey by pay experts at Salary.com evaluated 69 cities with more than 250,000 people and ranked the Big Apple last.
Plano came in first among American cities in which to build personal wealth. The survey, based on census data and Salary.com analysis, focused on local salaries, the cost of living and unemployment.
Secondary factors, such as diversity of the local economy, residents' education, percentage of population below poverty level and commute time were also measured.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
4 Predictions for 2008
By Rick Aristotle Munarriz
June, be over.
The first half of 2008 has been tough for Wall Street bulls. Stocks are hitting lows they last saw two years ago. Soaring oil prices and a freefalling dollar, meanwhile, are combining to create an inflationary headache.
Are things about to get better? One can certainly hope so, as we nervously step into the second half of the year tomorrow.
You can tiptoe into the uncharted waters if you want. Me? I'm going in for a belly flop. I'm also whipping out my crystal ball, cracks and all, to take a shot at predicting some of the things that will happen in the latter half of this tumultuous trading year.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
June, be over.
The first half of 2008 has been tough for Wall Street bulls. Stocks are hitting lows they last saw two years ago. Soaring oil prices and a freefalling dollar, meanwhile, are combining to create an inflationary headache.
Are things about to get better? One can certainly hope so, as we nervously step into the second half of the year tomorrow.
You can tiptoe into the uncharted waters if you want. Me? I'm going in for a belly flop. I'm also whipping out my crystal ball, cracks and all, to take a shot at predicting some of the things that will happen in the latter half of this tumultuous trading year.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Sweet, Sweet, Sangria All Summer Long!
by: Joe Bartender
Sangria is a punch made from red wine. The essentials ingredients in this punch include a red wine, some type of fruit, a sweet juice or syrup, carbonated water and a small amount of an alcoholic spirit.
The fruits may range from orange, apples, kiwi or banana. The sweet syrup can be honey or some type of sweet juice (e.g. orange juice). Because there are so many variations of sangria, the alcohol content is quite variable.
While red wine has traditionally been used to make sangria, one can even use white wine. And even the fruits can be varied from peaches, nectarines and even tangerines . Today, a tinge of cinnamon is almost always added to the punch to give it a sharp taste.Sangria is best served cold and thus is a common summer drink.
Sangria is available in most wine and grocery stores in bottled containers. However, to add variety and taste, one can easily make their own sangria using a variety of fruits and syrups.
Sangria is a punch made from red wine. The essentials ingredients in this punch include a red wine, some type of fruit, a sweet juice or syrup, carbonated water and a small amount of an alcoholic spirit.
The fruits may range from orange, apples, kiwi or banana. The sweet syrup can be honey or some type of sweet juice (e.g. orange juice). Because there are so many variations of sangria, the alcohol content is quite variable.
While red wine has traditionally been used to make sangria, one can even use white wine. And even the fruits can be varied from peaches, nectarines and even tangerines . Today, a tinge of cinnamon is almost always added to the punch to give it a sharp taste.Sangria is best served cold and thus is a common summer drink.
Sangria is available in most wine and grocery stores in bottled containers. However, to add variety and taste, one can easily make their own sangria using a variety of fruits and syrups.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Miles per gallon? Gallons per mile is another view
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
With the gas well past $4 a gallon, everybody wants to save money. But calculating miles per gallon can be misleading. Strange as it may sound, rating cars at gallons per mile may be more useful, say a pair of university researchers.
Richard Larrick and Jack Soll got to discussing fuel efficiency while carpooling to work at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. The professors study how people perceive things and decided to look into mileage ratings and what they tell consumers.
The result is a paper called "The MPG Illusion," which appeared last week in the journal Science. In essence, they say, don't turn your nose up at what may seem like a small gain. It can still mean big savings. Not everyone is a good candidate for a tiny car, Larrick explained. A family of five or six needs a larger vehicle.
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With the gas well past $4 a gallon, everybody wants to save money. But calculating miles per gallon can be misleading. Strange as it may sound, rating cars at gallons per mile may be more useful, say a pair of university researchers.
Richard Larrick and Jack Soll got to discussing fuel efficiency while carpooling to work at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. The professors study how people perceive things and decided to look into mileage ratings and what they tell consumers.
The result is a paper called "The MPG Illusion," which appeared last week in the journal Science. In essence, they say, don't turn your nose up at what may seem like a small gain. It can still mean big savings. Not everyone is a good candidate for a tiny car, Larrick explained. A family of five or six needs a larger vehicle.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Make Your Dream Life Happen Now
By John Rosevear
What do you want to be when you grow up? Most of us haven't had to seriously answer that question in a long time. We have the careers we have, and maybe we like them and maybe we don't, but in most cases, we’ll keep doing some variation of what we're doing now until we retire.
So let me put that question another way: What do you want to do when you retire?
If you're more than a couple of years from retirement, your vision of retired life is probably kind of fuzzy. Some travel, some time with family and friends, golf, reading ... whatever it is you like to do but feel you don't do enough of now.
But then what? What if you could have any job you wanted? What if you could bag your current work life forever and spend your days working for social change, or guiding visitors through a museum you love, or building birdhouses or violins?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
What do you want to be when you grow up? Most of us haven't had to seriously answer that question in a long time. We have the careers we have, and maybe we like them and maybe we don't, but in most cases, we’ll keep doing some variation of what we're doing now until we retire.
So let me put that question another way: What do you want to do when you retire?
If you're more than a couple of years from retirement, your vision of retired life is probably kind of fuzzy. Some travel, some time with family and friends, golf, reading ... whatever it is you like to do but feel you don't do enough of now.
But then what? What if you could have any job you wanted? What if you could bag your current work life forever and spend your days working for social change, or guiding visitors through a museum you love, or building birdhouses or violins?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
A rosé summer:- The Spanish versions make perfect partners for your grilled grub
By Bill Daley
Known as rosado in Spanish, rosé is a great choice when temperatures rise. It has the lightness and chill-ability of a white and the fuller flavor usually associated with a red. And while rosés can be fresh and fruity, banish any thought that these dry pink wines are sweet like the much-maligned white zinfandel.
"The public has come to understand dry rosé is a versatile wine and a great pick for spring and summer weather. Once consumers figure that out, they never go back," said Jeff Morgan, author of "Rosé: A Guide to the World's Most Versatile Wine."
Morgan, a Napa Valley rosé winemaker himself and a founder of RAP: Rosés Avengers and Producers (a group dedicated to "righting the wrongs done to dry rosé), said that Spanish rosés appeal because of their style and price.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Known as rosado in Spanish, rosé is a great choice when temperatures rise. It has the lightness and chill-ability of a white and the fuller flavor usually associated with a red. And while rosés can be fresh and fruity, banish any thought that these dry pink wines are sweet like the much-maligned white zinfandel.
"The public has come to understand dry rosé is a versatile wine and a great pick for spring and summer weather. Once consumers figure that out, they never go back," said Jeff Morgan, author of "Rosé: A Guide to the World's Most Versatile Wine."
Morgan, a Napa Valley rosé winemaker himself and a founder of RAP: Rosés Avengers and Producers (a group dedicated to "righting the wrongs done to dry rosé), said that Spanish rosés appeal because of their style and price.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
10 ways to avoid moving scams
By Fred Minnick
You've heard the stories. Movers load up your stuff one day and hold it hostage the next, demanding more money and threatening to dump your precious treasures if you don't pay. You believe you've agreed upon a price, only to find out it's going to cost you a lot more than that.
"These salespeople are commission-based and will do whatever it takes to get a deposit on file and lock the customer into a signed estimate," says Tom O'Gorman, sales director for Gentle Giant Moving Co. "Then, when push comes to shove, there's a lot of gray area around this estimate.
"They will say, 'The estimate was based on moving only these things. You weren't packed, so it took us four extra hours to pack."
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You've heard the stories. Movers load up your stuff one day and hold it hostage the next, demanding more money and threatening to dump your precious treasures if you don't pay. You believe you've agreed upon a price, only to find out it's going to cost you a lot more than that.
"These salespeople are commission-based and will do whatever it takes to get a deposit on file and lock the customer into a signed estimate," says Tom O'Gorman, sales director for Gentle Giant Moving Co. "Then, when push comes to shove, there's a lot of gray area around this estimate.
"They will say, 'The estimate was based on moving only these things. You weren't packed, so it took us four extra hours to pack."
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The Truth About Big Oil's Windfall Profits
By Morgan Housel
The debate over whether Big Oil has ruined your life rages on. Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois recently commented, "The oil companies need to know that there is a limit on how much profit they can take in this economy."
Rep. Maxine Waters of California, while scrutinizing a panel of Big Oil executives, went a step further and said she'd "be all about socializing ... basically taking over and [having] the government running all of your companies."
Political ambitions aside, the question of whether corporations are making obscene profits off your misery is at a critical juncture. Not only is the cost of gas eating up a chunk of your paycheck, but millions of homeowners have also found themselves in the catacombs of foreclosure after holding mortgages whose particulars would make Enron look legitimate.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
The debate over whether Big Oil has ruined your life rages on. Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois recently commented, "The oil companies need to know that there is a limit on how much profit they can take in this economy."
Rep. Maxine Waters of California, while scrutinizing a panel of Big Oil executives, went a step further and said she'd "be all about socializing ... basically taking over and [having] the government running all of your companies."
Political ambitions aside, the question of whether corporations are making obscene profits off your misery is at a critical juncture. Not only is the cost of gas eating up a chunk of your paycheck, but millions of homeowners have also found themselves in the catacombs of foreclosure after holding mortgages whose particulars would make Enron look legitimate.
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Still buying wine by the bottle? Try the case
By Jean T. Barrett
The summer season means backyard barbecues, big events such as weddings and showers, and serendipitous gatherings like impromptu pool parties and after-work get-togethers on the patio. All great reasons to have a nice bottle of wine on hand, one that's refreshing in hot weather and inexpensive enough to serve to larger groups of guests without flinching.
We each have our own flinch point when it comes to wine. For me, a great summer bottle costs around $8 to $12, and when I find that great summer bottle, I buy it by the case, for several reasons.
The first is convenience; it avoids the frenzied last-minute run to the nearest liquor store to buy four bottles of whatever looks good. The second reason is to save money. Many retailers give a case discount of 5% to 15%.
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The summer season means backyard barbecues, big events such as weddings and showers, and serendipitous gatherings like impromptu pool parties and after-work get-togethers on the patio. All great reasons to have a nice bottle of wine on hand, one that's refreshing in hot weather and inexpensive enough to serve to larger groups of guests without flinching.
We each have our own flinch point when it comes to wine. For me, a great summer bottle costs around $8 to $12, and when I find that great summer bottle, I buy it by the case, for several reasons.
The first is convenience; it avoids the frenzied last-minute run to the nearest liquor store to buy four bottles of whatever looks good. The second reason is to save money. Many retailers give a case discount of 5% to 15%.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
9 in 10 see rising gas prices causing family hardship
By ALAN FRAM
Four dollar a gallon gas has stolen a beach vacation in South Carolina from Julie Jacobs' family and exotic bath washes from Angela Crawford. Phil English had to sell his beloved but fuel-guzzling red pickup.
Like a plague that does not discriminate by economic class, race or age, soaring gas prices are inflicting pain throughout the U.S. Nine in 10 are expecting the ballooning costs to squeeze them financially over the next half year, an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll said Monday.
Nearly half think that hardship will be serious. To cope, most are driving less, easing off the air conditioning and heating at home and cutting corners elsewhere. Half are curtailing vacation plans; nearly as many are considering buying cars that burn less gas.
As the price has spiraled upward so, too, has the public's ire.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Four dollar a gallon gas has stolen a beach vacation in South Carolina from Julie Jacobs' family and exotic bath washes from Angela Crawford. Phil English had to sell his beloved but fuel-guzzling red pickup.
Like a plague that does not discriminate by economic class, race or age, soaring gas prices are inflicting pain throughout the U.S. Nine in 10 are expecting the ballooning costs to squeeze them financially over the next half year, an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll said Monday.
Nearly half think that hardship will be serious. To cope, most are driving less, easing off the air conditioning and heating at home and cutting corners elsewhere. Half are curtailing vacation plans; nearly as many are considering buying cars that burn less gas.
As the price has spiraled upward so, too, has the public's ire.
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The 3 Investing Rules of a Billionaire Family
By Alex Dumortier, CFA
During the second half of the 20th century, Larry Tisch and his brother, Bob, turned an investment in a New Jersey resort hotel into a multibillion-dollar conglomerate -- Loews (NYSE: L). How did they do it?
Larry, who was the financial mastermind, had a knack for spotting value. In 1960, the brothers took control of Loews, at that time a major movie-theater chain -- but it wasn't the movie theaters they were interested in. Larry understood that the real estate on which they stood had enormous underlying value.
Loews is now a $26 billion company that consists of insurance, hotels, and offshore oil and gas. The stock has returned nearly 10,000% over the past 30 years, an annualized return of nearly 17%. Larry's son, James Tisch, the current CEO, recently reflected on the guiding principles on which Loews was built.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
During the second half of the 20th century, Larry Tisch and his brother, Bob, turned an investment in a New Jersey resort hotel into a multibillion-dollar conglomerate -- Loews (NYSE: L). How did they do it?
Larry, who was the financial mastermind, had a knack for spotting value. In 1960, the brothers took control of Loews, at that time a major movie-theater chain -- but it wasn't the movie theaters they were interested in. Larry understood that the real estate on which they stood had enormous underlying value.
Loews is now a $26 billion company that consists of insurance, hotels, and offshore oil and gas. The stock has returned nearly 10,000% over the past 30 years, an annualized return of nearly 17%. Larry's son, James Tisch, the current CEO, recently reflected on the guiding principles on which Loews was built.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
How to Get a Bartending Job
Bartending positions are highly desirable and equally hard to get. The job itself is fairly simple, but getting one's foot in the door is not. Here's some tips to help you score one of these fun, lucrative jobs.
Steps
1. Develop a plan. No matter which steps you decide to implement below, everything is easier with a plan. Getting a bartending job is no different. Write down 5 places you want to work. Get the contact info for the people who are doing the hiring at these five places.
Implement the steps below with these five people in mind. There are a lot of myths out there regarding getting a bartending job, like you have to have experience and you have to start as a barback or server.
To learn more and read about how to kick start your bartending job search check out this article.How to Become a Bartender
2. Meet the right people. It's all about who you know. If you have a favorite watering hole, find out who the owner is and start talking him/her up. Befriend the bartenders, barbacks, and cocktail waitresses, and let them know you're looking for a bartending job. Tip well, go often, and generally be a happy, useful presence at the bar.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Steps
1. Develop a plan. No matter which steps you decide to implement below, everything is easier with a plan. Getting a bartending job is no different. Write down 5 places you want to work. Get the contact info for the people who are doing the hiring at these five places.
Implement the steps below with these five people in mind. There are a lot of myths out there regarding getting a bartending job, like you have to have experience and you have to start as a barback or server.
To learn more and read about how to kick start your bartending job search check out this article.How to Become a Bartender
2. Meet the right people. It's all about who you know. If you have a favorite watering hole, find out who the owner is and start talking him/her up. Befriend the bartenders, barbacks, and cocktail waitresses, and let them know you're looking for a bartending job. Tip well, go often, and generally be a happy, useful presence at the bar.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Monday, July 07, 2008
10 Myths About Saving Money On Gasoline
By Jeffrey Strain
With gasoline prices nearing record levels, many drivers are trying to adopt ways to reduce the amount of gas their car uses. That's a noble goal, but don't fall for some common myths that, in some cases, will end up costing you money.
The average national price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $3.04 Wednesday, according to AAA. Crude oil, which closed at $87.34 a barrel in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, has flirted with the $100-a-barrel mark in recent weeks.
That is near the inflation-adjusted highs set in the early 1980s. Here are 10 gas-saving myths that you should know to make sure you are truly saving money on gas, rather than putting money, time and effort into something that won't work:
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
With gasoline prices nearing record levels, many drivers are trying to adopt ways to reduce the amount of gas their car uses. That's a noble goal, but don't fall for some common myths that, in some cases, will end up costing you money.
The average national price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $3.04 Wednesday, according to AAA. Crude oil, which closed at $87.34 a barrel in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, has flirted with the $100-a-barrel mark in recent weeks.
That is near the inflation-adjusted highs set in the early 1980s. Here are 10 gas-saving myths that you should know to make sure you are truly saving money on gas, rather than putting money, time and effort into something that won't work:
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
When Will the Credit Crisis End?
By Tom Hutchinson
Who needs tea leaves to tell us when the credit crisis will end? We've got experts.
After reviewing the prognostications of several top financial minds, this Fool concludes that ... maybe we'd be better off with the tea leaves.
How do things look?
This week, Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) posted better-than-expected earnings that ignited some optimism and a sense that we might be moving beyond the crisis. But, Lehman (NYSE: LEH) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) posted dismal quarters that squashed hopeful feelings and suggested that we are still very much in the throes of the crisis.
Second-quarter bank earnings have come and gone. Yet, there is still little clarity about whether we are through the worst of the credit crisis or how long we can expect it to linger. In such uncertain times, perhaps we should look for answers from some of the top financial people.
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Who needs tea leaves to tell us when the credit crisis will end? We've got experts.
After reviewing the prognostications of several top financial minds, this Fool concludes that ... maybe we'd be better off with the tea leaves.
How do things look?
This week, Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) posted better-than-expected earnings that ignited some optimism and a sense that we might be moving beyond the crisis. But, Lehman (NYSE: LEH) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) posted dismal quarters that squashed hopeful feelings and suggested that we are still very much in the throes of the crisis.
Second-quarter bank earnings have come and gone. Yet, there is still little clarity about whether we are through the worst of the credit crisis or how long we can expect it to linger. In such uncertain times, perhaps we should look for answers from some of the top financial people.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Bartending Secrets Revealed Special Report - Two Strategies to Instantly Increase Your Tips
So you want to learn how to increase your tips? If you want to learn the time tested techniques that will help fatten your wallet, then you must read this report. This report will show you 2 fr.ee tips I guarantee will work. It’s great to learn hundreds of recipes but it is so much more than that, and I am going to explain to you what I am talking about.
In this special report I will NOT give you a cookie cutter, bartending school lecture on bartending recipes and blah, blah, blah. I am going to cut all the fluff and just tell you how it’s done.
The key here is that regardless of how many drinks you know how to make; even if you mix up a horrible drink every time you bartend you can still bankroll some huge tips!
#1 Special Report Tip: Demand Attention from Your Patrons
Have you ever been to a bar where a bartender is trying his or her best to get your attention? This special technique may bother your customers while they are trying to have a nice time but if you give them a reason to turn around, make it worth their wild.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
In this special report I will NOT give you a cookie cutter, bartending school lecture on bartending recipes and blah, blah, blah. I am going to cut all the fluff and just tell you how it’s done.
The key here is that regardless of how many drinks you know how to make; even if you mix up a horrible drink every time you bartend you can still bankroll some huge tips!
#1 Special Report Tip: Demand Attention from Your Patrons
Have you ever been to a bar where a bartender is trying his or her best to get your attention? This special technique may bother your customers while they are trying to have a nice time but if you give them a reason to turn around, make it worth their wild.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Lowering your credit card rate is possible -- if you make some calls
BY SUSAN TOMPOR
Pick up the phone, look at the latest credit card offers and keep repeating this: The bank needs me more than I need it. Say it so you believe it, OK? Odd as it might seem, it is possible to negotiate a lower rate on credit cards -- even during the credit crunch, troubling credit card delinquencies and the fallout from the mortgage mess.
Existing credit card customers are a valuable commodity, especially if they pay on time, have a job and use their cards. "You have to keep in mind that the market is extremely competitive right now -- and thdon't want to lose you as a customer," said Gerri Detweiler, credit adviser for Credit.com in San Francisco.
What you have to do is make a phone call. Maybe a few phone calls. But if you're persistent and polite, you've got at least a 50-50 shot at a lower rate. Think it's not worth your time? Think again.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Pick up the phone, look at the latest credit card offers and keep repeating this: The bank needs me more than I need it. Say it so you believe it, OK? Odd as it might seem, it is possible to negotiate a lower rate on credit cards -- even during the credit crunch, troubling credit card delinquencies and the fallout from the mortgage mess.
Existing credit card customers are a valuable commodity, especially if they pay on time, have a job and use their cards. "You have to keep in mind that the market is extremely competitive right now -- and thdon't want to lose you as a customer," said Gerri Detweiler, credit adviser for Credit.com in San Francisco.
What you have to do is make a phone call. Maybe a few phone calls. But if you're persistent and polite, you've got at least a 50-50 shot at a lower rate. Think it's not worth your time? Think again.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
You Can't Stop These Stocks
By Tim Hanson
Long before GE (NYSE: GE) was a global leader in financial services and health care, a major TV studio and water purifier, and a pioneer in the alternative energy and green technology spaces, GE was General Electric -- a Schenectady, N.Y.-based maker of electric lighting and appliances.
Yes, this was high technology back in 1892 when the company was founded (with roots back to Thomas Edison), but had GE stuck to its knitting in that niche, it would not be the nearly $300 billion conglomerate we know today.
In fact, GE recently announced that it plans to sell its appliance business, and I've heard rumors that it also plans to get out of the legacy lighting business, due in part to pressure from low-cost Chinese manufacturers.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Long before GE (NYSE: GE) was a global leader in financial services and health care, a major TV studio and water purifier, and a pioneer in the alternative energy and green technology spaces, GE was General Electric -- a Schenectady, N.Y.-based maker of electric lighting and appliances.
Yes, this was high technology back in 1892 when the company was founded (with roots back to Thomas Edison), but had GE stuck to its knitting in that niche, it would not be the nearly $300 billion conglomerate we know today.
In fact, GE recently announced that it plans to sell its appliance business, and I've heard rumors that it also plans to get out of the legacy lighting business, due in part to pressure from low-cost Chinese manufacturers.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Your Lifestyle May Hurt Your Credit:- Lenders may be monitoring your bar tab or marriage counseling bill—which could be costly for consumers
by Jessica Silver-Greenberg
Most borrowers know a late payment or high outstanding balance can hurt their credit. But what about frequenting a massage parlor, retreading a tire, or visiting a marriage counselor? Such activities count, too, according to a suit filed by the Federal Trade Commission in federal court in Atlanta on June 10 against card issuer CompuCredit (CCRT).
Lenders, insurers, and other financial firms use credit scoring systems to make a host of decisions about consumers, including the interest rate on their mortgages, the limits on their credit cards, and the monthly premiums for their auto coverage.
Some rely heavily on FICO, a three-digit score developed by Minneapolis-based financial firm Fair Isaac, while others use proprietary models developed by statisticians.
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Most borrowers know a late payment or high outstanding balance can hurt their credit. But what about frequenting a massage parlor, retreading a tire, or visiting a marriage counselor? Such activities count, too, according to a suit filed by the Federal Trade Commission in federal court in Atlanta on June 10 against card issuer CompuCredit (CCRT).
Lenders, insurers, and other financial firms use credit scoring systems to make a host of decisions about consumers, including the interest rate on their mortgages, the limits on their credit cards, and the monthly premiums for their auto coverage.
Some rely heavily on FICO, a three-digit score developed by Minneapolis-based financial firm Fair Isaac, while others use proprietary models developed by statisticians.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
Your Lifestyle May Hurt Your Credit
by Jessica Silver-Greenberg
Most borrowers know a late payment or high outstanding balance can hurt their credit. But what about frequenting a massage parlor, retreading a tire, or visiting a marriage counselor? Such activities count, too, according to a suit filed by the Federal Trade Commission in federal court in Atlanta on June 10 against card issuer CompuCredit (CCRT).
Lenders, insurers, and other financial firms use credit scoring systems to make a host of decisions about consumers, including the interest rate on their mortgages, the limits on their credit cards, and the monthly premiums for their auto coverage.
Some rely heavily on FICO, a three-digit score developed by Minneapolis-based financial firm Fair Isaac, while others use proprietary models developed by statisticians. But companies don't disclose what's baked in to their formulas, leaving many borrowers to wonder which factors determine their financial fate.
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Most borrowers know a late payment or high outstanding balance can hurt their credit. But what about frequenting a massage parlor, retreading a tire, or visiting a marriage counselor? Such activities count, too, according to a suit filed by the Federal Trade Commission in federal court in Atlanta on June 10 against card issuer CompuCredit (CCRT).
Lenders, insurers, and other financial firms use credit scoring systems to make a host of decisions about consumers, including the interest rate on their mortgages, the limits on their credit cards, and the monthly premiums for their auto coverage.
Some rely heavily on FICO, a three-digit score developed by Minneapolis-based financial firm Fair Isaac, while others use proprietary models developed by statisticians. But companies don't disclose what's baked in to their formulas, leaving many borrowers to wonder which factors determine their financial fate.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
The Ivy League Secret to Retiring Rich
By Dan Caplinger (TMF Galagan)
If you want to turn thousands into millions, you've got to invest like the best. But you don't have to pay $50,000 a year for an Ivy League education. This lesson is absolutely free -- and could make you rich.
For years, endowment funds at major universities have scoured every nook and cranny, searching for the best places to invest their money. Endowment managers like Yale's David Swensen and Harvard's Jane Mendillo have put together track records of extraordinary performance that compare favorably to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) Chairman Warren Buffett.
They did it by looking outside the traditional box of stocks and bonds -- and in the process, they've brought completely new types of investments into the mainstream.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
If you want to turn thousands into millions, you've got to invest like the best. But you don't have to pay $50,000 a year for an Ivy League education. This lesson is absolutely free -- and could make you rich.
For years, endowment funds at major universities have scoured every nook and cranny, searching for the best places to invest their money. Endowment managers like Yale's David Swensen and Harvard's Jane Mendillo have put together track records of extraordinary performance that compare favorably to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) Chairman Warren Buffett.
They did it by looking outside the traditional box of stocks and bonds -- and in the process, they've brought completely new types of investments into the mainstream.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
The Bartender Has Many Responsibilities
By Mike Selvon
There is more to tending a bar than meets the eye. A lot of people might think that it is an easy job, but it is quite the opposite, as a bartender has many different duties and responsibilities. There are numerous bartending schools devoted to the art of teaching the skills necessary to provide professional bartending services.
Some people believe that bartending is one of the oldest professions in the world. Most of the duties that the bartender is responsible for are ones that a customer would never realize.
The atmosphere of an establishment will often depend on the personality of the person, or persons tending bar, as they are often part of the entertainment.
This is especially true with flair bartenders. If the guy or gal behind the bar is feisty and fun, then it tends to make the patrons in the bar upbeat and jolly.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
There is more to tending a bar than meets the eye. A lot of people might think that it is an easy job, but it is quite the opposite, as a bartender has many different duties and responsibilities. There are numerous bartending schools devoted to the art of teaching the skills necessary to provide professional bartending services.
Some people believe that bartending is one of the oldest professions in the world. Most of the duties that the bartender is responsible for are ones that a customer would never realize.
The atmosphere of an establishment will often depend on the personality of the person, or persons tending bar, as they are often part of the entertainment.
This is especially true with flair bartenders. If the guy or gal behind the bar is feisty and fun, then it tends to make the patrons in the bar upbeat and jolly.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Article
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