By Dan Caplinger
If you feel like you've had some lousy timing with your investing lately, you're not alone.
Bear markets always wreak havoc on investor confidence, and this one has done more damage than most. With a broad-based decline that has left few places for investors to hide, the year-old market downturn doesn't have any obvious end in sight.
An economy that's projected to contract at a pace not seen in over 25 years has everyone on edge. More than anything else, though, down markets make you beat yourself up for the mistakes you made.
Maybe you bought some high-flying stock right at its peak, after it had produced stellar returns for months or years before -- only to come plummeting back to earth after you became a shareholder.
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Friday, January 30, 2009
How to Think Like an Investor
By Dan Caplinger
If you don't have a lot of investing experience, getting used to the way investors think about stocks can take a lot of time and effort. Often, you have to set your preconceptions about the business world aside and look at companies in a brand-new light.
One of the most basic ways that investors judge companies differently from most people is in sizing up how big a company is. Because big companies are often seen as the most stable, they make a great starting point for beginning investors. But the companies that show up at the top of the heap differ greatly, depending on how you look at them.
Size matters
If you ask most people what companies they think are the biggest, they'll often look to the largest employers. After all, a business with a large workforce wields a huge economic influence, especially in the cities where it has a factory or other business presence.
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If you don't have a lot of investing experience, getting used to the way investors think about stocks can take a lot of time and effort. Often, you have to set your preconceptions about the business world aside and look at companies in a brand-new light.
One of the most basic ways that investors judge companies differently from most people is in sizing up how big a company is. Because big companies are often seen as the most stable, they make a great starting point for beginning investors. But the companies that show up at the top of the heap differ greatly, depending on how you look at them.
Size matters
If you ask most people what companies they think are the biggest, they'll often look to the largest employers. After all, a business with a large workforce wields a huge economic influence, especially in the cities where it has a factory or other business presence.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Shopping For An Online Liquor Store And Looking Fo What Works Best For Your Needs
by Boutique Liquors
Finding a place to Buy Champagne can be tough, but a good Online Liquor Store can help you narrow down the chaotic search for the best vintage. A Online Liquor Store can offer you the best of the best, presenting their selection with as much variety and balance as possible to enable you to make an educated choice.
Online Liquor Store products should be accessible and clearly labeled so that you know what you’re getting out of a wine before you take it home. A good Online Liquor Store should be storing the wines at the right temperatures, for starters. For a lot of wine stores, the wine will be on the shelves for a long time and it can lose some of its vitality.
A good Online Liquor Store, however, recognizes the proper temperatures and stores the wines with the right humidity in mind. Without the right storing temperature, the wines sold by your favorite wine store may be less than great.
The wine bottles on the shelves should be easy-to-read and organized. It is always best to have a plan before starting your shopping trip. Knowing what you want ahead of time makes things easer.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Finding a place to Buy Champagne can be tough, but a good Online Liquor Store can help you narrow down the chaotic search for the best vintage. A Online Liquor Store can offer you the best of the best, presenting their selection with as much variety and balance as possible to enable you to make an educated choice.
Online Liquor Store products should be accessible and clearly labeled so that you know what you’re getting out of a wine before you take it home. A good Online Liquor Store should be storing the wines at the right temperatures, for starters. For a lot of wine stores, the wine will be on the shelves for a long time and it can lose some of its vitality.
A good Online Liquor Store, however, recognizes the proper temperatures and stores the wines with the right humidity in mind. Without the right storing temperature, the wines sold by your favorite wine store may be less than great.
The wine bottles on the shelves should be easy-to-read and organized. It is always best to have a plan before starting your shopping trip. Knowing what you want ahead of time makes things easer.
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
How to Ease Your Fears About Retirement
by James B. Stewart
On a recent drive through the Gulf Coast around Naples, Florida, I never would have guessed I was at or near the epicenter of the real estate bubble’s collapse, not to mention an ongoing banking and financial crisis.
But behind the lush palm groves, tranquil estuaries and canals, and manicured entrances to the many gated communities reside a multitude of seemingly affluent people with financial woes. Given that southwest Florida has a high concentration of retirees, the collapse in the real estate and stock markets has hit especially hard.
Retirement savings have been decimated. These are people whose prime working years are behind them, who thought they had saved adequately. Since they’re retired, they can’t replenish their losses by working.
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On a recent drive through the Gulf Coast around Naples, Florida, I never would have guessed I was at or near the epicenter of the real estate bubble’s collapse, not to mention an ongoing banking and financial crisis.
But behind the lush palm groves, tranquil estuaries and canals, and manicured entrances to the many gated communities reside a multitude of seemingly affluent people with financial woes. Given that southwest Florida has a high concentration of retirees, the collapse in the real estate and stock markets has hit especially hard.
Retirement savings have been decimated. These are people whose prime working years are behind them, who thought they had saved adequately. Since they’re retired, they can’t replenish their losses by working.
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In Light of the Terrible Economy, 30 Money Sites to Check Out in 2009
From Mercola.com
There are so many personal finance resources online that it’s hard to know where to start. These sites have the information that you need to get a great start on 2009:
Blogs
There are so many personal finance resources online that it’s hard to know where to start. These sites have the information that you need to get a great start on 2009:
Blogs
- Get Rich Slowly: This blog started as a personal financial journey, but has grown into much more.
I Will Teach You To Be Rich: While most personal finance blogs focus on cutting costs, this one pushes readers to increase their income, instead.
WiseBread: WiseBread offers an amazing community of writers.
Yielding Wealth: When it comes to keeping track of news in the personal finance sector, Yielding Wealth is always on the spot with the facts.
The Simple Dollar: There’s a lot of great content on TSD, but check out the book reviews.
Scotch's honor - the true Rob Roy
Gary Regan
Whenever I'm proven wrong about something I try to look at it as a learning experience, so last year, when a bartender friend proved me wrong about the recipe for the Rob Roy cocktail, I took note, and I promised faithfully that I'd make a public announcement about the whole affair right here in The San Francisco Chronicle.
John Myers, the bartender in question, holds forth from behind the mahogany at the Grill Room & Bar in the Old Port district of Portland, Maine, and he's the kind of guy who would do more or less anything for more or less anyone, so when he asked me to help him out with a cocktail presentation last year - "There's no money in it but we'll have a blast" - I couldn't think of letting him down.
Myers and I decided to do a fairly simple presentation, showing about 50 onlookers how relatively easy it is to prepare a variety of classic cocktails, the Rob Roy among them.
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Whenever I'm proven wrong about something I try to look at it as a learning experience, so last year, when a bartender friend proved me wrong about the recipe for the Rob Roy cocktail, I took note, and I promised faithfully that I'd make a public announcement about the whole affair right here in The San Francisco Chronicle.
John Myers, the bartender in question, holds forth from behind the mahogany at the Grill Room & Bar in the Old Port district of Portland, Maine, and he's the kind of guy who would do more or less anything for more or less anyone, so when he asked me to help him out with a cocktail presentation last year - "There's no money in it but we'll have a blast" - I couldn't think of letting him down.
Myers and I decided to do a fairly simple presentation, showing about 50 onlookers how relatively easy it is to prepare a variety of classic cocktails, the Rob Roy among them.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Secret of Millionaire-Maker Stocks
By Tim Beyers
We know from four years of corroborating research by my Foolish colleague Tim Hanson that the best stocks to buy and hold for the long term begin as ignored and obscure small caps.
But that can't be all there is.
Any micro cap can be small and ignored. And not all well-managed, cash-conscious small caps make for multibagger returns. Just ask me about Secure Computing some time.
"There has to be something more to the very best of the best," I thought when studying this year's list. So I didn't stop there. I revisited the market's 10 best for the decades ending in 2005, 2006, and 2007. What I found might help you to crush the market.
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We know from four years of corroborating research by my Foolish colleague Tim Hanson that the best stocks to buy and hold for the long term begin as ignored and obscure small caps.
But that can't be all there is.
Any micro cap can be small and ignored. And not all well-managed, cash-conscious small caps make for multibagger returns. Just ask me about Secure Computing some time.
"There has to be something more to the very best of the best," I thought when studying this year's list. So I didn't stop there. I revisited the market's 10 best for the decades ending in 2005, 2006, and 2007. What I found might help you to crush the market.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
One of My Best Kept Secrets to Improving Your Life
From Mercola.com
No matter how organized you are, if you don’t stop every now and again to look at the “big picture”, you’re going to get overwhelmed. You end up simply responding to what’s thrown at you, instead of proactively creating the conditions of your life.
Almost every productivity expert recommends some kind of review,. Although there’s nothing magical about the week as a unit of time, doing such a review weekly seems to work best -- it’s a block of time that’s very deeply ingrained as a scheduling unit.
I have been a fan of David Allen’s work for over seven years and it has helped me enormously. I also subscribe to his GTD Connect series, in which he interviews a variety of highly successful people in all areas of life, and it seems that the weekly review is consistently where most people struggle in the program.
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No matter how organized you are, if you don’t stop every now and again to look at the “big picture”, you’re going to get overwhelmed. You end up simply responding to what’s thrown at you, instead of proactively creating the conditions of your life.
Almost every productivity expert recommends some kind of review,. Although there’s nothing magical about the week as a unit of time, doing such a review weekly seems to work best -- it’s a block of time that’s very deeply ingrained as a scheduling unit.
I have been a fan of David Allen’s work for over seven years and it has helped me enormously. I also subscribe to his GTD Connect series, in which he interviews a variety of highly successful people in all areas of life, and it seems that the weekly review is consistently where most people struggle in the program.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Tru takes a new tack, pairing food with bourbon instead of the usual wine or beer
By Stephen Beaumont
As we roll through the dour days of winter, made even more challenging by tough economic times, the enterprising restaurateur considers how to put the proverbial butts in the seats through imaginative means.
Wine dinners have a history of working, but are also a little stale, having been around for a long, long while. Beer dinners are hipper, but still a bit difficult to sell at the high end. So how about a bourbon dinner?
That’s the conclusion the management reached at Tru restaurant in Chicago, where on Jan. 20, executive chef Tim Graham, chef-partner Rick Tramonto, pastry chef Meg Galus and wine director Chad Ellegood plan to combine five courses of their critically acclaimed fare with some of the best bourbons Kentucky has to offer, including a rare, 23-year-old reserve whiskey.
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As we roll through the dour days of winter, made even more challenging by tough economic times, the enterprising restaurateur considers how to put the proverbial butts in the seats through imaginative means.
Wine dinners have a history of working, but are also a little stale, having been around for a long, long while. Beer dinners are hipper, but still a bit difficult to sell at the high end. So how about a bourbon dinner?
That’s the conclusion the management reached at Tru restaurant in Chicago, where on Jan. 20, executive chef Tim Graham, chef-partner Rick Tramonto, pastry chef Meg Galus and wine director Chad Ellegood plan to combine five courses of their critically acclaimed fare with some of the best bourbons Kentucky has to offer, including a rare, 23-year-old reserve whiskey.
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Friday, January 23, 2009
Ten Things We're Still Buying
Lauren Sherman
Hey, Big Spender, are you out there? You must be, since December 2008 sales amounted to $343.2 billion. What did you buy?
Nothing impulsive or lavish, it would seem. Consumer confidence is at its lowest point in history and, according to a Jan. 14 report released by the Commerce Department, retail sales were down 2.7% in December 2008 from November 2008 and 9.8% from December 2007.
From Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ) to Saks (nyse: SKS - news - people ) Fifth Avenue, retailers are so desperate to rid themselves of inventory that they're marking down some merchandise by 90%.
However, $343.2 billion is still something, not zero, meaning consumers still deem many items worthy of the original price tag, says Martin Lindstrom, a retail marketing expert and author of Buyology: Truth and Lies about What We Buy.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Hey, Big Spender, are you out there? You must be, since December 2008 sales amounted to $343.2 billion. What did you buy?
Nothing impulsive or lavish, it would seem. Consumer confidence is at its lowest point in history and, according to a Jan. 14 report released by the Commerce Department, retail sales were down 2.7% in December 2008 from November 2008 and 9.8% from December 2007.
From Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ) to Saks (nyse: SKS - news - people ) Fifth Avenue, retailers are so desperate to rid themselves of inventory that they're marking down some merchandise by 90%.
However, $343.2 billion is still something, not zero, meaning consumers still deem many items worthy of the original price tag, says Martin Lindstrom, a retail marketing expert and author of Buyology: Truth and Lies about What We Buy.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Are costly energy bills draining your wallet? Win the power struggle
By Marla Dickerson
You can go broke going green.Solar panels cost tens of thousands of dollars. And who's got the money to buy all new appliances? Don't despair. There is a lot you can do, right now, with very little cash outlay, to make your home energy efficient and cheaper to run.
Go fluorescent. You'll save as much as 75% on the lighting portion of your electric bill by losing those incandescent bulbs.Your old pool pump sucks. Energy, that is. You can save an average of $50 a month by leasing the latest technology.
Then there's that banged-up fridge in your garage. Unplug it and throw out the stale six-pack chilling inside. You'll be sipping bubbly on New Year's Eve with the dough you'll pocket by year's end -- easily $100 or more.
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You can go broke going green.Solar panels cost tens of thousands of dollars. And who's got the money to buy all new appliances? Don't despair. There is a lot you can do, right now, with very little cash outlay, to make your home energy efficient and cheaper to run.
Go fluorescent. You'll save as much as 75% on the lighting portion of your electric bill by losing those incandescent bulbs.Your old pool pump sucks. Energy, that is. You can save an average of $50 a month by leasing the latest technology.
Then there's that banged-up fridge in your garage. Unplug it and throw out the stale six-pack chilling inside. You'll be sipping bubbly on New Year's Eve with the dough you'll pocket by year's end -- easily $100 or more.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Beer Makes You Fat, or Not
By Stephen Beaumont
The theme of this issue, I'm told by Ale Street's inscrutable editor, Tony Forder, is beer and health. Ah, I think, what better opportunity to address one of the questions I am most frequently posed, namely why I am not the proud possessor of a beer belly. Because after all, surely there is no health issue more frequently associated with beer drinking than obesity.
We can talk all we want about beer's vitamin content (positive), its effect on the heart (mostly positive) or the strain its metabolization puts on the liver (negative), but when the average person thinks of the stereotypical beer drinker, the image that springs immediately to mind is that of a pot-bellied fellow, t-shirt stretched far over his ample girth.
(Or, at least, that's our North American interpretation. If you happen to be in the U.K., it's bellies, beards and زwooly jumpers,س as they call heavy pull-over sweaters.) The problem is that said image conforms to few of the people I know either in or associated with the beer writing biz.
Witness the above-noted Mr. Forder, who, his penchant for questionable head attire notwithstanding, could pass in a crowd for any ordinary, non-professional beer drinking soul. Or his west coast counterpart, the trim and fit Tom Dalldorf of the Celebrator.
Or Pennsylvanian John Hansell, publisher of the Malt Advocate, French Canadian scribe Mario D'Eer and the Midwestern maven of the beer cuisine kitchen, Lucy Saunders. Or Brits Roger Protz, Tim Webb, Jeff Evans and Susan Nowak, the perennially lederhosen-ed Conrad Seidl of Austria and Kiwi Luke Nicholas. The list could go on and on.
The key factor in all of this, certainly for me and, I strongly suspect, for my peers listed above, is moderation coupled with diet and exercise. Plainly put, beer alone will not make you fat. Beer and bad diet and night after night sitting in front of the television, on the other hand, will. But then again, lethargy and poor food alone will also increase your middle, with no help needed from beer.
I drink pretty much every day, and have done so for a long time, but while I can hardly be said to hide from revelry, neither do I overdo it on a regular basis. On the occasions that I do imbibe a trifle too enthusiastically, I try to balance things out over the next few days by limiting my consumption even more than normal, perhaps having only one beer or glass of wine with dinner, rather than one while I'm cooking and another one or two at the table.
It's the same for me with food: When I return from a trip in which I've been dining out night after night, usually eating more than I would at home, I switch to light meals for a few days or a week afterward. And I might exercise a bit more often or intensely than normal. In diet and life, as in great beer, it's all about balance.
In my view, this is not sanctimony so much as it's just plain cause-and-effect common sense. If you drink a lot without exercising and being careful about what and how much you eat, you'll get fat, just as if you stick your hand into a fire, you'll get burned. It's the kind of thing we're supposed to learn in primary school.
What does bother me in all this, I must admit, is the inference behind the original question. People learn that I write about beer, so they assume I must have a belly on me. Do they think this of wine writers, even though where calories are concerned, alcohol is pretty much alcohol?
No, of course they don't, because wine writers would never overindulge in their enjoyment of a bottle or two of fine Bordeaux, would they? (Well, yes, actually, they would, and if the wine were good enough, so would I.)
Since wine is this supposedly "sophisticated" beverage, wine writers are generally considered virtuous beyond reproach. Beer writers, on the other hand, are assumed to be consuming vast quantities of ale and lager, all the time, because that's what beer drinkers do. Except that they don't, or at least the majority do not.
Some do, of course, particularly at frat parties and the kind of bars where beer is ordered by the tray load, but most of the people I know who enjoy beer, and probably most of those you know, drink their beer for enjoyment rather than stupefaction, just as they drink their wine and rum and whisky and eau-de-vie.
I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again: Beer is as dignified and sophisticated a beverage as any other, and in and of itself, does not make you fat or lazy or stupid or boorish. And stereotypes suck.
The theme of this issue, I'm told by Ale Street's inscrutable editor, Tony Forder, is beer and health. Ah, I think, what better opportunity to address one of the questions I am most frequently posed, namely why I am not the proud possessor of a beer belly. Because after all, surely there is no health issue more frequently associated with beer drinking than obesity.
We can talk all we want about beer's vitamin content (positive), its effect on the heart (mostly positive) or the strain its metabolization puts on the liver (negative), but when the average person thinks of the stereotypical beer drinker, the image that springs immediately to mind is that of a pot-bellied fellow, t-shirt stretched far over his ample girth.
(Or, at least, that's our North American interpretation. If you happen to be in the U.K., it's bellies, beards and زwooly jumpers,س as they call heavy pull-over sweaters.) The problem is that said image conforms to few of the people I know either in or associated with the beer writing biz.
Witness the above-noted Mr. Forder, who, his penchant for questionable head attire notwithstanding, could pass in a crowd for any ordinary, non-professional beer drinking soul. Or his west coast counterpart, the trim and fit Tom Dalldorf of the Celebrator.
Or Pennsylvanian John Hansell, publisher of the Malt Advocate, French Canadian scribe Mario D'Eer and the Midwestern maven of the beer cuisine kitchen, Lucy Saunders. Or Brits Roger Protz, Tim Webb, Jeff Evans and Susan Nowak, the perennially lederhosen-ed Conrad Seidl of Austria and Kiwi Luke Nicholas. The list could go on and on.
The key factor in all of this, certainly for me and, I strongly suspect, for my peers listed above, is moderation coupled with diet and exercise. Plainly put, beer alone will not make you fat. Beer and bad diet and night after night sitting in front of the television, on the other hand, will. But then again, lethargy and poor food alone will also increase your middle, with no help needed from beer.
I drink pretty much every day, and have done so for a long time, but while I can hardly be said to hide from revelry, neither do I overdo it on a regular basis. On the occasions that I do imbibe a trifle too enthusiastically, I try to balance things out over the next few days by limiting my consumption even more than normal, perhaps having only one beer or glass of wine with dinner, rather than one while I'm cooking and another one or two at the table.
It's the same for me with food: When I return from a trip in which I've been dining out night after night, usually eating more than I would at home, I switch to light meals for a few days or a week afterward. And I might exercise a bit more often or intensely than normal. In diet and life, as in great beer, it's all about balance.
In my view, this is not sanctimony so much as it's just plain cause-and-effect common sense. If you drink a lot without exercising and being careful about what and how much you eat, you'll get fat, just as if you stick your hand into a fire, you'll get burned. It's the kind of thing we're supposed to learn in primary school.
What does bother me in all this, I must admit, is the inference behind the original question. People learn that I write about beer, so they assume I must have a belly on me. Do they think this of wine writers, even though where calories are concerned, alcohol is pretty much alcohol?
No, of course they don't, because wine writers would never overindulge in their enjoyment of a bottle or two of fine Bordeaux, would they? (Well, yes, actually, they would, and if the wine were good enough, so would I.)
Since wine is this supposedly "sophisticated" beverage, wine writers are generally considered virtuous beyond reproach. Beer writers, on the other hand, are assumed to be consuming vast quantities of ale and lager, all the time, because that's what beer drinkers do. Except that they don't, or at least the majority do not.
Some do, of course, particularly at frat parties and the kind of bars where beer is ordered by the tray load, but most of the people I know who enjoy beer, and probably most of those you know, drink their beer for enjoyment rather than stupefaction, just as they drink their wine and rum and whisky and eau-de-vie.
I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again: Beer is as dignified and sophisticated a beverage as any other, and in and of itself, does not make you fat or lazy or stupid or boorish. And stereotypes suck.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
This Is the Least Risky Market in Years
By Adam J. Wiederman
Many investors are worried about how much further the market has to fall.
But that's a huge mistake. These are the least risky market conditions we've seen in a long time.
Quite simply, if there ever were a time to invest without reservations, now is that time. Why?
Despite what modern portfolio theorists will tell you, for an investor, risk isn't defined by how often share prices go up and down. That's just volatility, and though it can be stressful, it's meaningless in the long run.
Real risk, on the other hand, is the probability that you'll lose the capital you've invested -- forever.
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Many investors are worried about how much further the market has to fall.
But that's a huge mistake. These are the least risky market conditions we've seen in a long time.
Quite simply, if there ever were a time to invest without reservations, now is that time. Why?
Despite what modern portfolio theorists will tell you, for an investor, risk isn't defined by how often share prices go up and down. That's just volatility, and though it can be stressful, it's meaningless in the long run.
Real risk, on the other hand, is the probability that you'll lose the capital you've invested -- forever.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Bet on a 2009 Housing Recovery
By Richard Gibbons
The housing bubble was caused by poor lending standards, lax regulation, and low interest rates. Poor lending standards have met a natural death, lax regulation is irrelevant now -- it turns out banks do self-regulate when lower executive bonuses are suddenly on the table -- but today's low interest rates should surely impact housing prices.
But is it enough to save the housing market? And what does it mean to your stock portfolio? Avoiding foreclosures Almost half of home sales these days are distressed sales, so reducing foreclosures is the first step to stabilizing the housing market. Low interest rates can help achieve this goal.
Homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) will build more equity, since more of their mortgage payment will go toward paying back the principle. Plus, lower rates allow monthly payments to be reduced if necessary, keeping people in their homes.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The housing bubble was caused by poor lending standards, lax regulation, and low interest rates. Poor lending standards have met a natural death, lax regulation is irrelevant now -- it turns out banks do self-regulate when lower executive bonuses are suddenly on the table -- but today's low interest rates should surely impact housing prices.
But is it enough to save the housing market? And what does it mean to your stock portfolio? Avoiding foreclosures Almost half of home sales these days are distressed sales, so reducing foreclosures is the first step to stabilizing the housing market. Low interest rates can help achieve this goal.
Homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) will build more equity, since more of their mortgage payment will go toward paying back the principle. Plus, lower rates allow monthly payments to be reduced if necessary, keeping people in their homes.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Bartending Etiquette: Avoiding Gaucheries and Faux Pas
From The American Mixologist
A quick look around the room tells the story. The guy in the corner booth...the one with the irritated expression...has a drink sloshing over the rim with little pieces of soggy paper napkin stuck to the sides. The guys in the suits at the bar have been waiting easily ten or twelve minutes, with no drinks and have even less patience.
The rapping of their knuckles on the bar is a sure sign they’re a lost cause. A few short minutes later the two briskly head out the front door with the deportment of men who have tolerated enough bad service for one night.
The problem is that the bartender is otherwise occupied—occasionally making drinks for the servers, washing a glass or two and flirting with the coed sitting by the station. It is about all the young man can handle.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
A quick look around the room tells the story. The guy in the corner booth...the one with the irritated expression...has a drink sloshing over the rim with little pieces of soggy paper napkin stuck to the sides. The guys in the suits at the bar have been waiting easily ten or twelve minutes, with no drinks and have even less patience.
The rapping of their knuckles on the bar is a sure sign they’re a lost cause. A few short minutes later the two briskly head out the front door with the deportment of men who have tolerated enough bad service for one night.
The problem is that the bartender is otherwise occupied—occasionally making drinks for the servers, washing a glass or two and flirting with the coed sitting by the station. It is about all the young man can handle.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Monday, January 19, 2009
Seven Surprising Stay-Home Salaries
by Lila Daniels
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that at last count, 13.7 million Americans were telecommuting. Only one in four had a formal agreement in place with their employers. The vast majority simply arrange with a supervisor to spend a day or two a week out of the office.
In Pursuit of a Telecommute
Highly educated workers were the most likely to telecommute, according to the BLS study. If telecommuting is your goal, career training can be a good first step. Online degree programs are also a great way to see if you've got motivation and discipline it takes to work independently.
The BLS advises telecommuting hopefuls to seek out employers with established telework programs. Certain jobs and industries are more prone to this arrangement, and some of them pay really well. Here are seven stay-home jobs with standout salaries.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that at last count, 13.7 million Americans were telecommuting. Only one in four had a formal agreement in place with their employers. The vast majority simply arrange with a supervisor to spend a day or two a week out of the office.
In Pursuit of a Telecommute
Highly educated workers were the most likely to telecommute, according to the BLS study. If telecommuting is your goal, career training can be a good first step. Online degree programs are also a great way to see if you've got motivation and discipline it takes to work independently.
The BLS advises telecommuting hopefuls to seek out employers with established telework programs. Certain jobs and industries are more prone to this arrangement, and some of them pay really well. Here are seven stay-home jobs with standout salaries.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
How Blind Can See Again Without Their Eyes
From Mercola.com
A new study offers the most dramatic demonstration to date of so-called blindsight, the native ability to sense things using the brain’s primitive, subcortical — and entirely subconscious — visual system.
Scientists have previously reported cases of blindsight in people with partial damage to their visual lobes. This new report is the first to show it in a person whose visual lobes — one in each hemisphere, under the skull at the back of the head — were completely destroyed. The finding suggests that people with similar injuries may be able to recover some crude visual sense with practice.
“It’s a very rigorously done report and the first demonstration of this in someone with apparent total absence of a striate cortex, the visual processing region,” said Dr. Richard Held, an emeritus professor of cognitive and brain science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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A new study offers the most dramatic demonstration to date of so-called blindsight, the native ability to sense things using the brain’s primitive, subcortical — and entirely subconscious — visual system.
Scientists have previously reported cases of blindsight in people with partial damage to their visual lobes. This new report is the first to show it in a person whose visual lobes — one in each hemisphere, under the skull at the back of the head — were completely destroyed. The finding suggests that people with similar injuries may be able to recover some crude visual sense with practice.
“It’s a very rigorously done report and the first demonstration of this in someone with apparent total absence of a striate cortex, the visual processing region,” said Dr. Richard Held, an emeritus professor of cognitive and brain science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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For back pain sufferers, surgery isn't always the answer
By Amber Dance
An aching back -- a dull twinge or a stabbing pain, lasting days or years -- is a source of annoyance, misery or even disability for millions of sufferers.
Eighty percent of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and while the majority of cases resolve quickly, 30% recur, according to the North American Spine Society, an association of spinal health professionals based in Burr Ridge, Ill.
Those aching backs, in turn, cost Americans more than $80 billion in healthcare costs, time off from work and other expenses, the spine society says. There is evidence that the suffering is rising slightly -- perhaps because people spend more time hunched over computer keyboards.
A 2008 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., found that the percentage of U.S. adults seeking medical help for spine problems rose from 12% in 2000 to 15% in 2005.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
An aching back -- a dull twinge or a stabbing pain, lasting days or years -- is a source of annoyance, misery or even disability for millions of sufferers.
Eighty percent of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and while the majority of cases resolve quickly, 30% recur, according to the North American Spine Society, an association of spinal health professionals based in Burr Ridge, Ill.
Those aching backs, in turn, cost Americans more than $80 billion in healthcare costs, time off from work and other expenses, the spine society says. There is evidence that the suffering is rising slightly -- perhaps because people spend more time hunched over computer keyboards.
A 2008 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., found that the percentage of U.S. adults seeking medical help for spine problems rose from 12% in 2000 to 15% in 2005.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Resolved: This Year, I'll Keep More Cash --- Seven easy ways to save nearly $10,000 in 2009
By Stacy Rapacon, Reporter
Given the recent turmoil in the financial markets and the prospect of a continuing economic downturn, 2009 may be the year you finally make good on your resolve to start an emergency fund, pay off credit-card debt or beef up your retirement kitty.
Our guidelines on cutting your expenses and saving on taxes are guaranteed to put money in your pocket -- and your savings accounts.
1. Get your spending under control by using a free online budgeting Web site, such as Mint.com. This secure site tracks your checking, credit-card and investment accounts and offers money-saving tips, such as where you can cut costs or get a better rate on your credit card.
Other free sites, including Wesabe and Geezeo, offer similar budgeting tools, but focus more on their online communities where users share strategies.(Also see: Best Online Budgeting Sites.)
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Given the recent turmoil in the financial markets and the prospect of a continuing economic downturn, 2009 may be the year you finally make good on your resolve to start an emergency fund, pay off credit-card debt or beef up your retirement kitty.
Our guidelines on cutting your expenses and saving on taxes are guaranteed to put money in your pocket -- and your savings accounts.
1. Get your spending under control by using a free online budgeting Web site, such as Mint.com. This secure site tracks your checking, credit-card and investment accounts and offers money-saving tips, such as where you can cut costs or get a better rate on your credit card.
Other free sites, including Wesabe and Geezeo, offer similar budgeting tools, but focus more on their online communities where users share strategies.(Also see: Best Online Budgeting Sites.)
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
TRENDS
From Nightclub & Bar
When Worlds Collide
The resurgence in domestic production and the emergence of high-quality craft and regional brands isn’t the only dynamic shaping the beer market these days.
The recent creation of MillerCoors and the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by Euro giant InBev — completed in November — also have the potential to affect brew sales and marketing at every level of the three-tier industry.
The InBev buyout of Anheuser Busch brings about a strengthened alliance between some of the world’s top imports, including Stella Artois, with Budweiser, the leading domestic brand.
The advent of MillerCoors puts hot shot Blue Moon and craft brew Leinenkugel’s in the same stable as the Miller and Molson portfolios and imports including Grolsch and Pilsner Urquell.
Overnight, such mega-mergers transformed the major domestic brewers into bigger players in the high-end beer segment, while affording some imported brands access to critical distribution networks and the marketing expertise that has kept Budweiser, Miller and Coors among the leading U.S. brands for decades.
While venue owners differ as to how much of an impact the juggling of brands across all three beer segments is likely to have on their respective beer sales, the consensus is that the changes will alter the status quo in terms of their relationships with distributors.
“The merger of Anheuser-Busch and InBev will result in one of the two distributors losing out,” says d.b.a. co-owner Ray Deiter. “In my town (New York City), I used to get Boddingtons and Bass Ale from the InBev distributor, but now those beer brands went to the Budweiser distributor.
I had never dealt with them before, since I do not carry any of the large domestic brands, but I deal with them now.” Kip Snider, director of beverage for Irvine, Calif.-based Yard House, a draught beer and spirits chain with 21 locations, says that the new lineup of beer ownership and distribution could easily result in venues doing more business with a single distributor.
Yet he doubts that such changes in distributorship will influence his pricing structure or his ability to get product. “The mergers won’t affect us, because we carry so many brands,” Snider says. “Our smallest locations may have 100 taps, and our largest locations up to 250. We are not in the same boat as locations with a limited selection of draft beer.”
For smaller operators in particular, however, Snider says the new ownership and mergers definitely could bring a new level of competition to the market place.
“For people with 10 handles, I think it will make it more competitive as to what makes it into their bar.
They might look at it from a cost standpoint, and make decisions based on which supplier and distributor will give them a better discount.”
-----------------------------------
OPERATIONS
Employee Work Demands
“A method of increasing sales is removing any impediments to great bartender execution,” says Robert Plotkin. “For example, bartenders are often required to provide beverage service to guests seated at the cocktail tables.
When business is brisk, it becomes challenging to wait on the people at the bar, fill drink orders for servers and still provide hospitable service to patrons in the lounge.
“In this case, the solution may be as simple as scheduling a barback or cocktail server to provide extra coverage during peak trade periods.
Remember that the more difficult and stressful it is for staff to perform their jobs, the more hassled they’ll be and likely to fall victim to job burnout.
Robert Plotkin is a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and has recently authored his 16th book, Secrets Revealed of America’s Greatest Cocktails. He can be reached at www.BarMedia.com or by e-mail at robert@barmedia.com.
When Worlds Collide
The resurgence in domestic production and the emergence of high-quality craft and regional brands isn’t the only dynamic shaping the beer market these days.
The recent creation of MillerCoors and the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch by Euro giant InBev — completed in November — also have the potential to affect brew sales and marketing at every level of the three-tier industry.
The InBev buyout of Anheuser Busch brings about a strengthened alliance between some of the world’s top imports, including Stella Artois, with Budweiser, the leading domestic brand.
The advent of MillerCoors puts hot shot Blue Moon and craft brew Leinenkugel’s in the same stable as the Miller and Molson portfolios and imports including Grolsch and Pilsner Urquell.
Overnight, such mega-mergers transformed the major domestic brewers into bigger players in the high-end beer segment, while affording some imported brands access to critical distribution networks and the marketing expertise that has kept Budweiser, Miller and Coors among the leading U.S. brands for decades.
While venue owners differ as to how much of an impact the juggling of brands across all three beer segments is likely to have on their respective beer sales, the consensus is that the changes will alter the status quo in terms of their relationships with distributors.
“The merger of Anheuser-Busch and InBev will result in one of the two distributors losing out,” says d.b.a. co-owner Ray Deiter. “In my town (New York City), I used to get Boddingtons and Bass Ale from the InBev distributor, but now those beer brands went to the Budweiser distributor.
I had never dealt with them before, since I do not carry any of the large domestic brands, but I deal with them now.” Kip Snider, director of beverage for Irvine, Calif.-based Yard House, a draught beer and spirits chain with 21 locations, says that the new lineup of beer ownership and distribution could easily result in venues doing more business with a single distributor.
Yet he doubts that such changes in distributorship will influence his pricing structure or his ability to get product. “The mergers won’t affect us, because we carry so many brands,” Snider says. “Our smallest locations may have 100 taps, and our largest locations up to 250. We are not in the same boat as locations with a limited selection of draft beer.”
For smaller operators in particular, however, Snider says the new ownership and mergers definitely could bring a new level of competition to the market place.
“For people with 10 handles, I think it will make it more competitive as to what makes it into their bar.
They might look at it from a cost standpoint, and make decisions based on which supplier and distributor will give them a better discount.”
-----------------------------------
OPERATIONS
Employee Work Demands
“A method of increasing sales is removing any impediments to great bartender execution,” says Robert Plotkin. “For example, bartenders are often required to provide beverage service to guests seated at the cocktail tables.
When business is brisk, it becomes challenging to wait on the people at the bar, fill drink orders for servers and still provide hospitable service to patrons in the lounge.
“In this case, the solution may be as simple as scheduling a barback or cocktail server to provide extra coverage during peak trade periods.
Remember that the more difficult and stressful it is for staff to perform their jobs, the more hassled they’ll be and likely to fall victim to job burnout.
Robert Plotkin is a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and has recently authored his 16th book, Secrets Revealed of America’s Greatest Cocktails. He can be reached at www.BarMedia.com or by e-mail at robert@barmedia.com.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
7 mini-splurges to make you feel rich
By Rachel Lehmann-Haupt, MSN Money
Even in the world of extreme luxury, I don't know many people who feel rich these days. With jobs disappearing, the Dow tanking, 401(k)s feeling more like 101(k)s and a general attitude of doom and gloom, even the rich are choosing to play it safe.
But while $800 haircuts and $100,000 showers feel like bling from a bygone era, big budget cuts are -- let's face it -- downright depressing. I want to figure out a way to treat myself without going broke.
Wondering how I might give myself an emotional boost but spend a bit less, I call Pam Danziger, an expert on consumer trends in the luxury market (and the author of "Shopping: Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience").
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Even in the world of extreme luxury, I don't know many people who feel rich these days. With jobs disappearing, the Dow tanking, 401(k)s feeling more like 101(k)s and a general attitude of doom and gloom, even the rich are choosing to play it safe.
But while $800 haircuts and $100,000 showers feel like bling from a bygone era, big budget cuts are -- let's face it -- downright depressing. I want to figure out a way to treat myself without going broke.
Wondering how I might give myself an emotional boost but spend a bit less, I call Pam Danziger, an expert on consumer trends in the luxury market (and the author of "Shopping: Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience").
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Dirty Jobs That Pay Well
by Shanon Lyon, PayScale.com
Dealing with death, bodily fluids, and foot problems may not be the most pleasant experiences, but if your ick tolerance is pretty high, the pay for these jobs can make it worth getting your hands dirty.
Curious about how your own salary stacks up? Compare your salary with those of the eight jobs listed below.
1. Veterinarian
Median annual salary*: $73,621
Puppies and kittens are cute, but their bodily fluids? Not so much. Veterinarians diagnose and treat the dysfunctions and diseases of animals, but, according to Megan Lantz, registered veterinary technician at Northwest Veterinary Hospital in Seattle, sometimes working with animals can seem like a "flash flood of poop."
"A strong stomach is definitely needed in this field," Lantz says.
More veterinarian salary info
2. Waste Management Engineer
Median annual salary: $67,249
Waste is a thankfully nondescript way to refer to the materials that waste disposal managers have to think about and deal with every day. Whether it be garbage, hazardous substances or human waste, these brave individuals must devise ways to dispose of that waste or reduce its volume.
More waste management salary info
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Dealing with death, bodily fluids, and foot problems may not be the most pleasant experiences, but if your ick tolerance is pretty high, the pay for these jobs can make it worth getting your hands dirty.
Curious about how your own salary stacks up? Compare your salary with those of the eight jobs listed below.
1. Veterinarian
Median annual salary*: $73,621
Puppies and kittens are cute, but their bodily fluids? Not so much. Veterinarians diagnose and treat the dysfunctions and diseases of animals, but, according to Megan Lantz, registered veterinary technician at Northwest Veterinary Hospital in Seattle, sometimes working with animals can seem like a "flash flood of poop."
"A strong stomach is definitely needed in this field," Lantz says.
More veterinarian salary info
2. Waste Management Engineer
Median annual salary: $67,249
Waste is a thankfully nondescript way to refer to the materials that waste disposal managers have to think about and deal with every day. Whether it be garbage, hazardous substances or human waste, these brave individuals must devise ways to dispose of that waste or reduce its volume.
More waste management salary info
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
10 Hot Professions for 2009
by Joy Victory, Payscale.com
As the global economy continues to falter, job prospects for 2009 are expected to slow. But if you're lucky enough to be in one of these top fields, your job future is still quite bright.
Take a look at this list below and either thank your lucky stars that your job is already on it, or consider seeking the education and experience for the career that most interests you.
Auditor. With all of the economic upheaval, businesses are being watched more carefully than ever. "There is a lot of money flowing into companies right now due to the stimulus package," says Ron Mitchell, CEO and co-founder of GottaMentor, a career coaching service located in New York City.
"And, we've all seen some issues with, 'Where is this money going to?'" He adds that auditors are mostly working for the big four [accounting firms] and also as internal auditors. Average Yearly Salary - $64,914
Career Counselor. More folks than usual are starting off the new year without a job in sight. How can the out-of-work find gainful employment? From outplacement agencies to government programs, career counselors and coaches will be very busy in 2009 helping make things easier.
Mitchell encourages those seeking work to get professional help, saying, "Many individuals will need to completely re-engineer their careers. In order to do that, people need personalized guidance and feedback from an expert counselor." Average Yearly Salary - $54,426
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
As the global economy continues to falter, job prospects for 2009 are expected to slow. But if you're lucky enough to be in one of these top fields, your job future is still quite bright.
Take a look at this list below and either thank your lucky stars that your job is already on it, or consider seeking the education and experience for the career that most interests you.
Auditor. With all of the economic upheaval, businesses are being watched more carefully than ever. "There is a lot of money flowing into companies right now due to the stimulus package," says Ron Mitchell, CEO and co-founder of GottaMentor, a career coaching service located in New York City.
"And, we've all seen some issues with, 'Where is this money going to?'" He adds that auditors are mostly working for the big four [accounting firms] and also as internal auditors. Average Yearly Salary - $64,914
Career Counselor. More folks than usual are starting off the new year without a job in sight. How can the out-of-work find gainful employment? From outplacement agencies to government programs, career counselors and coaches will be very busy in 2009 helping make things easier.
Mitchell encourages those seeking work to get professional help, saying, "Many individuals will need to completely re-engineer their careers. In order to do that, people need personalized guidance and feedback from an expert counselor." Average Yearly Salary - $54,426
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island
An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.
The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.
In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.
In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Could Drinking Heavy Atoms Lengthen Your Life?
From Mercola.com
In a back room of New Scientist's offices in London, I sit down at a table with the Russian biochemist Mikhail Shchepinov. In front of us are two teaspoons and a brown glass bottle. Shchepinov opens the bottle, pours out a teaspoon of clear liquid and drinks it down. He smiles. It's my turn.
I put a spoonful of the liquid in my mouth and swallow. It tastes slightly sweet, which is a surprise. I was expecting it to be exactly like water since that, in fact, is what it is - heavy water to be precise, chemical formula D2O. The D stands for deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen with an atomic mass of 2 instead of 1. Deuterium is what puts the heavy in heavy water. An ice cube made out of it would sink in normal water.
My sip of heavy water is the culmination of a long journey trying to get to the bottom of a remarkable claim that Shchepinov first made around 18 months ago. He believes he has discovered an elixir of youth, a way to drink (or more likely eat) your way to a longer life.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
In a back room of New Scientist's offices in London, I sit down at a table with the Russian biochemist Mikhail Shchepinov. In front of us are two teaspoons and a brown glass bottle. Shchepinov opens the bottle, pours out a teaspoon of clear liquid and drinks it down. He smiles. It's my turn.
I put a spoonful of the liquid in my mouth and swallow. It tastes slightly sweet, which is a surprise. I was expecting it to be exactly like water since that, in fact, is what it is - heavy water to be precise, chemical formula D2O. The D stands for deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen with an atomic mass of 2 instead of 1. Deuterium is what puts the heavy in heavy water. An ice cube made out of it would sink in normal water.
My sip of heavy water is the culmination of a long journey trying to get to the bottom of a remarkable claim that Shchepinov first made around 18 months ago. He believes he has discovered an elixir of youth, a way to drink (or more likely eat) your way to a longer life.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
2008 Cancer Advances That Actually Make Cancer Worse
From Mercola.com
WebMD reported the "12 major advances that made cancer treatment and prevention a lot better in 2008." The annual list of major advances in cancer treatment and prevention is compiled by the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
The 12 choices come from the 21 cancer specialists who make up ASCO's editorial board.In 2008, an estimated 1.4 million Americans learned they had cancer. Half a million died from the disease.
ASCO's 12 major advances:
1. Erbitux for Lung Cancer
2. Gemzar for Pancreatic Cancer
3. Treanda for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
4. Avastin for Metastatic Breast Cancer
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WebMD reported the "12 major advances that made cancer treatment and prevention a lot better in 2008." The annual list of major advances in cancer treatment and prevention is compiled by the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
The 12 choices come from the 21 cancer specialists who make up ASCO's editorial board.In 2008, an estimated 1.4 million Americans learned they had cancer. Half a million died from the disease.
ASCO's 12 major advances:
1. Erbitux for Lung Cancer
2. Gemzar for Pancreatic Cancer
3. Treanda for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
4. Avastin for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
start working from home today
By: shawnell coleman
Start working from home now is now a reality. Making money from home is really not that difficult, it is actually fun! You then have the idea of accepting orders from others to earn an extra income, and then you just find out that it is really not difficult to have that extra money. Making money from home is my first point of business with this site.
Once I have fully encompassed all that I can on that topic, I will be branching out into other interests of hobbies. Making money from home is possible in a number of different ways. Filling out surveys is a great way to make money from home without having to pay any up front costs. Making money from home is more than simply working, it's also a mentality.
It is a mentality far different from that which is usually considered status quo, the ego to college to get a degree and then get a good job mentality. Making money from home is such a powerful and persistent desire, that it can almost be considered an American dream. And, believe it or not, millions of Americans are achieving that dream.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Start working from home now is now a reality. Making money from home is really not that difficult, it is actually fun! You then have the idea of accepting orders from others to earn an extra income, and then you just find out that it is really not difficult to have that extra money. Making money from home is my first point of business with this site.
Once I have fully encompassed all that I can on that topic, I will be branching out into other interests of hobbies. Making money from home is possible in a number of different ways. Filling out surveys is a great way to make money from home without having to pay any up front costs. Making money from home is more than simply working, it's also a mentality.
It is a mentality far different from that which is usually considered status quo, the ego to college to get a degree and then get a good job mentality. Making money from home is such a powerful and persistent desire, that it can almost be considered an American dream. And, believe it or not, millions of Americans are achieving that dream.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Brandy And Cognac
By: Fiona Muller
Brandy and Cognac are traditionally associated with after dinner drinks or for having a quick snifter of when going out hunting or on a brisk walk. Brandy was also seen as being medicinal in the past because of its warming qualities – think St Bernard dogs finding victims of avalanches.
In fact it is a drink that has lots of past associations but of late has had a bit of a development in its image. Brandy and Cognac in fact were going through a drought – whisky was the drink to be seen with and Cognac producers in France were destroying their vines because their product was just not selling. However this has all changed now.
Brandy and Cognac, especially the more expensive label cognac, are now associated with rap stars. It has been assimilated into black music by the likes of Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z. Brandy or Cognac is often name checked in songs such as Busta Rhymes's raunchy "Pass the Courvoisier".
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Brandy and Cognac are traditionally associated with after dinner drinks or for having a quick snifter of when going out hunting or on a brisk walk. Brandy was also seen as being medicinal in the past because of its warming qualities – think St Bernard dogs finding victims of avalanches.
In fact it is a drink that has lots of past associations but of late has had a bit of a development in its image. Brandy and Cognac in fact were going through a drought – whisky was the drink to be seen with and Cognac producers in France were destroying their vines because their product was just not selling. However this has all changed now.
Brandy and Cognac, especially the more expensive label cognac, are now associated with rap stars. It has been assimilated into black music by the likes of Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z. Brandy or Cognac is often name checked in songs such as Busta Rhymes's raunchy "Pass the Courvoisier".
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Secrets of Getting Wealthy
From Mercola.com
At the base of almost every ethical system in the world is the idea that the pursuit and worship of money is unfulfilling, and there is much truth to this. But while idolizing material wealth is likely to be a path to spiritual and moral poverty, it is important to remember some of the reasons why people get rich in a market economy -- as well as some of the implications of their efforts.
1. You get wealthy by producing value.
Generally, there are two roads to wealth. You can make something and trade it to people who want it, or you can use force to take things that don’t belong to you. For most of history, the easiest way to get rich was simply to take things from other people; indeed, in ancient China and at the height of the Roman Empire, “commerce” was looked down upon.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
At the base of almost every ethical system in the world is the idea that the pursuit and worship of money is unfulfilling, and there is much truth to this. But while idolizing material wealth is likely to be a path to spiritual and moral poverty, it is important to remember some of the reasons why people get rich in a market economy -- as well as some of the implications of their efforts.
1. You get wealthy by producing value.
Generally, there are two roads to wealth. You can make something and trade it to people who want it, or you can use force to take things that don’t belong to you. For most of history, the easiest way to get rich was simply to take things from other people; indeed, in ancient China and at the height of the Roman Empire, “commerce” was looked down upon.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Why this Century Old Dairy By-Product Could Help You Enjoy a 'Whey' Healthier Life
From Mercola.com
Local doctors in Zurich, Switzerland, were mystified about how to help a certain man become healthier.For reasons still unknown, and despite his less-than-optimal health, this man traveled to the remote Swiss mountain village of Gais.
Once in the mountain village, he slowly rejuvenated. It's reported that his energy was boosted by a daily dose of a by-product of milk and cheese called whey.* Shortly thereafter, word spread about the benefits he gained from the whey.
The year was 1749. Had he heard the locals' discussions about an amazing health-promoting ingredient found in this mountain village? Or was he aware of the ancient Greek 's use centuries before?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Local doctors in Zurich, Switzerland, were mystified about how to help a certain man become healthier.For reasons still unknown, and despite his less-than-optimal health, this man traveled to the remote Swiss mountain village of Gais.
Once in the mountain village, he slowly rejuvenated. It's reported that his energy was boosted by a daily dose of a by-product of milk and cheese called whey.* Shortly thereafter, word spread about the benefits he gained from the whey.
The year was 1749. Had he heard the locals' discussions about an amazing health-promoting ingredient found in this mountain village? Or was he aware of the ancient Greek 's use centuries before?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
New Year, Younger You -- 20 Anti-Aging Herbs and Spices to Add to Your Diet
From Mercola.com
The typical American diet that is high in simple carbohydrates--white flour, white salt, and processed food--is aging us. We are getting all the bulk without the nutrients, plus adding to our propensity for developing real food cravings.
So whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you can start to reverse aging by simply choosing to eat the right foods to keep you full of vim, vigor, and vitality, especially over the holidays.
The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal.Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding color, flavor, vitamins, and often medicinal properties.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The typical American diet that is high in simple carbohydrates--white flour, white salt, and processed food--is aging us. We are getting all the bulk without the nutrients, plus adding to our propensity for developing real food cravings.
So whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you can start to reverse aging by simply choosing to eat the right foods to keep you full of vim, vigor, and vitality, especially over the holidays.
The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal.Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding color, flavor, vitamins, and often medicinal properties.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
7 Secrets Steps You Must Know Before Staring a Work at Home Based Make Money Online Business
By: Nishu Sharma
The concept of starting an Internet Home-Based Business either Full time or Part-time is catching up with most people in the developed economies of the west. The Global Business Opportunities the internet offers an entrepreneur today is something that was unimaginable ten years ago and the smart ones are jumping on to the bandwagon.
Furthermore the uncertainties of present day employment, commuting long distances to workplaces and the desire to spend more time with the family are contributory factors towards this desire and urge to start an internet home-based business.
1. Get that Special Feeling: “The first and most important step towards SUCCESS is the feeling that we can SUCCEED”--Nelson Boswell. Yes, start getting that special feeling of being a Successful Internet Home-Based Business Entrepreneur. Motivate yourself and start believing in yourself. Ask yourself “If others can be successful why can’t I?”
2. Prepare a Business Plan: Once you have made a decision to start an Internet Home-Based Business, Preparing a Business Plan should be your first priority. There should be a short term and a long term plan. What is your goal? How do you propose to achieve it?
The product you wish to sell or promote, the funding strategy, the tax benefits, and the support system you have, should all be planned out.
3. Choosing a Product: Selling your own product is the quickest and easiest way to make money from home but starting off as an Affiliate is often the best option for all new home-based business entrepreneurs.
There are several Affiliate Programs promoted by successful and highly respected Internet Marketers in addition to leading organizations such as the Amazon.com and Strong Future International.
There are also several leading Affiliate Program providers such as Commission Junction, Link Share, Clickbank and ClixGalore who provide a whole range of Affiliate Programs to choose from. Do some research, avoid the Scams and choose a niche product i.e. a product that satisfies a specific need of customers. Choosing the right products is the gateway to success.
4. Website, Domain Name and Web Hosting: The website is the most important vehicle that showcases your internet home-based business to the internet marketing world. For this and other technical reasons which are beyond the scope of this article, you have to obtain the services of a professional to design your website unless of course you are capable of doing it yourself.
Again the advice of a professional is useful in helping you to choose a domain name and in selecting a web hosting company, since fancy domain names and unsatisfactory web hosts can stand in the way of your business success.
5. Stick to your Full-time Job: Stick to your full-time or day job while you are in the process of building your Internet Home-Based Business. Do not under any circumstances leave your job until your home-based business has started generating a profit and you are able to sustain yourself from it.
6. Be Passionate and Educate Yourself: Success comes only to those who are really passionate about whatever tasks they do. So if you want to work at home and succeed in your internet home-based business, you have to be completely dedicated and focused on your business. Motivate yourself to succeed for success is your goal.
Failure is no option for you. Keeping abreast with the technological developments taking place in your chosen field of activity is vital both for your survival and success. In other words you have to be knowledgeable in whatever you do. Knowledge also elevates you to a position of authority and boosts your image in the world of Internet Marketing and Internet Home-Based Business. Online Work at Home Typing and Paid Survey Jobs
7. Promote your Internet Home-Based Business: Once your Internet Home-Based Business website is up and about, your prime work now is to make your presence known to the internet business world. Having done the preliminaries such as preparing and optimizing the content of the website, submit it to the Search Engines and Directories.
Reciprocal link building, writing articles, submitting to article directories and article submission sites will start generating traffic to your site. Building opt-in lists and advertising your internet home-based business will start bringing in additional traffic and sales for your business boosting up your morale.
These steps if followed with dedication and perseverance will take you up the ladder of Success to reach your goal of being a Successful Internet Home-Based Business Entrepreneur. Click Below To More Complete Information. To Know More Visit Now Start Your Work at Home Based Business To Make Money With Ebook Selling Online Work at Home Based Business To Make Money On Internet Work at Home Based Business To Make Money With Google Adsense
The concept of starting an Internet Home-Based Business either Full time or Part-time is catching up with most people in the developed economies of the west. The Global Business Opportunities the internet offers an entrepreneur today is something that was unimaginable ten years ago and the smart ones are jumping on to the bandwagon.
Furthermore the uncertainties of present day employment, commuting long distances to workplaces and the desire to spend more time with the family are contributory factors towards this desire and urge to start an internet home-based business.
1. Get that Special Feeling: “The first and most important step towards SUCCESS is the feeling that we can SUCCEED”--Nelson Boswell. Yes, start getting that special feeling of being a Successful Internet Home-Based Business Entrepreneur. Motivate yourself and start believing in yourself. Ask yourself “If others can be successful why can’t I?”
2. Prepare a Business Plan: Once you have made a decision to start an Internet Home-Based Business, Preparing a Business Plan should be your first priority. There should be a short term and a long term plan. What is your goal? How do you propose to achieve it?
The product you wish to sell or promote, the funding strategy, the tax benefits, and the support system you have, should all be planned out.
3. Choosing a Product: Selling your own product is the quickest and easiest way to make money from home but starting off as an Affiliate is often the best option for all new home-based business entrepreneurs.
There are several Affiliate Programs promoted by successful and highly respected Internet Marketers in addition to leading organizations such as the Amazon.com and Strong Future International.
There are also several leading Affiliate Program providers such as Commission Junction, Link Share, Clickbank and ClixGalore who provide a whole range of Affiliate Programs to choose from. Do some research, avoid the Scams and choose a niche product i.e. a product that satisfies a specific need of customers. Choosing the right products is the gateway to success.
4. Website, Domain Name and Web Hosting: The website is the most important vehicle that showcases your internet home-based business to the internet marketing world. For this and other technical reasons which are beyond the scope of this article, you have to obtain the services of a professional to design your website unless of course you are capable of doing it yourself.
Again the advice of a professional is useful in helping you to choose a domain name and in selecting a web hosting company, since fancy domain names and unsatisfactory web hosts can stand in the way of your business success.
5. Stick to your Full-time Job: Stick to your full-time or day job while you are in the process of building your Internet Home-Based Business. Do not under any circumstances leave your job until your home-based business has started generating a profit and you are able to sustain yourself from it.
6. Be Passionate and Educate Yourself: Success comes only to those who are really passionate about whatever tasks they do. So if you want to work at home and succeed in your internet home-based business, you have to be completely dedicated and focused on your business. Motivate yourself to succeed for success is your goal.
Failure is no option for you. Keeping abreast with the technological developments taking place in your chosen field of activity is vital both for your survival and success. In other words you have to be knowledgeable in whatever you do. Knowledge also elevates you to a position of authority and boosts your image in the world of Internet Marketing and Internet Home-Based Business. Online Work at Home Typing and Paid Survey Jobs
7. Promote your Internet Home-Based Business: Once your Internet Home-Based Business website is up and about, your prime work now is to make your presence known to the internet business world. Having done the preliminaries such as preparing and optimizing the content of the website, submit it to the Search Engines and Directories.
Reciprocal link building, writing articles, submitting to article directories and article submission sites will start generating traffic to your site. Building opt-in lists and advertising your internet home-based business will start bringing in additional traffic and sales for your business boosting up your morale.
These steps if followed with dedication and perseverance will take you up the ladder of Success to reach your goal of being a Successful Internet Home-Based Business Entrepreneur. Click Below To More Complete Information. To Know More Visit Now Start Your Work at Home Based Business To Make Money With Ebook Selling Online Work at Home Based Business To Make Money On Internet Work at Home Based Business To Make Money With Google Adsense
Radical cheap: $1,000 homes
By Les Christie
The real estate market is so awful that buyers are now scooping up homes for as little as $1,000. There are 18 listings in Flint, Mich., for under $3,000, according to Realtor.com. There are 22 in Indianapolis, 46 in Cleveland and a whopping 709 in Detroit. All of these communities have been hit hard by foreclosures, and most of these homes are being sold by the lenders that repossessed them.
"Foreclosures have turned banks into property management companies," said Heather Fernandez, a spokeswoman for Trulia.com, the real estate Web site. "And it's often cheaper for them to give these homes away rather than try to get market value for them."
In Detroit for instance, Century 21 Villa owner Randy Eissa has a three-bedroom, one-bath bungalow of about 1,000 square feet listed at just $500. It's a nice place with lots of light, but it needs a total rehabilitation inside, which Eissa estimates will cost between $15,000 and $20,000. But that's not bad, considering that the home last sold for $72,000 in late 2007, according to Zillow.com.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The real estate market is so awful that buyers are now scooping up homes for as little as $1,000. There are 18 listings in Flint, Mich., for under $3,000, according to Realtor.com. There are 22 in Indianapolis, 46 in Cleveland and a whopping 709 in Detroit. All of these communities have been hit hard by foreclosures, and most of these homes are being sold by the lenders that repossessed them.
"Foreclosures have turned banks into property management companies," said Heather Fernandez, a spokeswoman for Trulia.com, the real estate Web site. "And it's often cheaper for them to give these homes away rather than try to get market value for them."
In Detroit for instance, Century 21 Villa owner Randy Eissa has a three-bedroom, one-bath bungalow of about 1,000 square feet listed at just $500. It's a nice place with lots of light, but it needs a total rehabilitation inside, which Eissa estimates will cost between $15,000 and $20,000. But that's not bad, considering that the home last sold for $72,000 in late 2007, according to Zillow.com.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Devour Growth in 2009
By Colleen Paulson
Here's my prediction for 2009: You're going to eat. Yeah, you might go on a diet, or you might turn to comfort foods as you mourn those 2008 investment losses. Maybe you'll decide to focus on local produce, or you'll plant your own garden full of fresh foods (or even raise a few chickens in your backyard).
But just like the rest of America, and the world, you're going to keep eating. That's why I like the prospects for food-producing stocks in 2009 and beyond.
Dude, where's my Corn Flakes?
Globally, record prices and food-shortage scares were the main stories of 2008. With commodity prices dropping, international food companies such as H.J. Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) are poised to chomp on some big profits this year, especially if they can keep volatile foreign exchange rates in check.
Beyond successfully managing cost increases, the key to successful growth these days is finding an international stronghold through established local or global brands. International companies including Kellogg (NYSE: K) are using regional acquisitions to expand their client base, especially as U.S. consumption levels out.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Here's my prediction for 2009: You're going to eat. Yeah, you might go on a diet, or you might turn to comfort foods as you mourn those 2008 investment losses. Maybe you'll decide to focus on local produce, or you'll plant your own garden full of fresh foods (or even raise a few chickens in your backyard).
But just like the rest of America, and the world, you're going to keep eating. That's why I like the prospects for food-producing stocks in 2009 and beyond.
Dude, where's my Corn Flakes?
Globally, record prices and food-shortage scares were the main stories of 2008. With commodity prices dropping, international food companies such as H.J. Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) are poised to chomp on some big profits this year, especially if they can keep volatile foreign exchange rates in check.
Beyond successfully managing cost increases, the key to successful growth these days is finding an international stronghold through established local or global brands. International companies including Kellogg (NYSE: K) are using regional acquisitions to expand their client base, especially as U.S. consumption levels out.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Confessions Of A Reformed Tea Abstainer
From The American Mixologist
The truth is that I don’t like the stuff. Until recently, waving cash in my face was the only way of provoking me to drink some tea. Now mind you it’s not for a lack of trying. It’s just that after living all these years in the same universe as coffee, whiskey and the NFL, I don’t find tea’s subtle, delicate nature particularly engaging.
Of late I have reconsidered this position and started sampling different styles and varieties of tea. It has nothing to do with personal growth, or the stream of medical studies showing that regular consumption of tea has been associated with lowering the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Black and green teas are especially highly effective antioxidants. What prompted this unexpected reassessment was professional curiosity. The fact is that Americans are turning onto tea in record numbers, that have sent its sales skyrocketing.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The truth is that I don’t like the stuff. Until recently, waving cash in my face was the only way of provoking me to drink some tea. Now mind you it’s not for a lack of trying. It’s just that after living all these years in the same universe as coffee, whiskey and the NFL, I don’t find tea’s subtle, delicate nature particularly engaging.
Of late I have reconsidered this position and started sampling different styles and varieties of tea. It has nothing to do with personal growth, or the stream of medical studies showing that regular consumption of tea has been associated with lowering the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Black and green teas are especially highly effective antioxidants. What prompted this unexpected reassessment was professional curiosity. The fact is that Americans are turning onto tea in record numbers, that have sent its sales skyrocketing.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
What Buffett and Madoff Have in Common
By Selena Maranjian
What do billionaire investor Warren Buffett and alleged Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff have in common? One blogger recently noted that they both manage money, have claimed outstanding returns, and kept their investing strategies to themselves.
The blogger said that if he had heard Buffett's sales pitch back in the 1960s, he wouldn't have signed up, because he would have been wary of the secrecy and the apparently too-good-to-be-true returns.
I think most of that makes sense. Being wary of secrecy seems smart. Not trusting things that seem too good to be true also seems smart. Unfortunately, there are always exceptions. Whereas Madoff's scheme has imploded, taking many fortunes with it, Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A), has racked up a compound average annual gain of 21% between 1965 and 2007.
Along the way, Buffett has made defining investments in Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and Washington Post (NYSE: WPO), with more recent forays into companies such as Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP).
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
What do billionaire investor Warren Buffett and alleged Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff have in common? One blogger recently noted that they both manage money, have claimed outstanding returns, and kept their investing strategies to themselves.
The blogger said that if he had heard Buffett's sales pitch back in the 1960s, he wouldn't have signed up, because he would have been wary of the secrecy and the apparently too-good-to-be-true returns.
I think most of that makes sense. Being wary of secrecy seems smart. Not trusting things that seem too good to be true also seems smart. Unfortunately, there are always exceptions. Whereas Madoff's scheme has imploded, taking many fortunes with it, Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A), has racked up a compound average annual gain of 21% between 1965 and 2007.
Along the way, Buffett has made defining investments in Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and Washington Post (NYSE: WPO), with more recent forays into companies such as Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP).
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
4 Things Obama Can Do to Help the Economy
By Morgan Housel
President-elect Obama campaigned on a platform of change. By golly, he's getting it. The economy can't find enough catastrophic changes these days. Wall Street's changed. Global trade has changed. Gas costs only a buck and change. Madoff investors have been reduced to spare change. I could go on.
I'm sure the new administration is already up to their ears in suggestions, but here are four more changes and ideas that should be considered to bolster the economy for the long term.
Have a long, hard talk with Ben Bernanke
The Federal Reserve's balance sheet has ballooned from $925 billion a year ago to $2.3 trillion today (here's a sobering look at how unprecedented this is). The rationale behind the surge is simple: In the past few months, the threat of deflation has come out swinging, prompting the Fed to double down -- lest the economy starts turning Japanese.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
President-elect Obama campaigned on a platform of change. By golly, he's getting it. The economy can't find enough catastrophic changes these days. Wall Street's changed. Global trade has changed. Gas costs only a buck and change. Madoff investors have been reduced to spare change. I could go on.
I'm sure the new administration is already up to their ears in suggestions, but here are four more changes and ideas that should be considered to bolster the economy for the long term.
Have a long, hard talk with Ben Bernanke
The Federal Reserve's balance sheet has ballooned from $925 billion a year ago to $2.3 trillion today (here's a sobering look at how unprecedented this is). The rationale behind the surge is simple: In the past few months, the threat of deflation has come out swinging, prompting the Fed to double down -- lest the economy starts turning Japanese.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
7 Thriving Business Careers, No MBA Needed
by Romy LeClaire Loran, FindTheRightSchool.com
With an expected 2.2 million job openings by 2014, the business world may want you. And you don't necessarily need a business degree to be a part of this growing field. The good analytical skills and creativity found in liberal arts and science degrees can transfer into the marketable skills you can use in business.
These seven hot jobs in business may be able to transform your non-business degree into a valuable asset in the business world. Want more great news? You can take many of the classes online.
Health Care Manager
If you love the idea of working in the medical field while being in charge, train to become a health care manager. Health care managers coordinate and supervise offices, departments, or entire facilities.
A bachelor's degree in health sciences or a nursing degree with an emphasis in administration can get you started. Best yet, health care managers made an average annual salary of $84,980 in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
With an expected 2.2 million job openings by 2014, the business world may want you. And you don't necessarily need a business degree to be a part of this growing field. The good analytical skills and creativity found in liberal arts and science degrees can transfer into the marketable skills you can use in business.
These seven hot jobs in business may be able to transform your non-business degree into a valuable asset in the business world. Want more great news? You can take many of the classes online.
Health Care Manager
If you love the idea of working in the medical field while being in charge, train to become a health care manager. Health care managers coordinate and supervise offices, departments, or entire facilities.
A bachelor's degree in health sciences or a nursing degree with an emphasis in administration can get you started. Best yet, health care managers made an average annual salary of $84,980 in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
It's Time to Play Roulette
By Chuck Saletta
In The Intelligent Investor, the book that Warren Buffett called "by far the best book on investing ever written," Benjamin Graham likened the stock market to a roulette table. In roulette, nobody knows exactly what number will come up with every spin, but thanks to its built-in advantage, the house will win money over time.
Likewise, in the stock market, you can't be 100% certain of what the future will bring for any given company you may choose to invest in. But if you follow a solid investment strategy like the value-focused one that Graham pioneered -- more on that in a minute -- you can wind up with the investing equivalent of the house's edge.
Think like the casino
Graham's philosophy was centered on two key principles. The first, which he called "Margin of Safety," can be summed up in a few simple sentences:
In The Intelligent Investor, the book that Warren Buffett called "by far the best book on investing ever written," Benjamin Graham likened the stock market to a roulette table. In roulette, nobody knows exactly what number will come up with every spin, but thanks to its built-in advantage, the house will win money over time.
Likewise, in the stock market, you can't be 100% certain of what the future will bring for any given company you may choose to invest in. But if you follow a solid investment strategy like the value-focused one that Graham pioneered -- more on that in a minute -- you can wind up with the investing equivalent of the house's edge.
Think like the casino
Graham's philosophy was centered on two key principles. The first, which he called "Margin of Safety," can be summed up in a few simple sentences:
- Almost every company is worth something.
That something may not have any connection with the company's stock price.
When there's a significant difference between price and worth, invest accordingly.
The Easy Way to Make Your First Million
By Dan Caplinger
If you're reading this, you've already gotten past the hardest part of investing in today's markets. Plenty of people have simply turned off their computers, stopped reading financial news and brokerage statements, and taken to hoping that someone will eventually sound the all-clear sometime down the road.
But you know everything won't get better all by itself. To master investing, you can't just coast through the good times as your account balances rise seemingly without any effort at all. No, Fool, you have to know that your investments will get you through the bad times as well.
If you're looking for a simple way to stay on the path toward financial success, look no further. Here's an investing strategy even a beginning investor can follow.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
If you're reading this, you've already gotten past the hardest part of investing in today's markets. Plenty of people have simply turned off their computers, stopped reading financial news and brokerage statements, and taken to hoping that someone will eventually sound the all-clear sometime down the road.
But you know everything won't get better all by itself. To master investing, you can't just coast through the good times as your account balances rise seemingly without any effort at all. No, Fool, you have to know that your investments will get you through the bad times as well.
If you're looking for a simple way to stay on the path toward financial success, look no further. Here's an investing strategy even a beginning investor can follow.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
What the Experts Aren’t Telling You About 2009
By Alex Dumortier, CFA
An article published on Bloomberg.com contains a table summarizing the predictions of Wall Street strategists for the performance of the S&P 500 in 2009. They’re a pretty optimistic bunch, predicting an average increase of 17% this year (with a range between negative 3.2% and positive 44%!). Surely that’s great news for stock investors.
Although the article expresses some skepticism, it doesn’t go far enough. Allow me to point out these Wall Street emperors' lack of clothing, and state what should be obvious:
No one knows where the S&P 500 will finish 2009
No one. Not me, not the strategists at Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) or Morgan Stanley, not Fool co-founders David or Tom Gardner, not Ben Bernanke. Not even Warren Buffett. (He'd be the first to say so). No one.
A very basic way to value the S&P 500 would require an estimate for the 2009 earnings of the companies in the index. The following table shows the change in the consensus estimate of 2009 earnings per share (EPS) for three companies in the S&P 500:
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
An article published on Bloomberg.com contains a table summarizing the predictions of Wall Street strategists for the performance of the S&P 500 in 2009. They’re a pretty optimistic bunch, predicting an average increase of 17% this year (with a range between negative 3.2% and positive 44%!). Surely that’s great news for stock investors.
Although the article expresses some skepticism, it doesn’t go far enough. Allow me to point out these Wall Street emperors' lack of clothing, and state what should be obvious:
No one knows where the S&P 500 will finish 2009
No one. Not me, not the strategists at Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) or Morgan Stanley, not Fool co-founders David or Tom Gardner, not Ben Bernanke. Not even Warren Buffett. (He'd be the first to say so). No one.
A very basic way to value the S&P 500 would require an estimate for the 2009 earnings of the companies in the index. The following table shows the change in the consensus estimate of 2009 earnings per share (EPS) for three companies in the S&P 500:
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
What Will These 3 Mistakes Cost You?
By Austin Edwards
One afternoon when I was 14, my father did something crazy. At the time, I thought I was being punished -- but looking back on it, I realize he was just trying to keep me from making two very costly mistakes.
The most important thing in life
For you it might be your family, your career, a sport, or even a hobby. For me, at 14, it was Kelly Kapowski -- a beautiful, brunette cheerleader who starred on a teeny-bop TV show called Saved by the Bell.
So you can imagine my dismay when, in the middle of my favorite episode, dear old Dad unplugged our TV, dumped a pile of books in my lap, and dropped this bombshell: If I wanted to go to college, I'd have to start learning about investing right then and there.
Reading a bunch of investment guides (including one authored by two "Fools" I would go to work for) didn't hold a candle to watching the lovely Kelly Kapowski shake her pom-poms. But the TV wasn't going back on until I finished them, so I did -- without really paying any attention to anything I read.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
One afternoon when I was 14, my father did something crazy. At the time, I thought I was being punished -- but looking back on it, I realize he was just trying to keep me from making two very costly mistakes.
The most important thing in life
For you it might be your family, your career, a sport, or even a hobby. For me, at 14, it was Kelly Kapowski -- a beautiful, brunette cheerleader who starred on a teeny-bop TV show called Saved by the Bell.
So you can imagine my dismay when, in the middle of my favorite episode, dear old Dad unplugged our TV, dumped a pile of books in my lap, and dropped this bombshell: If I wanted to go to college, I'd have to start learning about investing right then and there.
Reading a bunch of investment guides (including one authored by two "Fools" I would go to work for) didn't hold a candle to watching the lovely Kelly Kapowski shake her pom-poms. But the TV wasn't going back on until I finished them, so I did -- without really paying any attention to anything I read.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Can I Make Good Money Bartending?
by Daniel Barrett
How much money do bartenders make? The top bartenders can make around $100,000 per year. Bartenders make about 70% of their take home pay in tips.
“How Much Money Do Bartenders Make”Is Only The Beginning
Instead of asking “how much money do bartenders make”, you can ask what other benefits come from bartending? There are many other benefits. They include travel, social skill development, part-time hours, and relative ease of entry into the profession.
Bartending Allows For Travel
Bartending and travel go hand in hand. It is difficult to think of a place where you cannot find a job as a bartender. And if you are good, you can work at some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world. Beautiful Hawaii boasts close to 2000 bartending jobs.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
How much money do bartenders make? The top bartenders can make around $100,000 per year. Bartenders make about 70% of their take home pay in tips.
“How Much Money Do Bartenders Make”Is Only The Beginning
Instead of asking “how much money do bartenders make”, you can ask what other benefits come from bartending? There are many other benefits. They include travel, social skill development, part-time hours, and relative ease of entry into the profession.
Bartending Allows For Travel
Bartending and travel go hand in hand. It is difficult to think of a place where you cannot find a job as a bartender. And if you are good, you can work at some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world. Beautiful Hawaii boasts close to 2000 bartending jobs.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
10 Modern Life Survival Skills
From Mercola.com
You can avoid everyday problems and calamities by arming yourself with the right know-how before you head out into the world.
10. De-fuzz your sweater or coat at the last minute
If you're at the office, head to the supply closet to grab an extra FedEx airbill pouch and turn it inside out to create an instant, sticky, de-linting glove. At home, de-pill your sweater or coat with an old disposable razor.
9. Get into and out of tricky conversations
Cocktail parties, family gatherings, and supermarket lines are all full of conversations you have to escape from, or pretend you're interested in. You can make the pretending less painful by exiting gracefully, forcing yourself to absorb information, and avoid being a bore yourself.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
You can avoid everyday problems and calamities by arming yourself with the right know-how before you head out into the world.
10. De-fuzz your sweater or coat at the last minute
If you're at the office, head to the supply closet to grab an extra FedEx airbill pouch and turn it inside out to create an instant, sticky, de-linting glove. At home, de-pill your sweater or coat with an old disposable razor.
9. Get into and out of tricky conversations
Cocktail parties, family gatherings, and supermarket lines are all full of conversations you have to escape from, or pretend you're interested in. You can make the pretending less painful by exiting gracefully, forcing yourself to absorb information, and avoid being a bore yourself.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
How to Never Run Out of Money
By Dan Caplinger
As you finally get up the nerve to look at your dwindling account balances from 2008, you may find yourself increasingly concerned about how you'll save enough for what you'll hope will be a long retirement.
A relatively new twist on a traditional insurance product promises some relief for those looking to protect themselves from outliving their retirement savings -- but is it the best option for you?
Insurance companies have sold immediate annuities for years.
In exchange for a one-time payment, you can guarantee yourself a stream of monthly income for the rest of your life. But if you don't need money right now, you can get even more down the road by putting off taking payments until later in your lifetime.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
As you finally get up the nerve to look at your dwindling account balances from 2008, you may find yourself increasingly concerned about how you'll save enough for what you'll hope will be a long retirement.
A relatively new twist on a traditional insurance product promises some relief for those looking to protect themselves from outliving their retirement savings -- but is it the best option for you?
Insurance companies have sold immediate annuities for years.
In exchange for a one-time payment, you can guarantee yourself a stream of monthly income for the rest of your life. But if you don't need money right now, you can get even more down the road by putting off taking payments until later in your lifetime.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Monday, January 12, 2009
10 Ways to Get Rich -- Warren Buffett's secrets that can work for you
1. Reinvest your profits
When you first make money, you may be tempted to spend it. Don’t. Instead, reinvest the profits. Buffett learned this early on. In high school, he and a pal bought a pinball machine to put in a barbershop.
With the money they earned, they bought more machines until they had eight in different shops. When the friends sold the venture, Buffett used the proceeds to buy stocks and to start another small business. By age 26, he’d amassed $174,000—or $1.4 million in today’s money. Even a small sum can turn into great wealth.
2. Be willing to be different
Don’t base your decisions upon what everyone is saying or doing. When Buffett began managing money in 1956 with $100,000 cobbled together from a handful of investors, he was dubbed an oddball. He worked in Omaha, not on Wall Street, and he refused to tell his partners where he was putting their money.
People predicted that he’d fail, but when he closed his partnership 14 years later, it was worth more than $100 million. Instead of following the crowd, he looked for undervalued investments and ended up vastly beating the market average every single year.
To Buffett, the average is just that—what everybody else is doing. To be above average, you need to measure yourself by what he calls the Inner Scorecard, judging yourself by your own standards and not the world’s.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
When you first make money, you may be tempted to spend it. Don’t. Instead, reinvest the profits. Buffett learned this early on. In high school, he and a pal bought a pinball machine to put in a barbershop.
With the money they earned, they bought more machines until they had eight in different shops. When the friends sold the venture, Buffett used the proceeds to buy stocks and to start another small business. By age 26, he’d amassed $174,000—or $1.4 million in today’s money. Even a small sum can turn into great wealth.
2. Be willing to be different
Don’t base your decisions upon what everyone is saying or doing. When Buffett began managing money in 1956 with $100,000 cobbled together from a handful of investors, he was dubbed an oddball. He worked in Omaha, not on Wall Street, and he refused to tell his partners where he was putting their money.
People predicted that he’d fail, but when he closed his partnership 14 years later, it was worth more than $100 million. Instead of following the crowd, he looked for undervalued investments and ended up vastly beating the market average every single year.
To Buffett, the average is just that—what everybody else is doing. To be above average, you need to measure yourself by what he calls the Inner Scorecard, judging yourself by your own standards and not the world’s.
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Asthma Medicines Don’t Work and Can Be Dangerous
From Mercola.com
An overview of recent studies finds that there are no clear benefits to using long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs) for the treatment of asthma in children. Researchers report that there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that the drugs offer any additional benefit when used in conjunction with conventional preventative medications.
LABAs, such as salmeterol and formoterol, can reduce the symptoms of asthma for periods of up to 12 hours. They are commonly given to relax the airways overnight or after exercise, and are recommended as add-on therapies to inhaled corticosteroids.
But since LABAs have previously been shown to increase the risk of life-threatening adverse effects in adults when used as the only drug, they are not recommended as the main treatment agent in asthma in any age groups.
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An overview of recent studies finds that there are no clear benefits to using long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs) for the treatment of asthma in children. Researchers report that there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that the drugs offer any additional benefit when used in conjunction with conventional preventative medications.
LABAs, such as salmeterol and formoterol, can reduce the symptoms of asthma for periods of up to 12 hours. They are commonly given to relax the airways overnight or after exercise, and are recommended as add-on therapies to inhaled corticosteroids.
But since LABAs have previously been shown to increase the risk of life-threatening adverse effects in adults when used as the only drug, they are not recommended as the main treatment agent in asthma in any age groups.
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New Weight Loss For A Whole New Year
From Mercola.com
Can't you just feel the change? I certainly can!
It’s a whole new year… a year brimming with possibilities of a better life for you and your loved ones. For abundant success . For turning the tide against the negative impacts of last year. And my own wish for you — your best health ever…
And your weight is absolutely crucial to how you manifest great health.
Unfortunately, if you're like a lot of people, you may have put on some extra pounds over the holidays. Or even over the entire course of last year. Pounds that you may find difficult to shed as you gear up for the outdoor fun of spring and summer!
By the time winter loosens its grasp, I’m sure you’ll want to jump into all the activities of warmer weather -- swimming, bike riding, cookouts, playing by the beach. And certainly you'll want to have summer fun while looking your best ever — and being at your fittest!
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Can't you just feel the change? I certainly can!
It’s a whole new year… a year brimming with possibilities of a better life for you and your loved ones. For abundant success . For turning the tide against the negative impacts of last year. And my own wish for you — your best health ever…
And your weight is absolutely crucial to how you manifest great health.
Unfortunately, if you're like a lot of people, you may have put on some extra pounds over the holidays. Or even over the entire course of last year. Pounds that you may find difficult to shed as you gear up for the outdoor fun of spring and summer!
By the time winter loosens its grasp, I’m sure you’ll want to jump into all the activities of warmer weather -- swimming, bike riding, cookouts, playing by the beach. And certainly you'll want to have summer fun while looking your best ever — and being at your fittest!
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Avoiding The High Cost Of Bartender Turnover
From The American Mixologist
Maintaining a positive work environment is essential to reducing turnover and achieving optimum productivity. It only stands to reason that if you create a conducive working environment your employees will enjoy coming to work and won’t want to leave to work elsewhere.
When a bartender leaves your staff, his or her departure will likely weaken the business. It may not be appreciated at the time, but invariably, when an experienced employee leaves a service-oriented business the enterprise suffers as a result.
Bartender turnover is a costly occurrence, certainly something to be avoided whenever possible. When a bartender leaves your staff, the beverage operation loses the benefit of the on-the-job training you’ve invested in the employee, as well as, all of the expertise and experience the individual was able to accrue at the position.
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Maintaining a positive work environment is essential to reducing turnover and achieving optimum productivity. It only stands to reason that if you create a conducive working environment your employees will enjoy coming to work and won’t want to leave to work elsewhere.
When a bartender leaves your staff, his or her departure will likely weaken the business. It may not be appreciated at the time, but invariably, when an experienced employee leaves a service-oriented business the enterprise suffers as a result.
Bartender turnover is a costly occurrence, certainly something to be avoided whenever possible. When a bartender leaves your staff, the beverage operation loses the benefit of the on-the-job training you’ve invested in the employee, as well as, all of the expertise and experience the individual was able to accrue at the position.
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Saturday, January 10, 2009
How to find a job during recession
By: geetika jain
Finding a job during recession seems like a tough nut to crack. Companies are laying off, cutting their personnel costs, freezing recruitment and optimizing their current staff. Amidst all this, if you are a job seeker, it could be very hard.
However, not all is lost. It may be tough but it is not impossible. A positive and structured approach can help you get a job. If you have been laid off, or are a fresh graduate hunting for job, you need to understand that you are not the only one.
Globally, thousands have been laid off and young jobseekers are becoming skeptical about the job market. The insecurity and uneasiness is natural but you should not let it bog you down. Keep your career as the paramount concern in your head and focus on the positives rather than feeling depressed about what is negative around you.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Finding a job during recession seems like a tough nut to crack. Companies are laying off, cutting their personnel costs, freezing recruitment and optimizing their current staff. Amidst all this, if you are a job seeker, it could be very hard.
However, not all is lost. It may be tough but it is not impossible. A positive and structured approach can help you get a job. If you have been laid off, or are a fresh graduate hunting for job, you need to understand that you are not the only one.
Globally, thousands have been laid off and young jobseekers are becoming skeptical about the job market. The insecurity and uneasiness is natural but you should not let it bog you down. Keep your career as the paramount concern in your head and focus on the positives rather than feeling depressed about what is negative around you.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
How To Grow Your Business In A Recession
By: Richard McMunn
The importance of quality customer service
As soon as you start your business, and especially when you begin trading, make sure your customer service is of the highest standard. In order to build a successful business you will need to build a good name.
A successful business cannot be built on repeat business alone. Therefore it is essential that you obtain new customers. Naturally this can be done via advertising, but the best form of advertising is free and this is achieved via 'word of mouth'.
A satisfied and happy customer is likely to recommend you to one other person, whereas an unhappy customer will tell ten other people about their bad experience with your company. Therefore, the only effective way to build a good reputation is to build quality customer service.This can be achieved in a number of ways.
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The importance of quality customer service
As soon as you start your business, and especially when you begin trading, make sure your customer service is of the highest standard. In order to build a successful business you will need to build a good name.
A successful business cannot be built on repeat business alone. Therefore it is essential that you obtain new customers. Naturally this can be done via advertising, but the best form of advertising is free and this is achieved via 'word of mouth'.
A satisfied and happy customer is likely to recommend you to one other person, whereas an unhappy customer will tell ten other people about their bad experience with your company. Therefore, the only effective way to build a good reputation is to build quality customer service.This can be achieved in a number of ways.
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Lose Weight The Healthy Way Using 5 Tips
By: Sandra Mungure
There's a lot we can do to stay healthy but these are the 5 tips that I consider to be very importantStay Active: Our body is meant to move; as we stay active our body will function the way it's supposed to.
Lack of physical activities will make our body systems suffer and become vulnerable to various conditions and diseases such as coronary heart disease, cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, low-back pain, and stress. There are so many things that exercise does which includes firming muscles, boost brain activities and keep our heart and lungs healthy and more.
Being physical activities can be anything from more vigorous routines such as aerobics to simply walking,Fiber: Eating right is the next essential step to maintaining health body. It is important to avoid fast foods which contain a lot of saturated fats and sugar. Our bodies need the right amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals to work at its best.
Fiber provides those vitamins, nutrients and minerals which lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, intestinal problems, colon cancer, blood clots and many more.
Foods that have fiber in them include vegetables, fruits, brown rice, whole grains (wheat, oats, barley) and Legumes(lentils, dry beans and peas).Water: Many famous weight loss programs have their customers drink at least 8 glasses of water a day because they realize the importance of water in losing weight.
A lot of people don't realize how important water is to our body. Water provides an important nutrient to our body. The majority of our body is water about 70%. Breaking down our body, blood is made up of 83 percent water, bones are 22 percent water, and muscle is 75 percent water.
So it is important to keep yourself hydrated. Stress: It is important to try to choose healthier ways when dealing with the stress. Stress can do much damage to our body and mind and has been linked with "burnout", fatigue, sleep problems, depression and it lowers our immune system.
Learning techniques on how to cope with stress and worry are essential to keeping yourself balanced and full of energy. There are a wide variety of techniques from simple breathing exercises which can be done anywhere, at anytime, to full system relaxation and De-stressing to meditation.
Sleep: It is important to get enough sleep, Boston University School of Medicine found that participants that slept 7-8 hours decrease incidence of diabetes, compared to those who slept less.
One of the biggest things that lack of sleep has on our bodies is our hormones; Hormones affect our health. When we suffer from lack of sleep, we begin to crave more carbohydrates and sugar, our blood sugar levels will also fluctuate.
If we don't get enough sleep it can cause problems with our adrenal glands, the adrenal glands regulate your body's health, when our adrenal glands start suffering, and we start to suffer.
Sandra Mungure is a Health Advocate, Author, Blogger and helps people lose weight, stay fit and energized and healthy. For further information go to http://www.exerciseforbusyschedule.com
There's a lot we can do to stay healthy but these are the 5 tips that I consider to be very importantStay Active: Our body is meant to move; as we stay active our body will function the way it's supposed to.
Lack of physical activities will make our body systems suffer and become vulnerable to various conditions and diseases such as coronary heart disease, cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, low-back pain, and stress. There are so many things that exercise does which includes firming muscles, boost brain activities and keep our heart and lungs healthy and more.
Being physical activities can be anything from more vigorous routines such as aerobics to simply walking,Fiber: Eating right is the next essential step to maintaining health body. It is important to avoid fast foods which contain a lot of saturated fats and sugar. Our bodies need the right amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals to work at its best.
Fiber provides those vitamins, nutrients and minerals which lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, intestinal problems, colon cancer, blood clots and many more.
Foods that have fiber in them include vegetables, fruits, brown rice, whole grains (wheat, oats, barley) and Legumes(lentils, dry beans and peas).Water: Many famous weight loss programs have their customers drink at least 8 glasses of water a day because they realize the importance of water in losing weight.
A lot of people don't realize how important water is to our body. Water provides an important nutrient to our body. The majority of our body is water about 70%. Breaking down our body, blood is made up of 83 percent water, bones are 22 percent water, and muscle is 75 percent water.
So it is important to keep yourself hydrated. Stress: It is important to try to choose healthier ways when dealing with the stress. Stress can do much damage to our body and mind and has been linked with "burnout", fatigue, sleep problems, depression and it lowers our immune system.
Learning techniques on how to cope with stress and worry are essential to keeping yourself balanced and full of energy. There are a wide variety of techniques from simple breathing exercises which can be done anywhere, at anytime, to full system relaxation and De-stressing to meditation.
Sleep: It is important to get enough sleep, Boston University School of Medicine found that participants that slept 7-8 hours decrease incidence of diabetes, compared to those who slept less.
One of the biggest things that lack of sleep has on our bodies is our hormones; Hormones affect our health. When we suffer from lack of sleep, we begin to crave more carbohydrates and sugar, our blood sugar levels will also fluctuate.
If we don't get enough sleep it can cause problems with our adrenal glands, the adrenal glands regulate your body's health, when our adrenal glands start suffering, and we start to suffer.
Sandra Mungure is a Health Advocate, Author, Blogger and helps people lose weight, stay fit and energized and healthy. For further information go to http://www.exerciseforbusyschedule.com
Friday, January 09, 2009
Loan for Unemployed Tenant – Get Loan Even Without Any Asset and Job
By: Stewart Dibert
If you own a house, you can easily get a loan by placing the house as collateral. Even if you do not have a job, the house serves as a guarantee, whereby you can get a secured loan with any banker.
But if you are a tenant, meaning you do not have a property of your own to place as collateral, you have no chance of getting any loan at the local nationalized banks. However if you need money, you can always approach the internet based money lenders who are more than willing to help you.
They have a scheme just for you: loan for unemployed tenant.These are the money lenders who know how to take and manage risks. No matter what kind of tenant you are, you can get the loan. It does not matter if you have a good or a bad credit score. You can always apply for the loan.
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If you own a house, you can easily get a loan by placing the house as collateral. Even if you do not have a job, the house serves as a guarantee, whereby you can get a secured loan with any banker.
But if you are a tenant, meaning you do not have a property of your own to place as collateral, you have no chance of getting any loan at the local nationalized banks. However if you need money, you can always approach the internet based money lenders who are more than willing to help you.
They have a scheme just for you: loan for unemployed tenant.These are the money lenders who know how to take and manage risks. No matter what kind of tenant you are, you can get the loan. It does not matter if you have a good or a bad credit score. You can always apply for the loan.
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The Spirit Of America Taking The World By Storm
From The American Mixologist
Bourbons are on fire here and abroad. America’s finest master distillers are releasing the epitome of their crafts. They’ve cracked open hand-selected barrels and bottled their best. As it turns out, their best is world class.
The chant “Buy American” can now be heard in bars around the globe. It’s vivacious, satiny character and assertive bouquet are universally appealing, yet bourbons by nature are understated, preferring to saunter through life without pretense or conceit.
Even as they ascend toward stardom, bourbons remain accessible to all palates and priced for all budgets. Today there are roughly fifty brands of bourbons that merit a shot at making your squad. Like stocking single malt Scotches, however, you’ll likely need a plan on what to carry, otherwise your backbar may start to buckle under the weight.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Bourbons are on fire here and abroad. America’s finest master distillers are releasing the epitome of their crafts. They’ve cracked open hand-selected barrels and bottled their best. As it turns out, their best is world class.
The chant “Buy American” can now be heard in bars around the globe. It’s vivacious, satiny character and assertive bouquet are universally appealing, yet bourbons by nature are understated, preferring to saunter through life without pretense or conceit.
Even as they ascend toward stardom, bourbons remain accessible to all palates and priced for all budgets. Today there are roughly fifty brands of bourbons that merit a shot at making your squad. Like stocking single malt Scotches, however, you’ll likely need a plan on what to carry, otherwise your backbar may start to buckle under the weight.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The Most Overlooked Investment Opportunity
By Amanda B. Kish, CFA
For the most part, investors are a greedy bunch. In the race to find undervalued stocks and outperform the market, typically no stone is left unturned. But surprisingly, there is a huge segment of the market that most investors overlook entirely when building their investment portfolio. And it's not an obscure corner of the market, like timber or nuclear power. It's one of the largest and most important areas of the entire stock market.
Missed opportunities
A study by London-based asset-management firm Schroders last year suggested that although many American investors are far from convinced that the U.S. will continue to dominate the world economy, they are still reluctant to invest abroad.
In fact, only 13% of individual investors responded that they own any foreign stocks at all, while only 19% said they expected to own foreign stocks within the next five years. And those results came from before the bear market took away investors' appetite for stocks in general.
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For the most part, investors are a greedy bunch. In the race to find undervalued stocks and outperform the market, typically no stone is left unturned. But surprisingly, there is a huge segment of the market that most investors overlook entirely when building their investment portfolio. And it's not an obscure corner of the market, like timber or nuclear power. It's one of the largest and most important areas of the entire stock market.
Missed opportunities
A study by London-based asset-management firm Schroders last year suggested that although many American investors are far from convinced that the U.S. will continue to dominate the world economy, they are still reluctant to invest abroad.
In fact, only 13% of individual investors responded that they own any foreign stocks at all, while only 19% said they expected to own foreign stocks within the next five years. And those results came from before the bear market took away investors' appetite for stocks in general.
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Bad Investments to Get Rid of Now
By Dan Caplinger
With the stock market on track to lose 40% or more in 2008, you won't find many positive performers in your portfolio this year. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't give all your investments a hard look, to see if they deserve to stick around in 2009 and beyond.
In fact, it's even more important that you take a critical view of your portfolio right now. While good years may give you the luxury of letting some underperformers slide, the top priority of preserving your capital demands that you not let bad investments suck away any more of your hard-earned money than absolutely necessary.
Looking at performance
Deciding when to get rid of a particular stock depends on a number of factors. Although strong financial results always make a company more attractive, financials alone don't necessarily mean that a stock will post market-beating returns in the future. Look no further than the energy sector to see some good examples of that:
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With the stock market on track to lose 40% or more in 2008, you won't find many positive performers in your portfolio this year. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't give all your investments a hard look, to see if they deserve to stick around in 2009 and beyond.
In fact, it's even more important that you take a critical view of your portfolio right now. While good years may give you the luxury of letting some underperformers slide, the top priority of preserving your capital demands that you not let bad investments suck away any more of your hard-earned money than absolutely necessary.
Looking at performance
Deciding when to get rid of a particular stock depends on a number of factors. Although strong financial results always make a company more attractive, financials alone don't necessarily mean that a stock will post market-beating returns in the future. Look no further than the energy sector to see some good examples of that:
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Bartending: Building A Foundation For A Profitable and Rewarding Career
by Dave Parks
Dating back thousands of years, bartending began as a trade by those that produced liquor and in turn sold it to the public. This was not only a profitable venture for these early bartenders, but provided a product in huge demand by the public. Historically humans have always had a fondness for spirits which is an enormous benefit to those pursuing a bartending career.
Prohibition makes a very clear case that people want their drinks and demand is not quashed by the absence of product. Very few careers can offer you virtually guaranteed placement in literally any place you wish to live and work in the world. Most bartenders, in fact, earn more than entry level college graduates, with some eventually earning 6 figure incomes.
Becoming a successful bartender takes more than just learning to spin drink recipes. The professional bartender is well versed on the legal and business ramifications of alcohol management and service.
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Dating back thousands of years, bartending began as a trade by those that produced liquor and in turn sold it to the public. This was not only a profitable venture for these early bartenders, but provided a product in huge demand by the public. Historically humans have always had a fondness for spirits which is an enormous benefit to those pursuing a bartending career.
Prohibition makes a very clear case that people want their drinks and demand is not quashed by the absence of product. Very few careers can offer you virtually guaranteed placement in literally any place you wish to live and work in the world. Most bartenders, in fact, earn more than entry level college graduates, with some eventually earning 6 figure incomes.
Becoming a successful bartender takes more than just learning to spin drink recipes. The professional bartender is well versed on the legal and business ramifications of alcohol management and service.
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Wednesday, January 07, 2009
The Biggest Hope for Our Economy
By Andy Louis-Charles
After reading a series of articles covering the various threats to our economy, I was inspired to look for some silver linings. While I agree that you can't underestimate the economic mess we are in, the Foolish reader deserves a swig from the half-full portion of the optimism glass.
So, where exactly are these hopeful opportunities? Surprisingly, they may be right underneath your own nose.
Big savings -- Bye-bye consumption, hello production?
It only took unemployment claims jumping to a 26-year high, perpetually falling property prices, and the market erasing more than $3 trillion in retirement savings to force our country to 'fess up to our dirty little secret. We're broke!
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
After reading a series of articles covering the various threats to our economy, I was inspired to look for some silver linings. While I agree that you can't underestimate the economic mess we are in, the Foolish reader deserves a swig from the half-full portion of the optimism glass.
So, where exactly are these hopeful opportunities? Surprisingly, they may be right underneath your own nose.
Big savings -- Bye-bye consumption, hello production?
It only took unemployment claims jumping to a 26-year high, perpetually falling property prices, and the market erasing more than $3 trillion in retirement savings to force our country to 'fess up to our dirty little secret. We're broke!
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Why Now Is Not the Time to Sell
By Tom Gardner
Two weeks ago, Vanguard founder Jack Bogle -- who Fortune magazine named one of the four investing giants of the 20th century -- visited Fool Global Headquarters to talk about the collapse of the stock market.
Bear markets, he believes, separate the speculators from the true investors. Your average speculator is three times more interested in the price of a stock than the merits of underlying businesses -- and bear markets can shake these speculators out of stocks, sometimes forever.
The real investor, by contrast, obsesses over the long-term potential of a business and tries to create true wealth over rolling 10-year periods.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Two weeks ago, Vanguard founder Jack Bogle -- who Fortune magazine named one of the four investing giants of the 20th century -- visited Fool Global Headquarters to talk about the collapse of the stock market.
Bear markets, he believes, separate the speculators from the true investors. Your average speculator is three times more interested in the price of a stock than the merits of underlying businesses -- and bear markets can shake these speculators out of stocks, sometimes forever.
The real investor, by contrast, obsesses over the long-term potential of a business and tries to create true wealth over rolling 10-year periods.
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Liqueurs Contribute Greatly To Your Financial Portfolio
From The American Mixologist
If you’re in need of a feather duster behind the bar, there’s a fair chance your inventory isn’t turning over quickly enough. Dusty bottles on the back bar are a dead giveaway that your carrying costs are needlessly high and your turnover rate is low.
Some beverage operations feature as part of their concept expansive back bars with a proportionately sizable selection of liqueurs, brandies and exotic spirits. Under these circumstances a slow turn-over rate is considered acceptable.
For others, carrying a limited offering of top shelf liqueurs is sufficient. In either case, a clear-cut plan on how to market your inventory is advisable.Try to imagine operating a busy bar without liqueurs. You wouldn’t be busy for long without products such as Kahlúa, Bailey’s Irish Cream or triple sec.
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If you’re in need of a feather duster behind the bar, there’s a fair chance your inventory isn’t turning over quickly enough. Dusty bottles on the back bar are a dead giveaway that your carrying costs are needlessly high and your turnover rate is low.
Some beverage operations feature as part of their concept expansive back bars with a proportionately sizable selection of liqueurs, brandies and exotic spirits. Under these circumstances a slow turn-over rate is considered acceptable.
For others, carrying a limited offering of top shelf liqueurs is sufficient. In either case, a clear-cut plan on how to market your inventory is advisable.Try to imagine operating a busy bar without liqueurs. You wouldn’t be busy for long without products such as Kahlúa, Bailey’s Irish Cream or triple sec.
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Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Obstacle or Opportunity?
By Billy Kaderli
Lately, people have been writing to ask how we managed our investments during this past year. In a nutshell: not very well.
I missed the call on this particular financial mess. I did see problems with housing -- and I still do, based on demographics -- but I never saw the connection with subprime loans and the banking sector until it was too late. I could go into detail about my opinion as to the causes of this debacle, but that won't solve anything.
We're not selling
Essentially, this year we lived our lives no differently than we have for the last 18 years of retirement. We did not sell investments, other than small amounts for living expenses. Though we recently did a couple of sideways trades for tax purposes, we still have 90% of our assets invested in equities.
With the S&P 500 currently below 900, I don't think this is the time to be selling or getting out of the market.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Lately, people have been writing to ask how we managed our investments during this past year. In a nutshell: not very well.
I missed the call on this particular financial mess. I did see problems with housing -- and I still do, based on demographics -- but I never saw the connection with subprime loans and the banking sector until it was too late. I could go into detail about my opinion as to the causes of this debacle, but that won't solve anything.
We're not selling
Essentially, this year we lived our lives no differently than we have for the last 18 years of retirement. We did not sell investments, other than small amounts for living expenses. Though we recently did a couple of sideways trades for tax purposes, we still have 90% of our assets invested in equities.
With the S&P 500 currently below 900, I don't think this is the time to be selling or getting out of the market.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The Other Threats to Your Retirement
By Elizabeth Brokamp
Poor investment performance isn't the only threat to your retirement savings. According to the Health and Retirement Study (funded by the National Institute on Aging), in the 10-year period between 1992 and 2002, seven out of 10 adults ages 51 through 61 experienced one of the following:
This definitely isn't the stuff that retirement dreams are made of. But being aware that the worst can happen -- and preparing just in case -- can work to your benefit. If you're smart, you'll take steps now to ensure your financial nest egg won't completely crack under the pressure of a setback.
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Poor investment performance isn't the only threat to your retirement savings. According to the Health and Retirement Study (funded by the National Institute on Aging), in the 10-year period between 1992 and 2002, seven out of 10 adults ages 51 through 61 experienced one of the following:
A major medical condition, like cancer, diabetes, a stroke, a psychiatric condition, or heart problems
Health problems that forced them to curtail work
A layoff
The death of a spouse
Divorce
This definitely isn't the stuff that retirement dreams are made of. But being aware that the worst can happen -- and preparing just in case -- can work to your benefit. If you're smart, you'll take steps now to ensure your financial nest egg won't completely crack under the pressure of a setback.
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Sniffing out a bargain wine doesn’t have to make your head hurt
By STEVE PAUL
As I pulled into the parking lot at work the other day, I spied an empty bottle of Korbel Sweet Rosé in a planted bed next to my car. Now that’s a cheap wine if ever there was one.
Well, maybe not as cheap (or as bad) as the paper-bag wines, but even friends of mine who like drinking rosé would never get near that sugary sparkler made from a kitchen-sink variety of grapes.
On the other hand, cheap wine sounds pretty good in these economically challenged days. Thankfully cheap wine doesn’t always have to mean plonk. In the wine world, the code word is value. Whether shopping retail or restaurant or wine bar lists, you should always ask: Am I getting a pretty fine wine for my money?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
As I pulled into the parking lot at work the other day, I spied an empty bottle of Korbel Sweet Rosé in a planted bed next to my car. Now that’s a cheap wine if ever there was one.
Well, maybe not as cheap (or as bad) as the paper-bag wines, but even friends of mine who like drinking rosé would never get near that sugary sparkler made from a kitchen-sink variety of grapes.
On the other hand, cheap wine sounds pretty good in these economically challenged days. Thankfully cheap wine doesn’t always have to mean plonk. In the wine world, the code word is value. Whether shopping retail or restaurant or wine bar lists, you should always ask: Am I getting a pretty fine wine for my money?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Monday, January 05, 2009
10 Things You Won't See After the Recession
By Mike Elgan, Computerworld
The government says we've been in a recession for the past year. Experts say it'll be at least another year before it's over. And everybody says it's the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
Nice sound bite. What does that mean?
Who knows? We can be sure that this downturn will differ totally from the Depression, and also different from the many recessions we've suffered every decade or every other decade since the 30s. I'm not an economist or a historian, but it seems to me that this recession will be something unprecedented.
One reason is that that there was no Internet or mobile technology in the 1930s. That means individual people and companies have very low cost, high efficiency alternatives for doing a wide ranging of activities. That will accelerate the demise of those things fated to be replaced anyway.
Here are 10 things that I believe won't survive the recession.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
The government says we've been in a recession for the past year. Experts say it'll be at least another year before it's over. And everybody says it's the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
Nice sound bite. What does that mean?
Who knows? We can be sure that this downturn will differ totally from the Depression, and also different from the many recessions we've suffered every decade or every other decade since the 30s. I'm not an economist or a historian, but it seems to me that this recession will be something unprecedented.
One reason is that that there was no Internet or mobile technology in the 1930s. That means individual people and companies have very low cost, high efficiency alternatives for doing a wide ranging of activities. That will accelerate the demise of those things fated to be replaced anyway.
Here are 10 things that I believe won't survive the recession.
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How to Avoid Being Fooled at the Supermarket
From Mercola.com
How and what you eat has radically changed over the past few decades with the all-consuming rise of the supermarket. But what price are you paying for this homogenized, cheap and convenient food? This video investigates how supermarkets have affected the food on your plate, and reveals the telltale signs that the food you buy may not have been grown in the way you think.
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How and what you eat has radically changed over the past few decades with the all-consuming rise of the supermarket. But what price are you paying for this homogenized, cheap and convenient food? This video investigates how supermarkets have affected the food on your plate, and reveals the telltale signs that the food you buy may not have been grown in the way you think.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Tread Lightly and Wisely -- Text Marketing is a Delicate Balance
From Nightclub & Bar
In the touch-response playing field of the digital age, Roger Rahil identifies a paradox familiar to bar owners: Text marketing allows for fast, efficient maintenance and updating of lists, but at the same time, the instant nature of text makes it hard for some marketers to resist abusing it.
In the touch-response playing field of the digital age, Roger Rahil identifies a paradox familiar to bar owners: Text marketing allows for fast, efficient maintenance and updating of lists, but at the same time, the instant nature of text makes it hard for some marketers to resist abusing it.
Rahil — owner of Vault nightclub in Olympia, Wash., and a partner Cans in Tacoma — easily could have been Roger the Bar Owner in place of Joe the Plumber. If the presidential candidates needed an on-premise everyman as a reference point, Rahil could have been it. Like most operators right now, he's just trying to get people through the door to buy drinks.
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In the touch-response playing field of the digital age, Roger Rahil identifies a paradox familiar to bar owners: Text marketing allows for fast, efficient maintenance and updating of lists, but at the same time, the instant nature of text makes it hard for some marketers to resist abusing it.
In the touch-response playing field of the digital age, Roger Rahil identifies a paradox familiar to bar owners: Text marketing allows for fast, efficient maintenance and updating of lists, but at the same time, the instant nature of text makes it hard for some marketers to resist abusing it.
Rahil — owner of Vault nightclub in Olympia, Wash., and a partner Cans in Tacoma — easily could have been Roger the Bar Owner in place of Joe the Plumber. If the presidential candidates needed an on-premise everyman as a reference point, Rahil could have been it. Like most operators right now, he's just trying to get people through the door to buy drinks.
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Saturday, January 03, 2009
Top 10 Computer Annoyances and How to Fix Them
From Mercola.com
Computers are supposed to make our lives easier, but they can be frustrating, time-wasting, stubborn machines. Here are 10 of the most common gripes amongst computer users, and some suggestions for fixing them.
10. Dashboard widgets (OS X)
If you've got a newer or high-powered Mac, then your Dashboard widgets are probably just a dandy little convenience. But for those lacking memory, or just sick of accidentally hitting F12 and getting their screen taken over by Dashboard, here’s a little help.
If you just want to make the widgets go away for one session, you can install the simple Dashquit widget or use these terminal commands for the job. Killing multiple widgets, like those iterations that pop up from delivery trackers, is easier if you hold the Option key.
Those looking for leaner, cleaner Dashboard can speed it up with some cache cleaning. And if you're really only hitting F12 for a single widget, try pulling it onto the desktop.
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Computers are supposed to make our lives easier, but they can be frustrating, time-wasting, stubborn machines. Here are 10 of the most common gripes amongst computer users, and some suggestions for fixing them.
10. Dashboard widgets (OS X)
If you've got a newer or high-powered Mac, then your Dashboard widgets are probably just a dandy little convenience. But for those lacking memory, or just sick of accidentally hitting F12 and getting their screen taken over by Dashboard, here’s a little help.
If you just want to make the widgets go away for one session, you can install the simple Dashquit widget or use these terminal commands for the job. Killing multiple widgets, like those iterations that pop up from delivery trackers, is easier if you hold the Option key.
Those looking for leaner, cleaner Dashboard can speed it up with some cache cleaning. And if you're really only hitting F12 for a single widget, try pulling it onto the desktop.
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3 Tips for a Happier 2009
By Dan Caplinger
You'll never forget 2008. But if you're lucky, what you learn from the worst year for stocks in your lifetime will help you earn more from your portfolio for decades to come. The volatile moves in the markets have made it hard to get any kind of long-term perspective.
When the Dow skyrockets 900 points one day only to drop 700 a couple days later, and when household names like Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and AIG appear close to collapse, you can barely think ahead to next week -- let alone a retirement date that may be 20 years or more away.
But before we reach the end of 2008, you should try to take a step back and look at some of the trends you've seen this year.
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You'll never forget 2008. But if you're lucky, what you learn from the worst year for stocks in your lifetime will help you earn more from your portfolio for decades to come. The volatile moves in the markets have made it hard to get any kind of long-term perspective.
When the Dow skyrockets 900 points one day only to drop 700 a couple days later, and when household names like Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and AIG appear close to collapse, you can barely think ahead to next week -- let alone a retirement date that may be 20 years or more away.
But before we reach the end of 2008, you should try to take a step back and look at some of the trends you've seen this year.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
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