Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/08/31/rickshaw-google-nexus-7-tablet-sleeve-review/
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Friday, August 31, 2012
Rickshaw Google Nexus 7 Tablet Sleeve Review
So you’ve bought a Google Nexus 7 Android tablet and want to keep it looking shiny and new, right? The Rickshaw Nexus 7 Sleeve will easily do that for you and you can even have it made to your own favorite color specifications. Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size. San?Francisco?based Rickshaw [...]
iPad Mini releasing in October - Bloomberg
A fresh report has claimed that Apple is planning an October launch for the as-yet-unannounced iPad Mini.
It's also said AU Optronics and LG Display will supply screens for the device, which won't support the higher resolution display offered with the most recent iPad.
A September iPhone 5 release date and a pre-Christmas iPad Mini release date have been widely tipped over the last few months.
Last week Apple became the most valuable company in history.
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barbwire55: DFNM BLOG Judge Alisa Hadfield's Commitment to Families and Children in New Mexico: Guest blog by Shannon Enrigh... http://t.co/mLY0MXiV
Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.
Source: http://twitter.com/barbwire55/statuses/241185368249098240
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NFL 2012-2013 Season Preview, ft Robert Klemko (Ep 109) - Aug 30,2012
Host Adilah Barnes of the Adilah Show brings actor Ted Lange on board. Many of you recall him as the loveable Isaac Washington on the famed Love Boat Show. Mr Lange has appeared on That's My MaMa, Half & Half" Jay Leno, Oprah Winfrey and Family Matters.
Please join us as we chat with Justin Wilczynski from Nick at Nite's new primetime drama, Hollywood Heights, as Tyler, and lead singer of the band, Bonnie Dune (with Cory Monteith "Finn" from Glee) - Check out their new ep, "The Lost EP" now out on iTunes.
Teen Hosts Jackie, Leah, McMillen, and Sarah discuss the the important role self-expression plays in the teen years, as well as healthy means of self-expression. They are joined by guest Autumn Burns, Tattoo Artist at Tymeless Tattoo & Piercing.
Music has been the focal point of Grammy-award winning producer Focus?since his childhood. Focus has produced artist such has Beyonce,Christina Aguilera,Pink,Marsha Ambrosius,Busta Rhymes,Jennifer Lopez, The Game, Al Gator, Kida the list goes on. Join him tonight.
Just what was Marilyn Monroe saying in her 1956 interviews? By then, Marilyn Monroe had earned a national reputation for being a ?star,? a ?celebrity,? a ?sex symbol,? and? a ?dumb blonde.? But, MM was anything but "dumb."
Star of the hit TV show Spin City,hit films Speed, Twister and maybe most famously known as best friend Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller's Day Off- ALAN RUCK joins us!
Tinsel Korey joins Artists On Demand to talk about her debut EP "Seize the Day" and where she is hoping her music career goes from here.
LOTL Welcomes SPEECH From two-time Grammy award winning hip-hop group Arrested Development, true trailblazers in hip-hop.
James M. Tate's guest will be actress SUSAN BLAKELY, who won a Golden Globe for RICH MAN POOR MAN, co-starred in THE TOWERING INFERNO and OVER THE TOP, and appeared several times on TWO AND A HALF MEN.
Randy Berler is the founder of The South Bay Film Society. Originally from Mineola, NY, Randy attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison and received as MS in Urban and Regional Planning and during that time ran a film society.
Join us as we gear up for college football! Nathan Walters, author with Bleacher Report will join us to discuss the Big 10 conference!
Guests from England call the show and talk about paranormal events in their personal lives
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Thursday, August 30, 2012
Audiobooks.com launches new Android app, offers all you can eat for a small fee
If you dig audio books over their other physical and digital counterparts, then you might be interested to know audiobooks.com has now launched a new app for their customers. The app is available as a free download from the Google Play Store but in order to make full use of it, you'll need to sign up for a subscription.
Luckily, Audiobooks gives you a free trial to start off with offering an 'all you can eat' selection of audio books for 7 days wherein after that time, you'll be liable to pay $25/mnth. You can stream audio books from the app, your computer and more importantly there is a no hassle cancelation policy that goes along with it. Don't like it, cancel any time.
Learn more about Audiobooks.com
 |  |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/6bPngpM3t4g/story01.htm
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Denon Urban Raver AH-C300 In-Ear Headphones
For Denon, the respected manufacturer of headphones and stereo components, the concept of intentionally bass-heavy earphones is relatively new territory. Thus, we'll forgive the company for the Urban Raver AH-C300 In-Ear Headphones' somewhat ridiculous name, and its head-scratching product descriptions. ("Bone-jarring" and "brutally powerful" are two phrases that should never describe anything I'm about to put in my ears.) Thankfully, it's only the marketing that's brutal?like most Denon products, the Urban Raver ($$249.99 direct)??is a solid pair of earphones. It does indeed produce tremendous bass, so purists can probably stop reading now, but for bass lovers it's a treat, and it comes with enough accessories and innovative features, like on-ear phone controls, to take the sting out of the slightly inflated price.
Design
Luckily the Urban Raver doesn't look as ridiculous as its name would suggest, and the Denon logo is the only thing you'll find emblazoned on the earphones. It's easy to imagine the black and metallic pair sitting alongside recent visually pleasing, classy designs like the Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones ?or the Bose IE2 , both of which feature ear-stabilizers similar to the Urban Raver's. The earpieces are undeniably bulky, but they're lightweight, and provide a secure fit. However, over time, the fit can become a bit uncomfortable, and it's worth noting that the larger earpieces tend to push the cables against your jaw or cheek?a minor annoyance.
Denon throws in six pairs of silicon ear tips of various sizes, a pair of Comply foam eartips, and three total pairs of stabilizers in various sizes to ensure a secure fit. Also included with the earphones: a ?-inch adapter for larger headphone jacks, a detachable carabiner (a puzzling but harmless inclusion), and one of the sturdier, well-designed zip-up protective pouches we've seen.
The Urban Raver benefits from two notable design choices?a double-coated, tangle-free cable, and phone controls built into the right earpiece rather than the audio cable, which is the standard placement. This makes the cable less bulky (although this is presumably why the earpieces are?more?bulky), while Volume, Playback, Track Navigation, and Phone Calls are all handled by a click wheel that blends seamlessly with the overall design. Using it is simple and straightforward, and call clarity with the microphone, also built in to the right earpiece, is on par with the competition.
Denon also offers a free app for iOS and Android users called Denon Club. Like most apps from audio manufacturers, it is mostly unnecessary, as the menus for music on iPhones and Android devices are already pretty straightforward, but it includes an EQ adjuster and access to local radio streams.
Performance
Denon makes no bones about what the Urban Raver is here to accomplish: BIG bass. The rationale is that modern mixes tend to have more low-end presence, with some sub-bass frequencies that are all but ignored by many high-end manufacturers. The company took a page out of the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre ?playbook and added gobs of low frequency response to the equation. Fortunately, the Urban Raver provides ample clarity in the bass realm, as well, so things are never muddy, while the mids and highs are crisp and articulate?indicative of a more typical, less bass-heavy pair from Denon.
On tracks like the Knife's "Silent Shout," the deep bass electronic drum hits have serious presence, and even at maximum volume, there is no distortion?not that anyone should be listening at levels that high. Other challenging, bass-heavy and resonant tracks, like Thom Yorke's "Cymbal Rush," are presented clearly and cleanly with a serious low frequency push. It's safe to say that if you love electronic music, hip hop, or modern pop with deep bass in the mix, the Urban Raver will not disappoint.
If you favor a flat response pair, look elsewhere. On classical tracks, like the John Adams' piece, "The Chairman Dances," the lower register strings sound like they're playing through a subwoofer. A finely-tuned subwoofer with nice clarity, I should add, but a sub nonetheless. The brass and wood percussion may sound bright and clear, as well, but this is far from the balanced pair that most classical or jazz lovers?or purists?would pick out. If that's what you're looking for, start by checking out the review of the Etymotic ER-4PT .
But if you love bass, you deserve a pair that can deliver it, cleanly and intensely. Perhaps you don't want the bass to be "bone-jarring," which just sounds painful, but you want the added boost that a powerful subwoofer brings to the mix. The Urban Raver delivers this quite well, with a little more clarity than other bass-heavy pairs like the Monster iSport Immersion In-Ear Headphones. Throw in the excellent carrying case, the cool tangle-resistant cable, the on-ear controls, and the plethora of ear-fitting accessories, and it's easy to forget the name. The $250 price, on the other hand, seems a bit high for a pair of earphones that contorts the balance of the mix so drastically, but the aforementioned accessories make it all a bit easier to accept.
More Headphone Reviews:
??? Denon Urban Raver AH-C300 In-Ear Headphones
??? Beats by Dr. Dre Wireless
??? Koss JR900 Wireless Headphones
??? Velodyne vPulse In-Ear Headphones
??? Phiaton PS 210 BTNC
?? more
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/RMHXpTvr3j4/0,2817,2409067,00.asp
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tips for Choosing Roofers in Burlington
The roof of your house must offer adequate protection against weather changes and also complement the overall look of your house. Roofing shingles are available in a variety of different types in order to best suit your budget and particular needs. One important thing that must be kept in mind while choosing roofing shingles is climate. Other important factors, such as roof structure, installation method, energy efficiency, cost and design, must be borne in mind before roofing shingles are picked out. If you are in need for roofers, Burlington has a number of stores that can easily provide you with the shingles you desire.
You should select from an array of colors while opting for particular composite shingles. Composite shingles happen to be the most popular type of shingles for houses in America. These shingles are economical and are comparatively simple when it comes to installation. Composition shingles may be chosen with supplementary protection in case you reside in an area where gales and wind storms are usually the order of the day.
If you happen to live in an area where it snows heavy in winters, it is best if you opt for corrugated metal roofing. The smooth, metal surface of these shingles allows snow to slide down, which release the burden off the rooftop and also prevents the chance of leaks once the snow started to melt. Moreover, metal shingles will also stand the test of time as they are highly durable and possess the ability to withstand heavy winds and hail.
Slate roofing tiles must be opted for if you are in search of shingles that are durable and last long. If you need these roofers, Burlington has a number of stores that specialize in producing such shingles. These shingles, however, are more costly compared to composite or metal shingles but they do add a certain degree of style and differentiation to your house and makes it appear rather high-end. However, before slate tiles are installed, it is important to ensure that the roof structure is suitable for the additional weight as slate is rather heavy.
If you particularly in need for roof shingles that provide adequate protection against strong winds and hailstorms, it is best to opt for cement tile or terra cotta shingles. Similar to slate tiles, these masonry shingles do have a considerable weight of their own, hence is it advisable for you to ensure if your roof structure will be able to bear the additional weight or not. Several of the brands that produce these tiles offer lifetime warranty, but only if these tiles are installed strictly in accordance to the specifications stipulated by the manufacturer.
For individuals who wish for an eco-friendly existence, it would be best to invest in solar shingles that would help conserve solar energy. These shingles work more or less like solar panels and are photovoltaic, which means that they possess the ability to absorb direct sunlight and convert it into other useful forms of energy that can be used for everyday use. However, these shingles are quite costly compared to all other types of shingles but they do blend in perfectly with the roofline. Roofers in Burlington can easily be attained at the Hamilton Roofing for reasonable prices.
D'Angelo & Sons provide you the best exterior finishes on your home and the key to improving curb appeal and increasing resale value. Roofers Burlington has a number of stores that can easily provide you with the shingles you desire.
Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=3522989
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College Students: Serve Us Real Food, Please
Over the next couple of weeks, students will once again fill America?s college and university campuses ? and they?ll be hungry. The cost to feed them?
$5 billion.
But the health, social and environmental cost of most campus dining may be even higher than the monetary one, with the vast majority of that sum going to agribusinesses and junk food makers. What is needed, some say, is an influx of food to campuses that takes into account a concern for producers, consumers, communities and the earth.?
?The issue is so potent because when students arrive on campus, especially freshmen, you?re forced to eat their meal plan,? says David Schwartz, co-founder and campaign director of the Real Food Campaign, a nationwide movement that works with young people to transform the food system. ?We see it as a total right that students should have a say of what we put in our bodies.?
MORE: 15 Photos of the Most Amazing College Dorm You Have Ever Seen
The primary goal of the Real Food Campaign (which is a program of Boston-based The Food Project) is to get colleges and universities to shift $1 billion nationally ? just 20 percent of the total spending ? from industrial food systems to ?local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources??what it calls ?real food? ? by 2020.?
Students, organizers say, provide the fuel and passion for the movement. When school starts this fall, the campaign will have a presence on 363 campuses in 41 states. Student groups there work together to educate their dining service officials on the advantages of serving real food and ask them to commit in writing to transforming their purchasing practices. While just one school has signed the commitment thus far ? Saint Mary?s College in Notre Dame, Ind. ? there is great energy and passion among students to transform their campus food systems. Last winter, ?summits? in each of the campaign?s six regions drew 1,400 students.
Alexandra Villegas knew the state of California already requires colleges and universities to work toward procuring 20 percent "real food" by 2020, so she raised the standard on her campus. As a senior at the University of California Santa Cruz, Villegas successfully lobbied her dining director and administrators to commit to procuring 40 percent real food by 2020. The school's chancellor signed the commitment in February.
She also led an effort to start Farm Fridays, where each Friday a different dining hall would serve an all-local lunch to students. The 22-year-old, who graduated from UCSC in June, now begins a post organizing other student workers on campuses across California.
"I'm really excited to be working with the Real Food Campaign and hopefully see what happened on the UCSC campus happen on campuses all over the state," she says.
While many schools say they offer fresh, sustainable options to their students, Schwartz says too many dining departments engage in what he calls ?greenwashing? ? exaggerating their sustainability practices on their websites and in campus brochures.
So, what does a ?real food campus? look like?
It probably looks a lot like Sterling College. For one, the liberal arts college in Craftsbury Common, Vt., educates students in environmental stewardship and boasts of its strong programs in agriculture and food systems. Sterling doesn?t use a food service operator; instead, in-house chefs work alongside students to prepare fresh, seasonal, local meals. There?s a farm on campus where a large portion of its food is grown. The rest comes from local producers.
The ?practice what you teach? food philosophy has taken root in many of Sterling?s students. In 2010, several undergraduate students turned some collective inspiration from a sustainable agriculture class into an idea to start their own CSA, which for a time served both fellow students and the local community.
OK, so most campuses aren?t going to get from Aramark-run dining halls to grow-your-own overnight. But the Real Food Campaign is asking schools to take baby steps toward fairer, more sustainable, more ?real? food options on campus.
What percentage of your campus?s food is ?real??
Related articles on TakePart:
? A Campus Food Revolution?
? A World Without Bacon: Paul Quinn College Bans Pork From Its Campus
? Soda Less Available in School But Unhealthy Sports Drinks Remain A Sticky Problem
Steve?s story about healthy fast food was anthologized in Best Food Writing 2011. His food and general interest stories regularly appear in Edible Boston, Boston Magazine, The Boston Globe, and other places. Email Steve | @thebostonwriter
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/college-students-serve-us-real-food-please-151538918.html
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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Having A Great Commercial Real Estate Agent Is Critical To Your ...
Find out what type of fee your broker charges before entering the agreement with him. They can require fees that include a percentage of the total price that the property sells for. They may not charge you a percentage but charge you a flat fee for services. Finding this out prior to contract is crucial.
Lenders are going to want to be assured that you are successful in running a business. You are going to need to prove this to them by providing financial statements for you, as well as your business. If you can show that you are good at what you do, the lender is more likely to offer you the loan that you need.
Look for a real estate broker that lets you remain in control of the transaction. Even if you are relying on their guidance, you are still the one making the decisions. If you feel like your broker is pushing you or making decisions before consulting you, look for another broker.
if you would like to open up a business and you do not have all of the money that you need to invest in a commercial property, you should do your best to find a funding partner. You have to set up a contract with definitive rules though, because everyone needs to know where they stand in this deal.
When you consider investing in a real estate property remember that you are not just making the initial investment in the property, but rather will be investing in the property over the course of its lifetime. What is your long-term plan for maintaining the property?s upkeep over the course of the years?
When you are renting out a property, try to be prepared for a vacancy. Having a vacancy in one of your properties can cost you a lot of money. If you have a vacancy, try to fill it as fast as possible. You should always remember that you may need to have some money set aside in case of a vacancy because you will probably experience one at some time.
When dealing in commercial real estate, don?t fly solo. Properties valued highly fall outside the investment range of most individuals, but if you partner up with a few others, a group investment becomes possible. Besides, the more folks there are in your network, the more likely it is you will hear of a deal before it gets listed. Many sell before they ever get listed to those with their ear to the ground.
When purchasing an investment property, don?t forget to think sensibly. If a deal really is to good to be true if it appears that way. Make sure you have all of the facts and understand the information you?re given completely. Don?t rush through a process without fully understanding what you?re getting into, and being comfortable with it as well.
An apartment doesn?t have to be your only choice for commercial real estate. A lot of buyers tend to think that running an apartment building is the simplest choice, however let yourself be open to other investment opportunities. Office buildings, land, industrial warehouses are all possibilities you should be open to.
Commercial real estate is a whole different ball game. If you are looking to purchase or sell a piece of property in this category, make sure that you have a professional agent who specializes in this field. Their contacts and knowledge will be essential in the transaction and marketing.
When dealing with commercial real estate, you will have to develop a plan, well in advance. This will allow you to establish exactly what you want, so that you will have more time to scope out what is available to you. A solid plan of action helps to benefit you significantly.
Be sure to have money in hand when considering investing in commercial real estate. You are going to need a down payment and the money to pay for closing costs. You will also need money to cover other fees that will be required to finalize the deal. Banks are more willing to lend the money to someone who has money invested that they could lose.
When you are financing your commercial real estate endeavors, you want to ensure you can make all the necessary payments that are needed to keep your business running. If you can not make all the payments or you are not sure if you can, then you should search for other investment opportunities because it is inevitable that you will go bankrupt.
As we mentioned above, be very cautious that you?re not using outdated information to help guide your decision. The real estate market constantly changes, and for every change in the residential market, the commercial market changes tenfold. Read and use these current tips wisely to help you make the best decision possible.
Isidro Donchez looks into Tustin Realtors
Source: http://lmaureen.com/having-a-great-commercial-real-estate-agent-is-critical-to-your-purchase/
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Bad Data, Bad!: Skin cancer, sunscreen, and connecting the dots
There is skin cancer in my family. ?My grandfather has had it, and occasionally a doctor will try to tell me that I am genetically predisposed to it because of this. ?While I try to practice good sun habits, I am dubious about the "genetic predisposition" argument. ?You see, my grandfather spent several years in the early 40's hanging out in the sun in the Phillipines while monitoring Japanese aircraft activity. ?He thinks that's more responsible for his skin cancer than genes. ?I do too.
Regardless, you might say, it's a good idea to wear sunscreen right? ?Of course. ?Except it may not help.
As it turns out, sunscreen formulas that prevent sunburn may not be equally good at preventing cancer. ?And you may not be putting enough on. ?And they may have chemicals in them that actually increase your cancer risk rather than decrease it. ?Huh.
I've talked before about making sure you connect all the dots, not just proving disjointed ideas. ?We know that sunscreen prevents sunburn, and people who get sunburns are more likely to get skin cancer. ?The troubling part is that there is no proof that people who wear sunscreen get less skin cancer. ?It's tempting to jump from A to C, but you have to remember things can go wonky when you don't remember the stop at B.
Regardless of the data, sunburns are painful, and I'm still very Irish, so I would recommend sunscreen in general...but lets not oversell the good it might be doing.
Source: http://baddatabad.blogspot.com/2012/08/skin-cancer-sunscreen-and-connecting.html
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Your Boss Is Your Master, New Gadgets and a Carnival - Wealth ...
I?ll be happy to sign your paycheck- as long as you do whatever I say. Deal?
Literally. I was looking at the etymology of the word Boss, which apparently is derived from the words Baas or Baes both of which mean master or overlord. From what I hear from some people, it doesn?t sound too far off. If you love your job, feel fortunate.
I figured I would start the week out with a little etymology lesson to help put things into perspective.
New Gadgets!
I picked up an iPod touch that I?ve been playing around with. I?ve successfully turned it into a WiFi phone and I?m seeing some of the other things I can do with it.
Below are some tweets that I sent out from the iPod over the past couple of days. I?m exploring all of the different things I can do with it, but so far I?m really impressed.
In case you missed last week, I posted an article discussing?grants for entrepreneurs, and?5 funny jobs I wish existed. Now, onto the tweets and the carnival.
Andy griffithing it up with my wife! Man this show is adorable. Born 20 yrs too late?
#andygriffith ow.ly/i/SzTe? Wealth Artisan (@wealthartisan) August 25, 2012
Tori Spelling approves these beads. ow.ly/i/SG6Z
? Wealth Artisan (@wealthartisan) August 26, 2012
Wealth Artisan FinCarn
Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Lack of Liquidity May Be Why You Don?t Feel Rich ? Having a lack of liquidity has real negative consequences that can be really bad for your finances.
SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Is Budgeting Worth Your Time? ? Find out how you can keep budgeting simple and avoid the time consuming tasks that are often associated with managing your finances.
Corey @ 20s Finances writes Young Adult Retirement Planning ? Benefits of Saving a Lot Early ? Find out when you should start saving for retirement and how much you should be saving for retirement.
A Blinkin @ Funancials writes Should I Die This Year or Next Year? ? 2013 Federal Estate Taxes When you?re dealing with a death in your family, the last thing you want to think about is what fraction of the estate goes to the United States government. What?s remarkable is that depending on WHEN you die, that fraction could be significantly higher (or lower).
krantcents @ KrantCents writes Start a Business at 59 Years Old? ? Would you start a business at 59 years old? Bob Chinn did! His seafood restaurant is the highest grossing restaurant in the United States. It is not in New York or Chicago or Los Angeles! It is in Wheeling, Illinois. It is just thirty (30) miles from Chicago.
Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes Clearing Out the Clutter ? Clutter is the enemy to us all! Read my attempt to conquer it!
Kevin @ Thousandaire writes Prepare For An Emergency Today!!! ? Let me tell you a story about what happened to me and my girlfriend Tag over the weekend. It was seriously one of the scariest moments of my life.
MMD @ My Money Design writes Blogging Tips from All the Dumb Mistakes I Made My First Year ? I made a lot of mistakes within the first year of my blog. Here?s a look back at them and my blogging tips for doing things the right way!
Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes 4 Tax Law Changes We Need To Make Permanent ? With the presidential election beginning to heat up in America over the next several months, we are all going to hear a lot about income taxes.
Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes I Don?t Need to Worry about Retirement Yet, Do I? ? When is it time to worry about your retirement savings? Read my article to learn when?
BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes 5 TIPS TO GET RICH AND BUILD WEALTH ? Building wealth is a key to independence and freedom; and it?s not all about the money. More people get depressed, get divorced, and get stressed over money issues than most other worries. By eliminating the living paycheck to paycheck fears and building long term wealth, emergency savings, and money for retirement, you remove one of the life?s greatest stressors.
TRL @ The Retired Landlord writes Real Estate Leverage ? Using it to Your Advantage ? Are you wondering what real estate leverage is? Find out the answer and how to leverage your money to build wealth faster without the risk.
PPlaner @ Provident Plan writes Is Prepaid or Traditional the right credit card for you? ? Last week I talked about whether you should avoid debt. In case you haven?t read the article, I talked about how managing our finances, like much of life, is never black and white. This applies to debt. In many ways it may be advantageous to be debt free, but not always.
Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Should You Invest in Dividend Stocks? ? Find out if dividend stocks live up to the hype. The payment structure seems to have an advantage on other stocks, but is that really the case?
Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes How Much Money Are We Supposed to Spend on Friends? ? Friends. My biggest monetary pet peeve lately. Nowadays it is not easy to be a good friend. Nor it is cheap anymore.
Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Prioritizing Your Debt Pay Off ? Find out the best strategy to paying off debt. Learning the best way to pay off debt can motivate anyone to get started now.
Shawanda @ You Have More Than You Think writes How to Make Extra Income With Online Odd Jobs ? Where to find fresh opportunities to supercharge your earnings without the hassle of starting a traditional business.
Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Is RIM a Good Investment? ? Research In Motion (RIM for short) has been an icon for Canada with their Blackberry but the fierce competition it has faced since Apple came out with the iPhone has challenged their market hold on the smartphone. Not only has Apple taken a bite of their market but so has the Android based smartphones.
Steve @ Brip Blap writes http://www.bripblap.com/the-only-real-sources-of-passive-income/ ? Don?t think you?ll get rich without working for it. Everything you can generate wealth from takes effort. Writing a book is hard work. It may create a wealthstream for years to come, but that?s what you should be aiming for: wealthstreams, not passive income.
Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes Preparing Our Finances 4 Home Ownership ? By estimating our mortgage and bills and preparing our finances for home ownership now, we can begin to adjust our budget to avoid a financial apocalypse later.
John Border @ All about Money writes Planning For Retirement ? The Basics ? Get the basics right before you start planning for your retirement. This is a must to build a decent corpus for retirement.
Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Couples and Money ? Splitting the Bills ? A guide for couples on how to split the bills they are now facing together, presenting three different ways and the advantages of each.
Luke @ Learn Bonds writes Emerging Market Debt: Having Your Cake and Eating it Too ? Emerging market debt trades at ? twice the yield of developed country debt and triple the fundamentals.
Daisy @ Add Vodka writes Planning For Homebuying ? I will admit that I am really not always the most patient of people. When I get something in my head, I want it now. Not in a year, not in three months, NOW.
PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes Negotiating Your Salary and Benefits ? Find out important career tips and what you can do to negotiate your way to a better job.
Paul Vachon @ The Frugal Toad writes Decidiing When to Retire ? Deciding when to retire can be a difficult decision to make. Will I have enough income from my retirement accounts, pension, and social security to live comfortably in retirement?
IMB @ Investing Money writes Investing Money is Important ? Find out why investing money is important. You could be missing out on a lot of money.
Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes What Determines the Value On Your Home Loan? ? You?ll see a lot of three-letter acronyms thrown around as you shop for a home loan: APR, FHA, PMI. It?s enough to make your head spin. But there?s one mortgage acronym ? LTV, short for loan-to-value ratio ? that?s always puzzled me. Read more to get the lowdown!
Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents. writes Do You Want To Be Self Employed? ? Being self employed has both positives and negatives. Being self employed also isn?t as easy as most people think!
Teacher Man @ My University Money writes Investing In Yourself Doesn?t Have To Be Expensive ? There is plenty of buzz out there these days about ?investing in yourself?. Usually it is in reference to some magical product that you should buy. The logic is that by investing in what they have to offer, you are really just spending the money to improve themselves, and really, who doesn?t want that?
Young @ Young And Thrifty writes How Far Would You Go to Score a Deal? ? This is my journey to get myself 16,500 free Aeroplan points. It took a while, but in the end I was able to take a mini vacation!
Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes That Old Refrigerator May Be Costing You ? Got an old fridge? Tired of soaring energy costs? Here are some strategies to save you money!
Eddie @ Finance Fox writes The Cold Hard Truth On Being a Personal Finance Blogger ? What I Learned In Less Than 2 Years! ? Looking back now at your blogging journey, you can agree with me on this: Being a blogger and blogging is anything but easy.
Boomer @ Boomer & Echo writes Are You Counting On An Inheritance? ? Many boomers are not well prepared for their own retirements and are expecting an inheritance windfall to reduce their debts and provide an income.
Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Living Paycheck to Paycheck ? In my recent wanderings on the world wide web, I came across an article on CBS MoneyWatch that said 38% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. This is up from 31% back in 1997.
YFS @ Your Finances Simplified writes 2 Home Buying Tips That People Never Tell You! ? I would like to talk about home ownership, in particular, mortgages. Now everyone tells you that home ownership is better than renting.
John @ Married (with Debt) writes We Did It: Debt Free ? How we became consumer debt free, and how you can too. Intentional living for married couples. Get out of debt.
L Bee @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes 7 New Home Budget Busters ? I had originally set a goal for this month of not letting my spending get over 1k. I topped this number easily and upon further examination realized there were several culprits. I moved into a new apartment two months ago ? Continue reading ?The post 7 New Home Budget Busters appeared first on L Bee and the Moneytree.
A Blinkin @ Funancials writes The Ideal Budget for a Single Guy (Age 24) ? The transition from college student to young professional can be one of the most fun times in your life, but it can also be a time of stress. The increasing inflow can be extremely exciting, but only if it exceeds the increasing outflow. The bills that mom and dad used to cover (without your knowing) are now directed to your mailbox. This article will tell a 24 year old single guy how to budget.
Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes My Advice to a Person Budgeting for the First Time ? Someone asked for my help this past week in creating a budget for their household.
Holly @ Club Thrifty writes Real Estate Rehab: Confessions of a Houseaholic ? I am ashamed to admit this but?my name is Holly?and I have a problem. I am addicted to real estate. Please feel free to read on and share in my story.
Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Budgeting Can Change Your Life And Get You Out Of The Debt Hole ? Budgets and budgeting are the key to savings and getting out of debt.
Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Steps to Achieve Financial Security ? Learn three basic steps to achieve financial security. Everyone should be striving for this goal because of what it offers.
JP @ My Family Finances writes No. You Don?t Need to Buy Life Insurance for Your Children ? Buying life insurance for your children to guarantee insurability is like paying money to protect hypothetical people.
Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes How Are Stocks Classified? ? Read my article to learn how Stock are classified, and in the process gain a possible new perspective on them.
Maria @ The Money Principle writes Real estate ownership: a blessing or a bother? ? I am on holiday and the real estate problems I have in Bulgaria is heavy on my mind. To rent or to sell?
Suba @ Broke Professionals writes Brown Bag It: Tips For Making Cheap Lunch ? Deciding to brown bag it doesn?t meal relegating yourself to a life of school lunches with PB&J and baby carrots. Here are my favorite adult lunch ideas.
Jason @ Work Save Live writes 4 Ways to Build an Emergency Fund Faster ? Should You Have an Emergency Fund? Despite conventional wisdom suggesting that it would be wise to have a stash of savings set aside for unforeseen events that life could throw your way, many Americans opt to forgo the safety net and face life?s challenges on a whim.
Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Make Time To Enjoy Life While Swimming in Chaos ? You never know what is around the corner, so make sure you make time to enjoy life! You only get one shot at it!
SB @ One Cent at a Time writes How to replace HP Laptop ? Effectively managing financial institution accounts is equally important as saving money. Still we don?t usually put much attention on managing side of the personal finance. In personal finance, diversification is as important as managing that diversified portfolio. Do it effectively
Marie at FamilyMoneyValues @ Family Money Values writes Alternative Investments ? Forex Trading ? A beginner?s introduction to foreign exchange trading.
Deacon Hayes @ Well Kept Wallet writes Why it Pays to Go Back to the Store ? Every time I go to Fry?s, they post the ads on the right as soon as you walk in the door. I have made it a habit to go over to see if there is anything that is a good deal or worth looking at. Well, this time I noticed that a radio I had bought within the past 30 days was on sale for $20 less. I remembered that they had a price match guarantee and decided I would ask if they would give me the difference.
Shilpan @ Street Smart Finance writes Achieve Financial Freedom: Awesome Lessons to Spruce up Your Finances ? Achieving financial freedom is no small feat to undertake. Bogeyman is around the corner to snatch up your money before you even know. Even brightest among us face peril of losing wealth, if few major bumps come along the way.
Steve @ Canadian Personal Finance writes Is it OK to get a discount if you are good looking? ? Would you turn down a discount because you were good looking? A customer received a discount for being good looking. This was simply a joke by the server but honestly it brings up a good question, do good looking people get discounts?
Matt @ Dividend Monk writes The Dividend Discount Model ? Whether one invests in individual securities or not, it?s good knowledge to know the core essentials behind valuing a cash-producing asset. The Dividend Discount Model is the streamlined, old-school version for dividend stocks.
Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes 3 Monthly Expenses to Cut to Save you Money ? Although monthly expenses don?t seem like very much, but they can really add up. For example, a $100 cable bill on a monthly basis equates to $1200 at the end of the year. Here are a few tips on some monthly expenses that you could consider cutting.
CF @ The Outlier Model writes Fiverr should be called fourer ? Fiverr is a great peer to peer marketplace where you can buy and sell goods and services for $5. Sounds great, but as I recently found out, there is a hefty service fee?
Source: http://wealthartisan.com/your-boss-is-your-master-new-gadgets-carnival/
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Monday, August 27, 2012
Nationalism and the Olympics: Meddling with Medal Counts ...
The Olympic Games is one of the key markers for nationalism in contemporary society. Supposedly, if a country wins a large number of medals, this becomes an international indicator of the country?s overall superiority. The United States typically does very well in the summer Games, leading the way in both gold medals won and total medal count, though China has been a close second in the past two summer Games. Bear in mind, however, the United States has a population of about 310 million, and China 1.34 billion. In this post, David Mayeda breaks down which countries are the true Olympic standouts, considering each country?s population size, and questions the Games as an indicator of nationalism.
?U.S.A. U.S.A. U.S.A.? You could hear the national pride in the chants coming from the American fans. The United States won more medals at this summer?s olympic games than any other country with 104 total medals and 46 gold. The People?s Republic of China earned 88 medals with 38 gold. More than any other symbol of the Olympics, a nation?s medal count is supposed to be a measure of a nation?s global superiority. While it?s true that the Olympics are idealized as a two week international love, peace, and unity extravaganza, this sentiment is at best quaint.
If anything, the Olympics promote a fleeting nationalism within countries ? a sense of solidarity, shared values, and cultural pride within a nation?s borders that revolve around athletes? international success. For instance, all Americans can supposedly take pride in Michael Phelps?s ongoing success across three Olympic Games. It is apparently behind Phelps that all American citizens can rally together, assimilated as one, for about a week.
And in turn, as the USA wins the most gold?s and medals as a whole, Americans in general can assert their collective global superiority. With their Olympic dominance, we can safely assume that the United States must hold greater levels of technological advancement, athletic training innovation, work ethic, physical superiority, mental acumen, and well, just must be the best, period. Right?
Not so fast. Let?s consider some basic statistics first. With a population of roughly 310 million, should we note expect the United States to have a strong Olympic showing to begin with? With 1.34 billion in its citizenry, aren?t the odds in favor of the People?s Republic of China doing well? When we consider different countries? population size, a very different perspective of success emerges. First, here are the top five countries based on their total medal counts (source):
- The United States (46 gold, 29 silver, 29 bronze, 104 total)
- People?s Republic of China (38 gold, 27 silver, 23 bronze, 88 total)
- Russian Federation (24 gold, 26 silver, 32 bronze, 82 total)
- Great Britain (29 gold, 17 silver, 19 bronze, 65 total)
- Germany (11 gold, 19 silver, 14 bronze, 44 total)
Now let?s look at the top fifteen countries when we account for population size. We will do this by taking each country?s total Olympic medal count, dividing it by that respective country?s total population, and then taking that figure and multiplying it by 100,000. Thus, the final figure we have (bolded) will still be very small, but it will serve as an indicator of the number of Olympic medallists in each country per 100,000 in the country?s broader population. Here are the top fifteen countries using this method:
- Grenada (1 medal for 104,000 in population, or 0.962 per 100,000)
- Jamaica (12 medals for 2,730,000 in population, or 0.440 per 100,000)
- Trinidad and Tobago (4 medals for 1,344,000 in population, or 0.298 per 100,000)
- New Zealand (13 medals for 4,383,000 in population, or 0.297 per 100,000)
- Bahamas (1 medal for 346,000 in population, or 0.289 per 100,000)
- Slovenia (4 medals for 2,062,700 in population, or 0.194 per 100,000)
- Mongolia (5 medals for 2,768,800 in population, or 0.181 per 100,000)
- Hungary (17 medals for 10,013,628 in population, or 0.170 per 100,000)
- Denmark (9 medals for 5,540,241 in population, or 0.162 per 100,000)
- Montenegro (1 medals for 620,000 in population, or 0.161 per 100,000)
- Georgia (7 medals for 4,436,000 in population, or 0.158 per 100,000)
- Australia (35 medals for 22,421,417 in population, or 0.156 per 100,000)
- Lithuania (5 medals for 3,329,227 in population, or 0.150 per 100,000)
- Croatia (6 medals for 4,435,056 in population, or 0.135 per 100,000)
- Belarus (12 medals for 9,471,900 in population, or 0.127 per 100,000)
When accounting for population size, it is, in order, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Bahamas who take the top five places. If not for Usain Bolt (Jamaica), who would have thought of any of those countries? Where do the ?Olympic powerhouses? stand? The mighty United States falls to 49th place (104 medals for 309,975,000 in population, or 0.034 per 100,000). The People?s Republic of China drops to number 74 on the list (88 medals for 1,339,190,000 in population, or 0.007 per 100,000), and Great Britain moves down to number 23 (65 medals for 62,041,708 in population, or 0.105 per 100,000).
Granted, there are a few issues to consider when using this approach. Jamaica?s prominence is titled by its incredible sprinting core (Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake each won 2 individual medals, and were part of the gold medal 4?100 relay team). Also, a number of athletes who represent certain countries in the Olympics train in other countries. And finally, some single medal counts can include multiple athletes, namely in team sports, but this also applies to relays in individual sports (e.g., track and field and swimming) and team competitions in individual sports (e.g., gymnastics).
These issues aside, when countries use the Olympic Games as a marker of international prominence, they may want to rethink what other countries are accomplishing with the number of citizens they have. ?Pound for pound? (or ?person for person?), perhaps the USA isn?t so impressive after all.
Photo via Wikipedia.
Dig Deeper:
- Do you think our obsession with national medal contradicts the goal of bringing the world together for two weeks of unity? Explain your answer.
- In addition to presentation of medal counts, how else have you seen nationalism presented in your country?s coverage of the Olympic Games?
- Find a olympic themed commercial online. Does the commercial emphasize world unity, national pride, or both? What symbols, imagery, etc. does it use to communicate this message?
- While the U.S. team did well, the female olympians did significantly better. The U.S. women brought home 29 gold medals (compared to the men?s 17) and in total the women earned 58 out of the 104 total medals. What do you think this says about men and women in the United States? How does the inclusion of this fact change the sociological meaning of the U.S. medal count?
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Aaron Levie of Box Always on Fast-Forward - Disruptions - NYTimes ...
LOS ALTOS, Calif. ? It?s about 20 minutes into my lunch interview with Aaron Levie, co-founder of Box, at the headquarters of the online data storage company, and he still doesn?t have any food.
?Are you eating?? I ask, awkwardly swirling Thai noodles onto my fork.
Like someone swerving out of the way of oncoming traffic, he abruptly shifts from a lengthy ramble on the short history of cloud computing and responds: ?For your own sake, I?m not going to eat. I speak too quickly, and my food would be splattered all over the table.?
Mr. Levie, 27, the chief executive of Box, always operates on fast forward. He talks quickly. Walks quickly. Thinks quickly.
Even his clothing displays a need for speed. Mr. Levie doesn?t own a single pair of dress shoes. Instead, he opts for Asics or Puma sneakers with bright orange or pink laces, which he wears daily with a dark suit. ?Sneakers help me walk faster,? he says. ?Plus, it reminds me that we?re fighting for the end user ? the consumer ? because they wear sneakers, too!?
His career and his start-up have also grown at warp speed.
Just seven years ago, while attending the University of Southern California?s Marshall School of Business, Mr. Levie founded Box from his dorm room with Dylan Smith. Mr. Levie programmed the site, and Mr. Smith, who is now the company?s chief financial officer, played online poker to finance the business. (Until recently, the company was known as Box.net.)
The founders learned to identify the 3 percent of people who were ?terrible poker players? and beat them, Mr. Levie said. ?If you played against eight screens at a time, it basically just becomes statistical.?
After a brief stint in Seattle, Box moved to Oakland and operated out of a garage belonging to Mr. Levie?s uncle. For seven months, a small group of programmers lived and worked there among pizza crusts and Coca-Cola cans.
Now, Box is one of the fastest-growing companies in Silicon Valley. It has more than 500 employees and supplies cloud storage services to more than 11 million people and 125,000 businesses. It has raised $200 million from notable investors, including the Texas billionaire Mark Cuban, SAP Ventures and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. And revenue has more than doubled every year since Box was founded in 2005, although the company does not disclose the amount.
Sean Andersen, director of interactive services at Six Flags Entertainment, said he chose Box because of its ability to adapt for businesses. ?I first met Aaron at a trade show, and at the time, he was literally having two conversations at once,? Mr. Andersen said. ?They have this iteration cycle where they are changing and improving their product at a much faster scale than others.?
Mr. Levie talks about his business the way an ardent ?Star Trek? fan explains his favorite episode. As he sees it, enterprise computing, or software sold to companies, is at a pivotal moment as businesses move from clunky, in-house systems to Web-based ones operating in the cloud.
?If you think about the market that we?re in, and more broadly just the enterprise software market, the kind of transition that?s happening right now from legacy systems to the cloud is literally, by definition, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,? he says. ?This is probably going to happen at a larger scale than any other technology transition we?ve seen in the enterprise. Larger than client servers. Larger than mainframes.?
The business potential, he adds, seems limitless: ?We think we are just 1 percent into that transition.?
To Mr. Levie, mobile is the biggest driver of change. Before, legacy systems used to be connected to Windows computers, and people printed out most of their documents. Now, printers are giving way to iPhones and iPads, all of which are connected to the cloud.
?All of a sudden, if you think about the entire ecosystem of connected devices that can pull down information, access content and allow me to share and work and communicate, the vast majority now are not Windows computers,? he says. ?They are iPhones. They are iPads. They are Android devices. Mobile is the catalyst that can actually re-evaluate and re-engineer your entire I.T. strategy.?
This is where he expects most of his company?s growth to come. As chief information officers of Fortune 500 companies continue to switch from mainframes and allow employees to work remotely from mobile devices, including tablets and laptops, the cloud and services like Box will become all the more important.
While Mr. Levie runs a multimillion-dollar business and oversees hundreds of employees, he is still a 20-something tech geek. In Silicon Valley, where he is often described as the son of the mad professor from ?Back to the Future,? he arrives at the office around noon and works until 3 a.m. After work, he goes home and plays video games to ?wind down.?
The company?s headquarters are infused with his youthful energy. A bright yellow slide spirals from the second floor to the lobby. Swings hang from the ceiling of meeting areas. Hundreds of stuffed unicorns litter the office, sitting on chairs, above computer monitors and abandoned in the hallway.
All of this, Mr. Levie says, helps employees remember that they are fighting for the consumer. He believes this philosophy separates Box from its competitors.
?This is the thing that we think will always keep us competitive with enterprise incumbents,? he says, noting that traditional enterprise software is often clunky and confusing. He says Box tries to ?fight the man? by making software from a consumer standpoint so it can easily be downloaded to any device and remain secure.
I reminded him that technically, he is ?the man.? As if momentarily placing a finger on a spinning record, he pauses for a millisecond, looks up and says, ?Oh, yeah,? before turning down a new street in his mind to explain the importance of security in cloud software.
But ?the man? is different in this case. Even with the colorful sneakers and boyish looks, the young chief executive stands out for his philosophy, which he demonstrates on his personal Twitter account with jokes about cloud computing and other technologies.
In a recent post on Twitter, he wrote: ?Blogs made it hard for me to read full articles. Now tweets make blogs hard to read. Soon, I?ll only be able to consume shapes.?
Or, taking a jab at smart guys like him: ?Start-ups are for people that wanted to run marathons, cage fight and hunt alligators, but were born with asthma.?
E-mail: bilton@nytimes.com
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Online Business Idea - Start An Email Marketing Business
Email is one of the oldest online marketing tool that exists still today and it?s quite predictable, looking at its huge user-base, that it?s not going to disappear in the near future. This is an opportunity for starting a business. You too can start your email marketing business.
Social media marketing might be taking the world by storm, but Email is still a useful marketing tool for effective online campaigns and it should not be overlooked by the internet marketers and businesses.
There are many small businesses that do not have any idea on how to build relationship with customers and market their services online. You can help them by providing a targeted email marketing service.
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The best thing about email marketing business is that it can be operated from a corner of your room. It?s another home based online business. But let me also tell you that you?ll have to hit the road and knock around to find clients and carry out the essential tasks before creating the emails.
Here are a few things you must do to start and operate your email marketing business.
- Learn: The first thing to do is to learn. An email marketer requires skills of copy-writing and designing email templates to create attractive email content. Email marketing is a part of internet marketing and therefore it is also important to understand the tactics, pros and cons of internet marketing.
- Market Analysis: Do an analysis of the existing companies that offer email marketing service, their features, price, strengths and weakness, types of clients they are targeting, clients? needs, etc. This will give you a real overview of the opportunity, whether the opportunity exists or not, and if it does, then how you can go about it.
- Business Plan: This is a must for any business you start. Draft a plan for your email marketing business and describe the business background, your business goals and how you are going to achieve them, etc.
- Software: Without an email marketing software, you cannot run an email marketing business. There are many softwares out there which you can install to manage multiple clients, but you should use one that best suits your needs. Some companies like Aweber, iContact and Mailchimp provide awesome features to carry out email campaigns without having to install anything. You may check them out too.
- Marketing: Marketing is finding clients for your business. You can do direct marketing by visiting clients places, displaying ads in local newspapers, flyers, and even set up a website to get clients organically.
- Email Lists: In case of small businesses, not all clients will have their own email lists. Help them create their own email list of their customers ? by creating a website or by any offline technique. Alternatively, you can look for services that offer email lists for specific audience. This will help both you and your clients.
- Build Rapport: Last but not the least, create successful email campaigns and build rapport of your email marketing service. Businesses want new customers, and want their existing customers to be loyal. Make sure that your email marketing service does both.
There are many other things to be considered apart from the above. The success of an email marketing business depends on the percentage of conversion it makes with the email campaigns. So, understand the purpose and know the audience before planning an email campaign.
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Amazon begins collecting sales tax in Texas ? Business ...
Mom-and-pop stores may reclaim some business in the wake of a major announcement involving one of the country?s largest online retailers.
Alert: In a move that could lead to significant tax repercussions, Amazon.com began collecting tax on its online sales in Texas on July 1. This prompted an ?it?s about time? reaction from state retailers who believe the online giant has enjoyed an unfair advantage for too long.
Amazon now collects sales tax also in Kansas, Ken?tucky, North Dakota, New York and Wash?ing?ton. Amazon?s agreement with Texas Comptroller Susan Combs to start collecting the 6.25% sales tax follows similar agreements reached in seven other states, Amazon says. Pennsylvania and California will follow in September (see chart below).
?We are thrilled that Amazon will finally have to start collecting,? Valerie Koehler told the Houston Chronicle. ?It?s always boggled my mind that they didn?t,? said the owner of Houston?s Blue Willow Bookshop. Amazon sells more than books. Expensive items like electronics have meant ?a pretty substantial loss of income for the state,? she said.
In fact, Combs said in April that the state loses an estimated $600 million annually in potential revenue from Internet sales from all sources, not just Amazon. The agreement also calls for Amazon to create at least 2,500 jobs in Texas over the next four years and to make $200 million in capital improvements.
For years, the Seattle-based company has avoided paying sales tax through lawsuits or by closing local business operations. In fact, it closed its distribution center at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in the fall after the company received a $269 million bill covering uncollected sales tax from 2005 to 2009, Reuters reported.
Many would like to see Internet retailers like Amazon collect sales tax in every state, and the pressure on Amazon has increased. The Seattle Times reported that Amazon, under attack in states with huge budget shortfalls, reversed its position and started making deals.
Now, some observers say, Amazon can lower its shipping costs by opening distribution centers throughout the United States.
?Once they?re freed up to do business in more states, their ability to get you things cheaply and quickly will all get better,? said analyst Bryan Gildenberg, of Boston-based Kantar Retail, in The Seattle Times. He suggested this could hurt the traditional retailers. ?When they?re able to put distribution centers wherever ... that has the potential to be a game changer,? he said.
While retailers are cheering the state agreements as ones that will level the playing field, Gildenberg doesn?t foresee Amazon suffering much from the new tax obligations.
?All retailers have shoppers who are acutely price sensitive,? he said. ?They call them cherry pickers and try to get rid of them. The shoppers most responsive to the changes in sales tax are probably among Amazon?s least profitable shoppers anyway.?
Tip: We will continue to monitor developments in this area.
? Adapted from AccountingWEB, Inc.?
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Source: CNN Money
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Social media 'useful for customer service' | TomorrowToday's New ...
I was recently interviewed by Adfero, the UK?s leading dedicated online news provider, ?on how companies will utilise technologies like social media to improve their customer service/target their marketing better in the coming years. You can read the full interview and my answers below. They are useful questions for any business contemplating how they can use social media to improve customer service and I hope you find the answers below helpful in the discussions and ideas you are generating within your business.
?- Is social media still in its infancy in terms of business usage?
Some businesses rapidly identified it?s business potential as a way in striking up a conversation and strengthening relationships with customers and staff. Zappos (an US online shoe company sold to Amazon for $1bn) are one of the pioneers in using social media. The CEO Tony Hseih has over 2.5 million followers?https://twitter.com/zappos?and the reason he has so many followers is he get?s what social media is all about ? connecting NOT sales. Looking at Tony Hseih?s twitter stream you will notice that he doesn?t promote Zappos or their products. He uses it as a channel to share his dreams, aspirations, passions and thoughts with both customers and staff. Zappos intimately understand that social media is about transparence, trust and timing. What we call the 3Ts. For example Zapoos was the victim of a cyber attack. Rather than just send out a PR notice or email to customers/staff and hide try the event, Tony broadcasted the news immediately (timing) over twitter explaining what they were doing about it. Communication sent to internal staff was also made visible in the social media space (not behind the company?s firewall) ensuring complete transparency which in turn builds trust. Zappos also encourages staff to have twitter accounts and set up YouTube channels and to take videos of them working ? again The leaders at Zappos recognise that effective relationships are about trust and treating people as intelligent individuals who can and do make intelligent decisions if treated like adults. I don?t get the majority of companies who ban facebook, twitter etc. Social media is the way in which today?s young generation of talent communicate and get their news. Imagine if newspapers had been banned from the workplace 20 years ago. Back then managers would come into work and get a coffee and read the daily news. Banning social media today makes no sense at all.Treating employees like adults however, does make sense. Trust is a massive competitive advantage in today?s workplace. The companies that go beyond the hype of social media and recognise it as a vehicle for building trust, dialogue and connections will be the winners of the future
- How will companies utilise social media to better target their marketing in the coming years?
Social media is not about marketing which is predominantly a push activity. Social media is about building relationships. It?s about listening to what customers are saying ? it is possibly the most brilliant research vehicle out there and it?s free for companies willing to take the time to listen. With the advent of social media, I believe that marketing as a function is actually dead (See my blog: Fire the Marketing department.)?Rather companies should start a ?partnering? department because the concept of partnering better describes and captures the essence of what social media brings to modern business. Social media allows companies to invite customers into their business to help them develop new products, advertising campaigns and even run parts of the business! ?Giffgaff is a mobile phone company run by it?s customers.?Giffgaff differs from conventional mobile phone operators in that the users of the service may also participate in certain aspects of the company?s operation, e.g. sales, customer service?and marketing.?In return for this involvement in the business, the user receives hard cash or extra talk minutes. I interviewed the CEO of GiffGaff and he told me that on average customer queries are answered by the GiffGaff customer community within 3 minutes. Not?many call centres can boast those service levels.
- Can social media be a useful customer service tool?
Absolutely. Zopa is a innovative financial services company that offers peer-to-peer lending. They encourage the use of Facebook and twitter in their customer service delivery. As soon as the customer service team discovers a person talking or complaining about Zopa they engage in conversation. This has two benefits ?- customers are impressed that Zopa is listening and prepared to act and as CEO Giles Andrews said to me because twitter only has 140 characters you get to the root of the problem very quickly.?
Our research shows that social media is best used as for customer service and customer engagement, rather than marketing. Marketing?s 4p?s are rapidly being replaced by the 4E?s ? Experience, Everyplace, Evangelism and Exchange and social media is driving this change. I like the example of Heathrow Airport. They use twitter to follow what travellers are saying about Heathrow on twitter and they have a conversation with the travellers providing them with useful information, like which gate to go to or what is happening with a flight delay. They wish travellers safe trips and what I like the most about this example is the fact there is a real person who is passionate about having a discussion and helping customers have a more pleasant travelling experience as they enter or leave the UK.?
You can read the article in Adfero hereSource: http://www.newworldofwork.co.uk/2012/08/26/social-media-useful-for-customer-service/
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Official: Egypt tells Israel tanks needed in Sinai
CAIRO (AP) ? In the first direct contact with his Israeli counterpart since taking office, Egypt's new defense minister defended his country's increased military presence in the Sinai Peninsula, saying it is needed to fight terrorism and assuring him it is only temporary, Egyptian officials said Saturday.
The officials ? one from Egyptian intelligence and another from the military ? said Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi called Ehud Barak on Thursday in their first conversation since el-Sissi became defense minister earlier this month. The phone call followed grumbling from Israeli officials about not being consulted before Egypt's leaders deployed tanks to the Sinai Peninsula, the strip of Egyptian land that borders Israel and the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli defense ministry refused comment. An Israeli defense official said no conversation took place between el-Sissi and Barak. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the extreme sensitivity of the matter.
But as the new defense minister, el-Sissi at some point would have to speak with senior Israeli officials, particularly after they publicly expressed their concerns about Egypt's deployment of heavy weaponry to Sinai.
Under the 1979 peace accord between the two countries, Egypt is allowed to have only lightly armed policemen in the zone along the border with Israel. The treaty stipulates that significant military moves by Egypt must be coordinated with Israel.
Egypt used attack helicopters and armored personnel carriers in coordination with Israel to go after militants suspected of being behind the Aug. 5 killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers in Sinai.
Later, however, Egypt deployed U.S.-made M60 tanks to Sinai without consulting with Israel, which drew objections from the Israel despite the fact that it has long encouraged Cairo to crack down on militants in Sinai.
Israel does not view the Egyptian military buildup there as a strategic threat. The problem, Israeli officials said, is with Egypt setting a precedent by moving troops to Sinai without coordinating the move with Israel first.
Israeli officials stressed that significant military moves by Egypt must be run by Israel first, giving it a veto of sorts over Egyptian security strategy.
Israel has the most powerful military in the Middle East, and Egypt's new military deployment in Sinai is not viewed as a threat. In addition, the two nations have been at peace for decades and ? despite some turbulence in their relations in the wake of Egypt's uprising last year ? remain in close contact regarding security matters.
Israel has itself been a target of Islamic militants based in Sinai in recent months and wants to see Egypt's security forces reign in the lawlessness that has swept across the desert peninsula since longtime President Hosni Mubarak was toppled and his powerful police force disappeared from the streets.
In his phone call with Barak on Thursday, el-Sissi also assured the Israeli that Egypt respects the nations' peace treaty, the intelligence and military officials said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of relations between Egypt and Israel at this time.
In Egypt, the president's spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.
Israel-Egypt relations have grown increasingly complicated since the June election of President Mohammed Morsi, an Islamist and member of the Muslim Brotherhood who is Egypt's first freely elected civilian leader.
Morsi's sudden move earlier this month to replace longtime leaders of the Egyptian military familiar to Israel following the Sinai attack has added to the tensions. El-Sissi served as head of military intelligence for two years before assuming the job of defense minister from Hussein Tantawi, who held the post for 20 years.
The conflicting reports seemed to reflect sensitivities that were also apparent in an incident last month after Israel said Morsi wrote back to Israeli President Shimon Peres, who had sent the Egyptian president a letter wishing him well on the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The president's office denied sending any reply.
The letter was a potential embarrassment since Morsi's Brotherhood group has long been hostile to Israel and has said its members in government will have no contact with it ? though they have promised to preserve the landmark peace treaty.
The confusion surrounding the letter might have stemmed from a protocol mix-up. It was sent by the Egyptian Embassy in Tel Aviv to Peres by fax and by courier ? and was on the mission's stationary, not the presidency's, though it is written in the name of Morsi. An Egyptian Foreign Ministry official and an official close to the presidency told The Associated Press that Morsi has no intention to communicate directly with the Israelis and that he mandated the Foreign Ministry to take over routine contacts with Israel. Both spoke on condition of anonymity.
___
Associated Press writer Ian Deitch contributed to this report from Jerusalem.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-egypt-tells-israel-tanks-needed-sinai-213619593.html
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