| The Archies (With Sabrina the Teenage Witch) - This song from the cartoon show beat out the Beatles and Rolling Stones for song of the year for 1969: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGL4btEIoTo&feature=related Hoppo - The Lion Sleeps Tonight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K36qe7OXDAs&feature=related Shrek - I'm a believer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUyu5prWjTE Shrek Karaoke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gknjvqdB_1M&feature=related |
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Animated Musical Hits
Posted on 22:29 by Unknown
Friday, 23 July 2010
Making Technology Work For You: The Best Day-Trading Software On the Market Today
Posted on 15:01 by Unknown
This is a guest post by Alexis Bonari
An average individual making a foray into online stock trading is faced with a bewildering array of online brokers. Each promises to offer the most security, the best rates, and the best online interface for the money. While most of these companies offer significantly lower per-trade fees than going to a physical broker, there are still significant advantages and disadvantages to consider when picking an online brokerage.
Here are three of the highest ranked online brokers to date:
1. optionsXpress
(www.optionsxpress.com)
While it fails to offer FOREX or international trading, optionsXpress offers the most options to control your portfolio of any of the major online brokers. The small-time trader will be pleased to note that there is no minimum account balance required and the fees are flat rate. The program also covers IRA’s and education savings plans. No additional fees are charged for direct help from a broker.
2. Trade King
(www.tradeking.com)
The award for lowest price per trade goes to Trade King at $4.95/trade. Included with the online access is a simulator that allows you to “trade” with fake currency. For the inexperienced online trader, this feature would be beneficial for testing the trading waters or for testing out a particular financial strategy. Trading screens and all other interfaces are well designed and easy to understand.
One of the downsides to signing up with Trade King is the five-day waiting hold after setting up an ACH link for money transfer. In other words, getting started trading stocks takes time if you are adding a new bank account or setting the account up for the first time.
3. Zecco
(www.zecco.com)
If free trades aren’t enough reason to switch to Zecco, I don’t know what is. This policy only applies when you have $25,000.00 in the account or perform 25+ trades per month. Customers who go beyond their 10 free trades for the month are charged $4.50 for each trade thereafter.
The only major downside to Zecco is how much they charge for IRA’s. With a $30 annual fee and a $30 closing fee, your IRA might make more money elsewhere. Also, Zecco does not feature no-fee mutual funds. You are charged a $10 fee for each mutual fund purchase.
Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is a passionate blogger on the topic of education and free college scholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
An average individual making a foray into online stock trading is faced with a bewildering array of online brokers. Each promises to offer the most security, the best rates, and the best online interface for the money. While most of these companies offer significantly lower per-trade fees than going to a physical broker, there are still significant advantages and disadvantages to consider when picking an online brokerage.
Here are three of the highest ranked online brokers to date:
1. optionsXpress
(www.optionsxpress.com)
While it fails to offer FOREX or international trading, optionsXpress offers the most options to control your portfolio of any of the major online brokers. The small-time trader will be pleased to note that there is no minimum account balance required and the fees are flat rate. The program also covers IRA’s and education savings plans. No additional fees are charged for direct help from a broker.
2. Trade King
(www.tradeking.com)
The award for lowest price per trade goes to Trade King at $4.95/trade. Included with the online access is a simulator that allows you to “trade” with fake currency. For the inexperienced online trader, this feature would be beneficial for testing the trading waters or for testing out a particular financial strategy. Trading screens and all other interfaces are well designed and easy to understand.
One of the downsides to signing up with Trade King is the five-day waiting hold after setting up an ACH link for money transfer. In other words, getting started trading stocks takes time if you are adding a new bank account or setting the account up for the first time.
3. Zecco
(www.zecco.com)
If free trades aren’t enough reason to switch to Zecco, I don’t know what is. This policy only applies when you have $25,000.00 in the account or perform 25+ trades per month. Customers who go beyond their 10 free trades for the month are charged $4.50 for each trade thereafter.
The only major downside to Zecco is how much they charge for IRA’s. With a $30 annual fee and a $30 closing fee, your IRA might make more money elsewhere. Also, Zecco does not feature no-fee mutual funds. You are charged a $10 fee for each mutual fund purchase.
Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is a passionate blogger on the topic of education and free college scholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
An Example of a Real Niche Website Business
Posted on 08:05 by Unknown
As my regular readers know, I like to spotlight interesting niche websites.
As an advocate for applying simplicity and minimalism to business and financial success, I really believe the way to internet marketing success is to have tightly focused, simple, one-page websites.
Today, I'm spotlighting a really niche website called 1tbharddrive.org.uk - all they sell are 1tb hard drives!
This is a brilliant idea for two important reasons:
1. By including the drive size in the main keyword, they will attract visitors who are ready to buy - rather than those researching hard drives.
2. By presenting only one product (hard drive) at only one size (1 tb), they eliminate indecision on the part of visitors - making it more likely for them to buy.
As an advocate for applying simplicity and minimalism to business and financial success, I really believe the way to internet marketing success is to have tightly focused, simple, one-page websites.
Today, I'm spotlighting a really niche website called 1tbharddrive.org.uk - all they sell are 1tb hard drives!
This is a brilliant idea for two important reasons:
1. By including the drive size in the main keyword, they will attract visitors who are ready to buy - rather than those researching hard drives.
2. By presenting only one product (hard drive) at only one size (1 tb), they eliminate indecision on the part of visitors - making it more likely for them to buy.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
17 Year Old Turned Used Cell Phone into Porsche Convertible On Craigslist
Posted on 12:40 by Unknown
A 17 year old from California took an old cell phone and then, after 2 years and 14 swaps on Craigslist, ended up with a 2000 Porsche Boxster S.
He would spend up to 5-6 hours a day on Craigslist,looking for swaps.
Some of the swaps included an iPod touch, various dirt bikes, a MacBook Pro, a golf cart, and a 1975 Ford Bronco.
He used the Bronco for the final swap for the Porsche.
He would spend up to 5-6 hours a day on Craigslist,looking for swaps.
Some of the swaps included an iPod touch, various dirt bikes, a MacBook Pro, a golf cart, and a 1975 Ford Bronco.
He used the Bronco for the final swap for the Porsche.
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
BP Sells $7 Billion in Assets to Apache
Posted on 16:36 by Unknown
To raise money to cover the Gulf spill, BP made a deal to sell $7 billion in assets to Apache corp (APA).
Apache will get oil and gas properties in Texas, western Canada and Egypt. BP will
get a $5 billion cash deposit on July 30. Apache will finance the purchase through a combination of debt, equity, and cash.
As a long time Apache shareholder, I like this move because it typifies how this oil company has grown over time: buying older, under-capitalized assets from oil majors.
In this case, BP will get some quick cash to help them cover spill claims, but Apache shareholders will reap much more over time, as the oil from these assets are extracted, processed, and sold.
I have owned Apache for over 4 years, and have done well.
As with most of my stock investments, I bought Apache based on fundamentals, and used my Stock Trading Riches technical system to trade around the core holding.
Apache will get oil and gas properties in Texas, western Canada and Egypt. BP will
get a $5 billion cash deposit on July 30. Apache will finance the purchase through a combination of debt, equity, and cash.
As a long time Apache shareholder, I like this move because it typifies how this oil company has grown over time: buying older, under-capitalized assets from oil majors.
In this case, BP will get some quick cash to help them cover spill claims, but Apache shareholders will reap much more over time, as the oil from these assets are extracted, processed, and sold.
I have owned Apache for over 4 years, and have done well.
As with most of my stock investments, I bought Apache based on fundamentals, and used my Stock Trading Riches technical system to trade around the core holding.
Engineering Students Invent Simple, Elegant Anemia Test for Developing Nations
Posted on 16:21 by Unknown
As readers of my blogs know, I am passionate about promoting the power of simplicity, minimalism, and elegance.
Today, I came across an article about two bio-engineering students who used simplicity and elegance in a way that will probably save countless lives in the developing world.
I feel excited for them: At a young age, as part of a class project, they have made an impact on the world.
These students, Rice University undergraduates Lila Kerr and Lauren Theis, were challenged to find a portable, low cost way to diagnose anemia without power.
Their solution was creative and elegantly simple: they modified a common kitchen salad spinner to create a device that separates blood samples (and diagnosis anemia) without electricity.
Today, I came across an article about two bio-engineering students who used simplicity and elegance in a way that will probably save countless lives in the developing world.
I feel excited for them: At a young age, as part of a class project, they have made an impact on the world.
These students, Rice University undergraduates Lila Kerr and Lauren Theis, were challenged to find a portable, low cost way to diagnose anemia without power.
Their solution was creative and elegantly simple: they modified a common kitchen salad spinner to create a device that separates blood samples (and diagnosis anemia) without electricity.
Favorite Game Show: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Posted on 12:45 by Unknown
Thanks for the post from Shad Blake
One of the best game shows to ever grace the television networks is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. This show is truly awesome for the opportunities it gives ordinary people to earn a million dollars in a half hour or hour. The show was originally hosted by Regis Philibin and continues to be a thrill to watch.
The thrilling game show makes dreams come true for people. The show is based off of the premise that anyone in the world can win a million dollars with a bit luck and a bit of knowledge. I remember watching one of the first episodes of this show on my satallite TV and being completely astonished when a person actually won the million dollars. It was quite thrilling to see someone win the million dollars. There are also three options a person has for getting help with the answers. A person could answer a question using 50/50, phone a friend, or pass. It was fun to see some of the contestants phone some of the most famous people in the world. One person even phoned Oprah Winfrey for his question! After he lost the question, she provided him with money to compensate for his losses.
Watching "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" is a great experience that gets anyone involved. The game show makes you want to win a million dollars!
One of the best game shows to ever grace the television networks is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. This show is truly awesome for the opportunities it gives ordinary people to earn a million dollars in a half hour or hour. The show was originally hosted by Regis Philibin and continues to be a thrill to watch.
The thrilling game show makes dreams come true for people. The show is based off of the premise that anyone in the world can win a million dollars with a bit luck and a bit of knowledge. I remember watching one of the first episodes of this show on my satallite TV and being completely astonished when a person actually won the million dollars. It was quite thrilling to see someone win the million dollars. There are also three options a person has for getting help with the answers. A person could answer a question using 50/50, phone a friend, or pass. It was fun to see some of the contestants phone some of the most famous people in the world. One person even phoned Oprah Winfrey for his question! After he lost the question, she provided him with money to compensate for his losses.
Watching "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" is a great experience that gets anyone involved. The game show makes you want to win a million dollars!
Simple Shortcut to Calculating the Internal Rate of Return For Your Investments
Posted on 11:46 by Unknown
If an investment (i.e. mutual fund) starts off with $20,000 and is worth $22,000 at the end of the year, then you know that you earned a 10% return.
But, what if, during the course of the year, you invested an additional $100 per month during the year (for a total of $1200)?
You can't determine your return by dividing 22,000 by 21,200 because you did not have $21,200 invested since the beginning of the year.
You need to use regression analysis to calculate the exact return but, here is a quick and dirty way to calculate the approximate return:
Adj. starting value = original starting value + amount added / 2
Adj. ending value = original ending value - amount added / 2
Approx. rate of return = Adj. ending value / Adj. starting value
So, in this case, the original starting and ending values are $20,000 and $22,000. During this time period, we added an additional $1200.
So, the approximate internal rate of return = (22000-600) / (20000+600) = 3.89%
But, what if, during the course of the year, you invested an additional $100 per month during the year (for a total of $1200)?
You can't determine your return by dividing 22,000 by 21,200 because you did not have $21,200 invested since the beginning of the year.
You need to use regression analysis to calculate the exact return but, here is a quick and dirty way to calculate the approximate return:
Adj. starting value = original starting value + amount added / 2
Adj. ending value = original ending value - amount added / 2
Approx. rate of return = Adj. ending value / Adj. starting value
So, in this case, the original starting and ending values are $20,000 and $22,000. During this time period, we added an additional $1200.
So, the approximate internal rate of return = (22000-600) / (20000+600) = 3.89%
Friday, 16 July 2010
Why Personal Finance Should Be A Required Class Everywhere
Posted on 11:57 by Unknown
When I attended high school in Illinois in the mid 1980's, it was a requirement that, to graduate, you had to take a consumer education class from the business department.
This class taught basic personal finance: i.e. understanding interest rates, creating a budget planner, how to balance a checkbook, etc.
Today, I think Illinois still requires high school students to take a consumer education class, and I'm assuming that it's been updated to include online and computer resources, such as personal finance software.
But, these kind of classes need to be beefed up. Today, more than 25 years ago, lifetime employment is a thing of the past, and people are free agents. They need entrepreneurial skills. Also, financial and consumer choices are much more varied and complex today. 25 years ago, we did not have to deal with so many monthly contracts (such as cell phone plans).
In fact, the subject of finance and entrepreneurial skills need to be required throughout high school. For example, students are required to take math throughout high school. They should have 4 years of financial education.
Of course, this should not be limited to just Illinois.
This class taught basic personal finance: i.e. understanding interest rates, creating a budget planner, how to balance a checkbook, etc.
Today, I think Illinois still requires high school students to take a consumer education class, and I'm assuming that it's been updated to include online and computer resources, such as personal finance software.
But, these kind of classes need to be beefed up. Today, more than 25 years ago, lifetime employment is a thing of the past, and people are free agents. They need entrepreneurial skills. Also, financial and consumer choices are much more varied and complex today. 25 years ago, we did not have to deal with so many monthly contracts (such as cell phone plans).
In fact, the subject of finance and entrepreneurial skills need to be required throughout high school. For example, students are required to take math throughout high school. They should have 4 years of financial education.
Of course, this should not be limited to just Illinois.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Jewel Goes Undercover at L.A. Karaoke Bar
Posted on 15:00 by Unknown
| The website Funny or Die got the singer Jewel to wear a disguise and go to a karaoke bar and sing her songs. Watch the reactions... |
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Caveat Emptor: If An Investment or Opportunity Appears Too Good To Be True, Beware!
Posted on 17:05 by Unknown
If you are interested in business / investments, the #1 lesson to learn is that, if someone presents an opportunity that seems too good to be true, walk away, or at least get your guard up. If it is so good, why are they sharing it with you?
Here is an example: Yesterday, I got an email talking about the "world's best investment" - better than stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. The guy who sent it provided a link to a video.
So, I watched the video. He followed a predictable formula:
1. Selectively chose examples to criticize normal investments - in this case 2008, when stocks, real estate, bonds, and even TIPs (inflation protected treasuries) were all down. He also mentioned how the returns for stock indexes were negative from 2000-2009.
2. He then described his "perfect investment" - in this case, "being your own bank" by buying used mobile houses at wholesale, and re-selling them at retail with financing. Ex: buy mobile home for $7,000 and re-sell for $10,900 with a 72 month lease. So you would receive about $117 per month for 6 years. His rationale for this working is that banks don't want to finance used mobile homes.
He said that these deals can make a double digit return in any economic environment, and mobile homes are easier to sell then regular homes. They are considered to be like cars (sold through "pink slips") rather than real estate.
3. Finally, he made his pitch: his company would handle everything - locate a mobile home for you, negotiate with a trailer park, advertise the mobile home for sale, screen buyers, etc.
I quit watching at this point.
Think about it - if his company is set up to do the drudgery work, and buying/re-selling mobile homes is the "perfect investment", why would he go to all the trouble of emailing people about it and letting them make the returns, while he just collects a fee?
Clearly, he must think servicing mobile home investors has a better risk/reward than actually investing.
It's like the California Gold Rush - people rushed out there to discover gold and most failed. But Levi Strauss got rich selling jeans to them.
Does this mean that buying / re-selling mobile homes is a scam? Not necessarily. Someone might be able to generate a good return, but I doubt if it is that easy.
Here is an example: Yesterday, I got an email talking about the "world's best investment" - better than stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. The guy who sent it provided a link to a video.
So, I watched the video. He followed a predictable formula:
1. Selectively chose examples to criticize normal investments - in this case 2008, when stocks, real estate, bonds, and even TIPs (inflation protected treasuries) were all down. He also mentioned how the returns for stock indexes were negative from 2000-2009.
2. He then described his "perfect investment" - in this case, "being your own bank" by buying used mobile houses at wholesale, and re-selling them at retail with financing. Ex: buy mobile home for $7,000 and re-sell for $10,900 with a 72 month lease. So you would receive about $117 per month for 6 years. His rationale for this working is that banks don't want to finance used mobile homes.
He said that these deals can make a double digit return in any economic environment, and mobile homes are easier to sell then regular homes. They are considered to be like cars (sold through "pink slips") rather than real estate.
3. Finally, he made his pitch: his company would handle everything - locate a mobile home for you, negotiate with a trailer park, advertise the mobile home for sale, screen buyers, etc.
I quit watching at this point.
Think about it - if his company is set up to do the drudgery work, and buying/re-selling mobile homes is the "perfect investment", why would he go to all the trouble of emailing people about it and letting them make the returns, while he just collects a fee?
Clearly, he must think servicing mobile home investors has a better risk/reward than actually investing.
It's like the California Gold Rush - people rushed out there to discover gold and most failed. But Levi Strauss got rich selling jeans to them.
Does this mean that buying / re-selling mobile homes is a scam? Not necessarily. Someone might be able to generate a good return, but I doubt if it is that easy.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
How To Start Building a Stock Portfolio with $5,000
Posted on 14:06 by Unknown
The Intelligent Speculator has a good post on building a stock portfolio with $5000.
He makes several good points:
1. The key is to avoid procrastination and get started.
2. Use a discount broker that charges $10 or less per trade.
3. Interestingly, he offers the same advice I offered in Stock Trading Riches - to keep commission costs down, own 1 stock per $2000.
He makes several good points:
1. The key is to avoid procrastination and get started.
2. Use a discount broker that charges $10 or less per trade.
3. Interestingly, he offers the same advice I offered in Stock Trading Riches - to keep commission costs down, own 1 stock per $2000.
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