Remember those Brontosaurs Ribs from the Flintstones. Well they have these here.
And they are really huge and delicious. If your a rib fan, this is where you have to go.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Best Ribs in Town - Ringos Bar and Grill
Remember those Brontosaurs Ribs from the Flintstones. Well they have these here.
And they are really huge and delicious. If your a rib fan, this is where you have to go.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Crisis of Credit Visualized - Part 1
Johnathan Jarvis has a pretty cool video here about the credit stuff that happened recently with banks and mortgages. If you're confused by all the terminology such as credit default swaps, and such and such. Here you go! Nice and easily packaged.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Crisis of Credit Visualized - Part 1
Johnathan Jarvis has a pretty cool video here about the credit stuff that happened recently with banks and mortgages. If you're confused by all the terminology such as credit default swaps, and such and such. Here you go! Nice and easily packaged.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
If you had a pulse we'd give you a loan - Market Meltdown
My thoughts on the recent NBC Dateline exclusive "Inside the Finaical Fiasco"
A different opinion.
I found Dateline's series on the so called 'mortage meltdown' quite interesting, and I look forward to seeing the remaining parts of the series. After watching part 1, and reading through these comments on newsvine [#]
I think many people have correctly pointed out the bias and 'flaws' of the reporting. I found it quite interesting none-the-less. There certainly seems to be a lot of "blame" to spread around.
My 2cents, for anyone that cares, is that none of this "corruption" in poltics and loan companies and banks really "created" a meltdown. I'm not to say these people are innocent. Certainly, it does not seem very ethical to give a $600,000 loan to someone who only makes $50,000 annual income.
However, let us not forgot that these loans are not "unsecured" (lost money). These loans are secured by the properties in which they went to purchase.
Even if everyone "frauds" me, and even if I commit fraud myself, I end up with a $600,000 home that I cannot afford. What happens when I cannot pay? The bank forecloses and takes my house. Now the bank has a $600,000 asset to cover the $600,000 loan. Even-steven right?
Well, not exactly, Certainly, all of the free flowing money creates "demand" and demand drives up the housing prices. This "over inflation" means that the $600,000 house probably cannot be sold for $600,000. It also creates a large "lull", such taht the value of the house may now ve VERY under appreciated for many years. Though house values do increase, and will continue to increase. So the $ aren't really lost as much as "hidden". At least until the market botoms out, re-adjusts, and starts picking up again. Such is the nature of the investment business. It's a risk, it's always been a risk, there's nothing new about that.
So what's the problem? Eventually everything just stabalizes and we can get back to our normal lives?
Except, for one problem. People are scared, Investors are scared. The more people see the value of their stocks, bonds, and investments depreciate, the more they want to "GET OUT" of the market. We have the "run on banks" (Remember: It's a wonderful life?). People take their money out, because of a rumor that "such and such" company is in trouble. Well guess what, if you take their money out they really ARE in trouble. They need that money for investments, and now they have no cash flow because YOU STOPPED IT.
You listened to what everyone was saying, you followed others, you were scanred (hey it's natural right?). The media picks it up and spreads it to every television across the world. Now everyone is scared and trying to get back whatever money they can.
THIS IS WHAT HALTS THE ECONOMY - THIS IS WHAT CAUSES A MELTDOWN - COMPANIES CAN'T DO BUSINESS WITHOUT MONEY. WITHOUT YOUR MONEY.
It's a self-fullfilling prophecy. A bank maybe bringing in billions of dollars/year, but there's a rumor there about to go under, so everyone takes their money out of that investment, and guess what? Now they have no money. So they burn quickly threw their reserves, but then they have 'deals' with like 100 other banks, who now have to show a drop in their financial books. And guess what that does? It scares more people to pull out money...and so forth and so forth.
Now in the end. If I buy something I can't afford and I loose it - so be it! That's my mess to clean up. If hundreds of thousands of people do the same thing - then there will be a lot of homeless people. But, in theory, so long as investors keep investing money into the system, there will be a drop in the market (a fairly large one). Hundreds of thousands of people may loose their jobs (which is of course terrible), and in 5-10 years things will build up all over again.
But, so long as investors remain scanred. So long as no one puts money into the system, it will stay at the bottom and drag things on over and over again.
Oh well, that's all my ranting for now.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Universal Tell A Friend - Email Script - Biz Ideas
Here's a simple by effective "Tell-A-Friend" link that you can easily add to your own blog/website.
Simply add the link, and if others like you work they can simply forward it on the their friends.
A great way to network and distribute your content virally
Enjoy!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
10 Best Uses for RFID Tags
Here are 10 intereesting (and maybe unconvential) uses for RFID chips from Wired Magazine
Super FAQ (OPML FAQ) - Biz Ideas
What it is:
FAQ's or (Frequenty Asked Questions) are everywhere in our world today on every topic imaginable. Many of these orginally started from usenet newgroups. People would ask the same questions over and over again, and nice "volenenteers" would take the time to document these frequenlty asked questions and write a post to refer to them.
Over the years, FAQ's have become as much (or more) of a marketing tool. Easily introducting people to your product by "making up" frequently asked questions that you think people might ask.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Fix your life in 3-4 Easy steps
In this Episode:
1) Cell Phone companies trying to charge for INCOMING text messages - what a racket!
2) How to solve your problems in a few easy steps
Harness the Power of Google Alerts
I was reading a post over at Working Author, that really inspired me to write this post.
In a previous post on surveys, I ranted on (and on an on) about surveys and why they are important.
The crux being that in order for companies to serve us better, they need information, they need to know and respond to customer concerns as well as know what they are doing that is "Great" so that they can keep doing it.
It then dawned on my how easy it would be for a company to quickly respond to customer demands (and needs) using Google Alerts.
Google Alerts is a service that has been around from google for quite some time. It simply allows Google to send you an email (Daily, Weekly, etc) of all content that meets a certain criteria.
Now, at first glance, this might not seem like a "BIG DEAL", but let's think about this for a minute.
Most systems weather they be Surveys, or the latest social media - facebook, etc. allows companies (or governments) to easily setup a site and get feedback from "the people". But there is one problem. People using these services are biased, and don't necessarily represent the public as a whole. Plus not everyone uses one particular social media.
Enter Google Alerts
In just a few minutes you can add an alert for YOUR WEBSITE, using the "inurl:" tag. For example let's say you are pizza hut. You can add the alert "inurl:pizzahut.com". Now, whenever anyone on the web write an article, review or comment about your product or service, you'll get an email to let you know, and you can respond accordingly.
And it doesn't require your customers to subscribe to a certain service to get feedback, you'll get it no matter where they are and what service they are using, for free!
As
Sunday, March 08, 2009
You only get what you give
If your looking to publicize yourself by posting your url all over message boards, please remember the rule 'you only get what you give'.
Forums (message boards) are places to help others, and to get help, or debate about various topics, so if you're just out to 'broadcast' yourself, and not actually participate, you're not going to get much. If your goal is to spam boards, expect that you will be spammed back.
For this very reason, many boards won't even let you post a link to a site (or have a signature), until you have made at least 5 posts. I suggest the following etiquette for message boards
1) If you are asking a question/seeking information. The only links you should include in the message should be to help others help you. For example, you might need to post a screen capture of the error message you are getting, or the page of instructions that are causing you problems.
2) If you are genuinely trying to help someone, then go ahead an post your website/blog in your signature. Especially if it is a blog/site related to the question you are helping to answer. In addition, the board can choose to give you an actual link...not one of those "nofolllows" if you are an avid user of the system.
Just some suggestions, if you are looking you can always visit the BWebCentral forums, for a list of great places to post your questions and respond on "hot" topics. It's all about Karma
Friday, March 06, 2009
On Socialism and Dave Ramsey - Pt 1
On of my all time favorite podcasts regarding finance, saving money, and just "good - smart" ideas is by far the Dave Ramsey Show (http://www.daveramsey.comm).
Dave Ramsey continues to impress me with his "common sense" advice for getting out of debt and bulding wealth, his free podcast you can listen to his ideas from his radio program, as well as go to his site and find many tips, guides, books, and lessons (including the Total Money Make Over) that will help you get ahead in life.
The only smal critism, I would have - Dave likes to somestimes get up on his soapbox (it is his show afterall) and talk about the 'evils' of socialism, in particular he is talking about government control over our lives. In this podlet, I dicuss some basic ideas / misconceptions and the "philosophy of socialism" as an economic model. I'm not talking about so-called failed implementations of socialism and cases where governments hold power and don't give it up.
Back to concepts, Do individuals have a "right" to the things they need. To each according to his own need. Basic needs and necessessities should be available to all. As a socieity we can help support one another to make this possible.
Related Links:
Karl Marx - From each according to his ability to each according to his need
Monday, March 02, 2009
Understanding Phishing in Plain English
The folks over at commoncraft have brought us another of their awesome videos, helping the world understand things.
This one teaches us what Phising means, and why it is a dangerous thing to watch out for.
Enjoy
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