Wednesday, April 30, 2014

News - Daily Summary

Tensions are still high in Ukraine as more separatists seize more buildings. The government concedes that the separatists have won in the east since law enforcement officers have failed to withstand the occupations. There were no other major developments in Ukraine as the world waits to see what Russia will do. Venezuela is still a mess as is Syria. Nothing new from the middle east and Iraq prepares to vote. North Korea participates in artillery exercise and keeps up the rhetoric. South Korea keeps dealing with the aftermath of the ferry disaster. No real news on the missing Malaysian jetliner, but there are rumors that wreckage may exist in the Bay of Bengal.

In the U.S. stocks ended the day higher even though there was news that the U.S. economy might be stalling (I don't think it ever really got started). Oil, gold, and silver were down. A large wildfire is burning in Southern California (which is early for fire season). Other than that, there was just the usual murder, mayhem, and corruption.

Another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Writing - Blogging Milestone

I had a very good blogging month. I wrote and published over 215 post this month. My total posts written since I started in January is over 450 posts. I also had over 2100 views this month which pushed my total views since I started to over 3500. I was also able to write a total of over 76,000 words this past month.

Thanks to all who have stopped by and read my work. May you be blessed.

What do you think?

Creativity - The Key

The key to all creativity is aptly summed up by Hemingway when he said:

When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you’re going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe.

All creativity comes from listening and observing. I you open your ears and open your eyes you will never run out of ideas. they are all around us. They stare at us from our screens. We just have to pay attention and they will come (just like this one came as I was surfing some blogs).

What do you think?

The Future - 3D Printing Houses

It is amazing what 3D printers can produce, but I was surprised by what is being conceived as possible. There is in the works a 3D printer that can make a building. In China an inventor has a working 3D printer that can make 10 small buildings out of quick drying cement in one day. At the University of Southern California they are working on a large 3D printer than can "print" a whole 2500 square foot home in 24 hours. Though the technology is not yet practical, it will not be long before they are. What are the implications? The time is coming when it will not be a good idea to be a construction worker. They will only need a fraction of them once this technology comes online. Hey, they day may come when you can buy a custom home online and download it to be built!

What do you think?

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/

The Economy - Cash

There is a meme that is being repeated across the financial media. It is that corporations are awash in cash. That there is a huge hoard of cash sitting on the sidelines just waiting for the opportunity to be invested and spent. Is that true? Part of it. There are many corporations declaring that they have a ton of cash in the back. If you look closer, you see things just a bit different. First, a lot of the cash is held overseas and will either be help there, spent there, or brought back to the U.S. with a high tax bill. Second, most of the corporations with large amounts of cash also have a large amount of debt. In fact, corporate debt is at a record level. As long as interest rates remain low, this is not much of a problem, but what if rates begin to rise? Now that is the issue at hand. Yes corporations have a lot of cash, but they also have the largest amount of debt ever. If rates change (and they will) the cash on the sidelines will have to be spent servicing or paying off debt. So in essence, there is no cash on the sideline. the meme is false and things will not end well once interest rates start to rise.

By the way, individuals are in no better shape. So the expectation that consumers will start spending once things get better is also false. Things will eventually get ugly because there is an economic storm coming. It is not a matter of if, but when.

What do you think?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-04-30/heres-chart-you-wont-see-cnbc

Chromebook - i3 Chip

I was thinking about the i3 chip that Acer is adding to the C720 Chromebook model. Is it a good move? If you need the extra power, sure, but do you need the extra power with a Chromebook? I don't. I don't do anything on my Chromebook that would require a faster (more expensive/power draining) chip. Chromebooks are not designed for power users. They are designed for basic computing users that will not be using any high end software (because it is not available, nor will it ever be). I am glad that Acer is doing this though because it means they are committed to Chromebooks, but I don't see how I would need a more powerful chip since I am very well pleased with the current performance my Acer C720.

What do you think?

The Economy - Texas

Texas just scored a major victory in that it lured Toyota to move it's HQ from Torrance CA, to Plano TX. Not surprised since California is the poster child for how to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. It is interesting to see what the media is writing and reporting. I have seen several stories on "Texas is not as good as it seems". I have to laugh because all the things they are reporting as "bad" are the result of growth. So is it better to have growth related problems (Texas, North Dakota) or problems that are the result of decay and mismanagement (California, New York)? I will take growth related problems any day since they are the ones you can fix. Problems from decay and mismanagement are almost impossible to fix (Detroit?).

What do you think?

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

News - Daily Summary

Ukraine experienced more separatists actions today in that another police station was overrun. Troops are still massed, but no actions have been taken. There were also further sanctions against Russian individuals and corporations from NATO countries other than the U.S. tensions are still high. Venezuela increased the minimum wage 30% in an attempt to keep pace with inflation (as if it is going to help). protests still continue across the country as shortages of basic necessities abound. In Syria rebels shelled pro government areas inflicting many casualties as the civil war grinds on. In Iraq sectarian violence inflicts many casualties as unrest flares up. The rest of the middle east was quieter. North Korea is gearing up for live artillery practice in a disputed area with South Korea where the recovery of bodies in the sunken ferry continue. The search for the missing Malaysian jetliner continues without any major developments.

In the U.S. tornadoes ravaged the south again and there were more casualties as a result. There will probably be more tornadoes tomorrow as the storms have not abated. Stocks were higher today in anticipation of FED minutes being released tomorrow. Gold, silver, and oil were down. Last month home prices were up, and pending home sales were up for the first time in 9 months, but still off nearly 8% from a year ago. This is positive news, but not great news. Other than the usual murder and mayhem and the NBA action against the owner of the Clippers, there were no other major developments.

Another day in the calm before the storm (which seems like it will never get here till it does).

What do you think?

Observations - The Arts In Education

Is it important to teach the arts in education? As a music educator it is easy for me to say yes, only because I have been in the business for nearly 20 years. But, I have some evidence as to why we should have the arts in education not from my own work, but from what my own children have experienced. My own kids were in band as they went through middle school. In high school though, they opted to do drama instead. What has been the result? My kids can perform. They have the courage to stand in front of people and deliver a performance (which can take many forms including band, choir, orchestra, glee, dance, acting, and even fine art). This is the most important aspect of having the arts in education. I strongly believe that employers want employees who can perform in front of an audience, mainly, their customers. They don't necessarily want employees who can take tests, which has become the main focus of our current education system. Does taking some kind of art help students get jobs? Yes it sure does. My son just got hired by Disneyland and I know that one of the biggest reasons was because he can perform.

What do you think?

Creativity - Go Create Already

Not everyone will like what you create. In a world of 7 billion people (with billions of them online), most will not like what you create. So what? Create any way. there will be people who will put down what you create. So what? Create any way. There will be people who will actively work to shut you down. So what? Create any way. There will be some who like your work (there are after all 7 billion people on this planet). Create for them. There will be people who will praise your work. Create for them. There will be people who will work to actively promote your work. Create for them. So, what are you waiting for. Go create already!

What do you think?

Creativity - Rules And Conventions

Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. - Pablo Picasso

In every field there are "rules" and "conventions". If you are going to succeed in any field you have to learn the "rules" and "conventions". In order to break out though and create something new and different, you will have to break some of the rules. You will have to violate some of the conventions. The key is to know which ones. Only when you work and master any field can you then know which rules to break. But, if you never break any of the rules, you will just be an average professional. If you have some courage, break some rules, and violate some conventions you will not only be a professional, you will be an artist.

What do you think?

The Future - Movies

Jeffrey Katzenberg (CEO of Dreamworks) is predicting a major change is afoot in the movie industry. Within 10 years all movies will only run 3 weekends in theaters and then be available for viewing through the internet. Why only three weeks? Because 98% of movies make 95% of their income from the first three weeks of being released in theaters. So there is not much of a need to keep movies in theaters longer than that. The biggest change will be how soon movies will be available on the internet for viewing. Today it takes a few weeks (and maybe months) before movies are available for purchase or rent through the internet after they have had their theatrical run. In the near future, movies will be available immediately after they end their three weekend theater run (as in the day after). Katzenberg also is predicting that the price for movies on the internet will vary depending on the size of the screen it will be displayed on. For a movie sized screen the price will be $15. For a large screen TV it will be $4, and for a smartphone it will be $2. I think he is right (he should know he is one of the biggest names in movie production). How will this affect movie production? Will more movies be produced? Will there be movies made for direct release to the internet (much like a direct to DVD release)? This is an interesting development. I wonder how it will affect other industries like music, TV, or cable?

What do you think?

http://www.fastcompany.com/3029827/most-creative-people/jeffrey-katzenberg-predicts-that-future-moviegoers-will-pay-by-the-inch?partner

Chromebook - New Model

Acer announced today that it is going to manufacture a Chromebook model with an Intel i3 chip. Since the Chrome OS is so light weight, a Chromebook with an i3 chip is going to be one speedy machine. This is also further proof that the Chromebook market is healthy enough for Acer to invest in this type of machine. There was no word on price, so hopefully it will not be very expensive. The whole point of Chromebook is how inexpensive the system is. What about the other versions of Chromebooks that Acer makes? Will they drop in price? Now that would be very nice.

What do you think?

Observations - Russia's Military

How good is Russia's military? We know that it was quite good before the fall of the Soviet Union, but how has it fared since? At it's peak, the Russian military boasted 4.5 million personnel. Since the fall, it has been pared down to about a million personnel with about 700,000 full time members. It is also estimated that half that number are conscripts. That leaves about 300-400,000 well trained military personnel (of which 40,000 are massed at the Ukraine border). Experts seem to agree that taking Ukraine would not be difficult for Russian Military forces, but any action beyond that will probably put too much strain on their capabilities. In other words, Russia can take southern Ukraine, but not much more. Russia used to be a formidable foe, but years of neglect, budget cuts, and corruption have left it a shadow of what it once was.

What do you think?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/04/28/russia-putin-crimea-ukraine/8428309/

Monday, April 28, 2014

News - Daily Summary

New sanctions against Russian individuals and corporations were imposed by the U.S. today in a bid to dissuade Russia from interfering in Ukraine. Tension, rhetoric, accusations, isolated violence, and protests continued in Ukraine, but no major developments occurred. No new major developments in Venezuela, Syria, the middle east, China, or South and North Korea.

In the U.S. tornadoes ravaged parts of the South. There were several reported deaths. Stocks were a bit mixed today, but it looks as if the selling that started on Friday took a break. Oil was up a bit. Gold and silver down a bit. Then there was the normal crime, mayhem, and corruption for the day.

Another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

President Obama issued new sanctions against Russia. Well, sort of. The sanctions were not against Russia as a whole, but individuals and companies. In keeping with earlier sanctions, NATO countries are also sanctioning individuals and corporations rather than a country as a whole. Will these sanctions work? Maybe, but I don't think they will. In targeting Putin's supporters directly, the NATO countries are attempting to keep sanctions from hurting the general population of Russia. The only thing that might dissuade Putin from annexing a huge chunk of Ukraine is popular opposition. Hurting his supporters won't accomplish that. Plus, did earlier sanctions (that were similar) have any effect? I don't think so. I think there will be military action by Russia and there will be little or no ramifications for doing so (except if you are Putin's friends). The reality is that the U.S. (and by extension the rest of NATO) is weak. Russia will exploit this weakness as much as possible, and that includes annexing part of Ukraine.

What do you think?

Creativity - Inject Some Fun

What to spark some more creativity? Start having some fun. Several studies have shown that when we have some fun, our creativity increases. The issue then is, how do you make things fun? One way is to include more "play" into your activities (oof off a bit or use your imagination more). You can make things into a game (find a way to keep score). You can include some humor in what you do (just smile more). Or, you can put on some enjoyable music. So start having more fun with all that you do and the creativity will flow better.

What do you think?

The Economy - Low Paying Jobs

During the great recession, most of the jobs that were lost were well paying jobs. During the recovery, most of the jobs created have been low paying jobs. We are approaching the point where we will have gained back all the jobs that were lost, but are things better? I don't think so and so do many Americans. Why? Because of the fact I just stated. Most Americans are now in lower paying jobs, or are still making less than when the recession struck (I know I am). So how do we fix this problem? Do we raise taxes on the wealthy? Do we raise the minimum wage? Do we increase taxes on earned income? Do we lower taxes? No, No, No! We don't need to mess with taxes or raise the minimum wage. What we need to do is create better paying jobs! It's all about the jobs!!! Sometimes I think our elected officials are idiots. Governmental action will not solve this problem. What government needs to do is get out of the way and let businesses grow and hire more people. Then the wages will rise organically as the competition for good employees grows. It's not rocket science. It's common sense which is obviously missing in our elected officials.

What do you think?

The Economy - California

The bleeding and exodus of jobs continues in California. Toyota is moving it's sales and headquarters to Texas. Eventually, Toyota will consolidate 4000 positions in Texas. So why is Toyota moving? To take advantage of lower taxes and regulation. If you make things too expensive or complicated for companies to do business, they will move someplace better. Toyota is not the first to move out from California to Texas. It will not be the last. In fact, Texas has lured thousands of jobs from California and other states across the U.S. Good for Texas!

What do you think?

Chromebook - Android Tablets

Over the weekend I spent some time thinking about getting an Android tablet. I was wondering if it would be better to use a tablet than a Chromebook. I have an iPad, so why try an Android tablet? I wanted to see if I could find a cheaper way to get online. I believe that Chromebooks are the least expensive way to get online, but some Android tablets are cheaper than Chromebooks. So I went to Best Buy and spent some time playing with the tablets. I found that I like my Chromebook better. Why? First, tablets are not great for typing. You can do it, but if you are prolific at writing, typing on a tablet gets annoying. So you would need to get a bluetooth keyboard to go with the tablet. Doing so pushes the cost up to that of a Chromebook (or higher). Next, Google Drive does not work as well on a tablet as it does on a Chromebook. I like using Drive, so using a tablet would be unsatisfying. Finally, I just like using my Chromebook more than using a tablet. If that were not the case I would be using my iPad and not my Chromebook more. So I am convinced that using a Chromebook is better than using a tablet and probably the least expensive way to get online.

What do you think?

Sunday, April 27, 2014

News - Daily Summary

It was a blissfully quiet day across the globe and the U.S. Things are still tense in Ukraine with troops positioned and "massed", bit there was no bloodshed reported today. The usual suspects (Venezuela, Syria, the middle east, North Korea) had no major developments. In the U.S. there were no major developments besides the daily litany of crime and mayhem. Stock futures are basically flat giving no indication of how the markets will open in the morning.

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

The Economy - Gasoline Prices

How are gasoline prices determined? Is it just a basic cost plus a profit margin? I wish it was that easy. Gasoline prices are a mess of all kinds of issues. you have the fluctuating cost of oil. You have the added cost of governmental regulations and taxes. You have the added cost of production. You then have the added cost of fear and uncertainty. Mix all that up and you get a mess when it comes to gasoline prices. Take the state of California. It has the highest gasoline prices in the 48 continental states. Why? Well, there is the cost of oil and the fact that California imports half the oil it uses. Then there are the many regulations imposed by not only the federal government, but by the state as well. Here in California the state has mandated higher oxygenated fuel in the summer which is accomplished by using ethanol. Since corn prices are higher this year, the cost of ethanol is high and thus, the cost of gasoline is higher. There is also the added production costs of using old refineries. California has not built a new refinery since 1979. in short, gasoline prices are a mess because of all the issues I just talked about, but the biggest problem with gasoline prices is government. If government would just get out of the way, gasoline prices would drop and we would all have a lot more money in our pockets.

What do you think?

Writing - Never Running Out

Can you run out of stuff to write about? Sometimes I have a hard time finding something new and different to write about, but the truth is you will never run out of things to write about. If it were possible to run out of things to write about, nothing more would be written, and we know that is not happening! What might happen is that you can grow tired of writing in some particular area. Well, the cure for that problem is to start writing in some other area. If you are tired of writing non-fiction, start writing fiction. If you are tired of blogging, write a poem or a screen play. If you are tired of writing about technology, start writing about polar bears. Just pick something different to write about and a whole new area opens up for ideas.

I know that at some point I will grow tired of writing about the topics I write about in this blog. When that happens, I will just introduce a new topic. For example, I am toying with the idea of including book reviews here in my blog. In fact, I think I am going to go and finish a book I have been reading and then write up a review. That actually sound like fun!

What do you think?

Observations - Music Production

The internet has radically changed the business of music, which is well known. What might not be so well known is how much technology has influenced the production of music. I remember in the early 90's playing with synthesizers and a 4 track cassette recorder. I created all kinds of cool tunes. Today, you can do that and a whole lot more without ever leaving your computer system. From software synthesizers, to digital recording, to sound samples, there is a whole set of amazing tools that are available to help produce music on a computer. What is also amazing is how inexpensive these tools have become. Yes, the high end software programs designed for "professional" use are not cheap. But, they are cheaper than they were in the 90's (if they even existed) and they are so much better today. There are also a slew of inexpensive applications that can do some cool stuff. If you are into creating music, we live in the best of times.

What do you think?

Chromebook - Dock Mode

I have been using my Acer C720 Chromebook laptop more like a desktop lately. I plug my C720 onto a Samsung 21 inch HD monitor via the HDMI port. Then I close the lid and the system goes into "dock" mode where my laptop runs with the lid down. I also plug in a keyboard and a track mouse and I have a nice desktop system. I also plug in some external speakers and fire up Google play music for a great audio experience. All this on a $200 system!

What do you think?

Saturday, April 26, 2014

News - Daily Summary

More interesting developments in Ukraine. There are reports of Ukrainian troops being positioned around Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine that is occupied by separatists. It looks as if the troops will either attempt to retake the city, or they are attempting some kind of blockade. Russia, which is not to far away, is protesting the move. There are also more reports of Russian aircraft crossing the border. Yes, things keep getting more and more interesting. In Venezuela there was a large protest against the government, but no reported deaths. In Syria the civil war continues as the government gains the upper hand. In the middle east there were no major developments as the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. North Korea has detained an American "tourist", but there are no other major developments. South Korea has suspended recovering bodies from the sunken ferry. Pictures have emerged from inside the sinking ferry. One of the victims managed to post pictures to the internet before the ferry sunk completely. No news on the missing Malaysian jetliner.

There were no major events in the U.S. today other than the usual murder and mayhem.

It was another day in the calm before the storm, but something is going to happen soon in Ukraine. You can't mass troops and have nothing happen.

What do you think?

The Future - Are PC's Dead?

Former Nokia CEO and now executive vice president of the Devices Group at Microsoft Stephen Elop is quoted as saying: "The vast majority of people do not have, nor will they ever have a personal computer." I don't think I was ever expecting to hear something like that from someone at Microsoft. The thing is, he is dead on right. The vast majority of people on this planet are going to be using smartphones to access the internet and possibly tablets (especially in Africa, Asia, and South America). There will be a place for laptops and desktop PC's, but they will continue to fall is total, sales. What does this mean for Microsoft? What does it mean for Apple? I think Google is well positioned for this reality. Samsung is as well since they have low cost smartphones, tablets, and low cost laptops. It is going to be interesting to see how this all plays out over the next decade.

What do you think?

http://www.cnet.com/news/new-microsoft-vp-consigns-the-pc-to-irrelevance/

Creativity - Go For A Walk

There is a new study out of Stanford that shows that taking a walk improves creativity. In the study, test subjects took a walk (length and time were not divulged) and then were given a test to gage their creative thinking. Almost all the test subjects scored higher. So are you stuck? Do you need some new ideas? Go for a walk!

What do you think?

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/walking-can-help-creative-thinking-study-suggests-1.1793785

Observations - Non-Employer Businesses

Why in the world would anyone want to have employees? If you talk to business owners one of their biggest concerns are employees. How to find good people. How to get them to do their jobs. How to keep them. How to fire them. How to keep them off the social networks during work. The list of concerns goes on and on. As a result, there has been a growth of non-employer businesses. That is businesses without any employees. Now, non-employer businesses are not new but, having 20 million of them (which is how many there are) is a newer phenomenon. I am not surprised at the fact that non-employer businesses exist, but I was not aware that there were so many of them. Considering that technology makes it easier and easier to have no employees, I expect this trend to increase. I also think it is a good thing. When people are owners rather than employees, they are more responsible and self reliant, which are all things we need more of in our society.

What do you think?

Chromebook - Still Worth The Price?

I was just looking at the price of laptops which seems to have dropped over the last few weeks. You can now get a low end Windows machine for around $300, which is close to what a Chromebook costs. So is it better to just pay a little more for a fully functioning Windows machine, or just stick to a Chromebook? I would stick to using a Chromebook for several reasons. First, a low end Windows machine will not be able to do very much. In order to use all the functions available on a Windows machine you need much more than a basic machine. Next, to do anything on a Windows machine you have to buy software, which is not cheap (or free like it is for Chromebook). Most people want to be able to use Microsoft Office, which is also not free on a Windows machine. Another reason to stick with Chromebook is that you do not need security software. I sometimes wonder if the whole computer security industry was cooked up just to make money. Finally, speed and battery life. Chromebooks run rings around low end windows machines and have awesome battery life. Even if Windows further came down in price, I would still stick with a Chromebook.

What do you think?

The Future - The Workplace

The place where people work is changing. One change is that workplaces are become less "fixed" areas of work to "flexible" areas of work. Because of the internet and technology, people do not have to work from one fixed place. People can work from just about anyplace that has an internet connection. People can work from home, from an eatery, or from their cars. Another change that is occurring is that workplaces are becoming meeting places. Since people can now work from just about anywhere, the workplace is becoming a place to gather workers together temporarily rather that a place to house all the workers. Thus businesses do not have to have permanent spaces for their workers. They can rent spaces for meeting as needed. The future is going to be about flexibility, mobility, and temporary workplaces. How will this affect the places we currently work at?

What do you think?

Personal Improvement - What Are You Tired Of?

A good way to figure out what might need to be changed in our lives is to ask ourselves what are we tired of? So ask:

I am tired of ________.

If (and when) you start getting some answers then start thinking of making some changes. For example: I am tired of having less and less money at the end of the month. Or, I am tired of having to commute 1 hour each way to work . Or, I am tired of being overweight and out out shape. Once you have what you are tired of, turn it into a question that can help generate solutions. For example: How can I make more money this month? How can I cut back or eliminate my commute? How can I lose weight and and get into better shape? Why ask questions? Because when you do, your mind starts to look for answers which will then help you find a way to create solutions and take action. Then you might eliminate what you are tired of and improve the quality of your life.

What do you think?

For more: http://andyhayes.com/tired-of-something-its-a-sign?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tired-of-something-its-a-sign

Creativity - Any Place, Any Time

You can be creative in anything – in math, science, engineering, philosophy – as much as you can in music or in painting or in dance. – Sir Ken Robinson

There is a misconception that creativity only applies to the arts, but that is not true. Creativity applies to everything we do. First, what is creativity? Creativity is the process of creating something new and worthwhile. Or, creativity is the process of making stuff. Thus, we can create something new and worthwhile in everything we do. You can create something new in science, in business, in education, even in government. We can create new stuff at home, on the job, while we play, or as we vacation. Creativity can happen anyplace and at any time.

What do you think?

Friday, April 25, 2014

News - Daily Summary

Tensions are mounting in Ukraine. Besides the increasing military actions by the government of Ukraine, there is also an increase in rhetoric. Russia is warning Ukraine and the west while the west is threatening more sanctions. There have also been some incursions by Russian aircraft into Ukrainian airspace. Things are getting interesting. Things are still tense in Venezuela, which signed a military accord of cooperation with Argentina (for what purpose?). The civil war in Syria continues. Nothing major happened in the Middle East and North Korea was quiet. South Korea is still recovering bodies from the sunken ferry and the search continues for the missing Malaysian jetliner.

In the U.S. stocks were down sharply today erasing all the gains of the previous week. The NASDAQ was down 1.75% with Amazon down almost 10%. Gold, silver were higher, but oil was down (hey, some good news!). There were no other major developments in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the storm (but something big is coming).

What do you think?

U.S. News - Politicians

I don't think there has ever been so much dissatisfaction with our political leaders as there is now. President Obama's ratings are low, but the rating for Congress is abysmal. Congress has a disapproval rating of over 75%! With such high dissatisfaction you would think there would be a huge "throw the bums out" movement, but there isn't. It's as if the disapproval has produced apathy and not action. I thinks it's because people feel that no matter which political party is in power, nothing actually changes. So why bother voting? Unfortunately, I agree to some extent. It does feel as if it does not matter which party is in power. I also am starting to think that it won't matter anyway. We have dug such a big hole with our debt and unfunded liabilities that it will not matter which party gets into power. It is like being on the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. You know that it is going to sink, so does it matter who is at the helm?

What do you think?

Writing - Word Count

I keep track of how many words I write a day. I don't quite know why I do it, but it has become a habit after so many years of writing. I think I began keeping track back when I started writing. I think I was curious to see how many words I wrote a day, so I started counting. When I started writing, I wrote by hand and in notebooks, so I would have to go back and count by hand (usually I would count the words in a few lines and then count the lines and multiply it by the average of the first few lines). Now I write exclusively on a digital device (usually my Chromebook) so that I can easily count up the words I write.

Is it a good idea to keep track of how many words you write a day? I think it is. It gives you a goal to shoot for. It turns out that I am not alone. Mark Twain wrote about 1000 words a day. Stephen King writes 2000 words every day no matter what day it is. Then there is one of my favorite writers, Lee Child who averages 1800 words a day. If you are writing, give it a try. Keep track of how many words you write in a day and then set a goal for yourself. When I started I wanted to write I set a goal of 500 words a day. I have now pushed that up to 2000 words. Last month (March 2014) was a good writing month in that I wrote 80,000 words (over 2500 words a day). So far this month I have written over 60,000 words. How awesome is that?

What do you think?

The Economy - The Stock Market

I think the stock market is dysfunctional. It's up one day, down the next. One day bad news is good news. Another day good news is bad news. One day higher earnings are good. The next day higher earnings are bad. What is up? I don't get it. For example, Amazon had a huge increase in sales this past quarter, but missed in profits so the stock gets hammered. It had huge earnings in a slow economy! That's bad news? Amazon made $505 million in profit rather than $525 million. Hey, it did not lose money (which it did for years)! I don't get it.

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

The tension in and over Ukraine keeps escalating. Incursions and casualties keep mounting. NATO is threatening further sanctions. Russia is threatening to sell all assets in NATO countries and start sell foreign debt. Poland is requesting 10,000 U.S. troops. Germany has stated that the accord signed last week to de-escalate Ukraine has failed. Wow, this is starting to "sound" like a war. What if NATO imposes further sanctions? What if Russia actually starts to sell assets and foreign debt? This can get ugly quickly. NATO is in no position to fight a war. All the NATO countries are broke and their militaries are in decline thanks to the last recession and a decade of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Russia is not in great shape either, but at least it is not broke and it's military is not demoralized and exhausted. Things are getting interesting.

What do you think?

Chromebook - My Experience

It has now been about 5 months that I have been using my Acer C720 Chromebook. It has worked flawlessly and I have had no problems. I still can't believe that I paid about $200 for this device (and yes, I am using it as I write this), and I have not spent a dime on any apps or software. I have bought several books from Google Play and some even from Amazon (the Kindle reading app is very good). I use Docs extensively since I primarily use my Chromebook to write, and I started to use Sheets for some basic spreadsheets I created. I also do all my online stuff with my Chromebook. I check my email, surf my favorite sites, keep up with Google+, listen to music on Google Play, and update my blog. I am still surprised at all I can do on a machine I bought on a whim just to see what it was like. Best $200 I ever spent!

What do you think?

Thursday, April 24, 2014

News - Daily Summary

In Ukraine, tensions increased once again as government troops took action against separatists and there were several casualties. In response, Russia announced military exercises on the border and warned Ukraine not to harm it's own citizens (how Ironic that this is all happening near the 100 year anniversary of the First World War). Things were unchanged in Venezuela and Syria. In the Middle East, Israel called off peace talks with Palestinians over a unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas. In Asia, North Korea looks to test a nuclear device in response to Obama's visit to South Korea, which continues to recover bodies from the sunken ferry accident. There is also no new developments in the search for the missing Malaysian jetliner.

In the U.S., stocks were mostly up a bit. Gold, silver, and oil were up as well. And, there were no other major developments across the U.S.

Another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

The Economy - Movie Business

It looks like the movie business is having a good year. So far "Hollywood" has earned over $3 billion at the box office, which is $200 million more at this point than last year. Though the movie industry can be unpredictable, it looks like Americans (and the rest of the world) is still going to the movies. I have not been to a movie in a while. I just have not thought anything was worth $10 or more to go see. Plus, all I have to do is wait a while and I can rent the movie on Apple TV for less than $5. I wonder what would happen if "Hollywood" lowered ticket prices? Actually, I already know the answer. We have a "budget" digital movie theater here in town that charges less than $4 to see a movie. Though the movies are not new (they play movies that have already been in theaters for a few weeks), the theater is always busy and frequently full. In fact, I think more people go to the "budget" theater than the two "premier" theaters we have in town. So if "Hollywood" lowered ticket prices, more people would go to the movies and they would eventually make more money. Unfortunately, lowering ticket prices would take courage, which most CEO's don't have.

What do you think?

Writing - Asking Questions

What is one of my favorite writing techniques? It's asking questions. When you ask a question it "hooks" the readers mind. Why? Because our minds are awesome answer finding machines. When we ask a question or read a question our minds start working on finding the answer. It is the way they work. So a good way to help people keep reading is to ask a question. Do you know what the best part is? Sometimes you do not even have to answer it. Also, asking questions is a great way to figure out what you want to write about. Start with a question and then see where it leads. Could it lead to some good ideas?

What do you think?

Creativity - Perfectionism

One way to kill creativity is to seek perfection in all you do. Seeking to make something the best you can make it is a noble endeavor. Seeking to make something perfect is pointless because it is impossible. Nothing is ever perfect, so trying to make something perfect is a futile pursuit. Perfectionism also leads to paralysis. If you can't make it perfect, you come to a screeching stop and get stuck. Perfectionism also feeds fear, a creators biggest enemy. Questions like: "what if it's not perfect?" or "what if I can't get it right?" all lead to getting stuck and blocked.

Instead of seeking perfection, seek to create something the best that you can create. Questions like: "does this work?" or "do I like this?" are good to ask. It is also good to have a hard deadline. Nothing beats perfectionism like having to get something finished.

What do you think?

World news - Ukraine

Tensions increased today as deadly clashes occurred in Eastern Ukraine. Government forces moved against separatist and there were casualties, though specifics were not forth coming. In response Russia issued warnings against the use of force by the Ukrainian Government against pro-Russian separatists. Russia has also announced new military drills among the troops stationed at the border with Ukraine. How long will Russia wait to send in troops to "protect" the separatists? Probably not much longer. What will the U.S. and E.U. do in response? Bluster and enact meaningless sanctions. In the end Russia will annex eastern Ukraine. I am starting to think that this is not a matter of if, but of when. When it does happen, what will Russia set it's sights on next? Moldava or another Baltic country?

What do you think?

Chromebook - Enjoyment

I was wondering why I enjoy using my Chromebook more than any other device I own. I just read an article that helped me understand why a bit better. The article "Chromebooks and the Cost of Complexity" pointed out that all products improve over time and as a result, complexity increases. Eventually a product's complexity becomes greater than the utility a user experiences. Thus the product becomes less enjoyable to use. It also becomes more expensive in that the user pays for features they do not use. Chromebooks have less features than all other systems on the market. You can't do everything on a Chromebook. In fact, you can really only do basic computing stuff. But that's why I enjoy using my Chromebook. It's not complex and it does all I need it to do quickly, safely, and most importantly, inexpensively. Over time the features and capabilities will grow (as they have already). Hopefully the new features and capabilities will not impede my enjoyment or empty my wallet.

What do you think?

For more: http://stratechery.com/2014/chromebooks-cost-complexity/

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

News - Daily Summary

Another quiet day across the globe. Besides U.S. troops arriving in Poland and other border nations, Ukraine was calm. Nothing major happened in Venezuela, Syria, or the Middle east. In South Korea the recovery work still continues as the death toll keeps rising. There was also no new developments in the search for the missing Malaysian jetliner.

In the U.S. the stock rally stalled today. Stocks were down a bit. New housing starts are way down in the latest report. Mortgage origination's are down as well. Gold, silver, and oil were up. GM is supposed to report earnings tomorrow and it is going to be interesting to see what they will be especially after the recall mess they are going through. Apple earnings were higher than expected. There were no other major developments in the U.S. today .

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

The Economy - Nothing Has Been Fixed

When the bottom fell out of the economy in 2008-2009 we all were shocked and surprised. How could it happen? Why did it happen? Since then there have been many theories and finger pointing, but nothing has been done to fix the problems that led up to the last crash. What about debt? It is higher than ever. What about sub prime loans? They are back in vogue. What about high margin transactions? Back at record levels. What about financial institutions being too big and involved in too many conflicting areas? They are even bigger (and fewer) now. What about the derivatives market? That market has grown so large that estimates can barely be made of the size of the market. The reality is that the world is right back to where it was when the last crash happened. Only this time, things are worse. There are no reserves. There are no financial or governmental entities that are in a financial position to bail the world out. In other words, we are screwed if (and when) things take a turn for the worse. Wow, people don't learn from their mistakes do they.

What do you think?

For more see: http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/exactly-like-7-years-ago-2014-is-turning-out-to-be-eerily-similar-to-2007

Creativity - Connecting

Steve Jobs is quoted as saying:

"Creativity is just connecting things."

Guess what? He was right. Many times the best new ideas come from connecting one idea to another. One way to this is to combine things and see what comes from it. The smartphone was the combination of a cell phone and a powerful personal digital assistant - iPhone. Another example is the combination espresso and custom ordering - Starbucks. Try it out for yourself and see what new ideas can be generated. Start combining and connecting things and see what new creations come about.

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

The U.S. is going to send troops to Poland and several other border countries with Russia and Ukraine. Russia is obviously upset at the move, but I think it's just blustering. The amount of troops the U.S. is sending is miniscule - only 600 in total. How does that send a signal to Moscow? How can just a few U.S soldiers deter Russia if it intends to invade Eastern Ukraine? The reality of this is that U.S. foreign policy is weak and indecisive. We can expect Russia to continue its campaign to destabilize Ukraine so that it can annex Eastern Ukraine. Since the U.S. is so weak, we can now expect China to make some kind of move against Japan and North Korea to escalate its provocation of South Korea. When the U.S. is perceived as weak (and it is weak at this point) the rogue nations of the world will assert their power and seek to take advantage of the situation. Unfortunately this usually ends in a major war.

What do you think?

Chromebook - WSJ Article

The Wall Street Journal has a very good article on Chromebooks. The author does a good job of discussing the pro's and con's of using a Chromebook. One thing bothered me though. She kept making a point that Chromebooks cost in the range of $300-400. That's not quite right. In fact, the best selling Chromebook model is the Acer C720 and it is only about $200. The author also failed to point out that once you buy a Chromebook, you do not have to spend another dime to make it work for you. That is not the case on any other system (I should know since I have invested $100's in apps and software over the years). Chromebook is the least expensive computing system on the market. I think that's it's best selling point.

What do you think?

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304279904579516082580203344?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304279904579516082580203344.html

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

News - Daily Summary

Things were basically quiet across the globe today. There were no major developments, but there were some interesting situations. The government of Ukraine claims to have captured three Russian Intelligence officers who were operating in Eastern Ukraine. If this is true, then Russia is active in organizing the opposition and is more than likely going to make a move. Why else send in the spies and provocateurs? Russia has also forgiven a $10 billion dollar debt that North Korea owed. In return, it looks as if North Korea will allow Russia to build a natural gas pipeline through it's territory. So Russia is expanding it's biggest source of income into Asia. Maybe Russia is making an economic play out of all this? Hey, money has been the motive for many nefarious activities over the history of the world. No news from Venezuela, Syria, or the Middle East. South Korea is still recovering bodies from the capsized ferry, and the missing Malaysian airliner has yet to be found.

It was basically a quiet day in the U.S. Stocks were up, oil was flat, gold was down, and silver was flat. There was no major development in the economy and no other major stories.

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Writing - Blog Milestone

I wrote and published my 400th post today. If you had asked me about 5 months ago if I would write 400 blog posts I would have said "maybe in a few years". But, I did it in 5 months! I have also had close to 3000 total views so far. Thank you for reading and stopping by. May you truly be blessed (as I have been in writing all these posts).

What do you think?

Personal Improvement - Power Nap

I usually get very tired right after lunch so I started taking a short "power nap" of about 15 minutes before I get back to work. I do this in my car. I find a shady spot to park, roll the windows down a bit, set a timer on my iPhone, recline my seat, and close my eyes for 15 minutes. It has worked wonders for me. I have a new burst of energy in the afternoon and I don't have to rely on caffeine to make it through. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

What do you think?

Creativity - Running Out Of Ideas

Is it possible to run out of idea? I don't think so because if we could run out of ideas, nothing new would ever be created! Everything that is "new" first started as just an idea. So as long as new things keep happening, ideas will never run out. The key question to ask then is "How can I keep getting new ideas?". Here are some suggestions:

* Always be looking for new ideas. If you don't look for them, you won't find them.
* Read, read, read, and read some more. By reading as much stuff as possible, you will keep finding ideas because that is where most ideas are kept - in text form.
* Do something new or different. We tend to run out of new ideas when we keep doing the same things over and over.
* Talk to someone new. If we never expand our social networks, we will not have as many new ideas. Ideas are born from the interaction of new relationships.
* Ask a question!?! It is amazing what new ideas you can get if you just start asking some questions.

I don't think ideas are a problem. I think not looking for new ideas and then doing something with them is a problem. I have also noticed that the more ideas you have, the more ideas you generate. It's a virtuous cycle that feeds on itself. One idea leads to another, and then another, and so on.

What do you think?

The Economy - Squeezed Middle Class

The New York Times has a story on how the middle class has not had a wage increase in over a decade. In contrast Canada and a host of other industrialized countries have seen double digit increases over the same time period. As a result, the middle class in the U.S. is no longer the wealthiest on the planet. The middle class in the U.S. is no longer the best paid, no longer has the best benefits, and no longer has the highest amount of overall wealth (savings, investments, equity, etc…). Add to this the reality that prices have skyrocketed across the board, and the middle class is being squeezed like it never has before. If something does not bring relief to the middle class soon, it will continue to fall and bring the rest of the U.S. economy down with it. Why? Because there are not enough "rich" households to make up the difference.

What do you think?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/the-american-middle-class-is-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html?hp&_r=0

The Future - Digital Age Business

Did you know that there are 75 million servers powering the internet? That is an amazing amount of servers and it is growing day by day. Microsoft has over 1 million online and Google over 900 thousand (and I am sure Apple has as many). Maybe one of the marks of a "digital age" company is the amount of servers they are using to power their businesses (they don't have own them)? If a business does not have some kind of internet presence, I don't think it will survive the transition we are going through. Maybe you can judge the health of a business in the digital age by how much traffic it is generating online?

To succeed in the digital age you have to be online. Why? Because that is the defining aspect of the digital age. The future is online, and if you are not online you might not be as successful as you could be. If you are online and your presence is growing, then you might have a very successful digital age business.

What do you think?

http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2009/05/14/whos-got-the-most-web-servers/

Chromebook - Options

One of the drawbacks to using a Chromebook was the lack of having Office available. Now that is not a problem anymore. Office is available as an app through the Chrome store. That is not the only option though. Apple has made it's apps available as well through iCloud. So, there are several options when it comes to using basic "office" apps on a Chromebook. You can use the standard applications for Chromebook, Google Drive. You can use the Microsoft Office applications. Or, you can also use the Apple applications. What is even better is that you can use them all for free!

There is one drawback though. You have to be online to use their full function. There are some who think this is a huge drawback, but I don't. In fact, I like this feature. The best part of Chromebook is that there is no software to physically download to the solid state drive on the laptop. All the software is online, which means there is little chance of getting a virus. Security is also better as a result. With all the new free applications and the added security of using software online, Chromebook delivers the absolute best value for under $300! (Or $200 if you buy the least expensive system, which is what I did).

What do you think?

Monday, April 21, 2014

News - Daily Summary

It was basically a quiet day across the world. Nothing new in Ukraine except for accusation of involvement being traded by all the parties. The U.S. accuses Russia, Russia the U.S., Ukraine accuse Russia, and the cycle continues. There might be photographic evidence tying the gunmen who have occupied government buildings with Russian Special Operations units. Now that would be interesting. North Korea is increasing activity at a nuclear site. South Korea is recovering more bodies from the sunken ferry. Nothing major in Venezuela, Syria, or the middle east today. The search for the missing Malaysian airliner has been halted due to a cyclone in the area, so there is no news on the missing plane.

In the U.S. stocks were up and the rally started last week still continues. The price of oil was basically flat today, but gold and silver were down. There was no other major news in the U.S. today.

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

The Future - E-Books

A new poll shows that 54% of Americans read e-books. I am not surprised by this stat and I expect that it will continue to grow. As more and more people do more and more on the internet, they migrate to digital products, which is what I did. I used to buy "paper" based books and music CD's in large quantities, but when I bought an iPad (and now a Chromebook) I started buying e-books and mp3 files instead. I have been doing that now for a couple of years. In fact, it has been a long time since I bought a "paper" based book or a music CD. The future is digital which means digital based media is going to continue to grow.

What do you think?

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/new-poll-finds-majority-of-americans-read-ebooks/comment-page-1/#comment-634091

Observations - Starbucks

How did Starbucks become so popular and ubiquitous? In my home town there are at least 12 Starbucks! Now that's a lot of Starbucks and they are busy all the time. So how did Starbucks do it? First, it helps that they sell a product that is a bit addictive. Second, they make a custom product. Third, their service is consistent. Fourth, they embraced the digital age. The first three points are self explanatory, but the fourth one I want to talk more about. Starbucks embraced the digital age by offering free WIFI in all their stores. They saw that people would want to go on the internet as they enjoyed Starbucks products, so they made it happen - for free. Then, they invested heavily in building an internet presence and a mobile presence. Then they partnered with Apple to offer free songs on iTunes and free apps as well. Take all they have done and it helps explain why Starbucks is so successful. What can we all learn from Starbucks?

What do you think?

The Economy - Carl's Jr.

Though there has been no news about the Southern California based food chain Carl's Jr., I have been noticing that several of their stores have closed down. I have not visited a Carl's Jr. in a long time, but I am not surprised that they are closing some stores. The customers who would frequent such an establishment have less and less money to spend. I am sure that revenue has been down even though there has been no specific news. I think we are going to see more restaurants closing as food costs go up and revenue falls. I don't think it's not a good time to be in the restaurant business.

What do you think?

The Future - Design

One article I recently read stated that as we continue to transition from the industrial age to the digital age value will shift from production to design. As a result, most of the good jobs that are produced today are design related. I see this as a move from creating products that are utilitarian to products that offer more in aesthetics as well as utility. In other words, more and more products are going focus on how they look as well as what they do. The impact on jobs will be significant. If you want a good job in the future you better have some knowledge of design. You have to at least know the jargon and the basic skills revolving around design. You will also need to make sure you can function in a "visual" environment since that is the realm of design. The future will be digital, and it will be visual.

What do you think?

For more see: http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2014/04/20/the-new-era-of-talent/

Writing - Two Step Process

Writing is a two step process. Step one, you figure out what you want to write. Step two, you go back and make sure what you wrote works. In step one you just put words on the page until you get down what you want to say. It is rough and unclear. It is mostly ideas and concepts, but nothing that is refined. Then in step two you go back and edit what you wrote until you have something that works. It is here that you make sure you write in complete sentences, that the grammar is right, and that your i's are dotted and your t's are crossed. I have found that we have all been taught this in school, but for some reason it has not stuck. I have also found that it is best to keep the steps separated. First put the words on the page, then fix them. Trying to do both at the same time leads to paralysis and convoluted writing.

What do you think?

Chromebook - New Trick

I like reading through the Chromebook community on Google+ because I learn stuff all the time about using my Chromebook. For example, I was not aware that I can hook up my Chromebook to an external monitor I can dim the display on my Chromebook all the way down and it goes into dock mode. In dock mode I can close the lid and still use my Chromebook fully. Usually, closing the lid on my Chromebook puts it to sleep, but that is not the case in dock mode. This is great because I have a large monitor that I use for my Mac Mini that I can now use with my Chromebook. How cool is that? This $200 laptop keeps surprising me and I learned it all from the Chromebook community on Google+.

What do you think?

Sunday, April 20, 2014

The Future - Work

Most work involves interacting with people either through e-mail, the telephone, or in meetings. In the future all of this will be done via an electronic device and the internet (which is possible in some fashion today). Thus, employees will not need to be in the same physical location. The future of work will be more and more remote. In other words, having large buildings where all the employees of a particular company gather to "work" will not be necessary. Just think of the ramifications. You will be able to work from anywhere in the world. You will be able to work at any time you wish. You will be able to travel and work. There will also be trade offs. You will never be "away" from work or "off" of work. It will also be much easier to replace you since there will be a larger pool of prospective replacements (since you can hire anyone in the world).Technology is transforming the way we work. I am not sure it will be for the better, but it might and it will be different.

What do you think?

News - Summary

It was a quiet day across the world. Except for the shootings in Ukraine where at least three were killed, nothing much of anything else happened. The usual hot spots were quiet. There is a recovery operation going on at the site of the ferry disaster in South Korea. More and more bodies are being pulled from the sunken ship. There is also no word on the missing Malaysian airliner.

In the U.S. it was an uneventful Easter. Nothing major occurred. The only thing of interest were rising gasoline prices. Here in Southern California prices are well over $4 a gallon (I paid $4.20 today). If the price of gas stays at this level it will impact the economy negatively, which is something we truly do not need to have happen.

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

Observations - Easter

Easter used to be a big holiday but it's not any more. It never was a big holiday for me, and it's even less of a holiday now. We used to go to church when I was a kid. My parents were holiday Catholics. We went on Christmas and Easter. I just remember it all being meaningless and boring, but I went because my parents made me. I know that it is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and if you are religious, that would be important. I am not very religious anymore. I do like the idea that we should celebrate a day of peace and love. Clearly we could use more of that in all our lives.

What do you think?

I do hope you all had a good, peaceful, loving day. Thank you for stopping by and may you be blessed.

Creativity - Fear

Fear is our biggest enemy when it come to creating. Fear keeps us from finishing our work. Fear keeps us from working on our work. And fear keeps us from starting our work. Unfortunately fear never goes away. All you can do is find ways to overcome fear and get your work done. I have found that if I talk back to my fear (which often manifests as a voice in my mind telling me why I should not do the work) and tell it that that what it's telling me will probably not happen, it leaves me alone long enough to get the work done.

What do you think?

Chromebook - iCloud

You can now use the Apple apps Pages, Numbers, and Keynote on iCloud on a Chromebook. This is great news if you were a heavy iPad/iPhone/Mac user before you started using a Chromebook. I have a lot of files on iCloud and so it is great to be able to go and access them and edit them if I need to. Since I started using my Chromebook I migrated over to Google Drive, so I will not be using iCloud all that much, but it is nice to have access to my old files if I need them. If you consider this addition with the availability of Office apps for Chromebook, there is nothing that you to keep people from migrating to Chromebook now. Thank you Apple (and Microsoft) for making my Chromebook even better.

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

De-escalation has not quite gone into effect yet. Overnight an attack occurred at a checkpoint manned by separatists and there were several deaths. Russia is denouncing the attack, and an Easter truce is holding by a thread. Tensions are high. Ukraine is still on the brink of civil war and Russia still has an army of 40,000 or so at the border. What will happen once the "Easter truce" is over? Next week might be interesting.

What do you think?

Saturday, April 19, 2014

News - Daily Summary

It was a quiet day across the world. There were no major developments in Ukraine, Venezuela, Syria, the middle east, or North Korea. In South Korea the rescue operation at the capsized ferry is now turning into a recovery operation as more and more bodies are pulled from the wreckage and water. There is also nothing new in the search for the missing Malaysian airliner.

It was a quiet day across the U.s. as well. Sure there were crimes and other events, but nothing major. It seems the U.S. and the world are preparing to enjoy the Easter holiday and maybe enjoy a few moments of peace.

It was another day in the calm before the storm. But, may you have a peaceful Easter day.

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

Russian President Putin called eastern and southern Ukraine something interesting. He called it "Novorossiya" which translate into "New Russia" in English. Novorossiya is an old name for the region dating back to 19th century czarist times. Why did he do that? It could be just a mistake or a slip of the tongue. Or it could be that in his mind the area is part of Russia? The use of the term Novorossiya can be a reflection of what has already been decided. This does not bode well for Ukraine if that is the case. Putin made sure Russia took control of Crimea as soon as there was enough popular support for Russian troops to move in. Maybe he is doing the same thing with eastern and southern Ukraine?

What do you think?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/18/putin-novorossiya-ukraine_n_5173559.html

The Economy - New Cars

Did you know that the average price for a new car is around $32,000? Ouch! I was not aware that cars had become so expensive. I know that with "creative" financing you can afford to buy just about any car, but $32,000 is steep. When did it become normal to have cars cost almost an entire years wage? Or has it been that much and it's just that the number is what it is because of inflation? No matter what the reason, cars are only selling because of low interest rates. If interest rates pop up, then people will not be able to afford cars. Are the auto companies prepared for that in any way? I would guess that they are not and will go through some tough times when things take a turn for the worse, which they will at some point.

What do you think?

Creativity - Failure

If you are going to be creative, be prepared to fail. Not everything you create is going to work. In fact, most of what you create will fail. That's not a bad thing. In failing you will learn what works and what doesn't work. Then you can go about creating something better. Being creative is all about exploring and experimenting. It's all about trying things out to see what happens. That's how it all works and failure is part of the process. So get used to it. Learn from it. Expect it. It's the way to create even better stuff.

What do you think?

Internet Business - Social Media

I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of social media. I don't have a facebook page. I don't tweet. I have not even visited instagram or pinterest. I have become more acquainted with Google+ though. Is that because I think it's better than all the other services? No, but it seem to match who I am better. That's what I have noticed about social media. They all in some way are an extension of our personalities and reflect the personalities of their users. I think facebook appeals to people who are more extroverted. I think twitter appeals to those who like to comment on stuff and make statements about what is going on. I think I like Google+ because it seems to be more about sharing information and asking questions (which is what I like to do).

So what does this have to do with business on the internet? If you are going to build an audience (which is the most important thing you can do to be successful on the internet), social media is the best way to do that. So find a social media platform that matches your personality and business and get involved. I have increased my audience substantially as a result of getting involved in several communities on Google+. Whatever your opinion of social media, it is a great tool to help you build an audience and be successful. Get involved.

What do you think?

The Economy - On The Edge

I read this quote today "We have become a nation that is precariously living on the financial edge." It is from an article on how most of us here in the U.S. are living paycheck to paycheck and have little or no reserves. Why? First, there has been no real recovery from the great recession. For most, salaries have not increased and for many, they have decreased. Second, the cost of everything has gone up. It is true that the official measure of inflation has remained low, but that has not been the reality for most Americans. With food prices rising, gasoline prices rising, health insurance and costs rising, most Americans have less and less money to put into reserve and to spend.

Our economy is based on spending. If spending diminishes, then our economy will contract. We are in no position for another recession. Another recession might very well break the back of our economy and cause untold misery and suffering. Even our government is in no position to deal with a recession. At all levels, borrowing is at it's highest level and reserves are nearly depleted. We have created the perfect economic storm which will wreck havoc on us all. It's not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.

What do you think?

http://www.mybudget360.com/how-many-americans-live-paycheck-to-paycheck-income-wealth/

Chromebook - Upgrading

In the tech world there is something better always coming out. There is always a better laptop, a better phone, a better system. This is the case with Chromebooks as well. There is always something better, faster, cooler coming out. What I like best about Chromebook is that upgrading doesn't cost you your next house payment. It doesn't even cost you your next car payment. It is nice to know that if I want to have the next best thing, I can afford it. I can't do that with an Apple device or a Windows machine. Also, if I upgrade I don't have to worry about migrating all my stuff to the new system. It's already there on the cloud just waiting for me to boot and access it. That's what I like so much about Chromebooks. Stuff works, it's easy, and I can pay all my bills.

What do you think?

News - Daily Summary

In Ukraine a deal was reached to de-escalate the tension, but no one told the separatists in Eastern Ukraine. So nothing has been de-escalated, but it was a quiet day. Nothing major happened in Venezuela, Syria, North Korea, or the middle east. An avalanche killed 13 people on Mt. Everest. In South Korea, the captain of the capsized ferry was arrested as were two other crew members. Hundreds are still missing. Finally, there was no news regarding the missing Malaysian airplane.

The were no major stories in the U.S. today. The stock markets were closed. It was a quiet Good Friday.

Thus, it was another quiet day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Friday, April 18, 2014

Writing - Resistance

For some reason, when we go to write we end up facing all kinds of resistance. We have "voices" in our heads that tell us it is a waste of time, or that we have no talent, or that we have nothing to say that keep us from writing. We have doubts and insecurities that keep us from writing. We also have physical things like work, other people, and email that keep us from writing. How do you overcome this resistance? You write! You put your butt in a chair and put words on the page no matter what. You write one word and then another and another until you are done. That is the only way to beat resistance. Unfortunately, resistance never goes away, but with practice, you can overcome it long enough to write.

What do you think?

The Future - The Digital Age

Not all corporations are going to make it through the transition to the digital age. Clearly Google, Apple, Walmart, and Amazon will. They have embraced key aspects of the digital age and are positioned to prosper during the transition period and be leaders once we are fully in the digital age. That does not mean they will have problems, but they will survive and possibly even thrive. Some companies are not going to make it. I believe one such company is Barnes and Noble. They have just not been able to make the transition. Yesterday the Chairman of the company sold a big chunk of stock (and so did a bunch of other people) and the stock was down 12%. It does not look good for Barnes and Noble. They just have not figured out how to make enough money to pay the bills. They have also not been able to figure out how to deal with digital age. How many other companies are going to not make it?

What do you think?

Creativity - Making Art

A key component of creativity is making art. Now most people when they think of art, think of the fine arts (painting, drawing, poetry, etc…) or the performing arts (music, acting, dancing, etc…), but the term art is much broader than that. I think the term can encompass so much more. I firmly believe that art is anything we create. Have you created a business? That's art. Have you created a "family"? That's art? Have you been able to help something or someone change? That's art. I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the picture. So what have you created lately? What "art have you engaged in?

What do you think?

Personal Improvement - Worry

Have you noticed that what you worry about hardly ever actually happens? I have found this to be the case in my own life. Unfortunately I usually forget this fact when I am in the middle of worrying! I think it is a good practice to remind yourself that what you worry about will very likely not happen. Another good practice to start doing is is to start expecting the best to happen. Now, it might not, but you sure feel better as you do it!

What do you think?

The Future - Higher Ed.

Did you know that up to 40% of college graduates are unemployed? Did you know that as many as 16% are working part time? Did you know that 30% of college graduates are in jobs that don't require a college degree? Did you know that of the 30 fastest growing jobs, only 7 require a degree? So is it a wise investment to go to a 4 year college? It might not be and it might depend on what you want to do after college. If you are going to work in a science, technology, engineering, or math field, then you will need a degree. If you are not, it might be a good idea to consider some alternatives before you invest in a degree that will not give you any kind of return on your investment. Here are some ideas:

* Start a business
* Instead of a 4 year school attend a technical school or a community college first.
* Learn a trade
* Take a job in an area you like and work your way up
* Go into sales
* Do an internship or volunteer

Taking a different route might be more lucrative than going to a 4 year college. If you take a different route you might even figure out exactly what you want to do before you invest thousands (and it costs thousands) in an education that will not pay back the investment. Unfortunately most high schools (especially in California) are pushing students to go to college and to take required college classes instead of classes that will prepare them to be productive citizens.

What do you think?

For more: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/04/17/is-college-for-everyone-11-alternatives-to-the-traditional-4-year-college/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheArtOfManliness+%28The+Art+of+Manliness%29

Chromebook - Memory

There are some who make a big deal about how much memory you should get when you buy a Chromebook. I don't think it's that big of a deal. If you do things that require the extra memory then go ahead and pay for it. If all you are doing is basic stuff, then the extra memory might not be worth the extra money. But, if the extra memory is only a few bucks more, why not spring for it, since it's only a few buck. I use an Acer C720 with 2 gigs of ram (which is the least expensive system on the market) and it works perfectly for ALL I do. I think you should save the money if you don't need to spend it.

What do you think?

Thursday, April 17, 2014

News - Daily Summary

In Ukraine there were more clashes and protests. Three separatists were killed and several were wounded when they attempted to overrun a Ukrainian military installation. In Geneva the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, the E.U., and the U.S. hammered out a de-escalation agreement. Unfortunately no one for the separatists was in attendance and they probably did not get the memo. Though civil war has not yet broken out, tensions are high and things could escalate further quickly. In Venezuela things have calmed down. Probably as a response to Easter. No major news out of Syria and the rest of the middle east was quiet as well. Nothing for North korea. South Korea is dealing with the sinking of a ferry with hundreds still unaccounted for. The search for the missing Malaysian aircraft continues without any major developments.

In the U.S. the rally on Wall street seems to have lost some steam, but stocks edged up a bit (except for the DOW which was down a bit). Google stock sold off today after reported revenue and earnings (which were up) disappointed investors. There were no other major stories today.

It looks as if the world is preparing for easter and we had another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

The Future - Universities

I came across a story of a young man in Nigeria starting an online university. I think he is on to something. First, face to face instruction is too expensive. Second, most students would like to live at home and not have to either commute or move to live on campus. Third, with internet access rates improving across Africa (because of smart phones and cellular access), there will be plenty of customers to serve. The future of all universities is online in the digital age.

What do you think?

http://afkinsider.com/51868/nigerias-mark-zuckerberg-creates-first-private-online-university/

Creativity - Questions

I have noticed that very creative people not only ask questions, they ask a lot of questions, and they ask questions others don't. From asking: "What do I want to create?" to "Why are we doing this?" to "What's the real problem?", very creative people seem to like to ask questions. Maybe we all can become more creative if we ask more questions? Just for the heck of it, how many questions do you ask? When my children were young I liked to ask them if they asked any questions at school that day. As they got older, the answer would become no more often. Maybe we all need to remember what it was like when we were kids and loved to ask questions?

What do you think?

The Economy - Store Closings

Family Dollar is closing 370 stores. Coldwater Creek is closing all of their 365 stores and laying off all 6000 of their employees. I thought the economy was improving? How could it be improving and we have all these stores closing? How could the stock market keep going higher of the retail sector seems to be imploding? We have an economic storm coming and it is going to get ugly.

What do you think?

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/two-more-victims-of-the-retail-apocalypse-family-dollar-and-coldwater-creek

World News - Ukraine

Ukrainian government forces battled with pro-Russian activists overnight. Three activists were killed, 13 were wounded, and 63 were captured in what looks like the first major engagement in the governments attempt to quell the protests and occupations in eastern Ukraine. It look as if government forces were not going to be effective yesterday, but overnight the situation has changed.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, the U.S. and the E.U. are talking in Geneva. Supposedly there ia an agreement for scaling back on the escalation, but there seems to be no actual action. Ukrainian troops are still on the move in eastern Ukraine and protests are still going on.

So, is the civil war on? Or is there some kind of agreement? No way to tell at this point. Lets see what Russia actually does.

What do you think?

Personal Improvement - Purpose

Jeff Goins wrote something I found be profound. He wrote:

"It’s disingenuous to tell you to go find your calling. What seems more honest is to say that a calling finds you when you’re open and conscious, willing to listen to what life, and maybe God, is trying to tell you."

To find our purpose maybe we just need to pay attention to what is already in our lives? Maybe all we need to have an amazing life is to open our eyes and see what is right in front of them?

What do you think?

http://goinswriter.com/calling/

The Economy - Google

Google reported earnings after the market closed yesterday. Google earned $15.4 billion which was an increase of revenue of 19%. Unfortunately this was just shy of estimates so the stock is seeing some selling today. Earnings per share were $6.27, which was lower than what was expected as well. Google makes 90% of it's revenue from advertising, and things look good to me. Yes revenue and earnings missed expectations, but they are still growing. Google also still has plenty of cash on hand. About $59 billion, so it is in very good health. Google does need to continue to work on how to make more money from mobile advertising, and they also need to continue to expand the services they offer, but they are doing well and are poised to be on of the leaders in the digital age.

What do you think?

http://www.bidnessetc.com/21537-google-inc-googl-news-analysis-googles-first-quarter-2014-earnings/

Chromebook - Getting It

One writer, Kenny Shar from Israel, gets the whole concept of Chromebook. He writes:

"Chromebooks can’t burn CDs, they can’t run Windows, Office or Windows specific software. You can’t detect exoplanets or discover alien life. On the other hand, with a Chromebook, you can boot in 7 seconds, spend $199-$299 on a laptop, never deal with updates (Chrome OS updates automatically) and much more. They aren’t packed with killer hardware and you can’t play anything more than casual games on them. But like things you buy at the dollar/shekel store, they’re practical."

That's the whole point, Chromebooks aren't the best system out there, but they are practical and they are inexpensive. That's the point. He finishes his article by saying:

"I love it! I’m writing this article on it. I think these simple laptops are going to make an impact much larger than their price!"

What do you think?

http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-199-chromebook-laptop-revolution/

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

News - Daily Summary

An interesting development in Ukraine. Government troops were rebuffed by unarmed civilians and in one instance, forced to surrender their armored personnel carriers. So the civil war has yet to erupt and Russia has yet to get it's green light to invade and intervene. The Netherlands is pledging to send aircraft to Ukraine if needed and NATO forces are being strengthened in nearby countries if called upon for action. In Venezuela talks continue and so do the protests. More corporations are stating losses from the devaluation. They include Brinks and Direct TV. In Syria the civil war continues. Things are much the same in the middle east. North Korea was quiet while South Korea copes with a ferry sinking and possibly the loss of over 200 people (mostly students). No word on the missing Malaysian airliner. The search continues.

In the U.S. stocks continues to rally as gold, silver, and oils basically remained unchanged. The clean up at the mudslide in the state of Washington continues and the official death toll now stands at 39. There were no other major stories.

Just another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

The Economy - The Coming Storm

I think there is an economic storm coming. What makes me think that? One key piece of evidence is the amount of private sector workers compared to those who are receiving non-veteran benefits. Someone actually dug through the data on the U.S. Census Bureau website and figured out the numbers. It looks like there are around 86 million private sector workers. In contrast, there are around 148 million non-veteran benefit recipients. The question is, how long can the 86 million private sector workers support the 148 million benefit recipients? This is not a matter of who deserves the benefits. Its all about the math. How long can 86 million support 148 million? No matter how much the 86 million make, it can't go on forever. Also, the 148 million is sure to grow. With baby boomers retiring by the millions, the storm is coming.

What do you think?

http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/terence-p-jeffrey/86m-full-time-private-sector-workers-sustain-148m-benefit-takers

Creativity - Helping Others Be Creative

Why are so many people not very creative? I think it's because they are never given much of a chance to come up with their own ideas. At work and at school we are always told what to do and how to do it. Thus, very few think for themselves. One good way to help people become creative is to let them come up with stuff themselves. Let people figure out for themselves what to do and how to do it. Let people not only come up with solutions on their own, but also let them figure out the problems. Yes, it's easier, faster, and cheaper to tell people what to do and how to do it, but then you end up with robots (maybe that's why it is so easy to replace people with technology?). If you want people to be creative (and we do because it is the only way we will survive), then you have to let them start coming up with their own stuff. This is also scary because letting people come up with their own stuff will lead to mistakes being made and things failing.

What do you think?

Personal Improvement - Embrace Change

Change is only constant today. Our jobs are going to change. Our communities are going to change. Heck, the world is going to change. So instead of fighting it, embrace it and grow from it. How? First, accept things will change. Second, do what you can to anticipate it. Third, never stop learning new things. Finally, look forward to change and enjoy it. Be the type of person who welcomes change and not the one who fights it.

What do you think?

For more: http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/04/what-a-players-do/

Internet Business - Building An Audience


Copyblogger had some good advice on how to build an audience. They recommend:
* Define who you are (and be true and consistent to that)
* Find your core target (people who believe in you)
* Encourage them to spread the word (word of mouth internet style)
I would add that you need to work on building an audience as well as work on building your business (whatever that might be).

What do you think?

http://www.copyblogger.com/smaller-target/

World News - Ukraine

It looks as if the move by the Ukrainian government to quell the protests and retake government buildings has stalled. In one instance, government troops gave up their armored personnel transports to militants who displayed them in a public square. In another instance, a column of government troops was kept from advancing by unarmed civilians. Troops just turned their vehicles off and socialized with the citizens as the awaited orders. If this is the start of a civil war, it's off to a poor start. The good news is that there have been little reports of casualties and no reports of Russian troop incursions. Maybe things will calm down?

What do you think?

Chromebook - My Experience

I have now been using my Chromebook for about 5 months. It became my main electronic device and has remained my main device. Most of what I do is basic. Everyday I keep a journal and write for this blog on it. I check and answer my email. I surf the internet and check all my usual sites. I listen to music and read books. There is not much else I actually need to do. I have an iPad that is not used very often now. I have a mac Mini that I use to write music on. I also have an iPhone that I use to stream music and as a hot spot. So my Chromebook has become my "go to" device. I am still pleased that it cost so little and that it also cost so little to continue to use. It would be great if other systems figured out a way to be so inexpensive.

What do you think?

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

News - Daily Summary

The Ukrainian government reacted strongly today by launching several military actions to remove occupiers from government facilities. There were casualties but it was not clear how many and on what side. Russia is warning that Ukraine is on the brink of a civil war, which they will probably use as a pretext for an invasion. Things are heating up in Ukraine. Venezuela is still in turmoil, but there are no new developments being reported. It is interesting to note that Coca Cola will take a $247 million loss as a result of the devaluation of the currency in Venezuela. So, what other corporations are going to have losses related to Venezuela? Israel and the Palestinians traded shots again today. Israel launched a satellite to spy on Iran. Syria is still a mess and not improving. It was quiet between North and South Korea, but it looks as if a ferry sank off South Korea and over 100 are missing and feared dead. The search for the missing Malaysian airliner still continues and it looks like the wildfire in Chile is under control.

There was nothing major in the U.S. today. Stock started the day down considerably, but then turned on a dime and closed higher. Not sure what turned the market around. Some speculate that is was bad economic news out of Japan. So bad news caused the markets to rally? It looks that way. Gold and silver were down and oil was basically flat and still over $100 a barrel.

It was another day in the calm before the storm, but things are getting interesting in Ukraine. Will Russia invade and cause the storm to grow closer?

What do you think?

The Economy - Pensions

As a teacher in California I am part of the State Teachers Retirement System. I was not happy to to read today that as many as 85% of pensions will go bust within the next 30 years. In a report by Bridgeport Associates, pensions are going to earn 4% less each year over the foreseeable future. Thus they will not make enough to pay out all the obligations they have. I like having my pension, but considering that it might not be there when I retire, I wish something else had been done. I think most pensions will end up in bankruptcy and renegotiated. How can I think that will happen? Because that is exactly what is happening in Detroit as I write. If the money is not there, then the promised payout will not happen. Plain and simple.

What do you think?

Writing - Keeping A Journal

What is a journal? Is it like a diary where you write about what happened during your day? A journal can be that, but I like to use the term for so much more. To me, a journal is where I do write about my day, but I also write about anything else that crosses my mind. It is where I record and play with all the ideas I have. It is a place to write about the news and events that are going in in my life and in the world around me. I also use my journal to record all the writing I do. I write my blog posts there and I also cut and paste into it all the comments I make on other blogs or articles. For me, my journal is where I collect the output of my brain.

Now I keep my journal on my Chromebook (which works well for that), but you can keep a journal in any manner that suits you. You can keep a journal in a paper notebook and write in longhand. You can keep a journal on your favorite electronic device. You can even keep your journal on your smartphone. I know of one person who keeps a "video" journal. They make a short video everyday of whatever happens to be on their mind.

Once you start a journal you can use it to create other writing creations or use it to figure out what else you want to produce. It's a good place to "sketch out" your ideas in any form and way that you want. Go ahead and start a journal and see what you can do with it. Journaling has been invaluable to me and I think it will be invaluable for you.

What do you think?

World News - Ukraine

Government forces took action today to remove occupiers from government buildings. Ukrainian special forces have also been reported retaking an airport in eastern Ukraine. There are several casualties reported from the incident. Now that Ukraine has acted all eyes are on Russia to see what it will do. A Russian aircraft buzzed a U.S. destroyer in the Black Sea yesterday and another aircraft was seen over eastern Ukraine today. Are Russian forces testing the waters to see what kind of defenses are in place? Are they also testing to see what NATO forces will do? Things are getting very interesting as a shooting war may have started today.

What do you think?

The Economy - The Stock Market

The rally was short lived and the selling has restarted in earnest. So what spooked the market into selling again? Is it the uncertainty in Ukraine and the fact that they raised their interest rates to protect their currency? Or is it poor earnings being reported? Whatever it is, the NASDAQ is getting hammered again and it is bringing the rest of the market down with it. Lets see how he rest of the day plays out.

What do you think?

Chromebook - MS Office

The only missing piece in using a Chromebook for many people was that you could not use MS Office. Well now you can. The individual Office Apps for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Onenote are now available in the Chrome Store.

Chromebook now runs Office!

So much for the MS claim that Chromebooks don't even run Office. What is MS going to do with all the negative ads they ran earlier this year? I guess this is case of if you can't beat them, at least join them. Now I am thankful that MS is so nice and is providing the apps (it looks like they are free as well), but I am not going to switch from Google Drive. It just works best for me.

What do you think?

Monday, April 14, 2014

News - Daily Summary

It is the eve of having a blood moon. In Ukraine tension is still high after another day of protests and government buildings being occupied (some of which were police stations). Russia urges the U.S. to make sure there is no bloodshed. The U.S. accuses of Russia of being behind the protests and occupations. The Ukrainian government has issued an ultimatum to the occupiers, but has yet to act on it. When will Russia have enough and invade? What will the U.S. and E.U do in reaction? So things are getting interesting. Venezuela was quiet (nothing in the western press) and the Wildfire in Chile claimed another life. Nothing new from Syria and the rest of the middle east was quiet. The search for the missing Malaysian airliner now includes a submersible, but no news on finding the plane yet.

In the U.S. stocks rallied on good retail sales news. The Boston Marathon is set to start tomorrow one year after it was hit by terrorists. The state of Minnesota raised it's minimum wage today. So it is following in the same path as California (and look how well it worked there). Nothing else major happened today

It was another day in the calm before the storm.

What do you think?

Creativity - Ask More Questions

Our brains are answer seeking machines. If you ask a question, your brain is going to look for an answer. That's the way it works. So use it to your advantages. Start asking questions, lots of questions. Here are some suggestions I found:

* Turn a problem into a question (from : "I need more money" to "How can I make more money?").
* Ask "How can I look at this differently?"
* Use the 5 W's and H (who, what, where, when, why, and how) formula to create questions.

The more questions you ask, the more answers you find, the more creative you will be.

What do you think?

The Future - Education

In the future, we will not be paid for what we know. Why? Because the internet already "knows" everything. Employers will not need to pay for knowledge (like they did in the past). So what will employers be paying for? Employers will pay us for what we can do with what we know. Our education system need to adapt to this reality or it will become irrelevant. With knowledge at our fingertips (the internet), do we need to still teach students the way we do? Why not teach students how to access information and knowledge on the internet and let them learn for themselves? Now that would be a skill that would serve them well in the future.

What do you think?

http://bigthink.com/videos/educating-for-the-21st-century?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bigthink%2Fexpert_ideas+%28Big+Think+Expert+Ideas%29

The Economy - Stocks, Retail Sales, Deficit

Socks rebounded today. Retail sales were up 1.1% in March led by strong auto sales. Also the U.S. government deficit came in lower than expected. This good news pushed stocks higher and helped stem the selloff from last week. The S&P 500 closed .82% higher and the battered NASDAQ closed .57% higher. Oil was a bit lower, but gold and silver were higher today. Thus the selloff did not become a panic and maybe it was only a dip? Lets see how the rest of the week plays out.

What do you think?

Writing - Improving What You Write

There is always room for improvement in what we write. I found a little gem to help us all write better. It revolves around cutting unnecessary words. Here are the suggestions:
After you finish writing go back and get rid of the words:
* Very
* Just
* Really
* That
* Quite
These words are not necessary and cause your writing to be slow and boring. I actually like using some of these words, but I am going to look through what I write and cut them out to see if my writing does improve. I just want to be very sure that they really are quite useless.

What do you think?

For more: http://www.newstoliveby.net/2014/04/10/improve-writing/

World News - Ukraine

In an escalation of what occurred over the weekend, separatists protesters took to the streets across eastern Ukraine today. Also, more government buildings were occupied by armed men. The interim government has issued an ultimatum for occupiers to leave or suffer the consequences, but has yet to enforce the ultimatum universally. There was an attempt to remove occupiers from buildings yesterday and there were casualties. It looks like there will be more military actions against occupiers in the near future with many more casualties on the way. How is this going to end? What will Russia do? How will the U.S. and E.U. react? What will be the ramifications? Time will tell.

What do you think?

Internet Business - Posting Times

I was not aware that it matters when you post something to the internet. If you want to increase the amount of people who see what you post (and that is the primary goal of being online), then you want to be aware f what time you post stuff to the internet. Now i wish i could list what time is best, but it is different for every site on the internet. For example, for twitter it is best to post on the weekends between 1 and 3 PM. For blogging it is best to post at about 11 AM and be consistent (to bad I have my day job at about that time). The best times for posting are different for just about every site on the internet, so do a little digging and discover what that would be for your site of choice.

What do you think?

For more see: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232969