Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Time Warner, Hurt by Internet, Film, May Post Profit on Cable

I think that Time Warner is lost already if they're depending on cable for profits. Cable is dead because the distribution is changing. Look at the makers of the Diet Coke and Mentos film, who recently made $35,000 on the advertising profits from this short film. Peole are flocking to online video. Sure, we still have to learn how to pay for it, but we are getting there.

Time Warner Inc., struggling to revive its film and Internet units, probably managed an increase in third-quarter profit on cable television ...

Link: Time Warner, Hurt by Internet, Film, May Post Profit on Cable

PPP Sponsored Wedding

They'll stop at nothing.

Turns out that the nefarious blog-advertising company PayPerPost is looking for a "Postie" (a blogger who writes paid posts for PPP) to get married. It isn't clear yet how large the reimbursement will be, or which company you have to get married to in order to claim the prize. I'm hoping that I can marry Google, sign a prenup, and come away with a large settlement after our divorce.

Anyhoo, if you are looking to get hitched in Las Vegas and are willing to bring PPP on board with your mad plan, check it out. Maybe a payperpost wedding is just right for you and your sweetie.

Link: payperpost wedding

Iran to establish Internet network: Minister

Iran is setting up a network? I thought they were tearing down all the networks. Seriously, if there's one thing we've learned in the west, it's that you can't give people a little bit of freedom.

... Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Soleimani said that the ministry will establish scientific internet network to link the ...

Link: Iran to establish Internet network: Minister

Mobile Sidewalk Ringtones

I broke down this weekend and bought two new cell phones, with a new service plan. The bad part is, I was tricked into doing it by my wife and one of those sleazy guys in the Cingular kiosks at the mall.

Anyway, I've got a new phone and now I need ringtones. My old Motorola phone was purchased before companies were making real money off of ringtones, and it came with a decent selection. My new LG phone comes with a bunch of lame tones that basically force you to buy more.

Finally, though a friend pointed me to a place where I could get 15 free Ringtones: http://banners.mobilesidewalk.com/landingpages/musictrivia/music_land_aa.asp?. The sign up process was incredibly fast and easy, and I did get the ringtones. They have 1000s of choices from all genres--I thought the selection was great. Overall, I think that this site is a win for all new cell phone owners. Check it out!

Link: http://banners.mobilesidewalk.com/landingpages/musictrivia/music_land_aa.asp?

SA business schools ahead of the curve

I work with a woman who recently decided to take one of these accelerated MBAs. Asked why, she says frankly "I don't get paid enough here." She says that the students in her class are similarly matter-of-fact about wanting their piece of the pie. I'm thinking of throwing in the towel and joining these people, going for my own piece.

THE economic climate for executive education globally has never been more favourable. Demand is running high. In the US, both open enrolment and customised short courses registered double- digit growth in 2005 and last month at a conference hosted by Europe’s premier business learning body — the European Foundation for Management Development — business schools reported that they were struggling to keep up with demand in the short-course arena.

Link: SA business schools ahead of the curve

Monday, October 30, 2006

Threatening my airline

I recently had a victory over my airline. That's right: I threatened my airline with switching to another and came out ahead.

Recently, I flew to Europe for a vacation with my family on Air Canada on tickets that cost about $5,000. Unfortunately, we were forced to return early due to a death in the family. Naturally, no flights were available on Air Canada, so we were forced to take Virgin Atlantic. The Virgin Atlantic flight beat the pants off any other trans-Atlantic flight I've ever taken, by the way.

Anyway, after a few hours on the phone with Air Canada, I got the news: they insisted that I would simply have to forfeit my return tickets, amounting to $2,500 in value. They had a long song-and-dance about how I had somehow agreed to all this when I bought the tickets.

Let me tell you, I was pretty steamed. I fly to Europe a lot and have given Air Canada a lot of money. I feel that it amounts to actual fraud to have a refund policy that is so restricted as to ensure that no siginificant refund ever actually occurs. So I'm sitting on the phone with these people thinking, What can I do about this? Answer: I threatened to Churn. I asked to speak to a supervisor and told them that I had thoroughly enjoyed my Virgin Atlantic flight and I'd be taking all my business to VA unless they could give me some satisfaction.

To my amazement, Air Canada caved. Completely. They simply refunded the full value of my return tickets, amounting to almost $2,500. I was astonished. I don't know if it was the mention of possibly switching or use of the word fraud, but they suddenly caved in and did the right thing.

Sometimes it is right to get cheesed off and pull out a threat.

Link: Churn

NBC's Script Needs A Rewrite

NBC needs a re-write? Well, sure, that goes without saying. What nobody is saying, though, that needs saying, is this: GE needs a re-write. That company's stock hasn't budged in two years. It is time for Immelt to go. Sorry, but I'm not buying the whole "misunderstood company" thing anymore. Two years is a long long time.

The CEO of NBC Universal Television Group is under pressure from General Electric boss Jeffrey R. Immelt to revive the flailing network in the face of intense ...

Link: NBC's Script Needs A Rewrite

I fixed my own car!

I found another cool site that has apparently stolen one of my business ideas! Handyhouseholdhints.com provides DIY advice for home owners, renters, and car owners, allowing them to make their own home repairs, remodeling, and home makeover.

My father was an old-time, traditional DIY man. By this I mean that he had all the tools and knowledge necessary to keep our car running, no web site needed, thank yo very much. This type of man--a real man with a garage full of tools and the know-how to do basically anything--is fast disappearing. Oh, I still know a few, but certainly they are endangered.

I...well, I am the son of an old-time traditional DIY man. I'm a guy who likes to do everything myself but often doesn't have the tools. And I rarely have the know-how.

Handyhouseholdhints.com fills that gap. From the basics like painting and wallpapering to advanced topics like decks and flooring, this site can tell you how to do it. The breadth of topics and categories covered by the site is just amazing.

So, what did I do this weekend? I changed my own oil. No big deal, you say? Well, it was for me. My wife is an inveterate oil-change-service visitor, and this habit has cost me a lot of money over the years. But she's always countered my argument by simply pointing out that I don't know how to do it. Well, now I do. The instructions on the site were as simple and clear as can possibly be asked, and in the end the job didn't take long at all.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Handyhouseholdhints.com's '$50,000 Extreme Home Makeover' contest, which can be used to remodel your kitchen, deck, bathroom, bedroom, family room, any room or rooms you want! I'm entered already!

Link: home repairs

Malaysians warned of Nigerian Internet scam on 2010 World Cup ...

This story really gave me a chuckle. These Nigerians will stop at nothing! After their famous e-mail scams, though, it's hard to see how anybody could be taken in by this one:

Malaysians were warned Sunday not to be duped by a Nigerian Internet scam that promises a US$2.5 million (€2.1 million) jackpot to ...
I should say that I've very much enjoyed the stories about Nigerian e-mail scammers convinced to do various crazy things by their "victims", such as to carve a complete wooden copy of a Commodore 64 keyboard!

Link: Malaysians warned of Nigerian Internet scam on 2010 World Cup ...

DaytradeTeam

I think it must be pretty clear that we are near the end of a great run here. You don't see too many Octobers like this last one.

I look at the road down as a huge opportunity to make profits, so I've been spending more time on day trading lately. Normally I spend about one hour in the early morning stock trading before starting my real job. Lately I've been up to about two hours because I've seen so many great opportunities.

Along with this greater time commitment, I've spent more time exploring online trading services. I had a nice one, DaytradeTeam.com, recommended to me recently. These folks offer all the usual execution abilities offered by Ameritrade and others, but they add sophisticated data systems for day trading, options trading, and even swing trading. I particularly like the DaytradeTeam Live Trade Room, which gives you a trading environment similar to that at major Wall Streat firms. The education systems at DaytradeTeam are also superior both in number and quality.

Link: stock trading

Sunday, October 29, 2006

South Africa's economy thrives despite shadow of AIDS

I find this report absolutely mystifying. If there's one thing we all know, not just from Sim economy-type games (my favorite is Pharoah), but from life, it's that nobody can do productive work when they are ill. How can SA go humming along in this condition? I don't think that the article really gets to the bottom of this question.

... off. But today, despite the adult population's estimated 20 percent HIV infection rate, the South African economy is flourishing. ...

Link: South Africa's economy thrives despite shadow of AIDS

TangledWood's Disclosure Policy

I visited a Disclosure Policy Generator at disclosurepolicy.org today. The concept of the site is to make it easy for bloggers to post a full disclosure policy. I've got to tell you, it doesn't get any easier then this. I just clicked through about six screens and a policy was printed quite easily. This service is really valuable to the blogosphere and I encourage you all to try it.

The policy that I generated gave me a lot of food for thought. In the end, though, I decided to create my own unique disclosure policy. Here it is:


This policy is valid from 30 October 2006

This is my own personal blog, and I'm responsible for it. If you have questions, please contact jerry_tanglewood@yahoo.com.

I do occasionally accept compensation of advertising or paid insertions. This compensation might influence the topics that I tend to cover, just as it would tend to influence you or anybody else. Nonetheless, everything posted on this blog is my own opinion. I will tell you what I think, and to the extent I'm aware of it, I'll try to avoid allowing payments to influence my opinion.

Along those lines: be aware that these opinions are nearly useless as a source of information. They are just my ideas! If you read product claims, statistics, or hard facts here, be sure to check them with somebody else. They're probably wrong!

Link: Disclosure Policy Generator

IIA launches guide to responsible online business

I think there is a need for something like this...and also that it is a hopeless cause.

What matters to getting business done online, what really matters to moving the good, is giving the impression of responsible online behavior. The biggies like Amazon, Ebay, etc., have slick interfaces and I don't think twice about putting in my most intimate information. The smaller operators vary, and here's what's surprising: I believe that the slickness of these sites is actually a pretty good indicator of their reliability, or lack thereof. Let's face it: somebody who can't put together a decent website probably can't safeguard your data.

To co-incide with National eSecurity Awareness Week, The Internet Industry Association (IIA) has published a "Guide to Responsible Australian Internet Business Practice" designed "to preserve and enhance consumer trust within content provision, usage and transactions."

Link: IIA launches guide to responsible online business

$363 for Jerry!

Here's my PayPerPost story.

I've been blogging for three years now, give or take, and I've built up a pretty decent readership. I estimate around 200 hits daily, both from direct visits and from RSS. I put a lot of time into this blog, and I'm proud of it. I'd also like to make a little money on it. Not a lot of money, mind you, but a little bit.

So I've tried a lot of different alternatives. Amazon Associates, AdSense, all the usual avenues. And the bottom line is that these avenues just don't pay enough to be worth the trouble. I'm blogging 30-40 hours a month, and Amazon yielded maybe $20 per quarter. Google AdSense yielded less than that.

Three weeks ago I decided to try PayPerPost after reading about it on Jason Calacanis' weblog, and I've been pulling in about $20 daily. Interestingly, my time and commitment to the blog are also up, and I feel that my writing is improving. Overall, I've been more happy with PayPerPost than I can say. I have about $363 coming to me in the next month, and I intend to contribute the money to my kids' college funds.

Link: PayPerPost

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Janus Income Down on Charges in 3Q

Janus is on the upswing again after a long decline. I'm amazed that they are reported to be on the skids from a profit perspective.

Mutual-fund manager Janus Capital Group Inc. on Thursday reported a 7 percent ...

Link: Janus Income Down on Charges in 3Q

Rodeo!

My buddy Frank Jones is talking about us going to the Houston Rodeo. We went to UT Austin together and went to the Houston Rodeo together once with the two girls we were with at the time. We sat ten yards from the fence, close enough to see the sweat on the cowboys. Don't think we ever saw those girls again after the rodeo! Can't say that I recommend the rodeo for a date.

Anyway, I'm married, but Frank is still single. He sees this as a Blues Brothers type of thing, where the sheer magic of our trip is going to overcome all my practical objections. He's pressing me to buy a plane ticket and pick out some Houston Rodeo concert tickets to go with it.

Maybe I will!

Link: Houston Rodeo concert tickets

Brief: Apple Offers Help For Broken iPod Shuffles

I'll tell you that the problems cropping up with Apple products have indeed made me think twice. First came the famous scratchable screen. Now the shutdown problem detailed at Scripting News. These folks need to get their act together.

... Apple Computer is offering a reset utility to people having problems with their new iPod Shuffle, the matchbook-size, clip-on digital music player. ...

Link: Brief: Apple Offers Help For Broken iPod Shuffles

Boston Red Sox Spring Training

Most of you know that I'm from Florida. Oddly, when I tell people this, I tend to get a kind of shell-shocked, you've-got-to-be-kidding kind of look, like maybe they're thinking about the low-rent Florida.

And low rent Florida is out there for sure, but this isn't what I love about Florida. I love two things about Florida: 1) old central Florida, sprinkled with crystal springs; and 2) THE GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE!

Nothing beats watching spring training in Florida. The combination of baseball overload with walks on the beach, sunset sails, and long cool canoe trips just can't be beat. In the spring, baseball is at its best, with a lazy intensity that only hints at the Series to come. Florida is at its best, too, not too hot yet but welcoming instead.

My family is a Red Sox family, so we always bought Boston Red Sox Spring Training tickets and watched Red Sox Spring Training. We went for seats near third base because my Dad was a shortstop and hoped I'd play there, although I never had the arm. I ended up at second instead.

Link: Boston Red Sox Spring Training tickets

Barcelona coach Rijkaard praises Gudjohnsen's Cup double

OK, yes, I know this isn't a sports blog. But I must say that I love Barca. I'm glad that Gudjohnsen has back his scoring touch also:

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is delighted that striker Eidur Gudjohnsen rediscovered his scoring touch with a double in his side's ...

Link: Barcelona coach Rijkaard praises Gudjohnsen's Cup double

Friday, October 27, 2006

More free stuff

I posted a little bit earlier about free health food. Then I started thinking...wouldn't it be even better if I could get free food that wasn't healthy. So I found a spot that has all the free stuff you can imagine.

They've got free stuff for babies, free wedding stuff, free food, free coupons, and free stuff for pets. They've even got articles about how to get all these items.

Now, I realize that you can spend more time looking for free stuff than the item is worth. But I have to admit that this very quality of "freeness" is worth something to me. I am fascinated, for example, by the absolutely FREE reduction in investment volatility that comes with diversification. Just as some European stocks are spice for your portfolio, free stuff is spice for your life. Somehow the food just tastes better when you didn't pay for it.

Link: free stuff

Avoid these new Internet scams

But all these schemes boil down to the same thing: making you think that you are talking to a web site that you aren't talking to. I say: examine those IP addresses carefully. But this is difficult indeed for the novice. We need to automate the process.

By now many of us are familiar with phishing and Nigerian money scams, but those are not the only Internet schemes trying to deceive you to get at your cash. ...

Link: Avoid these new Internet scams

Star in a Levi's Ad

Levi's has put up an amazing site that allows you to star in an ad for their jeans. This site is a real kick! Here's the video that I made:



OK, am I the next hot director? I thought so.

What amazes me about this technology is that it really works. I've periodically tried this kind of thing in the past, and usually the process just plain fails due to insufficient bandwith or slow computers. But this technology from Personiva, apparently, is amazing.

Link: jeans

Colombia IGBC Rises on Economy, Led by Suramin: Latin Stocks

Even places like Colombia: there is just so much room to grow. Of course, I've always thought this about Russia, but the chill on freedom there has me really worried about the simple freedom to operate a business.

... to 23,361.42. Improved security and consumer demand helped Colombia's economy grow at the fastest rate in a decade last year. The ...

Link: Colombia IGBC Rises on Economy, Led by Suramin: Latin Stocks

Keeping healthy and happy

One of the things that I don't like about keeping healthy is the darn cost. My wife likes to shop at Whole Foods, where a loaf of bread can run $8.50 in San Francisco. Trader Joe's is a lot cheaper, but to be honest I'm not 100% sure how healthy it is. It seems so mass produced (something about the throngs of people in the stores gives the game away). I keep asking her whether they also serve healthy foods at Andronico's. She says yes, but...

So I've decided to pump us both up with Free Product Samples from healthyfreestuff.com. These folks have an impressive array of goodies, especially for members of the site. Members get in-depth articles on health and healthy eating plus free samples without shipping costs.

This will go nicely with our $250/month gym membership, which I never use. My wife uses it, but every time she goes to the gym I have to take care of both kids by myself, which is enough exercise for me. By the end of the time I need a bag of chips, a tub of Dean's dip, and a rest on the couch. No, WAIT. What I really mean is that I need a healthy free snack out in the yard while playing soccer!

Link: Free Product Samples

Indian economy is on an upward curve: Mahindra

In truth, I wonder if we in the developed world are at an inevitable financial disadvantage in the years to come. There is just no way for us to invest with the same level of knowledge in these exploding economies.

... I will never make anything that is easy in business. ...

Link: Indian economy is on an upward curve: Mahindra

Thursday, October 26, 2006

The Browser Wars

I've written very recently about the browser wars that are heating up again, what with the recent release of both IE7 and FireFox 2. As I try out these browsers, I realize that add-ons are increasingly important to me. I've been using Firefox (though I'm re-evaluating now), so WeatherFox, Live HTTP Headers, and FireFTP have become staples for me. While trying out both new browsers, I've realized that these add-ons are increasingly important to me and probably also to other users.

Firefox has more than 1,000 extensions, but some of these no longer work in 2.0 and Microsoft is catching up. For Microsoft's launch they have partnered with Trailfire, a recommended IE7 download that is also available for Firefox.

Trailfire is particularly interesting because it allows any user to place comments on any Web page. This is a kind of "blogging in situ". As I've used Trailfire, I've been impressed with the immediacy of comments and had a lot of fun reading others' breadcrumbs. It occurs to me that social add-ons like Trailfire may create a kind of "add-on ecosystem" that lies atop the Internet ecosystem itself. Trailfire is important because it points the way to this new ecosystem.

I've said above that I'm re-evaluating my browser choice. Those of you who know me know that I'm only kidding. I'm still a Firefox fan.

Firefox Extension; Internet Explorer 7 add-on



McNeal has Venice on quick path to the top

This story reminds me of the recent spate of publicity about Michael Oher. Doesn't it just sound fun to be so young and so talented? I haven't been there in 15 years or so.

Try not to bother Curtis McNeal on Saturday mornings in the fall or Sunday mornings, for that matter. McNeal is the featured running back at Venice High, which improved to 5-2 after beating Westchester, 41-7, last week and is prepared to meet Los Angeles Hamilton on Friday, when first place in the Western League will be on the line. If that's all McNeal did for the Gondoliers, he would still be tired, but he also returns kickoffs and punts and starts on defense at cornerback.

Link: McNeal has Venice on quick path to the top

Flaming Tamale

I must admit that being paid to blog has its pluses and minuses. On the plus side, actually, is that I tend to blog a lot more. Even when writing a paid post, you have to be inventive and engaging. Spending more of the day trying to communicate with and engage others is clearly making me a better writer. On the minus side is...that I tend to blog a lot more. I think about blogging sometimes when I shouldn't, such as, for example, while sitting on the couch at night with my wife.

Turns out that my paymasters over at PayPerPost also have their tough days. They are letting off their stress at a site called Flaming Tamale, where team members can do video confessionals such as this one:



Link: paid to blog

S. Korea's economy growth slows to 4.6 percent in Q3

I've said it over and over again. The boom in Asia isn't over, it is just starting. I intend to ride JAOSX all the way to the top over there. I just upped my monthly contribution by another 10%.

... "The economy will be able to achieve about 5 ...

Link: S. Korea's economy growth slows to 4.6 percent in Q3

How to Spot and Avoid Mortgage Fraud

I am getting ready to jump back into the real estate market, as I believe I've intimated before. I think that this little bust won't last too long, and that it is a good time to get into the market.

The problem is that the market just feels so darn yucky. The last time I got a mortgage, we went in at the last minute because we needed "pre-approval" on a place we were interested in. We met with a frankly sleazy-looking banker who kept trying to imply that we would never get such a great deal anywhere else. This idea was ludicrous on the face of it, since we had chosen the banker essentially randomly.

This previous experience was before the Internet, with a capital "I". It is possible now to protect oneself by gathering information, as well as competing quotes, and to do all this at the last minute.

The site www.personalhomeloanmortgages.com helps consumers fully understand the ins and outs of borrowing intelligently. They offer mortgage rates, a mortgage broker finder service, mortgage calculators, and more. In addition, data is protected through SecureTrust, which guarantees compliance with FTC, DoNotCall & Can Spam regulations. Most impressive is their extensive mortgage directory, forums and other industry content.

Link: (Please see description)

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

An Italian Home Away From Home - New York Times

Following on the heels of my previous post about real estate in Spain, I found this NYT story about a family with an apartment in Rome intriguing, and disappointing. Finding a place in From or Barcelona sounds like it is even more difficult than finding an apartment in San Francisco:

"At first, “we rented a villa in Tuscany every summer, stopping for several days in Rome,” Mr. Stoll said. He is a lawyer specializing in large-scale business litigation; his wife is a clinical psychologist.

“In 1993 and 1994, I spent 26 weeks out of the year in trial, so by 1996 I was burnt out and ready to take a break,” he said.

The family — including three of the couple’s four children — picked up and moved to Rome, where they rented a four-bedroom apartment between the Piazza Navona and the Tiber River in the city center. “It wasn’t easy to find such a large place to rent, so we were very lucky and had a marvelous year.”

When the year was up, Mr. Stoll was ready to stay on — the expansion of the Internet enabled him to conduct a good portion of his business from abroad. His wife, however, was less enthusiastic and wanted to get back to her practice in the States.

“Our compromise was to move back to Portland, but to rent a smaller place here in Rome, which would enable us to visit several times a year,” Mr. Stoll said.

But that was easier said than done.

The family had a hard time finding a place that met their requirements: a central location, nice views and at least two bedrooms. They finally took out an ad in a local English-language paper that eventually led to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment of 150 square meters, or a little more than 1,600 square feet. It was just the right size, on a quiet street and with a terrace, too.

Link: An Italian Home Away From Home - New York Times

FrightWorld The Movie World Premiere

On October 31st we'll get FrightWorld The Movie World Premiere. I love this kind of balls-to-the-wall naming scheme. The most recent example is Snakes on a Plane, but FrightWorld gets you there.

They've got the web site to go with it, too. The movie is described as "Friday the 13th meets the Shining." And, yes, Friday the 13th was horrible. But the Shining...the Shining is in my book the best horrow movie ever made. When it first came out: terrifying. Now: a parody of itself. To see Jack there typing page after page with his hair crazy in the air just makes me laugh.

The problem is that my wife won't see 'em anymore. Sure, when we were dating she'd go to horror movies and pretend to be scared. But the problem is that she wasn't pretending. She was actually scared. So now that we aren't dating anymore, so she feels no compunction to go.

So I'll tell you a story. Maybe this story is about my wife or maybe it isn't. Heck, she doesn't check the page that often anyway. When I was a senior in college I started dating a freshman. She was smokin hot, and I was pretty proud of myself. But, I have to admit, I was afraid to lay a hand on her. She just seemed so darn young. So we go out for a while, and to be honest I'm thinking (this seems ridiculous in retrospect) that I need a more mature woman. Is this silly or what. And then we go to see...what was the movie...Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson...wait a minute while I check Google. It was Dead Again. A truly great movie. And that girl was pegged up against me the whole time. Our inhibitions just melted away.

So, if you are dating, go see FrightWorld and hope it is half as scary as the Shining. Then she'll snuggle up against you for sure.



Link: FrightWorld The Movie World Premiere

Firefox 2, Internet Explorer 7: Random Thoughts

Everybody has reviewed these, but I encourage you to download and see for yourself: Internet Explorer still sucks, only harder.

My colleague Erik Larkin's extensive review of both Firefox 2 and Internet Explorer 7 has been one of the most popular stories on our site over the past week ...

Link: Firefox 2, Internet Explorer 7: Random Thoughts

The trivia blog

One question about the trivia blog: how could you get any more trivial than TangledWood? I mean, what could be more trivial than the American economy. A bunch of self-important Yahoos running around, trying to make money.

It aint easy, but they manage. Today was Kwanzaa facts, yesterday the Eiffel Tower, and the day before that hurrican naming. Who on earth writes this blog? Ken Jennings? The guy is boning up on a new subject every single day.

Contrast with my work schedule: up at dawn, outta bed, drag a comb across my head (trivia question: name the song), read the Wall Street Journal. Do a little work, then blog, blog, blog. I'd recommend the Trivia Blog for a nice break!

Link: no specific text required

Business leaders foresee gloomier skies

Yet the Dow is up to 12,135:

... at 2.6 percent and third quarter growth expected to be just under 2 percent, Alabama business leaders correctly anticipated a weakening US economy in our ...

Link: Business leaders foresee gloomier skies

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Buying a property in Spain

I have been considering buying a property in Spain ever since I spent a year in Spain as a teenager. Let me tell you, if you ever have the chance to go abroad as a teenager, choose Spain. The women are hot, the sun is hot, the culture is hot, the parties are hot. It is just a fun place to be when you are young. All those years ago, though, the Spaniards were very friendly with Americans. I guess I'm not sure if that is still the case.

The realities of buying a vacation property are tough, of course. Affording the property itself is part of it, but then you need to be able to find the time to go there. This second requirement is what I lack.

Link: buying a property in Spain

This Time, It’s Not the Economy

You know, I'm not so sure it isn't the economy. Yes, the economy is good now...but what about the spending? I know a lot of conservatives who just can't take any more spending.

... President Bush, in hopes of winning credit for his party’s stewardship of the economy, is spending two days this week campaigning on the theme that the ...

Link: This Time, It’s Not the Economy

My anonymous blog and sexy lingerie

There are times when I am so, so glad that this blog is anonymous. My wife reads it but I'm hoping she hasn't told her friends.

The reason for this is my revelation for you all today: I bought my wife some lingerie for a Halloween present this year. I have never, ever, bought lingerie before, for anybody. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but hey, I guess I'm a typical repressed American guy.

Now--and only because this blog is anonymous--I'll reveal the purchases themselves. First is the Sexy Witch Costume. I specifically was looking for a sexy costume for my wife and I like this one. The surprise, though, was the Lace-up Cupless Leather Corset. When I saw this item, my jaw just dropped. Cupless. I love it.

Link: You can use the word lingerie or sexy lingerie

Chatting cheaply on an Internet freeway

Yes, this is what I want to do...chat cheaply on an Internet freeway. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that the chatting wouldn't be dheap and the Internet wouldn't be a freeway. I have 3 friends who have signed up for VoIP. Of these, 1 is completely satisfied, 1 feels it is approximately comparable with his earlier service, and 1 feels it just hasn't panned out, mainly due to the constant complaints from his wife about call quality.

... By using "new" technology called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), grandparents can keep up with the latest news on their grandchildren and even see their ...

Link: Chatting cheaply on an Internet freeway

The Home Office From Hell contest

The Home Office From Hell contest sounds like a lot of fun to me. If I were you, though, I'd think twice before entering, because this blogger has first prize locked up tight.

Entrants in the contest need to post their top ten reasons for needing to move out of their home office and into a real office. The Grand Prize winner will receive 12 months of rent (up to $12,000) at any location posted on Offices2Share.com plus a paid trip to New York City to have lunch with Donald Trump's right-hand man and former Co-Star of The Apprentice - George Ross. You can also upload photos or a video of your hellacious office.

Here are my own top ten reasons for needing to move out of my home office:

10. I spend most of my time urinating, thanks to the free drinks at home
9. Too much noise from the neighbors
8. Too much time spent out in the garden
7. Not enough meetings!
6. Roller chair mired in discarded papers
5. Stapler not seen for months
4. Pencil not seen for months
3. Desk covered with used Post-its
2. Chair covered with used Post-its
1. Too much poop all over my business papers from the adjacent baby-changing station

Link: The Home Office From Hell contest

Spoof pages pose online security risk for banks

I'm actually surprised that this isn't a much larger problem. I am a pretty tech-savvy guy, and yet I have nearly been fooled several times by these phishing scams. The worst ones are the PayPal scams, some of which I would still swear are legitimate:

An online security firm is warning that three UK banks are failing to ensure their websites are protected from ‘phishing’ scams (BBC Online). Heise Security claims Cahoot, Bank of Scotland and First Direct are leaving themselves open to the potential theft of online customer identity.

Link: Scottish Business Briefing – October 24

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Don Cox Company if you are looking for commercial real estate

I posted recently about my search for Austin Office Space. I'm happy to say that, after a total of four months, I found appropriate space. Our representative in the deal was Don Cox Company and I was very pleased with their effort.

Link: Austin Office Space

8 buildings in Met Center sold - Austin Business Journal

The commercial real estate market in Austin is indeed crazy right now. I've been looking for additional space for my mid-sized company for about three months, and the rents are about 30% higher than we expected:

'It's no secret that Austin is one of the strongest commercial real estate markets in the country right now,' says Robert Giusti, a real estate analyst with Triple Net Properties. 'The local economy has strengthened and citywide vacancy rates are the lowest they have been in the last five years.'

Link: 8 buildings in Met Center sold - Austin Business Journal:

Friday, October 20, 2006

Synotrex

Synotrex is a nutritional suppplement, containing glucosamine and chondroitin, for people with joint pain, arthritis, or worn-out joints. The idea with these supplements is that they are more natural than, say, massive doses of NSAIDs or steroids. The question is whether they can be sufficiently effective for you. They may well be worth trying, if you can be honest with yourself about the results.

Link: joint pain supplement

China economy applies the brakes

These guys apply the brakes when growth hits 15% yearly:

The government has raised interest rates twice this year and cut approvals for new business investment as it tries to prevent the economy overheating. ...

Link: China economy applies the brakes

Clipping electronic coupons

While searching for Halloween decorations and costume materials, I came across an amazing coupon site.

Yes, coupons. I've never been a coupon clipper and I don't claim that coupons are really exciting. But I stumbled across such a wonderful site that I had to share it. The Coupon Chief has coupons not for 5 or 10 cents--but for 5 to 50% at places ranging from Extreme Halloween to Target. I saved about $25 today by using this site.

Link: online coupons

Link: Choose from the following anchor text: coupons, coupon codes, online coupons, promotion codes, etc.

Microsoft to announce Internet browser revision

The idea that IE is "important" to Microsoft strikes me as ridiculous. They don't act like it's important. How important can it possibly be? It has to be less important, than, say, SQL server:

Matt Rosoff, analyst with independent researchers Directions on Microsoft, said Internet Explorer is important to Microsoft's business because most people ...

Link: Microsoft to announce Internet browser revision

LoopyLove.com

My brother (I swear!) recently found a site that combines the raw appeal of Craigslist with the "picture feedback" of www.hotornot.com. The site is at LoopyLove.com, and it is a free dating site based in the UK.

Some of the features of the site are fairly standard: pictures, profiles, e-mail integration, etc. But, in addition to these basics, the site features free online chat. The chat rooms are quite lively and interesting without being salacious. For example, my brother was chatting with one woman who claimed to be an internet addict and veterinarian. She told him animal stories for--I am not kidding--90 minutes. Then asked if she could give him a call, presumably to tell more stories. But she suggested that would go out for steaks.

The site seems to be filled with such good-humored Brits. It must be admitted that Americans are few and far between although, to be honest, this may be a good thing. My favorite feature of the site, though, is the "picture feedback" allowed. The negative picture feedback garnered by my brother was frank to the point of being nearly insulting. But he had posted a lousy picture. He replaced it with a picture featuring: 1) an appealing background, as opposed to the blank wall of his apartment earlier featured; 2) a clear shot of his face, as opposed to the blur that was formerly offered; and 3) some reasonably presentable clothes. After these changes, he got a good deal of really positive feedback in a very short span of time.

In short, this seems like a fun site for meeting fun-loving people! Recommended.

Link: online dating

Thursday, October 19, 2006

New minister aims to reduce small business paperwork

I can tell you first-hand, the paperwork will kill you. But if this initiative is anything like the US Government's "efforts" to reduce paperwork, it will fail. The most the US has achieved is to print illusory messages on all the paperwork saying "the expected time to complete this is X:XX":
Link: New minister aims to reduce small business paperwork

The pushchair (stroller!) guide

The things our wives teach us...

For example, my wife taught me that a stroller--pushchair in the UK--is a status symbol within my socioeconomic class. I hadn't known this before. To be honest, she hasn't completely converted me, but I've essentially been ordered to participate in our search for the best possible stroller for our one-year-old.

I therefore visited the Pushchair Guide originally under duress. It turns out that this site is perfect for a relative novice like myself, taking one through the types of chairs, through choosing a pushchair, to best brands, to where to buy. The "Best Brands" section is especially useful for a novice pushchair snob like myself. I can now read People with aplomb and envision each of the pushchairs purchased by the stars.

In short, the Pushchair Guide is wonderful for both a novice, like myself, and a seasoned fantasist, like my wife!

Link: Pushchair Guide

Legal & General 9-month sales up 32 pct

Have you noticed that now, after the hurricane shock has subsided, insurers are making buckets of money? Naturally, this becomes clear after one of my favorite companies, GE, essentially gets out of the market. Meanwhile, GE's share price continues to stagnate:

L&G, the UK's fourth-biggest insurer by market value, said worldwide new business for the nine months to Sept 30 came in at 1.294 bln stg on an annual premium equivalent basis, up from 979 mln stg in the same period last year.

Link: Legal & General 9-month sales up 32 pct

Jason Calacanis is a small, mean person

Ted Murphy recently pointed to these posts and asked for our thoughts:

one, two

I think that these reveal Jason Calacanis for exactly what he is: small and mean-spirited. Give me a break. I think it is fine for Jason to believe that PayPerPost is wrong, and to choose not to participate. Period. Just choose not to participate.

But to needlessly slur all those who do choose to participate is just silly. This really isn't about reputation or ethics. It is about effectiveness, a question that can be settled objectively. All that is necessary is to wait and see whether PayPerPost survives. If so, then it is serving a need somewhere. If not, then Jason was right and can take his own mean pleasure in knowing that he was right.

Jason is off-base on this one.

Link: blog advertising

Merc Buys CBOT To Create World's Biggest Exchange

This might be the appropriate time to admit that I completely missed the explosion of commodities prices. I've made $0 off of the explosion so far. I'm determined not to miss the next bang, though.

The two largest American futures exchanges announced plans Tuesday to consolidate and create the world's largest derivatives market, with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange set to buy the Chicago Board of Trade, its cross-town rival, for about $8 billion in stock and cash.

Link: Merc Buys CBOT To Create World's Biggest Exchange

Ultimate Chopper

My wife bought a product advertised on TV last week. I was flabbergasted! She usually won't take a chance like that.

But the product worked out beautifully for us. It is called the Ultimate Chopper, and my wife bought it to replace our broken Cuisinart. Well, last night we finally unpacked it and used it to make pesto, and I was really impressed. After a big apology from me, we had a wonderful meal. It was quick and easy to use and easy to clean up. This morning when I woke up, I thought that a public apology to my wife, in the form of an endorsement on this blog, would be appropriate.

I loved it!

Link: Ultimate Chopper

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Moyers's Warning: Bloggers Are Threatened by Two-Tier Internet

You know, I am almost resigned to the tiered Internet. Will it destroy the value of the Internet and erode the value of Internet companies such as Google? Absolutely. But this kind of evil thing seems to just...happen in this world.

There's a battle going on for control of the Internet, and if consumers don't watch out they're going to be playing second modem to the captains of industry. Bill Moyers delivers that warning in ``The Net at Risk,'' an engrossing special airing Oct. 18 on PBS at 9 p.m. New York time.

Link: Moyers's Warning: Bloggers Are Threatened by Two-Tier Internet

Healthcare through Vimo

I have been on every side of the healthcare equation: insured, insurer (as owner of a small business), provider, and family member. One constant runs throughout that business: it is a pain in the rear end for everyone involved.

One of the toughest problems as a family member is making the right decisions for your family. It is really difficult to know which is the right decision financially, let alone from a health perspective.

Vimo is a web-based service that makes buying healthcare and insurance easier, cheaper and much more transparent. Vimo believes that consumers deserve a lot more power in the healthcare equation. The web site provides the objective information that is absolutely necesssary for doing informed comparison shopping not only for insurance, but also for health savings accounts, doctors, and dentists.

Check it out.

Link: Vimo



Solar cell business poised for huge growth

I love the solar business. I've been reading a series of stories that make me very optimistic both for the solar business and for the environment:

  1. an article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday explained that a solar cell business has generated one of the largest private fortunes in China
  2. articles all over the web today report that Google is installing solar panels all over their facility, in an effort to generated 30% of their electricity (enough for 1000 California homes) onsite
In addition to this actual evidence, I think solar is just an idea whose time has come. It is just too damn appealing to ever die, and people will keep trying until it is economically feasible.
Anyway you look at it, the solar business is going to be big in 2010, according to equipment manufacturer Applied Materials. ...

Link: Solar cell business poised for huge growth

Meditox Drug Detox Centers

Apparently, Meditox Drug Detox Centers are using Buprenorphine to treat opioid addition (together with, as at all reputable centers, 1-on-1 client management). My recollection is that there are well-controlled studies supportive of the use of buprenorphine in opioid addiction. Can any readers out there point us to the references.

The focus of the Meditox method is allowing a quick return to normal productive life. By using buprenorphine, these folks hope to allow an essentially immediate return to work and family.

My take on this is that addicts need to be ready for a hard road, no matter which drugs are used or how many initial visits are involved. My brother was an addict, and in his case the cure took several attempts and required years of hard work and several different programs. Meditox Centers weren't available at that time; I wish they had been.

Link: drug detox

Ecuador's economy minister quits- ministry sources

These guys should all resign. Their takeover of Occidental's oil fields amounts to simple theft, same as that perpetrated by North Korea or any other rogue nation. I'm glad to hear that this theivery isn't working out so well for them.

Economy Minister Armando Rodas resigned after disagreements with President Alfredo Palacio over the country's ...Rodas was the country's fourth economy minister since Palacio came to power on April of last year after his predecessor Lucio Gutierrez was toppled by popular turmoil. Rodas was the author of a bill to create a special trust fund for revenues from the oil fields once operated by U.S.-based Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY.N: Quote, Profile, Research).

The fund, which Ecuador's Congress is debating, would use the cash to invest in the country's weakening energy sector. The ministry expects the country to receive up to $1.3 billion every year from the sale of crude extracted from Occidental's former fields.

Ecuador, one of South America's largest oil producers, terminated its contract Occidental and took over the company's fields in May after a long-running legal dispute.

Link: Ecuador's economy minister quits- ministry sources

PayPerPost Puzzle

The folks at the PayPerPost blog have started an Internet Puzzle game in which the pieces are apparently scattered all over the internet, with a nice cash prize to the winner.

I consider myself a preety savvy internet user, and I have no idea how to go about this. Start visiting PPP users and just look around, perhaps?

Intriguingly, the blog says that the last puzzle was solved by some programmers who managed to cheat programmatically. I can't imagine how this could be done!

Link: advertise on blogs

US rampant with internet addicts: Study

This article is almost funny for its understatement of the "problem"! The article says that something like 18% of internet users stay online for longer than intended. 18%? In my workplace it is more like 110%!

SAN FRANSISCO: The United States could be rife with internet addicts as clinically ill as alcoholics, a study has suggested. Researchers ...

Link: US rampant with internet addicts: Study

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

More POKER!

I hate to say that my poker obsession seems to be growing. OK, I don't hate to say it--that's just an expression. Actually I am having a lot of fun.

My first requirement was a great online poker room in which to practice. After some poking around and getting recommendations, I found VegasPokerPro.com. This site offers not only the poker rooms but also numerous extras, including active community forums, free tournaments, unusually frank reviews of other poker sites, and ongoing promotions. What I enjoy most about this site is the active community. There are so many members willing to share their thoughts on your experiences online. I have played a lot of poker (in the distant past) but have little or no experience online. But the folks at VPP have seen it all. Some of them can almost finish writing your posts for you, they've spent so much time at online poker sites. Check it out if you are interested in any of these topics: VegasPokerPro, Party Poker, Poker Strategy, Free Poker, Full Tilt Poker, OR Poker Forum.

Perhaps my favorite feature of the site, though, is the Poker League. I am a big fan of leagues of all kinds, as I think they provide lots of practice along with an instant community. This league holds tournaments every week. I think I'll start working up my courage now to participate in the coming tourney.

Links: VegasPokerPro, Party Poker, Poker Strategy, Free Poker, Full Tilt Poker, Poker Forum

Boeing launches new business jet

Seeing this laudatory article on Boeing has reminded me that I should fess up.

I stopped believing in Boeing, never believed they'd come back to rule the skies again.

I don't know why I started believing in Airbus's hype. I'm usually immune. Boeing just seemed so old-school, so late of the mark. I should have looked at the fundamentals, not at the breaking news.

AP. SEATTLE -- Boeing Co.'s business jet division has launched a new plane after winning orders from two undisclosed customers. The ...

Link: Boeing launches new business jet

Postie Patrol

OK, here's what I think of PayPerPost's "Postie Patrol": scary! Perfect for Halloween!

When I say that the Postie Patrol is "scary", I mean that it is scary for them. I personally wouldn't mind a visit from the Patrol, but the team is very likely to find me lounging around in my altogether, or up to my elbows in (literally) doo-doo out in the garden, or perhaps singing in the shower. Trust me when I say that these guys don't want to visit my house.

How's this for an idea, instead? They could just randomly pick me out, contact me by e-mail, and send me a cash reward. No visit required.

Link: payperpost

Internet Explorer 7 will come looking for you

Oh, for Pete's sake. I don't believe that the next version of IE has any impact whatsoever on Microsoft's bottom line. They never produce an innovative product and it never seems to matter. I believe that Microsoft will just sit up there in Redmond printing money for the next 20 years or so...and then they'll be gone. But they'll probably push out IE version 11 before they expire.

... Sometime in the next few days, Microsoft will make the latest version of its Web browser, Internet Explorer 7, available online. ...

Link: Internet Explorer 7 will come looking for you

The real scoop on Vonage

I've been thinking about shutting off the land line. I'm hesitating, though, because my wife is against it. I'm afraid that all her concerns about service, call quality, etc., might turn out to be on the mark. But I think that VoIP can work at least as well as our landline.

I spent some time at the Vonage Forum site doing my homework. This site bills itself as an "independent support site" and has reviews, news, and forums focused on Vonage. This site gives you the real scoop on Vonage. There is too much information there to summarize in one post, but suffice it to say that most participants in the forums are Vonage enthusiasts, not troublemakers. If you are thinking about signing up for Vonage, you should do your homework on this site.

Link: Vonage

Monday, October 16, 2006

Josh Quittner: 'Everybody Wants to Be a Blogger'

I thought that this was cool, bordering on the courageous:

The editor of Business 2.0 is asking every journalist at his magazine to create a blog. And in a possible first for a major publisher, the participating bloggers at the Time Inc. title will be paid based on their traffic.
Speaking as somebody who has worked at building blog traffic, I can tell you that it isn't easy. It requires ingenuity and hard work. It will be interesting to see how professionals respond to this kind of pressure.

Link: Josh Quittner: 'Everybody Wants to Be a Blogger'

Poker for the businessman

I am a competetive guy, I admit it. I like to win in business and in sports and...everywhere. Do I have the good sense to try to hide this from my wife? You betcha.

But I've been trying to figure out whether I should re-awaken my interest in poker. I played years ago, then became more interested in bridge, then left cards behind entirely. But the creation of the whole poker genre, and the attendant commentary, has me wondering if perhaps it is true that playing poker sharpens ones general intellectual skills.

Certainly, I believe that the best investors I know are also the best card players. There is no doubt that there is a shared skill set. The question is, does active practice actually improve this skill set?

So recently I decided to start playing again at home. Just to up the moral ante, I decided to teach my teenage son how to play as well. We visited this site for poker rules, for which my son is a stickler. Is my use of this site encouraging a slide into moral decay? Or a shared fun activity that will last my son and I into my golden years. I believe it's the latter!

Link: poker rules

Foreign investors trust stability of Russia's economy - PM

This posts brings to mind my fantastic investment in Janus Overseas, JAOSX, which has done very well even while missing the Russia Boat. Question is, has the Russia Boat sailed or only been christened?

MOSCOW, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - The rise in investment in Russia shows that foreign investors trust the stability of the country's economy, the prime ...

Link: Foreign investors trust stability of Russia's economy - PM

The osCommerce cafe

Lately I've been on a tear about the commercial web and the question of how broad it is. We know that some big names have made a lot of money, mainly by turning the web into a platform for advertising. But how can we little names turn the web into the interactive place it is supposed to be, and make a little money at the same time. Must the money always flow to the big boys, or can the web change all that.

The problem for a little guy using the web commercially is that the start-up costs are still significant. Sure, they are nothing compared to the $100-$200K dollars that might be needed to start a physical store, but they are not insignificant. The dollars necessary to procure product, promote that product, establish relationships to process payments, etc., are significant. I have a buddy who started a successful business on Ebay--but spent $30K before making a dime of product. $30K is not a lot of money to Google but (I think I can admit it to you all) it is a lot of money to me.

Lately I've been visiting sites that aim to change this, such as
the osCommerce cafe. This site offers memberships during which members are allowed to download osCommerce templates from a menu of nearly 100 offerings. These templates cut the time and money necessary for site creation and maintenance (whose costs can easily top $10K). The memberships start at around $90 and allow download of multiple designs. Meanwhile, at other sites (easily found on Google), individual designs can run close to $200.

I imagine that the ideal customer for this site is a serial entrepeneur with multiple ideas. With access to the osCommerce templates, an entrepeneur could establish and test dozens of business ideas over the course of months. In fact, to take the idea a bit further, one could test several templates simultaneously and monitor the effect of using different templates on sales of different products. The best design could then be chosen to maximize profit. I imagine that this sort of optimization, which is similar to that practiced by AdSense, could easily top the cost of membership rather quickly.

Link: The osCommerce cafe

The Video Revolution and Your Business

The implications of all this focus on video are: that the earlier predictions of the convergence of web and TV are finally coming true. In a way, I think it is sad. I was hoping that the web would turn out to be much more than TV. But people have an irresistible impulse to sit down and watch Tube.

This much we know. But what are the possibilities for you and your business? ...

Link: The Video Revolution and Your Business

Another way to make money: by selling something!

This guy has come up with a new old way to make money online: by selling something useful. Unlike these guys, you won't need to feel slimy about yourself when you've finished. You create something and put it out there.

It isn't that simple, of course. I've "created" hundreds of products in my mind, then gotten lost in the morass of looking for domain names, figuring out how to advertising, ordering the products or having them built. This Information Product Creation Course teaches you to do all of these steps in five hours. This means that if you have a free day away from hubby, you can create a new information product and start selling it.

Perhaps more importantly, this site teaches you how to perform the research to see if your idea is really saleable. Everybody has ideas for products, but the problem is that most of these ideas are identical to each other. So this site lets you test your ideas before investing any time in them, then spend a focused amount of productive time getting them out to the marketplace. For example, I had an idea for a site that sells software for managing personnel, for use in HR departments. I found out that this market is dominated by 5-6 other sites already and was able to move on to a more productive idea.

This is a good site that can help you mobilize your business ideas, quickly.

Link: Information Product Creation Course

Health care tops election concerns for small business

You know, I hate to say it, but I'm actually beginning to think that the free market will never, ever solve the medical insurance mess:

Some of the most frustrating problems facing small-business owners -- the ever-rising cost of health coverage, expanding government regulations and uncertainty about taxes -- are again concerns as the midterm elections approach. Owners have hopes for change on some of these issues, but they realize that others are likely to remain unresolved, no matter who wins in November.

Many small-business owners say the cost of health care is one of their biggest problems -- they want to offer insurance to attract the best workers, but it's becoming more and more expensive.

Businesses have been looking to the federal government for help, but a possible solution known as association health plans, which would allow small businesses to band together across state lines to buy insurance in groups, has continually stalled in Congress. In the meantime, the cost of insurance coverage is soaring.

There is just too much at stake for private companies that are spending money. There is an enormous incentive to refuse insurance to those who need it. This incentive, coupled with laws that prevent the necessary actions, leads inevitably to spiraling costs.

Link: Health care tops election concerns for small business

Sunday, October 15, 2006

MyHomeThing lead generation

I made a little money in the real-estate boom. A little. This boom seems to be over, though, and we should all be thinking now about how to be ready for the next boom.

One thought that's occurred to me is to start a services-oriented website in this area. I've considered mortgage services, home improvement sites, design services, etc. Lately I've been looking around at various services to see how they stack up.

One place I ended up, in addition to the usual suspects, is myhomething. For me, it was a pretty discouraging visit--because these guys have it covered. Lead generation, mortgage services, home services, realtors, moving...you name it. In fact, the moving services offered here are similar to those that I reviewed below. On this site, you could find your new home, finance it, and move to it in one fell swoop. Truly, this site is a treasure. I love it!

Clearly, I'll need to give more thought to my plan to become a real-estate baron.

Link: myhomething

Campaign Watch GOP doesn't get much lift from economy, a poll says

You know what? I voted GOP in the last election cycle and I'm kicking myself. Hard.

Look, it's true, the economy is OK and fortunately hasn't been destroyed by terrorist attacks. But it may yet be destroyed by these, there is no end in sight to military spending, the entitlements continue to suck away our country's economic lifeblood. In short, the Republicans aren't the fiscal conservatives they claim to be. They seem to be a bunch of free-spending war-mongers. So. Having a so-so economy isn't going to cut it.

... has been rising, gas prices dropping, and the federal deficit falling, polls show that Bush and his party are not getting much credit for steering the economy. ...

Link: Campaign Watch GOP doesn't get much lift from economy, a poll says

Review of Moving.bz

I don't know of too many businesses that are using the ".bz" extension. I'm not sure why not, maybe it's just a bit harder to remember.

On the advice of a friend, though, I decided to check out this Self Storage Directory - Moving.bz. I am getting ready to move to a larger home next month and am looking for Door-to-door type self storage. Turns out that these services can be pretty expensive.

I was very impressed with Moving.bz. The site is a directory of two kinds of services: self storage and moving services. They list providers in your area and you can get quotes from each one.

On the self storage side, the site is impressively comprehensive and opened my up to a whole list of door-to-door type services that I hadn't considered. My original first choice turned out to be the most expensive, so perhaps I'll save some money here.

I also checked out the moving services side. Although I am not sure whether I need a mover, I found that there are some relatively cheap movers that might fit my relatively short-distance move. Again, Moving.bz opened my eyes to a bunch of possibilities of which I previously hadn't been aware.

If you are moving, I recommend this site wholeheartedly.

Link: Self Storage Directory - Moving.bz

Uganda: Internet Users Increase

I'll be you that the number of Internet users in Uganda is growing a heck of a lot more quickly than the number in the US:

International Business Concepts said last week that the number has been growing steadily. He attributed this to the benefits derived from the use of Internet. ...

And all of that growth is probably wireless. It will be interesting to see whether, as US ussers are swamped by the rest of the world, the successful internet businesses are also increasingly localized abroad. They say you need a Silicon Valley, though, and we've got the only one.

Link: Uganda: Internet Users Increase

Saturday, October 14, 2006

PayPerPost on TechCrunch

Mike Arrington is up in arms about PayPerPost. Apparently, he fears that PayPerPost somehow has the juice to undermine not only the authority of TechCrunch, but of the entire blogosphere, and all the Web2.0 dollars that seem to go with it.

I think that it must be nice to be Mike Arrington. This guy is an A-list blogger with thousands of readers, maybe even a million readers, and not short of money. He can make money by sitting around doing what we all love to do: writing what he thinks.

He has lost touch with the other 99.999% of the blogosphere: those of us who post our thoughts without any reward, most of the time. And we want to get paid a few bucks (a lot fewer than Mike ends up with) and he would begrduge us that.

The other problem with Mike's POV is that it is nonsense. 99.999% of us bloggers frankly don't have the influence to undermine anybody, much less the whole blogosphere. When we write about something at the behest of an advertiser, the Google Juice we contribute is actually worth something--it means that the advertiser has taken time and spent money to put their product, or POV, or whatever is advertised, on the web. And that deserves some Google Juice.

Link: blog advertising

Info retention policy good for business

Hmmm...a better way to title this article might be: "Info destruction policy is good for business, so long as it is within the law." I think we all agree that secure retention of information is expensive. Problem is, so are criminal prosecutions. Result? You need to hire an expensive team to keep your expensive data retention to the bare legal minimum.

... laws. So how does a business decide what to keep and when to get rid of it? Documents must be retained for various reasons. They ...

Link: Info retention policy good for business

Friday, October 13, 2006

Real estate management

Siterra provides software that manages your real-estate assets throughout their lifecycle, including all the major potential sources of revenue: cell towers, retail stores, corporate offices, oil rigs, outdoor displays and more. I find this interesting because the value of real estate (so much in question, and in the news, lately) depends very much on what you do with it. I wonder if this software could allow you to determine what an available property is worth. At the very least, such software should allow you to get a better handle on what your current properties are worth, and this information should be valuable.

Link: Asset Tracking Software

Internet gambling form sells US business

The Gambling Enforcement Act is going to be a problem for the business of gambling online. Note that I said "business" and not "existence". The latter is not in question.

Online gambling firm Sportingbet has announced it has sold its US operations after Congress passed a law banning internet cash gaming.

In a statement Sportingbet said it undertook a “comprehensive legal and strategic review” of its US operations following the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006 by US Congress on September 29.

The British-based company says it has sold its US sports betting and casino business to Jazette Enterprises Limited for a nominal fee of $1 (79c), with the buyer taking on liabilities of $13.2m (€10.51m).

Link: Internet gambling form sells US business

Take Back the Capitol

So here's a grass-roots video site dedicated to overturning Republican control of congress: TAKE BACK THE CAPITOL. As I mentioned in my last post, this type of site really fulfills the promise of the Internet and the question is...how to draw viewers? Do you do it with copyrighted content, like YouTube?

These folks plan to draw viewers by targeting their ideology, and I think it will work. Who watches Jon Stewart? Liberals who agree, already, with his take on the news. He isn't converting anybody on that show.

Take back the Capitol, similarly, will draw like-minded folks--until they get their first absolute blockbuster. Then the floodgates will open.

I wonder if they are planning to host their own videos, or to leverage the technology already provided by YouTube and others.

Link: TAKE BACK THE CAPITOL

Warner to talk to Google on YouTube rights-paper

I am giving more thought to the YouTube purchase. First, I still love the site: I love the idea, I love the implementation, and I love a lot of the content. I am especially intrigued with the political content, which seems to fulfill the orginal promise and premise of the site. BUT I was reading an article about YouTube in the NYT yesterday, and the article recounted a time when only 50-60 videos were available and the team was in despair. What happened? Somebody uploaded "Lazy Sunday" and the site took off like a rocket. In short, the site always had promise but its real, $1.65B value came from copyrighted content. So these guys have made a killing not only from their own ingenuity, but also (very much so) from other people's content:

Full Bio. LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Time Warner (TWX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will take continuing talks with YouTube Inc. over ...

Link: Warner to talk to Google on YouTube rights-paper

More on PayPerPost

I've been following up on PayPerPost, reading their blog. These guys strike me as very reasonable. In particular, in a post titled "Attention Advertisers: Keep it Real" they ask that advertisers post neutral opportunities, because
Posties definitely prefer neutral opportunities. When we advertise PPP through our own system we make all our opps neutral. While we occasionally get a comment with a slight sting the overwhelming majority of Posties are fair, balanced and constructive. One of the great benefits of the PPP platform is your ability to gather feedback from those that take your opportunity. Think of it as advertising with the benefit of an online focus group.
I think that this is a reasonable way of thinking about it. I may try to advertise this site on PayPerPost, to see what kind of feedback I can get both from visitors and from the "posties."

advertise on blogs

Bank of Japan sticks to view that economy is expanding moderately ...

I wonder if this is true. I've invested heavily in Japan over the years, mainly through the Janus Overseas fund, and have done very nicely indeed. I'm wondering if the party is just beginning.

TOKYO (XFN-ASIA) - The Bank of Japan stood by its previous assessment of the economy in its monthly report, saying it is expanding moderately, while ...

Link: Bank of Japan sticks to view that economy is expanding moderately ...

Seminoles and the Tomahawk Chop

OK, I grew up in Florida and...I hate to say this...but one of my favorite goofy things in sports was the Tomahawk Chop. I was young and I thought it was fun. So recently I decided to start watching soccer webcasts with my son on ACCSelect.com. Come to find out, they don't do the tomahawk chop at soccer games. Guess I will have to start watching the actual play.

It isn't just soccer, though, you can watch all sorts of different sports On ACCSelect.com.



Tags: ,

Link: ACC Sports

Fed Reports Resilience in Economy

Didn't I say this would happen:

By JEREMY W. PETERS. Maybe the sputtering housing market will not be that big of a drag on the economy after all. Falling gas prices ...

Link: Fed Reports Resilience in Economy

PayPerPost is an effort by Kim Jong Il to undercut the Internet

Have you heard about these guys? The blogosphere is up in arms about this...and they should be. Kim Jong Il is sick of being needled about his bad hairdo and taste for luxury goods, so he obviously hired this guy Ted Murphy to destroy the Internet...I mean, Internet == Blogs and Internet == Freedom. So the terrorists are winning. Or something.

Link: ads on blogs

Govt announces new business water limits

Amazing that water turns out to be a valuable resource. This story reminds me of the recent NYT article talking about a company (Aquos?) that had managed to build a machine that can extract water from humidity in the air, at supposedly reasonable cost. Queensland needs somebody like that:

... "It is time for business, industry and government agencies to change the way they use water and value water both in the immediate term and forever," Ms ...

Link: Govt announces new business water limits

Search Engine Optimizers

Following up on my post from a few days ago asking if small web sites can make money, I'm thinking about the famous SEOs. These guys will take a few to "optimize" your linking structure so that you get more hits. I've no idea if this works, though I suspect it does, in part because so few webmasters know the basics of how to do this.

So, many SEOs are themselves an example of small websites that can make money. Many of these guys are local and a few will actually work onsite at your business. My problem with all this is that SEOs are one of the "circular" businesses that make money by selling to--you guessed it--other small websites. So these businesses are a sort of self-supporting, zero-sum-game ecosystem within which some money circulates.

I suppose that the businesses on the edge, though, who contract with the SEOs, do indeed interact with the larger economy. And, to do this effectively, you are going to need search engine links. So, if you want to up your site's visibility, an SEO is probably a must for you.

Here's an SEO local to Austin, TX: Search Engine Marketing Austin

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Google mixes up letters and numbers

Sorry, I just don't see these online applications becoming successful. I do a lot of writing on the web, and I've got to tell ya, it doesn't work. Oh, sure, it works most of the time...but that one morning when blogger is slow just kills me. You can't have a slow morning with your business documents, or even your personal documents. Responsiveness is the name of the game, and the web still doesn't provide it. Instant responsiveness 99% of the time isn't good enough.

Google has combined its online word processing and spreadsheet applications through a common interface, single sign-in and data repository.

Link: Google mixes up letters and numbers

Understanding business process management / service-oriented architecture from business perspective

Oh, yes, we've all experienced the gap:

Have you ever experienced firsthand the 'business/IT alignment gap' resulting from traditional development approaches? First, business analysts explore and document requirements on their own for months. Once those requirements are frozen, IT develops the application. Many months later, the application is completed, and everyone is surprised that the original requirements have shifted, were misinterpreted, or simply incorrectly analyzed. Let's be honest: it's very hard (even impossible) to get everything right in one iteration. But after 12-18 months, time is running short and unfortunately, the application has been designed with little flexibility for change. Hence, it becomes a liability, not an asset, from Day 1. Soon, a new application will be built from scratch to replace its predecessor in another 'big bang' IT project… Hence, there is another element needed to align with the collaboration of business and IT. The marriage of SOA and BPM development techniques creates an opportunity to end this mess.

The question is whether BPM packages are really the answer, or even part of the answer.

Link: Understanding business process management / service-oriented ...

Fed policymakers say slowing economy to ease inflationary pressures

I am increasing my weighting of stocks! Even though we've already had a nice run, I'm convinced that the slowing housing market is going to hurt growth for a good long time, forcing the Fed to keep rates low, if not to raise them.

Most policymakers at the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), when they met Sept. 20, said inflationary pressures would eventually ease as the economy slowed down, according to minutes of the meeting released Wednesday

Link: Fed policymakers say slowing economy to ease inflationary ...

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Can small blogs make real money?

So, Jason Calacanis is griping about PayPerPost, a new service that matches advertisers wanting links with bloggers willing to provide them. I imagine that it is easy for Jason to gripe. He has such a huge audience that he could probably make real money by just throwing up a few Google ads on his site.

But what about smaller sites like kottke.org or smaller sites still, such as TreeDazzled? Can these sites ever make money. I imagine that the money coming from a service such as PayPerPost will be very small indeed and even that from Google ads close to negligible. I have the impression that half of the advertisers on PayPerPost will also be bloggers, and vice-versa. In other words, a lot of the bloggers making money there will be pouring it back into the system.

Can any readers provide guidance as to how much money a small blog can make, and where this revenue comes from?

Link: More on the PayPerPost Debate (or "Tim Draper where are you!?!?!) - The Jason Calacanis Weblog

Mexico Economy Minister Garcia Says US Needs Immigrant Labor

What, is this guy living in the real world or something?

Mexican Economy Minister Sergio Garcia de Alba said a proposed 700-mile (1,125-kilometer) border wall could disrupt trade between the two countries and lead to a shortage of farm laborers in the U.S.

The whole idea of building a giant wall is just plain sad, a throwback to such glorious ideas as the Great Wall of China. The wall is just a sop to conservatives, not a reasonable or even viable economic strategy.

Link: Mexico Economy Minister Garcia Says US Needs Immigrant Labor

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Putin says reporter killing was 'disgustingly cruel,' downplays her work

It is simply impossible to take Vladimir Putin seriously on issues of press freedom, or any freedoms. I have watched the business scandals of the past few years unfold here in the U.S. with a growing realization that our independent press protects us in almost unimaginable ways, in ways that the government simply cannot, due to its insufficient reach. Putin is saying the right things. He needs to start acting:

Speaking after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin described Saturday's attack on Anna Politkovskaya as 'this disgustingly cruel crime which must not go unpunished, whoever committed it, and whatever motive they were pursuing.'

Politkovskaya, a sharp critic of Putin and the conduct of Russia's war in Chechnya, was found shot dead at her Moscow apartment building.

Putin said the killers had done the Russian government no favor. The killing 'inflicts much greater damage to the government than any of her writing,' he said.

Politkovskaya's death has sparked an international outcry about restrictions on press freedoms in Russia.

Link: Putin says reporter killing was 'disgustingly cruel,' downplays her work - iht,europe,Germany Russia Journalist Killed - Europe - International Herald Tribune

Sunday, October 08, 2006

South Africa: Crime, Inflation Batter Business Confidence

This reminds me of one of those video games where you have to build an empire/city/economy while keeping an eye on all sorts of threats, usually including disease and crime:

CONFIDENCE in SA's economy is under mounting pressure, with an uncertain economic outlook and concerns about crime darkening the mood of both business and economists. A business confidence index has slipped to its lowest level this year, while a survey of economists also shows that confidence has fallen -- to an 18-month low.

The South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) business confidence index fell to 97,7 last month, down from 99 in August. Rising inflation and tighter monetary policy, as well as events playing themselves out on the current account, have negatively affected business confidence and, if left unchecked, could have an adverse effect on the business mood in coming months. High crime levels were also negatively affecting business confidence, Sacob said.

If we could get HIV under control in Africa, then I believe that South Africa could experience explosive growth over the course of the next decade. They have a developed infrastructure, cheap natural resources, and cheap labor.

Link: South Africa: Crime, Inflation Batter Business Confidence

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Stability, Turkish Economy's Booster

In so many fragile economies around the world, it feels like progress could be made if some measure of basic stability could be achieved, ever. Sounds like Turkey is getting there:

... Banking sector authorities emphasize the fragility of the Turkish economy was left behind, so they have a positive outlook for the future, and dismiss the idea ...

Link: Stability, Turkish Economy's Booster

Friday, October 06, 2006

Google in talks to buy Web video site YouTube

OK, $1.6B is a lot of money but I still like it. I understand the allure of YouTube, unlike that of MySpace. YouTube is just as fascinating as the boob tube, if not more so.

Web search leader Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is in talks to buy YouTube Inc., the world's leading Web site for video entertainment, for close to $1.6 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Another reason to like YouTube more than MySpace: more than half of MySpace users are over 35. Not such a cool crowd anymore.


Link: UPDATE 2-Google in talks to buy Web video site YouTube-WSJ�|�Mergers & Acquisitions�|�Reuters.com

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Business Post says losses from franchise network to cut opg profit ...

I don't understand how revenues for a parcel-post-type business can be down in this internet age. Aren't the revenues at FedEx and others still increasing?

LONDON (AFX) - Parcel and mail delivery firm Business Post Group PLC said losses from its franchise network would cut operating profits by 3 mln stg this year ...

Link: Business Post says losses from franchise network to cut opg profit ...

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

US slowdown unlikely to hit economy

Thought this looked pretty cool:

Although the cooling US real estate market is likely to slow the nation's economy, it will only have a minimal negative effect on China, say economists. ...

Link: US slowdown unlikely to hit economy