Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/VLHhxHIxizA/profile2.html
Thursday, July 26, 2012
College Launches Solar Energy Research Park
Northern New Mexico College, Espanola, New Mexico has launched an initiative to establish a dynamic Solar Energy Research Park and Academy (SERPA). Its current funding request of $9,000,000 has been introduced in an appropriations bill this legislative session (House Bill 146) and is sponsored by Speaker of The House Representative Ben Lujan. The bill has [...]
Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/press/solar-energy-research-park/
Hunger in America
Why are America's food banks suffering shortages? Find out what you can do to help.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/tifseNbgRuU/profile2.html
Money and the News
A Bill Moyers Essay.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/jAvi-as14EE/profile2.html
How Online Financial Management Applications can Help You Reach Your Money Goals
Technology has made our lives a lot easier these days. Apart from our daily chores we can even manage our daily finance using technology. A number of technologies and applications have been invented lately which can guide you through the entire process of managing finance starting from keeping a track on your expenditure to calculate [...]
Why the European Debt Crisis Is Far From Over
Filed under: Economy, Investing, Credit, Currency
The European debt crisis is back in the headlines, and the news is not good. Portugal's prime minister resigned after his austerity plan for the beleaguered nation were rejected by opposition parties in parliament, and Germany's leadership is waffling on funding the huge bailouts needed by debt-burdened countries such as Ireland and Greece, reflecting the deep ambiguity of German voters weary of bailing out their weaker neighbors. Despite the brave talk of a few months ago, it now seems all but inevitable that Portugal will also need a gigantic bailout of at least 70 billion euros, or $99 billion.
Ratings agencies have downgraded Portugal's debt, and investors have responded by pushing the yield on its bonds to more than 8%, roughly 4.5% higher than the yield on German bonds. Yields on Ireland's debt exceed 10%, reflecting the perceived risk of default or renegotiation.
With Europe at risk of stumbling as a result of its austerity measures and the costs of bailouts, investors need to rethink investments in eurozone economies and the euro itself.
Eurozone growth is already anemic: France managed a meager 0.3% gain in the fourth quarter of 2010, and 1.5% for all of 2010, while the U.S. economy expanded 3.1% in late 2010.
The bailouts are not small potatoes. The temporary rescue fund, known as the European Financial Stability Facility, is currently set at 250 billion euros ($353.6 billion) , and European Union officials want to expand it to 440 billion euros ($622.3 billion). The wealthier nations of Europe have already loaned 177 billion euros ($250.3 billion) to bail out Greece and Ireland, and the high yields on those nations bonds and credit default swaps -- insurance against default -- show that investors continue to see a high risk of default.
Spain Also at Risk
While Spain's economy expanded at a modest 0.9% pace last year, its debt situation remains precarious enough that ratings agency Moody's recently downgraded its bonds. The basic problems of Spain will be familiar to Americans: A property bubble drove residential real estate prices to unrealistic heights, and lenders made loans based on those sky-high valuations. Once home prices retreated, banks were left with large quantities of defaults on land and houses.
Analysts are now suggesting Spanish banks will need at least 50 billion euros in additional capital ($70.7 billion) to cover these mounting losses.
As if these losses weren't troubling enough, rising interest rates threaten to further undermine Spain's homeowners. The European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet recently said that the ECB's key interest rate could rise from 1% as early as April. Fully 97% of Spain's home loans are variable-rate: Their payments will rise when interest rates click higher.
Despite an unemployment rate around 20% and its recent debt downgrades, mainstream analysts see Spain as an unlikely candidate for a costly bailout. But Spain is burdened with the costs of bailing out its own banks, and other analysts are not so sanguine, citing a lack of information on the quality of assets held by the banks. In other words, some fear Spanish banks are overstating the value of their real estate holdings to hide the full extent of their losses.
Structural Flaws in the European Union Papered Over
While there is plenty of chatter about bailouts, austerity measures and heavy debt loads, few analysts are speaking to the potentially fatal weakness built into the European Union and its single currency, the euro, a flaw that is now painfully obvious.
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While the European Union consolidated power over the shared currency and trade, it left control over trade deficits and budget deficits entirely in the hands of the member states. Lip service was paid to fiscal responsibility via caps on deficit spending, but in the real world, there were no meaningful controls limiting private or state credit expansion, or on sovereign borrowing and spending.
In effect, the importing nations within the union (Ireland, Greece, Portugal and to a degree, Spain and Italy) were given the solid credit ratings and expansive credit limits of their exporting cousins such as Germany, The Netherlands and France. To make a real-world analogy, it's as if a spendthrift younger brother was handed a no-limit credit card with a low interest rate, backed by a guarantee from a sober, cash-rich and credit-averse older sibling.
For awhile, it was highly profitable for the big European and international banks to expand lending to these eager new borrowers. This led to over-consumption by the importing nations and handsome profits for big Eurozone banks. And while the real estate and credit bubble lasted, the citizens of the bubble economies enjoyed the consumerist dream of borrow and spend today, and pay the debts tomorrow.
Tomorrow has arrived, but the foundation of the banks' assets -- the market value of housing -- has eroded to the point that both banks and homeowners face insolvency. The heightened risk of default, both by banks and the governments trying to bail them out, has caused interest rates in the debt-burdened countries to rise. Faced with rising costs of servicing their debts, and spending cuts to bring deficits under control, the citizens of the states such as Portugal are rebelling against austerity measures. On the other side, taxpayers and voters in fiscally sound member states such as Finland and Germany are rebelling about being saddled with the costs of bailing out their weaker neighbors.
This structural imbalance will not be easily addressed, but until it's fixed, the E.U. and the euro, are at risk of a great political and fiscal fracturing.
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Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/27/why-the-european-debt-crisis-is-far-from-over/
George Osborne under attack as Britain's recession deepens
Chancellor faces calls to do more on economy, after figures show double-dip recession worst for 50 years.
IRS Will Stop Mailing Out Tax Return Forms, Instructions
Filed under: People
The IRS will stop mailing out paper forms and instructions for annual income tax returns as more people file their taxes online.About 11.5 million people who filed paper tax returns in 2009 got the tax information in the mail, The Washington Post reported. The mailing included 44 pages of instruction last year.
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This year, more than 96 million individuals filed their tax returns online, with a further 20 million paper returns filed by paid tax preparers. Taxpayers who want to file paper returns can still obtain the forms online, at local IRS offices or at participating libraries and post offices.
The move will save the IRS about $10 million a year in printing and postage costs.
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Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/28/irs-will-stop-mailing-out-tax-return-forms-instructions/
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Web Exclusive Essay: The 9/12 Protests
A Bill Moyers essay on the protests in Washington, D.C. and whose funding opposition to health care reform.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/iOpyRgJb2_Q/watch3.html
CPI Rate Up a Little for June 2012 in Canada
Friday our friends a Stats Canada published the CPI numbers for June 2012, and rates are up a bit more than in May, but still not horrendous. Surprisingly gasoline was not a direct contributor this time, but electricity did: Consumer prices rose 1.5% in the 12 months to June, following a 1.2% gain in May. [...]
CPI Rate Up a Little for June 2012 in Canada is a post from: Canadian Personal Finance Blog and follow me on twitter as well: Big Cajun Man, daily updates from all over the Blogosphere. Subscribe to my comments feed as well!
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My last 'at home' day
It is rather bittersweet that this is my last of the 'at home' sick days I have been granted. On the bright note, it means the school year is almost at an end and I have a bit of time this summer to focus on what I can do to be as healthy as possible. On the other end, it means I have two weeks left of straight work with HUGE activities and work load a coming. I am scared, frankly, of my year end overnight trip with my class, because of my health. Let's face it, one doesn't sleep on an overnight with kids because they have endless energy. I worry I will go zombie with exhaustion as I have been the past 2 months. I worry I will have an 'accident'. I worry I will make it through but then be dead and struggle to complete the final 8 days.
I worry a lot.
I am so grateful for the admin and staff I have who have helped me make this possible. I would not have made it without these days to rest. I worry for fall, when it's either 1) be healthy enough to work full time or 2) take a leave, which I really do not want to do.
What have I done on these days?
I worry a lot.
I am so grateful for the admin and staff I have who have helped me make this possible. I would not have made it without these days to rest. I worry for fall, when it's either 1) be healthy enough to work full time or 2) take a leave, which I really do not want to do.
What have I done on these days?
- rest
- sleep
- nap
- catch up on laundry or housework
- budget
- tabulate my loan numbers
- blog a bit
- do some marking
- sleep
- rest
- watch HGTV and SLICE (and a few star trek TNG :-)
- read for pleasure (too tired to focus)
- read for work (see above)
- Plan units for school (which I desperately need to do)
- Figure out how to eat for colitis and eat to lose weight
- find out if there is a colitis society in my area
- go for walks (scared there will be an accident)
- cook much
Source: http://shakingthemoneytree.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-last-at-home-day.html
Robert Kuttner and Matt Taibbi
Amidst fading hopes for real reform on issues ranging from high finance to health care, economist Robert Kuttner and journalist Matt Taibbi join Bill Moyers to discuss Wall Street's power over the federal government.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/0R2wEiSLwoc/profile.html
Too Big to Fail Ghost Haunting Obama
Michael Hirsh, National Journal
Neil Barofsky is not the sort of guy you want popping up in a tight election race, not if you're Barack Obama.That's first because Barofsky is an all-too-credible critic of the Obama administration's lopsided economic approach, which included throwing enormous resources into bucking up big banks and then allowing them to grow even bigger while slighting the underwater homeowners whose plight has weighed down the recovery on which the president's reelection probably depends. Second, it's because Barofsky is out there trying to sell a new...
Neil Barofsky is not the sort of guy you want popping up in a tight election race, not if you're Barack Obama.That's first because Barofsky is an all-too-credible critic of the Obama administration's lopsided economic approach, which included throwing enormous resources into bucking up big banks and then allowing them to grow even bigger while slighting the underwater homeowners whose plight has weighed down the recovery on which the president's reelection probably depends. Second, it's because Barofsky is out there trying to sell a new...
Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2012/07/25/too_big_to_fail_ghost_haunting_obama_285589.html
Leo Gerard
Bill Moyers sits down with United Steelworkers' International President Leo Gerard to discuss seeking economic justice for workers in the middle of an economic crisis and how he sees the future of American manufacturing. Gerard shares his thoughts on how unions will fare under the Obama administration, what kind of stimulus might be needed and what the future of American industry might look like.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/18_WWCluP_Q/profile.html
Printed and Thin Film Photovoltaics and Batteries
IDTechEx has just launched a comprehensive report that gives a thorough analysis of printed and thin film photovoltaics and batteries – covering the technologies, markets and players. The report covers companies, research institutes and universities that are active in developing and commercializing thin film and printed technologies for photovoltaics and batteries. Photovoltaic technologies covered include [...]
Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/press/printed-thin-film-photovoltaics-batteries/
Investor group seeks JPMorgan governance changes
"It's exactly the kind of bet that is very difficult for board directors to understand."
Los Angeles Labor
Bill Moyers Journal analyzes the growing inequality gap on the ground in Los Angeles where recently union workers marched to bring attention to how they are getting squeezed out of the shrinking middle class.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/9l8Dgsa34G8/profile.html
Settlement By S.E.C. In Subprime Fraud Case
The Securities and Exchange Commission has reached a settlement with two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers that will avert a second trial over accusations that they had misled investors as the mortgage market was crumbling. The deal, which is subject to court approval, could be announced on Monday, said two people with direct knowledge of the matter, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Failing to Break Up the Big Banks is Destroying America
The Size of the Big Banks Is – Literally – Destroying the Rule of Law Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind quotes Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as saying: The confidence in the system is so fragile still… a disclosure of a … Continue reading
Failing to Break Up the Big Banks is Destroying America was originally published on Washington's Blog
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #42
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ModestMoney/~3/Wubsy64rmSk/
Investment Strategies: What Products Match My Risk Profile?
Author(s):
Adriana Reyneri
Risk is the most important factor to consider when making financial decisions, according to affluent investors participating in Millionaire Corner surveys, but how does risk relate to individual investment strategies?
For most households, building wealth involves setting aside earnings and watching the earnings grow through a variety of investment strategies, such as stock mutual funds and Treasuries. The potential gains and losses of these investments relate to the risks they pose. (Find out some of the factors affecting an investor’s tolerance for risk.)
Risky investments offer the potential for the greatest return, yet they also have the potential for the greatest investment losses, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA. High risk investments tend to be the most volatile and lowest rated, and can also be illiquid. Examples of high risk investment strategies include derivatives, high-yield bonds and speculative stocks and stock funds. An aggressive investor is willing to place a significant portion of their assets at risk in order to achieve higher returns.
A moderate investor will place some of their assets at risk in the quest for yields, but also desires to protect a portion of his or her wealth. Moderate-risk investments include growth stocks, investment-grade corporate bonds and Real Estate Investment Trusts or REITs, according to FINRA. Moderate risk investments provide some growth and income, have the potential to outpace inflation and meet mid- and long-term investment goals, such as saving for retirement.
Conservative investors seek to preserve assets and avoid investment risk, though conservative investment strategies are vulnerable to inflation and interest rate risk, and investments charging penalties for early redemption are less liquid. Counting among conservative investment strategies are Treasury bills, bank certificates of deposits or CDs, money market funds, fixed annuities and savings accounts. Low-risk products can serve such investment strategies as maintaining a rainy day fund or holding assets for short periods of time.
Where do you fit in along this continuum? How much risk can you afford? (Millionaire Corner research shows that men are generally more comfortable with risky investment strategies.)
Related Content:
Investment Strategies: Muni Bonds and Managing Risk
Investment Strategies: Can You Beat a REIT?
Source: http://www.millionairecorner.com/article/investment-strategies-what-products-match-my-risk-profile
Dodd-Frank's Wall Street Protection Racket
Nicole Gelinas, City Journal
When President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law two summers ago, standing behind him was Andrew Giordano, a retired Baltimore police officer. Giordano had “discovered hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees on his bank statement—fees he had no idea he might face,” Obama said. Looking on, too, was schoolteacher Robin Fox, “hit with a massive rate increase on her credit card even though she paid her bills on time.” Obama promised that it wouldn’t happen again. “A new consumer...
When President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law two summers ago, standing behind him was Andrew Giordano, a retired Baltimore police officer. Giordano had “discovered hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees on his bank statement—fees he had no idea he might face,” Obama said. Looking on, too, was schoolteacher Robin Fox, “hit with a massive rate increase on her credit card even though she paid her bills on time.” Obama promised that it wouldn’t happen again. “A new consumer...
Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2012/07/24/dodd-frank039s_wall_street_protection_racket_285290.html
System Operators Better Quantify the Value of Wind
Precision Wind, LLC of Las Cruces, New Mexico presented on the value of accuracy and service at the International Wind Forecast Techniques and Methodologies Workshop, July 24. The technical workshop for utilities and balancing authorities was sponsored by Bonneville Power Administration and the California Independent System Operator.
Addressing an audience of system operators and power [...]
Addressing an audience of system operators and power [...]
Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/press/system-operators-better-quantify-value-wind/
David Simon Part 1
From crime beat reporter for the BALTIMORE SUN to award-winning screenwriter of HBO's critically-acclaimed The Wire, David Simon talks with Bill Moyers about inner-city crime and politics, storytelling and the future of journalism today.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/TQZdEETc320/watch.html
A Bill Moyers Essay
A Bill Moyers Essay.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/SsfnHB6q-VY/watch4.html
Businesses, Institutions Join Biomass Fuels Study
(Boulder, Colo.) – Two major businesses, a religious center, a school and an education center are teaming up with Boulder County to research the feasibility of using woody biomass – including wood material from mountain pine beetle kill – as a sustainable fuel source.
Boulder County recently received a $39,000 biomass utilization grant from the [...]
Boulder County recently received a $39,000 biomass utilization grant from the [...]
Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/press/business-institution-biomass-fuel-study/
POLL: How Much Do You Save Per a Month?
Take our poll and let us know how much you manage to save each month! MORE
A New Book for Beginning Investors
Last fall, Glenn Cooke approached me with an idea. In addition to his work as an online life insurance broker, Glenn manages the FinanceAds.ca network that includes some of Canada’s most popular money bloggers. He wanted to bring together several of those bloggers to collaborate on a book, and I agreed to help out as [...]
Wendell Potter on Health Care Reform
Bill Moyers sits down with former insurance executive turned public health advocate Wendell Potter, who argues that all is not lost in the healthcare bill and details what he likes about the legislation.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/Eqd40btr70U/profile.html
Droughts, Interest Rates, Posts and Some Random Thoughts
The drought in Ottawa continues on in Ottawa, even though we had some rain we are still very brown and in need of more rain. Our forest fires are no longer as bad, but we could really use a few days rain just to alleviate these problems as well. Mark Carney said to expect higher [...]
Droughts, Interest Rates, Posts and Some Random Thoughts is a post from: Canadian Personal Finance Blog and follow me on twitter as well: Big Cajun Man, daily updates from all over the Blogosphere. Subscribe to my comments feed as well!
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Michael J. Copps
The Internet has transformed business, politics, and culture, but will a corporate agenda kill freedom of the Web? With radio and television dominated by mega-corporations, more and more Americans have turned to the Internet for news, but a recent court ruling gives Big Telecom more control over broadband. Bill Moyers talks with FCC commissioner Michael Copps to discuss the future of 'net neutrality', the fight for more democratic media and the future of journalism in the digital age.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/FDRUfJ01XbA/profile2.html
Monday, July 23, 2012
Printed and Thin Film Photovoltaics and Batteries
IDTechEx has just launched a comprehensive report that gives a thorough analysis of printed and thin film photovoltaics and batteries – covering the technologies, markets and players. The report covers companies, research institutes and universities that are active in developing and commercializing thin film and printed technologies for photovoltaics and batteries. Photovoltaic technologies covered include [...]
Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/press/printed-thin-film-photovoltaics-batteries/
William Greider
Moyers gets perspective from veteran journalist William Greider on the current financial crisis and what he calls "the great deflation of Wall Street."
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/hKmquviC6xI/profile2.html
Labor Day Reflections
A Bill Moyers essay.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/lC-xKYNQBNE/watch2.html
What's Next For Campaign Finance?
In the wake of a controversial Supreme Court decision giving corporations and unions more freedom to spend on elections, many federal and state lawmakers are hoping to curb Citizens United V. FEC's effect on elections. Find out how some legislators are fighting to curb Big Money spending even as the Court invalidates laws in 24 states aimed at keeping elections clean.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/ATYxG50pHlE/profile2.html
Offshore U.S. oversight of derivatives may bolster defenses against JPMorgan-type losses
The CDS indices involved in the JPMorgan trades are already encompassed under CFTC’s anti-fraud and anti-manipulation regime, and a clearing house clears trades in the CDS indices.
Gretchen Morgenson
Eighteen months after the economic meltdown, why has Washington been unable rein in Wall Street with serious regulation? Bill Moyers speaks with financial journalist Gretchen Morgenson for a candid look at the obstacles facing substantive reform and what Congress' proposed legislation would — and wouldn't — accomplish.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/29e-q5txqKo/profile.html
POLL: How Much Do You Save Per a Month?
Take our poll and let us know how much you manage to save each month! MORE
Essay: Bill Moyers on Justice Justice
Bill Moyers remembers Texas judge William Wayne Justice.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/tXPk62qXqLU/watch3.html
Dr. Jane Goodall Part 2
Dr. Jane Goodall. Despite dire warnings for our endangered planet, Jane Goodall says all is not yet lost - we can change course if we act now.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/Kh_Gomz_e9Q/profile2.html
Sector Breakdown of Diversified Portfolios
In a recent column, The Globe & Mail’s Rob Carrick (see Beware the limitations of buying the index, May 11, 2012) pointed out that investing in just the TSX Composite index might leave an investor with an unbalanced portfolio because of the index’s concentration in just three sectors: financials, energy and materials. The criticism is [...]
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Women Taking the Wheel
Many women have not realized that now is the time to take control of your finances. For too long, a great number of you have relied on men, be it a husband or whatnot, to control your finances and help you plan for retirement. And the truth is, this line of thinking continues to this day.
Now is the time to put a stop to all that. Now is the time you take the wheel. Now is the time to realize that a successful retirement may very well hinge on your own ability to prepare. Let's take a look at a few facts that every woman should be aware of.
Fact #1: A longer life expectancy can have a huge effect on your retirement.
If you are a married woman, there is a good chance that your husband is older than you. In many cases, your husband may be several years older. More than a decade of difference isn't all that uncommon. Because of this, there is a good chance that when your husband passes away, he will do so several years ahead of you. This can mean a great deal to your retirement, as you will need to prepare for the long haul without your husband's guidance. In many cases, a widow will see her standard of living go down without proper planning.
The same goes for a single woman. The average lifespan is now close to 85, and you may find yourself living many years beyond that. While this is clearly a good thing, you must prepare for at least 30 years of retirement, just to be on the safe side.
Fact #2: A little knowledge can go a long way.
You can't beat a little education to help you get through life. When it comes to retirement planning, this is especially true. Whether or not you've been following your husband's lead and allowing him to control all of your finances or allowing a professional to handle things for you, it's time you educated yourself. Take the time to learn as much as you can about the financial products contained in your retirement portfolio. Ask questions. Maybe even take a few basic classes to help you understand anything you might be having trouble with. Finances can often be a bit difficult to understand for anyone, so never hesitate to educate yourself and stay informed.
Fact #3: Surveys back up the consensus.
If you follow the numerous financial surveys that are conducted each year, you'll find that retirement planning is a huge issue for women right now. One of these was conducted by the Society of Actuaries. Here are some facts that this survey unveiled, and they're not exactly encouraging:
-- Only 8% of female retirees are planning for the long haul, which can translate to a twenty year gap in finances. In turn, this gap translates to a large number of women who simply aren't prepared for their extended life expectancy without the benefit of a spouse.
-- For men over the age of 85, a total of 45% of them are widowed. For women, the number is nearly doubled at 85%. That number may be staggering, but it simply reinforces the need for a woman to know how to handle her finances into her later years.
-- 20% of men at age 65 are expected to need professional care for a number of years after their retirement. For women, the number is 30%. While this isn't a huge difference, it's large enough to be concerned.
Source: http://firstsecurityfinancialshow.com/blog/bid/142483/Women-Taking-the-Wheel
Casualty of War: Part I
Bill Moyers interviews former talk show host Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro on the true cost of war and their documentary, BODY OF WAR, depicting the moving story of one veteran dealing with the aftermath of war. With extensive excerpts from the film, the filmmakers talk about Iraq war veteran Tomas Young who was shot and paralyzed less than a week into his tour of duty. Three years in the making, BODY OF WAR tells the poignant tale of the young man's journey from joining the service after 9/11 to fight in Afghanistan, to living with devastating wounds after being deployed to Iraq instead.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/oSgAnFsZ4lI/profile.html
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Why Starting Your Career Rurally Makes Sense
You just got your degree all framed and your grad pictures are sent out to all of your friends and family, and now it’s time to take on the job market. You’ve read the articles on interviews and resumes, you are prepared for the “real world” that working stiffs have been telling you about since [...]
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Youngandthrifty/~3/PLcVDHSnfy4/
Bill T. Jones, Part 2
At the close of Lincoln's bicentennial year, Bill Moyers Journal takes a unique look at the 16th President. Moyers speaks with critically acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones about his creative process, his insights into Lincoln, and how dance can give us fresh perspective on America's most-studied president.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/cmlSQODmyRs/watch2.html
Rise in Offshore Spills Raises Wider Questions on Drilling
The catastrophe unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico has been portrayed as a one-of-a-kind disaster, a perfect storm of bad equipment, bad planning and bad luck.
But it’s far from the only spill that’s taken place this year – or even the only spill occurring in the Gulf right now.
On June 7, the Mobile Press-Register reported that the Ocean Saratoga rig has been leaking into the Gulf since April 30. Interior Department spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff confirmed the next day that “small amounts of oil” were leaking from the wells beneath the rig, about 10 miles from Louisiana’s southeastern coast.
Taylor Energy, the well’s owner, said in a statement that it was engaged in an “ongoing well intervention plan” with the government to fix damage caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and that no significant new spill had occurred.
The Deepwater Horizon isn’t the only recent spill for BP, either. On May 25, according to Reuters, an accident on the Trans-Alaska pipeline spilled thousands of barrels of oil and forced the pipeline to be shut down for more than three days. BP is the largest owner of the pipeline operator, controlling 47 percent. (Read our story about BP’s troubled history in Alaska and its other U.S. operations.)
In addition, there was the Jan. 24 spill in Port Arthur, Texas, when an Exxon-Mobil tanker collided with an outgoing vessel and dumped nearly half a million gallons of oil into the Gulf.
If it seems as if oil spills – and particularly offshore spills in US. waters – are on the rise, that’s because they are.
A USA Today analysis of federal data found that spills from offshore oil rigs and pipelines have more than quadrupled in the last decade. From the 1970s to 1990s, offshore facilities averaged four spills per year of more than 50 barrels. From 2000 to 2009, the annual average soared to 17.
The report also found that the rate of oil being spilled was increasing faster than the growth in production. From USA Today:
In the 1980s, an average of about 2,900 barrels of oil and other toxic chemicals spilled a year. That figure rose to more than 4,400 in the 1990s and to more than 6,100 in the 2000s. Offshore oil production increased during that time, but the rate of barrels spilled per barrels produced continued to increase.
The company with the most spills in the last decade was BP, which had reported 23 spills of over 50 barrels without counting the Deepwater Horizon blowout.
Why are offshore oil facilities spilling more in recent years than they have in the past?
One possibility is that regulators haven’t been able to keep up with the surge in offshore drilling. The Washington Post reported Thursday morning that the Minerals Management Service has only seven more inspectors now that it did in 1985, even as offshore drilling projects have skyrocketed. From the Post:
Although the number of exploration rigs soared and the number of deep-water oil-producing projects grew more than tenfold from 1988 to 2008, the number of federal inspectors working for the Minerals Management Service has increased only 13 percent since 1985.
A message left for MMS this morning has not been returned.
Stefan Mrozewski, a drilling engineer with Columbia University’s Borehole Research Group and a former oil industry employee who once worked on the Deepwater Horizon, said the increase may in fact be driven by a very different dynamic – better voluntary reporting of spills by the industry.
Oil companies and service companies in the Gulf of Mexico “have – at least over the past 10 years – been extremely conscientious about report [sic] spills, incidents, hazards, etc,” wrote Mrozewski in an e-mail. “I would venture that the same attitude did not prevail in the 90s, and certainly not in the 70s.”
David Miller of the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association for the oil and gas industry, said that offshore drilling was heavily regulated by the government, citing the MMS’s extensive guidelines for deepwater drilling.
“There’s quite a few regulations that the industry has to follow to be in compliance with the MMS,” said Miller.
Another possibility is that oil is simply harder to reach now – that increased consumption has led companies to turn to deeper waters and riskier procedures to satisfy the ever-expanding demand for energy.
“While the point of “peak oil” may or may not have been reached, what Michael Klare, a professor at Hampshire College, has dubbed the Age of Tough Oil has clearly begun,” wrote the New Yorker’s Elizabeth Kolbert on May 31.
Source: http://feeds.propublica.org/~r/propublica/energy-environment/~3/A6XyTCX78yQ/
Robert Kuttner and Matt Taibbi
Amidst fading hopes for real reform on issues ranging from high finance to health care, economist Robert Kuttner and journalist Matt Taibbi join Bill Moyers to discuss Wall Street's power over the federal government.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/0R2wEiSLwoc/profile.html
Galleon Chief and Associate Indicted in Insider Case
Raj Rajaratnam of the Galleon Group and Danielle Chiesie, an ex-Bear Stearns manager, are accused of operating at the center of a vast insider trading ring.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/business/16insider.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
jpmorgan: Hey @steph_hay Cool to see you quoted on TechCrunch…had no idea what you are doing. Glad to see you're doing well!
jpmorgan: Hey @steph_hay Cool to see you quoted on TechCrunch…had no idea what you are doing. Glad to see you're doing well!
Source: http://twitter.com/jpmorgan/statuses/203317829959811072
Charitable Giving Declines Among Main Street Investors
Author(s):
Adriana Reyneri
What factors are driving these trends in charitable giving? Hard times are the primary factor behind a decrease in giving among these Main Street Americans, who have $100,000 or less in investable assets. More than 97 percent of those who say they have reduced their charitable giving cite the statement, “I can’t afford to give as much. My discretionary income is down.”
A small share of Main Street investors doesn’t feel it’s their responsibility to help others in an economic downturn. About 6 percent cited the statement, “Everyone needs to help themselves in a recession.”
Six percent also agreed with the statement, “the government should be stepping in, not private individuals.” Roughly one-fourth of Main Street investors does not give to charity.
In comparison, Main Street investors who are giving more since the start of the recession appear to be more sympathetic to the plight of less fortunate Americans. Growing need emerges as the dominant factor prompting those Main Street investors who have increased their levels of charitable giving.
More than 45 percent cite the statement, “Many charities are facing increased demand for services and decreased funding.” More than one-third say they are giving more because they can afford to, citing the statement “my finances have not been significantly impacted by the recession.”
Increased awareness of others’ misfortunes has motivated more than one-third of Main Street investors to give more. They cite the statement “I’ve become more empathetic to people in need.” (Other studies find that tax write-offs motivate much of charitable giving in the U.S.)
Charitable giving trends vary by wealth levels, according to Millionaire Corner research that shows a significant share of extremely high net worth investors are worried about using their wealth to help others.
Rough 117 million U.S. households gave to charity last year, according to a special report from The Nonprofit Times. Giving among these households rose 1.9 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars from 2010 and accounted for 73 percent of the more than $298 trillion donated to charity last year. Charitable giving from all sources, including corporations, estates and foundations, rose nearly 1 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars.
Related Content:
Charitable Gift Funds Can Save Time and Taxes
A Way to Give Back: Charitable Gift Annuities
Source: http://www.millionairecorner.com/article/charitable-giving-declines-among-main-street-investors
LA Times reports CA Parks $54 million CAFR surplus; Director resigns, #2 fired
The Los Angeles Times reported California’s Department of Parks and Recreation tried to hide $54 million in account surpluses while claiming a $22 million budget deficit would “force” 70 park closures. Director Ruth Coleman resigned; second-in-command Michael Harris was fired. … Continue reading
LA Times reports CA Parks $54 million CAFR surplus; Director resigns, #2 fired was originally published on Washington's Blog
Traces of the Trade
The JOURNAL previews P.O.V.'s TRACES OF THE TRADE
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/E_ifu8WqlpE/watch.html
Money and the News
A Bill Moyers Essay.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/jAvi-as14EE/profile2.html
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Bullish Trends Remain Intact
Video covers stocks, bonds, and commodities, with a focus on trends, support, and DeMark. ETFs: SLV, GLD, VEU, FXE, TLT, SPY, DBC, VXX, and VEU. Charts as of July 13, 2012.
After you click play, use the button in the lower-right corner of the video player to view in full-screen mode. Hit Esc to exit [...]
After you click play, use the button in the lower-right corner of the video player to view in full-screen mode. Hit Esc to exit [...]
Source: http://ciovaccocapital.com/wordpress/index.php/technical-analysis/bullish-trends-remain-intact/
Take Home the Gold: How to Invest in Olympic Collectibles
Filed under: Investing, Investment, Features
The Olympics are a magical time, when people from around the world gather to celebrate togetherness, fellowship and competition. And, amid the tidal wave of nationalism and internationalism, striving and admiring, Olympic watchers around the world will also join in another biennial ritual: the purchase of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of limited-edition, Olympic-branded pins, stuffed animals, T-shirts, medallions, and Wheaties boxes. Yes, that's right: Olympics souvenir season is upon us.In theory, at least, Olympic mementos seem like a good investment. After all, there will be only one 2012 London Olympics, and the special souvenirs created for the occasion will never be made again. But how much of this Olympic swag is truly limited edition, and more importantly, how much of it will actually increase in value over the years?
Not much, says Ingrid O'Neil, a California-based sports memorabilia dealer who specializes in Olympic collectibles. "If you are at the games, you want to get souvenirs," she says. "But because so many are made, they're not a good investment."
An Olympic Markup
One of the biggest culprits is Olympic pins. The colorful enamel pendants may seem like an inexpensive investment, but O'Neil warns that a full set of pins can cost upwards of $20,000. Worse, their values drop sharply after the games end. For example, the official Olympic Shop for Team USA is charging between $7 and $12 for London Olympics pins. By comparison, the same site is selling pins for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics for as little as 79 cents -- 90% off their pre-Olympics price.
As an added problem, there's the fact that Olympic souvenirs don't hold their value, at least not initially. "The prices on Olympic memorabilia are highest during the games, but go down soon afterward," O'Neil explains. "If you're looking for an investment, don't buy now -- prices will hit bottom six to 12 months after the games."
The Best Things to Buy
Assuming you can curb your Olympic fever until 2013, O'Neil cautions that the best investments are not mass-marketed items like pins and stuffed mascot toys, but rather things that aren't sold in stores, like Olympic torches and winners' medals. These items, while rare, are not impossible to find, and are likely to rise quickly in value.
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Olympic torches, for example, seem particularly valued -- and there isn't just one torch for each Olympic games: There are thousands. This year, people who are participating in the torch relay before the games have been given the opportunity to buy their torches for $340, less than half the price that it cost to manufacture them. Many have already turned around and put them up for sale. For a brief period, bids on torches topped $170,000, but they have recently come down to earth -- as of this writing, eBay's top price for a London torch is $19,448.75.Then again, as with anything else from the games, the price of torches is sure to come down, at least in the short term. Still, they with prices starting at $1,099 for a torch from the Vancouver Games or $4,000 for a 2008 Beijing Games torch, it looks like Olympic torches are likely to be worthwhile investments in the long term.
Olympic Gold
Of course, the ultimate prize for any collector -- or competitor, for that matter -- is Olympic gold. But, in terms of their base value, Olympic medals aren't worth all that much: the "gold" medal is mostly silver, with about six grams of gold plating added on. All told, the top prize has a paper value of $494. The silver medal's composition is almost exactly the same as the gold, minus the plating, and is worth $260. A bronze medal, melted down, is only worth about $3.
Those are the basic scrap metal prices. But new medals are designed for each game, which makes them limited edition artworks. And after they're awarded, their prices begin to vary wildly. To begin with, gold medal winners are generally loath to sell their hard-won awards -- in fact, according to one expert, there are only about 20 Olympic gold medals on the open market. So, not surprisingly, when they go up for sale, the price is high. For example, in 2004, Polish swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak decided to sell her gold medal to help a charity that worked with children who have leukemia. The sale netted over $82,000.
Sale prices go even higher when the medal has a story. For example, when Mark Wells, a member of the 1980 U.S. hockey "Miracle on Ice" team, sold his gold medal, it fetched over $310,000. Then again, the story doesn't always sell: When Tommie Smith -- the 1968 Olympian who got in trouble for flashing the "black power" salute on the awards dais -- tried to auction his medal in 2010, he set the minimum bid at $250,000. He didn't have any takers.
Ultimately, O'Neil says, the key to investing in Olympic memorabilia lies in figuring out a specific area that you love and learning as much as you can about it. Twenty years ago, she notes, Olympic collectors often didn't distinguish between common items and those with real value. Today, however, collectors have become more educated. On the down side, this means that the chances happening upon a lucky find are infinitesimal. On the bright side, it means that items of real value are likely to maintain their value for the long haul. And, who knows -- with a little bit of luck, you might be able to chance upon an under-priced torch or rare medal.
Bruce Watson is a senior features writer for DailyFinance. You can reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or follow him on Twitter at@bruce1971.
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Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/07/02/how-to-invest-in-olympic-collectibles/
Ultra-Short-Pulse Laser for High Efficiency Cell Concepts
Coherent, Inc. introduces a new laser system – the TaliskerTM – optimized for next-generation high-efficiency solar cell manufacturing, and designed as a drop-in, turn-key tool for both production line equipment suppliers and cell manufacturers.
Traditionally, laser scribers for Edge Isolation, Laser Grooved Buried Contacts, and Wrap-Through hole drilling have had to rely upon lasers operating with [...]
Traditionally, laser scribers for Edge Isolation, Laser Grooved Buried Contacts, and Wrap-Through hole drilling have had to rely upon lasers operating with [...]
Source: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/press/ultra-short-pulse-laser-high-efficiency-cell-concepts/
Celebrate the Slow Thinkers
Many of my friends think of me as a fast thinker, in that many times I have very snappy answers to their quips or stories, but it took me a while to figure out that while I do have a quick mind, my initial ideas and response to most problems that I am confronted with [...]
Celebrate the Slow Thinkers is a post from: Canadian Personal Finance Blog and follow me on twitter as well: Big Cajun Man, daily updates from all over the Blogosphere. Subscribe to my comments feed as well!
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CanadianFinancialStuff/~3/j214-WVFXGg/
Karen Armstrong, Part II
With economic, political, and social strife across the globe, prominent religious scholar Karen Armstrong discusses our human commonalities and her work on an international charter for compassion. The renowned author of The Battle for God and The Bible: A Biography, Armstrong is a 2008 recipient of the coveted TED Prize. In a distinguished career encompassing time as a Roman Catholic nun, an academic, and a television broadcaster, Armstrong has become one of the world's foremost commentators on religious affairs, who first drew attention with her critically-acclaimed book Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/kSiwC9KIlMw/watch.html
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