Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:11:33 GMT

When the Plan's Not Right

© Cale Bruckner


Things don"t always go as planned. So what do you do when your planning is off? Entrepreneur.com recently had some suggestions....I"ve said many times that what really matters in business planning is the planning, not just the plan. This time around I"d like to go into more detail about that moment of truth when you"re working your plan, time has passed, but the plan is out of synch with reality. What do you do then?Author Tim Berry goes on to look at the three steps that can get your plan back on track with reality. Posted by: Sue      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:48:20 GMT

Meandering and Mingling at Art Off The Lot

Art Off the Lot, hosted by The Cryptic Canvas, took place this past weekend.

Brightening what was once a Chrysler dealership at 1030 King Street West, the 75 all-Canadian artist show was a "pay what you can" event with a recommended donation of five dollars. Happy to pay the fiver, I took full opportunity to admire the paintings, sculpture, photographs, and chat up the artists. Posted by: Guest Contributor      Read more     Source

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:34:46 GMT

Remington Cool Style Hair Dryer

Under $20 Holiday Gift Idea!

A few days ago while I was in Target I stumpled upon this new hair dryer from Remington"s Cool Style Limited Edition line of hair tools. This super cute, lightweight leopard printed hair dryer is perfect for basic hair drying needs.

This new line is available exclusively at Target stores and online.

It"s also a great gift idea for those that are young and just starting to do their own hair, or the young at heart! Remember, the gift of great hair is the gift that keeps giving.... - RLB
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Posted by: Palacinka Beauty      Read more     Source

November 10, 2009, 10:41 PM CT

Canada Real Estate

Due to its positioning in the developed region of North America, Canada real estate investment is a profitable proposition. Canada gives great focus to the interests of both buyers and sellers of the property. This often involves a complex process of documentation which should be diligently followed.

Canada Real Estate Investment Process

You should get the pre approval if you wish to take a loan in Canada for investing in real estate. At one end, this pre approval provides you an estimate of the loan that you qualify. At the other, it also gives the seller a lot of confidence in your ability to buy the property. This way, you save your time by looking for only such property which you can afford to buy with the pre approved loan.

Once you have this approval, you should take the following steps:

• Find a licensed real estate agent who can understand your budget and the kind of property you intend to buy. The agent would help you in preparing and submitting the purchase offer as well as in negotiating with the seller.
• If you are buying the property in Quebec, you would also require taking the services of a lawyer or a notary. The notary or lawyer would ensure your legal interests.
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Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

November 10, 2009, 10:22 PM CT

Credit Card Debt

It is not a hidden fact anymore that a significant population in the US is under huge credit card debt. One of the prominent reasons for the debt is attributed to the "card factor." That is, when we use real money for shopping, we see the money exchange hands, which helps keep tabs on our overspending. With cards, however, there is no visual money exchange, making us oblivious of the money that we have spent.

Does that mean we should refrain from using the plastic card? Well, card issuers will certainly argue otherwise. However, the fact is that there are hardly any benefits of using them, except that the creditors become richer. Now, there is no use crying over spilt milk!

So, considering one has incurred huge credit card debt over the years, what options does one have? The available options include credit card debt settlement, debt consolidation, card balance transfer and bankruptcy. One of the best options among them is credit card debt settlement or debt negotiation. Credit counsellors usually recommend this option when the amount due is significantly greater than what one can pay. In this method, debt settlement professionals negotiate with the creditors to decrease the client's due amount and decide on a new balance amount and payment plan. This option helps reduce debt by almost 40 percent. ........ Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:30:22 GMT

Google Voice Faces FCC Scrutiny

© Todd Kravos


Does the new Google Voice app compete with AT&T? AT&T seems to think so, and they want the rules that apply to them to also apply to Google. And it"s written the Federal Communications Commission about it.

The FCC is looking in to it.

Lots of people are talking about the story: Mashable
VentureBeat, TechCrunch (VentureBeat and here), the VentureBeat.

The short version is this.... Google Voice is blocking calls to some rural locations. Phone companies aren"t allowed to do that (something AT&T has learned first hand). Google says it"s not a phone company. Google says the Google Voice application isn"t even a public feature yet, since it"s by invitation only.

I asked for an inivtation to Google Voice. I had one in a day or two and quickly found out that every number that was available to me in my rural area of Appalachia was long distance - and, thus, useless.

The FCC has asked some specific questions. Google has tried to make this a Net Neutrality issue (which most commentators see as a stretch). It will be interesting to see where the FCC goes with this.
Posted by: Nancy      Read more     Source

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:24:57 GMT

TVis err.... rather dull.

Flip are famed for their cheeky little video cameras which produce suprisingly good results; but apparently for parent company Cisco, this is definitely not enough. As such, they are expanding into the digital media player biz, with the FlipShareTV, a wireless little player for programming recorded by the Flipshare PC application. So, er.... it does pretty much the same as half the media players out on the market? Yawn? Posted by: Linda      Read more     Source

November 5, 2009, 8:48 AM CT

Discrimination against Black women

Racial discrimination is a major threat to African American women's mental health. It undermines their view of themselves as masters of their own life circumstances and makes them less psychologically resilient and more prone to depression. These findings (1) by Dr. Verna Keith, from Florida State University in the US and her colleagues, are published online in Springer's journal Sex Roles

Dr. Keith and her team used data from the National Survey of American Life: Coping with Stress in the 21st Century to analyze the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among 2,300 African American adult women. They also looked at whether personal mastery the belief that one can control important circumstances affecting one's life explained the intensity of the women's psychological response to discrimination, and whether experiences of discrimination differed by skin complexion. The effects of age and education were also assessed.

African American women who viewed themselves as being able to exercise some control over their life circumstances reported fewer depressive symptoms. Women who were subjected to higher levels of unfair therapy experienced more depressive symptoms, in part, because day-to-day discrimination undermined their overall confidence in their ability to manage life challenges, leaving them feeling powerless and depressed......... Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

November 4, 2009, 8:08 AM CT

Shift in Senior Voting Bloc

The majority of people aged 65 and over cast ballots for John McCain in 2008, but older voters will not necessarily favor Republicans in future presidential elections, as per an article in the latest issue of The Gerontologist (Vol. 49, No. 5).

Author Robert Binstock, PhD, a renowned authority on seniors' voting patterns, analyzed data from the 2008 national Election Day exit poll conducted by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International, which was financed by major television networks, newspapers, and magazines.

Older people were in fact the only age group to give a majority to McCain. It was just the second time in the last 10 presidential elections, the article points out, that this population segment failed to choose the winner.

"Factors other than old-age policy issues - in particular, the partisan leanings of current older voters, the candidates' contrasting ages, and the candidates' contrasting racial identities - shed some light on why McCain received distinctive majorities from various cohorts of older voters," Binstock said.

The polling numbers show that 54 percent of voters aged 65 to 74 endorsed McCain in 2008. Binstock noted that those in this demographic were socialized to politics as youngsters during Republican Dwight Eisenhower's presidency......... Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source

November 2, 2009, 11:16 PM CT

When to Replace Running Shoes

Running shoes are the most important piece of equipment any runner owns and are a crucial requirement for an athlete's sustaining performance and reducing injury risk. However, even the best shoes have a limited lifespan; running shoes, like everything else, don't last forever. Normal wear and tear will eventually break down any running shoe, but how do you know when it's time for replacement?

Factors to Consider While Replacing Running Shoes

Here are some important points to consider when deciding to replace your shoes:

• Mileage: Like cars, running shoes usually need to be replaced after a certain amount of mileage. While this varies from person to person and shoe to shoe, the generally accepted range is between 300 and 500 miles.
• Running style: Every individual has a unique running style and different body type that impacts the shoe differently. Runners with larger body frames or heavier footfalls may wear shoes out much faster than a lighter runner.
• Running surface: The type of surface also affects the durability of a shoe. Hard surfaces like roads and sidewalks will cause shoes to break down faster than grass, trails, or rubberized tracks.
• Midsole wear: The most important part of a shoe is the midsole. The midsole is the heart of a running shoe and provides nearly all of a shoe’s cushioning. Although the outsole of the shoe may look fine, the cushioning of the shoe may have deteriorated. But it isn’t always easy to tell when the cushioning in your shoe is worn out. The easiest way is by feel: if you experience any pain, or the shoes just “don’t feel right” it may be time for a new shoe. Creases or cracks in the midsole are also a good indicator of compromised cushioning.
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Posted by: Ethen      Read more         Source