Text-Expanders to increase your efficiency?

I was introduced to the idea of a "text expander" at work.   I am not sure I would be able to use it for "everyday" type of activities, but if you have any phrases or pieces of information that you repetitively type, then you may find it useful.

Here are some options that I ran into while using Google.  Disclaimer: I have not personally evaluate or installed any of the programs.

Windows:

• Shortcut (http://www.sylvansoft.com/shortcut.htm)
• Shorthand (http://www65.pair.com/lim/shorthand/)
• ShortKeys ( http://www.shortkeys.com/)

Mac OS

• TextExpander for Mac (http://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/)
• Spell Catcher (http://www.rainmakerinc.com/products/spellcatcherx/)
• TypeIt4Me (http://www.ettoresoftware.com/products/typeit4me/)
• Typinator (http://www.ergonis.com/products/typinator/)

If anyone has experience with these, please let me know.

AAA Westways - Travel Resolutions for 2011

I like this!   In reviewing a recent issue of Westways (the magazine for AAA members), here are some travel resolutions for 2011 by Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman:

• Participate in a community service project sometime during my trip
• Seek out a learning experience during a trip
• Let the kids plan a complete day of activities on our next family vacation
• Learn to travel with only carry-on luggage
• Build a relationship with a good travel agent
• Spend more time in sidewalk cafes

For more details, click here for the on-line entry.

Sunset Magazine - Zero-waste home

Interesting.  The January 2011 Sunset Magazine had an article about a family in Northern California.

Even thought it is not absolutely "zero-waste" but they are nearly zero-waste.  It is always important to balance "needs" and "wants" and this is a reminder that simpler is better and that having more "things" is not necessarily important or needed.

Click here to read the on-line version of this article.

Sunset Magazine - 30 Vegetarian recipes

I still am getting Sunset Magazine for free (I am not sure how long that will last).  In the December 2010 issue, there was a link for vegetarian recipes.  If you are interested, click here.

Sunset Magazine - 10 hideaways that press "pause"

I also am getting Sunset Magazine and in a recent issue there were 10 places that press the "pause" button in our lives. Sometimes it is so very hard to really get away from everything.

Click here to be taken to the online article.  The 10 places are as follows:

• The View Hotel at Monument Valley, AZ
• Sacred Sands at Joshua Tree, CA
• Hotelito Desconocido at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
• Spooner Lake at Lake Tahoe, NV
• Hacienda Corona de Guevavi near Tubac, AZ
• Rolling Huts at Methow Valley, WA
• Never Summer Nordic near Walden, CO
• Mt. Hood Bed and Breakfast at Mt. Hood, OR
• Mar Vista Cottages at Mendocino Coast, CA
• Bamboo Retreats at Los Angeles, CA

Money Magazine - Manage your money like a Man...or a Woman

If you have been following my blog, you know that I am receiving Money Magazine for free.  In the November 2010 issue, there was a feature on how to manage your money depending on which sex/gender you are.

The online version has 13 strategies for each gender.  It probably does not hurt to read both.

• Click here to read how to manage money like a man
• Click here to read how to manage money like a woman

To subscribe to Money Magazine, click here for 1-year with auto-renewal

Time Magazine: 50 Best Inventions for 2010

If you have been reading my blog, you will know that I am still receiving Time Magazine for free.  In a recent issue, it has a listing of 50 of the best inventions for 2010.

I think it is a quick and interesting read on things that have been developed.

Click here to be taken to the article.

To subscribe to Time Magazine for 1 year with auto-renewal, click here.

Visit? Dana Point Bluff Top Trail

If you have been reading my blog, you can see that I am scheduled to receive Sunset Magazine through December 2010.

In a recent issue, there was an "Editor's Pick" with Dana Point as a place to "Walk off the Turkey"

Click here to be taken to Dana Point's site and additional information.

To subscribe to Sunset Magazine for 1-year with auto-renewal, click here.

All about productivity and efficiency

Tagging onto my previous post from Inc. Magazine (disclaimer that I am getting it for free at this time) and their website about organization in the office (which I would include both home and at "work").

They also have a section on their website about "How to Create a Productive Office Environment."  The highlights include:

• Heating and Cooling
• Open vs. Closed
• Flexibility
• Sustainability
• Ergonomics
• Technology
• Style

For more details or to read more, click here.

To subscribe to Inc. Magazine for 1 year with auto-renewal, click here.

Inc. Magazine: Organize your office/workspace

I am currently receiving Inc. Magazine for free.  In the most recent issue I found links to their website that helps with organizing workspaces.

Highlights include:

• Categories of organizing (paper, stuff, electronic documents, space, time)
• Measuring productivity
• Sources of clutter
• Value of a personal assistant
• Adjusting to a home office
• Common mistakes
• Tools
• Resources

Of note, one of the things that they mention that will help is the Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner.  I own two of these (one for home and one for work). The Rack2Filer program is very intuitive.

Click here to read more on Inc.'s website.

To subscribe to Inc. Magazine for 1 year with auto-renewal, click here.

LATimes.com: Extending the shelf life of frequent-flier miles

I like reading David Lazarus' columns.  I do not currently subscribe to the Los Angeles Times, but every once in a while I come across a copy.

In the October 15, 2010 issue, he discusses what to do with airline miles and extend the "life" of the miles without them expiring (and you losing them).  Some of the options include:

• Flying somewhere
• Buying miles
• Buying non-miles-merchandise on-line / Subscribing
• Viewing promotional videos and responding to surveys
• Take on-line surveys
• Gifting/Transfer miles (usually for a fee)

Click here to go to LATimes to get more details.

Joel Stein: Space Invaders

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have been receiving Time Magazine for free (well, without charge).  According to the label (if I read it correctly), it looks like I will be getting it until May 2011.

Recently, I linked to a previous Time article on bedbugs and now Joel (who usually has the last article in the magazine) also mentions them.  

Click here to read his humorous column.

To subscribe to Time Magazine, click here for 1-year with auto-renewal.

AAA Westways: Connecting with Kin / Calico Ghost Town

I had an earlier post as part of my "Visit?" series about going to Calico Ghost town.

In the recent issue of Westways Magazine which is published by the Automobile Club of Southern California, there was a short feature on a family's annual reunion to Calico Ghost Town.

This family has been doing this for 30 years and they have some tips including the following:

• Begin planning early
• Discuss the budget
• Plan something for each age group
• Bring family photos
• Relax and enjoy yourself

For more details, click here to go to the article

AAA Westways: Ways to Gather (for family reunions and groups)

In a recent issue of Westways which is published by the Automobile Club of Southern California, there was a feature that claims "The best destination family reunions offer quality time together - and apart"

They offer these recommendations (and of course a AAA Travel Agent can help):

• Take a cruise (all-inclusive or nearly so)
• Stay at a Resort or Ranch
• Plan a Disney Vacation
• Go Camping

They also suggest some strategies for success:

• Schedule time together
• Enlist a travel agent
• Make family reunion t-shirts
• Take a group picture
• Make the memories last

To read more, click here to be taken to AAA's website.

ING Compare Me / Money: Seven Secrets to a Richer Retirement

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have been getting Money Magazine for free (still).  In a recent issue, they were covering the retirement.  They had a couple things that were interesting including referencing ING's Compare Me website.  You can enter your age, your income, and how much you have saved.  It looks like more than 154,000 people have registered.

They also went through the Seven (7) Secrets to a Richer Retirement which include:

• Get a good picture of the future you
• Try to beat the other guy
• Use reminders and checklists
• Think bite-size pieces, not whole enchilada
• Make friends with an annuity
• Take losses in stride
• Protect the future you

Click here to go to INGCompareMe.com

To view the above in more detail, click here to go to their website.

To subscribe to Money Magazine, click here for 1-year auto-renewal

NFL Women's Merchandise

I guess the NFL has launched a website just for women.  Women account for 44 percent of their fan base.  They are targeting merchandise that can be purchased for use at games or at any other venue.

They have a fairly slick website, and on quick review all of it can still be purchased on the main NFL shopping site.

Support me by clicking on my Upromise link.  Click on the "See Deals and Shop" button and then type nfl.com on the search window.

Time.com: This really sucks

Recently I have been going on anywhere between two and four trips per year.  I have friends who easily do that in any given month.

If you have been reading my blog, I am still getting Time Magazine for free.  In a quick skim of the current issue, there is an article covering the recent conference in Chicago about bedbugs.  I have been lucky, but I probably need to be more careful.

Click here to read the article on Time.com

Click here to see pictures of the bedbugs

To subscribe to Time magazine, click here for 1 year with auto-renewal:

Fry's Lenovo H215 0893 1AU computer deal

Here is a pretty good deal until 9/30/10.  Fry's electronics has a special on the lenovo H215 0893 1AU system.  On Amazon, a similar system is going for $359.99 and on eBay, it is going for about $400.

Until 9/30/10 you can get a system for $299.99 after $30 in instant savings.  Here are the specs:

• AMD Athlon II x2  at 2.7
• 2 GB RAM
• 320 GB hard drive
• DVD-RW
• 16 in 1 media card reader
• 6 USB Drives
• Windows 7 Home Premium 32
• 1 year basic warranty

It is basic computing if you need it.  

Click here to go to Frys.com It says that you can only have one per customer.

The following is to buy from Amazon.com

Nice electricity storage solution: pump water up hill

In this Forbes article (which I still get the magazine for free) by Jonathan Fahey, he talks about the perennial problem of renewable energy sources.  The problem whether it be wind or solar is how do you store it and provide it on a regular, nearly continuous basis?

The solution in this article is to pump water 1,200 feet up when a lot of electricity is being produced and then when it is needed, the pump would become a generator that produces up to 400 megawatts.  This would require building two lakes that each could hold 1.5 billion gallons of water.

There is a 20 percent frictional loss because you spend 5 kilowatt-hours to get 4 kilowatt-hours back.

Click here to read more about this.

To subscribe to Forbes, click here for 1 year or 2 years

AAA: Keep your old car or trade it for a new one?

In this AAA article titled "Keep It or Dump It?" Peter Bohr tackles the mind battle all of us grapple with when deciding how much longer to keep our current cars.

Here are the common reasons rationalize buying a new car:

• Too much hassle (too many trips to the mechanic, etc...)
• Too unattractive
• Too few of the latest bells and whistles
• Too fuelish

To tread the whole article, click here

Time: Big Brother is Watching

Just going through the most recent Time magazine that I am still getting for free.

I guess government agents can plant a GPS device on your car while it is parked on your driveway.  If you had a gate or a no-trespassing sign, then maybe that can't....

Click here to read more on Yahoo! (article originally by Time)

Click here to subscribe to Time Magazine for 1 year with auto-renewal

Time.com: Nightmare on Bedbug Street

Yikes!  I am glad I do not travel as much as I already do.  I wish my family and all of you readers will never get a problem with bedbugs.

Inspect all crevices for the small reddish-brown bugs and their ink-like streaks of their droppings.

Click here to be taken to Time.com's feature on this topic.

I am still receiving Time magazine for free.  To subscribe to Time magazine for 1 year with auto-renewal, click here.

5 investing bubbles?

In this small piece on Yahoo! Finance which is actually from CNNMoney.com, they discuss five possible investing bubbles and each of their brief rationale.  They are as follows:

• China economy (yes)
• United States Treasury Bonds (no)
• Pure-Play Shale Rock Company Stocks (yes)
• Cotton (minor yes)
• Gold (yes)

Would I short any of these?  Probably no.  

 

Would I take money off the table if I had significant investments in them? Yes.

 

Would I hedge against them if I had significant investments in them? Yes.

 

For more details, click here to go to CNNMoney's website.

Click on the following link to subscribe to Money Magazine for 1 year with auto-renewal.

Raise the price of gasoline? By taxes?

If you have been tracking my blog, you know that I have been receiving Time Magazine for free.  There was an editorial by Michael Mandelbaum which argues that the Obama administration should reduce the influence that oil-rich countries has by reducing usage.  The best way to do this is by raising the price of gasoline with a tax.

I have mixed feelings about this, but I think that whether someone takes action or not, eventually the price of energy will go higher.  Eventually demand will outstrip supply and prices will rise.  I see him arguing to keep the money in the United States and not sending it to the other countries.

To read the whole "Viewpoint," click here.

You can subscribe to Time Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Visit? Calico Ghost Town

We have driven by the signs near Yermo, California trying to lure people to visit the Calico Ghost Town.  Since it is in the desert, it looks like the summer is not the best time to visit.

I think at some point, we will visit this place.  It is a fair distance from the main part of southern California. Feel free to use your favorite mapping website to find out.

Here are some key points when perusing their website:

• It looks like they are open mainly on Fridays through Sundays.  There are several areas that are closed Monday through Thursdays.
• Most of their special events are based on the scholastic calendar from about September to May.
• Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 5 to 16 years.  It is free for children 4 years of age and younger.
• They have areas for camping in bunkhouses and for those with motorhomes.  The mini-bunkhouse can sleep six and has a private kitchenette and its own bathroom.  The regular bunkhouse sleeps up to 20 people and is $5 per person with a minimum charge of $60 per night.
• They have many attractions including a train.
• There are trails and areas for exploring with your Off-Highway Vehicles.

For more information, visit their website by clicking here.

To view posters and books about Calico Ghost Town that can be purchased at Amazon, click here.

Tips for Raising Money-Smart Kids

In the current USAWeekend money feature, Jean Chatzky, gave five tips for raising "money-smart" kids.  Chatzky is an financial expert and author of many books including Not Your Parents' Money Book.

The five tips include:

• Give children money to manage
• Offer incentives for saving
• Strongly encourage work
• Talk about money
• Let them fail

To view details and to read the feature on-line, then click here.

To go to Amazon.com to look at other books by Chatzky, click here.

Zotac MAG - Interesting gadget (or toy)

Okay.  Here is a very interesting item that looks very inviting to "play" with.

It is called the Zotac MAG and what they have done is put some hardware together in what looks like a very small box that measures 7.4" x 1.5" by 7.3" and weights 3 pounds.  Here are some key points:

• It can be placed on its side or even mounted to the back of a monitor
• It comes with a dual-core Atom processor (most of the "netbook" computers only have a single)
• 2 GB of DDR2-800 memory
• A separate NVDIA graphic processor (most devices have integrated processors)
• Plenty of connections: eSATA, 6 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, VGA, HDMI (!), WiFi, SD/MS/MS Pro/xD card reader, etc.
• 160GB hard drive
• Does not come with any OS (reports you can install Windows 7, XP, Vista, 32-bit, 64-bit, or Linux)
• It does not come with a CD/DVD drive.  You would need to load the OS directly off the internet or via USB thumb drive or other external drive.

For the size/form factor, this has all the features you would want to run most basic operations on a computer.  With the dual core, you may be able to even run some minor graphics programs.  This probably is not built for video editing.

If you are interested in buying this item, you can buy the Zotac MAG from Amazon with this link.

Routines help with a child's anxiety?

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I am still receiving Time Magazine for free.  There was a short feature in their Child Behavior section that discussed a study by Timothy Monk who is at the University of Pittsburgh.

Parents of 59 babies were interviewed over the course of about 13 years.  Timothy Monk found that babies were had routines at one month of age were less likely to be anxious at 10 years of age.

It is a little late for us now since all of our children are well passed the age of one month.

Click here to be taken to Time's website where they have this article.  They do not have the whole thing because they want you to pick up the current issue or subscribe via the iPad app.

You can go to the "PittChronicle" and read a little bit more by clicking here.

Click here to subscribe for 1 year or 2 years.

Building a Better Playground - Help for the Creativity Crisis?

If you have been reading my blog, you should know that I am currently getting Time Magazine for free.

This comes on the tails of a Newsweek article  published last month on the "Creativity Crisis" that we have in the United States which is more from structured activities (static objects like swings and slides don't help).

Click here to view a video on this article.  They want you to go to pick up an actual physical copy or use the iPad app.

For big-ticket items, know when to shop

USAWeekend.com had a short blurb by Peggy J. Noonan on when the best time to shop for big-ticket items.  Here is a summary:

• Cars:  August to September
• Gas grills: September to December
• Lawn mowers: October
• Camcorders, GPS devices, Bicycles: November
• Appliances: December to January
• Exercise equipment: January
• Furniture, Indoor: February
• Televisions, DVD/Blu-ray players: March
• Computers: at the end of each financial quarter (April, June, October, January).  I think they actually mean March, June, September, December?
• Athletic shoes and apparel: May
• Tools: June
• Electronics: June (not sure how this fits with the above Television, Computer categories)
• Furniture, Outdoor: July

For more details, click here to view the entire article.

Jillian Michaels' tips for losing weight

This is from the current USA Weekend issue.  It is a small feature from Jillian Michaels who is a trainer on "The Biggest Loser" television reality series.  To lose weight, it basically comes down to calories out/burned needs to be greater than calories consumed.

How to decrease colories in:

• Don't skip meals
• Don't drink calories
• Try baked or popped snacks
• Order grilled or baked meals
• Go meatless
• Avoid carbs at dinner
• Get a calorie phone app

How to increase calories out:

• Push yourself
• Never rest
• Mix it up
• Get on your feet
• Experiment

To read more about this, click here to read on USAWeekend.com

Secrets of Extreme Savers

In this recent feature by CNNMoney.com it features eight people or families and what they have done in their lives to be able to save a

Their key strategies are at the very core of nearly every "get rich" or "get out of debt" books in print and include the following:

• Avoid debt
• Delay gratification
• Create multiple streams of income
• Live below your means
• Cut down on everyday expenses
• Track your spending
• Live on one salary while bringing in two
• Automate saving

For more details, click here to read the entire feature.

Trade a cell phone (eventually) into a Porsche?

I recently read an article on Yahoo! Finance about a person who over the course of two years made multiple trades off of Craigslist and turned an old cell phone into a used Porsche Boxster.

I applaud his efforts, but here is my point.  It states that he spends five to six hours a day looking for possible trades for two years.  The value of the car was $9,000 and it reports that he later decided to get rid of it because maintenance was too high.

I am just wondering what would have happened if he had just worked for two years and bought the $9,000 car outright?  I know someone reading this will throw in that it is a poor job market and that it would be difficult to get a job, and on and on...   At the Federal Minimum wage of $7.25 per hour at five hours per day and 250 days per year for two years, he would have earned (before taxes of course) $18,125. Of course if someone would be able to get a job paying more than the minimum wage or worked more than 25 hours per week, this amount would be higher.

Was it worth it?

For more details, click here to read the article

If you received $10,000, what would you do with it?

That is one of the questions you are supposed to ask a prospective partner in life to help determine if they tend to be a "saver" or a "spender."

There were a couple of questions listed at the end of an article by Laura Rowley titled "Keeping Finances Separate Can Be Costly" that discussed whether you should keep finances separate as a couple, merge them together, or have a hybrid system.

To read the entire article, click here to be taken to Yahoo! Finance

Spotlight on Dropbox by Forbes magazine

Forbes magazine had a nice overview of Dropbox and what people may use it for. Yeah, I am still getting it for free.  It looks like I will continue receiving it at least until October of this year.

Dropbox is a website that provides free on-line storage of any files for the first 2 GB. You will need to pay a monthly fee for space above that threshold.  The benefit of Dropbox over Google docs is that you can store picture and music files without any problems.  It also has software that will automatically sync/update files that are also on your computer.  So update the computer file and the Dropbox gets updated as well.

Interestingly, someone installed a keylogger (a program usually used by hackers to find out your passwords) on their computer which uploads the keystrokes up to Dropbox.  So if someone steals their computer, the keylogger will upload what the thief is typing.

Some people are also storing their MP3 files in their Dropbox and streaming the files live to their phone.

I am trying to rationalize the need to setup yet another account at another website with another ID/Password combination.

Click here to read the article on Forbes.com

To subscribe to Forbes magazine, click here for 1 year.

Click here to go to Dropbox.

No estate taxes for this billionaire

Yahoo! Finance had this article about Dan L. Duncan who passed away in March 2010.  Because there are no estate taxes for those who pass away in 2010, his full net worth has been passed on to his wife and children.  In any other year, his estate (estimated at $9 billion) would have had to pay up to 45 percent in taxes.

About 5,500 estates are affected each year.  The article reports that Congress is working to reinstate the estate tax for 2010, but up for debate is whether it can retroactively affect those who have passed before it has been reinstated.

Click here to read more on Yahoo! Finance.

It's Easy to Start Enjoying the Benefits...

I received an invitation to get an American Express "Platinum" card in the mail.  It says:

"IT'S EASY TO START ENJOYING THE BENEFITS, REWARDS, AND SERVICES OF THE PLATINUM CARD TODAY"

All for the annual fee of only $450 for the first card, $175 for the next 3 additional cards, and then $175 thereafter for each additional card.

Hmmmmm... not at this time.

Website:  American Express Platinum Card

Wow! This is a tough market. Time to buy more?

If you have even been remotely watching the headlines, the market as measured by the major indices have all been down about 10 percent from the April 2010 highs.  This is where the mind starts playing tricks on you.  Should you sell?  Should you buy?

Logic tells you to buy when things are oversold (like they are now).  Think of it as buying something at a discount.

Here is a huge reason to stay invested or even allocate more of your money into equities.  The Hulbert NASDAQ Newsletter Sentiment Index is a measure how much "market timers" are recommending you invest in NASDAQ stocks.  A few weeks ago (May 4) they were recommending investing up to 80 percent of funds.  The current exposure reading is minus 45 percent .  You read that right.  They recommend shorting the NASDAQ with 45 percent of your funds.  This is a 125 percent shift in two weeks.

Click here to read the MarketWatch article on Yahoo! Finance.

Time to invest in Japan?

In the June 2010 Money Magazine issue, there is a section outlining how Japan's economy will benefit from the successes in China.

You will need to buy the current issue if you want to read all of the details, but here are three ideas on how to invest in Japan.

• VGTSX which has 17% in Japan (Vanguard)
• LLINX which has 30% in Japan (Longleaf Partners International)
• EWJ  which is an exchange-traded fund (iShares)

Click here to subscribe to Money Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Need a Professional Organizer?

I suspect that most people with children have clutter somewhere.

We do, and it is better in some places than others.  I will admit that I personally have made drastic improvements over the past many years.  I was recently reading the Money Magazine article (still getting for free) about organizing your garage and ran across "NAPO" which is an organization representing professional organizers.  I searched a nearby zip code and found a couple members and clicked to their websites for fun and found that they offer free consultations.  Of course, they will probably want charge for actual execution of any plans that result from the consultation.

It is just an option if anyone feels they need help.  The Money Magazine article estimates the cost to be about $200 to $1,000 for their services.  You can also "bribe a neat-freak friend" to help out.

Click here to subscribe to Money Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Other Websites:

• National Association of Professional Organizers
• Restore Order to Your Garage (CNNMoney.com)

Papa Johns lost out tonight

We were going to order pizza, but there is a programming error or something.  Even though they have a special of all large pizzas for $10 and all XL pizzas for $12 right now...

It was not easy or intuitive to get to the specials.  Once we pulled up the pizza, it would not allow us to change the type of crust or remove items.

Oh well...will need to try another day.  

Click here for the PapaJohns website 

Westways: Careening in a Can

In the June 2010 issue of Westways, the magazine for Auto Club members, there was a nice (and interesting) article about one family's "adventure"vacation in an RV.  We have been thinking about renting an RV and using it as a base for a similar "adventure."  With six people in the family, logistics is a little more difficult.

Now as for buying, we are not sure whether we could commit.  Some of the nice entry-level RVs run anywhere from $150k to the high $300s.  It seems to make it not worth it unless you are really going to use it the equivalent of about one weekend each month.  In addition, there is the maintenance on the engine, storage, sun damage, etc., etc.

An alternative is to get a trailer.  There are some nice trailers that can sleep six people and run below $30-40k.  One would need a truck that can handle the towing, maybe a 4x4 or a dually.  A truck could serve a dual purpose of running errands or for commuting as compared with an RV that serves one purpose. The dually would not be as practical for getting around town because of the wide rear axle.  The problem with a truck is that it needs to be able to hold six passengers and tow a decent sized trailer.

I am sure there are benefits with having a single electrical system in an RV, but the cost of a nice truck and trailer is much less than an RV.

Bottom line: not ready for an RV or a trailer/truck combination.

Click here to read the whole article.

Update:

I guess there are some Class C motorhomes that are priced between $75k to $100k that can sleep up to eight people at a time.  This may be an option in the future.

LATimes.com: Payday lenders sink loan limits

Here is another piece by David Lazarus on how Payday lenders are able to continue charging customers over 400% per year in interest.

Click here to read more.

Forbes: The Bicycle Economy

Here is another article in Forbes Magazine in their "Creative Giving" section about minimizing costs to fulfill needs that help drive economies.

In the May 10, 2010 issue, this article follows Frederick K.W. Day who helped co-found bicycle-component making company called "Sram."  He formed a foundation that built stronger bicycles capable of holding 200 pounds of cargo and withstand bumpy roads all for less than $100.

Related websites:

• Click here to read the article
• Click here to subscribe to Forbes Magazine for 1 year
• Sram's website

Forbes: Cisco's Gadget Guru

I am still getting Forbes for free.  In its May 10, 2010 article, it talks about how Cisco paid $590 million for Pure Digital.  That company was run by Jonathan Kaplan and made the "Flip" video camera product line.

It is an interesting article combining household technology kind of items and how Cisco is trying to improve and increase its image among consumers.

Related websites:

• Click here to read the article
• Click here to subscribe to Forbes magazine for 1 year

21 Best Money Tips Ever

I am still getting Money Magazine for free.  In the April 2010 issue, there was a section on 31 Ways to Improve Your Finances.  The first section had seven tips and the last part contained the 21 tips.  I think they are worth reading.

Links:

• 21 Best Money Tips ever

Click here to subscribe to Money Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Visit? Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico

This would be a longer drive to get there, but it looks like at some point we will need to visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  Here are the issues keeping us from going:

• Minimum age looks to be 4 years of age.  If you have children 3 years and younger then they are not allowed.  This applies to us.
• It is about 900 miles from southern California.  Depending on how fast you drive and your gas mileage, this would be about 16 hours of driving maybe spread over 2 days with about 2 or 3 potty stops each of those days and 36 gallons of gas just to get there.

Related websites:

• National Park Service Website
• Wikipedia entry

Visit? Mount Rubidoux in Riverside, California

I have never hiked up Mount Rubidoux which is located in Riverside, California.  It looks mostly barren and is open from dawn until dusk and contains over three miles of trails.

Maybe we will have to visit....soon.

Related Websites:

• Wikipedia entry
• Friends of Mount Rubidoux

Market Update / Huge Swings Caused by High Frequency Trading?

Last September, I wrote a post about a Forbes article that described High Frequency Trading.  You can view it by clicking here.

A New York Times article posted on Yahoo! Finance lists that as possibly a culprit in yesterday's huge price swings.  How else could some fairly reliable companies make the following price swings:

• Proctor and Gamble (Symbol PG) had a high of 62.67, a low of 39.37, and closed at 60.75
• Accenture (Symbol ACN) had a high of 42.30, a low of 0.01 (!!) and closed at 41.09
• They report Exelon (Symbol EXC) traded for one-hundredth of a penny, but on the historical prices chart, this is not shown.

These are huge price swings and most of them occurred in less than an hour. 

I had been posting that the market has been oversold for a couple of months and the trading this week has been dramatic.  I will admit that I was not as hedged to the degree as reported previously.

Click here for the New York Times article on Yahoo! Finance.

Mother's Day Roses

Last year for Mother's day, the kids got their mother some roses from Sam's Club.  I posted a couple of pictures on my LeftyPhotoBlog.  Here is one of them.

If you would like to see more pictures, please access my photo blog with the link on the right.

Forbes: Major League Baseball team valuations

Yeah. I am still getting Forbes Magazine for free.  In the April 26, 2010 issue, it gives the Major League Baseball (MLB) team valuations.  The top honors goes to the New York Yankees at $1.6 Billion in value and operating income of $24.9 million.  The lowest valued team is the Pittsburgh Pirates at $289 million and operating income of $15.6 million.

Let us look at some of the other ways to look at the teams.  On this page, the article has a table that shows the debt to value for each of the teams.  The Yankees are at 89 percent debt to value ratio.  There are two teams who have no listed debt (Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays).

The Florida Marlins are only at 32 percent debt to value and have a valuation of $317 million.  That gives them a little more than $101 million in debt compared to the Yankees at about $1.4 billion.  The Marlins also had a reported income of $46.1 million.

Yeah, I know, there is still probably huge cash flows from the massive depreciation on the new Yankee Stadium, but it seems like the Marlins would be the team to own.

Click here to read the on-line article

To subscribe to Forbes for 12 months, click here.

Is it time to Downshift?

If you have been reading this blog, you will know that I have been receiving Forbes Magazine for free.  It looks like I will be likely getting it for another six months or so.  In the April 26, 2010 issue, there is an article called "Downshift" by Monte Burke which showcases some vignettes on five people in a variety of industries who have either by choice (most of them) or by being laid off.

This is just another reminder to stay grounded and focus on the fundamentals (live within your means, positive monthly cash flow, emergency savings, etc.) because sometimes you never know what is going to happen.

Click here to read the article.

To subscribe to Forbes magazine for 12 months, click here.

Visit? Amboy Crater

Amboy Crater is an extinct volcano located between Barstow and Needles.  It looks like there is a trail that can be taken from the day use parking.

Do not visit during summer or windy conditions.

Click here for the Wikipedia entry.

Visit? Mary Vagle Museum and Nature Center

The Mary Vagle Museum and Nature Center is located in south Fontana near the Jurupa Hills.  Their website does not have a site map, but it looks like there is fairly extensive grounds with a desert area, some water features, as well as a variety landscaping with flowers and other plants to view.

It is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Start planning for tax hikes now

In the latest issue of Forbes (yes, I am still getting it for free), there is a nice summary of what to do between now and 2013 to try and minimize any effects of the tax hikes that will be hitting all of us.

There will be a new 3.8% "Medicare" tax on investment income and 0.9% Medicare tax on wages.

Here are some of the key points:

• Next year, money in FSAs, Health Savings Accounts, and Health Reimbursement Accounts may no longer be used for over-the-counter medications  unless your doctor has prescribed you to take them.
• In 2013, the maximum you can place in an FSA will be decreased to $2,500 per year. 
• In 2013, there will be an additional 0.9% Medicare tax on gross compensation (before any retirement contributions) above $200,000 (individuals) or $250,000 (couples).  
• In 2013 there will also be a new 3.8% surtax on investment income for individuals with more than $200,000 in adjusted gross income and $250,000 for those filing jointly.  This will apply to interest, capital gains, annuities, rents, royalties, passive activity income, and dividends.  Except will be retirement account distributions, capital gains from selling your principal residence and business income from a venture.  It will also affect trust income more than $11,200 that you do not distribute.
• In case you were planning to sell some of your long-term investments in future years for a major bill, consider selling them before the capital gains rate increases. Depending on your tax bracket, your long-term capital gains rate could be going from 0% to 10-20% or from 15% to 20%. Click here to view the table on Wikipedia

The Forbes article has a nice graph showing what the Capital Gains and Income Tax Top Rates have been from 1960 to the present and in the coming years.  Click here to view that graph.

For more details, click here for the article.

To subscribe to Forbes magazine, click here for 12 months (26 issues).

Visit? The Museum of Making Music

The Museum of Making Music is located in Carlsbad, California.  They are open throughout the week except Mondays and major holidays.  Their hours are from 10 AM to 5 PM.

They have exhibits that show a variety of music instruments dating as far back as the 1800s.

Admission is free for children 5 years and younger.  It is $5 to $7 for others.

If you are traveling a fair distance, consider combining this trip with a visit to the "Flower Fields."

Visit? "The Cat House" - Exotic Feline Breeding Compound

The Exotic Feline Breeding Compound is located in Rosamond, California near Edwards Air Force Base.  they were founded in 1977 and are a non-profit organization with their own 501(c)(3) number.

Here are some key points:

• They are home to more than 70 inhabitants that comprise more than 18 different species.  Click here to see pictures of them.
• They are closed on Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and "Feline Follies" day (August 14, 2010 this year). This last day looks like it has limited admission and is used for fundraising.

If you will be traveling from a fair distance, you may want to consider combining this visit with a visit to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve since it looks like they are about 30 minutes apart.

Related websites:

• Click here to be taken to their website.
• They have their "WildCatZoo" Cafepress store where you can buy items that will support their organization.  

A Scenic Day in Yosemite

This is also from Sunset Magazine.  I am just trying to get through the most recent issue so it can be recycled (and out of the office).  No link available here.  I like it because it tries to give you some high-yield places to visit at Yosemite National Park.

You'll need to get an issue if you want the details, but here they are:

• 6 AM Sunrise at Slaughterhouse Meadow
• 8 AM to Mirror Lake Junction
• 9 AM Breakfast at Ahwahnee Hotel's brunch (or simple breakfast)
• 10 AM to El Capitan Picnic area.  Consider a stop at Yosemite Mountaineering School
• 11 AM to Yosemite Falls
• Noon Lunch at the Yosemite Village Store and shuttle to Happy Isles
• 1 PM Waterfalls:  Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall.
• 5 PM Ice cream at Curry Village Ice Cream Corner
• 6 PM Tunnel View Overlook

Options to stay:

• Ahwahnee Hotel (from $470!)
• Curry Village
• Wawona Hotel
• Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

Park entry is $20 per vehicle which is good for 7 days.

The official website also has a page on planning your visit along with some videos.

I am still getting Sunset Magazine for free and if I read the label correctly, it will be for many more months to come.  I like it so far and am slightly tempted to subscribe since it gives some great ideas for getaways.  Not all of the features or on their website, so you can't rely on accessing the material over the internet.

If you are interested in subscribing to Sunset magazine, you can do so with the following links for 1 year or 2 years.

------

Update:  When I originally posted this information, I could not find the on-line version.  I later found it and you can find it by clicking here.

Living in Limited Spaces

In the most recent issue of Sunset, there were two brief pieces about living in limited spaces.

The first was about a landscape architect, Andreas Stavropaoulos, who lives in a 1959 Airstream trailer (all 15 x 7 feet of it). He tows his mobile office to his worksite.  The trailer has a Kyocera KD mounted to power is iMac. For more information and pictures, click here.

The next story was about a family of four that moved onto a 1,000 square foot house boat on California's Richardson Bay.  To read about this family and see pictures of what they are doing, click here.

If you are interested, you can subscribe to Sunset Magazine for either 1 year or 2 years.

Visit? Bandelier National Monument

This is also a place to go that was featured for "Families" in the most recent Sunset Magazine issue.

It is near Los Alamos, New Mexico and features a couple of hikes that go around waterfalls and some excavation sites.

This sounds like a really interesting place to visit with not too serious hiking to see everything.  There are some renovations being done to the Visitor's center, but it looks like the hiking trails will continue to be open.

Related sites:

• Click here for the main website to Bandelier National Monument.
• Click here for things to do (short hikes, etc).
• Click here to subscribe to Sunset Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Visit? Lake Powell in Utah and Arizona

Got another issue of Sunset Magazine and taking a quick breeze through.

One of the possible trips is to Wahweap Campground at Glen Park National Recreation area.  Their website says they have a combination of sites with full hookups, non-hookups, and group site.

Watercraft rental information can be found on this web page.  It looks like boats are close to $600 per day and kayaks start at $46 per day.

Houseboats are rented anywhere from about $2,000 to $12,000 per week.  Click here to view those rates and features.

If you would rather stay in a building, there are three types of housing, but only one is designated as "family."  You can view it by clicking here.

Click here to view books and maps available on Amazon.com.

Click here to subscribe to Sunset Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Jeremy Siegel: Three phases of fed tightening

In this Yahoo! Finance article by Jeremy Siegel, he describes three steps the Fed must take and why it will be beneficial to our economy (even though it may seem counterintuitive.

1. Has already taken place and that is increasing the Fed Funds rate
2. Further increases in the Fed Funds rate and increasing the rate it pays for reserves
3. Open market sales and further increases in the rate it pays for reserves

Click here to read more details.

Visit? Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

It is April and we are in the middle of the March to May time where the poppies are blooming at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.

They actually have a page that shows recent photos that you can view by clicking here.  It lists $8 for private automobile parking.  There are discounts for seniors and disabled persons.

It looks like the trail is about 2.5 miles and has a mild elevation of 300 feet.

As long as the drive is not too far, this is probably worth it (especially for the pictures).

Click here to buy poppy seeds from Amazon.


UPDATE:

If you are traveling a fair distance, you should consider combining this visit with a visit to "the Cat House" which is only about 30 minutes away.

Visit? America's Greatest Train Rides

The Parade magazine from a recent Los Angeles Times had an article titles "America's Greatest Train Rides."  What child has not had a fascination with trains at some point in their lives?

The article has brief descriptions of longer routes such as Chicago to Los Angeles.  It also has some Day Trips by Region.

Related sites:

• Click here to view possible items of interest on Amazon
• Click here to go to the article
• Click here to view a slideshow from the trains
• Click here for the LA Times  

Yahoo! Finance: Top 10 Investor Traps / I Dodged the Reserve Fund

The article summary

Yahoo! Finance had an article provided by CNBC that listed the top 10 Investor scams.  They are as follows:

1. Ponzi schemes
2. Gold bullion and currency scams
3. Natural resource investments
4. Life settlements
5. Private placement offerings
6. Real estate investment schemes
7. Entertainment investments
8. Short-term commercial promissory investment notes
9. Speculative inventions and new promises
10. Leveraged Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs).

Dodging the Reserve Money Market Fund

I would like to add one that I dodged for my mother.  She was "recommended" to move her dormant cash from a regular Money Market fund that was earning about 2.5 percent to a "Reserve" Money Market Fund that was earning about 4.5 percent.  When I reviewed the prospectus to find out what they were investing in, the red flag to me was that it was a "leveraged" Money Market fund.  They listed that they would borrow up to 25 percent for additional investments.  The purpose of a Money Market fund is stability and you do not get that with leverage.  

In 2008, it caught up with them and the "sacred" dollar value was broken.  

Advertisements on KNX1070

Obviously no one is going to advertise that they are selling a Ponzi scheme, but I frequently hear advertisements for Gold bullion and Life settlements.

List of related websites:

• Click here for the full article on Yahoo! Finance and details on each trap.
• Click here to be taken to the Reserve Funds website.
• Click here to read a USA Today article about the Reserve Fund falling below the dollar value.
• Click here to go to KNX1070.

Visit? Catalina Zip-line Eco Tour / Catalina Express

I ran across a story about a zip-line that has been installed on Catalina Island.  It drops from an elevation of  about 500 feet to 60 feet.  There are five separate zip-lines which are up to 1,100 feet long.  Overall it takes about two hours and there are stops between each zip-line which provide information about the island.

Just looking at their website I saw some ticket prices for $92.50.  While this may be cheaper than a trip to one of the Costa Rica Canopy Zip-line tours, it is not at the level of an "impulse" expense.  If we were to take the Catalina Express from Long Beach, it would cost $66.50 for each of the parents and $51.00 for each of the four children.  This comes to a total of $337.00 just to get to Catalina.  Then add the expense of the zip-line tour and other incidental expenses (food, souvenirs, etc).

Is it worth the thrill? Not now...

Click here to read more at this zip-line tour and to order tickets.

Click here to view the Catalina Express website for rates and schedules.

Visit? Carlsbad's The Flower Fields

A friend of ours recently visited The Flower Fields in Carlsbad.  They feature 50 acres of flowers and it looks like the kids would have loads of fun there.  There would be plenty of opportunity for taking pictures as well.  Be sure to see my recent pictures on my photoblog (click the link on the right side of this blog).

Tickets are $10 for adults ($20 for a season pass), $5 for children 3 to 10 years of age ($10 for a season pass).  Children 2 and under are free.  I guess when you turn 11 years old, they consider you an adult?

Click here to visit their website.

Visit? Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve

Here is another place to view wildflowers per Sunset Magazine's April 2010 issue.  I am currently getting this for free.

This Reserve is near Big Bear and is free to visit.  It looks like a short walk of about one mile.  What will take a while is getting there since it is on the north side of Big Bear.  It is at a pretty high elevation of 7,000 feet.  If going, plan a half-day of day trip there to include at least one meal.

Click here to subscribe to Sunset Magazine for 1 year or 2 years.

Click here to visit the Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve website.

Visit? Limestone Canyon and Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park

This is in Orange County.  It also is listed in Sunset Magazine (which I get for free as of the time of this post) as a place to visit in April.  I guess the fire in this area was in 2007 so it is "bouncing back" with its own assortment of flowers.  It lists $3 for parking.

Click here to to subscribe to Sunset Magazine for 1 year or for 2 years.

Click here to go to the park's website.

Visit? Darwin Falls in Death Valley

Among the magazines I am receiving for free is "Sunset."  They have some recommendations for April. 

One of them is Darwin Falls in Death Valley off of State Highway 190. This stands out for me because I have never been to Death Valley and would like to go at some point.  The visit times are probably limited due to the extreme heat during the summer time.

Click here to support me and subscribe to Sunset Magazine for 1 year or 2 years

Related websites:

• National Park Service's Death Valley website (Planning your visit)
• Wikipedia entry on Darwin Falls