Is Netflix a Good Buy?

      Netflix (NFLX) is near it's lowest point after it's monumental collapse in October. After falling down to the low $70's it has recently hit a high of $92. While some are skeptical others are taking the opportunity to jump in. The only downside to investing in any stock right now period, is the eurozone crisis. With Europe crumbling financially it is not helping the US market and investors. No matter what the market is, keep your eyes on Netflix.

Groupon...Finally!

     The long anticipated Groupon (GRPN) comes out on Friday and I am waiting eagerly for the IPO to hit the market. Groupon has investors on both sides of the coin. Some will be day-trading it up while others will be shorting it. If you are an investor you should strongly consider Groupon as an investment option.

Post 9/11 We will always remember:

  Post 9/11 we have two tributes you should watch:

How to bid on ebay successfully:

Buying on ebay is kind of an art, but most people just who bid just don't realize it. These tips don't always apply but if you buy from businesses online, it helps a lot to know a few secrets. When I first started buying on ebay, I would often end up buying things at a lot higher price than I wanted. The longer I bought things on ebay, the more I learned secrets to good buying. For an example, last week I purchased a near new 27" Samsung LED LCD TV from an ebay company and paid $208 total. Just to let you no, in case you aren't familiar with technology prices, brand new they sell for about the $380 range and used $280ish. With that, rule number one, don't always have to be the high bidder. So many bidders want to see that they are "the high bidder", it feeds their ego...or something. The problem with that is that everyone wants to be the number one and when someone outbids them, prices go too high too fast. So be willing to be "outbid" and wait. The second rule is to make your first bid while the price is cheap and early in the bidding. Here is why. You want to get your bid in there (but only make the minimum bid) so when it gets close to the end, you can participate in the "one click bids". Don't put a bid in if the price is high, it will only drive it up more...wait. The third rule is that you should wait until the final 30 seconds to do your bidding. If you bid earlier others will have too much time to respond and they will also realize that their are others sitting, ready to bid. It makes other bidders antsy and they may outbid you at the end. Use the element of surprise and jump in at the very end, and start winning items at low prices.

Is it safe to invest in this unstable economy?

   Tough times, a bad economy, and a bleak outlook are seemingly good signs to stay away from investing...but is it really? Are there people succeeding in this bear market? The answer is yes. People are still making money in a poor market, but it isn't easy. 

   While some investors are pulling their money out and advising against investing, others are still throwing money at what they call a "prime market". Many big-name stocks have reached all time lows and appear to be bottomed out...or maybe not. That's what has investors worried; it isn't for sure...and nobody knows where the bottom truly is. Every recession seems to bring it's surprise bankruptcies and no one wants to be on the investment side of a bankruptcy. However, there are ways to make money in a recession, but it still has it's risks. Investing in a risky market requires research and knowledge of the investment. Throwing money at a stock in a bull market may not come back to bite an investor, but in a bear market in a recession...that's another story. It all boils down to knowledge research, and sometimes a bit of luck helps. On the flip side, some have merely switched investing from one market to the next. Many investors have left the stock market temporarily and have gone to real estate as an alternative. They are eating up low-priced, foreclosed homes and selling them cheap for a nice profit. There is always something to gain in a down market or economy if you can find it and take advantage of it.  

We recommend wikinvest.com to stock investors

     Wikinvest.com is a website I've been using for a little over six months now and I love it. Before I found wikinvest, every time I step away from the computer I have to re-login to my etrade account and I end up re-loging in about a dozen times a day...pretty monotonous. This is especially tricky if you have multiple investment accounts such as etrade and/or scottrade, ameritrade, etc. I understand the reason for the quick log-outs since it contains personal and financial records, but I want quick access. That is what wikinvest does for you. However, it is not a trading platform, and it requires minimal information. Wikinvest combines all of your accounts and charts the total growth. It provides the stats from "owned" stocks and "watched" stocks on the same page. The left hand column provides account(s) total value, market performance compared to your stocks' performance, and your portfolio's gainers and losers. Wikinvest emails you when your stocks open considerably up or down. It's user friendly interface seals the deal and we give Wikinvest an A+ overall. Click the link below to join now, for free:

  

>>>Go to wikinvest.com

Looking to buy a good tablet pc?

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE (pictures from cnet.com)

       The seemingly obvious answer to buying a tablet would be the iPad 2, but that is not necessarily true. Since the majority of the computer users in the US use PC's not Mac's, iPad's don't provide compatibility between PC's and the tablet's Apple based operating system. 

     We want to recommend a great tablet to all our viewers interested in buying a tablet PC: the Toshiba Thrive. The Thrive has a multitude of great specs that make it a stand out. choice First off, it's available in a 8Gb, 16Gb or 32Gb. The prices range from $419-$579 depending on the gigabyte size. The tablet runs on the Android  3.1 Honeycomb operating system with a 10.1" screen. It boasts a dual-core processor, 1GB DDR2 ram and NVIDIA GeForce Graphics. It also sports two cameras, one in the front and one in the back. What it lacks in its somewhat bulkiness, it makes up for in its ports. This tablet has expandability with an sd card slot, usb card slot and a mini usb card slot. It also has a full size HDMI port for Audio/Video to an HD TV. Overall, the Toshiba Thrive provides a smooth, responsive interface with tons of apps from the Android marketplace. Reviews of the tablet from sources such as cnet.com, costco.com and other sites have shown that most customers who purchased it are satisfied with the it overall. 

Buy one today from Amazon.com

Australian man wins a $500Million dollar suit against Microsoft

The beautiful mind of the Aussie who beat Microsoft 

August 10, 2011

 

Photo Left: Naz Mulla

The phone rang early, rousing Ric Richardson from a fitful sleep. As the sun rose over the northern NSW coast, he sat on his verandah and absorbed the news that a jury on the other side of the world had awarded him half a billion dollars. "I didn't really feel like celebrating," he remembers. "I just felt like breathing for a while."

Richardson is the Australian inventor who took on Microsoft and won. In April 2009, a United States court found the giant software corporation had used his technology without his knowledge or permission, and ordered Microsoft to pay compensation of $US388 million (then worth more than $530 million). The award was one of the highest in US patent history.

As it turned out, Richardson was right to keep the cork in the champagne bottle - the verdict was overturned five months later. But early this year, an appeals court upheld the original jury's decision that Microsoft had infringed his patent. He was vindicated, though still didn't feel like throwing a party. "I was just very relieved," he says.

article from wikinvest.com

Market Comeback?

     The stock market managed to recover somewhat  today after two straight days of heavy losses. However, we are not even close to being out of the woods. The economy still has much to be sorted out and lots of tough decisions have yet to be made. Investors are still squeamish, and they'll probably continue to be for a while. Some are saying that this is going to be 2008 all over again while others strongly disagree. On the other side of the coin, some found refuge during the huge stock market losses Thursday and Friday. An ETF (symbol: TZA) provided some, a large profit as the markets took heavy hits. TZA, the triple-leveraged small cap ETF (performing inversely to the Russell 2000), climbed high  providing a nice profit amidst the chaos of the US downgrade. Many are questioning whether the US markets will recover fully or whether this will have an indefinite lingering affect. The answer is simple...only time will tell.

S&P Downgrades US Credit Rating:

     The S&P downgraded the US sovereign credit rating late Friday and the US lost its perfect AAA status. Though the US came up with a deal to raise the debt ceiling so as not to hurt the US credit rating...well it happened anyway. This downgrade struck fear in the hearts of Chinese officials who have been purchasing most of the US's debt. China fears that the US is still in deep water and may possibly default on their debts. Chinese has also said that it may be reluctant to give more credit in the future.
      The long needed federal budget cuts may come a little too late for the government to save the free-falling economy, and the majority of the general public has no idea, or they just don't care because the consumer spending on credit cards is unchanged. The feds may be forced to cut back things such as  health-care, welfare and other federal entities. An example of a glaring government failure is the USPS, losing billions of dollars each year...with no changes in the pipeline. I'm so glad my tax dollars are being spent wisely. LOL. Also, the stock market had its 8th worst day in its history. Hey, Washington...stop padding your pockets with my tax dollars!

Chicagoland Teen's Incredible Talent!

      Dulce of Northwest Indiana, a young, talented teen girl gave us some of her artwork to show the public. These drawings are a just a few of her many Disney-esque creations. Dulce enjoys drawing in her spare time and wants to learn some animation. Great Job Dulce!

Federal Government set to cut budgets by $2trillion

Washington's Debt Solution Depicted Above

     Congress has come to an agreement to raise the debt ceiling, but with one stipulation. They have to stop the insane spending and cut the federal budgets...Washington, (FYI) just because you have checks does not mean you have money, and printing presses are not supposed to be a bailout machine for failure. 

     The new congressional committee will have their hands full as they reassess and begin cutting the budget. These budget cuts will affect a vast amount of Americans  in some way but long term  (in the next five-ten years) it could save our economy from total collapse. These cuts should have been made decades ago, but nobody thought we would ever get to this point financially. Trillions of dollars deeper in debt later, Washington finally wakes up...kind of, sort of.

Girl texts her mom during gunman shootout in Norway

According to the Associated Press: OSLO, Norway (AP) — Over the more than 90 minutes that gunshots echoed around her, Julie Bremnes was able to call her mother just once. A crazy man was shooting, the 16-year-old said. People were dying.

Marianne Bremnes, more than 800 miles away from Friday's youth-camp massacre on the Norwegian island of Utoya, couldn't make her stay on the phone — it was too dangerous.

"I didn't know what to do," Marianne said in a telephone interview Wednesday, "other than ask her to text me."

So she did. Beginning at 5:42 p.m., Julie texted regularly while hiding along the rocky shore, trading vital information and words of love with her mother. Their full conversation follows, translated from Norwegian:

Julie: Mum, tell the police to hurry. People are dying here!

Marianne: I am working on it, Julie. The police are on their way. Do you Dare give me a call?

Julie: No.

Julie: Tell the police that a madman is running around shooting people.

Julie: They have to hurry!

Marianne: The police know about it and they have received many messages. It is going to be fine, Julie. The police are calling us now. Give us a sign of life every fifth minute, please?

Julie: OK

Julie: We are in fear of our lives!

Marianne: I understand that well, my love. Stay under cover, don't move to another place! The police are already on their way, if they have not already arrived. Do you see injured or killed?

Julie: We are hiding in the rocks along the coast.

Marianne: Good! Should I ask your grandpa to come and pick you up when everything is safe? It is your choice.

Julie: Yes

Marianne: We are contacting grandpa right away.

Julie: I love you, even though I may yell at you sometimes.

Julie: And I am not panicking, even though I'm s--- scared.

Marianne: I know that, my girl. We love you very much too. Do you still hear shooting?

Julie: No.

Marianne, at home in the northern city of Harstad, was trying to be strong.

"I had to be calm for her," the 46-year-old said. "She also remained calm so it was easier for me to remain calm.

"I heard from her every five minutes — she did what I told her to do," Marianne said. "The whole time I knew how she was and where she was. It helped me and I guess it helped her."

But Julie's ordeal wasn't over. The break in gunfire was just a lull. The gunman, dressed as a policeman, ran loose on the island for about 90 minutes while police struggled to get there from Oslo, just 25 miles (40 kilometers) away.

About 6:15 p.m., Julie offered what sounded like hopeful news — but her mother warned her to be careful:

Marianne: Have you heard anything of the others from Tromsoe? Grandpa is on his way down.

Julie: The police are here.

Marianne: The person shooting apparently wear a police uniform. Be careful! What is happening to you now?

Julie: We don't know.

Marianne: Can you talk now?

Julie: No.

Julie: He's still shooting!

Julie sent that panicked text message about 6:30 p.m., about the time Anders Behring Breivik surrendered. Breivik is accused of killing 68 people on the island and setting off a massive explosion that killed eight people outside government headquarters in Oslo earlier that afternoon.

There were several more nervous exchanges, along with some good news about a fellow camper, before Julie and her mother realized she was safe:

Marianne: Joergen has swum to shore. I have just spoken to his father.

Marianne: This is all over national news now, full attention on Utoya now. Be careful! When you get the chance, you get back to the mainland and meet grandpa from Hamar.

Julie: I am still alive.

Marianne: Thank God for that.

Julie: We are waiting for the police to pick us up.

Julie: We heard shooting just now, so we dared not walk there.

Marianne: Good! The evacuation is going on now, they're saying on TV.

Julie: We hope someone will pick you up soon. Can't they catch him soon?!!

Marianne: The anti-terror police is there, and they are working on getting him.

Marianne: Should we try to get a flight ticket home tomorrow?

Julie: I've no time to think about that now.

Marianne: I understand.

Julie: Do you know if they've got him?

Marianne: I'll keep you posted, my girl. We're following the TV constantly.

Marianne: Hey, are you there?

Julie: Yes. The helicopters are circling over us.

Marianne: Then you have been spotted?

Julie: They are looking for people in the water, they haven't picked us up yet!

Marianne said at one point, Julie emerged from her hiding place when she saw a helicopter and waved her pink rain jacket to attract attention. It wasn't the police, but a news crew that had filmed Breivik surrounded by bodies piled up on the shore and in the water.

"If she had been at the wrong spot she would have been killed," Marianne said.

Instead, by 7:01 p.m., relief for the family was nearly at hand:

Julie: What's on the news?

Marianne: The police are also on a boat to Utoya, otherwise nothing new. It is not clear what happened to the gunman, so you stay still. Wait for someone to pick you up.

Marianne: Now they've got him!

When Julie called her mother again, she was on a rescue boat. She was safe.

"And she cried," Marianne said. "I cried and she cried."

Mother and daughter were reunited Saturday evening, when Julie flew back to northern Norway with other survivors from the region.

Julie lost five friends in the shooting. Marianne said her daughter is holding up well — but she worries about the future.

"She is fine," Bremnes said. "But I don't know about the long-term aspects of it."

article directly from yahoo.com

Confessions from former Google Employee:

Check Out the Skinniest House in the World

by Suzanne Labarre

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There are skinny houses. And then there is Jakub Szczęsny's Keret House, which could make Calista Flockhart look like a fatty. At its most generous, the proposed place, in Warsaw, Poland, will clock in at 4 feet wide. At its narrowest, it'll be just 28 inches wide -- thinner than the average doorway. And we complain about our sardine can in New York...

More from Fast Company: • The Best Strategy for Big Innovation: Knowing Your Limits • Why Can't All TV Remotes Be This Good? • Redesigning Cubicles

The house (officially an "art installation," because it doesn't meet Polish building code) is slated to fill a crack between a pair of buildings in Warsaw's Wola district. When construction's finished in December, it'll be the thinnest house in Warsaw and possibly the whole world. We did a quick Google search and couldn't find anything leaner.
Szczęsny designed the house to be a work space and home for Israeli writer Etgar Keret. It'll also be a "studio for invited guests -- young creators and intellectualists from all over the world." If, that is, they're willing to drop half their body weight to fit inside.

ArchDaily.com

Kidding, kidding. In all seriousness, though, the house is a pretty remarkable feat of architecture. If everything goes according to plan, Szczęsny will manage to squeeze in designated rooms for sleeping, eating, and working. The place will have off-grid plumbing inspired by boat sewage technology and electricity lifted from a neighbor. To save space, the entry stairs will fold up at the press of a button and become part of the first floor.
Aesthetically, the Keret House isn't gonna win any beauty contests. It's been compared to everything from a pregnancy test to a sanitary napkin. (Our vote is for "pregnancy test.") Our biggest concern, though, is that it's hardly got any windows. How's it going to "produce creative work conditions," as ArchDaily reports, and "become a significant platform for world intellectual exchange," if it feels like a sensory deprivation chamber? Won't Keret go insane? But maybe that's the point. It's not like he'd be the first artist to benefit from going crazy.

ArchDaily.com

article directly from yahoo.com

Would a businessman be a better choice than a politician for president?

      Article By Adrian B- The US needs a change, not a party change or congressional change necessarily, but a complete philosophy change...the country needs someone who's...well, not a politician for starters. Politician is an awful word that should be banned from the dictionary. In any case, America needs a change and I don't mean some Washington big-shot who promises to change everything by "will-power and determination" or "because I said so". Blah, blah, blah...we've all heard that before. The US is in deep water and treading on thin ice, with no answers in sight. The Republicans nor the Democrats seem to have the answer to the economy's woes. So what is the solution? It's time to turn the tables and let a successful entrepreneur get into office. Imagine having someone in office who actually knows how to run an enterprise, and not just a smooth talking politician; someone who actually cares about fixing the financial crisis and not just cover it up.

      Speaking for myself, I kind of got excited about the rumors of Donald Trump running for President, just because of his financial expertise. In his book, if 2+2= (-$2,895,345,560,032.44) then it's time for a change and a budget cut. Why is it that politicians don't see that? Trump has been a proven, successful billionaire that knows how to balance a budget and knows when it's time to scale back spending. The philosophy of "let's borrow more to pay what we owe(debt ceiling) and so we can keep doing what we've been doing" is mind boggling, and the US government can't seem to grasp it. Why don't you try the government's philosophy by telling Uncle Sam that your business is not successful and owes tons of money, but you want them to foot the bill so all your people can get raises and you can keep running your money-sucking, unprofitable corporation...right! All of that boils down to change. We need a real change and since Donald Trump threw his name out there, I think it might be worth the consideration. As far as his other attributes and qualifications are concerned I'm not sure, but his business success is a great start. Even if he's not all that experienced on other matters, that's what advisers are for...besides since when did qualifications matter in a presidential election. Anyway, with all the fighting over the debt ceiling, I thought it appropriate to bring up an alternative to our crisis. Even if not Trump, get an entrepreneur in office!

9 Ideas That Made $100 Million

Article by Michelle Fox

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More from CNBC.com: • 10 Ideas That Made $100 Million • CEOs Who Went From Rags to Riches • Million Dollar Homes Across America 2011

 
Chances are, just about anyone you talk to will have an idea for a business with the hopes that one day it will help them make millions. Although business ideas may be easy to come by, turning those ideas into huge successes is an entirely different ballgame. However, many entrepreneurs with simple ideas and humble beginnings have been able to effectively turn those ideas into booming businesses.
Sara Blakely, Spanx

Photo: Joe Kohen

One night, Sara Blakely cut off the bottom off her pantyhose and the idea of Spanx was born. Armed with $5,000 in savings, Blakely researched and wrote her patent for footless pantyhose and drove around North Carolina begging mill owners to make her product. Most told her it would never sell, but one owner decided to take a chance and help her make her "crazy idea."
In 2000, her prototype was perfected and she started hitting up high-end department store buyers. In the first three months, she sold more than 50,000 pairs from the back of her apartment. Now that "crazy idea" has Blakely soaring. Spanx has grown to include a full range of body-slimming undergarments, bathing suits and active wear. Retail sales were an estimated $350 million in 2008, the last time the company released figures.

1-800-GOT-JUNK

Brian Scudamore, 1-800-GOT-JUNK
In 1989, Brian Scudamore was waiting in line at a McDonald's drive-through when a local hauling company's old pickup truck caught his eye. Inspiration struck and Scudamore bought a used pickup truck for $700 and started The Rubbish Boys. He began by picking up junk in between his classes at the University of British Columbia, but what started as a way to pay for college soon turned into a unique business.

In 1993, he dropped out of school to focus full-time on the company. In 1998, he changed the name to 1-800-GOT-JUNK and a year later the first franchise opened in Canada. Now there are locations all over North America and Australia. The company hit more than $100 million in system-wide revenues in 2007 and 2008, and its goal for 2010 is $105 million.

Pillow Pets

Jennifer Telfer, Pillow Pets
The idea for Pillow Pets dawned on Jennifer Telfer after watching her young sons smash down their stuffed animals in order to sleep on them like a pillow. So she set about creating stuffed animals that unfolded into plush pillows.

Telfer and her husband, Clint, decided to wholesale the products themselves in 2003 through their company, CJ Products. She began by hawking them at a mall kiosk during the holiday season, and then at a home show two weeks after Christmas. When the products nearly sold out, Telfer realized she was onto something. The cuddly toy has since exploded into the marketplace, bringing in $300 million in sales in 2010.

Ivica Pavlesic

Bert and John Jacobs, Life is good
Bert and John Jacobs designed their first T-shirts in 1989 and hawked them on the streets of Boston and at colleges along the East Coast. But for five years, success eluded them. Then, in 1994, they struck upon the idea to use a design of a cartoon figure called Jake and the motto "Life is good."

People seemed to embrace the simple message of optimism--the shirts were a hit at a local street fair and retailers soon became interested. Now, Jake's face and motto are on more than just shirts. You can find him and other characters smiling on products from towels and totes to coffee mugs and dog leashes. And life sure is good now for Bert and John Jacobs. Business is booming, with 2010 sales coming in at about $100 million.

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Steve Ells, Chipotle
Steve Ells was working as a chef in San Francisco when he decided he wanted to open his own restaurant. Ells found his inspiration in an unusual place--the little taco shops he used frequent in the city. He decided to take that idea and make a burrito restaurant that was different from a typical fast-food experience.

Ells wanted a place where customers could eat food made of the finest ingredients quickly and affordably. After borrowing money from his parents, he opened his first Chipotle in Denver in 1993. It was so successful that Ells abandoned his /;real dream" of opening a full-scale restaurant. Now, more than 1,000 restaurants later, Chipotle is raking in the bucks. The company reported $509.4 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2011 alone.

Method

Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, Method
The idea for an environmentally friendly household cleaner came to Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan when they were roommates in their San Francisco apartment. They noticed that when it came time to clean up from their house parties, the products they used would make them cough. The situation made them wonder whether the products they were using were dirtier than the mess they were trying to clean.

At the time, there weren't many choices when it came to cleaning products that didn't contain harsh chemicals. So, Lowry and Ryan did some research and launched Method, an eco-friendly line of home-care products in 2000. Ten years later, the products are on store shelves across the country and the company has gross revenues north of $100 million.

Theo Wargo, WireImage/Getty Images

Roxanne Quimby and Burt Shavitz, Burt's Bees
Burt Shavitz was selling honey off the back of his pickup truck and Roxanne Quimby was an out-of-work waitress trying to make a living at flea markets and yard sales when the two met in 1984. They teamed up to make candles from beeswax to sell at craft fairs and soon expanded to stores.

Things really took off when Quimby found a 19th century book of homemade personal-care recipes. They soon started cooking up natural soaps and perfumes on gas stoves. But their best-selling idea came in the form of lip balm, which they added to the product line in 1991. Burt's Bees now sells more than 100 skin and hair-care items, but it has quit making the candles that got the business started. The company's sales topped $250 million in 2007, and Clorox ponied up $925 million to by the company at the end of that year.

Roger Kisby, Getty Images

Jim McCann, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM
Jim McCann was a bartender and a social worker who was looking for a way to supplement his income when he bought a flower shop for $10,000 in 1976. He eventually opened 13 more stores in the New York Metropolitan area, but it wasn't until he hit upon the idea to acquire the 1-800-FLOWERS phone number in 1986 that business really bloomed.

The company was the first to put an 800-telephone number in its name, and McCann's marketing idea paid off. He also made sure technology didn't leave him behind, seizing the Internet opportunity as early as 1991. In 1999, 1-800-FLOWERS went public and added the dot-com to its name. The company, which has also expanded by acquiring companies such as The Popcorn Factory and Fannie May, reported almost $668 million in total revenue in fiscal year 2010.

Getty Images

Gary and Diane Heavin, Curves
Gary and Diane Heavin opened their first Curves in 1992 with the idea of targeting women who were not being by served conventional gyms. Their idea was to create a place that would give women a supportive and comfortable atmosphere. The couple also focused on busy women's time constraints with their 30-minute fitness concept.

The fitness club caught on quickly and the business soon expanded. Curves franchised a few years later and now there are nearly 10,000 locations around the globe. System-wide revenue reached about $1 billion in 2010.

*article directly from yahoo.com

Will Google's social network overthrow facebook?

     Google + (still in beta), the brand new social network site, is gaining momentum fast. Though limited to "invitation only", it already has upwards of 15 million users. Google fans around the globe are salivating at the thought of a Google powered social network. With Google's power and money, they could prove to be a worthy opponent for Facebook. It could also spoil Facebook's plan to go public next summer, with one of the biggest IPO's (projected at $100Billion). Google + could potentially steal millions of users from Facebook, just as Facebook did from MySpace. Though Google + has yet to prove itself, Google can "do no wrong" or so it seems. If Google succeeds with this project, it could give their stock  even more momentum than it already has, possibly pushing it over it's all time high. For all those interested, there is no projected release date for the new social network site, but don't worry- when it's released there will be plenty of publicity.

If you haven't watched it yet, be sure to add it to your list:

Top 10 vacation spots we recommend: #9

#9 Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a great destination for the family

     Orlando is an ever popular tourist spot in Northeast Florida and number nine on our list. With tons of activities to participate in with family or friends; you won't run out of options. Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios,  and Sea World are among a few of the major attractions to check out. If you've never been there, mark it down as one of your prospective travel destinations. One small recommendation though, don't go in August or you might be in for a big surprise. It can get pretty humid. Click on the link below to see more information on Orlando vacations.

Vacation homes, and Disney World Packages. See all of our Orlando Vacation Specials.

Walt Disney World Resort Universal Studios Orlando Sea World Orlando Discount Disney World Tickets Disney World is the largest and most popular theme park in the World. It consists of four major theme parks, two water parks, a couple of golf courses, an indoor theme park and much more. Please click here for more information on planning a Disney World Vacation. Discount Universal Studios Tickets Universal Studios Orlando is growing faster than any other park in Orlando. In the Spring of 2010 Universal Studios will unveil their 3rd theme park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Please click here for more information on Planning a Universal Studios Vacation. Discount Sea World Orlando Tickets Sea World Orlando is part theme park, part aquatic zoo, and part animal hospital. If you are coming to Orlando, FL then you have to visit Shamu, SeaWorld’s famous killer whale. Please click here for more information on Planning a Sea World Vacation.

Tiger, lookout!

Six-year-old girl makes improbable hole-in-one

By Shane Bacon

I hope you're ready for one of the coolest, and cutest, stories you'll read all day. A 6-year-old girl named Reagan Kennedy was playing golf with her family at a course in Bloomington, Ill., when the youngster knocked her tee shot on the 85-yard par-3 in the cup for an ace.

What did Reagan do to celebrate? Absolutely nothing. Why? Because her parents had kindly asked her not to be too loud on the golf course while they were playing, so as not to disturb others.

After Reagan walked calmly to the golf cart, her family explained this was the one time it was fine to yell all she wanted.

As a man that has been around two aces between friends in the last year, I will say, no matter the age, going crazy when the ball disappears is almost a must, but I liked that Reagan made sure to respect the game even when she did the unthinkable.

Was it just a fluke for her? Not really. This is a young lady that has been golfing since the age of 2, and said she wants to be a professional, but her main goal right now is to "beat daddy."

 article directly from yahoo.com

Sport's Update: Jeter's amazing record hit

    On July 9th, Derek Jeter reached a milestone in style. He became only the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits in his career...but he is only the second player ever to reach it with a home run and he  got to do it at home .  The other man who did it was Wade Boggs. He ended the monumental day going 5 for 5...not too shabby. Even for those who don't like him...they've got to respect all his accomplishments. Congrats Jeter on a major milestone!

Linked In soars high with little explanation

       Linked In (LNKD) is nearing it's highest value since the IPO opened, which it reached within the first few hours of the first day. After going up $8.37 on Wednesday, the stock closed at $107.87 and with no signs of a slow down. With LNKD it is hard to say whether or not it is a good buy. Nothing seems to indicate either way. Wednesdays surge may have come as a result of Linked In surpassing Myspace in social networking rankings. Some analysts put it in the $75 range by mid-August. It does appear over-inflated and the bubble could burst leaving a lot of investors hung out to dry. If it doesn't pop, investors will be very happy. Keep your eyes on Linked In. Don't forget about the upcoming IPO Groupon, it has the potential to come out of the gate full speed. Do you think Linked In is for real? Is it worth the risk?

Three blasts rock Mumbai

      Terrorists are believed to be behind the attacks in Mumbai, India on Wednesday evening. According to the AP, three blasts went off in a neighborhood of  Dadar, killing 10 people and injuring dozens more. The scene was a mess with police trying to control the situation, while medical crews tried to get to the wounded, taking them to hospitals in cargo trucks and ambulances. The recent attack has brought back bitter memories of the attack on a Mumbai Train Station back in 2002. It has also caused officials to rethink security regarding India's future. With India rising up as one of the world's newest business giants, these attacks could sink it back down into poverty.

Sports Update: Kobe challanges a teen trash-talker to a one-on-one game!

What's the deal with Amazon's stock?

Amazon.com Soars High

      What's the deal with Amazon? With no clear explanation, their stock (amzn) continues to soar. On Friday Amazon reached a new high and the top appears no where in sight. While some analysts tend to lean more to buying into Amazon, others are skeptical. It's unusual success in this bearish market could be a positive sign for online powerhouse. Keep your eye on it and definitely add it to your watch list. However, for the small investor $218 per share is a little steep. If you are new to investing and you are starting off small, this may not be the way to go since $1,000 may only buy you about 4 shares. That means you only make $4 for each  dollar (or point) the stock goes up. After the fees it would have to go up about $5 before you broke even. Brokerage companies such as etrade, or scottrade, ameritrade all range between $7-$10 a trade unless you are a power investor and you make over 100+ trades monthly.

 Be sure to check out my article: 

3 Rules to Smart Investing

Thursday a fan dies after falling from the stands at a Texas Rangers game:

     A tragic and rare event occurred last night, when a fan reached over a railing to catch a ball thrown  into the stands by Ranger outfielder, Josh Hamilton. The fan leaned out and lost his footing, causing him to tumble over the railing and land head first on the ground below. He was taken to a local hospital where he soon passed away. We have provided some footage of the event.

Read an excerpt from my book:

      I have written a book about the war on terror and will hopefully be publishing it soon. I would like to give my readers a chance to view a few pages of my book. Just click the link provided below. I would like to get feedback after you have read it. Please check the boxes below if you liked the excerpt. Thank you for your time.

"Blacksheep: The Beginning" Excerpt

Top 10 vacation spots we recommend: #10

#10 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Beautiful, beachfront hotel in Myrtle Beach

       We will be listing the top ten vacation spots that we recommend our viewers to visit. Number 10 on our list is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Myrtle Beach is a beautiful, vacation spot right on the Atlantic Ocean. This city is a hotspot for tourist and beach goers. We've listed a few things to do in Myrtle Beach. For more information click the links or pictures below:

Brookgreen Gardens

The expansive grounds of Brookgreen Gardens, including a zoo and educational center, are a hidden gem along the Grand Strand. Check out the beautiful foliage, sculpture gardens and animals at Brookgreen. 
 

Getaway Adventure Cruises

Take a ride and get ready for some amazing sightseeing opportunities on the water. Getaway Adventure Cruises offer picnic lunch cruises, sunset cruises and can be hired for private cruises.
 

The Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre, located at Broadway at the Beach, hosts broadway theater productions, musicals and more. It is home to Le Grande Cirque, a magical display of acrobatics, humor and music that will entertain the whole family. 
 

Ripley's Aquarium

Wow your kids with a trip to Ripley's Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach. Get up close and personal with sharks, stingrays and other saltwater fish in the underwater tunnel through the aquarium.