A lot of people sees U.S. as the land of milk and honey, a place where you can easily secure "the american dream". I have friends and relatives who have migrated to U.S. and have actually become citizens already, for them life in the U.S. has been good and this will their home for good. But I also hear of a lot of sad stories from people whose move to the U.S. did not do them any better. In my opi
Driving has cut back on American roadways more than any other time since World War II. We have been told that less consumption will bring lower prices. It has not. No, instead the oil companies are raking in not just steady profits, but ever increasing profits. Not much of an argument for simple supply and demand arguments if you ask me. --Jimmy Z
by Dave MindemanAlright, I am probably going to lose all of my DFL credentials (if I ever had any) and probably be chastised by the progressive community (I have been before), but I want to offer a contrarian critique of some current DFL legislation. (Note: These are my own views and not representative of anyone else).1) Health Care Bill -- I hope the Governor vetos it. Egad, I can't believe I s
Okay, the names says that it's a forum, but it's actually a survey company that pays you about 75 points on average per survey completed, and you sometimes get free products to test and keep, too!
I almost forgot about Viewpoint until today when I received a survey invitation (by email) from them. The survey only took somewhere around 3 minutes, and I got 30 points, but guess what! I also
Éste juego que voy a comentar brevemente hoy (creo que no da para una reseña muy amplia), es un juego de naves en perspectiva isométrica (que le da un aspecto pseudo-3D estupendo) que apareció en Neo Geo en 1992. Además (se presupone el arcade, siendo la Neo Geo), Viewpoint tuvo adaptaciones en Neo Geo CD, PlayStation, Sega Mega Drive o Sega Saturn, entre otras.Lo que más llama la atención de este juego son dos cosas, aún hoy en día, una buena y otra mala:- Los gráficos, incluso hoy, son bonitos, detallados, variados... Todo, desde los enemigos normales a los finales, pasando por los escenarios y los efectos (eso sí, a veces había pequeñas ralentizaciones). Y la música también está muy bien, la verdad (el sonido es lo que es un juego de éstos y poco más).- La dificultad d
We went to yet another kid’s birthday party over the weekend. But this time was a little different because my daughter insisted on bringing her Fisher-Price toy camera along – you know, the one Santa gave her for Christmas and was interested in for about a week and then decided it wasn’t worthy of attention anymore because she thought a cheap Happy Meal toy was much more appealing…Figure 1: Happy Meal Toy(Uh, what is it and what does it do? Seriously, who comes up with these things...)Well, I’m not sure what happened but it seemed as if she wanted to take the camera everywhere again. To the store, park, pool, bathroom (while I was using it), etc. I wasn’t exactly sure what caused this sudden interest of picture taking again, although the wife and I suspect that she saw one of t
This logo is what the town of North Liberty will be using when RAGBRAI passes through their town this summer. (Click here to read the article...)For those who don't know, RAGBRAI = Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. It's a big thing that happens once a year. It's a serious bike ride across the state, with riders signing up and being selected via lottery. The ride starts in the Western part of Iowa (all riders dip a wheel in the Missouri River) and ends in Eastern Iowa (when riders dip a wheel in the Mississippi). It lasts a week, and when a town is designated as a stop, it's a big deal. That town can expect crowds, and lots of money pouring in to local businesses. Churches and civic groups cash in by having RAGBRAI dinners for the riders (and the community too), and for o
First of all, I swear I am not being paid by the Novare Group to write about their projects. They just happened to have two finishing up at the same time and therefore, I figured I would write about them both. (Twelve at Centennial Park is the other one.) I must say I [...]
Viewpoint Forum is currently accepting new members by referral.
If you would like a referral, leave a comment or email me (mygoodcents (at) cox (dot) net) and I’ll send one out to you.
By completing surveys at Viewpoint Forum you accumulate points which can then be traded for cash.
Surveys are generally short in length and sent once [...]
Well, I have just completed over 6 months on Finance ViewPoint during which time I have learnt a lot about the world of blogging, on-line commerce and web page development. However, the best aspect has been the feedback I have got from readers, family/friends and other bloggers who read this blog. Thank You. A number of people I have talked have asked me various questions about this blog, why I blog, how did I start, how much do I make etc. So I thought I would take this opportunity to answer some of these questions in a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) format. Q: Why did you start this blog? A: I started after reading about the "blogging" phenomenon in various articles that talked about the growth and potential in blogging. I also read a number of prominent blogs and thought this is somet
Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends had a great post last week with marketing experts sharing one of their marketing secrets. I have quoted some of my favorites with a reason why I think the point is important below.
Toby Bloomberg, Diva Marketing – “Forget what your mama or your preacher taught you. The Golden Rule [...]
And yet another angle on Home Information Packs, again prompted by my article on Monday.
I’ve had some feedback from an estate agent (who wished to remain anonymous).
In his experience, HIPs are, rather than making the process quicker, significantly slowing down the marketing and sales process. He explains:
There’s a transitional rule, whereby as long as we’ve applied for a HIP, we can start marketing the property. The trouble is with water surveys. Vendors used only to need them in order to exchange, so after a sale was agreed. Now they’re needed for the HIP, we’re having to order them on every property we put on the market, whether it’s withdrawn or not. Because of this, [the local water company] have a backlog of several months, and nothing’s completing.
From his point of view, it’s only going to get worse:
If this continues into the new year, when we’re not going to be allowed to market until the HIP report has been completed, w
There are some adverbs and adverbial expressions which tell us about the speaker's viewpoint or opinion about an action, or make some comment on the action.Viewpoint Frankly, I think he is a liar. (= this is my frank, honest opinion) Theoretically, you should pay a fine. (= from a theoretical point of view but there may be another way of looking at the situation)These adverbs are placed at the beginning of the sentence and are separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Some common Viewpoint adverbs: honestly, seriously, confidentially, personally, surprisingly, ideally, economically, officially, obviously, clearly, surely, undoubtedly. Examples: Personally, I'd rather go by train. Surprisingly, this car is cheaper than the smaller model. Geographically, Britain is rather cut off from the rest of Europe.Commenting She is certainly the best person for the job. You obviously enjoyed your meal. These are very similar to viewpoint adverbs, and often the s
According to a few sources, the constructions folks are nearing the top at Viewpoint Midtown. There are only two floors left to go and a second quarter 2008 completion date can’t get here quick enough for some people. The picture above was snapped from the webcam set up by Novare Group, sorry about the rain.
Technorati Tags: Viewpoint Midtown
It's very common for people to be inexplicably drawn into bad relationships. Why does this happen? Life on earth is all about personal lessons. While relationships may not always give us what we want, they always offer potential for spiritual growth. The main reason you are drawn to those who may not be good for you is karma; you have unfinished business or lessons to experience together. We are drawn to people in this life in part because of our connections with them from past lives. Another reason may be that you have come together for a higher purpose such as a child or work that will affect others. Sometimes we are attracted to people because of our current life programming, much of which is rooted in early life experiences. Of course, as much as we have researched past life regression and karma, we realize that even our childhood experiences are likely to be karmic. Also, some compare their relationships with the ideal relationship, something most of us want. When this is done, i
From ihtSo, Asia finally unshackled itself from the U.S. economy. Riiiight! Just ask executives at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Shares in Japan's largest bank fell to a two-year low last week amid losses from the U.S. mortgage crisis.Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group also said it had recorded losses in securities backed by subprime loans.After the U.S. Federal Reserve Board cut its rate Friday, Asian markets have largely rebounded this week.Arguments that Asia has decoupled from the United States suddenly look, dare I say, rather subprime.Yes, Asia is a very different place than a decade ago. Banks, Japan's included, are healthier and carry significantly less debt. On top of that, the region amassed some $3 trillion of currency reserves. Asia has so much cash available to fend off crises that government investment funds are being created to take more advantage of it.[Read more]
From ihtToshihiko Fukui is looking more and more like Asia's answer to Alan Greenspan. It's exactly what many Japanese politicians had hoped for. When Fukui became governor of the Bank of Japan in March 2003, lawmakers urged him to be the "Greenspan of Japan, if not Asia." It was a bow to the powerful effect that the monetary policies of Alan Greenspan, who was then the U.S. Federal Reserve Board chairman, had in the market.Politicians got their wish - just not how many had imagined. Now, markets are paying the price for Greenspan's mark on Japan's rate policies. Fukui's central bank, just like Greenspan's Fed, has both created and enabled bubbles overseas with ultralow rates.All this may come as a surprise to Fukui's supporters, and there are many. To them, Fukui has restored credibility they felt had been lost during the 1998-2003 tenure of Masaru Hayami. The adulation sometimes seems akin to how many view Greenspan, who was dubbed Maestro in a gushing 2000 book by Bob Woodwar
As a web designer, its my job to put together websites that are attractive, immediately accessible and easy to use. These things seem obvious to anyone who develops websites, but a crucial problem over the past five years or so is that surfers see and mentally interpret website layouts in a different way to how designers do. Web designers think in a different way to the average surfer.
A 2002 study by Kansas State University goes to show the extent to which the mindset of a developer, or developer’s client, differs from the typical visitor to the final website. The study asked participants to visit a website, and then draw diagrams about how the website was laid out.
The study results were surprising, as participants did not actually draw the webpages, or even specific parts of them — instead, the diagrams clumped together similar pieces of information.
What does this mean? Well, for example a typical corporate website will often portray information about the company and it&rsq
Yeah, your viewpoint is needed. The Q.'s point of view is bitter, rude and dumb as rocks. She's a runaway train. She is a child trapped in a woman's body. And she doesn't have an ounce of common courtesy.Licious does her best to help her friend. However, a friend can do only so much. Maybe Shawn can bring some logic to the situation. Maybe Gabrielle will grace us with her wonderful presence. Who knows? Listen to The Elle Word with host Quanda @ 6:30pm Pacific, 7:30pm Mountain, 8:30pm Central and 9:30pm Eastern.The topic for tonight is: Does reality television degrade women? ***Join us now, in the chat-room***
So here I was… reading article after article after article on how to apply this new found knowledge from ‘the secret’ into my own life, and then I found some articles on the opposing view, which there’s opposition in everything, and I got to thinking how a little skepticism can be healthy - again only a little, a lot would be overdosing on that as well. There’s a saying in my church - Moderation in All Things.
Now I don’t discount the power of ‘the secret’ or the ‘law of attraction’, but I started thinking maybe I was being a little foolish going full headed into this, when I don’t really know what it all entails. So I took some time to meditate and ponder over ‘The Secret’ and the ‘Law of Attraction’ after some thought I believe it can be altered a little better to fit into my own belief pattern.
I’m an avid believer in my church, I’m LDS/ aka Mormon - and I know I might be consid
So here I was… reading article after article after article on how to apply this new found knowledge from ‘the secret’ into my own life, and then I found some articles on the opposing view, which there’s opposition in everything, and I got to thinking how a little skepticism can be healthy - again only a little, a lot would be overdosing on that as well. There’s a saying in my church - Moderation in All Things.
Now I don’t discount the power of ‘the secret’ or the ‘law of attraction’, but I started thinking maybe I was being a little foolish going full headed into this, when I don’t really know what it all entails. So I took some time to meditate and ponder over ‘The Secret’ and the ‘Law of Attraction’ after some thought I believe it can be altered a little better to fit into my own belief pattern.
I’m an avid believer in my church, I’m LDS/ aka Mormon - and I know I might be consid
From International Herald Tribune
To say that Chinese love to gamble would be a gross cultural generalization. Then again, one could be excused for assuming as much, considering how the world's gambling industry is going after China's bettors.
From Las Vegas to Macao and Monte Carlo to Sydney, gambling magnates are luring more Chinese their way. Gambling, you see, is illegal in mainland China. Then again, who needs baccarat tables and roulette wheels when you have China's stock market?
China's equity exchanges have long had more in common with casinos than markets. Investors were reminded of that on Jan. 31 when China's stocks tumbled the most in at least 21 months after a lawmaker said shares were overvalued. The comments by Cheng Siwei, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, fueled speculation the government will act to limit investment.
Speaking in Dubai, Cheng said only 30 percent of companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange "are good to invest in by Western
From International Herald Tribune
To say that Chinese love to gamble would be a gross cultural generalization. Then again, one could be excused for assuming as much, considering how the world's gambling industry is going after China's bettors.
From Las Vegas to Macao and Monte Carlo to Sydney, gambling magnates are luring more Chinese their way. Gambling, you see, is illegal in mainland China. Then again, who needs baccarat tables and roulette wheels when you have China's stock market?
China's equity exchanges have long had more in common with casinos than markets. Investors were reminded of that on Jan. 31 when China's stocks tumbled the most in at least 21 months after a lawmaker said shares were overvalued. The comments by Cheng Siwei, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, fueled speculation the government will act to limit investment.
Speaking in Dubai, Cheng said only 30 percent of companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange "are good to invest in by Western
