Investing News Blog

On The Money Trail With Al Jacobs

2006-12-03T01:15:00.000-08:00

This on the money trail newsletter talks about success and if your on your way to it. Al Jacobs has pinpointed 7 ways for you to know if your on the way. These steps focus on the financial side of things and i think there are also many other ways in which success can be measured.

7 Ways to Tell If You Are on the Trail to Success
"At some point in most people's lives comes a realization that the dreams of youth and more sober aspirations of early adulthood may never come to pass. A childhood fantasy to become a famous movie star, a teenage obsession to excel on the athletic field, or a young worker's aspiration to be a millionaire, are among the hopes that remain a distant vision. But as years pass and illusions fade, each of us must come to terms with the success we achieve or fail to achieve." Onthemoneytrail.com

# Money and Wealth News

Striking It Rich On The Net

2006-11-28T00:08:00.000-08:00

This is an amazing story of a man who has hit the big time using a very unusual business model. He lined up customers before he could even deliver the services he advertised. It sounds strange but it worked for him, so have a read it will interest you!

New ways to strike it rich on the Web
"One of the many remarkable aspects of the Internet is how easily people can use it to pretend to be something they aren't. There are, of course, terrifying results, such as when crooks pose as your bank.

But David Carter has taken that capacity for misdirection and made it into a legitimate way to make money.
For instance, Carter didn't know a thing about asbestos when he launched AsbestosSurveys.com - yet it sure looked as if he did. He wrote about regulatory changes in his native England by culling data from a government website. He explained what property owners needed to do to comply. He even posted local phone numbers for his "business" in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, each of which was forwarded to an answering service." CNN Money

# Entrepreneurial News, Internet Company News

Google Breaks $500 a Share

2006-11-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

What can you say about Google, it just keeps pushing forward and increasing in value. The companys share price has risen above US$500 and you have to wonder how much higher it can go. All i can say is i wish i had bought a few of their shares years ago.

Google's Stock Price Rises Above $500 for First Time
"Google Inc.'s stock price surpassed $500 for the first time Tuesday, marking another milestone in a rapid rise that has catapulted the Internet search leader into the corporate elite.

Continuing a recent surge driven by Wall Street's high expectations for the company, Google's shares rose $9.67, or nearly 2 percent, to $504.72 in morning trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

That left Google with a market value of about $154 billion just eight years after former Stanford University graduate students Larry Page and Sergey Brin started the business in a Silicon Valley garage." Time.com

# Major Company News, Google News, Internet Company News

Buying Homes On Your Own

2006-11-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

You have to love surveys so here is another that found the percentage of Australians now buying homes on their own is increasing even though housing affordability has been decreasing. These days people are getting married later in life which is probably a big factor in the increase in singular home ownership. It makes sense that we all want to have a place to call our own and if your not ready to tie the knot then you have to buy your home alone.

Aussies go property alone
"The survey of 1000 people who were looking to buy their own homes within two years by mortgage broker Mortgage Choice found that almost 36 per cent would make the acquisition on their own.

That compares with 17.6 per cent who bought houses on their own over the past two years, the broker said.

The trend showed that even as people put off committing to a partner until later in life, they still wanted to invest in the property market, Mortgage Choice said." News.com.au

Real Estate News

Hewlett Packard Scandal

2006-11-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

You have to love a good scandal from a large company and this one from Hewlett Packard who have prided themselves on privacy and codes of conduct is good. In an effort to stop information leaks, certain people decided to tap, record and use personal information which as it usually does has brought them unstuck and in a bit of trouble.

Ex-HP Chairman Dunn pleads not guilty
"Former Hewlett-Packard Co. Chairman Patricia Dunn Wednesday pleaded not guilty to felony charges for spying on reporters and directors in a scandal that sullied the reputation of one of Silicon Valley's most venerable and respected companies.

Dunn's appearance at the San Jose, California, courthouse was the latest development in the boardroom-leak scandal that tarnished the reputation of a company that had long championed privacy and aspired to a code of conduct toward employees and customers called the "HP Way." Money CNN

# Business Scandals and Controversies News, Major Companies News

New Ways of Giving

2006-11-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

Making investments to earn more money for your chosen charity is becoming the next big thing in giving donations. Most big investment firms now run charity investment funds with low fees to increase your giving efforts. It looks like the old ways of giving are gone and investment philanthropy is paving a new path.

Rethinking charitable giving
Americans are as charitable as they've ever been, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Last year they donated some $62.7 billion to the largest U.S. charities -- matching the highest year-over-year percentage gain in gifts since the publication started tracking those numbers 16 years ago.

But donors are different than they used to be.

The idea of just writing one check to United Way is far less popular than it once was. So is the idea of sending dozens of small checks of $15 for every group's appeal that arrives in your mailbox. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -- created by the Microsoft chairman and his family to help reduce inequities around the world -- has inspired many to start planning their donations the way they plan their retirements. Yahoo Finance

# Philanthropy News

Asking For Flexi Days

2006-11-13T01:57:00.000-08:00

I think we all should get a 3 day weekend to enjoy life more, but instead we toil away at work for most of the week just waiting for those 2 short days off.

Well this is a story of a group that managed to get a compressed working week to give them a 3 day weekend. We all want flexible working hours or a flexi day here and there so here are some tips to help you get there.

Power in Numbers: Asking for Flex Time in a Group
Sometimes there's safety and leverage in numbers.
Maybe you don't want to be the only one asking for a flexible work arrangement, especially if you get the sense that other colleagues would benefit from the same thing, but are either afraid to ask or just don't even realize that asking might be an option.

This could be the chance to partner with one or more people to explore the possibility of flex time. How do you work together to achieve your goals? ABC News

# World News

Do It Yourself Stock Investing

2006-11-08T00:15:00.000-08:00

When it comes to investing in and picking stocks to buy many rely on financial advisors, fund managers or brokers, but a new wave is coming in and bringing with it people who are going down the do it yourself investment path. It's much cheaper to make investment decisions yourself because you avoid a heap of fee's and you also get a sense of accomplishment when your stocks payoff.

The experts don't always get it right anyway so with a bit of research, patience and courage we can all save on fee's and do it ourselves.

Go it alone
"Australia's biggest online broker, CommSec, now has 1.4 million accounts. Online information service The Intelligent Investor - by way of example - has gone from nothing to 10,000 subscribers in eight years.

The typical DIY investor is 50-plus, nearing retirement and probably has a self-managed superannuation fund. But Mark Johnston of researcher InvestmentTrends says there's an emerging group of younger DIY investors.

These investors tend to be male, 30-plus and on good incomes. "What they have in common is a high level of engagement and interest in their finances," he says.

CommSec general manager Matt Comyn sees the same trend. "Over the last 10 years, we've seen people getting into direct investing younger ... there's also more women becoming involved than you would have seen a few years ago," he says.

What's behind this interest in self-directed investing? Johnston says of the younger investors: "They tend to DIY because they don't think financial planners add value necessarily ... they don't necessarily see them as independent. I'm not saying they aren't, but that's the perception in this group - it's a common view." Money Manager

# Wealth News, Stock Market News

Politically biased Genes

2006-11-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

Research is being conducted to determine whether we are born with politically biased genes. The thought is that the way we think about politics and how we vote is ingrained in our genes. Others are very skeptical about this research and I'm a bit the same, as it seems a bit hard to believe something like this would be genetically inherited.

Could Political Bent be Genetic?
"Politics may not be in your blood, but it may be in your genes.
A team of scientists is trying to prove that social attitudes -- including political attitudes -- can be inherited.
And the research they base that on, consisting of extensive studies of twins and genes, may back that up. A study found that identical twins frequently answered political questions more similarly than fraternal twins." CBN

# Political News

Mistakes Made With Unexpected Fortunes

2006-11-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

Al Jacobs has written another newsletter worth reading for those who are coming into a large sum of money or those who have already received it.

It's interesting to see news stories about people who have wasted millions and send themselves into bankruptcy because they can't handle money. It has some sensible tips to help those who have no idea when it comes to money.

Seven Foolish Mistakes People Make When They Come Into Money
"There is something uniquely human about the way many of us mishandle money, particularly when its received unexpectedly. Whether its a bequest from a long-forgotten uncle, an unexpected court settlement, or a sweepstakes winning, suddenly coming into a stash of cash can unhinge any of us. Every day the media reports the misery befalling citizens who previously struck it lucky, but then fell on hard times." on the money trail

Money & Wealth News

KFC Reduces Trans Fats

2006-10-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

As people start eating healthier worldwide, fast food giants are struggling to move with this trend. KFC America has recently announced that they are cutting back on the use of artery clogging Trans Fats.

KFC had previously resisted such a change, but consumers are no longer willing to wait for big businesses to change when they want to. Consumers are actively forcing change by shopping elsewhere, taking the companies to court, or using their media savvy that can now reach millions of eyeballs on the internet.

When the profits of a company begin to suffer, only a badly managed business would continue to resist change.

NYC Hears Testimony on Trans-Fat Ban
"KFC's announcement, which won praise from consumer advocates, came an hour ahead of a public hearing on a New York health department proposal to ban the unhealthy fats in the nation's restaurant capital."
and
Health advocates applauded the company's switch. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, which sued KFC last spring over the trans fat content of its food, announced Monday that it was withdrawing from the lawsuit.
"Colonel Sanders deserves a bucket full of praise," said CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson. "If KFC, which deep-fries almost everything, can get the artificial trans fat out of its frying oil, anyone can." Forbes

# Big Businesses

Are Entrepreneurs Born or Built

2006-10-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

Are certain people predisposed to becoming successful entrepreneurs or is it something that can or has to be learnt? I think a certain personality or upbringing has a lot to do with having the entrepreneurial spark and it's these people with a bit of learning that can create success and maybe the rest of us need to work that bit harder to achieve our business goals.

Is There a Gene for Business?
"When it comes to being an entrepreneur, is it simply a matter of physiological hard wiring? Or is the entrepreneurial spark something that can be lit? Clearly, qualities such as risk taking and determination, common traits in many entrepreneurs, are part of one's DNA. However, transforming inspiration into a business concept is one thing, and transforming a concept into an actual business is another. Can the characteristics often associated with entrepreneurs drive, confidence, insight be acquired? Can they be learned?" BusinessWeek

# Entrepreneurial News

Owning a Masion Isn't Cheap Anymore!

2006-10-29T23:24:00.000-08:00

If you think your bills and expenses are getting you down spare a thought for the filthy rich who live in huge masions. With all of the staff they employee to run their lives and homes for them it must be a very stressful exercise and can total up to $800,000 or more a year. So if you want to own a masion you might need more savings than you thought for all of the extras that typically come with owning a masion.

The price of privilege
"Rising mortgage rates got you down? Concerned about renovation overruns? Tired of tipping the kid who mows the lawn? Please. Try living in a mega-mansion.

These days, it's not unheard of for well-heeled buyers to purchase homes totaling several thousand square feet, with half a dozen bedrooms, twice that many marble bathrooms, acres of kitchen counter, indoor swimming pools, and manicured grounds as far as the eye can see. They may spend upward of $10 million, $20 million or even $30 million for such properties Â and that's just for starters.

These homeowners face thousands of dollars in heating and air-conditioning costs, landscaping fees that come to more than $1,000 a month and, in many cases, six-figure property taxes. They need housekeepers to make all the beds, scour the sinks and fold the laundry; nannies to look after the kids; and landscapers to prune trees, plant perennials and groom private golf greens. Tack on the salaries for personal chefs, drivers, and managers who keep the home Â and the lives if its inhabitants running smoothly, and you've got a more realistic idea of what it costs to run a multi-million-dollar home." MSNBC

# Money & Wealth News

Review Your Health Insurance

2006-10-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a story about renewing your health insurance, with 8 steps to making certain your up to speed on what's new and how to make your decisions. Health insurance is an important part of life and you will be glad you have it when you need it so making the right choices for your 2007 renewal is important, so get out the papers and start reading.

Eight Steps to Better Health Insurance
"Open-enrollment season is upon us -- that time of year when companies across America communicate what's new in your benefits package for 2007.

It's possible that there's a package containing your company's benefit options for 2007 sitting on your work desk right now. And if you're self-employed and running your own company like me, now's the time to be reviewing these options as well.

Your health benefits are an important part of your 2007 financial strategy. Here's what you need to know in order to plan successfully." Yahoo Finance

# World News

Enron's Jeffrey Skilling get 24 Years

2006-10-24T02:06:00.000-07:00

Former Enron Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling has been sentenced to twenty four years and four months. Federal Judge Sim Lake ordered the disgraced Enron executive to forfeit $45 million in ill gotten assets from his time at the giant energy trading company.

Lawyers for Jeff Skilling have filed an appeal which could drag on for many more months to come.

Skilling sentenced to 24 years, 4 months
"Lake also told Skilling to enroll in drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and recommended that he eventually serve his time, if or when it comes that, at the federal penitentiary at Butner, N.C., near Durham, a medium-security facility with its own rehabilitation programs." Market Watch

# Business Scandals, Major Companies, Business Leaders

Australian Media Ownership Laws Change

2006-10-22T00:34:00.000-07:00

Not long after new media ownership laws were passed through the Australian Government, big deals were made with Rupert Murdoch taking a 7.5% share in it's media giant rival John Fairfax Holdings. Many major players in the Australian media industry have also taken advantage of these laws to buy and sell with multi million and billion dollar sums changing hands.

Murdoch Joins The Party Down Under
"It was only a matter of time before new laws making media takeovers easier in Australia brought the country's most infamous publishing tycoon sniffing for blood.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has just bought a 7.5% stake in the rival Australian newspaper publishing giant John Fairfax Holdings for $360 million Australian (US$273 million). The purchase has got investors questioning whether the billionaire might buy more of the company, but News Corp, the world's third-biggest media conglomerate, has refused to comment on speculation." Forbes

# Famous Business Leaders News, Major Company News

Community Investing

2006-10-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

Socially responsible investing is taking off but some areas of this segment are still to attract the big money with one such area being community investment. Community investment is used for low income housing, microcredit, small business development and other social enterprises. Even thought it has increased 20% for 2 years running this type of investment has lower than average returns so relies on people really wanting to help and not just trying to make money.

Is $19.6 Billion of Community Investment Enough?
"Community investment is still relegated to the fringe. This is due to quirky transactional structures and often "below market" rates. Community investment continues to befuddle the conventional ideals of our markets culture, and in so doing it remains challenged in terms of adoption by a broad investor base. However, community investment converts ask does it make less sense than philanthropy - giving funds away for impact but no return? Individual and institutional philanthropists give more than $200 billion away each and every year in the US." Green Money Journal

## Socially Responsible Investing News

Sam Walton Quotes and Bio

2006-10-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

Sam Walton was a famous American business leader and founder of the Wal-Mart stores, which have now grown into one of the largest companies in the world. Continue reading our Sam Walton biography.

Walton also left a few words of wisdom that any businessman or investor can take on board. Here's a few famous Sam Walton quotes.

There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.
Sam Walton
Each Wal-Mart store should reflect the values of its customers and support the vision they hold for their community.
Sam Walton Quote
I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they've been.
Sam Walton Quote
High expectations are the key to everything.
Sam Walton Quote
Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely free and worth a fortune.
Sam Walton Quotes

# Famous Leaders, Famous Quotes, Sam Walton Biography

Google Trumps Yahoo Again

2006-10-11T02:53:00.000-07:00

Google has payed $1.65 billion for YouTube.com the largest user contributed video website on the net. This increases Google's dominance over Yahoo even further in the race to take over the world. Yahoo has been trying to play catchup also making offers for popular sites but it's not only Google that Yahoo has to watch, with other companies such as AOL and Microsoft gaining on them in other areas as well.
With Google also looking to break into radio, print and television advertising they just might own the world soon enough!

Yahoo in a rut as Google forges ahead
"Yahoo is the most popular Web site in the world, with more than 400 million monthly users, and a major seller of advertising for its own and other sites. Its management team, led by Terry Semel, a former Hollywood executive, is highly regarded for its discipline. But in recent months, the company has suffered some embarrassing setbacks, even as Internet executives note that it appears to have lost traction in many of its businesses." IHT.com

## Major Company News, Google News, Internet Company News

The 60% Saving Solution

2006-10-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

The 60% solution sounds like an intersting concept and it would probably work for most if tried. The idea is simple enough, reduce your monthly commited expenses to 60% of your income and divide the remaining 40% into 4 10% amounts for different savings needs. Of coarse if your monthly spending habits are well above 60% you will have to have to make changes and stick to them for it to work.

A simpler way to save: the 60% solution
"I've kept a budget of one kind or another, first on paper and then with the help of various software programs, for about 20 years -- despite a strong suspicion that I was wasting my time. The illusion of control, I argued to myself, was better than none at all.

My approach to budgeting was to carefully track my spending during the month and to adjust my budget targets up and down in each category, so that my total expenses never exceeded my income.

Useful? Sometimes.
Anal-compulsive? Probably.

After two decades of this, though, I started to wonder if there isn't an easier, more effective way to budget. I realized that the hardest part about keeping a budget is getting useful information from it. There's too much detail and not enough bottom line. My answer is "the 60% solution," a faster and easier way to structure your budget without having to account for every penny." Money Central

## Money and Wealth News

New Age Philanthropy

2006-10-10T03:16:00.000-07:00

A new age in philanthropy is coming with companies not just throwing money at charities to make themselves look good but actually making an effort to help the needy and involve their employees aswell. Companies are now looking at better ways to use their good will budgets to see results within their communities.

Companies looking for new ways to give
"When Islandia-based CA Inc. promoted Anne Marie Agnelli to the newly created post of vice president for community and public affairs a little more than a year ago, the company had a traditional corporate giving program: grants to small nonprofits, scattered volunteer opportunities for employees, and sponsorship of local events.

The software company's employee volunteer programs were "run locally in some offices," she said. "There were some team projects, but no consistency."

Her first move was to hire a consultant to do a "social responsibility audit" that she hoped would help the company make the most of its $11-million annual corporate giving budget." Newsday

## Philanthropy News

Hiring Your First Employee

2006-10-09T03:28:00.000-07:00

If your operating your small business solo and ever get to the point where the work load is to much for you to handle your going to need more hands on deck. Hiring your first employee is a huge step, with many possibilities of doing it all wrong, so some info and checklists will come in handy when the time comes. There's all kinds of info on hiring out there and here are some very helpful bits and pieces.

Hiring Your First Employee
"You started your business because you wanted to be your own boss. But your business is growing so fast, you need some help. So in addition to being your own boss, you're going to have to be someone else's boss, too. You're going to have to hire your first employee.

Chances are you'll be facing the task by yourself. You'll have to play the roles of recruiter, interviewer, negotiator, and legal counsel. But Inc.com can help. We have the basics covered -- from tools to help you figure out what kind of position you're filling to advice for conducting a successful and legal job interview." Inc.com

## Entrepreneurial News

Thoughts From Richard Branson

2006-10-07T22:42:00.000-07:00

Sir Richard Branson the well known adventurous owner of the Virgin Group of companies has been pondering his future and what to do with his billions when he's gone. He has 2 kids that may take over leading rolls in the future but anything could happen. Richard says he will soon be announcing some plans and directions he and his companies will be taking in the future. The article also includes some Richard Branson quotes.

Branson on Branson
"At 56, the perennial boy wonder, Sir Richard Branson, is pondering age and mortality. He is grappling with how much to give away, and what roles his two children will play in Virgin Group PLC when their irrepressible father is no longer around to jump out of helicopters.

The philanthropic Sir Richard says he does not envisage his offspring, Sam, 21, and Holly, 24, pocketing his entire net worth, estimated by Forbes magazine at $2.8-billion (U.S.), putting him in a tie for the 245th-largest private fortune." The Globe and Mail

## Famous Business Leaders News, Famous Business Quotes, Richard Branson News

Kids and Money

2006-10-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

Al Jacobs has written an article on ways to help ingrain the value of money into our kids from early in life. If we don't at least try to help our kids learn about money and the spending or saving of it, they may never be able to control it properly. I guess the problem is many parents have problems with money themselves so any habits their kids are taught could be bad ones.

How to Teach Kids the Value of Money
"I'll admit, up front, that the care and feeding of juveniles is not my recognized specialty, though perhaps I can claim pseudo-expertise on the subject somewhat akin to the late comic Jimmy Durante from his quotation: "I ought to know something about teenagers; I've been one all my life." Nonetheless, money is my field of expertise, and indoctrination into its proper use by youths of all ages is fundamental if they are to mature into financially responsible adults. Apparently the habits developed early in life become indelibly ingrained, and there are few capabilities more important than the wise use of assets." On the Money Trail

## Money & Wealth News

Richard Branson Gives Billions

2006-10-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

Richard Branson is a larger than life kind of man, with self promotion skills that are better than most. At a recent "Clinton Global Initiative" meeting in New York, Branson said he would commit $3 billion over the next ten years to solving the energy problems that the world has.

It's not a charitable donation as Branson is using the money to invest in new technology (that happens to be environmentally friendly). The reason it is news is because it's Richard Branson, but more importantly because someone with such a high profile is willing to commit such a large sum of money into an industry that is unproven. Hopefully these investments will pay off more than his Virgin Airlines!

Branson With the Stars
Indeed, Branson has plenty of good business reasons to pursue this strategy -- not the least of which is a federal mandate in the U.K. requiring all fueling stations to get 5 percent of their fuel from renewable sources by 2010. There are also heaps of incentives in the pipeline for biofuel stations and production in the U.S. and elsewhere. But the biggest driver, says Branson, is the soaring cost of oil: "I've seen the price of my [aviation] fuel going up by nearly a billion over the last three years. It's painful for us as a business, it's painful for our travelers, but thank God it's happened ... [H]igh oil prices are what's been needed to actually wake up the world to deal with this [climate] problem." Grist Muckracker

# Richard Branson, Philanthropy, Energy