Monday, January 24, 2011

Making Money Now


We’ve been promised for a while now that our phones will become our personal assistants. Executives from Cambridge, Mass.-based Vlingo sat down with me this week to talk about how they’ve delivered on that promise — and started turning it into real revenue.


It seems like all the big guys are trying to get into this business. The incentive, as a Googler put it when the company launched a similar service last year, is that voice is much more natural than typing as a way to interact with your phone. Apple, meanwhile, showed its interest by acquiring a startup called Siri. And Microsoft included voice commands on Windows Phone 7.


The difference, according to Vlingo’s vice president of business Hadley Harris, is that the startup has built all its basic technology, including speech recognition (something that Siri outsourced) and the “intent engine” that allows the app to translate your words into actions that it understands. Vlingo is working with other companies to integrate a wide range of apps into the system, so that you can use your voice to buy a plane ticket off travel site Kayak or check your updates on Facebook.


Vlingo has been downloaded 7 million times, Harris said. BlackBerry users represent most of those downloads, since that’s the phone that Vlingo focused on first, but iPhone and especially Android are catching up. The company’s strategy is to release new features on Android first, then port them to other phones as resources and technology allow.


The app is free, so Vlingo makes money through advertising and revenue sharing with its partners. Specifically, Harris told me it currently earns $7.74 for every 1,000 Web searches, $49 for every 1,000 local searches, and $24 for every 1,000 “other” monetizable actions, such as a ticket purchase on Kayak. With users performing an average of 30 actions every month, Harris said Vlingo is making about 14 cents per user per month.


That might seem a little low, Harris acknowledged, but the plan is to dramatically increase both the number of users and the number of actions over the next year. Most promisingly, he said Vlingo has made deals with a number of Android handset manufacturers who don’t want to direct all of their usage to Google services. (He said it’s too early to reveal who the manufacturers are.) Not only will that put Vlingo on more phones, it will also make the application more prominent on those phones by turning it into the default app whenever you want to use voice commands.



Next Story: Why display ads are cool again Previous Story: Gamification is the new black, reaching beyond loyalty programs to engagement




Not making money as a YouTube partner? Here are some tips from YouTube itself


YouTube hosted a live event today to help partners get the most out of their YouTube revenue.


Phil Farhi of YouTube, began the event by telling partners about a few of the new initiatives that YouTube is working on, to help make partners as successful as possible. He started by bringing us through the history of advertising on YouTube.


Phil mentioned that just 3 short years ago, YouTube began using in-video and overlay ads, the first step in monetizing videos. And following the first format of ads, YouTube brought Ad Sense ads, enabling smaller advertisers/customers to get on board, allowing YouTube to capture a broader range of advertisers.


Next came in-Stream Ads (mid and pre-roll ads), a format that was launched about two years ago. YouTube said this has been popular because advertisers will pay more for ads that are similar to the format on TV. At almost the same time, promoted ads were introduced and it was proven to drive traffic to videos that were featured using the ‘promoted video’ format.


A few months ago, a new ad format for partners called TrueView was rolled-out. This format lets users watching a video skip the ad after five seconds. An ad format that YouTube says is less interruptive and doesn’t risk annoying your audience because it gives them the chance to hit stop.


Phil asked the question “ What makes a movie a successful?” Using the movie industry as an analogy, he went on to explain that there are many factors that come into play that make up the overall picture; ticket prices, seats filled, distribution etc. It’s the same with YouTube as he pointed out. Partners shouldn’t look at one aspect such as RPM (revenue per thousand page views) or CPM (cost per thousand, as an example $1 or $5 per thousand views), they should look at everything including geography.


A few points to take away


Good partners focus on overall revenue and aren’t fixated on “ticket price”. They also work hard at building a strong audience as well as trying to increase views. Good partners look at geography, RPM and CPM.


Bad partners look at the wrong metrics and don’t build up their audience. Partners who only focus on RPM might think everything is fine however, it’s critical that users concentrate on CPM as well and continue to build audience loyalty.


YouTube says advertisers are creating content that competes with user content, and millions of users are watching advertisements on the site. Think about the popularity of Superbowl ads.


Keep experimenting! Compare ad formats by type and geography and play around with different scenarios. Try enabling ads after your loyal audience has seen them or try it in reverse. Play with different recipes and see what happens when ad formats are enabled/disabled. There is a wide variety of ways to make revenue.


Take a good look at revenue break downs and compare formats; True View, in-Stream, etc.


Better reporting for ad formats coming soon. YouTube admits that partners don’t have the best reporting feature right now.


YouTube will be adding an option for partners to opt-in to just TrueView Ads without needing to be signed up with other formats.


Ensure the metadata on videos have the correct information and enough words to help YouTube’s algorithm bring the best targeted ads to your videos




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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...


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Apple airs new &#39;two is better than one&#39; iPhone spot | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the Apple airs new 'two is better than one' iPhone spot. Find more iPhone news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Transfer <b>news</b>: Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam ready to go to war <b>...</b>

Charlie Adam is poised to tell the Seasiders that he wants out, worried the Anfield move may pass him by.

AMERICAblog <b>News</b>: WikiLeaks: Middle East peace process exposes <b>...</b>

All the US government was interested in, Erekat went on, was "PR, quick news, and we're cost free", ending up with the appeal: "What good am I if I'm the joke of my wife, if I'm so weak?" | Facebook | Reddit | Digg | StumbleUpon ...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Affiliate Making Money


10 Exciting European Startups from 2010


Europe’s had a bumper year for interesting startup ideas. The Next Web’s Hermione Way and I put our heads together to come up with this list of ten small tech companies from across the continent that have excited us in 2010.


Brainient


London-based Brainient makes it easy to add interactive elements to existing web video. A ‘Magic Script’ lets publishers add a few lines of code into a website’s Body HTML, enabling pre-roll ads, overlays or any other type of Brainient layers on any embedded video in the page.


The company launched its developer tools at The Next Web Conference in April this year and announced the first of a fresh wave of commercial partnerships, allowing video site SeeSaw to transplant Hulu’s “Choose your own ads” format to the UK for the first time.


Tastebuds


If music be the food of love, the Tastebuds is on to a good thing. This Last.fm-powered dating site that we profiled earlier this year matches you with others who share your taste in music.


It’s a simple idea that the site carries off incredibly well and as a niche dating idea we love it. Music taste can often say a lot about a person’s outlook on life and if nothing else, it’s an excellent conversation starter. The service may be a little too reliant on Last.fm from a business point of view, but as a concept it’s beautifully realised.


Skimlinks


Affiliate links are a major revenue stream for some online publishers. Taking all the effort out of this type of marketing, Skimlinks gets rid of the long URLs that often put users off clicking links. The fact that the publisher is getting a cut from sales of the product they’re linking to is completely invisible, as a Skimlinks URL looks just like a normal non-affiliate link.


It’s a model that has won Skimlinks major worldwide publishing clients. This year the London-based startup launched Skimkit, a product that makes it easy for writers to add affiliate links to their articles, even suggesting items that might be suitable to link to.


Shutl


As satisfying as it is to conveniently order shopping online from home, the wait to get it delivered can sometimes make a trip to a bricks-and-mortar store seem like a better option. Shutl aims to improve on next-day delivery by offering products to your door as soon as 90 minutes after you place your order.


The service works by aggregating capacity across local courier companies into a single web-service that retailers can use to speed up deliveries. A GPS tracking facility in partnership with Bing Maps allows shoppers to track their deliveries in real-time via the Shutl website. The UK startup is currently trialling its service with certain Argos stores in the London area.


Paper.li


It was hard to ignore Swiss startup Paper.li this year. The “Twitter newspaper” startup saw rapid viral growth thanks to the automated tweets it sent out each time a user’s daily newspaper was published.


This annoyed some Twitter users, who found their reply stream filled with announcements that they featured in their followers’ Paper.li publications each day. Still, the service is still growing at a reported 1000 papers per day, with plans to expand beyond Twitter and Facebook and offer users the chance to make money from their newspapers in 2011.


Nuji


When we covered Nuji‘s launch earlier this month, we described it as “Instagram meets Instapaper” for shopping. This social network sees you sharing things you like, be they items in shops or objects you spot online, as a way of demonstrating your taste. A mobile app lets you scan barcodes while you’re out shopping, making adding items to your profile easy.


As it builds a network of tastemakers, Nuji plans to monetize by offering relevant shopping deals to users based on their interests.


Flattr


This Swedish startup from Pirate Bay founder Peter Sunde offers publishers an “online tipjar” that can easily monetize any Web page.


After adding money to their Flattr account, users click the ‘Flattr’ button on pages that they like around the Web. At the end of the month, the money in their account is divvied up to the publishers of the content the user ‘Flattr-ed’. Thus far the service’s most high profile signup has been Wikileaks, which added the button to its Afghanistan war logs page as a way of accepting donations. The service remains one of the few income sources that hasn’t been closed off to the controversial whistleblowing website in recent weeks.


Moshi Monsters


Moshi Monsters from London’s Mind Candy became an online phenomenon for children this year. Youngsters can adopt a pet monster, and solve puzzles to earn virtual currency that can be spent on items to help kit out their monsters’ world with food, furniture treats and the like.


The virtual world has seen real-world spinoffs galore. A deal with Penguin Books was followed by toys, mobile apps and video games in what is set to be a highly profitable year.


Stupeflix


France’s Stupeflix offers a browser-based online video suite and this year launched a service to automate the creation of videos, for example, in the online retail sector where a video of a pair of trainers created from a bunch of photos might be more appealing to potential customers than static photos.


Stupeflix also offers an API to automate the processing and generation of video content for third parties.


Screach


Screach aims to make all sorts of screens interactive by way of a mobile app and a highly customisable development platform. TV shows could use it to allow real-time interaction from viewers, bars could use it to run quiz events with instant on-phone rewards for winners and it’s already being used to enhance a museum exhibit in the UK.


At present there’s little to try out Screach’s mobile app on, but that should change next year when the UK start-up is set to announce commercial partnerships.








or if you aim big you can even advertise with Google Adwords and pay only if someone clicks your add:http://google.com/adwords4. Consider me your real business friend and start your first link exchange with my blog: ad my link to your blog or website and I shell do the same adding your link over here on  http://realbucksonline.blogspot.com/ Also consider that I will post a new method of making real bucks online every week so stay connected here via bookmark or RSS feed. 
 Ok: I am just a average guy like you, who aims to make a real buck on the net.
Now let*s face it: it is hard enough to put cents on cents in a few ptc sites and expect to earn a decent living by that. Plus that all this so called business to be payed to click it*s like rolling the dice: you*re never sure finally you get the money. So what*s the catch with this game?
The most important thing in it is to get referrals : directly or rented ones. And the second important thing is to relay on the most trusted and stable sites. This is like betting on the most probable winner with a Team of Betters behind you.
Now,the first rule in business is to MEAN it. Not necessarily to be mean but to be serious about it. So if you think to make a living online you must be serious, hard working and learn it every step of the way. By all means you will get to SUCCEED IN TIME. With the second important thing, related to paying and stable sites you can get help from average experience or custom search on the net for top paying sites on Google. The really heavy duty thing is to build a Team of Referrals. According to this, the most affordable approach is to rent them with the amount of money you already earned on a site. The difficult part is to convince a direct referral to join in your   downline and be active on every day. This is like direct-sales in the real world: 50% chances (or less) to make them buy something which is more a game than a business. The rest of 50% is advertising or make believe (super-fantasizing) that something is useful and generates a sort of monthly real income. This fantasies go from promises of other great deals to even promises of 10(ten!) dollars per click:) And believe me, there are sites which ”offer” more than that, even the moon from the sky, just to get you join their scam. There are two kind of experiences related to this ”make believes”: one is to be a realistic guy by nature and the second is to try things until they prove lies. Everyone is preferring the first category except the advertisers, who are preferring the second one. Well, if you want to really be in the first category, and play this ptc game, you have to discern between a real buck and a promised one, in Neverland. You may say that each and every dime is just a promise in the ptc virtual world, until that dime profs it*s real in your pocket. It*s true but that does not mean you stop discerning reality from dreams. You must keep your goal to make real money online, gather experience and build a system that really works keeping you satisfied with your decent earnings and little, indecent losses.  
That is why I thought of a system for everyone to get referrals. Scroll down and find out how much you will pay for it!
(just kidding Stay tuned on this site and you will found it soon. Have a winning day everyone! 







Source:http://removeripoffreports.net/

Modern &amp; Contemporary Design Platform / Good <b>News</b>/ Products <b>...</b>

so the user can be updated on the latest news, hopefully some Good news. Good news is made of 25mm lacquered oak veneer plywood. The product is "flat-packed" and is easily assembled by means of only one screw. ...

Casting <b>News</b>: Anne Hathaway to Guest on &#39;Glee,&#39; Marissa Jaret <b>...</b>

Anne Hathaway must've made a good impression on 'Glee' creator Ryan Murphy at the Golden Globes this weekend, because he's already confirmed she will.

Shelf Life: Broadcast <b>News</b> - The Moviefone Blog

Although almost no one saw it, James L. Brooks released a film in December. Its name was 'How Do You Know,' and it disappeared after just a week or two.


Friday, January 14, 2011

Free rental agreement forms

The situation is a bit different if what is in dispute is a house. Obviously, the house cannot usually just be sold to repay a Legal Aid bill (it may be home to children) so what happens therefore is that the board will attach what is known as a "Statutory Charge" to the house in respect of monies owing. This means that when the house is sold or re-mortgaged then the Board will get their money. It is not a free loan however. Interest attaches to the charge and continues to accrue. It is rare for the board to agree to postpone their charge in the event that the house is eventually sold or is perhaps re mortgaged in the interim but they will consider it. As I stated earlier, there is no "free lunch".


buying Free rental agreement forms

Invest in some credit repair options. This process can take some time so be prepared and start as soon as possible. For as little as about per month you can retain a credit repair agency and hire them to work on your credit profile to remove 'dings and scratches.' These blemishes are hurting your credit report but the good news is that many of them can be removed. You can do a lot of this work yourself, but often times it is better and much easier to hire a team that has experience raising credit scores. Over the course of 4-12 months they can raise your credit score by more than 200 points often times.



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No, your zodiac sign hasn&#39;t changed – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs

Tattoo parlor owners must be salivating. An assertion in a Minneapolis Star Tribune article that our understanding of the zodiac is off by about a month -- and that therefore people have been identifying themselves with the wrong sign ...

The Write Stuff For Test Anxiety - Science <b>News</b>

Students score higher after jotting down worries before a big exam.

Giffords&#39; Eye Opening <b>News</b> - Political Punch

President Obama's dramatic news at last night's memorial service in Tucson that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' has just minutes before opened her left eye for the first time since the shooting has created some confusion in light of news from ...


Thursday, January 13, 2011

Making Money Easy



I've been working in the IT/Internet field since the pre-Google era, so it's been a number of years now. It's been a rough ride of ups and downs, but a great one. Being constantly on the internet, I've always wanted to do something extra, apart from my full time job.


I've tried a million different things and had truckloads of ideas on how to make money online. Forums this, blog that, advert here and advert there, but they all failed. I've read gazillions of documentations, watched hours and hours of presentations about how to make money online — how easy it is to work from home and make over $10,000 a month. Really? Well you want my opinion? Screw all that and do it your own way because YOU LIKE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.


Look at the history of most companies, giant corporations of today, especially the online ones such as Google, Twitter, Facebook and many others. They all started as a hobby, as a project, and never specifically to make money out of the idea. All the founders of the above mentioned companies, believed so much in their idea, that they dedicated their life to building it. It is not a matter of luck that they are who they are today, but it is sheer determination and good ideas. Money is a secondary thing; it's the result of what you've done. I never used to believe this but now I do believe it, been there, done that.


As I specified above, I've tried a million types of online ideas and website, but they all failed because I specifically wanted to make extra money. Thought there was only one thing that I really liked and loved, and never gave it a shot, music! It was always my dream to have the time to discover new bands, to have all their original CDs and albums, and if possible get in touch with them.

Grab your popcorn and Twizzlers, because 2011 is already shaping up to be an exciting year to watch startups and giants do battle for market share and big ideas. If you’re not sure which companies to look out for in the coming year, our writers and editors have submitted their expert picks below.

What do you think? Did we miss any promising tech companies (new or established) that you see making a big splash in 2011? We want — nay, demand — your forecasts in the comments below.

1. Minimal, Inc.

This Chicago-based design firm finished off 2010 by completing the most successful funding campaign in Kickstarter history. Its TikTok+LunaTik iPod Nano watch conversion kits raised more than $940,000 from more than 13,500 backers and garnered the kind of attention that should help launch this company to new heights in 2011. The gadget accessories market has a new player.

~ Josh Catone, Features Editor

2. StumbleUpon

OK, so StumbleUpon has been around since 2001, so it’s not new to the scene. But with Digg’s fall this year and StumbleUpon’s planned release of premium features and publisher pages early this year, it has the potential to scale and be exposed to more users. And considering it’s a big source of traffic for many news sites, it may start investing its time into figuring out how to leverage the site further and connect with its community on the site.

~ Vadim Lavrusik, Community Manager

3. Amimon, Inc.

This Israeli company has perfected its wireless HDTV system over the past years. Imagine plugging a tiny USB device into a laptop, and then displaying its output in full 1080p HD resolution on a monitor 100 feet away, with no lag. Amimon has already introduced one of its own products, but the big deal is the presence of its superior wireless HD standard (known as WHDI, or Wireless Home Digital Interface) chips built inside numerous other products, such as laptops, projectors, TVs and set-top boxes.

~ Charlie White, Senior Editor

4. Bloom Energy

If there is any company poised to revolutionize the energy market, it’s Bloom Energy. The Bloom Energy Server (a.k.a. the “Bloom Box”) changes inputs like natural gas or oil into clean, reusable energy. It’s actually a dynamic fuel cell that creates energy through a chemical reaction. The company has raised more than $400 million to date and is testing its technology with Google, eBay, Wal-Mart and others.

~ Ben Parr, Co-Editor

5. Skype

Its recent outage notwithstanding, Skype has been on an impressive run since its breakup with eBay. Usage is at record levels, and features like group video chat and deep Facebook integration have reminded us that Skype is a top tier consumer and business web company. In 2011, the company is likely to go public, and with it, face a whole new level of scrutiny and expectations. Google will also continue to gun at Skype with enhancements to Google Voice (free U.S. calling for Gmail users through 2011 is an obvious sign of that), making the company all the more intriguing to watch.

~ Adam Ostrow, Editor-in-Chief

6. Tumblr

With $30 million in funding in its coffer and increasing content curation (not to mention 14 book deals born from its blogs), Tumblr could be shaping up into a much more organized — and ad-worthy — hub for entertainment. We’re interested to see if the company spends that money wisely — and how.

~ Brenna Ehrlich, News Editor

7. Clicker

The connected device ecosystem is still evolving, in large part because of the battle over control between content publishers, device makers and consumers. Clicker is managing to avoid the battle itself and is instead focusing on making it easy for users to find content, irrespective of what service that content might use. The company recently branched into recommendations and has mobile apps, supports Google TV and the Boxee Box and has a killer web app.

~ Christina Warren, Mobile & Apple Reporter

8. inDinero


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Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Tucson Memorial - Fox <b>News</b> Panel - Video | Mediaite

The first impressions in light of President Obama's speech at tonight's memorial for the victims of the Arizona shooting, and, at least on Fox News, the reviews are overwhelming positive. Charles Krauthammer ...

Apple, <b>News</b> Corp. Delay &quot;Daily&quot; iPad Newspaper | Peter Kafka <b>...</b>

Turns out you'll have to wait a bit longer to see The Daily, Rupert Murdoch's long-awaited iPad news service. Apple and News Corp. have made a joint decision to push back next week's planned launch.

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo <b>News</b>

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Monday, January 10, 2011

web site promotion internet marketing


When I went into marketing/communications in the 80’s, things were simpler. I spoke 5 languages, which pushed me into this field. What else could I do, be a translator? Not on your life. Not when I could be creative, come up with quantitative studies and research why / how people buy.


It seemed simple, right? You have a product and you have to figure out a way to sell said product. You had magazine ad space, TV commercials, newspapers… every day, everywhere you looked, you’d see some form of advertisement. Eventually, we became desensitized to print and TV marketing – the traditional ways.


The Internet wasn’t used as it is today (although it still had some traction). The World Wide Web was the Wild Wild West. It was a “small” little marketplace, with a minor audience for client product promotion.


And Then Internet Entered the Scene… Fast Forward in Time


Advertising is more sophisticated now… but then, so are consumers. Way back when, we could survey the consumer, create charts, crunch numbers… it was all about data. Anymore, however, you have to understand consumer psychology.


Marketing has gone holistic. Yes, quantitative and qualitative data is still important, but we’re not looking at real numbers anymore. We’re looking at the consumers themselves.


What makes buyers buy? Is it the way a site looks? Does having the sidebar on the left gain a greater response than having the sidebar on the right? Are blue links more “clickable” then, say, green ones? Is “buy” more active than “act”?


What Are the Click Triggers?


With all the Google changes lately, you really have to pay more attention to your site. Of course, if you’re a regular reader, you know I push site attention anyway, no matter what Google’s doing. However, with all the vertical marketing possibilities, you want to make sure you get all the bang for your buck you can from any top listing you get.


So you study the click triggers – those beautiful little differences that cause people to click through: through to your website, through to your buy page, through to your “thank you”. It’s a step-by-step process, and you have to guide them every step of the way.


Ask yourself:



  • Is my content sticky? Does it have good information worth reading?

  • Are my headlines well written? Do they grab readers’ attentions?

  • Do I let others (those who will tell me the truth) read my content before I put it up? Do they like it? Do I listen when they offer suggestions?

  • Is it easy to navigate through my site? Does my site create a pleasant user experience?


Are You Ignoring the Individual?


This is the most serious question, and you need to really give it some thought. If your content completely targets consumers (i.e. all product/service focused) rather than having helpful bits of information, you could be losing out.


You can’t appeal to everyone; not everyone is your target market. You don’t want to get so busy trying to reach everyone that you miss those who might convert. Build your site, images, writing, etc within the context of your specific target, and then experiment.


Experiment….?


Yes, experiment. Human behavior and relevance is a beautiful thing. Being able to associate one with the other will have half your online battle won. However, you can’t just pull knowledge out of the air. You have to be willing to experiment – to test. Plenty of tools are readily available for just this purpose, such as…


Google Website Optimizer


A/B testing is in; guessing is out. If you think you might know why a page isn’t converting, that’s all well and good. However, there’s a difference between thinking you know, and really knowing. With a little A/B testing, you can find out what areas really are the problem and fix them.


Usabilla


Take a screen shot of your page and put it up on Usabilla. Let people know what questions you want them to answer and then send out the link. This little goodie can give you some very valuable insights in terms of layout and design.


4QSurvey


Very nice, very short survey. You can find out why people came to your site, whether they found what they wanted (giving you visitor satisfaction ratings) and get suggestions from them, all in the same program. Again, this is a very useful goodie.


The three above are just a few. There are, literally, tons of usability testing tools out there. Many are free; some cost, but are worth it.


You’re not going to get through today’s marketing world by guessing. You’re not going to make it with traditional marketing tools. You have to be willing to use everything at your disposal; you have to be willing to expand.


What changes have you made to keep up with online marketing and technology?


Post image via BDoughertyAmSchool




When I went into marketing/communications in the 80’s, things were simpler. I spoke 5 languages, which pushed me into this field. What else could I do, be a translator? Not on your life. Not when I could be creative, come up with quantitative studies and research why / how people buy.


It seemed simple, right? You have a product and you have to figure out a way to sell said product. You had magazine ad space, TV commercials, newspapers… every day, everywhere you looked, you’d see some form of advertisement. Eventually, we became desensitized to print and TV marketing – the traditional ways.


The Internet wasn’t used as it is today (although it still had some traction). The World Wide Web was the Wild Wild West. It was a “small” little marketplace, with a minor audience for client product promotion.


And Then Internet Entered the Scene… Fast Forward in Time


Advertising is more sophisticated now… but then, so are consumers. Way back when, we could survey the consumer, create charts, crunch numbers… it was all about data. Anymore, however, you have to understand consumer psychology.


Marketing has gone holistic. Yes, quantitative and qualitative data is still important, but we’re not looking at real numbers anymore. We’re looking at the consumers themselves.


What makes buyers buy? Is it the way a site looks? Does having the sidebar on the left gain a greater response than having the sidebar on the right? Are blue links more “clickable” then, say, green ones? Is “buy” more active than “act”?


What Are the Click Triggers?


With all the Google changes lately, you really have to pay more attention to your site. Of course, if you’re a regular reader, you know I push site attention anyway, no matter what Google’s doing. However, with all the vertical marketing possibilities, you want to make sure you get all the bang for your buck you can from any top listing you get.


So you study the click triggers – those beautiful little differences that cause people to click through: through to your website, through to your buy page, through to your “thank you”. It’s a step-by-step process, and you have to guide them every step of the way.


Ask yourself:



  • Is my content sticky? Does it have good information worth reading?

  • Are my headlines well written? Do they grab readers’ attentions?

  • Do I let others (those who will tell me the truth) read my content before I put it up? Do they like it? Do I listen when they offer suggestions?

  • Is it easy to navigate through my site? Does my site create a pleasant user experience?


Are You Ignoring the Individual?


This is the most serious question, and you need to really give it some thought. If your content completely targets consumers (i.e. all product/service focused) rather than having helpful bits of information, you could be losing out.


You can’t appeal to everyone; not everyone is your target market. You don’t want to get so busy trying to reach everyone that you miss those who might convert. Build your site, images, writing, etc within the context of your specific target, and then experiment.


Experiment….?


Yes, experiment. Human behavior and relevance is a beautiful thing. Being able to associate one with the other will have half your online battle won. However, you can’t just pull knowledge out of the air. You have to be willing to experiment – to test. Plenty of tools are readily available for just this purpose, such as…


Google Website Optimizer


A/B testing is in; guessing is out. If you think you might know why a page isn’t converting, that’s all well and good. However, there’s a difference between thinking you know, and really knowing. With a little A/B testing, you can find out what areas really are the problem and fix them.


Usabilla


Take a screen shot of your page and put it up on Usabilla. Let people know what questions you want them to answer and then send out the link. This little goodie can give you some very valuable insights in terms of layout and design.


4QSurvey


Very nice, very short survey. You can find out why people came to your site, whether they found what they wanted (giving you visitor satisfaction ratings) and get suggestions from them, all in the same program. Again, this is a very useful goodie.


The three above are just a few. There are, literally, tons of usability testing tools out there. Many are free; some cost, but are worth it.


You’re not going to get through today’s marketing world by guessing. You’re not going to make it with traditional marketing tools. You have to be willing to use everything at your disposal; you have to be willing to expand.


What changes have you made to keep up with online marketing and technology?


Post image via BDoughertyAmSchool




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Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

Top <b>news</b> stories in China 2010

A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

Fox <b>News</b> | Gabrielle Giffords | Sarah Palin | Mediaite

Fox News Hits 'Kill Switch' on Giffords Vigil as Mourner Says 'And I Say to You, Sarah Palin'


bench craft company reviews bench craft company reviews

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Andy Borowitz: Fox <b>News</b> Warns That Without Angry Rhetoric It Will <b>...</b>

Fox is preparing for a "worst-case scenario" in which it was pressured to air responsible statements in place of its current programming: "If it comes to that, God forbid, we'll just air 24 hours of 24."

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A Sinica podcast and lists from the Chinese media and Internet of the top news stories of 2010, year of the Tiger.

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Friday, January 7, 2011

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There is nothing wrong with reforming the servicing process, in and of itself. It’s just that you’ll never be able to do that without showing clearly that criminal sanctions on the servicers themselves, reaching all the way to the top, are the appropriate response to criminal behavior. I know we don’t really have a rule of law in this country at a certain level of income, but if we did, you would simply have to apply it in cases where banks bilked people out of their homes through servicer-driven defaults, or where they charged outrageous rates for forced-place insurance to jack up their own fees, or where they broke into occupied homes not even in default and changed the locks. These are simply criminal actions; you’d have to be willfully blind to consider them “inherently civil.”


What Miller’s talking about is fine as far as it goes. The proposed resolution would ban dual-track, where servicers negotiate on a loan modification and seek foreclosure at the same time. It would create a general fund for foreclosure victims who were wrongfully evicted. It would seek to reform the loan modification process by mandating workouts with borrowers who have a certain ability to pay, including introducing principal reductions as a remedy. I don’t have a problem with any of this. But without criminal probes, it’s not really backed up by anything. Why would there be follow-through on the part of the servicers if they can just renegotiate a future settlement? We’ve seen in previous settlement cases that the servicers just don’t follow the guidelines, leading Attorneys General or regulators to sue again. There’s only one way off the merry go-round, and that’s with criminal sanctions.


As one of Yves Smith’s commeters points out, you already have grand juries impaneled to investigate the criminal fraud from foreclosure mills, who the servicers basically hired. Civil actions at this point are basically inadequate.


Needless to say, this is compounded by Miller promising the exact opposite approach to advocates just weeks ago. The AG investigation, if this is the track, could end up creating some nice newspaper articles, but result in nothing close to an actual reform to servicer abuse. Keep in mind that Miller’s name was floated to be the first head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I suspect that making nice with an Administration averse to “looking backward” could have something to do with this.


In the wake of many highly-publicized stories about rampant fraud perpetrated by banks in foreclosure proceedings, the Federal Reserve has decided to support stronger regulations under financial reform President Obama signed into law last summer.




The FDIC has been pushing hard to ensure that new regulations on the mortgage bond market include clear instructions for how banks handle mortgages-- and under what circumstances they can evict delinquent borrowers. The bank divisions that collect payments from borrowers and implement the foreclosure process-- known as "mortgage servicers"-- have been plagued by rampant problems with fraudulent documentation. This fraud has resulted in everything from illegal fees charged to borrowers to improper evictions.



The Fed had opposed using the mortgage bond rules to crack down on foreclosure abuses, despite pressure from the FDIC. But FDIC General Counsel Michael Krimminger recently told the Fed his agency would not support any new mortgage bond regulations that do not include strong rules forbidding foreclosure abuses. Krimminger told HuffPost that other regulatory agencies are "moving in our direction on the issue."



Krimminger would not specify which agencies were coming around. But a separate source close to the discussions told HuffPost that the Fed has come on board, with systemic risk watchdogs at the central bank sympathetic to Krimminger's position.



It doesn't do much to help existing victims of foreclosure fraud, nothing short of sending some bankers to jail would. But this is an important step in creating accountability for banks and protections for borrowers.




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