Doors Floors and More

Cited: Reuters

Signs of weakness in the US economy recovery are the earnings from key retailers and may influence stock investors. Other data from industrial production, housing and inflation data will also be checked as stocks finish their worst week in last 6 weeks. The week of August 8-14 saw selloffs that drove stocks back into negative territory for the year.

Technical charts show “sell” signals, indicating more weakness. At the same time, some analysts say the market may be due for a bounce.

Wal-Mart Stores (WMT.N) is expected to announce results along with top tech names such as Hewlett-Packard (HPQ.N), which came into the spotlight this week after its CEO’s resignation late last Friday.

So far this earnings period, some 75 percent of results from Standard & Poor’s 500 .SPX companies have beaten earnings estimates, according to Thomson Reuters estimates, offsetting a batch of economic reports that pointed to a slowdown in the recovery.

But for retailers, which typically round out the earnings period, results have been less optimistic. If forecasts from J.C. Penney Co Inc (JCP.N) and others are any indication, reports next week could confirm concern about a weaker outlook for the sector.

“The tone among retailers has changed somewhat, and the outlook now looks somewhat less upbeat than it did earlier this year in the retail space,” said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial in Westport, Connecticut.

“We’re likely to hear more about somewhat sluggish consumer spending.”

On Friday, J.C. Penney forecast a profit for the year below Wall Street’s expectations and said its customers were vulnerable to weak economic conditions, a day after department stores Kohl’s Corp (KSS.N) and Nordstrom’s (JWN.N) gave conservative profit outlooks.

The Federal Reserve also gave a bleaker outlook on the economy this week.

BEWARE OF FALLING SOX

Technology shares led losses, with the Nasdaq ending the week down 5 percent, while the Dow was down 3.3 percent and the S&P 500 was down 3.8 percent.

An index of semiconductors .SOX fell more than 4 percent on Wednesday ahead of results from Cisco (CSCO.O), while the index broke through the lower end of its trading range on Thursday following Cisco’s weak revenue forecast.

On Friday, the SOX ended down 0.9 percent.

The SOX will be watched closely next week when Dow component and technology bellwether Hewlett-Packard reports results.

Hewlett-Packard, whose chief executive resigned following an investigation into sexual harassment charges brought by a female contractor, is due to report earnings on Thursday.

READING THE TECHNICAL TEA LEAVES

Charts show short-term momentum turned negative this week. The S&P 500 closed below its 14-, 50- and 200-day moving averages and the moving average convergence-divergence generated a “sell” signal.

The negative slopes on the 14- and 50- day moving average also indicate weakness.

The Relative Strength Index, or RSI, and the Bollinger Bands show the S&P 500 has not reached oversold levels, and support for the index is seen around the 1,060-1,057 area, with 1,060 as the 23.6 percent retracement of the 2010 high-to-low slide between April and July, and 1,057 the low in a mid-July pullback.

Still, some analysts say stocks may be ripe for a bounce next week following the recent weakness.

“I think the tone is negative, but I think the market is trying to go higher,” said Terry Morris, senior vice president and senior equity manager for National Penn Investors Trust Company in Reading, Pennsylvania.

“The (Federal Reserve) meeting is out of the way, and some disappointing economic numbers, and I think that all spells a higher market next week,” he said.

The S&P 500 ended Friday’s session down 0.4 percent, but traded near flat for much of the day.

The overall sentiment in the options market was slightly bearish but the CBOE Volatility index .VIX, Wall Street’s favorite barometer of fear, suggested investors shouldn’t be too worried for now.

August VIX futures that expire next Wednesday were trading just a tick above the VIX, which rose 2 percent on Friday to close at 26.24.

“Considering that these are futures that expire in 3 1/2 trading days, the market is not bracing for anything too volatile for next week at least,” said Randy Frederick, director of trading and derivatives at the Schwab Center for Financial Research in Austin, Texas.

Industrial production data is due on Tuesday, along with housing starts and the government’s Producer Price Index report.

On Friday, data showed the overall U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 0.3 percent in July. It followed some concern about deflation expressed by the Fed earlier this week.

“Given the sensitivity to the Fed statement earlier this week, all of those items (next week) will probably get a little more scrutiny than normal,” said Fred Dickson, chief market strategist of The Davidson Cos. in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Off-Topic Breach: Are you looking for a little more security for your business or home? One company provides both professional armed and unarmed security, in the event you need armed or unarmed private security guards CA, or any other type of private protective service. It offers a wide array of commercial and residential security. Everyone in California private security services, from armed guards to supervisors are highly skilled and go through regular training to ensure that they have the most practiced competence and up-to-date proficiency to make sure you get the protection you want.

EYES ON RETAILERS’ REPORT CARDS

But the long list of retailers slated to report next week should attract plenty of attention as well, especially given that parents and students are preparing for the start of another school year in the next few weeks. School is already in session in some states, while it will resume in other states after the Labor Day weekend.

Retailers expected are Wal-Mart and HP among others. Target, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie & Finch, The TJX, Limited Brands Gap, Sears holding Corp. and Staples results are also expected as well as home improvement chains such as Home Depot and Lowe’s. These are due to report along with Intuit.

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My Take: They always choose the big names to get their numbers from. Why is that? Well, probably because the little guys like San Diego CA wedding decorations don’t get to big business. Yet, they still do a lot of business with people because they handle San Diego CA wedding chair covers as well as other wedding decorations.

They need to take some interest in the little guy because that little guy can have an influence on the economy just as much as the big guy does. People were working this in various industries still need flame resistant clothing that they can’t buy Wal-Mart or even target. They might be able to go to JC Penny’s and get Carhartt clothing or steel-toed boots, but I doubt they can buy specialty clothing there.

And what about the big vendors that supply schools like folding chairs or display cases. Do they even take into consideration their retail sales? What about the guys that specialize in whiteboards, blackboards or chalkboards? It just seems strange to me that they pick and choose who is going to tell us how the economy is really doing. Just curious!

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Creating Optical Displays

While the most important part of any optical displays are the lightning devices used to create the proper ambiance and tone for a store or corporate presentation, there are several lightning accessories that you might employ should you wish to create a truly integrated lighted display. Something as simple as a track to track connector, which is essentially a cord that connects two different tracks in a track lighting system, might be the one thing you need to complete your lighting display. You might also require any one of several control devices which will allow you to manipulate the level of lighting for your display.

Locksmith Supplies

One vendor provides only the best in lock pick tools and supplies. They are unmatched in the field of customer service, making it nothing short of their top priority. By far, they are the most prolific source of lock picking practice locks and kids that are designed to develop crucial lock picking skills. Whether you’re a locksmith or a hobbyist, you will find the finest and largest stock of lock picking tools such as the lock picking gun.

Cited: AP

“Intel Inside” just might have a new meaning after all. Consumers may find inside their television, cell phone and car Intel Corp. chips and security software. This may be true for any device that could one day connect to the Internet as well as require a computer chip.

And with its deal to buy McAfee Inc. for $7.68 billion, the world’s No. 1 semiconductor company now wants to sell you security software as well — in all those places.

The all-cash deal announced Thursday, August 19, marks the biggest acquisition in Intel’s 42-year history, an expensive example of Intel’s commitment to sell more than chips for personal computers and servers. It is the sixth biggest deal globally between two technology companies over the past 3½ years, according to Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor’s.

But the deal is also a reminder of Intel’s inconsistency in finding new ways to grow. The company is an infrequent acquirer with a history of dabbling in, and retreating from, markets outside its core business. It once even had a toy division that made microscopes and other gadgets — a project Intel eventually gave up because of poor sales.

Once the deal closes, as expected, McAfee would help Intel improve the security of its chips, which are currently inside about 80 percent of the world’s PCs and servers. It also would open a new revenue stream for Intel, which plans to sell McAfee’s software alongside its chips for PCs and other Internet-connected devices.

Joint products from the companies won’t appear until next year. When they do, the most noticeable result for consumers would likely be sales pitches for security software in unexpected places.

“Everywhere we sell a microprocessor, there’s an opportunity for a security software sale to go with it,” Intel CEO Paul Otellini said on a conference call with analysts. “It’s not just the opportunity to co-sell, it’s the opportunity to deeply integrate these into the architecture of our products.”

The price Intel is paying — $48 per share — represents a 60% premium over McAfee’s August 18 close of $29.93.

McAfee shares surged $17.08, or 57%, to close on August 19 at $47.01. The last time McAfee’s stock was that high was during the dot-com boom in the late 1990s.

The announcement worried some Intel investors because it takes Intel so far afield of what it’s best at, which is making microprocessors, the “brains” of computers. Intel shares fell 63 cents, or 3.2%, to $18.96.

Some analysts questioned the wisdom of buying McAfee when Intel could have gotten many of the same technical gains by continuing the two companies’ partnership. Intel said it has been working closely with McAfee for the last year and a half to improve the security of both companies’ products.

Others praised the deal as giving Intel an edge over other chip-makers in markets where Intel is weak, such as cell phones, where chips that use less power than Intel’s are more popular.

Analyst Tristan Gerra with Robert W. Baird & Co. said the deal addresses rising security concerns among makers of non-PC computers and gives Intel “significant security advantages” over chip-makers who have to rely on third parties for the security software they bundle and sell to device makers.

Intel’s chips already have a significant amount of security features. McAfee’s technology should help strengthen those features and fine-tune them for the new devices that Intel is targeting — even if consumers don’t buy additional security software.

Intel doesn’t need the bump from McAfee immediately, having booked its biggest quarterly net income in a decade in the April-June period. But just as PC makers are desperate to broaden their reach as phones and other devices replace certain types of computers, Intel wants to make sure its chips end up inside the next generation of Internet-connected devices.

Intel said the deal would hurt earnings slightly in the first year the companies are combined, or help earnings slightly if certain costs and one-time items connected to the acquisition are excluded.

Both boards unanimously approved the deal. It still needs approval from regulators and McAfee shareholders, but analysts do not expect problems. Intel did not say when it believes the deal would close. Both companies are based in Santa Clara, Calif.

Intel has traveled this road before.

Before McAfee, Intel’s biggest acquisition was its $2.14 billion takeover of Level One Communications in 1999, part of a multibillion-dollar spending spree during the dot-com heyday to beef up Intel’s lineup of communications chips. That effort ended with Intel selling most of those businesses in 2006 for $600 million.

The sell-off illustrated a broader purging by Intel as its finances were suffering under an assault from a scrappy, smaller rival, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and its encroachment on Intel’s turf in server chips. AMD also found another way to hurt Intel: Its complaints about Intel’s sales tactics got Intel in trouble with antitrust regulators around the world.

Intel is fighting a record $1.45 billion antitrust fine in Europe and separate cases in South Korea and New York State. Earlier this month, it squashed the harshest antitrust case it has faced yet by settling with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Last year it also settled with AMD for $1.25 billion.

McAfee and Intel both had revenue last year in the amounts of $1.93 billion and $35.13 billion respectively. Intel has the most employees of almost 80,000 and McAfee has just over 6000 employees.

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My Take: I only have one question. Does this mean that the security software will get better? I used to use McAfee security software and stop because every time I turn around I had a virus. I now use a different virus program and rarely get a virus. Any New York computer service can tell you what I was told and that is McAfee is easy for hackers to crack. In one NY computer support group, I read about the same thing.

I’m sure that if you have a NJ IT consulting services they would be able to tell you more about this than I can. One thing I do believe in, never believe everything you read. Best thing is to research and in this instance you should contact New Jersey IT services or someone to confirm. I am sure that you really don’t want to have to resort to data recovery services because you got a virus.

One thing I do recommend, as any computer support group or service would recommend, back your system up! Back up to either to a removable hard drive or use remote backup services. Data recovery is not something you really want to go through because it can cost depending on the size of your system.

You might also consider colocation facilities. From what I understand colocation pricing is a very competitive and you should find a good rate. You might want to look into getting a colocation quote so that you have an automatic backup of your system.

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Cited: Reuters

The Obama administration on August 6 acknowledged it had underestimated the number of homeowners who fell seriously behind on their mortgage payments even after getting government help.

Treasury officials blamed the error on mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae, which acts as the program administrator for President Barack Obama’s $50 billion Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

The program had been criticized for its overly optimistic estimates of the number of struggling borrowers helped by its subsidies of new mortgage terms.

Tiny Number Lasting

The actual numbers of permanent modifications that have lasted at least nine months through the end of May is tiny: just 4,764 borrowers. And 53,041 borrowers had one for at least six months through May.

Treasury said about 14.9% of the 4,764 borrowers who have had a permanent modification for at least nine months by the end of May had re-defaulted on their loan. That’s more than six times the 2.4% rate they reported on July 20.

For loans that had been permanently modified for at least six months, about 6.1% had re-defaulted, up from just 1.7% originally estimated. Re-defaults are defined as 90+ days late. For loans 60 days late and not yet in re-default, the number of borrowers in trouble is even higher.

For loans that had been permanently modified for at least nine months, 19.6% of the loans were at least two months behind on their payments, more than two and a half times the 7.7% rate first reported.

On loans permanently modified for at least half a year, 10.1% were 60 days or more behind on payments, compared to the 5.9% originally reported.

“We are confident that this data table correctly reflects the performance of the permanent modifications over time. Early program results indicate that the vast majority who receive permanent modifications through HAMP benefit from them and remain in the program,” said Treasury spokesman Mark Paustenbach.

The issue arose after several Wall Street analysts said the numbers Treasury first issued seemed suspiciously low. Treasury then asked Fannie Mae to review the numbers.

Issue with Fannie Mae Stats

Fannie Mae spokesman Brian Faith said his company found “an issue in its implementation of the delinquency statistic methodology.”

“Fannie Mae has now corrected the implementation and validated the revised table through review and verification by an independent third-party consultant contracted by Fannie Mae’s Internal Audit Group,” Faith said.

Treasury on July 20 said that the number of borrowers dropping out the program grew in June at almost twice the pace of those getting a permanent modification. Those figures were not revised.

The dropout rate could signal a rise in foreclosures in the second half of the year at a time when the housing market is still fragile and analysts fear another housing slump could threaten the nascent economic recovery.

About 91,000 borrowers dropped out of the program in June, putting the total number of dropouts at 530,000. At the same time, about 49,000 borrowers received a permanent modification in June, bringing that total to 389,000.

Just over 30% of those who joined the program have received permanent new terms for their loans since the program’s inception in March 2009. However, more than 40% of the roughly 1.3 million borrowers who joined the program have dropped out of it before they get new terms on their loans.

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My Take: People that are due faulty on their loans probably don’t have jobs anymore. Hopefully, these new terms on their loans were done while they were working. Maybe some of these people should have talked to real estate attorney before they got into the program. They might have had a better idea of what they were getting into.

I think if I would’ve been one of these people I would’ve talked to contracts Attorney before signing a new contract on mortgage. Then again, hindsight is always 20/20. That is the way it’s been with many foreclosures. Phoenix realtors are fighting to help people get a house and to keep it. I am sure realtors all over the country doing the same.

Piermont real estate is probably suffering just as much is California or Texas real estate. It is not just the realtors are having problems, homeowners all over the country are having problems. People who own Palisades real estate or Montana real estate or Texas real estate are having problems. They are all in the same boat. It may not be much consolation; most of them will not survive. I would still like to hang onto a small glimmer of hope for them in the economy

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Flags Galore

One flag vendor is proud to tell its customers that it has been an Annin flag dealer for 20 years. Annin & Co. is the oldest and largest flag maker in the world, having begun operations in 1847. In fact, they stock nylon flags that include every state, country or personal interest category available, including custom flags, marine flags, military flags, British flags, and nautical flags, historical flags such as Betsy Ross flags, Irish flags, Italian flags, Christian flags and even POW MIA flags.

Cited: ABC news

Continued from “Vacation Deals Tips Part 1“

does this isAccommodations, con’t.

Once you’ve chosen the type of place you want, look at the per-night price and what exactly it includes. Does the property have daily breakfast, parking, and Internet paid for with the nightly rate? Does it have amenities you’ll take advantage of, such as a pool, a fitness center, laundry facilities, and the like? Is it located close to the action (e.g., a downtown city hotel) or is it more secluded? Do the check-in and check-out times work with your schedule? Don’t necessarily jump at the lowest price–for just a few dollars more, you may find something that includes a host of extras that match your tastes.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to read user reviews from fellow travelers before making a reservation. SmarterTravel’s sister site, TripAdvisor, has millions of traveler reviews and opinions to help you get a better sense of the property you’re considering. I always read a good sampling (at least three to five pages worth of reviews) to see a cross-section of traveler experiences, and typically, by a few reviews in, I can tell which types of travelers are similar to me. Use the same judgment when reading reviews for the properties you’re considering.

Rental Cars

Like airfare, rental car pricing is a bit more rigid. Your price will be subject to which models of cars are available, the demand for the model you want to book, and local taxes and fees.

When renting a car, consider whether it makes more sense to rent from an airport or off-airport location. Oftentimes you can snag a better price by going off-airport, but what you save in dollars may get spent in time, by foregoing the convenience of the airport pickup and drop-off. Consider factors such as fuel efficiency, vehicle roominess, and add-on possibilities (such as GPS devices, roadside assistance services, and more). Compare apples to apples (like same car class and amenities) across providers to ensure you’re getting the best price for the type of car you’re hoping to rent.

Finally, include opaque sites during your research. You may be able to find a great deal, including all the features you value, by checking the offerings on Hotwire or Priceline.

Vacation Packages

Use similar benchmarks to those suggested in the airfare and hotel sections when researching vacation package bundles. Airfare-and-hotel packages can be a great way to save, but always make sure the properties included fit what you’re looking for. Do a cost-analysis breakdown, checking the vacation package price and offerings to the same components (airfare, hotel, car, etc.) a la carte to see if you’ll get a better deal by bundling or by purchasing each trip item separately. While in many cases you’ll do better by going with a bundle, the only way to find out for sure is to deconstruct the package.

Cruises

Whether you’re a veteran cruiser or contemplating taking a cruise for the first time, there’s a lot to consider before booking your next vacation. Beyond price, there are the ports of call, trip duration, cabin styles, on-ship atmosphere, food options, and more to think about. Cruise Critic, another sister site of SmarterTravel, offers answers to these and questions you hadn’t even considered, and can help put you in touch with fellow cruisers and cruise experts to help you plan the best trip for your budget and interests.

Your Turn

How do you define value? What do you consider to be a great travel deal? Where are you going for your vacation?

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My Take: My dream vacation is a trip around the world to the countries that my ancestors are from, Scotland, England, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands and then to see the really interesting sites like the Colosseum in Rome or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I think I will have to win a very large lottery to all that. I wonder if you have where Greek clothing when you visit the Colosseum. I doubted that is usually considered fraternity clothing anyway and I do not belong to a fraternity.

If anything, I would belong to a sorority. Although, too many frat parties play techno music and I would not attend them. I have heard that DJ Michelangelo is hot! And this topic has got me off the subject of vacations.

The one thing you want to make sure that works when you go on vacation is your cell phone. If you need Blackberry repair work done, do it before you leave! You do not want to have to get iPhone repair work done when you’re a tourist, because they can cite a tourist in my way and will charge you an arm and leg.

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Easy Money

There is an easy way for you to make a little extra cash. Sell those damaged cars in your neighborhood. That is right; you can sell wrecked cars for cash. One company buys all wrecked, damaged or totaled cars. And today you can sell any car for cash. It is simple and the best way to get money you deserve for any car, truck or SUV.

Cited: ABC news

Any travel agent or travel writer can tell you about the rock-bottom prices that are available. However, it is smarter to do a little bit of investigation before planning a vacation. You are the all-in-one that can determine whether a price is a good view or great value and there are universal benchmarks to go by.

There are a few questions you should ask yourself before planning your trip. When you start to do your research, always consider the following:

How active of a vacation do you want to have? Are you the type who wants to plop on a beach, enjoy a variety of different activities, or some blend of the two?

Consider your traveling companions. What are their interests, preferences, and energy levels? Do their vacation expectations match up with yours?

How much do you want to spend? In what areas do you want to splurge, and which components are you willing to cut back on?

Will you be spending most of your time outdoors? How important is it to you to have ideal weather?

How long do you want to be away? Are you able to tailor your budget and interests to fit your time requirement?

Once you have answers to these questions, you should have a good idea of what type of vacation you’re planning, from which accommodations type is right for you to how light or active your itinerary should be. Let your answers inform how you plan the rest of your trip, particularly in determining the best value for each travel component.

Airfare

Airfare is the most rigid travel area, as far as measuring value goes. You’ll be subject to factors beyond your control, such as seasonality, supply and demand, and airline fees; but there are a few areas you can tweak to get the best value for your travel dollars.

Always start tracking flights early to get the best sense of prices, number of daily flights, and airlines that offer routes to your destination. If your travel dates aren’t set in stone, take advantage of the many flexible-date search tools out there to see when prices are lowest.

Decide if you want a direct flight (if available) or are willing to connect. Often, connecting flights are cheaper, although you will add more time to your journey and risk the chance of getting waylaid if there are any delays or cancellations.

Once you’ve zeroed in on a few flight possibilities, determine the true cost of your ticket by calculating all applicable baggage, meal, and other fees. SmarterTravel’s will mean regularly updated Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide can help you figure out what your final ticket cost will be, as well as compare true costs across competitor airlines to find the best value for your trip.

Accommodations

So many choices here–all-inclusive resorts, no-frills motels, multi-star hotel properties, bed and breakfasts, inns, vacation rentals, home exchanges–which is right for you? Accommodations tend to take up a big chunk of your budget, so focus first on the style of property you’d like. If you like solitude, you may gravitate more toward hotels or vacation rentals. If you like a social atmosphere, an all-inclusive resort particularly those with group activities and entertainment options or a B & B might be a good fit.

Continued in “Vacation Deals Tips Part 2“

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My Take: I think these are very good suggestions and ideas. If I ever do get the money to take a vacation again, I will probably take advantage of these. If I wasn’t going to take a plane, train or bus on vacation, I would definitely want to make sure my idol insurance was up-to-date. I would check auto insurance quotes online because it’s much easier. In fact, a car insurance quote would be what I would be looking for.

Now that the Florida coast is “clean” I am sure that many people will be taken advantage of a Key West Florida fishing charter. I love to go fishing but I’m not sure I’d want to go ocean fishing.Are a lot bigger than the kind you find in the lake or stream. We understand Key West Florida deep Sea fishing can be exciting and fun. Just make sure you do your research on the charters before picking one.

Then again, there are those people who don’t go anywhere on vacation, instead they work on their house like doing a Denver Colorado basement remodeling job. I lived in Denver for a while and I didn’t know that there were Denver basements. The people will remodel them with handling, putting in new lightbulbs and turn it into a game room or maybe even home theater room. If refinish her basement and turn it into a home theater, you definitely would want to make sure you have the right light bulbs in the right places.

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Getting Ready for Vacation Time

Even though summer is almost over, many people are still going to take a long deserved vacation. That means they need to get ready for it. Choosing the right clothing, making sure the car is in good running condition, their hair looks just right, they picked a great location and their body looks good. That means that they will dive into their Pilates exercise to lose belly fat. Nobody wants a fat belly when on vacation! Their 1st thought is to lose fat stomach as quickly as possible. They will be getting a good Pilates workout every day until vacation starts just to make sure they have a flat stomach.

Cited: Forbes

Continued from “Some Brands Never Die Part 1“

Parkhurst actually believes that, without any more setbacks, Toyota just might bounce back over the next couple of years as the backlash is already beginning to die down. Toyota sales as even jumped 17% in the 1st half of the year with the cloud of the safety recalls hanging over its head.

Company troubles don’t always doom strong brands. Consider Marlboro. Cigarette brands have been on the ropes for years as government restrictions have made it increasingly difficult for tobacco companies to market their products. The settlement signed in 1998 between the four largest tobacco companies and 46 state Attorneys General severely limited tobacco marketing and called for the companies to shell out $206 billion over 25 years to the states to pay for health-care costs.

No tobacco brand has thrived like Marlboro since the settlement. The brand ranks No. 8 on our list, worth $29.1 billion. Marlboro’s market share in the U.S. was 33.8% at the time of the settlement; today it’s 42.8%, which is greater than the next 12 cigarette brands combined. Marlboro’s message has been taken out of mainstream media. The brand, owned by and , is now marketed directly to consumers and in places where they gather, with help from a database of the names of 25 million smokers.

Goldman Sachs, meanwhile, has been called everything from evil to a vampire squid, but when it comes to investment banks, Goldman Sachs the brand still reigns supreme. It has been the lead bank in global mergers and acquisitions for eight of the past 10 years. Even with an SEC suit hanging over its head (the company has since settled, agreeing to pay $550 million), Goldman was once again the top M&A bank in the first half of 2010. It had an advisory role on $224 billion worth of deals, which represents 20% of global deal activity, according to Dealogic. The brand is worth $9.4 billion, and comes in at No. 45 on our list.

The United Way is the only nonprofit that makes our list, coming in at No. 26 with a brand value of $14.3 billion. The United Way was founded in 1887 and is made up of 1,800 local United Way chapters in 45 countries and territories. The economic downturn affected the charity as it did most other nonprofits, and donations fell 9% between 2006 and 2008. Yet with $4 billion in annual donations, the United Way is twice the size of the next biggest charity, the Salvation Army.

United Way of America CEO Brian Gallagher has transformed the century-old charity since he took over in 2002. At that time 50% of local United Ways defined fundraising as their primary objective, with the rest focused on community impact. Today 90% of United Ways are focused on community impact. In 2008 Gallagher announced a new plan to refocus the organization on three core issues: education, income and health, with specific metrics for measuring success in each area.

According to James Gregory, CEO of CoreBrand a global brand consulting firm, US companies are going to put more value in their brand names because they will affect the balance sheets more. Brands play a more prominent role on balance sheets outside the US than they do within the US or they may be lumped as part of a goodwill package when companies are bought and sold. Gregory says that the increasing calls for a standardized global accounting system may present an opportunity for the role brands have on the balance sheet to be seen.

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My Take: I agree, some brand names will never die. Take a look at Singer, that brand has been around for 70 years. The brands that do die are the ones that were taken down by personal injury lawyers. When a personal injury Attorney Denver CO gets a case against one of these brand names, they go all out. It also depends on the type of case that they’re working on.

If it is a brand name like Toyota, then a Texas car accident law firm would be handling the case. As recent events have shown, Toyota is probably in negotiations with a lot of injury attorneys. When a TX personal injury attorney gets a hold of a case, they are like bulldog! It’s even more so when a tractor trailer accident attorney handles an accident involving a semi truck and another smaller vehicle. Many times when a vehicle’s manufacturer is at fault, people will also get a wrongful death lawyer to handle the case.

There are injury attorneys all over the country and they used to be called ambulance chasers. Only the ones that are lacking in a good reputation are called that anymore. There are Los Angeles injury attorneys, Chicago injury attorneys, Florida injury attorneys and the list goes on. And that is why these brand name companies have a tendency to quake in their boots when a lawyer contact them about one of their products.

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Criminal Acts

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Shopping from Home

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Cited: Reuters

On August 14, Saturday, the president went swimming with his daughter in Florida to declare the golf area beaches “open for business”. This was an attempt to change the region hit by the BP oil spill safe once again for tourists and residents to enjoy.

Obama, on his fifth visit to the region since BP Plc’s deep-sea well in the Gulf of Mexico ruptured in April, pledged to restore the economy and the environment in the aftermath of the world’s worst offshore oil spill.

“Oil is no longer flowing into the Gulf, and it has not been flowing for a month. But I’m here to tell you that our job is not finished, and we are not going anywhere until it is,” he told reporters after holding talks with local business owners.

“That is a commitment my administration is going to keep.”

No oil has leaked into the Gulf of Mexico since July 15, when BP placed a tight-fitting cap over the broken Macondo well, which has spewed an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil since April 20. The British company last week injected cement into the top of the well to seal it.

But officials say they will not declare victory until completion of a relief well being drilled 13,000 feet beneath the seabed that is now just feet away from its target. More cement is due to be pumped in via the well.

The president and his family are on a weekend trip to Panama City as part of an effort to encourage more tourists to visit Florida’s famous white sand beaches, which have suffered only minor damage from the spill, mostly in the form of scattered tar balls and small oil patches.

“I also want to point out that as a result of the cleanup effort, beaches all along the Gulf Coast are clean and safe and open for business,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons Michelle, Sasha, and I are here,” he said, referring to his wife and youngest daughter.

The White House later released a picture of Obama immersed in the Gulf waters, playing with 9-year-old Sasha.

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Obama’s U.S. public approval ratings have been dented by public discontent, especially in Gulf Coast communities, over his administration’s response to the spill. The administration came under fire during the crisis for appearing to cede too much responsibility for management of the spill to BP.

Retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the top government official overseeing the spill, said the company will get the go-ahead to finish the relief well but is doing a last batch of testing and planning first.

The testing is meant to make sure BP is prepared to deal with the risk of excessive pressure building up in the well during the final effort to kill it, Allen told a teleconference news briefing. The go-ahead could come by Tuesday, he said.

Obama had come under pressure to spend part of his summer vacation in the Gulf region to show solidarity with the thousands of people in the fishing and tourist industries whose livelihoods have been threatened by the spill.

While Florida escaped largely unscathed, other states such as Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were hard hit and are the focus of BP’s cleanup operations.

Leaking oil seeped into ecologically sensitive wetlands and marshes, soiled miles of beaches and forced the closure of rich fishing grounds.

Obama highlighted the cleanup efforts in his remarks.

“Now, as a result of the massive cleanup operation that has already taken place, a recent report by our top scientists found that the majority of oil has now evaporated or dispersed, or it’s been burned, skimmed, or recovered from the wellhead,” he said. “But I won’t be satisfied until the environment has been restored, no matter how long it takes.”

Obama said any delays by BP or officials in paying claims to individuals affected by the spill are “unacceptable.”

Hotel owners, tour operators and other businesses have submitted thousands of damages claims to BP, claiming the spill has kept many tourists away during the lucrative summer season. BP has set up a $20 billion fund to handle the claims.

Local tourism officials have been trying to counter the perception that Florida’s beaches were sullied by the oil that blackened other parts of the Gulf coastline.

The sunshine State’s $60 billion a year tourism industry relies on the nearly 12 miles of shoreline on the coast of Florida as a major attraction and Panama City boasts the best and most popular destination for spring break for college students in the US.

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My Take: Well, Panama City just might see the students come back this next year, but I don’t think that tourists are going to be coming to Florida at the end of the summer. I think Florida will just have to suffer like the rest of the country. Main reason, tour season is almost over and those that would have been there either change their vacation spot or decided to stay home.

Those that stayed home probably spent their time playing games on their PS3’s. With technology today you can get a PS3 download right to your game system. The guys were part would probably download PS3 racing games and drive their wives crazy, in more ways than one. Others who stayed home probably stayed on the computer playing games or going to casinos online. I understand that casino gambling online has become very popular.

Then you have those who live in the area and want to get out. Many people moved when it all started coming in. Others that stayed contacted West Palm Beach FL personal injury attorneys to sue BP. BP is probably negotiating with not just one West Palm Beach FL business litigation attorney, but with several.

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Cited: Reuters/The Economist

On August 9, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank researchers said there is a good chance that the economy will slip back into a recession sometime in the next 2 years, but it is unlikely to happen in the next few months. That means that over the next 8 teen-24 months the probability of another recession is higher than that of expansion according to the researchers in the latest issue of the regional Fed banks Economic Letter.

Concern has risen in recent months that the United States might be headed for a ‘double-dip’ recession as measures of consumer spending and confidence have dropped and private company hiring has fallen short of expectations.

The soft economic data will be top of mind tomorrow when members of the Fed’s monetary policy-setting committee meet. Recent comments from Fed officials signal strong disagreement over whether the Fed — the U.S. central bank — should move to offer further support to the economy than it already has.

The researchers — Travis Berge, a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, and Oscar Jorda, a professor there as well as a visiting scholar at the San Francisco Fed — used leading economic indicators to try to predict the possibility of a renewed economic downturn.

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The experiment yielded vastly different results, depending on which indicators were used. But overall, they said, the numbers “indicate that the macroeconomic outlook is likely to deteriorate progressively starting sometime next summer.”

“Of course, economic policy can strongly influence the outcome,” the researchers said. “The policies that are adopted today could play a decisive role in shaping the pace of growth.”

Any forecast 24 months into the future is very uncertain. At two years out, the odds of recession vary from almost three times more likely than expansion, to expansion being almost five times more likely than recession, depending on which LEI components are used. Nevertheless, LEI forecast trends indicate that the macroeconomic outlook is likely to deteriorate progressively starting sometime next summer, even if the data suggest that a renewed recession is unlikely over the next several months. Of course, economic policy can strongly influence the outcome. The policies that are adopted today could play a decisive role in shaping the pace of growth.

This is the “animal spirits” aspect of business activity. An economy is the product of billions of aggregated decisions, and all those decisions are made based on beliefs about what everyone else is going to do. And the recursive nature of this process means that multiple equilibria are possible. And the goal of policy is to keep the economy out of bad equilibrium. And what much of that comes down to is expectations management.

The double-dip question is do we believe policymakers can manage expectations in a way to keep the likelihood of a recession return and low level? If you have a sick feeling in your stomach when you hear this question, you are not alone.

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My Take: I would like to know who said we were out of recession! There are still too many people without jobs, too many people losing their homes to foreclosure and prices are still going sky-high. The ones who can tell this the most are the smokers. Thanks to so much legislation and taxes people who smoke really can’t afford it anymore. Some still manage to purchase their cigarettes and pay their bills. Others find it difficult and resort to other methods. That other method is the electronic cigarette. Electronic cigarettes are not only cheaper, they are better for your health because they don’t have any of the carcinogens.

Of course, the FDA has reserved their opinion until further testing can be done. In the meantime, smokers breathe easier, in more ways than one, because of the E-Cig or e cigarette, as it is sometimes called. It would be nice if there were alternatives for other things that people need that were cheaper.

It is really bad when you’ve noticed that parents are unable to get the formal dresses for their daughter’s prom date for the tuxedos for their son’s prom date. It’s even worse when a father can afford to buy his daughter’s bridesmaid’s dresses. Things are better start changing quick printers might be another revolution in this country.

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Employment Discrimination

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Cited: Time

The 1st day of a four-day yard sale extravaganza stretching from Michigan to Georgia, find Patsy and Larry Hagood sitting pretty just after lunch. The trailer they brought with them from Canton North Carolina is now half full of great finds that include loveseat with wild grapevines, an antique wrought iron plant hanger and a huge artificial Christmas tree. “I’ve wanted to do this all my life. It’s my birthday present, but we’re also shopping for our kids,” Patsy states happily as she points out that she still has $1800 of the $2000 she brought to spend.

On the first weekend in August, tens of thousands of yard-sale fans from across the U.S. converged on Highway 127 between Hudson, Mich., and Gadsden, Ala., to pick through tables laden with junk in hopes of making incredible finds. Mountains of $1 designer blue jeans sprawl next to antique cars (a restored Model T: $8,000; the rusted chassis of another: $1,000), bins overflowing with costume jewelry, Avon bottles and ancient hardware. And then there’s the sublimely ridiculous: only $1,000 for a huge chunk of driftwood pulled from the Sequatchie River a couple of nights before the sale; $300 for an “authentic Samurai sword” with a “Made in China” stamp. People plan vacations around the sale, and neither bumper-to-bumper traffic nor temperatures hovering in the high 90s nor afternoon thunderstorms could dissuade sellers and shoppers alike from turning out for it.

There are professional sellers hawking antiques in rented yards and hay fields at the side of the road, with normal yard sales with handmade signs on poster board or cardboard pointing the way. Tim and Vanlicia Ferguson of Homestead, Fla., were visiting family in Dunlap and decided to take advantage of opportunity to get rid of the stuff overflowing their RV and Tim’s mother’s garage. “Our stuff is priced to sell because I don’t have any desire to put it all away again,” Vanlicia says, telling a woman to make an offer on one of three microwave ovens. Despite being several blocks away from the official yard-sale route, the Fergusons had a steady stream of traffic pulling into their driveway. “I think a lot of people have caught on to the pros setting up on the main drag and have taken to the back roads,” Vanlicia says.

Farther south on 127, 6-year-old Callie Tate took advantage of the heat and traffic to sell 50 Kool-Aid drinks while her mother Tara and assorted cousins, aunts and uncles filled a relative’s front yard with clothes, old toys and furniture. “It’s not something we do every year,” Tara says. “This year I’m just selling my stuff and stuff people gave me to sell for them.”

In a barn south of Crossville, Tenn., Barb and John Medema of South Kalamazoo, Mich., took in all of the offerings, from the 100-year-old oak mantel leaning against one wall to the lectern once used by the retired minister who owned the building. The Medemas had planned their trip for two years and intended to cover nearly all of the yard-sale route. “We just like to go to garage sales and thought it might be interesting, and it has been well worth the trip,” John says.

This annual trip is an adventure for Patsy Hagood. It’s not about the economy, gas prices were flying prices. It’s about 4 days of traveling with her husband, eating sandwiches with items bought at a roadside stand and the possibility of making an incredible find. “It’s the hunt,” explains Edith Hardeman, who, with her husband David, managed 2 booths at a roadside spot near Mt. Airy TN. While Edith sold old advertising and Coke memorabilia, her husband David talked with regular customers about his vast offering of vintage records. “We’re into it, buddy,” Edith laughs. “We are into it.”

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My Take: My mom’s best friend, God rest her soul, would it kill them to go to that yard sale. She could not pass up a yard sale to save her life. She would find some of the most interesting things to yard sales and some were pretty cheap. I remember one time she found some of that organic skin care stuff that normally is very expensive for a dollar. I checked out some organic beauty products and they are great for the skin, but expensive.

I remember one year, I went to a local yard sale (usually happens every weekend) and I found the most unique Halloween costumes I had ever seen. It turned out that they were handmade by the lady running the yard sale for kids. We even had one of her sexy costumes out to sell. That woman had to gift to sew! My mom used to make my Halloween costumes when I was a kid, but she could never do what this woman did.

One thing I was always leery about at yard sales was the cell phones. You can find some of the best used cell phones at any yard sale, the question is were they stolen? You never knew! You could easily find used Nextel and used Verizon mobile phones at a yard sale. They might be last year’s version, but they’re usually in good condition.

That would’ve been a vacation trip Phyllis would have loved!

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Cited: Newsweek

This is the Summer of Recovery according to the Obama administration anyway. They say that global recession is over, factories across America are producing more and corporate balance sheets are back in the black. Then why does it still seemed like a Winter of Discontent even with 90% humidity? New data last week showed that economic growth in the US was lower in the 2nd quarter than the 1st even though Ben Bernanke was talking about the end of the recession and that the downturn of 2009 was the worst than anybody thought. Technically, the economy is growing again. However, many economists are disappointed that it is not as much as they hope. Unemployment still remains high in many parts of the sclerotic Old Europe despite record company profits.

At least the continentals will be spending August on the beach. American workers, fearful of continued layoffs, are scrambling to put in more hours on the job. Meanwhile, wages are still flat. All this underscores what I believe is one of the most important economic trends of our age—the increasing disconnect between the fortunes of multinational companies and their countries of origin. What little recovery America is seeing can be chalked up to rising sales and profits within the biggest U.S. companies; top firms are sitting on “mountains of cash,” says Global Insight chief economist Nariman Behravesh. But that’s not because American consumers are spending—indeed, last week’s data dump proved that Americans are saving even more than we thought—6.4 percent of their income rather than 4 percent, a rate not seen since 1993. Consumers, whose spending makes up by far the largest share of the U.S. economy, are not feeling secure yet. Those bulging corporate profits are largely attributable to sales abroad.

Just look at the jump in U.S. export growth, typically about 7 to 8 percent a year, but now in the double digits. The majority of manufacturing industries in this country, from electronics to furniture to consumer goods, are growing strongly because of demand in places like China, Brazil, and India. It’s no wonder customers in these emerging-market giants are feeling flush—their nations have come through a global recession without so much as a hiccup, and their job prospects are good and getting better. According to Goldman Sachs, every year for the next several years, at least 70 million of these emerging-market consumers will be joining the global middle class.

Middle-class Americans, on the other hand, are still feeling pinched. The recession and housing slump has fueled a cycle of higher unemployment and stagnating wages that was already well underway. With the exception of the top 10 percent of earners in the United States, wages have been flat since the 1970s (indeed, during the last period of U.S. expansion, between 2002 and 2007, median household income dropped by $2,000). The reasons for all this are well known—changes in the tax system, the death of unions, globalization (that emerging middle class can now perform jobs higher up the food chain), and the rise of labor-saving technology.

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None of these trends show any sign of reversing. Not only are businesses rather than consumers doing the spending in the U.S. this year, but much of what they are buying is technology—software and services from high-tech firms that will help them, at least in the short term, continue to boost productivity without hiring more workers. Of course, this is good news for Intel and a few other companies in Silicon Valley. But the tech industry isn’t a huge employer in and of itself. The theory is that technology should help businesses grow so much faster and come up with so many new moneymaking ideas and products that they’ll have to begin hiring more workers. Yet even as productivity and profits are increasing in corporate America, firms simply don’t feel secure enough to begin hiring.

Bernanke keeps saying that we are suffering through an “unusually uncertain” economic season. However, every positive item about the economy can be countered with an negative. It is an environment that will continue making things tricky for policymakers who are have to weigh the needs of stimulus to keep a weak economy going against adding more cache to the government debt that’s been piling up over the last 2 years. If the Summer of Recovery looks and feels like this, fall better get here quick.

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My Take: I think there is some improvement. Prices are still going up, especially for gas. People are still selling their homes to avoid foreclosure and some are using property auctions to do it. I actually think that home auction buyers get a great deal this way and it helps the homeowner to pay off the mortgage. Unfortunately, commercial mortgage loans don’t seem to be having the same luck.

Commercial mortgage brokers seems to be scrambling in an effort to save mortgages. Maybe that’s why many companies are cutting back on payroll services or at least looking for the least expensive integrated payroll service. They certainly are not hiring very many people. If they’re ramping up their production, you would think they would be hiring more. That definitely would help the economy.

There are a lot of people that have had to join a debt settlement program just to get by because they don’t have a job anymore and unemployment doesn’t last long or go very far. One thing is definitely for sure, credit card debt reduction is the secret to getting through this rough economy. Plastic will get you in trouble every single time because it is too convenient to use!

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FDCPA Attorneys

The protection of consumer’s rights in all areas of credit, collections, and reporting, providing the most distinguished and experienced consumer rights lawyers and collection harassment lawyers possible to help you fight back against creditors who may be violating the law in order to get your money. If what a collector or lawyer is saying to you just doesn’t make sense it probably should not have been said. Even if you owe the debt or some portion of the debt but have fallen behind, that does not give anyone the right to threaten and embarrass you. You have the right to fight back!