Money Making Websites

Newly launched shopping incentive platform Ifeelgoods today announced that it will help retail websites to give away Facebook Credits as rewards to customers. Users can earn Credits for making purchases, sharing with friends, clicking ads, signing up for email updates, or for redeeming loyalty program points. Facebook Credits have a low cost but a high perceived value, especially to social gamers who are often online shoppers, making them a more cost-effective incentive than discounts and rebates. These so-called “micro-incentives” could become a powerful way to entice customers to follow a call to action.

Retail websites first add some simple javascript code to display messages such as “Buy this dress and get 25 Facebook Credits” or “Post to Facebook and get 3 Credits.” Users then click a Facebook Connect button, allow the Ifeelgoods app access, and the Credits are automatically deposited in the user’s Facebook account. The integration will only be lightly branded as powered by Ifeelgoods.

The company is part of Facebook’s app2user program which enables apps such as ShopKick and Rixty to help merchants and loyalty program operators offer their customers Facebook Credits in lieu of other rewards. This effectively creates another payment method for Credits where users pay or create value for retailers who in turn pay Facebook. The Ifeelgoods team comes from Shop.org, PayPal, Google, and French media agency AGORAD, and has received $1.1 million in seed funding from Tugboat Ventures, Kima Ventures, Quest Venture Partners and angel investors. A number of undisclosed retailers are ready to implement the incentive program upon launch.

The company’s VP of Product Suchit Dash explains that Ifeelgoods has purchased a pool of full-priced Credits from Facebook, and one possible business model would be to sell them at-cost to retailers along with a set up fee for implementing the integration. Later, the company hopes to get discounts from Facebook for bulk Credits purchases, netting it a margin on each Credit sale.

Dash says ifeelgoods Credits incentives are similar to offering “free shipping where the perceived value to customers is seven or eight dollars, but the cost for retailers is three or four dollars. Five Facebook Credits are worth more than their actual value to someone heavily invested in FarmVille. We’re aligning ourselves with a currency which has potential. As users begin to be able to buy online books or music with Facebook Credits, the perceived value of the Credits expands.” By providing a low cost way to encourage users to spend money, give up contact information, and distribute marketing messages, Ifeelgoods shares the buying power of social gamers with online retailers.

Introduction:



I am a 22 year old gay adult living in Calgary, Alberta Canada. I have a one year technical diploma in Computer Engineering and Web Development. Lately I've had a number of issues in my life that I haven't been able to necessarily ask my family or parents about. So I am hoping I can get your opinion.



Career:



As I mentioned above, I am in the computer industry. Right after I finished my degree I was able to score a job with a fairly great employer. That lasted three months. I quit because the staff where extremely hard to work with on a daily basis. I was teased all the time about my sexuality and although it didn't cross the line as "sexual discrimination" it made the environment way too tense for me. My second job was with a marketing agency as a consultant. It lasted only a month because the company went bankrupt. Since then I've been doing freelancing. I get jobs here and there, basically just enough $ to keep food on the table. I've been applying for jobs for months, and I get interviews but frankly I don't stand a chance because there are so many unemployed "senior people" who are willing to work for my starting wage. I've been to two careers counselors who have not helped me in any kind of way. I'm frankly not sure what to do now. If I go back to college, I'll need to pick an entirely different industry which seems like a huge waste of my degree. Maybe business or marketing. Apparently there are cities that are experiencing growth in my industry but they are far away from where I live. My question is, should I continue to slug it out apply for jobs, move to a new city or go back to school? Also, in your opinion how many years of college is really sufficient to feeling "secure" and making a decent wage in most industry's?



Relationships:



I have trouble meeting boys who meet my criteria locally. By "criteria" I mean, they must be interested in a monogamous relationship because I don't want to get sick and secondly they must be within 5 years of my age and self sufficient enough to be independent. All my relationships have been long-distance.



Drew - I met Drew online two years ago. We instantly "connected" and would talk at-least once a day using video chat because he lived so far away from me. Finally met a year later in person. Things didn't exactly go as planned. We where meeting right as I was finishing college. I basically had to spend *all my money* to see him. He met me in Las Vegas, the trip was planned for a week. I payed for my airfare, hotel ect. He was only able to spend one day / night with me before he had to go back home, to California because of work. That made me upset! but never-the-less the time we had together was something *I do not regret at all*. Fast forward 5 months. He moved to Germany and then back to the states. I really want to see him, but he has no plans for us to "be together", at-least he won't say it to me. That really makes me confused because honestly I love him and I want to be with him. He wants me to fly out to see him again. I'm hesitant, I don't want my heart broken and I don't want to let him go. What do I do?



In the meantime I ended up casually meeting someone else (Garrett) in California and he is kind of like Drew except he actually "wants a relationship" and is more of what I'm looking for. The only downside to Garrett is that he has some anger issues when he gets into complicated situations/problems. This really has no relevance to the situation with Drew but I thought I would mention it for context sake.



I don't mean to seem high on myself or anything but I'm "above average looking" and I do get a lot of dating prospects but like I mentioned its rare for me to ever find anyone really "suitable". Drew or Garrett are probably the closest I'm going to get. Before you say "there's plenty of fish in the sea" let me say that I have dating profiles on all the major websites, get hundreds of messages weekly and do network with most of the gay people in my town. So I feel somewhat justified with that statement. I do want your thoughts though whatever they may me.



Ultimate goals;



For the next questions context - what I want in my life is: (1.) Financial stability. I don't want to worry if I can feed myself or my family and if I can/can't pay my bills. (2.) I want to get out of Canada and live somewhere with no winter. I hate cold and I hate snow. I love the beach, but since I've never really traveled extensively I don't know where this is. (3.) I want a boyfriend who I can trust, and won't leave me for someone more "pretty" when I start to age. I want a real relationship that is friendship first and sexual attraction later. (4.) I want to do good for others using my talents for complex thinking.



Money:



After I graduated college my mom gave me $5000. She is a single parent so that was considered a very generous gift on her behalf. Also, I managed to save $5000 of my own just by being extremely frivolous and not having much of a life. So my bank total is $10 000 at the moment. I want to be very careful with this money, because I feel like its all I have. At the moment, I have a decent car (totally paid off) and no debt. I want to set myself up for the future so I feel secure and can actually have a responsible, healthy life. Given the above information I've provided what should I do with these funds?





Sorry for the length of all this. Thank you for your thoughts! :)

Fox <b>News&#39;s</b> Obama &#39;Loves Gangsta Rap&#39; Headline Is Pulled Down

Drop to the end of Jann Wenner's Rolling Stone interview with President Barack Obama, and you'll get to the part where Wenner asks the president to talk about the music he's been listening to lately. Here's Obama's answer, in its ...

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski Calling It Quits — Amicably <b>...</b>

Thomas Evans/PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa "Bananas!" Celeb stylist Rachel Zoe and her bow-tie clad assistant Brad Goreski have sadly decided to go their separate ways, effective Oct. 1.

Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our 3DS news of Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month.

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bench craft company rip off

Fox <b>News&#39;s</b> Obama &#39;Loves Gangsta Rap&#39; Headline Is Pulled Down

Drop to the end of Jann Wenner's Rolling Stone interview with President Barack Obama, and you'll get to the part where Wenner asks the president to talk about the music he's been listening to lately. Here's Obama's answer, in its ...

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski Calling It Quits — Amicably <b>...</b>

Thomas Evans/PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa "Bananas!" Celeb stylist Rachel Zoe and her bow-tie clad assistant Brad Goreski have sadly decided to go their separate ways, effective Oct. 1.

Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our 3DS news of Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month.

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Newly launched shopping incentive platform Ifeelgoods today announced that it will help retail websites to give away Facebook Credits as rewards to customers. Users can earn Credits for making purchases, sharing with friends, clicking ads, signing up for email updates, or for redeeming loyalty program points. Facebook Credits have a low cost but a high perceived value, especially to social gamers who are often online shoppers, making them a more cost-effective incentive than discounts and rebates. These so-called “micro-incentives” could become a powerful way to entice customers to follow a call to action.

Retail websites first add some simple javascript code to display messages such as “Buy this dress and get 25 Facebook Credits” or “Post to Facebook and get 3 Credits.” Users then click a Facebook Connect button, allow the Ifeelgoods app access, and the Credits are automatically deposited in the user’s Facebook account. The integration will only be lightly branded as powered by Ifeelgoods.

The company is part of Facebook’s app2user program which enables apps such as ShopKick and Rixty to help merchants and loyalty program operators offer their customers Facebook Credits in lieu of other rewards. This effectively creates another payment method for Credits where users pay or create value for retailers who in turn pay Facebook. The Ifeelgoods team comes from Shop.org, PayPal, Google, and French media agency AGORAD, and has received $1.1 million in seed funding from Tugboat Ventures, Kima Ventures, Quest Venture Partners and angel investors. A number of undisclosed retailers are ready to implement the incentive program upon launch.

The company’s VP of Product Suchit Dash explains that Ifeelgoods has purchased a pool of full-priced Credits from Facebook, and one possible business model would be to sell them at-cost to retailers along with a set up fee for implementing the integration. Later, the company hopes to get discounts from Facebook for bulk Credits purchases, netting it a margin on each Credit sale.

Dash says ifeelgoods Credits incentives are similar to offering “free shipping where the perceived value to customers is seven or eight dollars, but the cost for retailers is three or four dollars. Five Facebook Credits are worth more than their actual value to someone heavily invested in FarmVille. We’re aligning ourselves with a currency which has potential. As users begin to be able to buy online books or music with Facebook Credits, the perceived value of the Credits expands.” By providing a low cost way to encourage users to spend money, give up contact information, and distribute marketing messages, Ifeelgoods shares the buying power of social gamers with online retailers.

Introduction:



I am a 22 year old gay adult living in Calgary, Alberta Canada. I have a one year technical diploma in Computer Engineering and Web Development. Lately I've had a number of issues in my life that I haven't been able to necessarily ask my family or parents about. So I am hoping I can get your opinion.



Career:



As I mentioned above, I am in the computer industry. Right after I finished my degree I was able to score a job with a fairly great employer. That lasted three months. I quit because the staff where extremely hard to work with on a daily basis. I was teased all the time about my sexuality and although it didn't cross the line as "sexual discrimination" it made the environment way too tense for me. My second job was with a marketing agency as a consultant. It lasted only a month because the company went bankrupt. Since then I've been doing freelancing. I get jobs here and there, basically just enough $ to keep food on the table. I've been applying for jobs for months, and I get interviews but frankly I don't stand a chance because there are so many unemployed "senior people" who are willing to work for my starting wage. I've been to two careers counselors who have not helped me in any kind of way. I'm frankly not sure what to do now. If I go back to college, I'll need to pick an entirely different industry which seems like a huge waste of my degree. Maybe business or marketing. Apparently there are cities that are experiencing growth in my industry but they are far away from where I live. My question is, should I continue to slug it out apply for jobs, move to a new city or go back to school? Also, in your opinion how many years of college is really sufficient to feeling "secure" and making a decent wage in most industry's?



Relationships:



I have trouble meeting boys who meet my criteria locally. By "criteria" I mean, they must be interested in a monogamous relationship because I don't want to get sick and secondly they must be within 5 years of my age and self sufficient enough to be independent. All my relationships have been long-distance.



Drew - I met Drew online two years ago. We instantly "connected" and would talk at-least once a day using video chat because he lived so far away from me. Finally met a year later in person. Things didn't exactly go as planned. We where meeting right as I was finishing college. I basically had to spend *all my money* to see him. He met me in Las Vegas, the trip was planned for a week. I payed for my airfare, hotel ect. He was only able to spend one day / night with me before he had to go back home, to California because of work. That made me upset! but never-the-less the time we had together was something *I do not regret at all*. Fast forward 5 months. He moved to Germany and then back to the states. I really want to see him, but he has no plans for us to "be together", at-least he won't say it to me. That really makes me confused because honestly I love him and I want to be with him. He wants me to fly out to see him again. I'm hesitant, I don't want my heart broken and I don't want to let him go. What do I do?



In the meantime I ended up casually meeting someone else (Garrett) in California and he is kind of like Drew except he actually "wants a relationship" and is more of what I'm looking for. The only downside to Garrett is that he has some anger issues when he gets into complicated situations/problems. This really has no relevance to the situation with Drew but I thought I would mention it for context sake.



I don't mean to seem high on myself or anything but I'm "above average looking" and I do get a lot of dating prospects but like I mentioned its rare for me to ever find anyone really "suitable". Drew or Garrett are probably the closest I'm going to get. Before you say "there's plenty of fish in the sea" let me say that I have dating profiles on all the major websites, get hundreds of messages weekly and do network with most of the gay people in my town. So I feel somewhat justified with that statement. I do want your thoughts though whatever they may me.



Ultimate goals;



For the next questions context - what I want in my life is: (1.) Financial stability. I don't want to worry if I can feed myself or my family and if I can/can't pay my bills. (2.) I want to get out of Canada and live somewhere with no winter. I hate cold and I hate snow. I love the beach, but since I've never really traveled extensively I don't know where this is. (3.) I want a boyfriend who I can trust, and won't leave me for someone more "pretty" when I start to age. I want a real relationship that is friendship first and sexual attraction later. (4.) I want to do good for others using my talents for complex thinking.



Money:



After I graduated college my mom gave me $5000. She is a single parent so that was considered a very generous gift on her behalf. Also, I managed to save $5000 of my own just by being extremely frivolous and not having much of a life. So my bank total is $10 000 at the moment. I want to be very careful with this money, because I feel like its all I have. At the moment, I have a decent car (totally paid off) and no debt. I want to set myself up for the future so I feel secure and can actually have a responsible, healthy life. Given the above information I've provided what should I do with these funds?





Sorry for the length of all this. Thank you for your thoughts! :)
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Fox <b>News&#39;s</b> Obama &#39;Loves Gangsta Rap&#39; Headline Is Pulled Down

Drop to the end of Jann Wenner's Rolling Stone interview with President Barack Obama, and you'll get to the part where Wenner asks the president to talk about the music he's been listening to lately. Here's Obama's answer, in its ...

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski Calling It Quits — Amicably <b>...</b>

Thomas Evans/PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa "Bananas!" Celeb stylist Rachel Zoe and her bow-tie clad assistant Brad Goreski have sadly decided to go their separate ways, effective Oct. 1.

Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our 3DS news of Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month.

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Fox <b>News&#39;s</b> Obama &#39;Loves Gangsta Rap&#39; Headline Is Pulled Down

Drop to the end of Jann Wenner's Rolling Stone interview with President Barack Obama, and you'll get to the part where Wenner asks the president to talk about the music he's been listening to lately. Here's Obama's answer, in its ...

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski Calling It Quits — Amicably <b>...</b>

Thomas Evans/PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa "Bananas!" Celeb stylist Rachel Zoe and her bow-tie clad assistant Brad Goreski have sadly decided to go their separate ways, effective Oct. 1.

Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our 3DS news of Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month.

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Fox <b>News&#39;s</b> Obama &#39;Loves Gangsta Rap&#39; Headline Is Pulled Down

Drop to the end of Jann Wenner's Rolling Stone interview with President Barack Obama, and you'll get to the part where Wenner asks the president to talk about the music he's been listening to lately. Here's Obama's answer, in its ...

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Zoe and Brad Goreski Calling It Quits — Amicably <b>...</b>

Thomas Evans/PatrickMcMullan.com/Sipa "Bananas!" Celeb stylist Rachel Zoe and her bow-tie clad assistant Brad Goreski have sadly decided to go their separate ways, effective Oct. 1.

Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month 3DS <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our 3DS news of Nintendo: 4m 3DS sales in first month.

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tracking personal finances

This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. This post is part of Book Week at Get Rich Slowly.

Since my twin victories of paying off our last credit card and funding a summer of travel, my husband has begun to show interest in personal finance.

It’s not that he wasn’t supportive of my efforts before — he just preferred to support them from a safe, ignorant distance. A distance from which I handed him an envelope of cash each week to do the grocery shopping, he didn’t ask too many questions, and somehow we were climbing out of debt. He was more than happy to adopt any frugal-living strategy I suggested, as long as he didn’t have to think about the Big Picture.

That system worked, but I longed for more active participation from him. Not only because I wanted us to share equally in the journey toward financial freedom — I do want that — but also for a selfish reason. I wanted him to participate because he’s better at this stuff than I am. He’s a whiz at spreadsheets. The man has a Ph.d in Physical Chemistry. You don’t get one of those without doing a few math problems.

Lately, I’ve been getting my wish. My husband has been talking with a financial advisor at the university he works for, and having clear, honest conversations with me about our money.

This seemed like the perfect time for me to read Mary Hunt’s How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage.

Relationship first

Hunt’s book covers the basics of personal finance and debt destruction, with a special focus on doing it as a couple. Before she even begins talking about financial management, Hunt talks about strengthening the foundations of your marriage. You can’t have financial harmony without emotional intimacy, she says.

I couldn’t agree more. It’s clear in my own marriage that spending time relaxing together on vacation helped my husband and me both chill out and have better conversations during our family finance meetings too.

Hunt and I part ways in the chapters about how to achieve that emotional intimacy, though. She bases her prescription for marital bliss on traditional gender roles. She includes chapters for each sex on how to make deposits in the other’s Love Bank — a metaphorical bank of goodwill made of small, loving gestures.

The Love Bank is an adorable idea, one I’m tempted to put into practice here in my own home. I’m pretty sure I won’t be making my deposits to my husband’s Love Bank by biting my tongue when I disagree with him, though. Likewise, I don’t expect him to express his love for me by bringing me flowers and handling all the tough decisions for me like the natural leader of our family should.

Hunt is a generation (or two) older than I am, and what works for her marriage is so foreign to my young, feminist mind that it was actually a little hard to read. But leaving aside the details of how you get to an intimate marriage, though, she and I agree wholeheartedly that it’s important to get your emotional needs met before you can effectively work together with your spouse to manage your finances.

Money second

The personal-finance half of the book will be familiar to most GRS readers. Hunt advocates an approach similar to Your Money or Your Life and Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, one that begins with calculating your net worth and tracking your expenses. From there, she covers the basics of setting up an emergency fund, creating a spending plan, and starting a debt snowball (though she uses different terms for these steps).

Like her ideal of a healthy relationship, Hunt’s financial advice seems a little dated in places. A lot of it has to do with how to organize your three-ring binders, or how to painstakingly accomplish by-hand calculations that Mint can do for you in a few minutes. If you’re a devotee of the pen-and-paper approach, though, her chapters on how to track and plan your spending are rock solid and detailed enough to easily follow.

The one thing in this book that made me want to put it down, run to my office, and implement it on the spot was, in fact, her filing system. Hunt takes a few pages to go over exactly what personal records you should be keeping, and outlines an elegant effective way to organize them. I spent an hour tearing apart my filing cabinet yesterday as soon as I read those pages. I may not want my marriage to look much like hers, but I’m delighted to have made over my filing cabinet in Mary Hunt’s image.

Different views

There are a few areas where Mary’s financial advice deviates from the usual Get Rich Slowly formula. One is the matter of the debt snowball. She encourages readers to start saving 10% of their income towards an emergency fund immediately, while still paying the minimums on their credit cards. Only after saving up a fully funded six-month emergency fund would Hunt advise you to roll those savings into your credit card payments.

Given the relative interest rates on credit cards and savings accounts, this approach will almost certainly cost you money. If it works for you psychologically, though, by all means pursue it. No matter what order you do them in, the key steps of tracking your spending, creating an emergency fund, and snowballing your debt payments will lead you to financial security.

Another place where she breaks with conventional wisdom is in her savings and spending ratios. GRS readers are familiar with the Balanced Money Formula that encourages us to use 50% of our money for living expenses, 30% for fun and 20% for savings. Hunt advises 10% for giving, 10% for saving and 80% for spending.

The order of those percentages is vital to her. A devout Christian, Hunt feels that all the money that comes into your life is a blessing from God, and promptly giving 10% of it back to God shows you can be trusted with this blessing, and more of it will come your way.

I’m not a Christian, but I admire Mary’s faith and devotion to charitable giving. It’s a goal of mine to give 10% of my income. I’ve written about that here before, and readers made a persuasive case for waiting until my debts were paid before giving so much away. For now, I give a modest amount and look forward to giving more in the future.

I think that for Hunt, the psychological benefits of giving 10% and saving 10% before you make any spending decisions at all outweigh the financial benefits of paying off your debts as fast as possible and then beginning to accumulate and donate wealth.

It’s an interesting approach, and one that might work for a lot of people. Particularly if you’re a devoted Christian and looking for a personal-finance book that reflects your values, you’ll find a lot of good in How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage. If you’re looking for a book that’s totally focused on financial savvy and relationship skills, though, this might not be your best bet.

This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. This post is part of Book Week at Get Rich Slowly.

Since my twin victories of paying off our last credit card and funding a summer of travel, my husband has begun to show interest in personal finance.

It’s not that he wasn’t supportive of my efforts before — he just preferred to support them from a safe, ignorant distance. A distance from which I handed him an envelope of cash each week to do the grocery shopping, he didn’t ask too many questions, and somehow we were climbing out of debt. He was more than happy to adopt any frugal-living strategy I suggested, as long as he didn’t have to think about the Big Picture.

That system worked, but I longed for more active participation from him. Not only because I wanted us to share equally in the journey toward financial freedom — I do want that — but also for a selfish reason. I wanted him to participate because he’s better at this stuff than I am. He’s a whiz at spreadsheets. The man has a Ph.d in Physical Chemistry. You don’t get one of those without doing a few math problems.

Lately, I’ve been getting my wish. My husband has been talking with a financial advisor at the university he works for, and having clear, honest conversations with me about our money.

This seemed like the perfect time for me to read Mary Hunt’s How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage.

Relationship first

Hunt’s book covers the basics of personal finance and debt destruction, with a special focus on doing it as a couple. Before she even begins talking about financial management, Hunt talks about strengthening the foundations of your marriage. You can’t have financial harmony without emotional intimacy, she says.

I couldn’t agree more. It’s clear in my own marriage that spending time relaxing together on vacation helped my husband and me both chill out and have better conversations during our family finance meetings too.

Hunt and I part ways in the chapters about how to achieve that emotional intimacy, though. She bases her prescription for marital bliss on traditional gender roles. She includes chapters for each sex on how to make deposits in the other’s Love Bank — a metaphorical bank of goodwill made of small, loving gestures.

The Love Bank is an adorable idea, one I’m tempted to put into practice here in my own home. I’m pretty sure I won’t be making my deposits to my husband’s Love Bank by biting my tongue when I disagree with him, though. Likewise, I don’t expect him to express his love for me by bringing me flowers and handling all the tough decisions for me like the natural leader of our family should.

Hunt is a generation (or two) older than I am, and what works for her marriage is so foreign to my young, feminist mind that it was actually a little hard to read. But leaving aside the details of how you get to an intimate marriage, though, she and I agree wholeheartedly that it’s important to get your emotional needs met before you can effectively work together with your spouse to manage your finances.

Money second

The personal-finance half of the book will be familiar to most GRS readers. Hunt advocates an approach similar to Your Money or Your Life and Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, one that begins with calculating your net worth and tracking your expenses. From there, she covers the basics of setting up an emergency fund, creating a spending plan, and starting a debt snowball (though she uses different terms for these steps).

Like her ideal of a healthy relationship, Hunt’s financial advice seems a little dated in places. A lot of it has to do with how to organize your three-ring binders, or how to painstakingly accomplish by-hand calculations that Mint can do for you in a few minutes. If you’re a devotee of the pen-and-paper approach, though, her chapters on how to track and plan your spending are rock solid and detailed enough to easily follow.

The one thing in this book that made me want to put it down, run to my office, and implement it on the spot was, in fact, her filing system. Hunt takes a few pages to go over exactly what personal records you should be keeping, and outlines an elegant effective way to organize them. I spent an hour tearing apart my filing cabinet yesterday as soon as I read those pages. I may not want my marriage to look much like hers, but I’m delighted to have made over my filing cabinet in Mary Hunt’s image.

Different views

There are a few areas where Mary’s financial advice deviates from the usual Get Rich Slowly formula. One is the matter of the debt snowball. She encourages readers to start saving 10% of their income towards an emergency fund immediately, while still paying the minimums on their credit cards. Only after saving up a fully funded six-month emergency fund would Hunt advise you to roll those savings into your credit card payments.

Given the relative interest rates on credit cards and savings accounts, this approach will almost certainly cost you money. If it works for you psychologically, though, by all means pursue it. No matter what order you do them in, the key steps of tracking your spending, creating an emergency fund, and snowballing your debt payments will lead you to financial security.

Another place where she breaks with conventional wisdom is in her savings and spending ratios. GRS readers are familiar with the Balanced Money Formula that encourages us to use 50% of our money for living expenses, 30% for fun and 20% for savings. Hunt advises 10% for giving, 10% for saving and 80% for spending.

The order of those percentages is vital to her. A devout Christian, Hunt feels that all the money that comes into your life is a blessing from God, and promptly giving 10% of it back to God shows you can be trusted with this blessing, and more of it will come your way.

I’m not a Christian, but I admire Mary’s faith and devotion to charitable giving. It’s a goal of mine to give 10% of my income. I’ve written about that here before, and readers made a persuasive case for waiting until my debts were paid before giving so much away. For now, I give a modest amount and look forward to giving more in the future.

I think that for Hunt, the psychological benefits of giving 10% and saving 10% before you make any spending decisions at all outweigh the financial benefits of paying off your debts as fast as possible and then beginning to accumulate and donate wealth.

It’s an interesting approach, and one that might work for a lot of people. Particularly if you’re a devoted Christian and looking for a personal-finance book that reflects your values, you’ll find a lot of good in How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage. If you’re looking for a book that’s totally focused on financial savvy and relationship skills, though, this might not be your best bet.

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Middle East Countries Race for Nuclear Power

(Sept. 24) -- Nations in the Middle East, rich in oil, natural gas and volatile politics, are pursuing nuclear power with a headlong vigor that gives some analysts pause.

<b>News</b> - Lindsay Lohan &quot;Demure and Quiet&quot; as She Arrived at Jail <b>...</b>

Like her previous stints in the slammer, she'll be kept away from other inmates in a 12x9 cell.

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

Middle East Countries Race for Nuclear Power

(Sept. 24) -- Nations in the Middle East, rich in oil, natural gas and volatile politics, are pursuing nuclear power with a headlong vigor that gives some analysts pause.

<b>News</b> - Lindsay Lohan &quot;Demure and Quiet&quot; as She Arrived at Jail <b>...</b>

Like her previous stints in the slammer, she'll be kept away from other inmates in a 12x9 cell.

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

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Middle East Countries Race for Nuclear Power

(Sept. 24) -- Nations in the Middle East, rich in oil, natural gas and volatile politics, are pursuing nuclear power with a headlong vigor that gives some analysts pause.

<b>News</b> - Lindsay Lohan &quot;Demure and Quiet&quot; as She Arrived at Jail <b>...</b>

Like her previous stints in the slammer, she'll be kept away from other inmates in a 12x9 cell.

Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

personal finance manager

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1. 
   
   
   

   Wow, I just made money. My home value shot up $70k. Mint single-handedly lifts the US out of the recession with this move. Seriously, most real-estate people I've talked with don't agree with Zillows home value calculations. Personally, I'm a fan of Zillow but they value my home much much higher than the previous site Mint used to calculate these values. Moral of the story? Don't worry about your home's value until you sell. Then and only then will you know the true value of your home, at least on that day.

   
   
   

   Posted by: Joel Price |
   September 22, 2010 8:22 AM

   
   
















2. 
   
   
   

   Words of wisdom Joel, words of wisdom!

   
   
   

   Posted by: sasha |
   September 22, 2010 10:30 AM

   
   























(CNN)- With one day to go until the primary, an ugly GOP Senate nomination battle in Delaware is getting even uglier.




The Tea Party Express, the California based national Tea Party organization that's backing conservative candidate Christine O'Donnell, is demanding that Delaware Republican Party Chairman Tom Ross resign.




Ross is supporting former governor and nine-term state-wide Rep. Mike Castle in the contest. In May, at the state GOP convention, the moderate congressman and former two-term governor defeated O'Donnell, a conservative commentator and marketing consultant who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2006 and 2008.




Tea Party Express endorsed O'Donnell earlier this summer and in the past two weeks went up with ads attacking Castle as too moderate. The group says they'll spend at least $250,000 on behalf of O'Donnell. A similar last minute blitz by the Tea Party Express last month was credited in helping conservative candidate Joe Miller top Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska's Republican primary.






Ross has become very vocal in the past two weeks in criticizing O'Donnell and the Tea Party Express's involvement in the race.




Sunday night the Tea Party Express laid out an ultimatum.




"Tom Ross must resign within the next 24 hours or face immediate termination," declared Amy Kremer, Chairman of the Tea Party Express. "As Mike Castle's chief advocate, Mr. Ross has trashed Republican candidates, beliefs and principles, and shown a complete lack of character or integrity. He is a walking disaster who has brought irreparable harm to the Republican Party."




In an email release, the Tea Party Express said they were calling for the resignation in conjunction with a coalition of Delaware Republicans and conservative activists.




In a statement to CNN, the Delaware Republican Party fired back.




"As party chairman, Tom Ross is supporting the candidates that were elected by grassroots Delaware Republicans at the convention in May. A California political consultant who's never lived a day of her life in Delaware and is currently under investigation by the FEC for illegally coordinating with the O'Donnell campaign is the last person who should be calling for anyone's resignation," said Delaware GOP Communications Director Tom Doheny.




The investigation Doheney mentioned refers to a formal complaint the Republican Party of Delaware filed with the Federal Election Commission, accusing one of its own Senate candidates of illegally collaborating with the Tea Party Express. The Tea Party Express denies wrongdoing.




The series of TV and radio ads by the Tea Party Express attack Castle as a liberal candidate who "just keeps supporting the failed policies of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid."




The Castle campaign has also fought back.




"Out-of-state interest groups have threatened to spend half a million dollars to fund the disgusting tactics being used by the O'Donnell campaign to make accusations," said Castle campaign manager Mike Quaranta.




Meanwhile, the Castle campaign has launched therealchristine.com, a site devoted to aggregating negative news about O'Donnell. O'Donnell has faced criticism over her personal finance issues and leftover debt from previous, unsuccessful bids for a Delaware Senate seat. She has also been accused of misstating the results of her run against Joe Biden.




The winner of Tuesday's primary will face off in November against New Castle County Executive Chris Coons, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in the battle to fill the final four years of Vice President Joe Biden's final term. Biden stepped down from the Senate after his election in November 2008 as vice president. Former Biden aide Ted Kaufman was named as an interim replacement. Kaufman is not running for a full term.




Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @PsteinhauserCNN



CNN's Alison Harding contributed to this report




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Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

Artnet <b>News</b>: Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami <b>...</b>

ARTNET NEWS. Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami Sculpture Biennial, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, more.

Diane Sawyer: ABC World <b>News</b> Goes Home: Looking for What Works in <b>...</b>

We at ABC's World News are heading out to search for innovative ideas that are helping turn the economy around. Real change is often born out of a simple act. And one ripple can lead to a powerful transformation.




Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

Artnet <b>News</b>: Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami <b>...</b>

ARTNET NEWS. Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami Sculpture Biennial, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, more.

Diane Sawyer: ABC World <b>News</b> Goes Home: Looking for What Works in <b>...</b>

We at ABC's World News are heading out to search for innovative ideas that are helping turn the economy around. Real change is often born out of a simple act. And one ripple can lead to a powerful transformation.


big white booty


Understanding the Forbes redesign « Talking Biz <b>News</b>

Dvorkin had founded True/Slant, an online news network. Previously, he had been executive editor at Forbes magazine, where he spearheaded an earlier redesign, managed the annual Forbes 400 Richest Americans list and created the ...

Artnet <b>News</b>: Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami <b>...</b>

ARTNET NEWS. Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami Sculpture Biennial, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, more.

Diane Sawyer: ABC World <b>News</b> Goes Home: Looking for What Works in <b>...</b>

We at ABC's World News are heading out to search for innovative ideas that are helping turn the economy around. Real change is often born out of a simple act. And one ripple can lead to a powerful transformation.

Making Money From the Internet

Pirate Bay documentary raising money on Kickstarter

Cory Doctorow at 6:53 AM Monday, Aug 30, 2010

The Pirate Bay - Away From Keyboard is a documentary on the founding of The Pirate Bay raising money on Kickstarter. I kicked in some money after hearing about it from Peter "brokep" Sunde. The filmmakers have been shooting for two years and are looking for $25,000 to finish the film (they're over $22K as I type this): "This campaign starts exactly one month before the Court of Appeal hearings start in The Pirate Bay trial in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2009 the founders of The Pirate Bay were convicted to 1 year in jail and to pay damages of around 4 million dollars for having 'assisted in making copyrighted content available'. The precedent in the Pirate Bay case will have consequences for the future of the internet. We will cover the upcoming trial closely."

TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay - Away From Keyboard
(Thanks, Cowicide, via Submitterator!)

The CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world.

WASHINGTON/POLITICAL

For the latest political news: www.CNNPolitics.com

CNN: GOP's 'Pledge to America' lays out a governing agenda

House Republican leaders will unveil a 21-page "Pledge to America" on Thursday that presents a "governing agenda" for what Republicans would do if they win control of Congress in November. CNN obtained a copy of the document Wednesday. The plan focuses primarily on jobs and the economy, with a short reference in the "preamble" to the party's position on social issues.

Politico: White House quickly attacks GOP 'Pledge'

The White House immediately attacked the House Republicans’ election agenda rollout Wednesday evening, claiming the 21-page "Pledge to America" plan will “take America back to the same failed economic policies that caused this recession.” White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, writing on the White House blog, said Republicans “doubled down on the same ideas that hurt America’s middle class,” listing tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, tax hikes for the middle class, “cutting rules and oversight” for financial services, health care and oil, all while adding to the deficit.

The Hill: Pelosi and Hoyer split on tax vote before November elections

A split has opened between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) over whether to hold a vote before the midterm elections on extending the George W. Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class. In closed-door leadership meetings this week, Pelosi has pushed for the House to act on the middle-income tax cuts before lawmakers bolt Washington for the campaign trail, while Hoyer wants the House to wait for the Senate to act first, according to Democratic aides.

CNN: Senate vote on tax cuts likely to be delayed, Democratic sources say

With Democrats divided on tax cuts, a Senate vote before the election on extending Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class is looking less likely, multiple Senate Democratic sources tell CNN. These sources all stress that no final decision has been made, and that Senate Democrats could come to a different conclusion after discussing the issue at a meeting Thursday afternoon.

CNN: As Obama looks abroad, risks grow at home

Foreign policy may be the focus of President Barack Obama's address to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, but domestic concerns will continue to remain in the forefront for many White House aides. When Obama steps to the podium in New York, he will seize a unique opportunity to update the American public - and the broader international community - on the administration's overseas priorities, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Wall Street Journal: House Candidates Get Biden's Help

Vice President Joe Biden intends to raise money or rally voters for nearly all of the 60 or so Democrats running in competitive House races, hitting several events each week as part of an aggressive travel schedule heading into the November midterm elections. Many campaigns have kept their distance from the White House, given President Barack Obama's declining popularity. But Mr. Biden draws heavily on his working-class childhood to talk about the impact of the weak economy, making the vice president a good fit in districts where struggling residents are unhappy with the administration.

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Chambliss' office says it was source of homosexual slur

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss' office has determined it was indeed the source of a highly publicized homosexual-bashing slur on an Internet site. But in a statement, Chambliss' office said it has not discovered exactly who was behind the slur, and has turned the matter over to the Senate sergeant at arms. The office employs 42 people.

CNN: Liz Cheney: President 'unwilling' to keep nation safe

Liz Cheney blasted President Barack Obama in a statement Wednesday, saying he seems "unwilling to do what it takes" to protect the country from a terrorist attack. Cheney released the statement following a report in the Washington Post that quotes journalist Bob Woodward's new book detailing the Obama administration's deliberations over U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.

Anchorage Daily News: Tea party returning to Alaska to help Miller

The tea party subset credited with helping to upset the status quo in several races this election year is coming back to Alaska to fulfill a vow to do whatever it takes to beat U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Tea Party Express spokesman Levi Russell said Wednesday that the group plans to be in Alaska in about a week and will unveil a new ad campaign in support of Republican Joe Miller.

CNN: Sheheen and Haley attack in new ads

It's an eye for an eye in South Carolina, where the gubernatorial race is heating up. Democratic nominee Vincent Sheheen released his second television ad Wednesday, a 31-second spot entitled "Think," which claims his opponent, Nikki Haley, was "handpicked by (former Gov.) Mark Sanford," and accuses her of wanting to "put a tax on our groceries" while being fined for "failing to pay her own taxes." The ad also states that Haley "hid a $40,000 contract that she got because of her connections." The claims in the ad come from people who appear to be voters, rather than Sheheen himself.

Boston Globe: GOP governors take aim at Patrick

The Republican Governors Association will launch an advertising blitz today aimed directly at Governor Deval Patrick, training its fire on the Democratic incumbent after spending much of the spring and summer wounding state Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill’s independent bid for the corner office. The estimated $1.8 million ad campaign appears to be modeled on a strategy the association used successfully last year in New Jersey.

CQ Politics: State Waves Add to Democrats’ National Woes

Everyone agrees a political wave will hit on Nov. 2, though Democrats and Republicans disagree on the size of it. Some see a “normal” political wave, while others expect a political tsunami. …Waves seem to work themselves down the ballot, and a national Republican Congressional wave surely is going to be mirrored by strong GOP gains in state legislatures and gubernatorial contests.

New York Times: Recalls Become a Hazard for Mayors

The throw-the-rascals-out mood is so strong these days that some voters are not even waiting until Election Day — they are mounting recall campaigns to oust mayors in the middle of their terms, often as punishment for taking unpopular steps like raising taxes or laying off workers to keep their cities solvent. Daniel Varela Sr., the rookie mayor of Livingston, Calif., learned this the hard way when he was booted from office last month in a landslide recall election. His crime? He had the temerity to push through the small city’s first water-rate increase in more than a decade to try to fix its aging water system, which he said spewed brownish, smelly water from rusty pipes.

NATIONAL

For the latest national news:  www.CNN.com

CNN: Terror threat against America diversifying, security officials say

The terrorism threat against the United States has evolved, with homegrown terrorists and a greater diversity in the scope and methods of attack making it more difficult to prevent them, top security officials told a Senate committee Wednesday." It is diversifying in terms of sources; it is diversifying in terms of tactics," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the Senate Homeland Security Committee. "The results of these changing tactics are fewer opportunities to detect and disrupt plots."

New York Times: Insurers Scramble to Comply With Health Rules

The first big wave of new rules under the federal health care law goes into effect on Thursday, leaving many insurers scrambling to get ahead of the changes. Insurers are cutting administrative staff to lower overhead costs, investing in big technology upgrades and training employees to field the expected influx of customer inquiries.

Idaho Statesman: Several Idaho doctors criticize health lawsuit

Some Idaho doctors have criticized Lawrence Wasden, Idaho's attorney general, for pursuing a lawsuit against federal health care reform. "Your attempt to block the requirement to purchase insurance and the expansion of Medicaid threatens to harm our most vulnerable patients in Idaho that cannot afford health insurance or are being denied coverage," wrote nine doctors in the Idaho chapter of Doctors for America. That is a national organization that urges access to quality health care. The group has about 15,000 members nationwide.

CNN: Florida appeals court strikes down gay adoption ban

A Florida appeals court Wednesday struck down a state law barring gay men and lesbians from adoption on the basis of equal protection under law. The Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal upheld a trial court ruling that Florida's explicit ban was unconstitutional, noting that the state's adoption law required officials to assess potential adoptive parents in "the best interests of the child."

CNN: Congress to consider military readiness for the internet battlefield

Imagine a battle for U.S. security that never stops. Its skirmishes are fought in milliseconds and its attackers often remain invisible and unknown. That's the national security battlefield lawmakers want to explore Thursday, in a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Army Gen. Keith Alexander will be the star witness as the person in charge of U.S. Cyber Command.

INTERNATIONAL

For the latest international news:  http://edition.cnn.com

CNN: Ahmadinejad blasts Israeli leader in Larry King interview

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with CNN's Larry King Wednesday, calling the Israeli prime minister a "skilled killer" who "should be put on trial for killing women and children." …Ahmadinejad also deflected questions about Iran's nuclear program, saying Iran has "no interest" in a nuclear bomb and that no one is concerned about Iran's intentions other than "the Zionist regime and some American authorities."

CNN: UN panel: Israel broke international laws in deadly flotilla raid

The United Nations' Human Rights Council concluded Wednesday that Israeli forces committed serious violations of international law when they conducted a mid-sea interception of a humanitarian aid flotilla in an incident that left nine people dead. "The fact-finding mission concluded that a series of violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, were committed by the Israeli forces," said the 56-page report.

CNN: DoD: Civilian contractors in Kuwait didn't have proper clearances

A new Defense Department report says many civilian contractors working in Kuwait didn't have proper clearances and could have jeopardized the safety of U.S. military personnel and undermined national security. The Defense Department Inspector General said dozens of contractors worked in sensitive positions without security clearances or the official passes they needed. And some of those people, according to the report, were allowed to remain on the job even after inspectors uncovered the security problems.

CNN: Global insecurity around food security

While nations debate what to do about long-term problems such as climate change and dwindling water supplies, two words send immediate shivers down the spines of government officials across the world: Food security. A series of environmental disasters fueling a wave of food price volatility has given governments, "a much needed wakeup call," said Abdolreza Abbassian, an economist for the United Nation's Security of Intergovernmental Group on Grains.

CNN: Typhoon deaths climb to 33 in China, with dozens still missing

The toll from from typhoon Fanapi has climbed to 33 dead and 42 people missing in southern China, state media said Thursday. The typhoon has affected more than 1 million people and forced the evacuations of 78,400 more, China Daily reported.

BUSINESS

For the latest business news:  www.CNNMoney.com

Washington Post: Under piles of paperwork, a foreclosure system in chaos

The nation's overburdened foreclosure system is riddled with faked documents, forged signatures and lenders who take shortcuts reviewing borrower's files, according to court documents and interviews with attorneys, housing advocates and company officials. The problems, which are so widespread that some judges approving the foreclosures ignore them, are coming to light after Ally Financial, the country's fourth-biggest mortgage lender, halted home evictions in 23 states this week.

Wall Street Journal: SEC Blasted on Goldman

The Securities and Exchange Commission's internal watchdog said the timing of a fraud lawsuit against Goldman Sachs Group Inc. filed by the SEC was "suspicious," suggesting agency officials tried to distract attention from a report criticizing the SEC for failing to detect an alleged Ponzi scheme.

USA Today: Blockbuster plans to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Hundreds of communities may soon lose their local video stores. Blockbuster — the company that helped to turn movie renting into a national pastime — is set to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, Bloomberg News reports, citing an unnamed person who knows about the plan.

In Case You Missed It

CNN's John King asks whether the president should be concerned about several key resignations within his cabinet.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/09/22/jk.white.house.turnover.cnn

CNN's Anderson Cooper examines allegations that Illinios Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. violated the House gift ban.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/09/23/ac.jesse.jackson.jr.gift.ban.cnn

Subscribe to the CNN=Politics DAILY podcast at http://www.cnn.com/politicalpodcast

And now stay posted on the latest from the campaign trail by downloading the CNN=Politics SCREENSAVER at http://www.CNN.com/situationroom

United Nations general assembly – live | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Barack Obama, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Nick Clegg are among the world leaders in New York for the United Nations general assembly. Follow live updates here.

<b>News</b> Anchor Barbie: &#39;A flair for journalism -- and power pink <b>...</b>

Astronaut Barbie, Newborn Baby Doctor Barbie and Rock Star Barbie, get ready to answer some tough questions asked by journalist Barbie. The 125th -- and newest -- career path for Mattel's 51-year-old doll is news anchor, and she's ...

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Digital <b>...</b>

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Photokina 2010: Pentax has announced its 645D medium format digital camera will start shipping globally from December 2010. The camera will sell at a retail price of $9999.99 for ...

robert shumake

United Nations general assembly – live | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Barack Obama, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Nick Clegg are among the world leaders in New York for the United Nations general assembly. Follow live updates here.

<b>News</b> Anchor Barbie: &#39;A flair for journalism -- and power pink <b>...</b>

Astronaut Barbie, Newborn Baby Doctor Barbie and Rock Star Barbie, get ready to answer some tough questions asked by journalist Barbie. The 125th -- and newest -- career path for Mattel's 51-year-old doll is news anchor, and she's ...

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Digital <b>...</b>

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Photokina 2010: Pentax has announced its 645D medium format digital camera will start shipping globally from December 2010. The camera will sell at a retail price of $9999.99 for ...

Pirate Bay documentary raising money on Kickstarter

Cory Doctorow at 6:53 AM Monday, Aug 30, 2010

The Pirate Bay - Away From Keyboard is a documentary on the founding of The Pirate Bay raising money on Kickstarter. I kicked in some money after hearing about it from Peter "brokep" Sunde. The filmmakers have been shooting for two years and are looking for $25,000 to finish the film (they're over $22K as I type this): "This campaign starts exactly one month before the Court of Appeal hearings start in The Pirate Bay trial in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2009 the founders of The Pirate Bay were convicted to 1 year in jail and to pay damages of around 4 million dollars for having 'assisted in making copyrighted content available'. The precedent in the Pirate Bay case will have consequences for the future of the internet. We will cover the upcoming trial closely."

TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay - Away From Keyboard
(Thanks, Cowicide, via Submitterator!)

The CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world.

WASHINGTON/POLITICAL

For the latest political news: www.CNNPolitics.com

CNN: GOP's 'Pledge to America' lays out a governing agenda

House Republican leaders will unveil a 21-page "Pledge to America" on Thursday that presents a "governing agenda" for what Republicans would do if they win control of Congress in November. CNN obtained a copy of the document Wednesday. The plan focuses primarily on jobs and the economy, with a short reference in the "preamble" to the party's position on social issues.

Politico: White House quickly attacks GOP 'Pledge'

The White House immediately attacked the House Republicans’ election agenda rollout Wednesday evening, claiming the 21-page "Pledge to America" plan will “take America back to the same failed economic policies that caused this recession.” White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, writing on the White House blog, said Republicans “doubled down on the same ideas that hurt America’s middle class,” listing tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, tax hikes for the middle class, “cutting rules and oversight” for financial services, health care and oil, all while adding to the deficit.

The Hill: Pelosi and Hoyer split on tax vote before November elections

A split has opened between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) over whether to hold a vote before the midterm elections on extending the George W. Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class. In closed-door leadership meetings this week, Pelosi has pushed for the House to act on the middle-income tax cuts before lawmakers bolt Washington for the campaign trail, while Hoyer wants the House to wait for the Senate to act first, according to Democratic aides.

CNN: Senate vote on tax cuts likely to be delayed, Democratic sources say

With Democrats divided on tax cuts, a Senate vote before the election on extending Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class is looking less likely, multiple Senate Democratic sources tell CNN. These sources all stress that no final decision has been made, and that Senate Democrats could come to a different conclusion after discussing the issue at a meeting Thursday afternoon.

CNN: As Obama looks abroad, risks grow at home

Foreign policy may be the focus of President Barack Obama's address to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, but domestic concerns will continue to remain in the forefront for many White House aides. When Obama steps to the podium in New York, he will seize a unique opportunity to update the American public - and the broader international community - on the administration's overseas priorities, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Wall Street Journal: House Candidates Get Biden's Help

Vice President Joe Biden intends to raise money or rally voters for nearly all of the 60 or so Democrats running in competitive House races, hitting several events each week as part of an aggressive travel schedule heading into the November midterm elections. Many campaigns have kept their distance from the White House, given President Barack Obama's declining popularity. But Mr. Biden draws heavily on his working-class childhood to talk about the impact of the weak economy, making the vice president a good fit in districts where struggling residents are unhappy with the administration.

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Chambliss' office says it was source of homosexual slur

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss' office has determined it was indeed the source of a highly publicized homosexual-bashing slur on an Internet site. But in a statement, Chambliss' office said it has not discovered exactly who was behind the slur, and has turned the matter over to the Senate sergeant at arms. The office employs 42 people.

CNN: Liz Cheney: President 'unwilling' to keep nation safe

Liz Cheney blasted President Barack Obama in a statement Wednesday, saying he seems "unwilling to do what it takes" to protect the country from a terrorist attack. Cheney released the statement following a report in the Washington Post that quotes journalist Bob Woodward's new book detailing the Obama administration's deliberations over U.S. strategy in Afghanistan.

Anchorage Daily News: Tea party returning to Alaska to help Miller

The tea party subset credited with helping to upset the status quo in several races this election year is coming back to Alaska to fulfill a vow to do whatever it takes to beat U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Tea Party Express spokesman Levi Russell said Wednesday that the group plans to be in Alaska in about a week and will unveil a new ad campaign in support of Republican Joe Miller.

CNN: Sheheen and Haley attack in new ads

It's an eye for an eye in South Carolina, where the gubernatorial race is heating up. Democratic nominee Vincent Sheheen released his second television ad Wednesday, a 31-second spot entitled "Think," which claims his opponent, Nikki Haley, was "handpicked by (former Gov.) Mark Sanford," and accuses her of wanting to "put a tax on our groceries" while being fined for "failing to pay her own taxes." The ad also states that Haley "hid a $40,000 contract that she got because of her connections." The claims in the ad come from people who appear to be voters, rather than Sheheen himself.

Boston Globe: GOP governors take aim at Patrick

The Republican Governors Association will launch an advertising blitz today aimed directly at Governor Deval Patrick, training its fire on the Democratic incumbent after spending much of the spring and summer wounding state Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill’s independent bid for the corner office. The estimated $1.8 million ad campaign appears to be modeled on a strategy the association used successfully last year in New Jersey.

CQ Politics: State Waves Add to Democrats’ National Woes

Everyone agrees a political wave will hit on Nov. 2, though Democrats and Republicans disagree on the size of it. Some see a “normal” political wave, while others expect a political tsunami. …Waves seem to work themselves down the ballot, and a national Republican Congressional wave surely is going to be mirrored by strong GOP gains in state legislatures and gubernatorial contests.

New York Times: Recalls Become a Hazard for Mayors

The throw-the-rascals-out mood is so strong these days that some voters are not even waiting until Election Day — they are mounting recall campaigns to oust mayors in the middle of their terms, often as punishment for taking unpopular steps like raising taxes or laying off workers to keep their cities solvent. Daniel Varela Sr., the rookie mayor of Livingston, Calif., learned this the hard way when he was booted from office last month in a landslide recall election. His crime? He had the temerity to push through the small city’s first water-rate increase in more than a decade to try to fix its aging water system, which he said spewed brownish, smelly water from rusty pipes.

NATIONAL

For the latest national news:  www.CNN.com

CNN: Terror threat against America diversifying, security officials say

The terrorism threat against the United States has evolved, with homegrown terrorists and a greater diversity in the scope and methods of attack making it more difficult to prevent them, top security officials told a Senate committee Wednesday." It is diversifying in terms of sources; it is diversifying in terms of tactics," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the Senate Homeland Security Committee. "The results of these changing tactics are fewer opportunities to detect and disrupt plots."

New York Times: Insurers Scramble to Comply With Health Rules

The first big wave of new rules under the federal health care law goes into effect on Thursday, leaving many insurers scrambling to get ahead of the changes. Insurers are cutting administrative staff to lower overhead costs, investing in big technology upgrades and training employees to field the expected influx of customer inquiries.

Idaho Statesman: Several Idaho doctors criticize health lawsuit

Some Idaho doctors have criticized Lawrence Wasden, Idaho's attorney general, for pursuing a lawsuit against federal health care reform. "Your attempt to block the requirement to purchase insurance and the expansion of Medicaid threatens to harm our most vulnerable patients in Idaho that cannot afford health insurance or are being denied coverage," wrote nine doctors in the Idaho chapter of Doctors for America. That is a national organization that urges access to quality health care. The group has about 15,000 members nationwide.

CNN: Florida appeals court strikes down gay adoption ban

A Florida appeals court Wednesday struck down a state law barring gay men and lesbians from adoption on the basis of equal protection under law. The Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal upheld a trial court ruling that Florida's explicit ban was unconstitutional, noting that the state's adoption law required officials to assess potential adoptive parents in "the best interests of the child."

CNN: Congress to consider military readiness for the internet battlefield

Imagine a battle for U.S. security that never stops. Its skirmishes are fought in milliseconds and its attackers often remain invisible and unknown. That's the national security battlefield lawmakers want to explore Thursday, in a House Armed Services Committee hearing. Army Gen. Keith Alexander will be the star witness as the person in charge of U.S. Cyber Command.

INTERNATIONAL

For the latest international news:  http://edition.cnn.com

CNN: Ahmadinejad blasts Israeli leader in Larry King interview

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with CNN's Larry King Wednesday, calling the Israeli prime minister a "skilled killer" who "should be put on trial for killing women and children." …Ahmadinejad also deflected questions about Iran's nuclear program, saying Iran has "no interest" in a nuclear bomb and that no one is concerned about Iran's intentions other than "the Zionist regime and some American authorities."

CNN: UN panel: Israel broke international laws in deadly flotilla raid

The United Nations' Human Rights Council concluded Wednesday that Israeli forces committed serious violations of international law when they conducted a mid-sea interception of a humanitarian aid flotilla in an incident that left nine people dead. "The fact-finding mission concluded that a series of violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, were committed by the Israeli forces," said the 56-page report.

CNN: DoD: Civilian contractors in Kuwait didn't have proper clearances

A new Defense Department report says many civilian contractors working in Kuwait didn't have proper clearances and could have jeopardized the safety of U.S. military personnel and undermined national security. The Defense Department Inspector General said dozens of contractors worked in sensitive positions without security clearances or the official passes they needed. And some of those people, according to the report, were allowed to remain on the job even after inspectors uncovered the security problems.

CNN: Global insecurity around food security

While nations debate what to do about long-term problems such as climate change and dwindling water supplies, two words send immediate shivers down the spines of government officials across the world: Food security. A series of environmental disasters fueling a wave of food price volatility has given governments, "a much needed wakeup call," said Abdolreza Abbassian, an economist for the United Nation's Security of Intergovernmental Group on Grains.

CNN: Typhoon deaths climb to 33 in China, with dozens still missing

The toll from from typhoon Fanapi has climbed to 33 dead and 42 people missing in southern China, state media said Thursday. The typhoon has affected more than 1 million people and forced the evacuations of 78,400 more, China Daily reported.

BUSINESS

For the latest business news:  www.CNNMoney.com

Washington Post: Under piles of paperwork, a foreclosure system in chaos

The nation's overburdened foreclosure system is riddled with faked documents, forged signatures and lenders who take shortcuts reviewing borrower's files, according to court documents and interviews with attorneys, housing advocates and company officials. The problems, which are so widespread that some judges approving the foreclosures ignore them, are coming to light after Ally Financial, the country's fourth-biggest mortgage lender, halted home evictions in 23 states this week.

Wall Street Journal: SEC Blasted on Goldman

The Securities and Exchange Commission's internal watchdog said the timing of a fraud lawsuit against Goldman Sachs Group Inc. filed by the SEC was "suspicious," suggesting agency officials tried to distract attention from a report criticizing the SEC for failing to detect an alleged Ponzi scheme.

USA Today: Blockbuster plans to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Hundreds of communities may soon lose their local video stores. Blockbuster — the company that helped to turn movie renting into a national pastime — is set to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, Bloomberg News reports, citing an unnamed person who knows about the plan.

In Case You Missed It

CNN's John King asks whether the president should be concerned about several key resignations within his cabinet.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/09/22/jk.white.house.turnover.cnn

CNN's Anderson Cooper examines allegations that Illinios Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. violated the House gift ban.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/09/23/ac.jesse.jackson.jr.gift.ban.cnn

Subscribe to the CNN=Politics DAILY podcast at http://www.cnn.com/politicalpodcast

And now stay posted on the latest from the campaign trail by downloading the CNN=Politics SCREENSAVER at http://www.CNN.com/situationroom

robert shumake

United Nations general assembly – live | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Barack Obama, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Nick Clegg are among the world leaders in New York for the United Nations general assembly. Follow live updates here.

<b>News</b> Anchor Barbie: &#39;A flair for journalism -- and power pink <b>...</b>

Astronaut Barbie, Newborn Baby Doctor Barbie and Rock Star Barbie, get ready to answer some tough questions asked by journalist Barbie. The 125th -- and newest -- career path for Mattel's 51-year-old doll is news anchor, and she's ...

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Digital <b>...</b>

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Photokina 2010: Pentax has announced its 645D medium format digital camera will start shipping globally from December 2010. The camera will sell at a retail price of $9999.99 for ...

robert shumake

United Nations general assembly – live | <b>News</b> | guardian.co.uk

Barack Obama, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Nick Clegg are among the world leaders in New York for the United Nations general assembly. Follow live updates here.

<b>News</b> Anchor Barbie: &#39;A flair for journalism -- and power pink <b>...</b>

Astronaut Barbie, Newborn Baby Doctor Barbie and Rock Star Barbie, get ready to answer some tough questions asked by journalist Barbie. The 125th -- and newest -- career path for Mattel's 51-year-old doll is news anchor, and she's ...

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Digital <b>...</b>

Pentax announces price and availibilty for 645D camera: Photokina 2010: Pentax has announced its 645D medium format digital camera will start shipping globally from December 2010. The camera will sell at a retail price of $9999.99 for ...

Wotlk Making Money

Scripting <b>News</b>: What kind of <b>news</b> system...?

And it's not okay that they're making a bid for exclusivity on the role of News System of the Future, and they can't even keep their servers running properly. Either you deliver the benefit of being the sole provider, or sorry (to ...

Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN.

Google <b>News</b> Now Eight Years Old

google-news-screenshot-old Google today announced on the official Google blog the eighth birthday of Google News. It's a huge milestone for the California-based search company, which launched the Google News service on the 22nd of ...

robert shumake

Scripting <b>News</b>: What kind of <b>news</b> system...?

And it's not okay that they're making a bid for exclusivity on the role of News System of the Future, and they can't even keep their servers running properly. Either you deliver the benefit of being the sole provider, or sorry (to ...

Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN.

Google <b>News</b> Now Eight Years Old

google-news-screenshot-old Google today announced on the official Google blog the eighth birthday of Google News. It's a huge milestone for the California-based search company, which launched the Google News service on the 22nd of ...

robert shumake

Scripting <b>News</b>: What kind of <b>news</b> system...?

And it's not okay that they're making a bid for exclusivity on the role of News System of the Future, and they can't even keep their servers running properly. Either you deliver the benefit of being the sole provider, or sorry (to ...

Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN.

Google <b>News</b> Now Eight Years Old

google-news-screenshot-old Google today announced on the official Google blog the eighth birthday of Google News. It's a huge milestone for the California-based search company, which launched the Google News service on the 22nd of ...

robert shumake

Scripting <b>News</b>: What kind of <b>news</b> system...?

And it's not okay that they're making a bid for exclusivity on the role of News System of the Future, and they can't even keep their servers running properly. Either you deliver the benefit of being the sole provider, or sorry (to ...

Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN PlayStation 3 <b>News</b> - Page 1 <b>...</b>

Read our PlayStation 3 news of Deathspank: Thongs of Virtue heads PSN.

Google <b>News</b> Now Eight Years Old

google-news-screenshot-old Google today announced on the official Google blog the eighth birthday of Google News. It's a huge milestone for the California-based search company, which launched the Google News service on the 22nd of ...

Making Money Work

Has a central bank ever intervened successfully in the foreign exchange market when the momentum trade was against it? The yen has been rising alarmingly of late, and now the Bank of Japan is trying to push it down.

At first glance, the action looks like a something-must-be-done-this-is-something -therefore-this-must-be-done move: a new prime minister and a “bold action” doomed to be proved ineffectual. The FX markets are so enormous (dollar/yen alone trades some $750 billion per day) that it’s hard to believe a single sale of less than $20 billion in yen could even have the short-term effect we saw last night, let alone have any lasting consequences.

But this isn’t just about FX-market intervention. This is also about monetary policy, and that could make a real difference:

Unlike in previous forays, the Bank of Japan will not drain the money flowing into the economy as a result of the yen selling, sources familiar with the matter said.

That indicated the central bank plans to use the sold yen as a monetary tool to boost liquidity and support the economy.

Authorities that sell their own currencies to weaken them often issue bills to “sterilize” the funds and keep the excess money from becoming inflationary. In Japan’s case, it wants to promote inflation since the economy has been dogged with deflation for much of the past decade.

“The government’s aim, and the aim of authorities in general, is to add monetary injections to the economy,” Callum Henderson, global head of foreign exchange strategy with Standard Chartered in Singapore, told Reuters Insider.

“Unsterilized intervention should be yen-negative, it should be very bullish for higher risk assets, very bullish for stocks in Japan and obviously it should add to the impact of the intervention of the yen,” he said.

In other words, the Bank of Japan isn’t simply selling yen, it’s printing yen. (And then selling them.) Given (a) that it’s the central bank and that it can print as many yen as it likes, and (b) that it would actually welcome a bit of inflation, there’s actually a non-negligible chance that this kind of non-sterilized intervention could work.

Of course, a hint of inflation in Japan could end up driving Japanese bond yields up. That in turn could make a huge difference to the government’s annual interest bill on the country’s monster national debt. So this kind of policy is hardly cost-free; indeed, the real costs might well be much larger than the nominal size of the intervention. But at least it has a chance of making a difference, which is more than you can say for most currency interventions.

This series is supported by RingCentral, the leading business phone system designed for today’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, and mobile professionals. Visit RingCentral.com to learn more.

Finding the right workspace is like dating — the class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet has made it a lot more complex. In essence, this means more options.

Whereas the traditional office once served as the default choice for effective communication and collaboration between coworkers, today’s businesses can be just as productive by collaborating on the web, with as little as $10 and a Google account. Entrepreneurs operate from coffee shops, kitchen tables, and coworking spaces in addition to the traditional office.

We asked three entrepreneurs with drastically different office strategies for their advice on choosing a workspace. Read on for their tips and add your own in the comments below.

What Kind of Office is Best to Start In?

“When you’re starting out, you should absolutely not be spending money on rent,” says Jason Fried, the founder of web-based software company 37signals. “It’s a huge waste of money.”

After Fried started 37signals, he and the other two employees working for the company at the time shared a room with another business. “Basically we had a corner of a desk,” he jokes. Assuming you can find another company that is willing to share, teaming up on a space saves cash while still providing a place to work away from the distractions of home.

Others see value in setting up their own offices from the get-go. After a brief stint at the virtual office, Anthony Franco chose a house in Denver to set up his company, EffectiveUI. It wasn’t an ideal workspace, but he got a deal on the rent. New employees were often greeted on their first day with an Allen wrench, to be used for assembling their own desks.

“We started at home, but if we were going to handle demand, we needed to have a place where we could come and work,” Franco said. He added that the extra value of being able to work as a team (in person) more than made up for the cost of an office.

While the lease route worked out well for EffectiveUI, there’s a certain amount of risk involved with jumping into your own space too soon.

“Most commercial leases are for three to four years, and so if you’re small and you’re starting out and you’ve got a couple people, you’re making way too much of a commitment,” Fried argues. “You don’t know where you’re going to be in three years.”

Is Coworking Right for Your Business?

One modern compromise between working completely virtually and committing to a lease is working at a coworking space. These office spaces provide a work environment and an alternative to coffee shops for independent workers.

Campbell McKellar discovered the value of coworking spaces when the company she worked for left their expensive traditional office and started working virtually. The move allowed her to work from anywhere, and she chose Maine. “I was trying to do work in a cottage with family members and dogs running around,” she said. “I loved being fully mobile and independent, but I also wanted to have a platform to do my work.”

LooseCubes, the company McKellar founded in May, runs a website that matches independent workers with coworking spaces and spare desks in other companies. Quite appropriately, it’s currently being run out of a coworking space. McKellar says that working from the space has helped her launch.

“Especially if you’re in a creative business, the best way to get ideas is to meet new people,” she says. “You can get stale by talking to the same five people every day.”

Coworking allows McKellar to “unintentionally network” with the other people in the space, to seek advice from other entrepreneurs, and to host meetings and work with her team at a place that isn’t her living room.

On the other hand, coworking has its challenges and might not be a great fit for every company. Coworking spaces can be distracting, and most of them are set up in a way that requires people making phone calls to seek silence in the hallway.

“For us, quiet and privacy is very important,” Fried says. “So, coworking spaces and coffee shops don’t work for us.”

McKellar admits that on days when she’s “under the gun,” she chooses to work at home. And there is a point at which a company outgrows a coworking space. LooseCubes, for instance, plans to move to its own office space sometime in the next three months.

When Should a Company Transition to a Traditional Office?

“We need to be in a room with a whiteboard that isn’t erased every day, where we can have a conference call in an open environment,” McKellar says of her hopes for transitioning to an office space. Before she commits, however, she wants to wait to see how her site’s public launch goes. In the meantime, she’s renting a room at a Manhattan coworking space called New Work City.

All companies should do something along these lines before committing to a lease, Fried says. “You don’t know if you’re going to be successful,” he says. “And if you are, you might need more space than you have right now…You don’t want to lock yourself into anything when you’re getting started. You want to be as flexible as you possibly can.”

For some people, this means staying virtual for as long as possible. For others like McKellar, it means launching from a coworking space. For Fried’s 37signals, which is based in Chicago but has employees in 11 cities, it meant working from a variety of shared office spaces for about ten years before finally opting for an office of its own in August.

But how do you know when it’s time to make the switch?

One obvious factor is space: “We were only able to rent five or six desks in our last office,” Fried says. “We had nine people in Chicago. We were out of desks at six. So everyone couldn’t come in at the same time, and that was problem.”

Another factor is work environment. If the space you are working in is interfering with your work, it might also be time to opt for an environment you can control. “We work very quietly,” explains Fried. “So our whole thing is be as quiet as possible, don’t talk throughout the day, just have a very quiet setting like a library…You can’t impose those kinds of rules on another company, especially if it’s the other company’s space.”

What are the Benefits of a Traditional Office?

For EffectiveUI, the traditional office was always a great fit. Having grown from a couple of founders to 100 employees since 2005, the company long ago left its house-office behind. They now work from a 12,000-square-foot office space.

But both spaces fulfilled the same requirements: “Whiteboarding, talking with each other and eating lunch together: It’s part of the team culture,” Franco says.

The more traditional office, however, has given him some additional perks. “We have clients come to visit us. We’re able to brand the building and the space, and when people come they can see we’re a real business,” he says.

A lot of people associate traditional offices with being trapped in a cubicle, but Franco maintains that it doesn’t have to be that way. “Just get creative and make it fun, but also give everyone a place to go,” he says.

Can I Have an Untraditional Traditional Office?

Fried thinks of his new office as more of a home base than a traditional office. Employees are free to work at home whenever they want, and half of the company still works in other cities.

“We feel that a combination of both is the best route,” Fried says. “Because we all do want to get together occasionally, and sometimes small teams of five or six people want to get together for a while.”

The home base strategy combines the benefits of virtual and traditional workspaces. When people want to work from another city or find they work better in their pajamas, they can stay home. When they need to collaborate or want to get out of the house, they have a great place to work.

“Our office is highly customized for the way we work,” says Fried. For instance, it has soundproof walls, phone booths for people to make uninterrupted calls, and rooms for small teams.

Most employees who work from Chicago come into the new office about three or four days a week. “We want people to work wherever they work best,” Fried says.

What are your tips for choosing a workspace? Add them in the comments below.

Series supported by RingCentral

This series is supported by RingCentralclass="blippr-nobr">RingCentral. Power your business with a phone system designed to meet the needs of today’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, and mobile professionals. With RingCentral, you can take control of your phone system anywhere — using your existing phones, smartphones, or PCs. Sign up today for a special 60-day free trial.

More Startup Resources from Mashable:

- 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea/> - HOW TO: Run Your Business Online with $10 and a Google Account/> - 5 Startup Tips From the Father of Gmail and FriendFeed/> - 6 Ways to Recruit Talent for Startups/> - 10 Essential Tips for Building Your Small Biz Team

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, francisblack

For more Business coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

Newsy: The Story Behind its Innovative <b>News</b> App

Today we're starting a new interview series on ReadWriteWeb, focused on product innovation on the Web. I'll be interviewing a number of startup founders over the coming weeks, ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: OWN Taps Hosts and Readies &#39;View&#39; Competitor, Olivia <b>...</b>

Former 'Access Hollywood' anchor Nancy O'Dell will host 'Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search For The Next TV Star' along with Carson Kressley on Oprah Winfr.

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The new Fox News poll of the Delaware Senate race shows Democratic nominee Chris Coons continuing to enjoy a double-digit lead against Republican Christine O'Donnell.

robert shumake

Newsy: The Story Behind its Innovative <b>News</b> App

Today we're starting a new interview series on ReadWriteWeb, focused on product innovation on the Web. I'll be interviewing a number of startup founders over the coming weeks, ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: OWN Taps Hosts and Readies &#39;View&#39; Competitor, Olivia <b>...</b>

Former 'Access Hollywood' anchor Nancy O'Dell will host 'Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search For The Next TV Star' along with Carson Kressley on Oprah Winfr.

Fox <b>News</b> Poll: Coons Leads O&#39;Donnell By 15 Points In Delaware | TPMDC

The new Fox News poll of the Delaware Senate race shows Democratic nominee Chris Coons continuing to enjoy a double-digit lead against Republican Christine O'Donnell.

Has a central bank ever intervened successfully in the foreign exchange market when the momentum trade was against it? The yen has been rising alarmingly of late, and now the Bank of Japan is trying to push it down.

At first glance, the action looks like a something-must-be-done-this-is-something -therefore-this-must-be-done move: a new prime minister and a “bold action” doomed to be proved ineffectual. The FX markets are so enormous (dollar/yen alone trades some $750 billion per day) that it’s hard to believe a single sale of less than $20 billion in yen could even have the short-term effect we saw last night, let alone have any lasting consequences.

But this isn’t just about FX-market intervention. This is also about monetary policy, and that could make a real difference:

Unlike in previous forays, the Bank of Japan will not drain the money flowing into the economy as a result of the yen selling, sources familiar with the matter said.

That indicated the central bank plans to use the sold yen as a monetary tool to boost liquidity and support the economy.

Authorities that sell their own currencies to weaken them often issue bills to “sterilize” the funds and keep the excess money from becoming inflationary. In Japan’s case, it wants to promote inflation since the economy has been dogged with deflation for much of the past decade.

“The government’s aim, and the aim of authorities in general, is to add monetary injections to the economy,” Callum Henderson, global head of foreign exchange strategy with Standard Chartered in Singapore, told Reuters Insider.

“Unsterilized intervention should be yen-negative, it should be very bullish for higher risk assets, very bullish for stocks in Japan and obviously it should add to the impact of the intervention of the yen,” he said.

In other words, the Bank of Japan isn’t simply selling yen, it’s printing yen. (And then selling them.) Given (a) that it’s the central bank and that it can print as many yen as it likes, and (b) that it would actually welcome a bit of inflation, there’s actually a non-negligible chance that this kind of non-sterilized intervention could work.

Of course, a hint of inflation in Japan could end up driving Japanese bond yields up. That in turn could make a huge difference to the government’s annual interest bill on the country’s monster national debt. So this kind of policy is hardly cost-free; indeed, the real costs might well be much larger than the nominal size of the intervention. But at least it has a chance of making a difference, which is more than you can say for most currency interventions.

This series is supported by RingCentral, the leading business phone system designed for today’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, and mobile professionals. Visit RingCentral.com to learn more.

Finding the right workspace is like dating — the class='blippr-nobr'>Internetclass="blippr-nobr">Internet has made it a lot more complex. In essence, this means more options.

Whereas the traditional office once served as the default choice for effective communication and collaboration between coworkers, today’s businesses can be just as productive by collaborating on the web, with as little as $10 and a Google account. Entrepreneurs operate from coffee shops, kitchen tables, and coworking spaces in addition to the traditional office.

We asked three entrepreneurs with drastically different office strategies for their advice on choosing a workspace. Read on for their tips and add your own in the comments below.

What Kind of Office is Best to Start In?

“When you’re starting out, you should absolutely not be spending money on rent,” says Jason Fried, the founder of web-based software company 37signals. “It’s a huge waste of money.”

After Fried started 37signals, he and the other two employees working for the company at the time shared a room with another business. “Basically we had a corner of a desk,” he jokes. Assuming you can find another company that is willing to share, teaming up on a space saves cash while still providing a place to work away from the distractions of home.

Others see value in setting up their own offices from the get-go. After a brief stint at the virtual office, Anthony Franco chose a house in Denver to set up his company, EffectiveUI. It wasn’t an ideal workspace, but he got a deal on the rent. New employees were often greeted on their first day with an Allen wrench, to be used for assembling their own desks.

“We started at home, but if we were going to handle demand, we needed to have a place where we could come and work,” Franco said. He added that the extra value of being able to work as a team (in person) more than made up for the cost of an office.

While the lease route worked out well for EffectiveUI, there’s a certain amount of risk involved with jumping into your own space too soon.

“Most commercial leases are for three to four years, and so if you’re small and you’re starting out and you’ve got a couple people, you’re making way too much of a commitment,” Fried argues. “You don’t know where you’re going to be in three years.”

Is Coworking Right for Your Business?

One modern compromise between working completely virtually and committing to a lease is working at a coworking space. These office spaces provide a work environment and an alternative to coffee shops for independent workers.

Campbell McKellar discovered the value of coworking spaces when the company she worked for left their expensive traditional office and started working virtually. The move allowed her to work from anywhere, and she chose Maine. “I was trying to do work in a cottage with family members and dogs running around,” she said. “I loved being fully mobile and independent, but I also wanted to have a platform to do my work.”

LooseCubes, the company McKellar founded in May, runs a website that matches independent workers with coworking spaces and spare desks in other companies. Quite appropriately, it’s currently being run out of a coworking space. McKellar says that working from the space has helped her launch.

“Especially if you’re in a creative business, the best way to get ideas is to meet new people,” she says. “You can get stale by talking to the same five people every day.”

Coworking allows McKellar to “unintentionally network” with the other people in the space, to seek advice from other entrepreneurs, and to host meetings and work with her team at a place that isn’t her living room.

On the other hand, coworking has its challenges and might not be a great fit for every company. Coworking spaces can be distracting, and most of them are set up in a way that requires people making phone calls to seek silence in the hallway.

“For us, quiet and privacy is very important,” Fried says. “So, coworking spaces and coffee shops don’t work for us.”

McKellar admits that on days when she’s “under the gun,” she chooses to work at home. And there is a point at which a company outgrows a coworking space. LooseCubes, for instance, plans to move to its own office space sometime in the next three months.

When Should a Company Transition to a Traditional Office?

“We need to be in a room with a whiteboard that isn’t erased every day, where we can have a conference call in an open environment,” McKellar says of her hopes for transitioning to an office space. Before she commits, however, she wants to wait to see how her site’s public launch goes. In the meantime, she’s renting a room at a Manhattan coworking space called New Work City.

All companies should do something along these lines before committing to a lease, Fried says. “You don’t know if you’re going to be successful,” he says. “And if you are, you might need more space than you have right now…You don’t want to lock yourself into anything when you’re getting started. You want to be as flexible as you possibly can.”

For some people, this means staying virtual for as long as possible. For others like McKellar, it means launching from a coworking space. For Fried’s 37signals, which is based in Chicago but has employees in 11 cities, it meant working from a variety of shared office spaces for about ten years before finally opting for an office of its own in August.

But how do you know when it’s time to make the switch?

One obvious factor is space: “We were only able to rent five or six desks in our last office,” Fried says. “We had nine people in Chicago. We were out of desks at six. So everyone couldn’t come in at the same time, and that was problem.”

Another factor is work environment. If the space you are working in is interfering with your work, it might also be time to opt for an environment you can control. “We work very quietly,” explains Fried. “So our whole thing is be as quiet as possible, don’t talk throughout the day, just have a very quiet setting like a library…You can’t impose those kinds of rules on another company, especially if it’s the other company’s space.”

What are the Benefits of a Traditional Office?

For EffectiveUI, the traditional office was always a great fit. Having grown from a couple of founders to 100 employees since 2005, the company long ago left its house-office behind. They now work from a 12,000-square-foot office space.

But both spaces fulfilled the same requirements: “Whiteboarding, talking with each other and eating lunch together: It’s part of the team culture,” Franco says.

The more traditional office, however, has given him some additional perks. “We have clients come to visit us. We’re able to brand the building and the space, and when people come they can see we’re a real business,” he says.

A lot of people associate traditional offices with being trapped in a cubicle, but Franco maintains that it doesn’t have to be that way. “Just get creative and make it fun, but also give everyone a place to go,” he says.

Can I Have an Untraditional Traditional Office?

Fried thinks of his new office as more of a home base than a traditional office. Employees are free to work at home whenever they want, and half of the company still works in other cities.

“We feel that a combination of both is the best route,” Fried says. “Because we all do want to get together occasionally, and sometimes small teams of five or six people want to get together for a while.”

The home base strategy combines the benefits of virtual and traditional workspaces. When people want to work from another city or find they work better in their pajamas, they can stay home. When they need to collaborate or want to get out of the house, they have a great place to work.

“Our office is highly customized for the way we work,” says Fried. For instance, it has soundproof walls, phone booths for people to make uninterrupted calls, and rooms for small teams.

Most employees who work from Chicago come into the new office about three or four days a week. “We want people to work wherever they work best,” Fried says.

What are your tips for choosing a workspace? Add them in the comments below.

Series supported by RingCentral

This series is supported by RingCentralclass="blippr-nobr">RingCentral. Power your business with a phone system designed to meet the needs of today’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, and mobile professionals. With RingCentral, you can take control of your phone system anywhere — using your existing phones, smartphones, or PCs. Sign up today for a special 60-day free trial.

More Startup Resources from Mashable:

- 8 Funding Contests to Kick Start Your Big Idea/> - HOW TO: Run Your Business Online with $10 and a Google Account/> - 5 Startup Tips From the Father of Gmail and FriendFeed/> - 6 Ways to Recruit Talent for Startups/> - 10 Essential Tips for Building Your Small Biz Team

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, francisblack

For more Business coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

robert shumake

Newsy: The Story Behind its Innovative <b>News</b> App

Today we're starting a new interview series on ReadWriteWeb, focused on product innovation on the Web. I'll be interviewing a number of startup founders over the coming weeks, ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: OWN Taps Hosts and Readies &#39;View&#39; Competitor, Olivia <b>...</b>

Former 'Access Hollywood' anchor Nancy O'Dell will host 'Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search For The Next TV Star' along with Carson Kressley on Oprah Winfr.

Fox <b>News</b> Poll: Coons Leads O&#39;Donnell By 15 Points In Delaware | TPMDC

The new Fox News poll of the Delaware Senate race shows Democratic nominee Chris Coons continuing to enjoy a double-digit lead against Republican Christine O'Donnell.

robert shumake

Newsy: The Story Behind its Innovative <b>News</b> App

Today we're starting a new interview series on ReadWriteWeb, focused on product innovation on the Web. I'll be interviewing a number of startup founders over the coming weeks, ...

<b>News</b> Roundup: OWN Taps Hosts and Readies &#39;View&#39; Competitor, Olivia <b>...</b>

Former 'Access Hollywood' anchor Nancy O'Dell will host 'Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search For The Next TV Star' along with Carson Kressley on Oprah Winfr.

Fox <b>News</b> Poll: Coons Leads O&#39;Donnell By 15 Points In Delaware | TPMDC

The new Fox News poll of the Delaware Senate race shows Democratic nominee Chris Coons continuing to enjoy a double-digit lead against Republican Christine O'Donnell.